Making the leap into a plant-based lifestyle is like embarking on a thrilling adventure, complete with its share of quirky challenges. But fear not, intrepid plant-eater! We've got solutions that combine compassion and humor to help you navigate these hurdles.
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1. The 'Tofu Terror': Tofu can be intimidating at first, but it's a plant-based staple! Embrace it. Try marinating it in your favorite sauces or tossing it into a stir-fry. Remember, tofu is your friend, not an alien life form.

2. The 'Family Feud': Ah, the well-meaning but puzzled relatives who serve you 'vegan' mashed potatoes laden with butter. Gently educate them on your plant-based journey. Share delicious vegan recipes with them so they can join in on the fun.

3. The 'Midnight Munchies': Late-night snack cravings can be real! Keep a stash of nuts, fruits, or popcorn on hand. Trust us; a midnight romp with carrot sticks can be surprisingly entertaining.

4. The 'Vegan Detective': Dining out? Be the vegan detective, scouring menus for plant-based options. Don't hesitate to ask servers for modifications. Your curiosity can spark a compassionate conversation.

5. The 'Plant Pun Champion': Spice up your journey with plant-based humor. Share punny veggie jokes with friends. After all, laughter is the best salad dressing.

6. The 'Soy-Oh-Boy' Myth: Don't let soy myths scare you! Embrace organic soy products like tofu and tempeh. They're tasty, versatile, and won't turn you into a soybean.
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Transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle is a beautiful journey filled with delicious discoveries and funny moments. Embrace the quirks, stay compassionate, and remember that even the weirdest plant-based experiences make for fantastic stories at your next vegan potluck. Welcome to the green side, where compassion and humor reign supreme! 🌱😄

Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the mindful practice of absorbing the calming atmosphere of natural places like the forest. Connecting to nature for relaxation is not new, but the practice of shinrin-yoku originated and was named in Japan in the early 1980s as a process for disconnecting from technology to relax and unwind. 

Decades of research and recent studies indicate that being immersed in a forest with mindful intention likely has enormous health and wellbeing benefits. The contemplative practice of forest bathing is the inspiration for this transformative essential oil blend. 



The Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing Blend is formulated with certified pure therapeutic grade (CPTG®) essential oils rich in terpenes associated with forest bathing and clinical research indicates diffusing terpenes-rich essential oils promotes a calming environment when slowing down, focusing, and centering. Terpenes are part of a class of important compounds called phytoncides that serve as part of the tree’s defense system. These phytoncides include limonene, α α-pinene, and β-pinene, often found in oils known for their comforting, grounding aromas.

I know how great the forest makes me feel, and, as winter approaches in Wisconsin, I know I will be more often inside. I am grateful for this amazing oil blend to keep me balanced and connected to the Earth throughout the cold winter months. 

If you haven't tried these oils yet and want to give this one a try, email me or go to https://referral.doterra.me/742270. 
If you are already a doTerra fan, log in to your account and get your referral link so you can share these amazing oils with your friends. They get free membership, a 25% discount on all products and you get some free doTerra dollars to use on your next order. 

Fear can linger in hidden places in your body. Sometimes it's so deep that we don't remember what caused it, but that doesn't matter. We can still find it an kick it out. 

One of the fastest ways to find and release fear is with Tapping. (Emotional Freedom Technique).  It could be a fear of heights, fear of water, fear of leaving your house....
There is so much research now on the effectiveness of Tapping when done correctly. 

"When fear is triggered, the emotional part of the brain (the amygdala) is in overdrive and sensations are of high intensity. Things as simple as a memory, an image, a sight, or a sound can all be triggers. Tapping on acupressure points around the face and upper body will send signals to that emotional part of the brain to calm down those arousal levels. The rational brain can then take more control of the situation and the person can decide whether they are in fact in any danger." Melody Lovell

In just the last few years the research on EFT has increased dramatically.

• 3 fMRI study documents neural changes after EFT
  
• 2 studies show significant drops in cortisol with EFT Research documents physiological & immunological changes and gene expression with EP (energy psychology) methods
  
• Randomized controlled trials now total 80+

Want to know more?
Schedule a Free Discovery call and see the possibilities for you. 

I've been doing some thinking and meditating and asking questions of Source about the idea that those who choose to follow a vegan life-style are zealots and think of themselves as better than everyone else.

I know that choosing not to eat animals is always a choice and can not be otherwise. I also understand that some people are quite passionate in their quest to show others why they believe what they believe. However, there is a lot of sadness attached to this because most humans don't want to know what they don't know. 

I asked about contracts that animals make before coming to Earth. I got that yes, some do contract to come here as a food source. They understand that they will be sacrificing their life to sustain other life. However, I also got that no animal comes here with the intention to live their life in torture.

It feels like a very transitional time where the awareness of how we treat 'food' animals is coming more to light. While many animals will still come here knowing they will be slaughtered for food, they come also knowing that they are part of this transition of awareness that will lead to much more humane conditions. 

I then asked, after much clearing of all my own beliefs, if any human - given access to all good plant sources - requires animal flesh to thrive, and I got no. It is not a need, it is a want and a cultural / ancestral belief. Like so many beliefs that have been handed down to us, it is up to us to gain awareness of the belief and then decide if we want to keep it. 

So I do see some vegans as 'crusaders'. They have likely been crusaders in many lifetimes always  with the intention to save/protect the weak and less fortunate.  Their crusade in this lifetime might be for the 'black lives matter' movement or 'equality for women' movement or the 'vegan' movement. They are passionate and sometimes their passion is misunderstood. 

There will be those who take offense because these 'crusaders' are disrupting their beliefs and their traditions, but maybe that is necessary. Some will listen and some will choose not to.
​In the end it is always a choice. 

​Today's presentation is Finding Joy in the Now. Discussion and suggestions for find joy now, aligning yourself for happiness, and how we can help you navigate your life. Ask 4 Coaches and send us your questions. This video is to inform, entertain, and enlighten. We bring you interesting conversations about how we can guide and help you find more peace, joy, and happiness in your life, remove blocks, and gain insight. We welcome questions. Please comment, like, subscribe, and share. Rosemary DeTrolio, Hands of Light by Rosemary LLC (NJ) https://www.rosemaryd.com Mary Crawford (WI) The Joy of Being Well https://www.thejoyofbeingwell.com Rita Desnoyers Garcia (NJ)Becoming Awake https://www.becomingawake.com/contact Jolie Roy (IL) Jolie Roy Coaching, https://www.Jolieroycoaching.com

Is your business Happy?… and why does that matter…
Have you ever thought to ask your business if it’s happy?  Maybe that sounds pretty strange. How do you talk to a business?

Well, your business is an ‘entity’. Even the government defines it as such. And an entity has energy - it is made up of energy which in this case is defined by you.

Say you sell vitamins. You love these vitamins because of what they did for you or your child or your friend or….  gotta start with a good ‘Why’.

You decide to share the vitamins with everyone so more people can love them like you do. Of course not everyone will want them. Not everyone will believe what you tell them. Some might even try to discourage you or call you crazy.

Your business is feeling and believing everything you are feeling and believing about it!  It’s TRUE!  Everything is energy ( I sound like a broken record here, but this is key)
Everything is energy including your thoughts, your emotions and your beliefs. Your business is an extension of you. It’s your baby - your creation even if you are selling someone else’s products.  As an extension of you it is constantly influenced by your vibrations regarding it.

So, tune in and really ask, “Business, are you happy?”
If you dowse like I do, you can get a very fast and definite answer. Then you can go on to ask more questions like, “Do you want to make me money?” “If I (change my ads, tweak this program, do better follow up, etc) will you create more for me?”
If you like you can even ask your business what days it wants you to work with it or how many hours a week. So many possibilities.

Why bother? Because you will get a much better feeling for what your highest consciousness knows about you and your business. There will be a stronger energetic alignment between you and your business. You will be able to let go of some of the worry and stress about your business, because you will have more clarity.
Why wouldn’t you take the time when it could change everything?

I love helping people get in touch with their business. Let me know if you’d like some help.
All the best ~
Mary

Check out our latest video to hear the 4 Coaches share perspectives and tips on creating strong boundaries for yourself. 
https://youtu.be/0fY5L8ZU4Fo

Here we are again sharing some stories of our work with wonderful clients. 
You can find more about each of these amazing coaches below. 
Please do send us your questions. What would you like to ask a Coach? 

Rosemary DeTrolio, Hands of Light by Rosemary LLC (NJ) https://www.rosemaryd.com 
Rita Desnoyers Garcia (NJ)Becoming Awake https://www.becomingawake.com/contact
Jolie Roy (IL) Jolie Roy Coaching, https://www.Jolieroycoaching.com

Pain is a final attempt by our intelligent bodies to get our attention. 
We are energy beings. We function on vibration - charged energy - as evidenced by electrocardiograms and other medical tests that measure the pulses going through our bodies. 

As energy beings we are affected by all of the other energy beings around us - people, animals, trees, the Earth itself. We are also affected (as in our own vibrational patters are changed) by what we put into our beautiful bodies, but that's a post for another time. 

Here I want to focus on the vibrational energy that we are holding in our bodies. Most of this energy doesn't even belong to us!  

You, as energy-sensitive beings, pick up energy from everyone and everything around you.  The closer you are to a person or thing, the more of it's energy you might be picking up. Then we have a tendency to store that energy away in our body where it can build up and eventually lead to pain or disease. 

So what is this 'energy'?  
It is usually emotions, feelings that are either expressed or just felt. It can be fear as a result of some event or even hearing about an event. It can be sadness or anxiety or guilt. 
Of course we also pick up wonderful energies like joy, excitement, love that cause our own body's vibration to rise.  Those energies are so healing. But the other, low vibration energies, can build up in our heart, our organs, our muscles, and joints. If we don't release them, our bodies will call attention to the offending vibrations with pain. If still ignored, the body's healing capacity can become depleted and then there is dis-ease. 

Ways to release unwanted energy:

• get outside and move
• meditate
• surround yourself with high vibration people and things
• and my favorite fast way is EFT or Tapping

I'm always available to help you discover what energies you might be holding on to that are causing pain. Often they are buried so deep you might not even know what they are. 
You can schedule a Free Discovery Call with me to get some clarity on what you body is trying to tell you. 

Wishing you peace and love,
Mary