For The Next Time

The following natural resources have been proven effective as possible additional sources of protection or recovery from illness.  Many of these oils, clays, elements and plants have antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial properties.  Inquire with your health care practitioner to discuss if any of these may be right for you the next time your wellness is compromised.
Garlic
Onion
Neem
Turneric
Tea Tree
Habanero
Echinacea
Horseradish
Oregano Oil
Pau D'Arco
Cinnamon
Coconut Oil
Golden Seal
Manuka Honey
Pascalite Clay
Oregon Grape
Colloidal Silver
Olive Leaf Extract
Cayenne Pepper
Apple Cider Vinegar
Grapefruit Seed Extract

Gratitude as Self Care

Gratitude may be one of the most overlooked tools that we all have access to everyday. Cultivating gratitude doesn't cost any money and it certainly doesn't take much time, but the benefits are enormous. Research reveals gratitude can have several benefits:

1. Opens the door to more relationships;

2. Improves physical and psychological health;

3. Enhances empathy and reduces aggression;

4. Increases resiliency;

5. Improves sleep.

We all have the ability and opportunity to cultivate gratitude. Simply take a few moments to focus on all that you have - rather than complaining about all the things you think you deserve.  Developing an "attitude of gratitude" is one of the simpliest ways to improve your satisfaction with life.

Source: positivepsychologyprogram.com.

Deborah Leadership

As a leader, are you bringing all your gifts to the daily leadership moments? As we reflect on that answer, consider the leadership skills of Deborah.  When we meet Deborah in the Bible she is presented as a wife, judge and international leader.  Deborah made good use of all the gifts and opportunities God sent her way.  Her gifts and opportunities teach us the qualities of great leaders:

Role Model.  She led by example.  She faced reality and exposed herself to the full consequences of her decisions as she advised and joined in the struggle.

Servant. She magnified God and served the people.  She excelled at her job and helped others do the same with theirs.

Speaker. She spoke with authority. She grew strong and stepped forward when her wisdom was needed by her people.

Under Deborah's leadership, the oppression was lifted and the land had peace for forty years. May the characteristics of Deborah inspire us to share skills to grow a victorious team.

Think Well

As leaders do we help our people think well? I have traveled to Alkebulan (the indigenous word for Africa) on three mission trips.  The spiritual impact of the trips were so profound I encourage others to take the pilgrimage to the motherland, the birthplace of civilization. When they return home from the trip the overwhelming first response has been – “compared to the United States, the people of Africa are suffering yet the majority are still warm, peaceful and joyful.  How do they maintain this state of mind?”

Author Byron Katie writes that our thoughts create suffering.  Suffering is a choice. Ouch. She encourages us to question and challenge our thoughts. She offers four questions for our examination: 1. Is it true; 2. Can we absolutely know its true; 3.How do we react when we believe the thought;     4.Who would we be without the thought-if we did not believe the thought?

By their actions it appears that the people of Alkebulan choose to accept the thought that they are valuable and worthy.

The other day I visited with a well educated and affluent young woman.  As I listened to her, I could hear how her thoughts of being invaluable and unworthy had moved her into a lifestyle of suffering. She is addicted to prescription pain medication that escalated into heroine use. She was seeking to understand how she choose addiction.

May we remind ourselves and ours to think well… we are valuable and worthy - deliverance is available. All we have to do is accept the gift. Then the journey of transformation begins.

Hobby Happiness

I have very fond memories of participating in the childhood of my niece.  I witnessed many of her “firsts”-first crawl, teeth, steps and words. Her first and favorite sentence was “Is everybody happy?”  This question would always make me smile.  After a few months of hearing the question from her, my smiles turned to meditating on that question. Am I happy? Happiness is defined as a combination of how satisfied we are with our life and how good we feel on a day-to-day basis. We have the ability to control how we feel. We can form life-long habits for a more satisfying and fulfilling life. 

This wisdom guided me to ask another question – “What makes us happy?”.  Buying stuff, status, wealth, popularity, the refrigerator, the medicine cabinet — all have failed to get the job done. Research suggests that what really works, though, is a passion or a hobby – a time to play. January is National Hobby Month. A hobby is an activity or interest pursued outside of our regular occupation for pleasure. Hobbies are a great source of relaxation. They can reduce anxiety and increase concentration.                                                                         

A hobby can add eight hours of joy, gratification and contentment to your week. For example, I know a business who is a perfect example. A dinner and salsa dancing demonstration at a Latin restaurant inspired him to take dance lessons at the age of 40. As his mastery grew, he was competing in 14 dance categories and found something that ignited his entire being. “It’s changed me totally,” he says. “It’s given me a purpose. I went to the office, had a great family to care for, but dancing shifted my spirits and direction in such an amazing way. I feel 20 years younger.”  One of my sparks came from a recommendation from my physical therapist to practice yoga. Therapy turned into a passion to achieve an advanced certification to teach this ancient mind body system.                                                          

So how do you get your hands on this happiness pill? Select an activity that interests you or has value. Try different activities and see what connects. Meditating on this question expanded my life.  Over the years, the answers for me have included traveling to 34 states and provinces in North America, exploring the continents of Africa, South America and Europe, African dance, drumming, gardening, singing, crocheting, sewing, coin collecting, painting, weightlifting, basketball, volleyball, creating jobs, advocating for a living wage, writing a book, producing a radio show, teaching African American history, mentoring women…I am sure you get my drift.  I continue to explore this question during my quiet time. Use your imagination - the possibilities are endless.

These hobbies re-introduced me to myself, long forgotten under a pile of duty and obligation. They reacquaint us with the enthused, eager soul we used to be and give us a reason to be that person as often as we can each day. Celebrate your favorite hobby this month. Host a hobby party with friends. Research different hobbies with your children and select a new one to try. Hobby happiness is the truth. Have fun! J

Hearts and Hands - Volunteer Thanks

2016 was an amazing year.  So many people volunteered with our organization to make dreams come true. Visit our facebook page in the coming months for our volunteer spotlight.  We share this poem to honor their care and courage:

Dedicated hearts like yours are not so easy to find.
It takes a special person to be so generous and kind.

To care so much is a quality all too rare
Yet you give of your time and talents, for all in need to share

So thank you for sharing your gifts as a volunteer, we're privileged to work with you
We want you to know how appreciated you are, not just today, but the whole year through

Listening Leadership

As a leader in life, are you a good listener to the people around you? The swahili word for "listen" is "kusikilisa" (koo-see-key-lee-zah).  Holistic listening and care of the whole person is one of the tenets of African culture.

Teresa Hoover, the first African American woman executive of a major denominational department for 22 years, served as a role model while training numerous colleagues to add listening to their leadership tool kit.

When we open up the channels of communication and really listen, here is the gift we offer to others:

Eyes - I see what you say.

Ears - I hear what you say.

Heart - I feel what you say.

Attention - I value who you are and what you say.

Only when a leader does these things is she or he able to build trust and inspire people to collaborate with them each day.