How to Overcome Fears and Come Alive

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman

There have been times in my life where I felt on top of the world, intentional, and on fire. I felt beaming with energy. I felt all the things I wanted in my life came easily and it felt effortless and a joy. I loved being alive, I loved who I was and I loved what I was doing. Somewhere along the way I no longer felt that way anymore. I noticed life felt like a struggle and I didn't feel good about myself or anything. I felt stuck, burdened, and alone. In reflection I wondered what the heck happened? How did I go from a state of bliss into a state of paralysis?

The Biggest Buzz Kill= Fears
One way to zap the passion is to feel fear, insecurities, doubt, and expectations. Who cares what people think of us. We don't have to live up to anyone else's exceptions or even our own. We just gotta let ourselves do what we enjoy most! When we are fired up, creativity flows through us, it is almost as if we are just channeling it. It feels effortless, it feels as though time collapses. It rejuvenates us. It inspires us, fulfills us.

What happens when we aren't alive?
We become stressed, frustrated, feel drained, blah, complacent, angry, irritable, annoyed, (especially with happy people). We want to drown out life or find some other source to give up pleasure rather than create the things that give us an internal sense of pleasure and satisfaction. We feel empty and alone, then we resort to outside sources to try to fill the void w/ things such as junk food, overeating, sleeping, pills, drugs, alcohol, sex/pornography, TV. Sometimes we start trying to please other people rather than ourselves as a way to awaken, but that seems to only perpetuate the situation. We are looking on the outside for things to make us feel good on the inside. The above are all symptoms of a starving soul.

There are tons of creative ways to get in touch with what makes us come alive. The fun part is finding our own way. Here are a series of exercises you can do to awaken and rejuvenate yourself that bring you back in touch with your spirit.

EXERCISE 1- Find Your Passions
Passions never fade, they usually are very similar to the interests you had as a child and see what comes up. Brainstorm all the things you have loved doing in your life. Here is a list of things that came up for me.

I loved to do gymnastics. I went from beginners to advanced in am matter of a months because I couldn't get enough of it. As an adult, although I do not do gymnastics, I do power yoga, which to me is gymnastics in slow-motion without the plyometrics.

• I loved playing with natural beauty remedies. You could find me chilling out in my room at the age of 10 with oatmeal on my face and egg whites around my eyes! Later in life, I expressed that passion again through opening a day spa.

• I love love love to read. As a little girl I would sit in a tree, sit in a corner or on my bed and read for hours. Sometimes I would read the same book several times, as I did with Charlottes Web in the first grade. As an adult and over the course of years I have read hundreds of books on self help, health, beauty, fitness. I experimented with all sorts of detoxes, workouts, exercises, diets, and health regimes.

• I love love love LEARNING & TEACHING. As a matter of fact I would go to summer school just for fun. I would also ask for extra left over worksheets at the end of the school year and have my little brothers sit down and play teacher as I taught them how to do the work. As an adult, I attended fun classes on massage, holistic health, personal training, nutrition, injury rehab, yoga, herbal therapy, and so forth. Never did it feel like work. I know health is a passion of mine because I could spend all day studying and practicing. In 2002 I turned this passion into a career that evolved from a massage therapist, yoga instructor, personal trainer, group fitness instructor, spa director, nutrition & detox coach.
  
  
• I love to journal. I have been doing this since the second grade. I loved going out in my backyard as a kid, climbing up in our old olive tree and writing. To this day I still journal and write. It is reflected in my blog posts. This blog is just an extension of my personal journal..... Dear Diary.... lol! Ok, but seriously... a journal is the best friend ever, it just listens quietly and lets you discover your own way. Welcome to my journey! ;)
  
  
• I love tinkering in the garden and kitchen. I would try to grow plants and I loved spending time in my grandfathers backyard that was filled with edible plants. I spent summers eating berries all day long (while I was supposed to be pulling weeds). To this day those are some of my fondest summer memories. I would also take peaches we grew in our backyard and look in the index of recipe books and find all the recipes that had peaches in them. Think Forrest Gump here with all his Shrimp recipe ideas! Just turn that into peaches and you would see me! When I bought my first home I started growing gardens again. I am far from a pro, but I really love growing and harvesting my own food. I have lots of reasons why, but the main reason is to observe nature and enjoy the cycle of life. I am currently in a home where I cannot put anything in the ground, but I do want to start this back up again.

• I loved playing dress up in my moms clothes, makeup and heels. It was fun to get all fancy and to feel beautiful.

• I loved going out and dancing as a teen and young adult. I could dance for hours many days a week and just get lost in the music. I love that exercise feels fun and effortless. I love the body confidence. I love the sensuality. I love celebrating my body. I just love dancing! I don't care what type it is. I think I live vicariously through watching shows like "Dancing with the Stars". The costumes are amazing and I love how graceful the body can move. This is definitely a side of me that I would love to start expressing again.

• Throughout school, I loved PE and Science. I love the scientific explanation and understanding of what is unfolding. I especially enjoy it in regards to nature, quantum physics, and the human body. I love to play around and do cool little experiments to see what happens. BTW, have you ever seen the rice experiment? My kids and I have done that and LOVE it!

• I love music and want it playing in the home all the time. It uplifts me and creates a mood/vibration.

• I love turning bland into beautiful. I guess this is where makeovers in general come in. I love transformation whether it is with interior design, edible landscaping, food & meals, personal growth, weight loss and beauty makeovers. Stories of people who go from ordinary to extraordinary. It's the transformation. It's the growth that excites me. I suppose that is why I am so drawn to all things that grow and evolve whether it is personal growth, health, beauty, gardening, raising children. Observing the journey is so beautiful!

• I love singing all around the house, in the car, whenever, wherever.

EXERCISE 2- Identify Blockages & Why You Stopped (Excuses)
Now that you have remembered all the things you have loved in the past, did you feel a swell of enthusiasm build as you were remembering the things that brought you joy? Did just writing it out excite you all over again. Now why in the world would you ever stop? Write out all the reasons that you stopped doing what you love!

In writing this list I realized there are a lot of things that I loved to do that I am not doing now. It led me to inquire as to why I ever stopped doing them in the first place.

• I felt I didn't have the time or money to pursue those interests (like go to dance lessons or singing lessons).
• I felt I wasn't good enough at it to make anything of it, I might as well drop it and get on with the skills that I do have.
• I became distracted with what I didn't want to do and focused on what I felt I had to do.
• Fear and negative beliefs got in the way.
• I forgot my intention and why I am here in the first place.
• I disconnected from my spirit.
• I became out of balance.
• Life no longer felt fun. It felt like struggle and WORK.

Blockages are just excuses you have told yourself to mask fear.

EXERCISE 3- Start Dreaming

Play the Wouldn't it be Nice Game in "Ask & It is Given" by Esther & Jerry Hicks. Here is what came up for me.

Wouldn't it be nice if....

• I could sing beautifully
• I would dance beautifully and gracefully
• I was an amazing communicator and loved speaking in front of a large audience
• I could focus
• I was consistent
• I created a business that felt like a fun game and not work
• I felt passionate, alive, & beaming with energy
• I had a beautiful body
• I did do what I wish I had the balls to do
• I felt beautiful just the way I am
• I believed in myself and felt connected to my spirit
• I had unlimited resources
• I was an incredible friend
• I was a billionaire
• I could walk outside and pick my meal from the garden that was full of nutrient dense biophotons and pure energy.

Follow up your dreams with a reason why. Here are my reasons why it would be nice. They correlate in order to the dreams listed above.

It would be nice because....

• I would belt out a song whenever I wanted to and wouldn't feel self conscious. I wouldn't care what anyone thought of my voice. I would just enjoy it!
• I would get down and DANCE. I wouldn't hold back! I would let go, get into it and have fun!
• I wouldn't care if anyone made fun of me or thought I sucked
• I would share what my heart is calling me to do & I would know people understand me.
• I would finish all the inspiring things I start
• I would really make progress and master my passions
• I would look forward to creating, it would feel easy & effortless instead of overwhelming
• I would feel satisfied with life everyday
• I wouldn't let insecurities keep me from getting out and JUST DOING IT!
• I would feel uninhibited & free I would enjoy my beautiful body rather than criticizing it
• I wouldn't care if other people were judging me, I would just do my thing
• I'd love my haters
• I'd conquer my fears, my prison, my world!
• I'd feel good about the way I conducted myself in relationships
• I could make a difference in the world, help people by investing in them just as others have invested in me
• I would be beaming with energy

Exercise 4- List Your Fears
What did you find is holding you back? Here is my list of fears that I allowed to paralyze me from living the life I want and enjoy.

I am afraid of....

• being judged
• negative opinions
• criticism
• not being good enough, inadequate
• being misunderstood
• succeeding and getting what I want
• too many responsibilities, juggling too much
• being overwhelmed
• open up and be vulnerable
• rejection

Free your Mind & JUST DO IT = Inspire 2 Act!
It's time to let the hamster in your mind get off it's wheel and stop running the same cycle. Give it a rest. Stop with the incessant mental chatter. Let the creative inspiration come to you when you are in a state of relaxation and go with it. Do not allow the mind to work against you and talk yourself out of your dreams and passions with fears and doubts. Let your mind be a tool to take you where your heart desires.

Exercise 5- Pleasure, Silence & Relaxation

Give yourself the gift of pleasure, silence and relaxation. Stop squeezing the pleasure out of your life and allow yourself to come alive. Feel life flow through you. I am practicing this daily as part of my "New Day Resolutions". I know when I do the things that bring me joy that life feels effortless. I also allow time to reflect, appreciate, and listen to my inner guidance. The inspiration just gets louder and the days soon are no longer just an hour of pleasure, but you'll feel it all day long. Start stretching out the bliss in your days.

How would I feel if I did it anyway?
Regardless of fears, limitations, doubts, and insecurities how would you feel if you did it anyway? Maybe a little scared and a little turned on? According to my friend, Steve Pavlina if it turns you on and scares you a little bit then ya gotta do it.

I'd feel alive, free, relaxed, in celebration, & empowered. How do I know? Just check out my video "Skeletons in my Closet". That was soooo scary for me to do, but after it was over I was embraced with love, support and encouragement. I was welcomed into the world.I was FREED just by sharing it publicly.

Liberate yourself from your fears & do it anyway! Here are 2 of my favorite quotes that help me from out of fear and into a state of inspiration that calls me to action.

Our Deepest Fear
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson

Anyway
"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway."
-Mother Teresa

What Do You Want?
As for me, I want to master of my life & feel freedom, passion, joy, and empowerment. By liberating myself and sharing with you my inner vulnerable world and fears I am creating space to let go and live my life. I am dropping the fears and going for it. How about you?

Tell me, what is it you love? What is it you want to explore? What makes you come alive? Why did you stop doing the things you love? Tell me what you are afraid of and why. Let's liberate each other and Just Do It! We owe it to the world to do what we love. Let's master the art of living well!

Additional Resources:
Being in Balance by Wayne Dyer
Ask & It Is Given by Esther & Jerry Hicks

2011 New DAY Resolutions

Here we are another year later. We are optimistic and enthusiastic about all the goals we have created. However, deep down there is a small pit of doubt in our stomach. We find ourselves asking, "Am I really going to do it this year? Am I really going to accomplish all these goals or am I going to give up on them in 3 months?" I don't know about you, but this has definitely been the case for most of my life for New Years Resolutions. Don't believe me? Just check out my Bikini Body Challenge I posted on my blog in 2009. When it comes to making changes, the ones I have kept were never because of New Years, but they were decisions I made just because I wanted to do it. There was no expectation that I HAD to do anything. Somehow, New Years can bring a sense of overwhelm that we MUST do something. We generate these amazing goals with a big gusto and before we know it that goal has somehow vaporized into thin air! Well, I don't know about you, but I am done with that cycle. After all, the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over expecting different results. This year I have opted to do something else.

What am I doing different?

I have gone simple. I took time to gain clarity on my intention. Then I created daily FEEL GOOD habits. You know, the ones that make you feel good when you do them. It is my goal to create daily disciplines that feel attainable. They require effort, but they don't burn me out.

My Intention

This is not just about this year, but it's about how I want to feel and experience life today and everyday.... for 2011 & for LIFE. That intention is to FEEL GOOD & BE HAPPY. That's it! I want to enjoy & celebrate life, to feel in love with myself & my life, and pay it forward. My intention is on creating and living a lifestyle I want to live now. To start practicing becoming the person I want to be & do the activities I love. I want to live as if I died today that I would be satisfied with the way I conducted myself in my life. If I knew my time on Earth was limited (which we all know it is) I would choose happiness no matter what. I would KNOW I can do anything. I would see my beauty, focus on progress & not perfection, open up & be vulnerable. I would drop fears and just do it! I would allow that creative expression to flow through me and into my life. I would feel a deep connection to my spirit and operate on high vibrations.

My Daily FEEL GOOD Habits (aka NEW DAY RESOLUTIONS)

I recently watched a video from Brian & Alexandra Jaye Johnson and I heard him refer to daily disciplines as daily Blissaplines. I fell in love with it immediately because it shifted the feeling of strictness into blissness. My goal for today and everyday is to be consistent with the following feel good habits:

Rise w/ the sun - don't let the sun catch me in bed :)

Contemplate & Silence (ask & see what shows up)

Hydrate- yummy tea

Exercise- get sweaty

Savor slowly: Green, Clean, & Lean Foods (after elimination)

Gratitude Journal

Create & Fulfill Goals

Allow (eliminate resistance/fears)

Study, Practice, & Share

Express My Creativity

Practice Impeccability

Choose happiness

Be a good friend to those around me

The Cool Thing About This Approach

When you are focused on just on doing things that feel good then you just let the outcomes take care of themselves. Perhaps, life will show you results that you may never have imagined. Living this way automatically reduces stress and brings a sense of peace and balance. You will feel yourself taking daily steps that close the gap from where you am to where you want to be. A new day resolution doesn't give you time to put things off. Procrastination ends and living now begins.

Where Things Go Wrong

We forget our intention, We disconnect from spirit by getting so mentally cluttered that we forget what is most important. The best way I am finding to stay connected to my intention is to take time daily to collaborate with God. You know, contemplate (it's on my list of daily feel good habits), be silent and give the mind time to detox from incessant thoughts that distract us from what we really want. We all need reminders and this one seems to do the trick! You realize that there is nothing you HAVE to do. These are all things you GET to do.

What You Don't Want

If you are anything like me you don't want to put off life. You are done with overwhelming and defeating yourself before you even get started. You are done with frustration and stress. There is no way you can keep going and living with regret. So cheers to turning your life around, one day, one habit at a time. Let life flow through you and enjoy the ride!

Now that I have shared a little bit about my new day resolutions, I'd love to hear yours!

Cheers to LIFE!

Lori

Romance in the Raw # 6: The Start of My Love Story

I have known Dhrumil Purohit through WeLikeItRaw.com for a couple of years. I really respected and admired him. I liked the way he conducted himself and I dug the content he shared on his websites and Facebook. I enjoyed our friendship even though it was rather light and we had never even met in person.

In January 2010, I had the opportunity to meet when a group of great people got together for dinner at Au Lac. Debbie Young actually wrote up a blog post on it. You can check out her photos at That's the Way Au Lac It. When we finally met, he was everything I thought he would be based on his online presence. It was a nice chance to get to hang out & get to know him in person. I knew I had a little crush on him, but of course we were both in relationships so nothing went down.

Several months later, Dhru (pronounced like DREW) had mentioned he was going to be in LA for an Indian wedding and was going to get a group together for dinner again. Of course I was down to meet up for dinner, but I was WAY more fascinated with the Indian wedding. So, somehow I blurted how cool that was & before I knew it he invited me to join along. I was BEYOND excited. I love going to events that are out of my norm and that sure fit the bill for me.

As the wedding approached, I knew that my feelings toward him had grown (even though I had never told him that I liked him). I had even tried to convince myself, my friends and everyone who asked that I DID NOT have an interest. Furthermore, I would go into detail as to how it would never work out even if he did like me. Afterall, I am 6 years older, live on the West Coast and he lived on the East Coast. I had 2 children, been divorced, etc. In addition, I didn't even think he would be interested in me since he never flirted with me. He gave no indication that he was interested and he also mentioned how women had mistaken his generosity for romance in the past. I was careful not to assume anything!

The weekend of the wedding arrived and I was beyond nervous, not so much to be hanging out, but more so because I thought I would be so obvious and give it away that I liked him. I didn't want to make him feel awkward and ruin our friendship. I made it through lunch, although eye contact was difficult for me. Garba was another story, I felt tingles with just the slightest physical contact, whether he was leaning in to tell me something in my ear because the room was loud or when our knees touched while we were sitting down. It was crazy, I felt like a school girl all over again!

On the drive back to my car, Dhrumil started asking me about lessons I had learned from past relationships. He even asked me why I wasn't dating now. I freaked out and said that there was no one I was interested in. My inner voice was SHOUTING out, "LIAR! Tell him you like him... THIS your golden opportunity!" The conversation continued, but I still didn't have the guts to admit it. Finally, I remembered the tweet I had posted earlier that morning. I knew I HAD to say something now. Finally, after several chicken hesitations I blurted out, "OK, so you know when you asked if there was anyone I would like to date? Well, I lied. If there was anyone I would like to date it would be you, but I am sure you are not interested because you deserve to date a nice young girl, get married, have lots of babies, and all that good stuff. Plus, I am 6 years older, divorced with 2 kids that are already 12 and 14. We live on opposite coasts and I don't even know if you are attracted to me." I blurted that out so fast I am not even sure if he comprehended what I had said.

He paused, it was silent. I was freaking out and preparing for rejection. I even had to turn my head and look out the window. I was sure he was put in an awkward situation, but I knew I had to get that off my chest. After the pause that felt like an ETERNITY, he responded by THANKING ME!!!! Can you believe it? I was geared up for "Thank you, but NO THANK YOU!" However, to my surprise, he said he didn't have all the answers to my questions right then and there, but he couldn't be happier. I was stunned..... SAY WHAAAA....??????

The next day, between the wedding ceremony and reception Dhru opened up to me and told me that he was not interested in dating. My heart dropped. What? As he continued, he expressed that he was not looking for something casual, but rather he wanted to build a life with someone. I wondered to myself, "Did he change his mind about dating me or is he saying he wants to just go for it?" To my pleasure it was the later. I can't even begin to tell you how that intention set the tone for relationship. Pretty powerful stuff.

Back at the wedding ceremony & reception, we felt a little silly because we had already announced the night before at Garba that we were just friends. So, we just played it cool. However, I could tell some of the other guests at the reception were onto us. I didn't know how respond due to the newness of it all.

After the wedding festivities were over, Dhrumil decided to stay in LA another day. We went for a drive and talked about all the major issues that could be potential roadblocks for us. We opened up about fears, life dreams, goals, marriage, children, career, spirituality, money, and so forth. It seemed a bit strange to be so bold about typically touchy subjects, however in reflection this is exactly how I would want things to go down BEFORE getting too emotionally wrapped up and romantically entangled in a relationship that didn't share the same views or life vision. It was such an objective interview. This was SOOOOO REFRESHING! Being bold and direct is definitely the way to go!

By the end of the day, we began to say our goodbye's. I felt such a calm sense about everything that was unfolding. I knew that everything was a bit new, but it didn't feel that way on a deeper level. I felt like I was re-connecting with someone I had known for a lifetime. As we hugged and said goodbye, I said "I would like to tell you one word that sums up everything that I am feeling about our connection.....SOUL MATES." We gazed into each others eyes. It was a beautiful close to the start of a beautiful relationship. I drove home feeling as though I had been in a dream!

Here is a quick shy candid video that we took on the fly...not thinking I would actually post it, but it is just so darn precious I GOTTA let him say hello to you!

Here are some photos from the Indian wedding. I had sooo much fun wearing these awesome clothes!

This is what I wore to Garba

Playing it cool

Rocking a sari for the first time

The lovely ladies that dressed me

Dhru & I blissed out

Diggin' the get up!

2010 Update

Just sharing a quick update of this past year! What's been the highlight of this past year? What are your New Years Resolutions?

How Getting "CLEAN" Helped Me to Get My INSPIRED Groove Back

In my last post, I mentioned that I had shifted my priorities. However, I completely neglected other aspects of my life such as my nutrition and fitness regime. I was becoming pretty frustrated with the way I looked and felt. The more I focused on my frustration the less I was inspired to eat right and workout, so the phase went on for a couple months leading me to gain weight. I avoided social events because I was embarrassed with the way I was letting myself go and my confidence went downhill.

Inspiration
I knew I needed something to look forward to that would make me want to make a change and to start taking care of my body. When I am excited about something it turns chores into pleasures. If I have a REASON then working out and eating right turns into something I call Effortless Effort. This is when you are so excited for the end result that you become proactive and committed. The effort is something you look forward to doing rather than dreading.

Action
I also knew I needed to reset the tone of my eating habits. I can't think of a better way than to do a detox. Luckily, I had the opportunity to do the 21 day Detox Kit from The Clean Program which consisted of a shake for breakfast and dinner and a healthy lunch (according to the dietary guidelines). Upon opening the package, I was impressed by the simplicity of the program. I didn't have to go buying all sorts of different items. Everything I needed came in one kit. I immediately got started on the detox and took notes along the way.

My Results

*Weight Loss: I lost a total of 10 lbs from the start of the pre-cleanse all the way to the end of the 21 day kit. 5 lbs came off before I even began the shakes, which was probably water retention. Then throughout the 21 day program I continued to lose another 5 lbs.

*Improved Appearance: Puffiness left my face and under my eyes, and much to my surprise the hyperpigmentation on my face started to diminish. I have heard that it was possible during a cleanse, but this was the first time I really noticed the dark patches on my face begin to fade away. This was extremely exciting because I would go through great measures to cover it with makeup, so it is an amazing feeling to feel like I look just as good with less makeup. Woo hoo!

*Improved Workout Recovery: I actually kicked up my workout regime during my detox, which normally is not recommended, but I felt so much energy that I wanted to maximize the results. I noticed I would get sore after some intense workouts, but it didn't last long. It felt like my body was so fluid that there was no space for the stagnation of lactic acid. In addition, I felt that any microtearing of the tissues healed very rapidly due to the energy being freed up by the detox. My body was able to go heal the places it needed to recover quickly, which allowed me to complete 2 hours a daily exercise on this program.

*Stamina & Energy: I definitely noticed I was sleeping much less and lighter at the same time. I felt like tackling projects that I had been procrastinating on. Plus, in the gym when I would normally start to hit a plateau during my workout, I felt a burst of energy that allowed me to go further with my workout. I was really seeing rapid results in my workout stamina.

*Quieting of the Mind/ Sense of Peace/ Focus: I tend to have a mind that runs like a hampster running in a wheel which can be very distracting, but during the cleansing process I noticed a significant decrease in mental chatter. I am not too sure what it is about a cleanse that does this, but it feels like the mind went on vacation or to the spa. I just felt a sense of peace and the ability to focus.

*Appreciation for my body and for healthy food: I gained an appreciation for my body during the program. I felt gratitude to have a strong able body that is free of disease and pain. I also gained an appreciation for the flavors and textures of food. When you complete a cleanse, it really heightens your taste buds and even very simple dishes seem to have much more depth to them.

My Modifications

Bigger Shakes: I made my shakes with either frozen blueberries or raspberries, water, 2 packets of stevia, along with the formulas MOVE and NOURISH. Since I worked out most days I noticed I wouldn't feel quite a satiated as I would normally feel if I wasn't working out so intensely. To curb the appetite a bit I would drink a glass of water beforehand and I would add more frozen berries and powder to the shake so that it felt more dense. This really seemed to do the trick so I wasn't tempted to break from the plan. I wouldn't suggest others to do this, but this is something I did so that I could maintain a workout regime.

Lunch Suggestion: Make your lunch the night before or while you are sipping on your shake. If you wait until you are hungry to eat lunch and still have to take the time to prepare the meal, chances are you may make a poor choice.

Side Notes

Pre- Cleanse Diet: For 4 days, I basically followed a very simple eating regime of just plain fruits and veggies in their raw state. Nothing fancy. I thought I might struggle with the cleanse so to prepare for it I went as basic as I could with the diet.

Menstrual Cycle Revelation: Normally, I will experience an increase in appetite and cravings, a decrease in energy, and some bloating. On the rare occassion I would get some cramping as well as low back pain. However, my cycle came and went without much notice. I am really feeling that if we cleansed during our pre-cycle and even during our cycle that suffering women would be relieved from PMS and cramps. I am going to experiement a bit more with this myself and I encourage you to do the same. That is if you are a woman reading this post. ;)

Who This Is Best Suited For

Perhaps by this point you may be wondering if this is something that you would benefit from. Here are a few "types" of people who may really dig The Clean Program.

* Newbies: People who are new to the detoxification experience. Some programs can be pretty intense for the average person. If detoxification happens too fast a person can feel like they are weak, tired, or coming down with flu-like symptoms. This cleanse is very gentle and because food is allowed on this cleanse it makes the process very doable. This program will provide enough fuel to keep going with your normal activities and still get great results of a cleanse.

*Fast Paced Peeps: Some people are have pretty complicated schedules and the last thing they need is a detox that requires a lot of prep work. This program comes with everything you need and requires VERY little to perform on a daily basis. The work is all done for you so that you are not slowed down or boggled with a plethora of steps and a rigid schedule.

*Schlumpers: These are people who are in a rut (mentally, emotionally and/or physically), who are feeling a lack of passion, motivation or inspiration in their lives and they just need some sort of jump start to get them back on track. Since burdens are being removed from the body, it frees up energy within. The mind, body, and spirit are all intertwined. The changes in the body affects everything. The mind becomes clearer and we begin to view the world and our capabilities on a whole new level. It's the catalyst that starts the road back to inspiration.

*In need of Healing: Detoxification is really great for people who are recovering from injuries or trying to get a handle on health ailments. The best way to heal the body is to give it a rest so that it can do it's job of healing itself. When the body is not busy digesting complicated meals, the energy is freed up and goes to work where it is needed. Injuries or post surgeries often recover much faster when a detox is in place.

*Chunky Monkies: I have to giggle when I write this because I was in this category a bit. These peeps are in need of shedding some poundage. Water retention and sludge that is weighing the body and digestive track down is whisked out of the body with a great detox. This program really resets the appetite, taste buds and heightens the appreciation for healthy food. The 21 days really gives momentum to break bad habits and you can become a more refreshed version of yourself.

Conclusion

Truth be told, I didn't follow the plan to perfection, I didn't always have a shake for dinner and sometimes I would snack in between, but I still experienced great results. I feel like I am out of my slump. I feel like I have awakened. I feel passionate, excited, and the momentum to keep going on my health journey has been reinforced. I feel inspired about my life and have the desire to improve the quality of the lives around me. I feel like I've got my groove back and that to me is PRICELESS!