Archive for Staying Alive
Spiritual Awakening: Finding Joy With Pints Of Ice Cream
Posted by: Spiritual Awakening | Comments (0)Spiritual Awakening: Finding Joy With Pints Of Ice Cream!!!
As I watched All-Star Celebrity Apprentice and observed Penn Jillette and trace Adkins work on the task of creating a new ice cream flavor for Walgreens I saw their passion for their charities and saw some joy come through as they are the 2 finalists for All Star Celebrity Apprentice. Penn came up with The Magic Swirtle and Trace came up with Maple Macadamia Mash Up. Yesterday I went to Walgreens and bought a pint of each to support their respective causes. Penn has adopted Opportunity Village and Trace had adopted The American Red Cross. There was a sense of joy in making my purchase. I personally like the Magic Swirtle over The Maple Macadamia Mash Up, however both were good. If some gifted me many pints of each I wouldn’t turn them down. As I made my purchase I found another source of joy as on the check screen Walgreens asks if you want to donate to The American Cancer Society. As you know I do a lot of fundraising for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life as evidenced by my personal fundraising page at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/jdogglederman.
Everyone who was part of the final task on All Star Celebrity Apprentice seemed to exude joy in what they were doing. I have a suggestion for everyone go out to Walgreen’s buy a few pints of the ice cream designed by Penn and Trace and invite a few people over for an All Star Celebrity Apprentice Watch Party set up a jar for Opportunity Village and The American Red Cross and then on Monday send each charity a donation with a note and your business card say that the actions of Penn and Trace brought you joy and you wanted to support their efforts. Read More→
Spiritual Awakening: Exercising The Body Safely!!!!
I want to thank Dana Gore for this guest post to help those who are having a spiritual awakening to exercise their body safely.
Awakening to the Concept of Exercise Safety
For many of you, the idea of participating in a health and fitness program represents an image that focuses on thin vs. well, not thin. It’s geared toward the need for weight-loss and requires making significant and unpleasant “sacrifices” in order to finally get permission to like yourself. You may even be reading this right now and nodding your head in agreement, because this has been the story of your life.
It certainly was the story of my life.
But what if I told you that there is a spiritual component that works in harmony with the concept of healthy-living that could shift your entire mindset and therefore, your reality, toward one filled with personal empowerment? Would you have any interest in reading further?
What if I told you that your life may depend on it?
Ok, cool. Now that I have your attention…
When we believe what society tells us – that we have to look a certain way in order to be loved and accepted – we tend to get sort of depressed. We think there’s something wrong with us. That we don’t live up to a standard of existing that warrants us the feeling of being worthy.
I mean, let’s face it…if a celebrity’s imperfections are going to be ridiculed and/or airbrushed away as if they didn’t exist, then what’s to stop the rest of us from judging ourselves? What’s to prevent us from believing that
WE AREN’T ENOUGH?
It’s this perception that influences us to make decisions about our well-being from a place of desperation. This is where we get careless.
Answer this:
When you are unhappy with your body – I mean really unhappy – aren’t you in a mega hurry to Get. This. Weight. Off. Now? Don’t you, just about, throw all caution to the wind and do whatever it takes to get what you want?
Like yesterday?
Most people do. When the girl/guy they desire doesn’t notice they’re alive. When the family matriarch – from her ever-endearing “I’m just being honest” place – asks you in front of your family why you’re so fat? (True example by the way). Or when your friends tell you they’ve booked a last minute trip to Vegas with you and you realize you wouldn’t be caught dead in a swimsuit or an evening gown (another true story – although not mine).
These are just a few examples of the pain that drives our decisions. We’re focused on how much we detest the result of who we are, so we react to it.
When we aren’t at peace within ourselves – when we hate our bodies, we feel miserable. So in a society that makes appealing promises of instant gratification, we make hurried and uneducated decisions to get what we want.
Why should this matter?
Because when it comes to our health and well-being, awareness is our friend.
- Do you know how to choose a fitness program based on your level of ability?
- Are you aware of any possible contraindications you may have to exercise?
- Do you know how to choose a qualified fitness or nutrition professional?
- Do you know what “Special Populations” means and if you fall into this category (and why it matters)?
- Do you know what proper progression stands for and how it relates to injury?
- How to decipher between “good and bad” exercise pain?
These are important topics that come into play when making decisions about our bodies, but are often, and unfortunately, ignored when those very decisions are being made out of desperation.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is an alternative.
FACING WHO WE ARE AND ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY
All it takes to move away from the aforementioned perspective and toward one of self-empowerment is the act of facing who we are, how we got to this point, and asking ourselves who we would prefer to be.
Are you happy being someone who constantly reacts to life and feels like a victim? Or would you rather be someone who has their own best interests at heart and treats themselves with the dignity and respect that we are all worthy of?
Self-Worth
What would life be like for you if you cared about your well-being? If you simply became the person who naturally preferred to be active? To be someone who, out of sheer desire, preferred the leafy green salad filled with the delicious nutrients that powered their every cell with the energy of life – instead of the person who settles for the diet food because they are on restriction?
Does that persona seem more appealing? Because it’s not only possible to become that person, it’s a responsibility. It’s our job, as participants in this world, to become living examples of the joy we all desire.
From this perspective, we are more interested in achieving optimal health. We adjust our lifestyles to enable the habits that naturally result in being slim and energized.
We make informed decisions about our well-being because we are focused on loving, rather than detesting ourselves.
We are aware
And we ARE worthy.
If you enjoyed this article, you will LOVE these:
- Traffic, Crowds and Other Bullshit
- Being the Example – A Way to Save the World
- In Need of Exercise Motivation?
Hey –
Since you read the entire article (good for you!)– check out the video trailer of A Simple Guide to Exercise Safety (What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You). Stay Safe. Be Aware.
About the Author
Creator of I Choose Awareness and author of the book “A Simple Guide to Exercise Safety – (What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You)”, Dana Gore completed the curriculum at Fitness Institute International, Inc. as an outstanding graduate in 2009.
Having suffered from eating disorders in the past which caused her weight to balloon to over 200 pounds, Dana realized it was time for a major lifestyle overhaul. Once she discovered Fitness Institute, her life took on new meaning.
Armed with credible information about Exercise Science, Dana aims to bring guidance to the public about how to achieve optimal health in a safe and structured manner. She believes that the body follows the guidance and instruction of the mind and spirit. She inspires her readers to seek inner-peace as a means to well-being in all areas of life.
Spiritual Awakening: Opening The Inspirational Funnel!!!!
Posted by: Spiritual Awakening | Comments (0)Spiritual Awakening: Opening The Inspirational Funnel!!!
As I emceed The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Coral Springs I witnessed many opportunities that opened up the inspirational funnel. This particular moment was when Kids of Love honored Aaron who was celebrating his 6th birthday. Aaron is a cancer survivor and when he took the microphone and said “Hello, I love you,” to the crowd you could feel the inspiration that he exuded. Through out the night seeing his smile and all the survivors kept the participants inspired to keep walking as they celebrated those who have survived cancer, remembered those lost to cancer, and fought back by raising funds for research, education, advocacy, and services. As of Saturday morning over $129,000 was raised.
Through out Relay For Life there were many times that the inspirational funnel was opened. Just after The Luminaria Ceremony, where candles are lit in honor or memory of those affected by cancer a family arrived at Relay For Life. They were on the way back to their hotel to rest and make funeral arrangements as their mom had passed at 10:05 PM that evening. They saw The Relay as they were driving by and they stopped by to see if they could purchase a luminaria in their mom’s honor. The answer was don’t worry about a donation we will be happy to help you remember your mom. They were brought to the stage where DJ Willie told their story. They walked down the stairs and everyone that was at Relay joined in a lap with them. We stopped close to the start/finish line where I had everyone make a circle and I led a prayer for the family. The family thanked us and continued to walk for a while. I kept thinking if this doesn’t open up a funnel of motivation what do you need? At that point I walked over to the luminaria bag I had purchased, with the money collected at my pool area, to remember my mom and I sat on the track and realized my mom’s presence and a sense of pride for doing what I was doing while motivating others to take action to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Read More→
Spiritual Awakening: More Than A Feeling!!!
Today’s blog entry was inspired by a song that I hold as one of my anthems Boston’s More Than Feeling reminds us to rise above all expectations and to take action on our feelings. Through our spiritual awakening we are able to move forward in a positive direction of our goals and exceed them. What feelings are you having and taking a positive action on?
The Black Eyed Peas paid tribute to Oprah with their song I’ve Got A Feeling. As I listen to this song it reminds me that we have a power to make everything good simple by getting centered and grounded and bringing the right energy and vibration to the situation. It is when we bring the proper energy to our calling that we have a great day or night. By allowing our feelings to come alive we can help our community realize dreams by keeping our emotions positive and thus creating fellowship and thus becoming of service and value. Read More→
Spiritual Awakening: Keep On Moving!!!
Today’s blog post is dedicated to all those who have been affected by the bombings that occurred today at The Boston Marathon. I encourage everyone to pray for all those in your life as you continue to move forward on your path to spiritual awakening. As I was looking for something to include in this entry I remembered the Matthew Wilder song Nothing’s Gonna Break My Stride and thought how great it would be if we all adopted this philosophy and began to help one another to move forward in a positive direction.
As the gruesome scenes came across the TV all I could think of why do people choose to use their power for bad as opposed for good? This is an age old question like why do bad things happen to good people? Perhaps this is a sign that those of us who are spiritually awake to awaken others by shining our light as brightly as we can for others to see and follow. I have come to the conclusion that we resist will persist be it terrorist acts, be it lack of funds, be it the lost feeling of community, or being against something. Today’s events in Boston once again set to polarize terrorism because it creates the news cycle that the media craves to boost their ratings. What about a month from now? Now is the time to wake up people and think what can I do to make coexistence a reality in our society? What can I do to make a difference in my community? What can I do to shine my light? There is evil lurking in our society and in order for this evil to be stopped we must all realize that we are brothers and sisters as well as being divine children of GOD. We must keep moving forward to be the lifters that our society seeks today. Instead of pointing fingers and blaming others let us look deep inside and decide to be part of a kinder world where people respect each others views and don’t blow each other up. Read More→
Spiritual Awakening: Rising Up To Spread The Message!!!
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Spiritual Awakening: Rising Up To Spread The Message!!!
Today marks Good Friday for those who believe in Christ and have taken him into their hearts and chosen to live a life that is Christ Centered. Today also coincides with the 5th day of Passover for those of The Jewish Faith. Both these days give us a chance for reflection and redemption to rise up to spread a message of hope and healing to the world. As we continue to create a oneness consciousness we have the opportunity to grow personally and professionally as we strive to stay on a path to spiritual awakening. The idea is to really look at what we have been given and to embrace the idea of using the fruits of spirit for the goodness of others.
The idea is to allow these fruits to ripen inside of us so that we can be of service and value to others. It is by polishing and sharing our fruits that we truly show the essence of The Easter and Passover Holidays. I encourage everyone to find ways to express these fruits so that they will continue to multiply in others and thus show the world that service to humanity is the best work of life. Read More→
Spiritual Awakening: Becoming Heart Centered!!!
Over the last several years I have had the pleasure of meeting many people who are truly heart centered. These people put others first asking how they can be of service and value to others. They are constantly looking for ways to make the world a better place. When asked for support they are the first to step up. These heart centered people make up less than 5% of the population, however they are the ones who are most successful in their personal and professional life. One of these people is Kristin Planinz, whose email resonated with me and she gave me permission to share it here on this blog. When I first started this blog it was to share with others so as to empower and inspire them to enhance their personal and professional life. Thank you to Kristin Planinz for sharing her insight.
Intuition Insight
Spiritual Awakening: Miami Heat Teaches Lesson During Winning Streak!!!!
Posted by: Spiritual Awakening | Comments (0)Spiritual Awakening: Miami Heat Teaches Lesson During Winning Streak!!!!
As I watched the Miami Heat seek their 24th win in a row on Wednesday March 20, 2013 I began to doubt the team as they went down by 27 points with just over 8 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The Heat was coming off a close comeback victory against The Boston Celtics and now were in a huge hole against The Cleveland Cavaliers. As I continued to doubt I began to realize that there was a lesson about to be learned if The Heat should pull this game out. Guess what The Heat pulled it off and won 98-95 to notch their 24th straight victory, the second best winning streak in NBA history. The Heat reinforced the adage that when you find yourself in a hole stop digging and starting finding a way out. They started climbing out of the hole when Shane Battier hit back to back 3 point shots and they continued to get stops and they cut the deficit to 9 going into the 4th quarter. The doubt began to subside as The Heat had been in this position many times before and won. The Heat would show us that having faith and removing doubt leads to a victory. Now the question is how do we continue to remove doubt on our path of spiritual awakening?
Spiritual Awakening: Applying The Lesson From The Miami Heat!!!
The Heat showed up to remove doubt and to move forward and allow things to flow and everything will be okay. The idea is to now apply this lesson. The next time you find yourself doubting yourself or others remember you are a divine child of GOD with the ability to take action and win in your personal and professional life. The next time you have fear or doubt enter the thought process sit back and breathe and remind yourself that you are capable beyond measure. Your spiritual awakening will unfold and move you in a positive direction when you remove the fear and doubt and allow life to unfold as it may and as GOD has intended. As the Heat mounted their comeback you could sense that there was a strong belief that they were going to win. Others may have been doubting but they knew in their hearts that they could overcome the 27 point deficit and continue on their winning streak. They made a dramatic change and started to hit their outside shots. They also went back to their greatest strength their tough defense. Their tenacity led them to overcome the doubters and to win. The Heat showed us that what the mind can conceive the heart can believe and you can achieve. The Heat will go for win #25 when they host the Detroit Pistons on Friday 3/22/13. What lessons will this game hold? Read More→
Spiritual Awakening: Sunrise Sunset and Other Musical Lessons!!!
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In Fidler on The Roof the song Sunrise Sunset teaches us about the circle of life and allows us to dig deep inside our self to discover our own personal and spiritual growth as we continue to explore our spiritual awakening. There are many songs that are helpful in allowing us to change our vibrational frequencies. It only takes 45 seconds to change your vibrational frequencies. I encourage you to find music that can help you become centered and grounded. Music is a great way to get intouch with your feelings and to express yourself so that you can be an action taker and move in the positive direction of your dreams. In this blog I have included some of the songs that I have found to be helpful in furthering my spiritual awakening. At times I will play them before leaving the house so as to get me in a good frame of mind and ready to achieve the goals I set for the day. When we are in alignment with who we are and with our mission we tend to feel better and thus find success. Music often helps in the spiritual discovery process to help you awaken to your spiritual calling. I have adopted many anthems over the years and when I am seeking some extra inspiration I will play these anthems so as to continue to shine a light of positivity on others. I do have some challenging times like everyone else, however I find turning to music many times helps to overcome those challenges.
The song Memory from The Musical Cats teaches us to look back and find the memories that make us happy and allows us to rekindle the sparks that we have inside of us as we move forward and celebrate the new days and the new beginnings and the new adventures that we will experience along our spiritual journey to discover who we are are and what our purpose is. Read More→
Spiritual Awakening: Bringing The Vision To Life!!!
How many times have you had a vision during meditation or in a dream and you heard the message but you found every execuse possible not to move forward. As I sat down to lunch today I started to look at the visions I have brought to life and how I have helped others with bringing their vision to life. In all cases the same theme cam to mind it happened because action was taken. In many cases the visions we bring to life helps with our spiritual awakening as they enable us to see our true greatness as we continue to make the mind, body, soul connection.
Spiritual Awakening: Example of Bringing Visions To Life!!!
The owner and founder of La Bonita Kidz and Teenz held a vision of developing a magazine that would help mothers of middle school, high school, and college aged students to find resources to help their children. This vision was brought to life on March 8, 2013 when Shanta Tanksley produced The Inagural Issue of La Bonita Kidz and Teenz Magazine with The Spring Issue. Her vision is to improve the magazine each quarter and continue on with another vision to open a teen center so as to help teens cope with the challenges they face everday. Her website www.labonitakidz.com contains more information about her vision.
Last year I had a vision to host an event that would honor oustanding people in the community and raise funds for The Reaching Out To Cancer Kids (R.O.C.K.) Program and on March 24,2012 I brought this vision to life. It was an excellent event with over 40 people attending and being empowered and inspired by our speakers. Through the planning procees there were times I wanted to stop and then I shifted my energy and realized that this is the type of event that people will attend as they like to explore their spirituality. Through finding the award winners my spiritual awakening continued because each winner and each speaker brought a spirtual insight into bringing this vision to life. As The Host I was able to answer my calling by being of service and value and enabling people to maximize their message. Those in attendance were given tools to bring their visions to life so as to affect change in their lives and in the lives of others. The event truly showed what can happen when a community comes together and when people follow their dreams. Read More→

