If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it ~  William Arthur Ward.

Creating  a clear and detailed vision of your goals, your dreams, and your life purpose is  vital to receiving precisely what you want. If you are not clear in what you  ask the universe, the results you receive will also be unclear. It is the Law  of Attraction. You get back what you  send out. The more clarity you have, the better! That is why having a vision and creating something like a vision board is so important. Once you see the vision you build your plan precisely as you see it. Some people find it easy to write their goals, their dreams, and their visions down on paper. They draw a few pictures and it comes to life for them. Most do better with a vision board.

Vision  boards have been used to display images of goals and dreams for decades. They  are also known as goal maps, dream boards, treasure maps and story boards. The Vision Board is a powerful tool for manifesting and finding pathways to  achieving your dreams. Traditionally, the vision board was created by simply  cutting out desired images from magazines or books and gluing them on cardboard or poster board, creating a collage of your life plan. This is important because putting your thoughts on something tangible communicates to your subconscious what it is that you outwardly want. Because sometimes it is the subconscious, inwardly, that is holding us  back.The subconscious works well with pictures and affirmations so find  things with true meaning to your life and purpose, draw images that represent  your goals, and create a collage that represents your desires, your dreams, your  needs, what you want your life to look like and feel like. What do you want your  future be? Picture it in motion, picture it now. Then create the visual. As you  place your images on the board and add your own drawings, you are virtually building a bridge between your thoughts and this tangible board that you can see  and feel. This is an action of manifestation, an amazingly powerful way to put  your dreams into motion. Find images that allow you to see your dream as a  reality.  If you want money for a car, write out a check with the price of the car on it and place it with a  picture of the car on your vision board. If you want a new home, draw a picture  of it with the perfect landscaping surrounding it and you sitting on the front  porch. Include  affirmations; they are the essence of positive self-talk. By declaring your  "wants and desires" to the Universe, you are one step closer to having them as a reality.

 Once your vision board is created, put it where you will see it  several times a day. Take a picture of it so you can see it at work or when you  are shopping. Use it as your computer screen saver or on your phone. Hang it on  a wall or make it the centerpiece on your kitchen table. Look at if often. This  will remind your subconscious throughout each day of the amazing things you are  welcoming into your life. 
The  concept of vision boarding has been around for a long time, its popularity  aning through the last couple of decades. But it has become incredibly popular  in recent years due to the success of the well-known documentary, The Secret.  In this documentary, John Asaraff demonstrates his use of a vision  boarding.  Within a few short years  of that demonstration, he attracted his dream home. 

It  is your unique set of gifts and talents, those attributes that assure this world  that you are like no other, the seeds of your success that have brought you to  this place. Organize your desires on a Vision board. Draw the journey. See the  paths, draw the connections.  Will  you draw a map or glue on a university brochure. Perhaps you see a sandy beach;  you’re walking barefoot, laughing, in love, in peace. .Make it your own, Live  it, love it, and it will be yours. 
 
Nancy  teaches dream board classes in Washington and they are tons of fun. Call for a  schedule 818-445-9274

 Do just once what others say you cannot do and you will never pay attention to
 their limitations again ~ James  Cook

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When I first heard about  this particular weight loss secret, I was surprised, because it was so simple. How did I not know this already? After all, I had been in the wellness business my whole life. I should have known. This is the fifth secret I have shared with you and by far, it has been the most elusive.

Anyone who has  journeyed through the hurdles of weight loss understands that it is not just about losing the weight. It is also about keeping the weight off.  In fact, maintaining weight loss has tormented us throughout history. Many now feel it is simply their destiny to be overweight. 

The mere sound of the word diet has become torturous to some and feels restricting and confining to most. When you see it in writing you have an immediate sense that your free will and your breath is being taken away. 

But as much as we do understand the complexities of managing our  weight,  we can finally overlook the words diet and obesity when assessing the problem. Because we now know, it is not the weight that is the problem. It is our lifestyle. It is a flaw in those habits formed, ideals collected, perspectives we have shaped from the physical, emotional and social stumbling blocks life has thrown our way. 

Some of our habits were formed from the overwhelming influx of weight control advice. We have tried all the newest diets, listened to the newest research and then through trial and error, we have experienced the yo-yo diet syndrome.

It is our lifestyle that is causing us to be at risk for morbid diseases and yes it is our lifestyle that causes us to carry excess weight. But did you notice? You did not cringe when I said lifestyle. Lifestyle is our way of life. And it is something we can whittle some change into without inflicting suffering upon ourselves. It is understandable. It makes sense. But It also makes us accountable.

 We are all in this together. We have created, as a group, acceptable lifestyles. Now as a group we need to talk about how we can evolve into acceptable lifestyles that are healthy. I have a few ideas to hep you get started. 

• Lifestyle change has a greater impact on lowering your risk factors
  and  improving wellness than the process of losing weight. So focus on lifestyle change. Find the things you are willing to change within your life, right now and see this adventure as an evolution into a healthy lifestyle rather than a revolution, adding new goals as you achieve the first.
• Make a pact with family and friends to give up 1-3 bad habits and
  adopt 1-3 new habits, each doing only what they are ready to do. One might choose to add one glass of water at dinner or to stretch while watching TV. Perhaps another will be doing interval training. We are all ready for different
  things. 
• Support everyone participating in this healthy life change while  keeping your own focus on your personal goal.
• Understand that we all slip and that is okay. It is the continuation of our pressing forward that counts. The forward momentum of knowing where we
  need to go.
•  Write your personal goal down in a journal and read it often. It
  should be written and read as though it was already achieved. 
  You might want to lose two pounds this week but it will be written
  something like “I am walking for 10-15 minutes twice daily with my dog and we love it. My cloths feel roomy and I feel healthy. Be sure to read it several times daily, celebrate your success and add to the goal when ready.
• If  lifestyle change is a serious issue for you, if you have tried to make changes and failed, you owe it to yourself and to your family to work with a wellness coach; because a wellness coach will help you visualize your unlimited possibilities. Because a Wellness coach will help you create reasonable, timed, achievable goals and set your plan into action. And because the wellness coach will help you see your goals achieved successfully and abundantly. Because working with a wellness coach you will feel your infinite potential.  You’ll know that you can do anything!   Others may doubt you, but you won’t.  
  
  That is how dreams and goals manifest themselves. Your determination  and motivation will see you further then you’ve ever dreamed. And I know, that with my help, you can do this! Some say they cannot afford a wellness coach. But I say  “you can’t afford  not to have a wellness coach.”  I hope you will take advantage of your FREE  CONSULT.  I would love to  talk with you. If you would like a copy of our Free Online Wellness Newsletter please request it on the contact page.
  
                          <CLICK TO CONTACT ME FOR A FREE CONSULT>
• Check the box for the free consult and then leave your email address. Thank you!
  
   Be Well, Nancy Merrifield RN, URMP, CCP
  
  Nancy is a Registered Nurse, Certified Wellness Coach, and Reiki  Master, Center for Reiki Research Team Member and has a strong background in Exercise Science and Lifestyle change.
  
  

 Free coaching consult
Research has shown us that those who live healthy lifestyles, even if they do not lose their excess weight, decrease their health risks and increase their longevity. These are powerful words. In the past,  success had everything to do with what numbers showed up on the bathroom scale.  Now we know that success has everything to do with the lifestyle changes we are making and every step makes a difference. As we progress towards achieving all of our goals we evolve into a healthy lifestyle and as we become  healthy our body weight begins to reflect our new lifestyle. It is a commitment saying I am now a healthy person rather then saying I am  going to lose 25 pounds.  Readiness and determination is still required for you to make that commitment. But your commitment is to something so much greater than the weight loss itself, it is to a way of life, a life that still requires hard work and tenacity and a lot of support, but the rewards are greater.
 
John Quincy Adams said "Patience  and perseverance have a magical effect before which  difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."  Seeing your goal as becoming healthy or as lifestyle change rather than as another tedious attempt to lose weight has  this magical effect.

As you sit with your life coach or other support persons setting goals, your plan will be different.  Instead of a single goal to lose 25 pounds your  list is going to include, kicking a few bad habits, taking on a few good habits,  finding activity you enjoy, involving family in lifestyle changes, how this  change in lifestyle affects your relationships, your finances, your current downtime activities. You may now find yourself doing stretching during TV time, gathering the kids for a walk after work, and taking a veggie tray to work to share with friends. You may set a goal to take a label reading class or take the kids to open swim once a week. It’s all about creating this whole new lifestyle that is active, happy, and healthy. It is about giving the gift of health to your family. It is something that is going to make you an amazing role model for your children, family and friends.

Henry Ford said it best, “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”

Together, we can work out a plan that will keep you motivated, committed, and feeling good about yourself as you become healthy and reach every goal. See my discount packages.

Once you are determined to change your lifestyle to a healthy one, You are ready to commit to setting a very specific, detailed, achievable plan  that focuses on each aspect of your life. Then create, with your life coach, action steps to achieve your goals. Your commitment is just to one action step at a time. You may start with cutting the butter on your popcorn at night by half, limiting the size of the bowl you fill with popcorn, drinking 2 bottles of water a day and walking for 10 minutes twice daily. Once you feel comfortably with these steps, celebrate your success and move to the next. But move with support. Be it friends, co-workers or a coach, support is key to the success of anyone trying to make lifestyle change. Consider the new American PsychologyAssociation Survey. The  results of their survey show  that those people who have the most success with lifestyle change have the right support. (http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/lifestyle-   behavior.aspx).
 
A life Coach is an excellent support person for your lifestyle change. Coaches excel in helping you to set goals, create a plan  and is someone you  would be accountable to. A life coach would be a good relationship for your lifestyle change Commitment. Just talking with him or her every 6 weeks or so with emails in between keeps you on track. See our current discounts. Read some of our coaching articles. FREE CONSULT
 (The American Psychology Association:http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/lifestyle- 
behavior.aspx,  7/24/2011

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Most people do not even consider their "readiness" for weight loss when  they start a new diet and exercise program. But readiness is one of the  most important, well-kept secrets for successful   long-term  weight  loss.

When  you take the  first step toward weight loss and lifestyle change, that is,  setting  reasonable, achievable timed-goals and carving out some action steps to  help you achieve those goal, you should feel fairly comfortable in your plan and  your ability to achieve it.

What if you don’t? If you look at your plan and it seems insurmountable and you feel defeated before you start,  there is  something wrong. You have broken the goals down into tiny steps, but still, it  all seems just too overwhelming to you. Consider that in  creating the plan, you  overlooked one simple, yet crucial step…  readiness. Life Solutions coaching team can help you become ready. See coaching article and life coaching discount prices. . Also click to sign up for advantage of your free consult.
 
Most  people do not even consider their readiness for weight loss when they  start a  new diet and exercise program. But readiness is one of the most  important secrets to long-term weight loss success.  Whether your goal is to lose weight, quit smoking, start exercising or learn how to make wise food choices, it takes focus, time and  motivation.

If  other aspects of your life are in emotional turmoil,  you might not be able to  focus. If you are depressed perhaps it is hard to find the motivation and if  you are juggling work, home, family and meals, the task of losing weight might just be too much right now. But then, what can  you  do?

 You can take a sledge hammer to those goals. Break them into even smaller pieces.
Come up with a few reasonable things you can do now, that will bring you closer to some of  the goals you have already set for yourself. Achievable things  like walking for 5 minutes 2-3 times a day, choosing healthy snacks, drinking more water, do stretches while watching TV, or learn to read labels. Choose only one, if that's what works for you.    ·   
 
Then  reassess yourself  monthly for readiness. It won’t be long and you’ll be be ready. You will have celebrated a few successes, and you will be standing at the
 starting gate with confidence because now you know... you are ready.. See our price list and discounts. Click for Free Consult

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