For Blogs and Videos by category -
At the bottom of a post, click on the category or tag name
When you are making new habits, it involves change. And fear of change is natural. But it must be overcome so you can reach your goals.
Here’s my question: Is it really a fear of change or a fear of what you might lose or the unknown? After you watch this video, take a few minutes to write down what exactly you fear. Some may not seem very big after you see them written. Others you may need to find creative ways to handle.
You can do it.
These are five essential things you need to succeed in your goals this year. You can do this!
When you are making habits you need everything strong in your favor.
Especially what goes on between your ears.
In this video I share how 5 common cognitive distortions hurt your healthy habits. (And below the video are 10 more styles of distorted thinking.)
Other distorted thoughts?
Filtering out the positive
Mind reading exactly why people or situations are as they are
Catastrophizing the what if’s
Personalization - It is all about you
Control fallacies - all external or internal control
Fairness fallacy - resentments
Change fallacy - that others will change to suit you if you pressure them
Global labeling of one quality
Being right - feeling on trial to constantly prove you are right
Heaven’s reward - when you sacrifice expecting a pay-off and feel bitter when it doesn’t come when/how you want
As you start 2020, you probably have health and fitness goals you want to reach. But how do you make sure you are doing what it takes to build the habits?
One essential ingredient is believing that you can do it.
Well, that’s nice.
But how do you build your belief that you can do it?
In this quick video, I teach you how.
This incredibly simple recipe is always a winner. At every party, there is never any to bring home and I get asked for the recipe multiple times.
1 head of romaine lettuce (organic if possible), chopped (pre-bagged is great!)
8-10 oz bag of organic spinach leaves*
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
¼ - ½ cup organic raisins*
½ cup almond slivers (or chopped walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts as desired)
Mix all. Chill for an hour or longer.
Best dressing options: Ranch, Italian, and Fruit-Based (organic, if made with soybean oil*)
Mix in dressing prior to serving, or serve dressing on the side.
*Spinach and grapes are typically on the “Dirty Dozen” list of high pesticides, so organic is preferred. Soybeans are often high in pesticide residue, so dressings made with organic soybean oil is preferred.
Finishing our Energy Series, I want to share a quick energy boost — as well as how to put all of these Energy Strategies together.
When you are creating a healthy lifestyle, you need people with you that you trust. How do you build that trust?
I’m cohosting a live podcast with a friend who is launching his book to answer how you build trust! Here’s the info … look forward to joining you live! (And - read to the end to find out how to win prizes)
In 2017, the Association of MBAs and The Game Changer Index conducted a month study asking 865 industry-diverse leaders to name issues that lead to breakdowns in team collaboration. The study revealed that the top two causes of team breakdown are poor leadership and poor communication between team members.
Overwhelmingly, the top cause was poor leadership as nearly 70% of respondents said that it had been a factor in collaboration breakdown in the past year.
If we want to foster more impactful team dynamics, it starts with YOU as a leader. The more effective you are, the more effective your team will ultimately be.
And while this might sound cliche, it’s R-E-A-L.
This is the premise behind the White Collar Therapy & Leadership Show Host Robb Holman’s latest book All In, which is slated for release on November 26th, 2019. And to help with Robb’s book launch, sub-titled, How Impactful Teams Build Trust from the Inside Out, the WCT tribe is coming together for a special edition of the White Collar Therapy and Leadership Show on that same day.
This special edition of the show, which just completed its fourth season, will include all 5 Co-Hosts like we did in the Season 4 Finale. The show will consist of the following three segments:
The Virtual Coffee Shop
Audience Q&A, Prizes, & Giveaways
The ‘All In’ Book Launch
In the first segment, the five friends will spend 10-15 minutes chatting it up like we normally do when the shows begin. The purpose of this segment is to let loose and get into synch. It’s a great chance to get to know your co-hosts a bit.
For the second segment, the plan is to take on questions from live viewers about team building and leadership. Leading up to the live show, the hosts will be reaching out to their networks for input and questions to bring up on the show.
NOTE: Use the comments section at the bottom to post your thoughts and questions leading up to, during, and even after the live show.
During this segment, we will also be giving away two free copies of Robb’s new book, and announcing special offers from each of the co-hosts, so be sure to tune in.
For the third and final segment, Robb will officially launch his new book by letting viewers and listeners know where and how to get their copy and what makes this book special. Not only this, Robb will also use this opportunity to announce a Grand Prize Giveaway.
The White Collar Therapy & Leadership Show is a place where friends meet every two weeks in a virtual coffee shop to talk about challenges they are facing as business owners, leaders, and aspiring entrepreneurs. It is hosted by a group of friends who each have their own shows, podcasts, published books, and do public speaking.
Friends and colleagues are invited to tune in and learn from the conversations. Topics of conversation are career-minded and delivered in a fun and entertaining fashion. The shows are recorded and then featured on the White Collar Therapy & Leadership Podcast.
Follow this link for more information about White Collar Therapy and how you can get involved. In addition to the show and podcast, we also plan to introduce a monthly group coaching session where participants can benefit from the life and leadership coaching of all five co-hosts.
Notice the title. We aren’t going to talk about ways to prepare for the holidays. I will never attempt to lead a discussion on how to create ornaments or decorate a pumpkin pie. (Though I might talk about the health benefits of pumpkin sometime.)
Let’s talk about preparing YOU for the holidays. Here are my top five steps to take:
Set your intentions. When December 31st rolls around, what emotions do you want to have experienced? What memories will be beautiful to you?
Write these out where you can see them so when you get invitations — or create them — you will have your intentions top of mind.
Plan your priorities. (Then say “no” to the rest.) This one is hard for me. The planning is easy, but the saying “no” is harder.
When you say “I am going to host one party and go to 2; the rest of the time I am going to spend making memories with my spouse and kids” it can be a challenge to turn down other invitations.
When you say “We are going to the mountains for Christmas” and extended family gets upset, it can be uncomfortable.
3. Learn to savor your holiday treats. This is part of Intuitive Eating and a small piece of what I teach in my online holiday course “Hold the Stuffing.” Practice this now.
Select a favorite treat and, undistracted, take one bite. Pay attention to the taste. Rate it. Then take a second bite and do the same. Then a third. On so on. Around the third to fifth bite you will notice the intensity of pleasure decreases. There is your cue. Stop.
You can always have it again later.
4. Schedule in the movement you need to feel energetic through the season. Don’t ignore your daily walks or whatever exercise keeps you feeling great.
5. Know your triggers. Who or what triggers you to feel stressed? For me, lack of sleep is a big one, so I know during the holidays when extra activities are going on, sleep must be an even higher priority.
What will you do to prepare yourself for the Holidays?
Who doesn’t want to boost their energy, especially when it is with something as simple as sunshine.
Just a few minutes each day is all you need — and here’s how it works.
I wasn’t really sure how to title this post. “How to exercise for daily performance” could be interpreted as how you want to perform in a sport. “How to exercise to be your best each day” didn’t really cut what I’m talking about either. So “brain function” is closest, even though how you interact with others is talked about to.
Here’s the gist … depending on what you are doing that day IN YOUR LIFE, you can choose different types of exercise to benefit how well you do. For example, if you are studying, you need one type of exercise… if you are taking a test, you need another type of exercise.
Let me know how this helps you! (Also, I created a cheat-sheet. Email me at sheri@thevireolife.com if you’d like a copy.)
I have always thought of increasing energy through exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mindset. But, these two surprised me and have now become pillars in my own Energy Routine.
The key is knowing (as always) what works for you. Because what drains someone else can increase your energy. Don’t compare your needs with someone else. And definitely don’t compare yourself with a perfect standard. That will drain you fast!
This simple activity can change how you enjoy your work. And then … watch your energy with work grow!
How’s your productivity going in this Energy Series? You may not see a quick result (on the other hand, you may), but you will eventually notice a correlation between your ears and your wallet. Or another way … between your mental practices and your results.
Productivity. Energy. Creativity.
Not only does WHAT you eat impact your energy, HOW you eat it does, too. So, grab your water (another proven productivity booster) and listen in.
Share this with your friends and co-workers who need to amp up their energy. (And remember to try it yourself.)
Without a plan for authentic energy you cannot reach your dreams.
One piece of the plan? Manage your stress.
Why? One reason is serotonin and dopamine. The majority of your serotonin is made in your gut, and when you are stressed, your digestive system can be thrown off.
Here’s an excerpt from my THRIVE Life course which gives you some tips on how to increase your energy through de-stressing your digestive system.
If you are having trouble sleeping, practice these techniques to improve your sleep.
Sleep is the #1 foundation for you to have energy to succeed in life, so sleep kicks off a new series: Get Energy.
I suffered with years of adrenaline fatigue. A huge contributor? Sleep deprivation! Don’t let this happen to you.
Without practicing a plan for authentic energy you cannot live your potential.
Go get a good night’s sleep.
Recently I got to talk with a woman who developed a specialized career based on her childhood experiences. She is a chiropractor who focuses exclusively on overcoming stress. I’d always thought of emotional stress causing stress in the body, but she showed me it goes the other way, too.
More important is the unique ideas she has for overcoming stress — which, of course, she shared in this interview to help you!
Have you ever second-guessed if you could hike a long distance, run, jump rope, or play on a trampoline because of a little talked about issue … leaky bladder? Let’s fix that.
This is part two of the interview with my good friend, Dr. Laura Gordey, who specializes in getting women active again through pelvic floor health.
Parents be aware — because the topic is adult-centered, you may want to make sure the video is age-appropriate for your kids. I mean that two ways … if your kids are ready to hear/discuss adult (medical) terminology AND making sure that your older teenage girls are aware that taking action now with pelvic floor health can set them up for success throughout life.
Have you ever second-guessed if you could hike a long distance, run, jump rope, or play on a trampoline because of a little talked about issue … leaky bladder?
One of the silent problems that keeps people, women especially, from being more active is a pelvic floor that is too tight or weak (or both).
In this video I interview my good friend, Dr. Laura Gordey, who specializes in getting women active again through pelvic floor health.
Parents be aware — because the topic is adult-centered, you may want to make sure the video is age-appropriate for your kids. I mean that two ways … if your kids are ready to hear/discuss adult (medical) terminology AND making sure that your older teenage girls are aware that taking action now with pelvic floor health can set them up for success throughout life.
Just to keep this serious medical topic light, we set up and filmed in a women’s lounge. So, when you hear toilets flushing in the background, it is no mistake.
A client was distraught.
Family beach vacation time. Not her, husband, and kids. But her extended husband's family, who were generally critical.
She had been learning to eat intuitively and was losing weight *slowly* - but the thought of being in a swimsuit around her in-laws with their comments was tempting her to crash diet before the trip.
In other families, the push is with “Don’t be so goody-goody. You can skip your workouts this week.” or “You just think you are better than us, ordering fish instead of pizza.”
Whether your family tries to shame you into another roller-coaster diet or tries to guilt you out of choices you are making, ask yourself these questions I asked my coaching client:
1. "Do you really want to get back into the diet mentality and lose-gain cycle you were on?"
2. "Do you want to give them control of your health and confidence?"
3. "What do you want to say to their comments or looks? Think about it ahead of time." (We role-played the conversations and it really helped her.)
4. "What can you do to boost your sense of self-esteem before and during the trip?"
5. "What will you wear that makes you feel strong and confident?"
6. "Will you message someone every day for encouragement to stay the course?" (For my clients, I can be that “someone.”)
And #7 “What were the reasons you started this journey? What have been the benefits?” Think about that answer several times a day.
Bonus thought: If they criticize, what is the worst that can happen? If you give in, what will happen?
You are with them for a week.
You are with you for a life.
In this FREE guide learn how to:
· Stop the fad diet roller-coaster
· Exercise in your lifestyle
And Get Results that Last!
I'll make it easy for you. Just enter your info below and then check your inbox.
ViREO Life is a health and wellness practice, incorporating physical activity, exercise, nutrition, and behavior science services. The text, photos, video and other media presented in this site and the social media connected to this site are for information purposes only. None of the above information sources are intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. This information is not to be used to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified health care professional. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult your health care provider.
© Copyright 2016 Vireo Life and Sheri Traxler. All rights reserved, including text, photos and other material presented in this site.
