WellnessRising

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy 2012

2012-01-05T11:01:00.002-05:00

Finding the GLUE …

Have you ever watched competitive gymnasts? The body awareness of young athletes as they fly over the bars, balance on the beam or propel themselves over the pummel horse is truly amazing. I love watching it all, right to the final movement of both feet solidly landing and sticking to the mat as their body rises up like a big bold exclamation point! It’s the moment that makes all their hard work, all the time it took worthwhile.
With the old year ending and the new one beginning have you thought of what you might do that will have you feeling stronger, healthier, more energized in 2012? Or are you thinking, why try I never stick to the plan anyway? What if this time you could find the glue to STICK to those new healthy behaviors? Maybe there is a lesson to be learned from those young gymnasts who stick those feet to the mat. Maybe this is the year you will find your way to stick to your resolutions.
STEP 1- A little self-reflection…
Take a sheet of paper and fold it into two columns. In the left column, list the four or five things that you value most in life. In the right column, list things you may be doing (or not doing) that do not align with those values. For example, one of your values may be maintaining your health. In the second column you might find yourself listing things like eating too many sweets or never exercising. Reflect on what you have written… What’s been the outcome of not matching your actions to your values? How might you have kept your actions more in line with your values? What would be different today? How would you be feeling?
STEP 2 –Finding the glue…
Choose a behavior you want to begin changing. Mull over how it is connected to what matters most to you. Talk it over with someone you trust. Ask yourself, “Am I choosing to work on this change because it really matters to me?” Or am I thinking, ”I should do this, or everyone is telling me I need to do this”? Any type of motivation will get you started but motivation that comes from should’s and have to’s will dry up quickly. You’ll find yourself at the starting gate again. Choose to make changes that are in line with your deepest held values, things YOU want to do. Connect the dots between your actions and what’s really important to you and you will have provided yourself the super glue to really succeed this year.
Keep your attention on what really matters as you do the hard work of changing behaviors. Change IS hard work but if making a change really matters to you, you’ll find yourself determined and resilient when challenges arise, you’ll look for and find the support you need and YOU WILL SUCCEED. .

What's Getting in Your Way?

2011-10-17T19:48:00.003-04:00

Do you recognize any of these self defeating behaviors: smoking, procrastination, disorganization, unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, excessive worry? While our desire to replace these behaviors with new, healthier ones is often strong, we are so proficient at getting in our own way, stepping on the gas and braking at the same time. Our engine revs but we go nowhere.
Robert Kegan, in his book Immunity to Change compares this struggle to an immune system at work. Immune systems are meant to protect. They are essential to our health, but there are times when the system does not respond appropriately. Auto- immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are examples of inappropriate immune responses. Kegan likens our struggle to change behavior to an immune system stuck in an earlier protective pattern.
Life experiences teach us to view some behaviors as helpful, others as dangerous. Over time an emotional immune system is created that unconsciously protects us from what we perceive as painful or uncomfortable, a system created to keep us safe. It is a pattern that may have served us well in the past but may be getting in our way today. So how do we begin to change these unconscious patterns so that we can take our foot off the brake and move forward?
I offer you these possibilities:
Be present to what you are experiencing. What are you feeling and noticing that makes you want to change?
Choose ONE new behavior. Be sure it is something you really want not something you should do. Express this new behavior in a positive statement.
Expand your awareness.
Make a list of all that you do or not do that sabotages your adopting this new behavior. What are your big worries, your hidden commitments that compete with adopting this new behavior?
There is usually an underlying big assumption that surfaces as we work through this process. It may be a fear of losing something deeply valued or a behavior that served us well in the past.
Choose a small step you can commit to. A step that will test that big assumption. Put that small step into practice.
More information and detail on this process can be found by reading Kegan’s Immunity to Change.
If you would like personal support as you work through the process, consider partnering with a wellness coach. The support, accountability and guidance of a coach can help move you with more ease and speed to that level of well being you are striving to attain.

MARCH MAGIC

2010-03-19T19:46:00.004-04:00

Have you ever attended a big international conference where there are two or more workshops going on at once and you have to choose one when you really wish you could do all of them (especially since the conference cost so much)? Then you leave the conference wishing you could just sit through all of it once more because there was so much information you could hardly take it all in with one sitting.

Recently I had the chance to attend the first ever YogaHub Virtual Yoga Conference, a conference that included yoga, meditation, and other wellness related topics. Yes.. a virtual conference, I still can't believe I did it. I was so hesitant at first to even give it a try. It turned out to be a TRULY AMAZING event. The presenters were wonderful (many world renowned, international teachers) and the learning continues to go on and on long after the live conference ended. The actual conference went on for two days, but the recordings of all the sessions went on for two weeks!! there was no need to choose one session while excluding others. It was actually possible to take them all in a little at a time. Even if I chose to listen to one session live, I still had the opportunity to listen to the recordings of all the others. I was able to re-listen to any sessions as many times as my heart desired. And, yes, there was even the ability to interact with the presenters by phone or on-line.

It's not too late...You have an opportunity to experience some of this conference at NO COST. YogaHub is offering an ENCORE event on March 25th. The event will include some of the top presenters from the conference. It is an all day event, but not to worry, just like the original event, if you register, the sessions will be available to you on recordings through March 31st. You can do it on your own time.

Simply click go to www.yogahub.com/ref/patroix/ce163852.html to sign up. You will then receive an email with the link to register. The ENCORE event cost $47.00 BUT use the coupon code: ENCORE when you sign up and you get it FREE.

Don't miss this chance. I promise you will enjoy it.

Spring Into Action

2010-03-15T12:50:00.010-04:00

Harness the energy of the season
Four (4) weeks of group wellness coaching*

If you are tired of starting and not following through...
If you are wondering just how to make necessary behavior changes fit into the reality of your life...
If you are ready to make some lasting positive changes in your health and wellness this spring...

This program may be just the support you need.
Four (4) weekly 60 minute group coaching sessions conducted live by phone. Phone coaching offers you the comfort, convenience and privacy of your own home while also offering the warmth and support of a community of others who are on a similar journey to better health, more energy and greater wellbeing.

- Learn about the power of positivity in your life.
- Learn how to put your personal strengths to work as you make the changes necessary to improve your health and wellbeing.
- Learn tips for success in achieving your goals.
- Learn techniques for managing the stress life inevitably sends your way.

Monday, April 5th, 12th , 19th and 26th
8:00 – 9:00 PM EST
Maximum 10 participants (register NOW so that you do not miss out)

**No Fee - That’s right. There is no formal registration fee. However, at the end of the 4 weeks you will be invited to make a contribution based on the value you have received during the coaching program as it relates to the impact on your life. We trust in your ability to place a value on what you have personally received from our work together and will gratefully accept what you are willing to offer.

For more information or to register:
Contact Pat Roix, Licensed Wellcoach, at patroix@wellnessrising.com or call 978-249-6182

New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-10T11:18:00.003-05:00

Here's a little different take on setting New Year's resolutions...
Breathe in, sigh it out.

* Take a moment (or maybe a few) to be grateful for what is going right in your life no matter how small and insignificant it may seem.
* Make a list of what is MOST important to you in life.
* Develop a vision of your best self that incorporates those things you value most.
* Take a look at what the gap is between where you are now and where you want to be.
* Choose the area or areas you want to work on. Begin with those things you feel most motivated to do.
* Pick goals that you feel confident you can succeed at. Start small, be specific, leave yourself lots of room to succeed. Success breeds success.

We often have the tendency as the new year begins to want to take giant leaps, leaps that leave us vulnerable to big falls and failed attempts. There is more certainty of arriving at our destination by taking one small, realistic step at a time.
The time has come... Get started.

Winterize Your Wellness

2009-11-02T15:26:00.009-05:00

I'll bet you have buttoned up your house for the winter,have at least
started to clean up the yard,have thought of what you need to do for
your car before it gets much colder.

How about your wellbeing? Short,cold days make getting outside difficult.The stress of holidays (good or bad) can be overwhelming. You may be feeling the natural rhythm of wanting to move into some form of hibernation.
To help maintain or improve your wellbeing, you need a plan.

It's time to winterize your wellness.

Start by taking inventory of what you are grateful for in life.
Gratitude is a powerful way to spark your motivation.
Use that motivation to design your plan.
In my newsletter, "Learn to Maximize Your Energy", I talked about
physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy and how,
to be at your best, you must find the right balance of challenging
and renewing those energy sources.

Let's see how you might winterize your physical energy,
keeping it at its best through the next few months...
Ask yourself these questions?

* What will get in the way of my staying physically
active this winter?
* What strategies can I put in place to meet those
challenges?

Make a list of different ways to stay active. Brainstorm
as many ideas as possible. Go wild, write down everything
that comes into your head no matter how crazy it may seem.
Let yourself think outside of the box. Next, look over that
list and pick out some activities that might actually work
for you. What could you really commit to doing on a regular
basis? Write your plan down. Post it where you can see it often.
Remember, your chances of succeeding are good if you put your
attention on your intention. Use this same process with
whichever energy source(s) needs some winterizing.

Have fun, stay well.
Celebrate what's right with your life!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll be posting all my ideas for staying physically
active and hope you'll be back to do the same. -Pat

October

2009-10-15T10:25:00.002-04:00

OCTOBER
Nature is bursting with color in New England !

Just as each tree has its unique color pattern that expresses its beauty,
we each have our unique mix of strengths that help us to express our
best selves.

Many people (and I include myself in this) find it easy to list their
personal faults, but struggle when asked to list their strengths.
We seem to have been conditioned to improve things by finding
what needs to be fixed rather than by building on what is going right.

Ponder this for a moment...

As you strive to make changes in your life you have a choice.
You can make a list of everything you do not like about yourself
and start fixing those one by one OR you can look carefully
at all that is going right, notice how and why those things are
working for you and then use that quality foundation, THOSE STRENGTHS
that you already possess, to move yourself towards greater wellbeing.

I invite you this month to take some time to explore your strengths.
Think about how those strengths might help you
at work, at home, and at play.

If you are struggling to identify those strengths, I recommend
going to:
www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

It is free to register. Scroll down the questionnaires and you will find a
couple that are helpful in identifying strengths.

Discover what is working for you.
Build from that strong foundation.

Be Strong, Be well.

Care for the Caretaker

2009-10-15T10:00:00.003-04:00

“Care for the Caretaker”
FREE group tele-coaching session

Are you the caretaker of a family member who is elderly,
chronically sick or disabled? Tired and need some support?

Start the climb to better self care...
Don’t become the next patient…

Join me:
Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 7PM

No Cost - simply a willingness to set aside 60
minutes just for you
Location - a quiet place in the comfort of your
home by tele-conference

To register and receive details needed to join us,
call pat Roix at 978-249-6182 or email patroix@wellnessrising.com

Mindfulness for Health, Energy and Wellbeing

2009-09-17T13:06:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, September 29th
6:30 pm
Athol Public Library

Moment to moment awareness helps lead us away
from “disEASE” into a life of more “EASE”.
Enjoy an opportunity to explore what mindfulness is and
how it can impact our commitment to physical activity, our
weight management, our stress management and ultimately
our general wellbeing.
Experience some brief introductions to mindful eating,
mindful walking, mindful breathing.

Program Presenter:
Patricia Roix
Program sponsored by:
Friends of the Library

New Date for Yoga Workshop

2009-09-14T15:16:00.004-04:00

Join Brandy Lefsyk and I for
LIFE-ENERGY-BALANCE-YOGA Workshop
on Sunday, October 25th, 12 PM - 3 PM
at the Listening Center, 35 South St., Barre,MA

Scroll down to July 24th entry for more details.

Register by calling Pat Roix 978-249-6182 or emailing
patroix@wellnessrising.com

What will it take to make your garden grow

2009-07-31T21:41:00.004-04:00

AUGUST brings with it an abundance of fresh produce.
Take a moment to reflect on what it takes to get that
wonderful food to your table. The fertile earth, the sun,
the rain, the seeds, someone to plant, someone to weed,
someone to cultivate, the truck, the driver, the gas,
the roads… Visualize the hard work, the coordination,
all the challenges that were overcome.
Farmers must be grounded in the present moment if
they want to have a successful harvest. Their soil may
need fertilizing. The weather may not cooperate.
Whatever the challenge, they must face it, find a solution,
get help and support if necessary. There must be a solution
for each challenge that arises even if the only solution is
starting over. Farmers MUST stay focused on what needs
to be done today or their harvest will not be the best
that it can be.
Growing or cultivating our own wellbeing is similar to gardening.
Like the farmer we must be able to recognize and accept our
current situation. We must stay focused on what is happening in
the present moment. Right NOW is the only moment we have to
effect desired changes in our lives. The past is gone and the future
is not yet here.
During some of these hot, sultry days of August, when we find
ourselves not wanting to move much, take some time to just sit
and think about your vision of your best self. What are the changes
you dream of? Ask yourself, “What do I need to do in this moment so
that tomorrow will be different than yesterday?” Discover what is
working in your life. Be grateful for that part of your life. Gratitude
for even the simplest things gives us the energy to tackle challenges
that come our way. Gratitude fills us with positive energy allowing us
to see our challenges as opportunities rather than roadblocks.
Make an intention of putting your attention on each moment
of your life. Just do what you can right this very minute and watch
how YOUR GARDEN of WELLBEING will GROW!

Upcoming Workshop

2009-07-24T10:11:00.008-04:00

LIFE - ENERGY - BALANCE - YOGA
Sunday, October 25, 2009
12 PM – 3 PM

Here and There: The Journey...
DISCOVER where you are.
DREAM of where you want to be.
DESIGN your unique path to arrive.
Journey to your DESTINY of being more energized, balanced, alert, and awake.

Join us as we explore how yoga can assist us on our journey to peak
energy and wellbeing by strengthening, renewing and balancing
the energy sources of our lives.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Location: Listening, Barre Integrated Health Center, 35 South Street, Barre, MA
Cost: $30.00 ($25.00 if paid by October 17th)

The workshop will include yoga postures (asanas), breath work
(pranyama), journaling, meditation and discussion. Offering each
participant the opportunity to discover their unique path to
better health and wellness.

• Workshop will include a good amount of movement but is
appropriate for most people whatever their fitness level.
(Call if you have questions)
• Wear comfortable clothing.
• Props are available at the yoga center BUT bring any blankets,
pillows, etc. that will allow you to sit and lie down comfortably.
Chairs are available.
• Journals are included in the cost of the workshop

Workshop led by:
Patricia Roix,
Licensed Wellcoach, ACSM Health & Fitness Specialist, RYT200
Brandy Lefsyk
Devdasi and Embodyoga™ , RYT500

For further information call Pat at 978-249-6182 or Brandy at 978-413-2000.

DISCOVER WHAT WORKS FOR YOU

2009-07-21T16:01:00.001-04:00

What is your personal health and wellness struggle? Weight?
Fitting exercise into your daily life? Improving your nutrition?
Quality of sleep? Lack of energy? Managing stress?
Dealing with personal health issues or risks?
Simply wanting to look and feel better?

As I search for my answers to health and wellness,
I am inspired by the beautiful water lilies (lotus) we find
in bloom at this time of the year. These fragrant flowers
spend the first part of their existence sitting in the deep mud
of ponds or lakes. They find a way to dig their roots deep into
the particular spot on earth they happen to find themselves in.
Not until they have firmly grounded and rooted themselves in
this spot do they begin to rise to the surface. Some have more
muck to work their way through, some must make their way
around other plants or objects, some may have deeper water to
navigate. Each lily must find its own way to the surface in order
to bloom.

STOP and THINK for a minute. How many self help books
have you bought or read? How many weight or exercise
programs have you tried? How about the diets you have attempted …?
Exercise equipment sitting unused? The list goes on and on for many
of us. The money and time that we have spent looking for someone
to give us THE ANSWER.

Before any of the information we have gathered from these
outside sources can be of any help to us, we need to sit in our
own patch of mud. We need to discover what really matters to us,
what is getting in our way and what will actually work in our
unique situation. Only after setting this strong foundation can we
rise, like the lotus, and bloom into our best selves.
Discover what works for you.

Need some support on your journey? A wellness coach listens
without judgment, offers support, accountability, information
and tools that assist you in finding your unique path to making
the changes that will lead to better health and wellbeing.
Go to www.wellnessrising.com for more information.

LEARN TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ENERGY

2009-07-21T15:50:00.001-04:00

Summer is here and “the living is easy” or is it? Wherever you find yourself right now, take a moment to check in with how you are feeling. How would you rate your energy level? Are you feeling at the top of your game...? a little run down...? or maybe stuck in the mud...?
The amount of time in each of our days remains constant but the energy we have to live those 24 hours can vary greatly. To be at our best we need to learn to balance the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual parts of our life.

Spend a few minutes looking at all four areas of your life. What are you doing in each area to assure that you are the best that you can be? Where are you doing too much? Where are you doing too little? Do too much without time to recharge and you burn out. Do too little, you feel like doing even less. Devoting all of our energy to one or two areas of our life at the expense of the other areas will leave you unbalanced and over time drain your energy.

Many of us use up the bulk of our energy working long hours at our jobs or taking care of home and families. We often feel there is just no time for physical activity, eating right or nurturing our spiritual side (our deepest held values). Just like having a problem with one part of your car, like a fan belt or a water pump, effects how well the car runs, so to does not challenging or recharging all parts of what makes us human beings.

Discover what you might do to have more energy. What part of being human have you been overusing or neglecting? What drains your energy? What boosts your energy? Take a few minutes to make a list of those things that you know from experience boost your energy. Choose one of those to focus on this coming week. What will it be? When will you do it? What might get in your way and how might you set up a strategy to get around that obstacle? Be realistic. Be specific. Now COMMIT to doing it. This will be your first step towards maximizing your energy everyday. This will be the first step towards being the best that you can be.

If you or someone you know is struggling to get started or stay on track on your journey to your best self, wellness coaching might be just the support and accountability you need. Wellness coaching can help to bridge the gap between knowing what to do and doing it on a regular basis.

Wellness is within your reach!

2009-07-21T15:01:00.000-04:00

Discover what will help you navigate your way to managing your weight, your fitness, your stress. Learn how to take the small, consistent steps that lead to success. Wellness IS within hour reach!

WELCOME

2007-12-03T20:05:00.000-05:00

Wellness Rising hopes to bring you timely information to help you find your way to wellness...