Antidote to Drama Addiction

I admit it! Some days I can be way too serious and believe that the world should stop and help me deal with my "issue of the day." Drama Queen Sherryl forgets that it is ultimately unsatisfying and draining to get juiced up by the natural challenges that we all face.

The antidote to drama addiction is FUN! We were meant to experience life as abundantly joyful rather than trudging through until we die. Even in the most difficult situations there are always opportunities to shine a light into the darkness.

Sing a silly song, dance a joyful dance, watch a movie that tickles your funny bone or get goofy with a child, they are experts on how to have FUN!

Check out a couple of my favorite places to play:
Dvorahji's delightfully irreverent spin on spirituality: http://www.shutupguru.com/
Goofball Ze Frank: http://www.zefrank.com/

Goddess says, "Toss out that worn out 'life is suffering' paradigm. Let JOY be your guide."

Eating in the NOW!

Hunger only exists in the present moment. The extra scoop of ice cream I had for desert last night and the handful of cashews I mindlessly ate when I wasn't really hungry, exist in the past.

I have spent many hours creating drama around food and making myself feel bad by dwelling on the past. The judgment and critical self-talk can reach epic proportions, sending me into a tailspin of self loathing. DIEting magnifies the drama because every crumb that passes my lips gets dissected and examined under a microscope.

As I practice staying present and listening to my body's wisdom in each moment, I am becoming less concerned about what I ate two hours or two days ago. Each moment presents a new opportunity to tune in, listen and choose to honor my body with exactly what it needs and desires in each moment. These desires, fluid and ever changing, are an important piece of my life journey. These desires connect me with the infinite abundance of life itself!

Goddess says, "Open yourself to the voice of your desires in each moment."

LOVING EVERY INCH OF YOU!

I have a secret...

I haven't revealed it until now because I believed, for many years, that there was something wrong with the way I felt.

My secret?
I LOVE MY BREASTS!

I know. I know it's not what you were expecting and it certainly wasn't what I was planning to write while I drank my Chai this morning and contemplated my next post...
but it's the TRUTH!

After years of being bombarded by external messages about what breasts were supposed to look and feel like, I never wavered from my love affair with my own glorious pair!

Sure there were the awkward years when they suddenly appeared out of nowhere and I didn't quite know what to make of them. There was the time during my early twenties when a friend's mother asked if I had ever considered breast reduction surgery! "No thank you, but you're welcome to lop off a part of your body if you would like!" When I was younger there was the ever present issue of how to get men to look me in the eye, or at least the general facial area, when they spoke to me.

So here I am now, a mature woman, whose breasts started the "Journey South" after nursing a son and daughter and have continued their descent. They are not the sculpted, lifted ideal that many pay dearly for. They are certainly nothing like what I see on television, but I'm quite fond of them!

My breasts are part of what makes me unique. They have provided comfort and nourishment to my children. I marvel at their buoyancy when swimming in the ocean. I suspect that they gave me a distinct "edge" when I was a teenager during the treading water part of my Jr. Lifesaving test! Lovers and my husband have always seemed to enjoy them and have given them plenty of adoration. I was never really alone during my solo years. I always had a couple of soft pillows to cuddle up with!

As I declare my love for my breasts, I am now wondering if I could possibly fall in love with other parts of my body? Perhaps the media's opinion of the cellulite on my thighs blinds me to the satiny soft skin and the strength of my thigh muscles? My ample belly is a far cry from the images of flat, toned abs that I see in every fashion magazine, but it was a temporary home to two beautiful souls and it is the center, the "fruit basket" of my feminine power.

Goddess says, "You were blessed to be born into a perfect, divine body in this lifetime. Allow yourself to fall back in love with EVERY INCH OF YOU!

What Do You REALLY Want to Eat?

It's hard to believe that I wasted so many years reading what other people thought I should eat. The"experts" in magazines, diet book authors, government food pyramids, my father, my mother, my friends, all had their own conflicting advice about what Sherryl's body was supposed to eat. After years of ignoring my own inner guidance, would I ever be able to uncover my true desires?

Since the beginning of the year, I have been on a journey of reconnecting with my body. Through this process, an ever-strengthening voice has emerged. The voice often seems illogical when I judge it by external standards.

One morning this week, I awoke with my body clearly telling me that it wanted salmon, sliced mango and a cup of mint tea for breakfast. I've had fish for breakfast before but it was usually because I had some leftover and ate it cold, directly from the container and often standing at the refrigerator.

This morning was a different. In order to give my body what it wanted, I had to "quick thaw" a piece of salmon from the freezer and then prepare it...............at 6:30am!!!
It was a supreme act of self-love to honor my body in this way.

I am a glorious, multi-layered woman with deliciously complex desires. When I really listen to my body, I might find myself spreading a layer of olive tapenade on my toast, tossing a handful of raspberries onto my salad or adding a few tablespoons of organic cocoa powder to my chili. I am learning that sometimes a tiny morsel of the finest dark chocolate satisfies me, and other times it's a handful of peanut M&M's.

Goddess says, "Your body is constantly sending you messages. Tune in and give your body what it craves. Feed yourself generous portions of self-love with every bite!"

Love yourself...wrinkles and ALL!

Delicious!

"Juicy...luscious...delectable...delicious...tantalizing...luscious... tender...sweet..."
Am I making you hungry?

What does it feel like to use these words to describe yourself?
"I AM juicy! I AM luscious! I AM delectable..."

When I choose to see myself through the eyes of desire, I see a "gourmet's delight"! I begin to see beyond my human imperfections and remember that I am a perfect expression of The Divine.

In her book, Women, Food and God, Geneen Roth writes, "Your body is the piece of the Universe you've been given..." This is such a profound awareness, to understand that you are part of something much greater, something beyond the blemish on your chin or the cellulite on your thighs!

Goddess says, "Taste, touch, see, smell and hear the beauty that surrounds you. You are constantly being shown who YOU really are!"

BREATHE LOVE!

Want to experience more joy RIGHT NOW? Flood your body with oxytocin and experience the divine energy that women thrive on!

VAGUS BREATHING is diaphragm breathing, with a boost! After taking a deep, diaphragm breath, relax your facial muscles and allow a natural (no forcing) smile to come to your face. As you exhale make a joyful sound, like ahhhhhhhhhhhhh on the exhale... It is suggested doing this breath 5x in a row.

The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body – it extends like a cello string from the base of the brain to right behind the belly button – and apparently when stimulated, oxytocin begins to be produced and released, signaling the body to relax, trust, and to feel safe and happy.

I do this breathing many times during the day, especially in my car. Recently, when I did this in line at the store, the guy behind me, who obviously thought I was exasperated because of the wait, said, "I know what you mean", when he heard my exhale!

Goddess says, "Bring yourself back to center over and over again throughout your day. Your authentic self exists in the present moment."

Sivan Garr Presents: You Are Beautiful

Watch this all the way through and feel yourself expand into your BEAUTY!!!

Hummingbird: symbol of love, joy, and beauty

I awoke this morning with a sense that there was a message that I needed to hear, but I wasn't sure what it was. I decided to go for a walk in the desert with the intention of stilling my mind and connecting with nature.

I opened my senses to the warmth of the rising sun, the rich purples, oranges and pinks of the desert still in bloom, sounds of the birds rustling in dry grass and rabbits scurrying for cover under bushes.

I felt my hips opening with my long strides and my arms swinging to the pulse of the earth beneath my feet. I awakened to my connection with the earth and all it's creatures.

From this blissful state, I asked, "what is it that I need to know in this moment"? I allowed the question to sit still in the air, untouched by any sense of urgency.

As I continued on the path, a hummingbird appeared out of the brush and began to follow me. She flitted from flower to flower, plant to plant, circling around, overhead, behind and in front of me. The message I heard from her was, "Keep moving. Stop to enjoy each moment, but don't get stuck in place. There is much to enjoy. Don't waste a precious second."

With hummingbird consciousness, we learn the true nature of beauty. We open our senses to the magic of all that surrounds us. We experience deep joy and connection in the present moment and live in full vibrancy. From this place, we are nourished in every cell of our body.

Goddess says, "Now I walk in beauty."

Only the Most Luscious Morsels

I was on my way out the door when I realized that I hadn't eaten lunch and should probably eat before I left the house. I took the leftover stir fry from the fridge, grabbed a fork and plopped down on the couch to eat it.

I took 3 or 4 bites before I realized what I was doing. Is this really what I want to feed my body? Does it even taste good? When I tuned in, I tasted the cold vegetables that were a little too slimy from the congealed oil and the chicken that had dried out and lost it's flavor. Why was I shoveling this 2nd rate food into my mouth instead of honoring my body as a temple and feeding it something luscious and nourishing?

I made the decision to take an extra few minutes to find out what I was actually hungry for. When I asked myself if I was actually even hungry, I realized that I was only eating as a preemptive measure. I would probably be hungry later and might not be in a place where I could find food, so I better eat while I could. This was such automatic thinking and came from years of feeling deprived or afraid that I wouldn't be taken care of.

The truth is that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and giving my body EXACTLY what it needs. Phoenix has an abundance of restaurants to choose from, and I can trust that I will find something luscious and nourishing when I am ready.

What my mind often thinks my body wants:

• Something quick that I can eat mindlessly
  
• Something greasy, extra salty or extra sugary
  
• Something that will fill me up quickly
• Something that feels like Mommy taking care of me (i.e. mac n' cheese)

What my body really wants (when I'm paying attention):

• Something infused with love (takes at least a little time to prepare)
• Something colorful and pleasing to the eye
  
• Something fresh and alive with enzymes
  
• Something that leaves me feeling satisfied and not stuffed

Goddess says, "Only the most luscious morsels shall pass these lips"!

Amy Sky - Phenomenal Woman

The lyrics of this song are from the poem, Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou