Peace, Love and Granola

This week, we’re trying a few more changes in food and Guang wants me to experiment with breakfast.

As a way of tuning into your body and learning how to listen to its messages, explore eating a different breakfast every day for a week. Jot down what you eat and how you fee, both right after eating and again two hours later. Sit quietly after you eat, and reflect. Note how our energy level, moods, and physical symptoms respond to this food throughout the morning.

Day 1: Wednesday: scrambled tofu
I felt very satisfied and energetic, including two hours later
Day 2: Thursday: fresh vegetables – baked sweet potato
very satisfied and energetic
Day 3: woke up starving – had banana, peanut butter and honey on whole wheat toast, as great!

This whole waking up before 7 AM thing is getting me a little crazy. I haven’t had to wake up with an alarm for years thanks to the pleasure of being my own boss. Today, the alarm went off at 6:35 AM. It took me ten minutes to get out of bed and get a glass of water.

I feel great right now, after five minutes of yoga and five minutes of meditation. The room is filling with the pink light of sunrise. In the distance, I hear the sound of a railroad train horn. The world is just waking up.

Getting up early works on the days when I don’t have late night meetings. This week, my friend is playing a gig at 9:30 PM on Wednesday. And, I turned down a seat at the opera on Monday night because I knew I’d fall asleep. (It was also a tough work day.) Let’s see how it goes.

Good news is that I made it to the gym three times this week for cardio workout. Whoop, whoop. I feel so much better when I exercise. Guang wants me to start with some weight training but I am a little clueless about weights. My hope is to rope in a friend to show my vs paying for a trainer.

Starting the day with breathing and meditation has shown me great benefits already. I tend to be in a better mood, more focused. I have to fight the temptation to go right to work and to take a little time for myself. I have studied Kadampa Buddhism for a few years, and my morning meditations thus far have been focused on compassion, which is always energizing.

That said, I am seeing sleep as the challenge. My business lifestyle keeps me out late a few nights a week. This week, I woke up before 7 AM only a few times. But, last night, I went to bed a 10:15 and woke up at 8:30 AM. But, I want a 6 AM wake up so I can reach a goal in the three month time-line, which is to incorporate spin class and they start at 6:30 AM. ARGH. Gotta do it. Could you wake up at 6 AM?

Guang and I are teaming up, creating synergy for our work. I am embarking on a six month project reach important physical and career goals. Guang is seeking public relations assistance as he develops his practice.

At our second meeting, 1/27/10, Guang led me through a number of questions about my personal and professional goals for 2010 and helped me to map a calendar for outlining and achieving my goals.

One Month – to do by 3/1/10

1. work out three times a week – cardio and add strength training
2. meet the sleep challenge – go to bed earlier and get up earlier
3. sign one big client contract

Three Months – starting 4/1/10

1. waking up at 6 am
2. going to spin class two times per week
3. eliminate sugar cravings

Six Month Goal – 8/1/10

1. have 3/4 of my sales goals for 2010 met
2. reach goal weight of 155
3. look and feel model gorgeous

Concrete action steps for month one:

get in bed by 10:30 PM
set alarm clock five minutes earlier until it gets to 6:00 AM
upon waking, drink room temperature water, do five minutes of kundalini yoga breathing and five minutes of meditation
reduce coffee intake (which is only two cups a day currently! hello!)

Guang also recommended a number of supplements for clients that are especially good for weight lost.
Fish oil and/or Flax oil (Nordic or Carlson fish oil/ not the cod liver, Barleans Flax Oils (do not heat) ),
B complex supplements (with b 12 ), and
Acidophilus

Guang also had me draw a big circle on a blank paper and fill it with words about my target clients. What describes my target client? How do I feel when I am working with them? What type of work am I doing? What is the relationship between us? Then, I am to tape this sheet of paper next to my bed. I love this exercise! Some words in my client circle: connected, powerful, visionary and fun.

Here I am at work, obviously having a bad hair day, but happy to be seeing my clients get the media attention they deserve.