Giving Birth To Epiphany

Okay, kids.  It's time to get serious.  When was the last time you made a big change in your life?  What did it take to cause the realization that the change needed to be made?  It occurs to most people around January 1st of each year that it would be a good time to reflect on the past and make plans for the future.  Well, I'm hear to tell you that epiphanies don't just come once a year - especially in a scheduled fashion.  "Ooh, it's Tuesday! Time for a realization!"

An epiphany (from the ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, "manifestation, striking appearance") is the sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something.

Sometimes your thoughts are all jumbled together in your head and they are making you feel unhappy and somewhat depressed.  How do you get that tangled mess straightened out in order to make sense of it?  How do you get to the point where you truly comprehend what is bothering you?

My realizations are like birthing a child sometimes.  I find myself in the midst of Lamaze breathing (also can be confused with hyperventilating) and then TAH DAH - I'm looking at a beautiful baby epiphany with a shocked look on my face.

So, here's the process for giving birth to an epiphany:


Step 1, if things are bothering you - meaning, if you're losing sleep or feeling depressed - write it down.
Step 2, read what you wrote.
Step 3, say "d'oh!"
Step 4, get a glass of wine.  Okay, that may be MY step 4, but you can use it in your epiphany process too.

So, what do you do with these realizations that make you go, "d'oh!"?  If you're like me, you start writing lists. 

Step 5, start making your action list.

Here's an example of a list generated from an epiphany (if you're in your 20's):

1. Stop sleeping with Steve.
2. Only do drugs at work.
3. Get a tan before summer.

I wonder what HER epiphany was.  My recent list was more evolved for my age bracket. (Shut up.)

So, go out there and start birthing! Yes, you men out there also!  Get to the root of your issues and make an action plan to improve your existence here on Earth.  Life is too short to be sad.

11 Warning Signs of Depression 

It's Hard To Be Good

As adults, we are consistently making resolutions to lose weight. Being overweight is obviously something we are conscious about. Most of us are hoping to do something about our personal weight issues. In the back of our minds, we know that we're not eating proper foods or exercising enough.

I drive down the street and there are many temptations along the route, no matter which direction I go. Donut shops, bakeries, Starbucks and those ever-convenient fast food restaurants are constantly in my peripheral view. How about dinner? Don't feel like cooking? Hey, let's just order pizza on our iPhone and it will be delivered to our door! Pizza has veggies, meat, bread and dairy - that covers most of the food groups, right?

My colleague, Dr. Nona Djavid, is a chiropractor who realizes that weight issues compound structural problems. She has adopted a tried and true weight loss program (she and her family have successfully participated in this program) in her practice for clients who are interested in losing weight in a healthy way. It's called Ideal Protein and it's a clean program, which means all the food in the program is good for you. Dr. Djavid has workshops often to explain the program and even has samples of the food for you to try. If you are in Orange County, CA and would like to attend a workshop, call 949-387-1333 to find out when the next workshop is.

Let's think for a minute how our (Domino's, McDonalds, Starbucks) decisions are affecting our children. What are they learning from our eating habits? Do you have a child that is addicted to sugar? Dr. Stefanie Bennett may have a solution. She has a treatment that helps kids kick the sugar habit. For more information call Dr. Bennett at 714-963-2137 for a consultation.

An article on the Georgia Childhood Obesity Campaign recently caught my eye. People are saying that this campaign is doing more damage than good by humiliating overweight kids. The campaign includes kids talking about how they are being bullied because of their weight. The commercials also bring awareness to WHY they are overweight. "Big bones didn't make me this way. Big meals did."

I'd like to get your opinion on what you think about Georgia's campaign to bring awareness to the problem of childhood obesity. Please share your comments below. I look forward to reading them!

Journey vs. Destination

At 43, I am wondering why I am still searching. For what, you ask? For my passion. For my purpose. Then I came across a writer that has a completely different outlook on the second half of her life.

At 32, Debra Eve became an archaeologist. At 42, a martial arts instructor. At 46, she married the love of her life! Now she writes about fellow late bloomers while plotting her next grand adventure. She claims to be a "later bloomer", finding her passion outside of the socially accepted timeline. I, too, am a late bloomer. I say that because I don't believe I've actually bloomed yet and... it's getting kinda late.

Debra isn't looking to find herself. She's looking to find what makes her happy at that moment. It's not a destination Debra is working toward, it's the journey. I appreciate that she focuses on making the journey as fulfilling as possible and not worrying about what it might look like.

Have you ever heard the saying "follow your bliss"? Perhaps I shall use that as my mantra this year and hope for that "aha" moment. Care to join me?