Change your Mind, Change your Body

What happens in your mind is inextricably linked to what happens in your body. We know, for example, that meditation can change your brain activity and improve the immune system. The idea of your body following your mind is really the foundation of health. So learning before you leap into a completely new nutrition or wellness plan is essential for your success. You will need to identify what health and wellness mean to you, set measurable goals and chart your course in order to achieve your vision.


Stages of Change

There are 5 distinct stages that people experience while going through changes in their life. Each of us may breeze through these stages rather quickly, still others find themselves stuck and unable to move forward or make the changes they desire. Coaching is beneficial for anyone in any stage of change, but is especially so for those who find themselves "stuck" in any particular one. Below are the 5 natural stages of change:
1. Pre-contemplation or “I won’t”/”I can’t
2. Contemplation or “I may” 
3. Preparation or “I will” 
4. Action or “I am” 
5. Maintenance or “I still am”

What Stage are you currently in?

Answer Yes or No to the following statements. If you answer Yes, your stage follows in parentheses. 

1. I achieved my original vision more than 6 months ago. (I still am)

2. I’ve taken action toward my vision within the last 6 months, but am still not there yet. (I am)

3. I am intending to take action soon, like next month. (I will)

4. I am intending on taking action sometime, but it may be 6 months away. (I may)

5. I am not intending to take action anytime soon because I am not interested (I won’t) or because I am overwhelmed & don’t have time. (I can’t)

Stay tuned to "Stress Factors" as I examine each of the preceding stages in more detail, how stress affects each of us in those stages and how we can go about getting around those obstacles that stand in the way of our success! 

Health of Corporate America

It's all about the economy.....how many people are tired of being a victim to that ideal? I know I am. Let's turn this thing around and see what happens when we take responsibility for ourselves, our actions and our emotional well-being.

How you say? Well I have a few answers that may help. These are simple techniques you can, and should, do daily. If we can become happy within ourselves, does it really matter where we are physically?

1. Meditate - yes, I said meditate.  Most of the Fortune 500 top executives meditate during working hours in order that they may increase their cognition and decision making abilities. Once centered, it is easier to look at situations and difficulties at work and decide an appropriate response to take. It only takes a few minutes and will change the way you work and relate to other's in your life.

2. Exercise - and yes, again I said exercise. One of the best ways to relieve stress is to expend it in the gym or doing any physical activity you love. It can be lifting weights, walking the dog, biking with the kids or even working in the garden. It's all about getting yourself to move a little bit everyday, and you will notice a difference immediately! I kid you not.

3. You guessed - Eat healthy!  Amazing aren't I?  I know you've heard it all before, but it's true... You are what you eat. The old food pyramid is a bunch of bunk. Anyone who eats that much grain (at the bottom and suggested to be the majority of you intake) should be out standing in a pasture. Fill your place with 4-6oz of protein (fist-sized), 2 cups of veggies (preferably dark green) 1/2 cup of rice (or potato, any carb really) and don't forget breakfast! Anyone who wants to control their weight knows that you must eat in order to lose!

4. Be gentle with yourself..... I know this sounds different but hear me out. We all are our own biggest critic and it's that voice inside that is first to point out our flaws. Listen to that little voice just for a second, recognize it, then shove it aside for more positive thoughts. Your inner critic doesn't have to have the loudest voice, choose differently. 

5. Hire a coach. Imagine that ;).... Truly if you are having difficulties at home or at work and feel you don't need therapy, hire a life or career coach to help you sort things through. The objective of the coach is to help you get from where you are today, to where you want to go. We do this through a series of sessions, getting to the core of your behavior, moving around obstacles and setting goals for you to work toward. Not goals I set for you, but goals you set for yourself. That are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-oriented.

6.Breathe... Just breathe. Yes the simple act of taking a few minutes just to close your eyes and just breath will lower your stress level immediately. Always breathe in through your nose and out through your nose, slowly and comfortably. It's amazing what a little slow down and some oxygen can do!

Hope you take some of the suggestions as worthy and try them out. If you would like more information on anything I've written, please feel free to contact me! If you would like to sign up for coaching sessions, or to see if you would lie coaching please contact me to schedule a complementary session (can be done in person or on the phone.).

Held Hostage for Health

So, let me ask you....how is it that health insurance companies are getting away with holding companies, and their employee's, hostage by forcing them to implement insurance provided wellness programs for lower premiums, but charging a fee for said programs? Huh.

As I understand it, the insurance company sets up a cookie-cutter wellness programs, perform health risk assessments on the company employee's....use that data in determining premiums and then charge the company a fee for implementing and maintaining the program (which they do via on-line services only). The data collected from the employee health risk assessment is used to determine whether the employee will fall under low or high risk categories. The more high risk employee's on has on staff, the more extensive and expensive the program .....which leads to placing higher premiums based on the number of those high risk employee's. Huh.

Wait a minute! Is that ethical? Is it legal?  Even if it is "legal" or unregulated, is it the right thing to do? Basically the insurance company is setting their own client up for failure, just so they can make a few more dollars.

Reality show us that no high risk employee, who doesn't want to change, won't do so just because you impose a "program" on him/her. Or because they'll save $20 per month. Most I've spoken to will pay a gym $20 NOT to attend 12 times per month......and isn't that asking a lot for a "high-risk" employee? High risk usually means they are candidates or have some kind of chronic disease, smoke or are overweight. Now I ask you, are any of those individuals going to make it to a health club to workout 12 times per month?

I see several flaws in current health insurance run corporate wellness programs. First, the health risk assessment (HRA) information that they gather from employees and using it as a basis for rate determination, smacks of unethical business practices. HIPPA thinks so too, which is why they are leveraging to make changes so that the employer maintains possession of that information and is not used in determining premiums.

Secondly, expecting online software programs to do the job of what should be an empathetic, supportive and educated coach when dealing with employees making life changes. Through extensive research I have found that the majority of those who do participate in wellness programs, have a longer-term success rate when they've had the ability to work one-on-one with a coach.

Third, the insurance companies are taking a band-aid approach to health and well-being. They impose an exercise, diet and smoking cessation program in order to solve inherent core value behavior. What do I mean by core-value behavior? Core-values are those belief systems that we all carry around with us that help us navigate through life. Some are positive (anabolic) in nature, and some are negative (catabolic) in nature. Those catabolic ones are the ones who tell us negative things about ourselves, encourage destructive behavior and most typically are conditioned behavior responses. These are the core-values that keep us from losing weight, quitting smoking, going to the gym and leading a healthier lifestyle. These are the real issues a wellness program has to address in order to affect real change in an individual.  Only then, when we can clear the path for someone to take anabolic action for themselves can we expect them to take advantage of the gym, healthier eating or to quit smoking.

Lastly I'd just like to add that I think the health insurance companies were on the the right track, but I don't think they are the right provider for such programs. Every company will have it's own issues, whether it's stress management, weight management, communication issues or conflict resolution. The right candidate for providing programs will customize those programs to fit each and every company individually with thought, intention, effectiveness, appropriateness and intelligence. Yes, for most employers is a matter of the bottom line, but it's also about the health and well-being of your biggest asset.....your employees.

Wellness is a way of BEING, not a program you get off a computer.

Meditation for Stress-free Workplace

For most people the word meditation conjures up images of shaven-headed monks sitting in mountain retreats high in the Himalayas. Very few people would associate it with their office or place of work.

Yet this is EXACTLY what is happening as organizations seek to balance aggressive corporate culture with the calming, performance-enhancing techniques of meditation.

As we move towards a more enlightened style of management, there is growing acceptance that we need to let go of old, ineffective patterns of working and replace them with a strong and fertile foundation on which to build.


There is no need for employees to feel imprisoned by work, experiencing it as a burden, a threat or an inconvenience; instead there is potential for a profound sense of freedom, fulfillment and well-being in the workplace -- which ultimately increases the bottom line. As they say, a happy employee is a productive employee.

It appears that savvy business leaders, keen to incorporate these wholesome values into the world of business and commerce, are increasingly looking towards meditation, or mind training as it is sometimes known, as the solution.


Contrary to popular opinion, mind training is about far more than simply sitting crossed-legged on a cushion. There are numerous techniques that can be used in a very direct and practical way for raising awareness and the quality of communication at work. A well-structured program of mind training will always include the three key elements of vision, insight and action.

Vision relates to the way in which we view the world around us. Essentially this is our attitude to life, to work and our perception of others. Clearly, when addressed successfully, this has dramatic implications for the workplace.

Insight relates to the practice of meditation itself and the wisdom generated through such practice. This allows us to work with increased clarity in any given situation and to respond in a skilful and compassionate way.

Action relates very specifically to the way in which we implement and integrate our refined vision and new-found wisdom into our everyday work. It is four years since Business Week first heralded the arrival of meditation in the workplace. Early pioneers included Apple, Yahoo! and Google, along with more traditional organisations such as Deutsche Bank and McKinsey. Needless to say, many organisations have since followed suit. These giants have set the bar for establishing wellness in the workplace, and if you don't jump on this band wagon, profits and happy employees will be left in the dust of your ancient thinking.

This growing trend is perhaps not surprising given the extensive scientific research published by the likes of the National Institute of Health and Harvard Medical School. The findings consistently demonstrate a decrease in the production of chemicals associated with stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. At the same time they show an increased ability to relax, heightened levels of concentration and the alleviation of the many aches and pains that plague employees everywhere.

With employee healthcare high on the agenda these numerous benefits alone would be reason enough for many to sign up. But increasingly it is the performance-enhancing qualities of meditation that are attracting all the attention - at the individual, departmental and organisational level.

Individuals who meditate tend to experience higher levels of sustained happiness and wellbeing in their lives. The result of this is an increased level of job satisfaction, improved morale and a greater willingness to contribute and communicate with fellow employees.

Those practising on a regular basis also report that by allowing the mind to settle, to experience calm, they are able to tap into a previously unknown reservoir of creativity.

As employees begin to work together with greater clarity, focus and enthusiasm, they invariably become a more efficient team. With increased understanding of one another's strengths and limitations they also begin to communicate far more effectively.

These benefits make for a handsome return on investment, with a sharp decline in absenteeism and health costs accompanied by a significant increase in productivity and staff retention. The bottom line - it pays to meditate.