How not to be a victim

Posted on February 22, 2012 by healthyhabi

I loved this artical about how not to be a victim so much that I am sharing it with my clients.  It was written by my friend. Tony Whetstine who is a real life Samuri.  I hope you find it as helpful as I did. 

Jill Thomas CCHT

Healthy Habits Hypnosis
 

How NOT to be a victim

Personal safety is one of the most often overlooked aspects of our daily life.
Too often we play the odds that it will be someone else who gets attacked or robbed.
We lock our doors and we lock our cars and think that we will probably be okay.
Fortunately, in most cases that will be true.

However, if you fall into that unlucky percentage who finds themselves in a dangerous situation there are things you can do to help remain safe and there are things you can to make yourself seem less attractive to predators.

Here are just a few tips:
 

  • If you find yourself confronted in a dangerous situation in a public environment never accompany the attacker to a different location, no matter what he says.
  • Don’t afraid to ask a security guard at a shopping center or a co-worker at your place of employment to escort you to your car after dark.
  • If you walk or run on a regular basis and listen to music while exercising, do not have speaker in both ears. Leave one ear free so you can hear what is going on around you.
  • Look around as you walk. Looking down at the ground or tunnel vision straight forward can be a sign you are not paying attention to what is around you.
  • If you are concerned that you are being followed or pursued, do not go home or to a police station. You do not want to give away your address and not all police stations are staffed 7/24. Go to a fire station for assistance. Even if all the engine crews are out taking care of an emergency, there will always be some at the fire station. They will help you. Simply honk your horn, etc. to get the attention of the personnel inside.


This is by no means a complete list but it does give some essentials. It is important to enroll in a woman’s personal safety class and to review what you learn there on a regular basis. Practice makes perfect!

Tony Whetstine
Instructor/Owner
Poway Samurai Martial Arts
13160 Poway Road, Poway, CA 92064
858-486-0059
tony@PowayMartialArtsSchool.com
www.PowayMartialArtsSchool.com

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Trainer with a fat cat

Posted on February 20, 2012 by healthyhabi

I loved this post so much I had to share it on my blog.  I hope you like it too : )

Trainer with the Fat Cat

I have 2 cats: Pixel is a little girl with short hair and Vector is big boy with long hair.  Vector always seemed a bit heavy for me… and I admit, I was concerned about being the trainer with the fat cat.  However, I was reluctant to put him on a diet because it’s hard to tell if he’s overweight… he’s so stocky and fluffy.  AND THEN I might be the trainer who starves her cat because of her own personal dysfunctions… omg, so hard to be a good mommy.

My vet rescued me by confirming Vector was bit heavy, and I should decrease his feeding.

So what does a diet for a fat cat look like?  Thought you’d find this interesting:

(1) Primary diet is wet (canned) food, which has more water and protein than dry food.
(2) Decrease dry food, which decreases calories from carbohydrates.
(3) Eliminate snacking – we no longer leave dry food out to nibble on all day.
(4) Actively play with indoor cats 2-3X per day, about 30 minutes of total play.
(5) Changes shouldn’t be drastic, and may not be necessary for all cats.

If this plan sounds familiar to you, it should… add vegetables, and it’s pretty much the same recommendations I make for humans who have trouble losing weight.

Point #5 is important because cats are small animals and should not be losing a pound a week.  Also, Pixel, the girl cat, was fed the same way as Vector, BUT does NOT need to lose any weight.

Now, you may ask… if we fed both cats the same way, how does Vector end up being 40% heavier than Pixel?  SUPER INTERESTING QUESTION!  We FED the cats the same way, but their individual feeding habits were very different: Pixel loves wet food and is active around regular meal times.  Vector prefers dry food, eats it all day long, and bugs us to fill his bowls whenever we make any motion towards them.

The changes we made were small: we kept the same amount of wet food, and decreased dry food to a measured amount once a day.

Results: Both cats protested the decreased food for 3 days, then mellowed out.  Vector has lost 0.4 pounds so far.  Pixel has not lost any weight.  And… this was the surprising thing… Vector is now MUCH MUCH MORE active!  And affectionate!

Hope this helps with your pets or your own fitness!

Christine Burke

760-575-4277

LightheartedFitness.com

Trainer with the Fat Cat

I have 2 cats: Pixel is a little girl with short hair and Vector is big boy with long hair.  Vector always seemed a bit heavy for me… and I admit, I was concerned about being the trainer with the fat cat.  However, I was reluctant to put him on a diet because it’s hard to tell if he’s overweight… he’s so stocky and fluffy.  AND THEN I might be the trainer who starves her cat because of her own personal dysfunctions… omg, so hard to be a good mommy.

My vet rescued me by confirming Vector was bit heavy, and I should decrease his feeding.

So what does a diet for a fat cat look like?  Thought you’d find this interesting:

(1) Primary diet is wet (canned) food, which has more water and protein than dry food.
(2) Decrease dry food, which decreases calories from carbohydrates.
(3) Eliminate snacking – we no longer leave dry food out to nibble on all day.
(4) Actively play with indoor cats 2-3X per day, about 30 minutes of total play.
(5) Changes shouldn’t be drastic, and may not be necessary for all cats.

If this plan sounds familiar to you, it should… add vegetables, and it’s pretty much the same recommendations I make for humans who have trouble losing weight.

Point #5 is important because cats are small animals and should not be losing a pound a week.  Also, Pixel, the girl cat, was fed the same way as Vector, BUT does NOT need to lose any weight.

Now, you may ask… if we fed both cats the same way, how does Vector end up being 40% heavier than Pixel?  SUPER INTERESTING QUESTION!  We FED the cats the same way, but their individual feeding habits were very different: Pixel loves wet food and is active around regular meal times.  Vector prefers dry food, eats it all day long, and bugs us to fill his bowls whenever we make any motion towards them.

The changes we made were small: we kept the same amount of wet food, and decreased dry food to a measured amount once a day.

Results: Both cats protested the decreased food for 3 days, then mellowed out.  Vector has lost 0.4 pounds so far.  Pixel has not lost any weight.  And… this was the surprising thing… Vector is now MUCH MUCH MORE active!  And affectionate!

Hope this helps with your pets or your own fitness!

Christine Burke

760-575-4277

LightheartedFitness.com

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You Are So Important

Posted on February 14, 2012 by healthyhabi

 You Are So Important

Three years ago, just before Valentines’ Day, I was involved in a romantic relationship that was really bad, so bad that after my boyfriend violated another rule from the “don’t even think about it” list, I gave myself the ultimate gift, I broke off our two and a half year romance via voice mail then changed my number.  The result?  Everything that was bad and not working in my life suddenly became good again.  My business started improving, I was finally able to close a big deal I had been working on at work and my hair which had mysteriously started falling out began to grow back full and healthy, but more importantly, I began to feel happy again.   

The reason I tell you this is because some of you reading this are involved in relationships (not just romantic ones) that are sucking the life out of you, like a vampire, leaving you feeling weak and unhappy.  Removing yourself from those relationships or setting proper boundaries is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and it’s the truest act of self-love I know.

For women trying to end a romantic relationship can be especially hard because when we become intimately involved with someone, hormones get released and a bond is created.  For the first two weeks, breaking that bond can feel a bit like going through a drug withdrawal because in a lot of ways it is.  The book, The Alchemy of Love and Lust, by Theresa Crenshaw (highly recommended) explains this process.

With all the challenges going on in the world we as humans are being called to be the highest and best versions of ourselves, and you, like everyone, have an important part to play in this world.  Your light is so needed and if something or someone is causing it to dim you owe it to yourself and the world as a whole to do everything it takes to fix that.  Your happiness, your family’s happiness, and your physical health depend on it.  This Valentine’s Day be grateful for the wonderful relationships you have and make note of the ones that may need to be happily sent on their way, and love yourself enough to make those changes. You are so very worth it. 

Happy Valentines day.

Jill Thomas CCHT

Healthy Habits Hypnosis

760-803-2841

http://www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com/

Author of the book “Feed Your Real Hunger; getting off the emotional treadmill that keeps you overweight”

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Save Palomar Mountian State park.

Posted on January 31, 2012 by healthyhabi

Save Palomar mountain state park!! Due to budget problems in the state of California, Palomar Moutain state park and 70 others are set to close in July.

This organization is working with the state to try and save Palomar by raising the $ to fill the budget shortfall.  They are very close to their $60,000 goal.  Please help.
http://www.friendsofpalomarsp.org/3.html

In these tough times people need places of peace they can go that don’t cost a lot yet bring them joy.  We can’t let the state take these places away.  Help save this park, it helps to many people.

Jill Thomas CCHT

Healthy Habits Hypnosis

760-803-2841

www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com

Author of the book “Feed Your Real Hunger; getting off the emotional treadmill that keeps you overweight”

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I was interviewed for an artical

Posted on January 19, 2012 by healthyhabi

I was recently interviewed on foxnews.com for an artical on emotional eating and motherhood.  The link to the artical is listeded below.  I am very excited!!

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/18/top-5-solutions-for-emotional-eating/

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Failure and commitment

Posted on January 3, 2012 by healthyhabi

Failure and Commitment

As the New Year rolls in and we are busily working hard not to forget the resolutions made last month, I am reminded of one important reason why so many things we try to do fail.  Most often we fail, not because we don’t want something badly enough, although that is sometimes part of it.  Often it’s because we fail to allocate enough resources to do the job–resources in the form of time, money, and expertise.

Let’s look at the most common resolution, “Weight Loss”.  It’s so easy to sign up for a gym membership (LA Fitness has a great promo right now, if you are interested).  But it’s not so easy to schedule the time to go and get your much needed exercise.  It’s very easy to schedule an appointment with your personal trainer to get an evaluation, but not so easy to put in the time to make those changes.  The same is true for the diet book you bought–maybe read– but never put to use in a meaningful way.

Most people don’t realize when they write down a resolution just what would really go into making that “wish” into a reality.  I see this all the time with clients. They are only willing to work out if it’s convenient or try eating healthier if they don’t have to give anything up.  That wishy-washy kind of commitment sends a message to your unconscious mind that you really aren’t that serious.  Just like telling your child to stop doing something bad and not really meaning it, your unconscious mind knows that any roadblocks will knock you off course, so it may as well find them now and save you the trouble of doing it later.

 It’s never convenient and, yes, you will have to give some things up if you want to create something amazing. But if you really want something, it’s usually not as hard as you think and the rewards can change your life forever.

Think of a resolution, like losing weight, as being like a new project you were put in charge of at work.   Just like a work project you need to allocate resources such as time (five hours per week to work out), money, (allocate an amount for things like a gym membership or to use a food program like Medifast, or for a Weight Watchers), and expertise–finding out which experts (like a nutritionist) you will consult to make your vision a reality.  These will all take money and also time, and you will need to decide how much you are ready, willing, and able to commit.

The reality is that to succeed at overcoming a challenge, you really need to overwhelm it with solutions.  Expect things to cost more, take more time, and require more resources in general than you think they might and commit to doing whatever it takes to make that happen.  By doing this you take the hesitation of “I’m not sure: this is hard” out of the situation and tell yourself on both a conscious and unconscious level that you really mean business. 

The good news is change is possible and it starts with loving yourself enough to do what you have to do to be the healthiest version of yourself.  Make this the year you make that change–you are worth it.

Jill Thomas CCHT

Healthy Habits Hypnosis

760-803-2841

www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com

Author of the book “Feed Your Real Hunger; getting off the emotional treadmill that keeps you overweight”

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Old Limiting Beliefs

Posted on December 20, 2011 by healthyhabi

Old Beliefs

Like a lot of people, at some point in my life I started to examine some of the beliefs handed to me by my parents and to question how true they really were. Some beliefs I modified, some I discarded, and some I just got mad about because I realized how restrictive they were. 

Things like:

-You need to learn how to cook so you can be a good mother. My mother was a good cook but so is Trader Joe’s and I hate to cook, but I think I can still be a good mom if I want to

-You can’t be deeply spiritual if you have a lot of money. My church has a lot of money so this one can’t be true, and I don’t want to be limited to being poor or unspiritual so, forget that one. 

-You have to be perfect.  I am quite sure every book in my library has mistakes in it, and I know my own book does.  I don’t think it’s possible and I don’t have time to be perfect, so forget it.

The problem is that many of the most destructive and limiting beliefs we hold are actually unconscious.  Meaning you aren’t really even aware that they are running the show, but they can interfere just the same. 

Things like:

-I don’t deserve to be happy because I’m too _______ (whatever mom, dad or your sports coach threw at you in a moment of anger when you were six.)

-Good things can happen to others but not to me because I’m _______ (bad, stupid, short, whatever.)

What gives these lots of power is we always seem to find evidence of them in our lives.  If we don’t get the job we wanted, we believe it’s because we were too fat, rather than looking at the fact that they had 150 applicants for one underpaid position.  Or, if we don’t believe we deserve something good we tend to attract people into our lives who reinforce that belief by saying mean things to us.  

I love the scene in the movie, The Matrix, where a child is trying to show Neo how to bend a spoon. “Don’t try to bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Just realize the truth; there is no spoon.”

The truth is you have no limitations more powerful than the ones you hold in your own mind.  If you want change, let those limiting beliefs go.  Then major change is possible. 

If you need help letting go of limiting beliefs give me a call, I am here to help.

Jill Thomas CCHT

Healthy Habits Hypnosis

760-803-2841

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Confidence is Key

Posted on November 29, 2011 by healthyhabi

Confidence is Key  
       
Years ago I watched a program about a very special school for girls in one of the poorest areas of New York.  The principle who was also one of the teachers said one of the biggest challenges facing the girls at this school was a lack of self esteem and self confidence.

She really wanted to do something about this debilitating issue so when she would catch the girls walking down the hall shoulders and the head down not making eye contact or not speaking up in class and she would gently tap them on the chin and remind them: “Head up, shoulders back, now look me in the eye, Your Beautiful.” 

She said that learning how special they were as people was one of the most important things she could teach them and would serve them more than almost any other lesson.  I completely agree and what she said touched me so that I say those words to myself all the time.

Her message runs in sharp contrast to what many of us grew up hearing “Children are to be seen and not heard.”  Our parents often socialize us believe that our true value in the world is what we can do for others.  “Be a doctor, lawyer, nurse so you can make good money” or “You are going to be a great mother someday”.  With these messages no wonder so many people tell me “I am a great lawyer, doctor but I have no confidence and very little self esteem”.  The SELF part is what’s missing and that’s the part we as a society most need to work on.

So how do we fix self esteem issues?

Unfortunately to fix this takes more than getting your hair done and losing some weight.  It takes years of retraining yourself to make your needs important to you.  Start with little things like buying yourself flowers just because and booking time on your schedule for “doing nothing”. Then start moving into more difficult things like saying “no” to someone’s request for your time and doing something with yourself instead and asking for a raise if you think you deserve one.  You may not get a raise but asking tells yourself and the world that you know you deserve the best. 

So next time you catch yourself looking down and not feeling like the equal of those around you think to yourself:

“Chin up, shoulders back, now look them in the eye, you are beautiful!” 

If you go to the recordings section of my website you will find a great free confidence meditation. 

Let me know if I can be of service to you.

Jill Thomas CCHT

Healthy Habits Hypnosis

760-803-2841
http://www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com/

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Affirmations don’t work

Posted on November 8, 2011 by healthyhabi

Affirmations don’t work

I am sorry to say it but affirmations don’t work.  For most people an affirmation is a statement of something they wish were true in their lives but isn’t.  They repeat the affirmation many times a day expecting miraculous change.  Maybe they even call a hypnotherapist and them to help them imbed those words deep in their unconscious.  That won’t work by the way-but call me anyway I would love to hear from you. 

If you want something to be different you actually have to take real action-repeating a phrase many times doesn’t count as “action”. 

Go ahead and create your list anyway but after you are done try adding the following steps to the process.  They do count as “action”.

Take your list then ask yourself “why this situation is not the way I want it to be?”  Keep asking why until you get the core issue uncovered and work on that. 

For example let’s use one of mine from 10 years ago:

“I weigh 145 pounds”

 Why don’t I weigh that?  “Because I eat too much”

Why?

Because I like food

Why?

Because it helps me feel better

Why? Or in this case “why do I feel bad”

Because I am sad and lonely.

Ahh…Sadness and loneliness-those were the core issues I needed to address in order to lose weight.  Taking action on that problem led to me eventually losing over 70 pounds.

The core issue will usually seem pretty simple and may actually make you feel a strong emotion when you read it. Some of them will not be as simple or as straight forward as that but the point of this exercise it to look inside and focus on the “why not” of your situation rather than just expecting a miracle.  You can still do that but by taking steps to address your underlying block you will actually be creating your miracle. No affirmations required. 

Jill Thomas CCHT

Healthy Habits Hypnosis

www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com

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The good the bad and the “just the way it is”

Posted on October 25, 2011 by healthyhabi

The duality of life

Gutzon Borglum who designed Mount Rushmore was an active member of the KKK. Albert Einstein was a womanizer who had almost no relationship with his children. Benjamin Franklin who was famous for his diplomatic ability also had bitter conflicts within his own family.   My own great-grandfather, whom I adored, was so loving toward me yet he was also an alcoholic who abused his wife and children.

So many of our great hero’s have ugly shadow sides that often don’t get shared because they might take away from their “Hero” status.  Our hero’s are capable of such greatness yet can and often do use that same energy to create some great ugliness in their lives. 

Should we discount the good because of the bad or pretend the bad didn’t exist because of the good?  Should Tiger Woods athletic achievements be made to seem less amazing because he um…well you all know what he did.  Does Gutzon Borglum’s anti-semitism make Mount Rushmore seem less amazing or E=MC squared less of a discovery?  That’s for each person to decide for themselves.  To me having a more complete picture makes our heroes seem more real.  We all know Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves but knowing that he suffered occasional suicidal depression makes him more than just a picture on a penny.  It’s ok to be more honest about our hero’s and more authentic with ourselves.

We need to give ourselves a break when we think unloving thoughts about someone close to us or (I did this one) accidentally hit “reply to all” on an email saying something not very nice about someone.  Sometimes we are nice people sometimes we are not but always we are both.  That is the duality of life accepting that everyone and every situation is both will help give you more realistic expectations of yourself and the people around you.

Life is duality. All good has the capacity for bad and we have to stop expecting things, people or situations to always be perfect.

I am leading a monthly Healers Connect group for woman in the healing arts.  If you are interested send me an email and I will forward the invite.

Have a wonderful Halloween!

Jill Thomas CCHT
www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com

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