Seasons

It is amazing how we do not notice change from season to season, yet we are all in a consant state of change. It is also suprising how many people fear the concept of change. Change is a good thing. It provides us with the opportunity to grow and to discover new and wonderful things.
From the time I started this blog, my life has changed dramatically. But these were gentle changes - changes that I did not notice until someone pointed them out. Many people have mentioned that I have lost wieght or are now extremely energtic. I did not notice until I took a look myself. I had to step back and assess the changes that I have made. Some of the changes were positive. My diet is much healthier then it ever has been. Before I eat something I try to think of the long term effects (even the short term effects). It is amazing how wheat effects a person's mood. When I eat just a little bit of wheat I feel dizzy and slightly dingy. This makes me think that what you eat really factors in how you body will go (it is like fueling a car with cheaper gas versus the premium gas- it makes your body run much smoother and cleaner).
I am still not 100% raw and do give in to not so healthy food once in a while, but now I am aware of some of the effects that food might do to me. It makes me think before putting something in my mouth.

Resolutions

Now that Christmas is over (and I am back to work today - A sacarstic yeah... okay it really is not that bad... okay i love my job)... It is time to start thinking about the new year, and New Year's Resolutions!!!! This year I really want to step up and fullfill my Resolutions. I know we always talk about them in the begining and try to see them through, but by summer they are lost in the shuffle. I think the dream work book will be a wonderful reminder for me to make things happen in 2009. I look around and see the ecomomy stuggling. I ask myself on a daily basis how I can help myself and others prepare for a tough ecomony. This is were my first resolution comes to play... I want to become more minimilistic. I rely too much on material possessions and things. All I really need is my family and friends, the things to support them and their needs, and a good high speed internet connection :lol: . The other thing that I would like to work on is being happy about me. I want to continue to lose weight and to feel good about the foods that I am eating. This includes exercise and diet. Listening to Dr.T's lectures again and coming up with assessment questions really makes me think about what I put in my mouth. For Christmas I got an Areogarden... my goal is to grow my own food this summer... Which makes me come to my third resolution turn my black thumb green!!!! If any of you have some good tips... please pass them along. My fourth resolution is my m,ost important one. That is to keep up with my studies. I have my dissertation topic (food and learning, I need to narrow down a little), but in order to make a difference in the lives who could benefit from my studies I need to keep up with my studies.What are some of your new years resolutions? I think if we work together we can make it happen!!!!!

We spent the weekend with my in-laws. I have pretty amazing in-laws. They try really hard to please everyone around them. They tend to go a little overboard at times, but their heart is in the right place.

It is amazing how much of an impact a person has on the world. If you reach out to just one person and smile or say hi or even listen to their story. They will start a chain reaction and smaile at someone else. I was watching previews in a movie theater this weekend and noticed that they are making stories for each of the charecters in the X-Man movies (starting with Wolverine). Everyone has a story to tell and share. We just need to listen. So if you are reading this blog and have a story to tell, feel free to tell me and I will listen. We are all amazing individuals and will change the world with our stories!

This morning was interesting. More to come later...

It is amazing how many choices we make on a daily basis. These choices will have consequences as well as successes. Most of these choices we make with a full understanding of the aftermath. We do not even think of the aftermath...we simply know what will happen. This skill has to come from some where. We choose to be who we are. Why do we choose to be someone who strives to be someone else. We can still make a choice to be who we are.

During this post I started to reflect on how simple choosing a direction can be. I looked to my son, who is two and is learning all about choices now. He turned to me one night this week and decided to not wear a shirt to bed. It is the middle of winter here, so I started to fuss and was tempted to have him throw that tamtrum and put a shirt on him. But I relaxed a little and let him go to bed without a shirt (I made sure that he was bundled up with blankets and that the house temp was set a little higher). In the middle of the night he came wandering into my bedroom holding a shirt. I put a shirt on him and put him back to bed. Such as small lesson, but a huge lesson in choice, and what the outcomes are of that choice. I hope he will continue to explore choices and will become good at making choices for his happiness.

Sending everyone warm persimmon hugs!!!!
~Alissa

Snow

Today is the day that it will snow.
I embrace the snow!

Today is the day that I will make mistakes..
I cherish my mistakes!

Today is the day that I live...
I love to live!

Today is the day that I will choose....
I happily will choose

Today is the day I will make someone smile.....
I think of your smile :)

Something to be proud about

I am getting over my love of cooked foods, such as donuts and pizza!!! Every friday we have either bagels or donuts. I was able to resist the donut calling me from the break room this morning! Talk about changes for the better. I am so proud to be a part of the raw diva family (www.therawdivas.com). I feel that they have really helped me to gain a better understanding of what I eat, which in turn gives be a better understanding of what I need physically and mentally... What a great feeling!