Deskside Ezine

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"Sometimes we don"t know how long it will take to complete a journey,

especially if we have never ever been there."

Welcome to The Deskside Coach. ©. These coaching newsletters will be introducing you to tools and techniques for "exceptional living." In this particular program you are learning Interactive Self-Hypnosis, and hopefully have outlined some of the first changes you plan to make as you grow towards your personal goals. You are designing blueprints for future growth. Each and every time you work with the tools and techniques of this program you are etching new neurological tracts in your mindbody. Each and every time you place your goal pictures into your subconscious mind following Awareness Meditation Banking, or regular practice, the etching becomes deeper. Frequent review of "the blueprint", and especially when done in conjunction with creative visualization techniques, will speed your outcomes. There are times when we may feel overwhelmed by the number of changes needed, but do not despair. When you follow this work, changes will be quick and permanent.

Lasting changes are best made in small increments, and while your basic plan will present much work, keep in mind that we will be mastering your blueprint brick by brick. We will continually return to the drafting table, observing and delighting in the end goals, but knowing that modifications will most certainly occur, as different levels of the project take on a life of their own, and also knowing that the end project may look very different indeed from the original blueprint. Do not be put off by this, but instead, celebrate the unfolding of the process while enjoying each step of the way.

Describe in 10-25 words your end goal________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I make changes in small increments. I examine my blueprint many times a day. I am excited about my plans. I enjoy change.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

Our work today is to come to terms with the need to improve our nutritional intake. Your eating plan will form the basis of your pan for change. Whether or not one of your goals is to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain weight, the integration of a sound, balanced eating plan, taking into consideration the needs of your body, will form the catalyst for all other work. This is simple logic. The mind and body need nutrition to function, and if our goal is "exceptional functioning" it stands to reason that our eating plan must also be of a very high level. We are very fortunate that in our country we have no shortage of high energy nutritional foods, and the plain truth is that many of us are lazy, unimaginative, and careless in our nutritional self-care. We do not feed the mind and body properly, yet we expect it to function at high levels.

I often hear the comment, "I do not know how to cook." "I have no time to prepare my meals." "I eat most meals in restaurants." "I have to eat in the car while driving." "My husband/wife/family does not like this kind of food." The bottom line is this....if you want to excel at exceptional levels, you must take full responsibility for your eating habits, and someone else's choices have nothing to do with what you are choosing for yourself. These are just excuses! There really is no need to be a great chef, but if you really do not know how to cook a simple meal, this might be a great time to learn this life-sustaining skill.

A POSITIVE CHANGE I WILL MAKE THIS WEEK CONCERNING MY NUTRITIONAL INTAKE IS____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my balanced eating. I enjoy eating high nutritionally balanced meals.

MINDBODY WORK.....

Today we are going to focus on the audio tape called "Mental Biofeedback." The technique of bodyscanning is taught in top stress management programs around the world. Just as sound nutrition is vital for the health of mind and body, the ability to read body sensations is essential for balanced living and high level health and functioning. Most of us are completely out of touch with our bodies, despite the fact we are preoccupied with them.

The body scan is a very powerful technique used to reestablish contact with the body through a thorough and minute focusing. It is equivalent to looking at very small muscle groups through a magnifying glass and noticing many things about them. It is an effective technique for developing both concentration and flexibility of attention simultaneously.

After completing the body scan we feel transparent, as if there is nothing left but the breathe. In our program we listen to this audio tape once per day for at least a month. A good time to practice this is late in the afternoon, or an hour or so after dinner. While it is a great way to fall asleep, this is an awake exercise. If you find yourself falling asleep during this tape, try doing it sitting up with your feet flat on the floor. We will be learning more about the body scan in future newsletters.

RIGHT NOW SCAN YOUR BODY AND NOTICE ANY SENSATIONS OR TENSION. WHICH AREA OF YOUR BODY HOLDS THE MOST TENSION:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I practice the body scanner daily. My ability to focus is improving day by day.

Issue # 2

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"Everyone goes at their own pace. Watching someone pass you by doesn't make

your journey any less meaningful."

Let's talk a bit more about pacing our changes. Many of us are very judgmental, and that applies to ourselves, as well as to others. I want you to start noticing your judgmental mindtalk., the little voice in your head and that goes on and on, judging this and judging that. Some of the judgments will be aimed at you, or perhaps others, or perhaps situations. For now, don't worry about doing anything about this, just practice noticing it. If it is convenient, take a scratch pad and make a check mark every time you notice your judgmental nature. Make one column for self-judging and another for the judging of others, or situations In our "detective work: we will be focusing quite a bit on being aware of what is going on in our thought processes, our body, as well as being aware of many other happenings.

Describe your judgmental "visitor" , just as if it were a little child wearing a tee shirt with the work "JUDGEMENT" on the front. How does he/she look and sound: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I notice my judgmental nature, and smile at it when it visits me. My judgmental visitor is outside of myself. I can notice it easily. When I notice it being present, I small inwardly and then notice my breathe. I make changes in small increments. I examine my blueprint many times a day. I am excited about my plans. I enjoy change.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

The focus to day is the understanding the importance of our family and personal medical history in relation to our food intake, and thereby the functioning of our mind and body. You might say, "Oh well, I can't do anything about that, so why should I be concerned?" This is an inaccurate belief. If we become aware of certain "profactors" in our genetic make-up, we can work to change certain aspects of our lifestyles, which will not only make us healthier in the long run, but will also help our mind and body function better RIGHT NOW!

One of the biggest culprits for most of us is something called Profactor H, or hyperinsulinemia. What this means is that if you have a family medical history which makes you prone to this biochemical factor, you may either over-produce a hormone known as insulin, or you may have a resistance to it, and are prone to insulin build-up, or a combination of the two. The bottom line is..if you have excess insulin, this can make you feel quite miserable. Some of the symptoms include yo-yo weight gain, cravings especially for sugar foods or other high glycemic foods, intense hunger, weakness, shakiness, the need for frequent meals, poor concentration, emotional instability, memory disorders, lack of focus, feelings of anxiety and panic, lack of motivation, fatigue, and a host of other symptoms. In my practice I have found almost 100% of my clients seeking help for stress, anxiety, smoking, weight, or poor concentration, show tendencies towards hyperinsulinemia. The good news is that it is easily correctable, and improvements come quickly. I will be writing more about this very interesting and important subject.

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my balanced eating. I enjoy eating high nutritionally balanced meals.

MINDBODY WORK.....

I hope you are moving right along with the body scanner tape. Sometimes we don't want to take this time for ourselves, and we hit some resistance from the mindbody. Should you notice this, especially in relation to the body scanning tape, I would like you to do the following: 1) Schedule the listening of the tape at the same time each day or evening. Think carefully about this scheduling, because this is an appointment that you should not break for trivial reasons. It is tantamount to skipping the brushing of your teeth before going out on a date. 2) Visualize yourself lying down, or sitting comfortably and enjoying the tape. 3) Visualize your end goal and say the following affirmation: THE BODY SCANNER OPENS THE DOOR TO MY HIGHEST ASPIRATIONS. See a double picture frame. One side has you practicing the body scanner, and the other picture is you experiencing your end goal. Surround the picture frame with a white circle, and now send a white light directly at the picture frame and repeat the above affirmation: THE BODY SCANNER OPENS THE DOR TO MY HIGHEST ASPIRATIONS.

RIGHT NOW SCAN YOUR BODY AND NOTICE ANY SENSATIONS OR TENSION. WHICH AREA OF YOUR BODY HOLDS THE MOST TENSION? INVITE THOSE PARTS TO RELEASE BY SIMPLY STATING "RELAX AND RELEASE AS YOU VISUALIZE THE PART:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I practice the body scanner daily. My ability to focus is improving day by day. I look forward to listening to the body scanner. I am aware of my body sensations throughout the day. I practice noticing and releasing throughout the day.

MIND EXERCISE: Before going to sleep tonight, and once you are lying down, pillow under your head, I would like you to revisit your muscle groups, just as you do while listening to the body scanner. This time do them one by one, and just wish them health and happiness. For instance, focusing on the toes of your left food (eyes closed), see the toes and say to yourself, "I WISH YOU HEALTH AND HAPPINESS." Now, I realize how ridiculous this sounds. However, those of us working in this field are well aware that many techniques we teach do sound this way, but are simply a way of getting the results we are after. These creative visualization exercises allow your body to release minute tension which not only leads to stress related illnesses, but blocks our ability to utilize our subconscious mind to its full potential.

Issue # 3

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"Inward ho!" ......Christopher Morley

Today our focus is on designing a balanced life-plan for ourselves. Health is balance, and when we have high level health, our mind and body work hand in hand together. This is when we can achieve high level functioning. A person looking for optimum health, or extraordinary achievements, must look and work beyond the common accepted level. In our work we must become remarkable detectives, always observing for minute changes in the mind and body, as well as for opportunities to move closer to high level functioning. To do this, we must begin, and for many people this is the hardest step, but once the ball starts rolling, it tends to pick up speed!

As we look for a place to begin our work, we might focus on our belief systems, specifically in our belief about change. We must look at how we view change, and our emotional ties to change. I would like you to do a quick life review and focus in on times when you made changes, and have a look at the motivations to change, and tools you developed to persist. Try to find an example of a "quick change", as well as a change which took a longer period of time. It's a good idea to close your eyes while doing this exercise, allowing yourself to enjoy the process of life review.

Describe your motivating strengths in making changes. What worked in the past for you? What else did you notice which might be useful to you now?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I am aware of my inner motivating power. I know how to motivate myself. It is easy to motivate myself. Change is a part of my life and I am open to it!

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

If you have a personal or family medical history that includes adult onset diabetes, hypoglycemia, circulatory disorders such as stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer of the uterus, breast, or ovary, obesity, yo-yo weight gain,smoking, and/or other addictions, such as alcohol, drugs both legal and recreational, or SUGAR, you may have this tendency towards hyperinsulinemia. What this means is that when you eat or drink high carbohydrate or high glycemic foods, and especially if you do so frequently, your body may react by excreting excess insulin. When this happens over a period of time, you are more prone to developing a resistance as well.

When I made suggestions for your personalized nutritional intake, I instructed you how to notice the excess insulin production through self-assessments. On your daily log sheets you will be able to see this quite clearly, and so it is very important to keep these for a while, until you are well on your way to managing this part of your program.

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my balanced eating. I enjoy eating high nutritionally balanced meals.

MINDBODY WORK.....

I would like you to place somewhere on your desk a little yellow sticky paper with the letter "B" written on it, and circled. The "B" stands for the breath. Right now I would like you to place your finger tips very lightly on your lower abdomen, below the navel. Imagine that your lower abdomen contains a lovely colored balloon, and it gets bigger with the out breath, and smaller with the in breathe. Please do not force your breathing, but just notice this fact with your fingertips as witnesses of the event. Now, just sit for a few moments and observe this. This type of breathing is known as "mindful breathing." Actually, any time we observe our breathing at all, is mindful, but it is a good idea to get the mind and body used to breathing from the lower abdomen. As we do this exercise, our brain waves start to slow down, and we begin to experience the alpha state.

The alpha state is simply the name given to the level of brain frequency of between 7 to 14 pulsations per second, about half the normal rate. When you slow your brain frequency to alpha, you gain access to capabilities of the mind that were formerly outside your control. You become able to use the powers of your right hemisphere to achieve your goals in every area of your life.

This exercise is VERY IMPORTANT, and perhaps constitutes the most important part of our work. The reason I asked you to place that little sticky paper somewhere on your desk, or if you are at home, on the refrigerator or somewhere else you pass frequently, is so you will remember to practice this exercise. After a while the brain will remember to do this all by itself!.

From time to time program the following statements when you go to the alpha state:

1) I am now learning to use more of my mind and to use it in a special way.

2) My increasing mental faculties are for serving humanity on a higher level.

3) Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.

4) I will always maintain a perfectly healthy mind and body.

5) I respect myself and my mindbody.

Issue # 4

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory."....General George S. Patton

Yesterday we talked about your personal history in making changes. I hope you took the time to look into your subconscious mind library bank. This is a valuable technique, and we will be doing this quite frequently. I would like to suggest that you keep an ongoing list of times when you made a change, and the motivator behind that change. The more awareness we bring to ourselves and our actions, the more successful we will be in our current and future endeavors.

Sometimes the enormity of the challenge ahead frightens us. We can't imagine being able to succeed. I am often asked the question, "How long does this take?" When we are working on lifestyle changes we must think about working on them forever. In the beginning, this thought is very depressing to many people. I often see the face change, or if I am discussing this fact by email or fax, the words create the often down trodden mood. Yesterday I was having lunch with a business friend. Our eyes met over our salads......."I’m so tired of eating foods that are good for me! I really miss the days when I didn't know any better, and ate whatever I wanted." I asked Carol if she felt better physically now or then. "Of course I feel better now, but how I enjoyed that food!" We can see from this short conversation an interesting truth, and this is often the basis of many addictions. We know something is not good for us, yet we crave it, and then we miss it. Actually it is part of the grieving process, and as we look back into our memory bank, we can see other times when this truth presented itself.

Look into your personal subconscious mind library bank and look for times when you stopped certain behaviors that were not in your best interest, and notice the emotions surrounding these changes. Make some notes regarding these discoveries: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I am aware of my subconscious mind memory bank. I welcome challenges. I have met many challenges in the past and succeeded. My memory bank is filled with success pictures.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

How much food does your body really need? This is a major question for most of us. Why am I hungry soon after eating? Why do I have less hunger if I don't eat at all? Why can't I stop eating certain foods once I start eating them?

The body is made up of the lean body mass and fat. The lean body mass is made up of muscles and bone, and acts as the engine of the car. It needs gas to run, and the amount needed depends on it’s size, total body weight, and amount of aerobic exercise. When we eat sufficiently, and it the right balance for our particular body environment, we burn fat. Burning fat is very different than burning sugar for energy. Weight loss from fat burning is the healthy way to go. It feels good and looks good. Even if we are not looking to lose weight, we want to stay in the fat burning mode for optimum health reasons.

I see many clients in my practice who exercise strenuously, and do not eat sufficient nutrition to cover these activities. In many cases, the body will continue to store fat, even on a low fat, low calorie diet if the individual is over-exercising in relation to intake. Another scenario is the person who is eating far too many high carb foods, high glycemic foods, and not a sufficient amount of protein, low carbs and fat in order to achieve good balance. In both of these cases, the person may cause an over production of insulin. So, instead of feeling healthy, focused and full of energy, this person might have insatiable hunger, cravings, fatigue, poor concentration, and find it very difficult to manage his or her weight, as well as to stay motivated.

While one does not have to measure food, it is important to eyeball your intake and read your body sensations for low level changes. The body scanner and other awareness techniques help us to become highly proficient at this most important task.

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my balanced eating. I enjoy eating high nutritionally balanced meals. I notice my body sensations.

MINDBODY WORK.....

We have begun our practice of breathing and going to the alpha state during the day. A good idea is to get into the discipline of sitting for 5-10 minutes, at least twice a day, practicing rhythmic breathing at the alpha state. I like to do this either the first thing in the morning, or upon arrival at work. You will find what works best for you. I also like to have a short session before lunch, thereby putting my thought processes and work down mentally and emotionally before eating, and then another session before starting work again, and one before leaving the office. I know this may sound like a lot of work, but remember we are on the quest for optimum body and brain functioning. This is the CHALLENGE! The more you practice, the better you get and the closer you come to high level functioning

AS I LOOK AT MY DAY AND EVENING, THE TIMES WHEN I CHOOSE TO PRACTICE RHYTHMIC ALPHA BREATHING ARE:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I enjoy my breathing exercises. I practice rhythmic breathing ongoing throughout the day. I remember to breathe from my alpha level. I breathe at my desk. I breathe in my car. I breathe watching television. I am aware of my breath.

Issue # 5

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today, because if you enjoy it today, you can do it again tomorrow.".......James Michener

There certainly are sufficient book, articles, tapes, plans, etc. showing us how to manage our lifestyle changes. Many of us have many of these sitting on our shelves. I know people who listen to tapes all day long in the car, week after week, month after month and year after year. They all make New Year's Resolutions, and often they don't even have to think about which one to make. They are the same year after year. One of the goals of The Inner Coach is to move dreams into action. We are going to move through procrastination, and develop persistence and patience with ourselves, and our goals.

Many of us are completely out of touch with ourselves and our goals. Today we are going to focus on goal setting and the act of moving forward. As basic as this may sound, we have to decide what we want, and we must get very specific. Do take the time to do all of these exercises. I suggest to my clients that they schedule 5 hours in the near future to work in these directions. This is not a lot of time when we realize we are planning our road map for our future. Many people have taken a day off work to design their plan.

Our first exercise is called "limitless wishing." Take a clean sheet of paper for each category of goals. My categories include 1) Career 2) Personal 3) Family 4) Relationships 5) Financial 6) Spiritual. You may add any categories which are important to you. Next, making certain you will not be disturbed, place one of these pages before you. Close your eyes, and place your finger tips on your lower abdomen, and allow your breath to be present. Ride the wave of the breath for a minute or so. Observe that coming down the road is a man dressed in a long flowing gown. He has a white beard, and a friendly gaze. He is holding something in his hands, and as he gets closer you notice it is an old brass lamp. He offers it to you, and reminds you to use it wisely. Take it in your hands and feel the cool, smooth brass. Admire it. Find a place to sit down, and continue to ride your breath. Now, rub the lamp gently, and as you do ask for your goals in the category before you to become clear. Now, put the lamp down, open your eyes, and start to write a list of what you desire. Do not worry about sentences or form of any type. Do not judge any of your goals. Even if they are totally unrealistic, continue to write. When you have finished, continue to ride your breath, and see if one or two more goals appear. Now, take another category, ride your breathe for a few minutes, pick up the lamp, rub it and ask for answers to this group. Once you complete this list, go on to the next until you have finished. At this point is good just to sit quietly riding the breath and thanking the lamp for it's help.

Go back to the first list and read it through. Find the 3 that appeal most to you and highlight those. Do the same with each sheet. When you have finished this part of the exercise, take another piece of paper and start with your first highlighted goal. Describe it in some detail. Exactly what does it look like. How would it feel to have this goal. Try to be as specific as possible. Do this for each highlighted goal. Now it is time to allow this information to percolate. Put your papers away for another time.

Some insights I learned from the limitless wishing exercise are_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I enjoy goal setting. I focus well on what I would like to achieve. My goals come easily to me.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

The more frequently we review this material, the easier it becomes to make changes. You will begin to notice that you are making some changes even without trying. It appears to be easier to change. Why is this? Your subconscious mind has recorded all suggestions, and is now busy helping you. In many cases, the body will continue to store fat, even on a low fat, low calorie diet if the individual is over-exercising in relation to intake. Another scenario is the person who is eating far too many high carb foods, high glycemic foods, and not a sufficient amount of protein, low carbs and fat in order to achieve good balance. In both of these cases, the person may cause an over production of insulin. So, instead of feeling healthy, focused and full of energy, this person might have insatiable hunger, cravings, fatigue, poor concentration, and find it very difficult to manage his or her weight, as well as to stay motivated.

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my balanced eating. I enjoy eating high nutritionally balanced meals. I notice my body sensations.

MINDBODY WORK.....

Issue # 6

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"Many receive advice. Only the wise profit from it."....Syrus

Walk into any book store and we know there is no shortage of books, magazines, tapes, etc. written for the express purpose of helping us to make lifestyle changes. Have you ever asked yourself why there are so many of these publications? Is it so complicated to make a lifestyle change? Indeed, it is not complicated to make lifestyle changes, but most people have not developed persistence and perseverance in their life skills, and so they continually look for a quick fix in another new book which has just come on the market. This morning I was working with a woman who has a very obvious co-dependent relationship with her daughter. I asked her if she had ever read any material on this subject, especially on rescuing and enabling? "Oh, I have a library full of books of those subjects!" I asked her about her "action plan" and she looked at me completely mystified. In actual fact, despite all that reading, she had not put one idea into an action plan in helping her in this most important relationship which was key in managing her high levels of stress and distress.

In what areas do you need to develop an action plan? In what areas do you practice persistence and perseverance? In what areas are you looking for a quick fix? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I recognize persistence and congratulate myself on practicing this skill. I am aware of many times when I persisted. I review my memory bank and applaud my pictures of persistence and perseverance.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

Few people take the time to notice their daily food intake. All of my clients, whether they are looking to lose weight, gain weight, or are looking for optimum mind/body functioning are keenly aware of their food intakes, as well as their hunger types, and corresponding emotional states. No one who is looking to function at a high level can afford to ignore this most vital information. My clients are well aware of even minute changes in their body sensations, energy levels, hunger states, and emotional states, and the first order of business after noticing these changes is to review their last few meals, and snacks. We also keep an eye on water consumption, and any other drinks or substances which have been ingested. Some of these might include chewing gum, breathe mints, diet beverages, and those with sugar, artificial sweeteners, or caffeine. Keep in mind that food and drink are chemicals, and experienced by the body as such. For those with a family history of Profactor H, or hyperinsulinemia, even the frequenting of breathe mints can be enough to interfere with the functioning of the mind and body.

There is a very strong correlation between stress reaction and food intake. Feelings of hyperinsulinemia are very much the same as "feeling stressed" or "feeling anxious or fearful." Remember to keep your food logs, especially for a few weeks until your awareness kicks in. We are on such an automatic pilot with food and drink intake, that it takes most people at least a few weeks to start waking up to this important issue.

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my food and drink intake. I enjoy keeping my food logs. My awareness is expanding....

MINDBODY WORK.....

It is absolutely vital to continue working with breathe awareness. I had client this morning who told me that she didn't have time to do all this work. Actually she was quite angry with the process. Remember my opening words today on persistence and perseverance. Well, she certainly needs work in this area. The truth of the matter is that it doesn't really take all that much time, and even if it did, I want you to ask yourself who is more important than you and your goals? Awareness of the breathe, and rhythmic breathing are part of our moment to moment life. Keep a reminder on your desk, in your car, etc. which will trigger your relaxed rhythmic breathing. You are breathing anyway, so why not do it in a fashion that benefits the functioning of your mind and certainly your body.

As we continue to work with body scanner tape, we notice that are ability to concentrate on our work has improved. Our brain noise seems t be lessening. If we look at our thought processes like cabs passing us on the street, we might say that the traffic is a bit more manageable. This is the body scanner in action. This particular exercise teaches the brain to function, with flow and flexibility. After awhile you will notice how easy it is to move from one task to another and immediately be able to focus very deeply. This is flexibility in action. It is one of the most vital skills for developing a fully functioning brain process. If you are looking to improve your focus, creativity, goal setting, accelerate your learning, or just release stress, you are on your way.

How many places can I find to practice rhythmic breathing:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Issue # 7

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

""Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.".......Demsthenes

In our last newsletter we started to approach the development of persistence and perseverance. While most of us would acknowledge this could be a good idea, most of us have no idea how to go about this task, and even this good idea appears far too big to tackle. We are going to begin this just as we begin learning about all of our new tools. I mentioned earlier that this is not a complicated process, but one that takes diligence. We are interested in finding the little moments when we can effect a change of some sort. Before anything can change, we must be aware of it, and then we can acknowledge that we have choices. This is the anatomy and physiology of change.

Some people have trouble with persisting, because they don't have sufficient desire. If you find yourself weak in the persistence department, look with your trusty magnifying glass at what it is you are having difficulty with, and then ask yourself, "Do I really really desire this?" "How much to I desire this?" "Do all parts of me really desire this?" "Can I feel the desire in my gut?" Many times we think we want something, when the reality is that we don't really care that much. Once we know that we really want whatever it is, we can utilize organized planning and the power of visualization and suggestion to motivate ourselves, even through tremendous difficulties. More about this later.

Look into your mind memory bank and retrieve instances when you truly desired something, those times when NO ONE could possibly stop you. While you are looking, be sure to notice the "little ones." Make notes of those now:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________\

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

I would like you to review your food logs every day, and at that time go back and look at previous ones. Can you begin to see changes emerging. In the beginning many of you thought you could never make changes. You were actually prisoners of your food choices, and could not imagine that you could change. As you began to follow your personalized food plans, and incorporated small daily changes, everything started to fall into place. Perhaps if you were having difficulty getting to sleep, or sleeping through the night, you have noticed a change in the quality of sleep, and maybe even your dream quality. In the near future I will show you how to utilize your dream states to access information, as well as to place information aimed at your personalized goals.

I HAVE NOTICED THE FOLLOWING CHANGES IN MY FOOD LOGS:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my food and drink intake. I enjoy keeping my food logs. My awareness is expanding....

MINDBODY WORK.....

We are going to explore some mind expansion techniques that will help us persist. Please wait to do this exercise in a quiet time. In the future, once your mind is trained, you will be able access these tools anywhere, and even while in the process of talking., but when we are learning and reprogramming your mind bank, it is a good idea to do this quietly.

Focus on your breath, and work with your fingertips on your lower abdomen. Allow the breath to become regular and rhythmic. Once the breathe is in place, I want you to look up, approximately 20 degrees and place a movie screen out in front of you. This is rather like sitting in the first two rows of the movie theater. Now, place the rhythm of your breath at the bottom of the screen, like peaceful waves. Above the waves place your desired goal picture. Make it full colored, and see the goal as completed. Now, encircle the goal picture with a white line. Go into your mind bank and take out one of the desire memories you found earlier on, and remove the feelings of desire from that memory. Now, while focusing on the circled desire, infuse it with the feelings you have just removed. Really feel it, as you continue to focus on the circle of desire. Say to yourself, or out loud, "This is what I want, or this is what I need." Practice this exercise with this goal desire frequently. You will soon begin to notice your ability to persist has greatly improved.

It's a good idea to work with one desire at a time. Once you become more proficient at this exercise, you will be able to work with additional goals. The mind works best when the goal is very clear and concise. That is one reason why we circle it with a white line. In actual fact we are saying to our brain, "Pay strict attention to this as it is very important.,"

MY MOST IMPORTANT GOAL DESIRE IS:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE SECOND GOAL DESIRE I WILL WORK ON IS:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATIONS: I see my desires clearly. I work with my desires frequently. I practice infusing my desires throughout the day. I can feel my ability to persist improving. I'm on my way!

Issue # 8

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"All things are difficult before they are easy.".........John Morley

We must develop belief in our ability to carry out the plan towards our goal. Sometimes we are not even aware that we don't have this belief. When you have the opportunity to focus on your breathe for a minute or two, ask yourself the question, "Can I achieve this goal?" The answer will come before the question is even completely out of your mouth...the mind works very fast! If you get a resounding "YES" just smile knowingly. If, however, you get a weak little "yes maye" or a resounding "NO", you have some additional work to do. These answers were returned to you from your subconscious mind based on past experiences and beliefs This does not mean that they are correct, nor does it mean that this cannot be changed. We will work on this under the mindwork exercises for today.

It is important to start growing some plans for persisting, persevering and final goal achievement. Our plans should be organized from start to finish. Don't worry if they appear aweak or impractical in the beginning, because as you become involved in the unfolding of the goal, the plans will become stronger and more perfected. Plan to spend some time each day perfecting yor organized plans. As you do this exercise, your willpower will increase, as will your ability to persist. If you notice difficulties in evolving a plan of action, have another look at the goal, making certain you really desire it, and that there is some definite purpose for the work you are proposing.

The act of organized planning leads to the development of habit, and persistence is the direct result of habit. Your mind will become absorbed by the daily experiences on which it feeds, and since these are directly related to your goaql achievement, you will continue to move closer and closer. On ccasion you will hit a stumbliung block....just notice it and step right over it. Some blocks are small and some are much bigger....it really doesn't matter to the person in pursuit of the goal. Stumbling blocks are a signal to move past or over. If you notice the arival of the emotion called "fear", just label it and refocus on your breathe and your goal. We will be working with emotional visitors in forthcoming issues of "The Deskside Coach." You also have a tape in your toolbox, called "Managing Emotions" to help you in this part of your work.

Some organized plans I have made and placed in action are:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I work on my organized planning daily. I review my plans and they are clear to me.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS.....

Go back to the betinning of your food logs and review my hints for change. Have you made these changes yet? If you haven't I would like you to choose just one change to make this week. Perhaps you will choose the easiest one for you, or maybe you will choose the most difficult one. Which ever is fine. Often times we balk at change because i seems overwhelming. I want you to spend a few moments with your breathing at the alpha level, and then see a picture of yourself with the change already made. See how happy and pleased you look. It really was quite easy.

The opportunities to change something nutritionally are all around us. Every day we should attempt to get a bit better at managing our nutrition. Perhaps you could make a list of all the things you didn't eat or drink which interfered in the past with your optimum functioning. Even something as small as only having one cup of coffee instead of two or three, is a step in the right direction. Long term success is made up of many small achievements day after day.

SOMETHING I CHANGED FOR MYSELF TODAY IS:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my food and drink intake. I enjoy keeping my food logs. My awareness is expanding......

MINDWORK.....

Yesterday we worked with the goal pictures encircled with white. Today I want you to place a picture of yourself with your new belief in that circle of white. See yourself achieving your goal and especially notice how easy it was to do this. You might even see and hear yourself repeating, "This is so easy. I had no idea this would be so easy." You might see yurself organizing your plans to achieve your goal. Notice how relaxed you are, and how you are so focused in your intent to organize the plans. The plans come easy to you. The pictures are cleqar, and you may even see the list of plans in the white circle. Maybe you can't read them from where you are sitting, so just reach forward and take the organized plan list in your hand and place it on your lap. When you are finished with this exercise, pick up the list and read it. Do this exercise even if you have a strong belief about your ability to carry out the organized plans to reach your goals. We can all use all the determination we can muster. This is a great opportunity to build strength in this self-development department.

AS YOU SEE YOUR BELIEF IN THE SHITE CIRCLE, WHAT STANDS OUT?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: My beliefs are clear. I can see my plans developing. I enjoy doing this work for myself.

Issue # 9

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"The reward of a thing well done is to have it done."

When we started the development of your personalized blueprint, we addressed the need to stand under the magnifying glass and have a good, clear and honest look at ourselves as we persist and move forward. For many of us this is difficult, especially if we have a history of being harshly judged by others, especially our parents. Some of us have spent our lives harshly judging ourselves as well. I want to suggest to you that these "magnifying glass exercises" are not judgemental, but just informational. We need to get brave, have a good look, and develop our organized plans to move forward.

Today we are going to look for some of the big enemies that keep us from succeeding in reaching our goals. Go right ahead to your breathe and ride the waves for a minute of so. Now, stand before the mirror in your mind and see if any of these difficulties are hanging around you: 1) failure to see clearly what it is you really want 2) lack of interest or desire 3) alibi making or passing the buck 4) procrastination usually seen visiting with alibi making 5) indifference or being ready to compromise frequently rather than meet the opposition and wage war if necessary 6) willingness to quit at the first roadblock 7) lack of organized written plans 8) habitually being indecisive 9) looking for short cuts 10) fear of being criticized.

Some visitors I saw in my mirror were: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________\

AFFIRMATION: I am aware of my frequent visitors who interfere with my persisting. As I recognize them and smile, they move away. I am a winner. This is easy for me.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS.....

When I reviewed your personal and family medical history, I explained the necessity of cutting back on high-glycemic foods and the frequency of eating or drinking them. It is important to keep a running list of them in our mind computer. We can become more aware of their pervasiveness in our society, if we label them when we notice them. When you go to the supermarket next time, practice finding and labeling high glymemic food choices. You may be shocked at how many you find. Also label the lower glycemic foods. A good exercise when are driving is to spot the high glycemic eating places. Remind your brain that these are not good choices for you. As you do this on an ongoing basis, should you have a keen desire to stop there, or purchase those foods, your mind will be ready to help keep you on course. For a review of high glycemics, go back to the information I sent to you at the beginning of our work. It helps to review these things from time to time, especially during the process of reframing our nutrtional experiences in the brain storage.

How about looking for another small change for today? Which one feels right for now?

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my food and drink intake. I enjoy keeping my food logs. My awareness is expanding.... I can stop high glycemic foods easily. I eat these in a balanced meal only, cutting back on the amounts.

MINDBODY WORK.....

Today we will begin our work on the management of thoughts and emotions. Please be certain to review the tape Managing Emotions. Do not listen to these tapes in the care or when doing any activity where your attention must be focused. We will review the emotions by family groups. As you have learned from the tapes, we always look for the emotions OUTSIDE of ourselves. We use the imagry of our emotions being children with tee shirts stating their names. We have lots and lots of emotions, but most of them live and hang out in family groups. The more emotions we can spot, the better we can manage them. We cannot manage an emotion of which we are not aware. First comes awareness, then choice, and then control.

All emotions speak, just like children. We hear them in our thoughts. When we catch them early enough, we can deflate them, and move them along. If we do not notice their arrival, not only will they continue to hang out with us, but they will become more powerful and also call on their counterparts to join the party; their party that is!!

The family we are going to recognize today is the ANGER FAMILY. Some members include fury, outrage, resentment, wrath, exasperation, annoyance, irritability, hostility, hatred and even violence. There are, indeed, other members, but the aforementioned seem to be the most popular. I would like you to go back over the list again and highlight the most frequent visitors to your mindbody. Our goal is to find the lower anger representatives, and to start to be aware when they come hanging around. All we really want to do is to be aware of their arrival.

When you notice a visitor I would like you to call him by name, and ask what he/she needs. Be accepting, and as loving as possible. This may sound a bit strange, but when we work with emotions in this non-judgemental way, we are more successful in having them move on. Also, we can gain information from them. Listen carefully after you ask the question, "What do you need?"

The anger family members which visit me most often are:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I recognize my emotional visitors. It is getting easier for me to notice them. I am learning from these visits. I am growing in new ways.,

Issue # 10

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.".....

Harry Emerson Fosdick

DESKSIDE COACHING FOCUS.....

"I don't have time to do all of this work!" If I had a quarter for everyone who told me that they don't have enough time, I would be rich! We have been discussing the need for organized planning, and this is where one of the secrets of time management will be revealed. As I told one group I was speaking to yesterday, "since you are already breathing anyway, why not breathe to your advantage?"

The work that we are doing together actually changes the body physiology, and allows us to concentrate at much deeper levels. We are also retraining the brain through the body scanner, and now emotional and thought management. These techniques are also known as focusing tools. As our concentration, focus and flexibility improve, we will start to see that we can accomplish much more in less time. So while it appears that we are adding more things to our "to do list" in actual fact we are training the brain to work better for us. For most of us, our brains are like employees who are not working up to their potential. In fact, some of these brains are quite lazy............but now, thanks to the observation and riding of the breathe, the body scanner, and our beginning work with insight meditation, we are on our way to true time management and optimum body and mind functioning.

Things I have done to remind me to practice my new work:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I am aware of my frequent visitors who interfere with my persisting. As I recognize them and smile, they move away. I am a winner. This is easy for me.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS.....

Recently I did a "brown bag lunch" presentation for a very high profile technological company. I was very curious as to the type of lunch prominent "high tech" people consumed. I was shocked. Out of the thirty people, only one had anything near good nutrition, and even she chased the good food down with a diet soda. In fact the company provided soda and sweetened drinks for everyone!

It is important to follow your new food plan. You can eat everything you like everyday, but it is very important to keep your balance based on your family and personal medical history, and lifestyle. I am well aware of the difficulties in making these changes, but as we begin to feel less fatigured, more concentrated and focused, this in itself becomes a great motivator. I remember when I started my own personal nutritional changes about eight years ago. I was looking to lose weight, but when I noticed the tremendous difference in the way I felt physically, emotionally and mentally, I remember saying that I would trade any weight loss to just keep these high level feelings. Of course, I did lose the weight, and also got to keep the feelings!

How about looking for another small change for today? Which one feels right for now?

SOMETHING I CHANGED FOR MYSELF TODAY IS:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I notice all of my meals. I congratulate myself for a job well done. I can shop for food and keep in control. It is easy to pass up foods which don't add to my long and short term goals!

MINDBODY WORK.....

As we continue to work with the audio tape Emotional Management we can begin to notice the mind talk of our emotions. I would like you to really tune in to this radio station which plays constantly in your mind. As you listen, write down the emotion which is speaking to you at that time. As we learn to become more familiar with these visitors and their chatter, we can begin to make some choices, one of which will be to turn off the radio station at will!

TUNE IN NOW AND NOTICE WHO HAS YOUR ATTENTION:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Issue # 11

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.".......John Dryden

DESKSIDE COACHING FOCUS.....

We are developing a very special discipline through our work. The changes which are already occurring are permanent changes. When we change from the alpha state, we are placing new material into our subconscious minds. This is very different than struggling with trying to change on the conscious level. We have been clever by engaging our body through our new nutrition to join us in our quest for high level functioning. Our entire mindbody unit is working together towards your own Olympic Gold.

Perhaps some of you are shocked with the word "discipline." For many this is a "dirty word" and certainly does not impart fun! In actual fact, discipline is lots of fun and makes us feel terrific. Self-discipline is a skill that can be learned and converted into a habit. With self-discipline you can accomplish anything you desire. When you are self-disciplined the world is your oyster. The choices are limitless. Close your eyes for a moment and envision yourself shopping in the market of life, free to choose whatever you want. This is what self-discipline and the tools you are learning are offering you.

Some of the things you will notice as you become more disciplined is that your confidence increases, and seems to empower you with determination and inner strength. You feel a new passion for life, and any depression or anxiety/panic seems to lift and float away like a dark cloud. You notice that your thinking is sharper and your abilities to analyze have improved greatly. Your creativity is enhanced, and you are filled with great ideas!

Things I am looking forward to through my development of self-discipline:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS.....

To snack or not to snack......that is the question. A CEO asked me the other day, "Well, if I'm not going to snack on cookies, what should I snack on?" This question sheds light on a false belief, one that states "we all need to snack." I went on to explain to him the necessity of three balanced meals per day, having a look at his aerobic activity pattern (he did grin at this), as well as his hunger patterns, and whether the hunger is mind or body.

I am a recovered "grazer." It was not until I became involved in nutritional research about eight years ago, that I even considered the possibility of eating three balanced meals. I also had no idea that I could manage my hunger and cravings in this way. To be honest, I didn't believe it. It took me one week to realize how wrong I was. In the way my day is organized, I do not need to snack when I follow my eating self-disciplined program. I never miss breakfast, and plan my intake around my schedule. If I am to have a late lunch, I make certain that I eat a bit more in the a.m. I do the same if I plan to have a late dinner. Sometimes I will bring a snack to work if I know I will not be eating until really late. This is a good example of organized planning for good sound nutrition.

How about looking for another small change for today? Which one feels right for now?

SOMETHING I CHANGED FOR MYSELF TODAY IS:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION : I'm waking up nutritionally. My nutrition forms the basis for my mindbody functioning. I function at high levels.

MINDBODY WORK.....

Today we are going to work with self-hypnotic technique. The type of self-hypnosis we will utilize is called "interactive self-hypnosis." Actually we have been working this already, but just didn't name it. Hypnosis is just the slowing of the brain waves (going to the alpha level) and placing suggestions in the mind memory bank. On your audio tape, "The Hypnosis Workshop" you will find many interactive tools. Please begin to this tape on a weekly basis. I will be making suggestions in future newsletters based on "The Hypnosis Workshop", but to begin just listen to it start to finish, just to get over the new concepts. Always make certain that your head is elevated when doing any hypnosis tapes, as the brain waves really slow down.

AFFIRMATION: I am learning new tools. I am learning to utilize my brain power.

Issue # 12

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"The beginning of a habit is like an invisible thread, but every time we repeat the act we strengthen the strand, add to it another filament, until it becomes a great cable and binds us irrevocably, thought and act.:....Orison Swett Marden

DESKSIDE COACHING FOCUS.....

Through our work discipline we are beginning to form our personal goal quilt. Every one who receives "The Deskside Coach" has different goals. Even if the goals appear similar on the surface, such as weight loss, accelerated learning, improved memory and concentration, etc., the goal will take on the shape of the person, just as new shoes take on the shape of the foot as they are worn.

We love to observe people who are high achievers. This observation helps to break down the walls of impossibility. We think, "If he or she did it, there is hope for me." Sometimes however, we say it consciously, but the subconscious is right there with a negative judgmental jibe, "You'll never succeed. Who do you think you are?!"

We are going to utilize role modeling at a different level of consciousness; a level where the judgment visitor cannot reach. We are going to plant seeds right in the subconscious mind where they will be nurtured and grow into beautiful prize-winning, but first we must go off to the seed store and choose the seeds.

One seed we are looking for is "a strong sense of purpose." This should sound familiar by now. We saw that seed when we were looking at persistence under the magnifying glass. Next we want a "sensory rich vision." This means that the goal is very clear to all our senses. We can see it, feel it, touch it, smell it and taste it! Image the picture of your goal and enhance the picture with as much emotion as you can muster from all departments. Another seed on our shopping list is "a strong belief in ourselves." Also pick out the seed labeled "ability to plan and organize." Remember that one? Now choose "patience" and "perseverance." Add to the pile the "ease and willingness to acquire new learning and skills," "positive mentors or coaches,", and "a sense of play and pleasure in relation to work."

Go into your "Hypnosis Workshop" and when you walk the golden path, stop at your garden (actually stop the tape) and plant the seeds you acquired. It's a good idea to write the names of the seeds on an index card. Simply open your eyes at the garden, and see yourself planting, watering and fertilizing those seeds. During the day, observe your breathe, go directly to the garden, weed if necessary, water and fertilize those seeds.

My seeds which need the most care are:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATIONS: I care for my garden. I am focused on my seeds of self-discipline. I am growing patience and persistence. I like gardening in the mind.

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS.....

If you have been following your new nutritional guidelines which I designed for you, you are already noticing both big and small changes. Perhaps you notice how your hunger patterns are changing. Is it easier to get through the morning without looking for a "quick fix?" If you are a smoker, you may be finding less desire to light up. This is not a coincidence. As we get the insulin in balance, we have fewer hypoglycemic dips, and therefore we feel less stressed out. Many people smoke when they feel the body sensations which accompany these insulin imbalances.

You may also find yourself getting more creative with your meal planning. This planning doesn't need to involve great cooking escapades. Of course, if you enjoy cooking, certainly go ahead, but if this is not your forte, you may still be thinking about your meals in new ways. Perhaps you have reintroduced shrimp, lobster, veal, pork and filet mignon into a noon time treat to accompany your fresh watercress and arugula salad. Mmmmm Eating like a king or queen. So many wonderful foods, and so easy to prepare.

Some foods I would like to add to my meals include:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION : I'm waking up nutritionally. My nutrition forms the basis for my mindbody functioning. I function at high levels. I enjoy planning my meals. I think a lot about myself and my nutrition. I'm becoming an expert at meal planning for me.

Issue # 13

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

The ancestor of every action is a thought."......Ralph Waldo Emerson

DESKSIDE COACHING FOCUS....

We are going to begin our work focusing on our thought processes. Again we return to the visual and auditory metaphors of the radio station. Right now begin to listen to the chatter in your mind. This has been playing as background music continually. Unless we actually turn this radio off, it will continue to play. Not even a chance the batteries will wear out!

It is most important that we take time and turn this radio off. We do this through meditative work. When I began my practice in stress management and optimum mindbody functioning, I found some clients balked at the words meditation and self-hypnosis. I started addressing these tools as the "M" work and the "H" word. Even today I find myself having to educate on the benefits of meditation and self-hypnosis., although with the number of programs on PBS and other educational channels, and the increase in the number of written material, people are becoming more open to these very powerful techniques.

As we listen to the body scanner audio tape, as well as the tape on emotional management, we begin to notice that we are paying much more attention to our mind and body functioning. Perhaps you are beginning to notice your body sensations at much lower levels than before. This is real progress. The earlier we notice the body sensation, the easier it is to release it, and to free our body from the production of stress chemicals. Now what we want to work on is the actual triggers to the body sensations.

For many years I taught nursing students the management of psychiatric patients. They learned to look for the prodromals, those triggers of behavior which preceded the patient's outburst. We can utilize those same idea for ourselves. As you observe your body sensations, start to work backwards. What emotion has been hanging around you, and now back even further..........what types f thoughts have been playing on your radio station. Think way back in your day. What were you thinking about upon awakening.? What was the very first thing you noticed on your mind? How about in the shower, or when you were brushing your teeth? How about at breakfast? What type of conversations did you have with family? What about your thoughts in the car, etc.? You get the idea.

SOME TYPES OF THOUGHTS I HAD EARLIER TODAY:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

Many people in our country eat a very poor breakfast, and some do not eat breakfast at all., stating loud and clear, " I hate breakfast." "I have no time for breakfast." "I am nauseated in the morning." "I'm not even awake." "I find the whole idea revolting." When I ask these same people what time do they eat first in the day, most will have something after arriving at the office, or an hour or so later. I like to suggest to them that this is, indeed, breakfast and they just happened to have it a bit later, and in a different place.

Most people do have something to eat before lunch, and it is an excellent idea to get used to having some sort of good nourishment in the a.m. Not only does the mind and body need this nutrition to function, but it sets the discipline for it's internal machinery. Make no mistake, if you do not give your body what it needs throughout the day, it will continue to let you know about it, even to goes far as to interfere with your sleep process! I have had many clients who complained of sleep disorders, and once their nutritional intake was corrected, they slept very well indeed.

What makes a good breakfast? Please go back to your "blueprint" and review the suggestions I made for you. Its also a good idea, to look at breakfast creatively. What are some protein foods you enjoy and would consider eating in the a.m. Remember, you don't have to wolf this down the minute you wake up! Many people prepare breakfast the evening before, and micro-wave it at work.

SOME CREATIVE IDEAS FOR BREAKFAST INCLUDE:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I always eat breakfast. I respect the needs of my body and mind. I care for my body and mind and they reward me!

MINDBODY WORK.....

Lets go back to our garden. Earlier we were doing some wonderful plantings of seeds. We planted our desires, our sense of purpose, our clear sensory goals, our planning and organizing seeds, as well as patience and perseverance. Check on your ease and willingness to acquire new learning and skills, your positive mentors and coaches, and your sense of play and pleasure in relation to your work. Perhaps you might like to draw a little picture of your garden plan, and place it where you can admire it during the day.

All gardens need nutrition or fertilizer of some sort, mulch to keep down the weeds, and a good supply of light and water. There are certain thoughts and emotions which appear as weeds in our beautiful garden. We want to watch for these. The weed we are going to look out for today is a cluttered mind, one where the thoughts just keep zooming through, like taxicabs on a busy N.Y. street. Stop now and look at your thought processes.........are they zooming? Don't get in any of these cabs, just observe them. Today I would like you to practice noticing the appearance of this cluttered mindstate. Every time you catch it being present, just observe it, then focus on your alpha breathe and ride the breathe for a few seconds, or minutes. It only takes 1/200th of a second to pluck these weeds. Once we wake up to them, the brain will start to be re-trained to help you with this work. The focused mind state is a very powerful alley in reaching our ultimate goals, and allowing us to think creatively.

WEEDS I AM AWARE OF:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Issue # 14

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"For every disciplined effort, there is a multiple reward."............Jim Robn

DESKSIDE COACHING FOCUS....

Back to thought bank management. Why is it that thoughts just pop up in the mind? There are many reasons for this, but the most important consideration is that the mind has not been well directed, and has been left to it's own devices. This concept reminds me of when the teacher leaves the room, and the kids take this opportunity to go wild. The same thing happens to the mind, and if when the teacher returns and he/she doesn't have good control over the class, the disruptions will continue.

We gain control over our thought processes by paying attention to them as an observer. This is very different than being a participant or actor in the thought process. On your audio tape you have learned exercises to enhance this skill. Lets practice right now. We don't have to wait for a time to listen to the tape to practice. Remember, we are retraining our brain to do much of this work for us on a subconscious level, and therefore we need to practice as much as possible.

Go now to your alph state using your breathe. Keep your focus right there. Before long you will find yourself up in a thought. Observe it and label it "thought." Also, as you hve been directed, label what kind of thought this is. Some examples I gave you include 1) to do thoughts 2) goal thoughts 3) worry thoughts 4)emotionally charged thoughts, and so on. You will have your own filing system. As we label our thoughts we literally place them in a file with their category or name. Follow this labeling with another trip back to the breathe. Stay with the breathe until you are interruped again, and continue with your labeling process and filing away all thoughts.

There is a tremendous benefit to this filing system. The mind is now getting the idea that you do not need this information (thoughts) right now, and is waiting for the time when you will request them. Obviously, there are some thoughts we will never request, but there are files we may want to utilize. Say for instance you have a file for "creative projects." All you would need to do is 1) go to the alpha state, and 2) request the file "creative projects."

SOME FILES I HAVE FOR MY THOUGHTS INCLUDE:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

How much food does a person need? The question could also be how much gas does the car need? How empty is the tank and how far do you need to go? In other words, if there is a long time between breakfast and lunch (more than 4 hours), or if you exercise aerobically at a high level, the body will need more fuel. It is important to eat sufficient food for your learn body mass. Look back to your blueprint and review those numbers. They are vital to the functioning of your mind and body.

Have a look at your hunger levels. Are they body or mouth? If you are having a lot of mouth hunger, look at your emotional states, as well as your thought processes. Are you building excess insulin from stress? Have you been doing the body scanner and practicing emotional management with insight meditation? If you have body hunger before 4 hours, look to see if you skipped a meal, ate too little, ate high glycemic foods, had extra sugars or caffeine somewhere in the last 24 hour. Don't just look at the meal before,.Look to the last 2-3 meals, even if that means looking to the day before.

It's a good idea to start noticing if you feel hungrier when you eat specific foods. For me, one of those foods is corn, especially on the cob. My body must be very sensitive to corn sugar, and I probably over-produce insulin in reaction to eating this food. Does this mean that I shouldn't eat it? Only I can decide that. I might try eating a smaller amount, and certainly making sure that I have sufficient protein, and low carb foods at that meal. I may even decide not to eat any other high glycemic carb at the same meal, and see how I feel. Again, looking through the magnifying glass at the way our mindbody works.

A NUTRITIONAL CHANGE I AM MAKING THIS WEEK IS:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATION: I care for myself at high levels. I am aware of my body sensations in relation to the food s I eat. I am becoming more and more aware nutritionally. This can change my life, and I am ready.

MINDBODY WORK.....

Lets practice an exercise which will make us even more aware of our thought processes and especially specific thought groupings. Go to the alpha level and ride your breathe for a few moments. Keep your focus on the breathe, and when you find yourself up in the thought process, note whether this is a "past thought" or a "future thought." Place your hands on your knees, and allow them to rest there. Stay on the breathe. If a past thought comes into the mind, tap your left knee. Return to the wave of the breathe. If a future thought comes to mind, tap the right knee. Return to the wave of the breathe. Practice this awareness excercise for five minutes or so. When you are finished, not whether you had more past thoughts or more future thoughts. We do not need to do anything with this information, other than to be aware.

Practice this excercise whenever you have a few minutes. When the brain is trained it will automatically label the thoughts for you. You will become aware early on when you are lost in the past or future. Our goal is to stay in the present, as much as possible. This is where our creative thought process is the most effective.

MY EXPERIENCE OF PAST AND FUTURE THOUGHT PATTERNS:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATIONS: I stay aware and awake. I find time to practice my new techniques. I am changing in small increment, and they are adding up.

Issue # 15

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

"Death is not the greatest loss in life.

The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.".....Norman Cousins

DESKSIDE COACHING FOCUS....

Few of us know how to live in the present moment. That is one of our goals in doing this work through "The Deskside Coach." As you might have noticed following the knee tapping exercise in the last newsletter, you spend quite a bit of time in the past and in the future. Future thoughts are especially interesting. I had a client this week who develops at a moments notice, the most imaginative future happenings related to her daughter who lives in another state. Many of these happenings are based on fears, and interestingly enough they bear no resembelance whatsoever to the past happenings. They are pure fiction........and dangerous fiction at that.

One of the things that we must remember about the functioning of the mind is "what we think is what we get." The thought actually becomes the goal. Whatever we are playing in the VCR of the mind, is what the mind sees as the goal. Now, if that doens't scare you into becoming mindful of your thoughts, I don't know what will!

I explain to my clients that the mind is just like a VCR, and our thoughts are simply tapes we play in the machine. What makes these tapes a bit different, however, is that the thoughts are all chemically coded, and when we play the tapes, those chemicals come spewing out into the body with the potential of causing all kinds of havoc, from elevated pulse and blood pressure, to increased stomach acid, irritable bowel syndrome, and a variety of other ills. The concentration wanes, and the creative brain is put to rest. All this can happen without our awareness, and by the time we wake up to our body sensations, or realize we are having emotional or concentration problems, it is far too late for our easier techniques. This is why I encourage you to work on training your brain each and every day. Get that employee working diligently for you.....

SOME TAPES I'VE BEEN PLAYING RECENTLY WHICH ARE NOT TO MY BENEFIT INCLUDE:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NUTRITIONAL INSIGHTS:

Many people have questions about food sensitivities, and ask if there even is such a thing. In my practice I see many people who appear to be sensitive to certain foods. The reasons behind this is not always clear, but my thinking is if something bothers you, either stay away from it, and see if you can change something which will limit the reaction. Let me give you a few examples. If you develop flatulance or gasric acidity following milk products, tomatoes, or other acid producers, you might cut them out for awhile, and see if you feel better. Write this on your daily log,. After a few weeks, put the food back in your eating plan, and see what happens. If you have a sensitivity, you will certainly know ! Some common foods which cause difficulties include dairy, corn products, and wheat products, as well as the acid producers like orange juice, grapefruit, tomatoes,etc.

The other day I discussed the carb sensitivity, and often times the reaction to the food is one of over producing insulin, and not the food itself. We can learn about this if we pay attention to what we are eating and the body sensations. Also know that the reaction may not occur for a few hours, and in some people up to a few days. So when playing detective, remember to look back at the earlier evidence!

MINDBODY WORK.....

We have been practicing with past and future thought patterns. Now I would like you to do the exercise again, but this time observing negative and positive thinking patterns. Use the left knee for the negative thoughts and the right knee for the positive thoughts. Sit with your breathe wave, expecting nothing, just focusing on the breathe with great interest, just as if you have never seen it before. When your mind wanders to the thought, label it "thought" and tap the appropriate knee. Go back and get on the breathe. Spend 3-5 minutes with this exercise. Try to practice it later in the day as well. Give your brain these new instructions to work with you.

Many people are completely unaware of their thought patterns. Remember that thoughts have chemical codes which are changing the mindbody physiology, some of them radically. You, and you alone have the power to change this process. Since most of it is unconscious, it is most important to train your brain adequately.

MY EXPERIENCE OF NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE THOUGHT PATTERNS:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AFFIRMATIONS: I stay aware of my thought patterns. I notice and label them. I am making important changes in small segments.

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor

The Deskside Coach....EZINE

Elizabeth Bohorquez, R.N., SRN, CPH

Editor