Well, I thought I would put this in an email to Raw Mom Summit participants, but it’s definitely worthy of a more open, public forum. We’ve received countless testimonials and life-changing stories in response to the Summit. It’s been an exhilarating week and we are so fortunate to have touched as many people as we have with this project.

But it wouldn’t be honest if we told you it was all roses and daisies. While we’ve had a few crusty critters that weren’t too impressed, we’ve also had some legitimate, thought-provoking concerns and questions that I feel are worth of addressing here.

I got some feedback that I wanted to share with you.

Contraction and Confusion

“I am getting very confused w/ all of the conflicting information that these people are putting out there. David Wolfe talks about super foods and Paul Nison completely disagrees w/ him…

I think this is a good way for us to get to know these people more, but why does everyone have their own opinions that conflict each other? I guess that’s the real world. I’m just 3 months into the Raw food diet myself and am feeling much better, but I would like to know more about what to eat and when, etc. I guess what I am taking away from all of this is that I need to trust my body more.

I love this question because at some time or another, we all asked it as we started off on the path to discovering the raw food diet. Even those of us who have been at it for more than 5 years are still stuck swinging back and forth between the myth and the maca.

“Listening to our body” is in my opinion somewhat incomplete as a suggestion. If I were to listen to my body right now I would be wolfing back a 3rd helping of the carob fudge cake that I made last night. The body can process toxins, suffer from deficiencies and respond to emotional and physiological signals of all kinds. The body can be a bit of a trouble maker, sometimes, if put in the wrong circumstances and conditions. But that’s the qualifier… putting it in the right circumstances and conditions, your body becomes a tool enabling you to assess and observe the reactions taking place inside the body.

Just this week I received an incredible inspiring email from one of our participants on the 6-Week Deep Tissue Detox. After months, years of beating herself up about her food habits, even after weeks of feeling totally unproductive and disappointed with her progress on the 6-Week Detox, all of a sudden something CLICKED! Check out this story:

The Missing Link:

“So anyway, the six weeks went by with me on the sideline watching and feeling like a failure. When you started promoting the Rawmomsummit, I sat at my computer and cried. I wondered how in the world I would ever get this fertility thing figured out when I can’t even manage to use the tools that come my way and I get all freaked out about having had cancer and maybe I shouldn’t have kids anyway and on and on. That cry fest spurred me to give it another shot but luckily for me, I had another trip planned just two days later. I rounded up all the detox calls I could find from the emails you sent and loaded them all on my mp3 player for the road. They ended up on my player in a very random order so I just listened to whatever I came to. First up was the liver detox call. Dr. Ritamarie started talking about those people with the MTHFR gene deficiency (my husband and I both have it – him homozygous and me hetero) and the GST mutation that the other 50% of the population has (I don’t even need the blood test to be POSITIVE I’m one of those too). Somewhere near Eugene, Oregon a light went off in my head that illuminated: HOLY @RAP, I’m missing some of the tools that my body needs to be able to detoxify itself and those tools can be added in the form of supplements, get off your damn high horse and take some of this and see if you feel better.

Once I realized that there might be something missing inside my body, I felt a huge wave of self forgiveness and optimism at the same time. My husband has two copies of the MTHFR1298 mutation and taking active B vitamins changed his whole life – could taking NAC and Lipoic acid do the same for me I wondered?

I listened to all the other calls I had with me and I burst in the door and pulled out all the supplements that naturopaths and even MD’s had given me over the years.

I poured through the literature to add to what I learned on the calls and I made my supplement order. I’m very happy to report that 4 days later, I’m feeling completely fulfilled on smoothies with a little extra protein added in, I haven’t had one blood sugar drop, no shakes at all, only one tiny caffeine headache, my liver is starting to agree that it could calm down and my brain is cranking along like all cylinders are actually firing, thanks to sleeping 4 nights in a row! Although only a few days, this is the longest stretch I’ve gone without self medicating with food since I first tried to go raw and I haven’t had to white knuckle it a bit.

I skipped some of the juicy stuff in the interests of keeping this post reasonably long, but the message is that sometimes there’s something (some variable or piece of information) that is missing that helps explain your particular health condition or circumstances. The only way to figure it out is by informing yourself and educating yourself as much as possible about what’s worked for other people and how the body works in general.

We have this, “Who’s right, who’s wrong?” attitude sometimes and it reminds me of being the daughter of divorced parents. I remember vividly feeling split in two as I tried to figure out who was “right” and who was “wrong” when it came to the arguments my parents had about money. I spent a lot of time and caused a lot of pain trying to pick sides only to realize that neither was “right” nor “wrong”.

There ARE different raw food camps and it’s a real pity that some people need to pit and pitch themselves against one another. If we consider the number of people on the planet that share our same values and interests, it’s quite an embarrassing shame that some people feel the need to insult others and make them “wrong”.

You are the only one who knows whether raw cacao is good for you or not. But inform yourself about it, then try it and see. We don’t need to read sinister agendas into other people’s projects and programs. Evaluate people based on their actions. What do they DO to make the world a better place?

We only have our point of view–the position from which we view the world. When you hear someone insisting that their way is the “right” way, run in the other direction.

I know people deathly allergic to kiwis and others that can eat them by the pound and have no reaction at all. Each of has to consider the uniqueness of our situations. These are just SOME of the factors that come into play in determing your overall health equation:

• physical environment
• seasonal availability of foods
• history of eating patterns
• emotional trauma
• genetics!!!
• budget
• physical fitness level
• social commitments and conditions
• interests
• preferences
• passions
• frustrations

just to name a few!!

So, your primary objective for your adventure in health is to inform yourself. Learn as much as you can!! I’ve received stunning reports and exclamations of gratitude about every single call we put together. I don’t know which guest will speak to you personally, but chances are good that some of them will. Just like this client who had her moment of “illumination” I don’t know what lights will go on when you take the time to listen to these calls.

We’ve done our best to bring together the wisdom and experience of some exceptional people and we hope you do what you need to take advantage of these calls.

Today’s the last day and we’re leaving the calls up for a little bit longer, just to make sure everyone takes advantage of the finish line.

Love and hugs,

Tera

Oooooh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!

I’m soooo excited about what’s coming. I mean, there are a LOT of things coming, but one in particular feels awfully important and special because it’s connected to a group of gals that have become like sisters to me over the last 7 months or so.

Last December we started a “Cozy Coaching” group and every week committed to connecting on Sundays for a support call. It’s been quite a journey and we’ve watched each other transform so much in that time. We had agreed to stick together for 6 months, then after that, we would decide what to do from there.

Well, 6 months came and it was “pow wow” time. The gals and I thought that it would be pretty neat to offer other people the chance to join in on these calls, too. Having listened to my incessant rambling for 6 months, they know the ropes around here as well as anyone, and are perfect candidates for supporting YOU in your process around here.

We have A LOT going on. Detoxes, cleanses and clutter busting. We have recipes, challenges and summits, too. It’s a veritable festival of love and good vibrations, but sometimes we all need a personal push in the right direction in order to be able to participate fully and enjoy some of these events and things.

I know that in spite of all my efforts to bring people out of their shells, there are always a few teary-eyed troopers sitting on the side lines shoulding all over themselves. And soooo, dear Diva, we have decided to open up our Sunday coaching calls and invite YOU, as a member of this community and a participant of our programs, to join us and get your questions answered.

I receive a lot of questions during the week and also feel like having a call like this would be the perfect opportunity to answer these questions personally and provide more one on one support for newcomers. Sooo… our “Cozy Coaching” group has become the team of Cozy Coaches and they’re going to guide and support you (along with myself, of course) through your adventures in Divaland.

The first one will be happening THIS SUNDAY!! Here’s how you access the call! You don’t have to sign up for anything, you don’t have to give us your email address, or anything. At least not for now. We may eventually limit this to paid participants of our programs ONLY, but for now, it’s an open invitation to Divas EVERYWHERE!

Since we’re not taking email addresses,  we can’t remind you about the call, though! So… mark it in your calendar. Print out the page and remember to come back on Sunday night, or whenever you can, to listen to the call. If you’re not going to be able to come, you can send in your questions ahead of time by entering them on the teleseminar page.

As for other news around here, I’m still CRAZY busy with the Raw Mom Summit and thrilled with the impact its having. I’m also getting ready to roll out another issue of Health in High Heels. Oh yes, dear sistars, I’m gonna do it.

But first, a run that will make me sweat up a storm, release my toxins, circulate endorphins and get me feeling AMAZING! School’s out, summer is here and it’s time to soak up sun and make Vitamin D while we can.

Love you like glue, SnickerDoodle.

Let me know what you think of these weekly support calls, ok!

Huuuuge hugs,

Tera

I described myself that way to a dear friend today and I dare say, it fits.

My “pickled personality”.

Hmmm…

I love salt.

I love dill.

I love YOU, you crazy, courageous DIVA! I didn’t forget you, you know. You and your 21-day mission possible!  I admit that I have needed a few days to get my bearings and get on this blog to tell you what’s going on in my little world. It’s better for me to write from this bliss bubble within, than to put less than inspiring mumbo-jumbo out there. I know this wasn’t a high support challenge, but we threw it out there and  did our best and that counts for something.

As each of us on our own brought the 21-day challenge to a conclusion, Mika celebrated her 9th birthday. We went swimming and had a great time together. She invited a couple friends and was so grateful that they came to celebrate her special day.

The next day was Father’s Day, and given that I come from a divorced family and have become a divorced family myself, special occasions like these keep me busy. I would have liked to celebrate the Day of Dads in a more official way here, in Divaland, but it didn’t happen. So to all the Dads and Divos out there, we loooooove you and Happy Father’s Day!

The Raw Mom Summit has been taking up a lot of my attention and in only a few hours we’ll be making its release OFFICIAL! One reeeeally exciting thing that happened this weekend was that on the morning of the 21st, Matt Monarch called me up on his wedding day (!!!) for an exclusive interview on Love and Marriage, as part of the Raw Mom Summit.

It was beeeeautiful, but quick. Even though I had prepared a long list of things to ask him, in the presence of a still slightly groggy groom to be, I couldn’t bear discussing anything but looooove, sweet love. If you sign up for the Raw Mom Summit, you can access this 10 minute interview. He had some VERY sage wisdom, and after connecting with Shannon Leone (who did all the interviews for the Raw Mom Summit) I realized that Angela has spoken a lot about this special technique of theirs, too, on her Summit Interview. I’ve been trying it out with Mr. Right and it TOTALLY, TOTALLY WORKS! (Worth signing up for to find out what that is. )

Pssst… that’s YOUR cue! —-> www.rawmomsummit.com

I finally got out a full color issue of Health in High Heels! That’s something to celebrate. I love that little newsletter, just need to get a bit better at time management in order to fit it all in, I suppose. Hmmm… guess that’s my cue to call in a time management specialist as an interview guest.

We’re going to be declaring our independence from cooked food and clutter with another session of the Body Enlightenment System coming up very soon! There’s actually so much going on, it’s hard for me to keep track of it all, but here’s the thing I’m MOST excited about right now. (Well, second most. The thing I’m MOST excited about is a secret still. )

Raw Mom, Cooked Dad

This is a book I’ve been working on with Shannon Leone. It’s nearing completion and not a moment too soon. I’ve been so challenged and fascinated with my new relationship with Mr. Right these days, that the timing could not have been more perfect for me to be writing this book. If a cooked dad could be cooked, this guy’s barbqued, Baby! Meaty lasagna, wheaty bread and blue cheese. It’s almost surreal to watch myself in relationship to this person. I mean, I would have expected, insisted, suspected… something! that I fall in love with someone who eats the way I do and who understands and values the same nutritional principles I do. But we’re virtually speaking foreign tongues when it comes to food and it CHALLENGES ME SOOOOOO MUCH.

I love it.

I’ve only ever wanted to do the things that make the world a better place. I’ve only ever wanted to find a way to get this message out to the world in a way that is approachable, accessible and friendly. I laughed so hard the other day when he explained that he was proud of himself for accepting me as I am–weird and highly unusual. I laughed because I thought I was the one being tolerant and accepting!!!

It’s like relearning I’m being forced to relearn this whole lifestyle all over again. I watch my food-obsessed circuits play themselves while he sits smiling and wolfing down meaty lasagna telling me about the time he was soooo sick with a hangover and this meaty lasagna made him feel so much better, this food is practically therapeutic for him! I heard him justify the therapeutic value of “protein” and “calcium” and all the other hearty nutrients in food that I would consider unsuitable for human consumption.

I sit with a half-dazed look on my eyes while thoughts spit themselves out on the sidewalk of my mind:

“Doesn’t he KNOW the amount of carcingens in that thing?”

“Doesn’t he KNOW what that DOES to a person, to eat that way?”

“What about the animals!?!”

“What about the hydrogenated fats and opiate receptors in the brain?”

Doesn’t he GET IT that this food is killing him??!!!

At it is at precisely that moment that I am forced to take a few steps back from my own head and examine the carcinogenic nature of my thought processes.

Oprah touches the lives of millions of people every day. Does anyone reeeeally care that she eats chicken fingers at night? If I had a dollar for all the hours I’ve protested against the consumption of animals, I’d buy myself a book on nonviolent communication. The annihilation of chicken fingers won’t make the world a better place before honesty, truth and integrity does.

I don’t know how to teach people to care for the planet, to love and respect animal life until we empower and lift them up enough to value and respect their own life. I think, sometimes, we’ve got it backwards around here. We’re shouting out in the name of environmental awareness and frowning at fast food, but what if…

What if we all spent a bit more time validating the good we see in the world instead of complaining about what’s wrong with it?

What if we all spent a bit more time telling the truth (with love and respect) about how we feel and what we think, even if we’re afraid it might hurt to do so?

What if we kept less secrets and talked behind backs less so we could sit and exchange eye contact with mutual respect and admiration?

Without divulging too much of my own personal relationship goofups, I admit that I’ve tempted to date destiny in the form of a few raw food gurus a time or two with little success. To find myself crazy in love with the prosciutto-eating King of Sandwiches (as he likes to call myself), well, you can imagine my cerebral circuitry has been doing quite a marvelous dance of discovery these days.

I’m challenged to see the world in a different way.

I’m challenged to accept the idea that there’s more to life than what meets the eye. I always knew it, believed it to be true and now am being forced to PROVE IT!

So, until someone would like to measure the carcinogens in anger, hostility, hatred, ignorance, dishonesty and disgust, then I’m not convinced “raw food” is the answer to all our ills. Until someone can convince me that my thoughts are not responsible for the way I perceive my life and how I live it, then I’m putting more attention on love and affection than meaty lasagna.

Soooo, as you can see, I’m pretty passionate and super excited about this book coming out and will be talking a lot more about it.

In the meantime, it looks like my computer has finished charging. I promised myself some time in a park while I do some writing. Soooo, that’s enough from me for now.

Stay tuned, Snuggle puff! And let me know what YOU think about Raw Mom, Cooked Dad and surviving on raw food in a cooked food world. Now’s your chance, as I’m finishing up this manuscript, to get me to address some of the questions, concerns and thoughts you might have on this subject.

Awaiting your display of love and affection in the form of 1s and 0s in the comment box below, my deeear!

Hugs,

Tera

I’m soooooo excited to finally be bringing the one and only Catherine Garceau to our Diva stage! Catherine and I met last year at a lecture on autism. We immediately clicked and have been clicking ever since as we write emails, and chat back and forth creating some exciting online adventures together. She’s actually a Montrealer, so once in a while I have the rare opportunity to catch her face to face on the “homefront.”

Cat and I have been busy working away on a VERY exciting project to be released later this year. It’s a project built to help get “ED” (Eating Disorders) out of the closet and provide solutions to women and men who feel trapped in their relationship to food.

Catherine has a lot to say about this subject and she’s spent years researching, traveling and meeting people who could help her find answers to her health concerns. She’s had access to some of the greatest health advocates in the world and in her upcoming program she’ll be bringing the experts with whom she has studied and reasearched Cat is no stranger to discipline, hard word and determination. She knows what it takes to be among the best in the world at what she does. But she’ll be the first to tell you that her battle against eating disorders was tougher than her Olympic training.

You can access our call here!

Catherine is currently hosting live events like this one! Tonight we’ll get her to tell us more about them and her upcoming program on eating disorders!

Here’s a bit more about the great, the wonderful, the AMAAAAAZING CAT and HERE is how to access the teleseminar we did!

Born and raised in Canada, Catherine spent her childhood years as a pool rat. From an early age water was her home. After competing for years, Catherine first made the Canadian synchronized swimming team in 1995. Her dedication to practice and perfection earned her a bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. But Catherine’s drive for perfection crept into her life outside the pool. Eating disorders, depression and health problems plagued her, along with the pressure of what to do with her life after the Olympics.

Calling on her reserves as an athlete and competitor, Catherine turned her challenges into an opportunity for growth. She has embraced her struggles and considers them to be gifts that have led to self-discovery and important life lessons.

Most importantly, recovery has revealed to Catherine her true calling: to help educate and inspire young women as a positive role model for a healthy body, mind and spirit. Catherine is excited to pass on her incredible tool kit for navigating life to future generations.

First of all, thanks, Mom, for kicking my’ butt and leaving a bit of lovin’ on the blog! :*

The Raw Mom Summit is sweeping the globe and simultaneously managed to sweep me off my feet the last couple weeks! That, and the fact that our 6 Week Detox participants are bringing it home to the finish line means I’ve been busy (even though judging from the blog posts around here, you’d think I’ve been slacking off!)

We have only 3 more days until the first day of summer, the end of our 6 Week Detox and the end of our 21-Day Challenge! Some of you have been doing just great for this challenge and many have told me it came at the perfect time!! Sorry I wasn’t more able to coach, but I’m happy to know that the spirit of play has been alive and well in many of you.

Need a last minute victory?

Even if it hasn’t been going as you would have hoped or expected, you have 3 days to take it to the finish line and go out with a smile on your face and a pound or two off your thighs. EVERY DAY COUNTS!

I actually started this 21-Day Challenge as a way to encourage all of us to take back the “steering wheels” on our lives a bit more. There are moments when we let the serenity of being slip through our fingers and forget we’re the ones making the rules and decisions around here.

If there’s one thing that really, truly helps me stay on track, it’s eating simply. Even just eating one food at a time is the perfect thing for me to do when I need to get back on track. Once summer hits, we’ll be kicking off a monomeal cleanse with clients who have purchased the Diva’s Guide to Cravings and Emotional Eating. This is a bonus cleanse that we offer with participants of this program and of all the cleanses we do, it’s my favorite!!!

I am working on an article for tomorrow’s issue of Health in High Heels and I am really excited about it. It’s the concentrated wisdom of what I’ve learned in the last 111 days! (Hey… 90 days plus 21 days equals 111 days. That MUST be a lucky number.)

It doesn’t matter what program you’re on right now, do what you need to do to focus on the next three days and really tighten the reigns to make this a powerful finish for yourself!

Tonight I have a special teleseminar guest and I’m very excited about this call. I’ll post the juicy details on a separate blog post, so stay tuned!!

Love and hugs and here’s to you, Baby!!

Tera

I’ve been a raw foodist for 6 years and yesterday was the first day that I made flax crackers.

Against my own better judgment, I decided to cave into the recipe’s instructions that I include a “tamari” or soy-based sauce. Today the thickness of my ankles tells me I should have heeded my own better judgment.

Some lessons are learned the hard way.

We’re coming to the end of our 6-Week Deep Tissue Detox and I have learned SOooooo much from this experience. I am so much more in-tuned with what’s happening in my body and so much more able to spot sensitivities, too. I think sesame is also off the list for me for a while.

How are you doing, my dear?

I have been somewhat snowed under in the happenings around the Raw Mom Summit. I’m almost at a loss for words when it comes to expressing how honored I am to be a part of this event. I can’t wait for it to happen so I can actually sit back and listen to the calls myself.

Just had a new incredibly well-known health advocate, Dr. Bernie Seigel come onboard the Raw Mom Summit. Shannon’s now going after the big fish, Wayne Dyer. Yesterday she was telling me about her interview with Byron Katie and she said, “It was like talking with an angel on Earth.”

We are so, so, sooo fortunate to be putting this event together and whether you’re a mother, a daughter, a sister or an aunt there’s going to be some empowering information waiting for you when we open the gates to the Raw Mom Summit on June 22nd.

I’d love to get a Health in High Heels out today, but Mika has a school play and I have an interview with Jay Kordich! ooooooh, I’m so excited, almost NERVOUS about this call. Here’s someone who’s been at the raw food thing for over 60 years!

And I think I’m a pioneer! Ha!

I hope things are falling in place for you with the 21-Day Challenge. You know, I was talking on the support call for the 6-Week Detox about the importance of having goals and targets. When we come to the end of one thing, it’s important to have another thing ready in your plan of action.

People thrive when they have goals, targets and things to strive for.

I mean, what would you do if you weren’t always trying to lose those last 10 pounds? Maybe you should think about it enough until you come up with something more interesting than trying to lose those last 10 pounds and see what happens. he he… Interesting idea, isn’t it!

The sky is blue today, but the frosted windows of my apartment keep me from feeling it on my face, so I’m going to wriggle my way out of here soon, but remember to:

• Sign up for the Raw Mom Summit! (It doesn’t matter if you’re a mom or not. This is going to be an incredible event.)
• Think up of a game, goal or challenge more interesting than the one you obsess about most and see what happens.
• Pat me on the electronic back and say, “Good Job” if I get an issue of Health in High Heels out in the next 24 hours.
• Join me for a JUICY interview with Jay and Linda Kordich today at 4:00pm EST!

And that’s all she wrote, folks.

Love you like glue, I do! I do!

Tera

As part of the lead-up for The Raw Mom Summit, I thought I would spend time focusing on people that have some wisdom and experience to share about motherhood and parenting. It just so happens that the Father of Juicing himself is available this Friday afternoon and he and his wife will be joining me for a SUPER inspirational teleseminar.

Jay Kordich started his introduction to this lifestyle almost 60 years ago after an unfortunate cancer scare. Jay was “The Juiceman” and his name rang through the household walls of millions of people. (Even Jim Carey, the comedian, did a spoof on Jay. I watched it this morning for a giggle.)

They say behind every great man is a great woman, and in this case  there certainly is no exception as the love of Jay’s live is also the marketing and business development wizard that helped make the Juiceman rave happen.

I’m honored to be able to bring these two to the airwaves for an inspiring teleseminar on Friday afternoon. You can read a lot more about both of them on their website. They have a wealth of resources and experiences from which you can learn.

I’ve asked both of them to come to share some of their perspectives on what it takes to have a healthy family and to share some of the experiences they had growing through this movement. I just know you’re going to looove this call, because what few emails I’ve shared back and forth with Linda have been a real treat!

HERE is where you access the information for this call!

Tune in Friday and I look forward to speaking with you then!!

Love and hugs,

Tera

A wind of productivity swept me off my feet and the fact that I’ve had virtually NO comments from you (hint, hint) helped create a dry spell around here.

But don’t think we haven’t been busy little bunnies hard at work! Doll, my right hand girl and smiling customer service gal wanted to help kick the Queen in the butt and she delivered this friendly little love note this morning:

3 Easy Steps to Creating Healthy Routines

by Doll Creelman

How’s your 21 day challenge coming?

The truth for me is that I’ve not even really settled into what my challenge is. I started to, but realize the thing that challenges me the most right now is taking time for ME! To do my exercise, make my juice, etc. I’m taking short cuts on self care and it’s cramping my style.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I started this challenge because I had a friend who needed a boost and that friend is cruising right along at top speed getting better and clearer and more confident every step of the way.

21 days goes fast.

There were quite a few people who seemed to be “in” on the game but I admit it’s been awfully quite around here. Your comments PINGING in my inbox are what keep me excited and inspired to come back here and share juicy news.

SPEAKING OF JUICY NEWS…
Did you see it yet?

Did you read all about it?

The Evolution of Motherhood Has Arrived and whoooooa is she lookin’ fine!

We are so, so, soooo excited about what’s happening with this project and truth be told, that’s why I’ve been in somewhat of a tortoise shell the last few days. But she’s out there, now, flying full mast and something to be proud of:

WWW.RAWMOMSUMMIT.COM

You can help us out by spreading the word!

Spread the word and sign up yourself. Whether you’re a mom or not, the wisdom of these women coming together over 10 days at the end of this month WILL BE a transformational experience. There’s no way you can listen to all these incredible special guests and conversations without learning a few things that shake you at your core and inspire you to embrace life in a whole new way!

Tell the whole world that the Evolution of Motherhood Has Arrived!!

WWW.RAWMOMSUMMIT.COM

And get into that comment section so I have a reason to come poking around here more often.

Love and hugs,

Tera

P.S.

By the way, we have some pretty nifty ideas for the blog that we’ve been passing around backstage! Can’t wait to tell you all about it! For now, check out the Raw Mom Summit and let me know what you think!

I just mopped my floors. Mr. Right is on his way to pick up my new friend Andrea and they’re coming over for dinner. Andrea is an Alissa Cohen grad and has been busy all day making some amazing food for tonight. She and I met at a raw food potluck recently and I loooooove her! We’re going to start doing workshops together and tonight is our “executive business planning meeting”.

Mr. Right is a marketing G E N I U S, so we want to tell him all about our big plans to RAWK Montréal and we’re shmoozing him with a scrumptious raw food meal. But before it all happens, I just couldn’t resist checking in to see how everyone’s doing. So TELL ME, why don’t ya?! Here’s my ditty for the day:

Today was sunny and filled with promise.

I went and played in a soccer field barefoot for a while–to touch the Earth and feel grass between my toes… to look up at the sky while lying on my back and feel like I could stretch myself to eternity.

I feel good.

I feel on track and focused.

Sometimes the simple declaration that you’re going to take on a challenge with the intent to achieve a certain goal is enough. Sometimes it feels as though it’s enough to state your intention to do something and then it’s like the Powers that Be conspire in your favor.

I’ve been making a juice every day. I’ve not been saying, “I’m going to do a juice feast,” or trying to impose weird ultimatums on myself. I’ve just been making juice and drinking it. That feels good! It sure helps to keep the juicer perched on the counter at all times. I’ve developed a new mess-reduction technique and it’s working for me!

I’ve been eating well and realize all over again that the simpler the foods are, the more they appeal to me. Fancy dishes and complicated recipes are tasty and serve their purpose, but I’m quite content with an avocado or a few fresh figs or a mango just as they are. No pomp and circumstance.

How’s your challenge going?

Are you keeping points for yourself?

I’ve not been ready to take on the idea of points until now because I’ve been so focused on just getting my feet on the ground after this move, but I’ve decided that for the remainder of this challenge, which is about 15 or 16 days, I’m going to give myself points every day for:

• making a juice
• eating 100% raw
• vigorous, sweat-producing exercise for 20 minutes or more.
• staying positive and celebrating life’s unexpected surprises that come in what feels like ugly wrapping paper! “Staying in the driver’s seat” of my Life.

I can give myself 2.5 points for each one to have a nice, round 10/10. Since there are only 15 days left, I will have a top score of 150. If I am a total champion and I know it, then Mr. Right is going to take me to the Spa and I am going to go for another pedicure (no matter what my budget tells me).

If I cruise close, but no cigar, no spa and no pedicure, but I’ll buy what it takes to learn how to do a home pedicure. Or something like that. Shopping would be nice… new summer shoes, perhaps…

Anyway, I feel on target. This new apartment is marking some new beginnings and it feels good even with a few growing pains.

Here’s the interview I promised you from yesterday! Susan Shenk is the author or Live Food Factor and I highly recommend you check it out!! She’s offering a ridiculously good deal on this book, but look for yourself and see what I mean.

On this call she discusses the things she thinks are most important to succeed on the raw food diet.

• -Why people mess up trying to follow the raw food path.
• -The most important reasons for going raw.
• -What an 80-90 percent raw food diet cannot do that a 100% raw diet CAN do.
• -tricks for healthy weight loss or maintaining your weight
• -how to build healthy habits
• -how long it should take to get over “detox” once you’re all raw

and a whole lot more! It’s a quick call. Quick and action-packed. I think you’ll really like what she has to say and again… she’s got a 660 page book selling for 25 smackeroos AAAAAAAAND, she’s got like 70-plus FREE Bonus gifts and ebooks that come with it. She’s definitely a woman of extremes, but I think a lot of us can relate! Check her out and check out that comment section below to let us know how you’re doing out there!

I’m getting ready for lasagna! onion bread! yuummmmmy salad and CHEESECAKE!! Mmmmm…

I better go before company shows up and I’ve got my nose glued to my e-life. Hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Lasagna love,

Tera

Love and

I thought I posted this last night, but after bonking my head on the keyboard for the 20th time, I just went to bed. Anyway, here’s the message that was supposed to have been delivered at the end of a day to be reckoned with:

What a day! I’m not going to spend any time mitching and boning about it, but I will say that the above question is a very good one.

This started as being about how to get back the steering wheel on your life–no matter what happens, no matter who knocks you down. Holy Moley, Macaroni, it’s almost as if Life is doing everything she can to test out my driving skills this week!

Whose life are you living, anyway?

I cannot promise that I won’t piss off or annoy a few people in my path despite my best intentions to lead a loving, honest life. If there’s something you learn working in customer service it’s that you really can’t please everybody.

I’m inspired this afternoon after an interesting day to ask you these questions:

• Do you change yourself to have the approval of others?
• Do you speak your thoughts as you feel them–with respect, but honesty?
• Do you say what you mean and mean what you say?
• Do you seek praise or approval from others and change yourself to get it?
• Do you live your life as the passionate expression of who you are, where you are, as you are?

It’s tough sometimes not to mold ourselves to a social veneer. Fat, ugly, short or stubby we all have our way of being and living and looking. And sometimes this way of being is bound to rub someone else the wrong way. Chalk it up to karma or “vibes” if you want to. The bottom line is, you gotta be you even if being you ruffles feathers sometimes.

I won’t be able to say at the end of my days that I didn’t step on anyone’s toes, cuz hoooooly moley macaroni, I did step on toes. But I risked a lot and pushed hard to touch the most people I could with a message that I believe in. That’s what’s going to count the most for me at the end of my days.

Today is MY first day of this challenge. It’s the first day I’ve had to sit down and think about what I want out of this adventure. I’m settled into my new apartment and it feels good to be connected and to have a place to put my wandering roots for a little while.  I’m focused on the positive and excited about the adventure.

I just finished a super-inspiring interview with Susan Shenck. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, and give you access to some neat info and an amazing recipe she passed along to me.

I’m on my way to go get some groceries and here are the things I’m committing to for the duration of our lead up to Summer:

Eat raw. No finger dipping in the cooked food sauce. Just raw, raw, raw, raw. Because I want to and because I can.

Chill out on the salt (even sea salt) consumption.

Work on not eating late.

Work on not working late.

Sleep when I’m tired.

Make a juice every day.

I still have to figure out the points, but hey… even if I get a good 10 out of 21 days, that’s better than none. I’ll be back with an inspiring interview tomorrow and more thoughts to think on.

Love,

Tera