KaizenWithJen

anxiety much?

2009-03-31T16:57:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wake up in the morning with a feeling like you have missed something, slept in, forgotten something or just have a serious case of anxiety?
Well, this morning I did, and it was a horrible feeling! It was no way to start the day, that is for sure.
I felt like I was late for something or was going to be in trouble for something.
The weird thing was that there was nothing of the sort. I was still up before my alarm clock and I had packed and organized myself for the day, the night before.
I lay there for a couple of minutes to try to calm down, but it was not working! I tried deep breathing, I tried relaxing my muscles, I tried positive self talk, I repeated a calming mantra. It wasn't until I got up and started moving that the feeling started to dissipate.
What did I ultimately learn from this situation? That not everything that happens has a clear and distinct reason that led to it happening. And the things that one might think will work to counteract or diminish its effects do not always work.
So what then?
Well, from my personal experience - just getting going on SOMETHING, ANYTHING, usually works.
When I get uptight or anxious about a project, or a deadline, or a daunting task that is coming up in my future, the one and only thing that always seems to calm me down, is just to get going and work towards it.
If I have a deadline and don't even know where to start - I just have to start somewhere. Even the wrong plan of action will get me closer to the right one.
Surely this has happened to all of us, where we feel anxious about a looming commitment or an upcoming event. The best way to dissipate the feelings of unease is to either work towards the ultimate goal with actual tangible work (ie start the introduction of a paper that is due next week) or if it does not require immediate action (such as a date you are nervous for) begin to imagine what it will be like to be there and how wonderfully calm you will be during.
Our minds do not know the difference between imagined and reality - if we can visualize it in our minds eye, it is as good as true. So if you are worried about something that you have no control over in the immediate time (such as a job interview or a date you are finding out your test results) imagine that it is that time, and that you are there in that situation, and start to create in your mind what you want the outcome to be. Obviously you cannot control the outcome always, but perhaps you can learn to react in a better way when that time comes.
For example, imagine yourself in that interview, feeling calm, relaxed, confident and smiling. Imagine the interviewer making you feel at ease and thinking you are perfect for the job. Even if that is not the case at the actual time, you cannot necessarily do anything about their reactions to you, all you can control is you. So imagine who you want to be, how that will look, and how that will feel.
So next time you feel that anxious feeling - just get going. Either take immediate action towards getting to your destination, or simply imagine and visualize the outcome the way you want it. Both will work.
In the meantime - don't fret!
Have a great day,
Namaste

unplug to recharge

2009-03-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

How do you recharge yourself when you are out of fuel?
This questions can be answered in many ways, but I want you to think about it for just a minute.
Many of our electronics these days require us to plug them in to recharge them, and then they are back in use for us when we need them.
How do we take care of this task for our own selves?
Often times we will run ourselves into the ground, work non stop or constantly multi-task. These activities do not come without consequence though.
Burnout, apathy, illness, chronic fatigue, among many other things, are what we start to perceive as normal day to day feelings.
They aren't.
You should first ensure that you are getting adequate sleep. Which on average means 7-8 hours of sleep in a dark room. Lights can affect quality of sleep.
Setting a schedule of regular sleep and wake times that you stick to daily (even on weekends!) makes a big difference to your energy levels and quality of sleep as well.
But sleep is just one part. What about the other 16-17 hours of your day that you are not sleeping, but still dragging yourself around?
Well, the first thing to do is stop trying to give yourself artificial energy via sugary snacks, energy drinks or coffee. Those end up giving you a crash worse than you felt before you consumed them. Try water. Likely your cells are crying for a little hydration.
Try this for another positive change - UNplug to recharge yourself.
Unlike our electronics that get charged through the electrical outlets, we require the opposite.
Turn off your computer for 5 minutes or turn off your cellphone for 10 minutes. Do not answer phone calls for an hour a day, or take out your headphones while you are walking to and from places. Maybe turn off your car stereo and revel in the silence for a while. Turn off the TV and just breathe.
Sometimes we think that distracting ourselves with technology takes our minds off of other things and that can recharge us, but it is simply not the case.
If you can shut down all those distractions and just focus on your breathing, maybe repeat a mantra over and over for 5 minutes (such as "I am completely relaxed and feel my energy levels rising").
You might just surprise yourself with the differences you feel.
We are humans, not electronic devices. Our charges come from within.
Do it today. Just 5 minutes.
Maybe start with just one minute.
Have a great day,
Namaste

what you fear, you must eventually face

2009-03-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

What are you afraid of?
What is it that you ruminate about all day in your head? Is it not being successful enough? Not having a family? Not making enough money? Not finding love? Are you afraid of death?
All of these fears can be very real - and the interesting thing is that our minds cannot differentiate our thoughts from reality.
If we are thinking about our fears all day long, our bodies react to those fears as though they are real. This can explain the number of stress related illnesses that our society faces today. In addition to that, we let our imaginations run wild, and we spend hours a day thinking about things that have never happened and will never happen. That is the irony about the way most of us live our lives - through fear....real or imagined. The difference doesn't even matter.
The truth is that all of the things we fear - we must eventually face, to get over them. If you fear that you will get ill, then in our minds, we have to face that - and decide then what we will do with it. We can imagine how it will feel to be ill, or bankrupt, or have a loved one pass away - and when we confront that fear -we know that it has no basis in reality, it is just imagined....it may in fact happen, or it may never happen - but is that reason to live in a constant state of fear? Absolutely not!
One of the big fears and stresses that people have right now are related to finances, that is to be sure. Another one is the fear of ill health or death. But it seems almost too easy when you think about it...that just facing it will just fix it.
No, it won't be fixed over night....but I often times see people complain about their fear of debt and spend money frivolously. Or complain that they feel fat, or unhealthy, and then just continue in the same ways that got them to that state to begin with. Do things get better? Nope, just worse.
Seth Godin is a best selling author, entrepreneur and agent of change. He writes a fabulous blog and is very influential in today's online world.
Godin says this: "Why not shine a light on the holes we're digging today as opposed to the canyons we'll have to deal with years from now?"
Why I like this is because there is so much truth to what we do unknowingly. We shy away from our fears and ignore them, perhaps procrastinate and hope things just go away - and we know that they don't - but sometimes we are willing to die trying. Why ignore something that you fear, when if you face it, you can accept it and move on?
Dr. Wayne Dyer says this: "Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed."
We must stop fearing things in our lives - this fear is paralyzing. That question of "what if?" is immobilizing. Facing fears, and realizing that what goes on in your mind becomes your reality - you can be set free and begin to enjoy the life you are living each day. Because today and the moment you are in, is the only thing that you have control over.
Separate yourself from your fears - understand that they are just that...and break away.
Live life today.
Have a great day!
Namaste.

where to begin?

2009-03-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to make a change to something in your life?
Have you thought..."hmm, i could be better at this", or "i should have done that", or "i need to do or change this?"
I think that is the beginning of realizing and living the kaizen philosophy. The desire for constant improvement. I believe we all have a need for embracing constant improvement - and those who see the need younger - achieve younger - and those who don't see it until later in life - hit a few more stumbling blocks along the way. However, these are the steps we go through in the quest to self-actualization.
But what is self-actualization? Well, yes it is Maslow's highest tier on the hierarchy to achieving one's needs. But what does it mean for us in the here and now?
It means - what we do all day counts. Those little moments throughout each day that you live count, and it is the mindsest you have in those moments that counts the most. They all add up to the little changes.
You might be thinking, "So that may be all well and good" - and you might identify that you want to make an improvement to some aspect of your life, for yourself.
But then you ask, "Where do i even begin?" That list seems too long, or that dream too big, and the day to day of it gets in the way. We say to ourselves...maybe we can't achieve what we want. Why do we do this to ourselves? Well, according to David Wood - a brilliant speaker on the matters of the mind - it is because there is an 'imposter' in our heads. A voice inside us that floods us with self-doubt. That voice that shoots us down and puts our dreams to rest.
Ekhart Tolle, spiritual teacher, says that your body responds to thought as if it were reality. It doesn't know the difference between a thought and our reality, so we must control the thoughts we let into our space.
Lousie Hay, an amazing speaker, author and elder of excellence, says this; if you change your thoughts - and replace the mind's redundant thinking - with positive love-filled thoughts - then you will change your life - and the entire course of your life will take new form before your eyes. Dr. Wayne Dyer points to this same idea in his book, "Change your thoughts, change your life" based on Lao Tzu's teaching in the Tao te ching.
I truly believe this to be true - and implement it into my personal practice daily. Does it always work - each moment of each day - absolutely not. Ask anyone who spends time with me! But what it does do, is remind me that I am constantly improving - and enjoying every step of the way. My life is filled more often now in the direction of positivity, abundance, happiness and love (for others and by others). You attract what you give out. As the great Ghandi says, Be the change you want to see in the world.
So...Are you still asking, "where to begin?" My answer for you is this; start by looking within. Look deep within and begin there, go inside, and listen to the silence between the thoughts. What is your body telling you? What is your mind telling you?
Do it today.
Have a great day - Namaste!

be a beacon of love

2009-02-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

Hi!
In the wake of Valentine's day, I wanted to shed some light on the concept of LOVE. I am very much a fan of the fact that there is a day that is dedicated to the expression of love to those around you. Although, this year, my fiancee was away for business and we did not spend the time together, it still makes me smile, knowing there is a day where people make an extra effort to show their love.
Gift giving, card giving and treating one's loved one can get quite out of control - but the real question is - do you give love and share love with those you love all year around? If not, why?
Do you let the craziness of life lead you astray? Do you get caught up in your to-do's for the day or your job, or kids, or organizing or cleaning or taking care of others or whatever you do to fill your time, get in the way of truly expressing your love and gratitude?
How can you show your love to those around you more of the time?
Well - for one you can take a moment to tell someone you love them each day. Once you can do it each day once - and truly mean it - then you can up it to twice, then three times, then more.
Now, I wouldn't suggest just saying "I love you" to someone 45 times a day as it can lose it's impact - 3, 4, 10 times maybe, but when you get really good at giving an honest "I love you" that many times, it is a chance to become more creative.
How about doing nice things for other people? Or taking a minute to think about what it would be like to be in their shoes? Or what about calling someone to tell them you are thinking of them, and miss them. What about telling someone something it is that you love about them, "Chris, it makes me smile to know that you work so hard and are so dedicated to your job."
So today - and the rest of the days this year - remember what the day of love was meant to represent and decide that you will be a beacon of love to those around you all year long!
Enjoy!
Have a great day,
Namaste

what is your ideal?

2009-02-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

Hey!
How are you this fine day!?
Today as I have been going from one thing to another, I found myself in conversation with someone talking about their feeling of overwhelm and feeling like there are never enough hours in the day to get done what they might want.
We were talking about balancing sleep, with commitments and deadlines, as well as with responsibilities such as to family, or loved ones.
Although I am usually quite calm, no matter how much I need to get done, I found myself getting wound up and anxious just talking about the potential stress that ensues when one doesn't have enough hours in the day.
The truth was, that it wasn't the many tasks and doings that was what I was hearing as the anxiety causing aspect - but the guilty feeling associated with not getting enough done, feeling like one can never catch up to the unending to-do list -and constantly feeling inadequate because it is so easy to feel way behind all of the time.
The main question I asked of this person was this....what is your ideal day? How many tasks or jobs or emails or assignments equals a day well spend or a job well done? Does that guilty feeling ever go away or is that ideal just a mythical ideal that really has no basis in the reality of what you are going through?
I feel that this is quite a common issue with many people is the feeling that they are always behind and no matter what they do, they still don't get it all done.
Well, the hard part of this is that this stress in your life really may never go away - but the good news is that your reaction to the stress or your feelings of self-loathing that are associated are optional. You do not need to react in a high strung way and if you just take a moment to breathe, realize that you are only human after all, and you cannot be everything to everyone, no matter how hard you try.
Take a second to ask yourself WHY? you are doing all this anyway? What is it that is most important to YOU? Often times we get so caught up in the day to day - we don't even realize that a lot of what we do is not even moving us closer to the end result we are looking for - it is merely causing idle meandering in the same spot.
What tasks - and prioritize them! are the most important to get done? Lay that out and if you don't get it all done, there is always tomorrrow.
Zen Habits - a fabulous blog by Leo Babauta is a great one to constantly remind you of simplifying your life and really making the most out of what you can do here with your time.
Do something nice for yourself today and check it out!
http://zenhabits.net/
Have a great day!
Namaste

take care of number one

2009-01-21T04:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever said to yourself - 'I am too busy to worry about what I really want?' or 'i will get to taking care of myself later, people need me'
If that sounds familiar - I urge you to reconsider.
Too many people put others before themselves - and as much as I will agree that on the surface this may seem like the noble thing to do, when it comes down to it, however, it is just plain dense.
How can you be good to others if you are not good to yourself? How can you help others if you cannot help yourself? How can you lead others or love others or trust others - if you cannot or do not do the same for yourself?
I am not saying to become selfish and ignore the needs of your loved ones or colleagues, but I really encourage you to think about taking better care of yourself - and I know for most of us, there is always room for improvement in that regard.
Can you put better food choices into your body? Can you take a few more minutes each day to calm and relax your mind? Can you make the decision to exercise more on a regular basis? Can you break a bad habit and replace it with a better one?
I am guessing that there is probably some part of your self-care that gets pushed aside, and today I want you to think about what that is, and what you are going to do about it. When you make yourself a priority, you will start to find that others respect that and will treat you accordingly.
If you don't stand up for yourself, who will?
Namaste,
Jen

what gets you out of bed?

2009-01-16T05:52:00.000-08:00

What gets you up in the morning? What makes you feel like you are excited to get out from under the warm covers?
This morning, for me it was hot yoga. While it is about 25 degrees below zero outside, inside the room it is about 39 degrees above zero. Now that's what I am talking about. What a fabulous sanctuary from the frosty outdoors, and a great way to make my body feel strong, healthy and fabulous.
Taking the time to breathe and relax and stretch and strengthen all in a climate that is controlled to be hot....there is really nothing like it!
I used to like to go into the tanning bed for that same reason, to feel the beaming heat on my body. Unfortunately, with safety and health for my skin as a concern, I can now feel heat all over my body, as well as the heat from exercising and the heat within my body as I create space in my lungs and space in my mind. It is such a fantastic experience.
The yoga studio is about a 20 minute drive from my home, and it starts at 6:30 am. I haven't been up before 6 in a while, as I am more of a hibernating late night, morning sleeper in the winter. I don't usually get up in the freezing cold before the sun.
However, this was and is an exception. And I plan to continue going regularly at 6:30 am. It is the most wonderful experience and is worth getting up early for. That is for sure.
I hope you can find your reason for getting up makes you feel as good as mine does.
All the best,
Have a great day,
Namaste

do not try...

2009-01-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

Have you listened to Kaizen with Jen's last episode about trying? (Episode 36)
Have you implemented any of that into your life yet?
Do you take stock on a daily basis and look at yourself and say....
Am I doing what I said I would?
Personal integrity means holding yourself to what you say you will do.
Why make promises and declare ideas out loud (or to yourself) that you don't follow through on?
There are too many people in our world that do that....why don't you separate yourself from the crowd?
Actually doing what you say you will do is not easy - or else everyone would do it.
Setting a goal and holding yourself accountable is constant work, but what you may not realize until you actually do it is this: it is always worth it.
Have you ever regretted going for a workout, or eating a healthy meal? Do you regret when you compliment someone or do someone a favour?
In all likelihood, your answer is no. Doing what you say you will do - and holding yourself to it daily - will always produce those feel good chemicals in your brain.
With continuous practice of doing over and over - it eventually will become habitual to do what you set out to do. And then....
The fun part comes - because you get to up the ante.
Yes, your goal at the beginning of the month may have been to go to the gym once a week...
However after a few weeks or sometimes months, that may seem easy.
Well, that is the kaizen principle at work.
When you are deciding that you will now start to attend the gym two times a week, you begin to improve just that little bit more....constant improvement is happening. Positive change.
You are setting yourself a new standard.
The thing is - that you are the only who can truly hold yourself accountable.
And... you are the only one who gets cheated if you fail to do what you say.
So in the end.....won't you just feel so much better if you set a goal and then follow through?
I know I do.
Get out there and don't just try my advice.
Follow my advice. Just do it.
Trust me, following through with your goals is something you will never regret.
Get out there and DO!
Jen

so far...

2009-01-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

How is everything going so far this year!? Are you following along on the path you originally began planning for yourself for 2009?
What does this year look like if you continue to follow the path you have been on over the last week. Are you taking care of yourself? You body? Your health?
Are you taking care of yourself with positive self talk and reassuring yourself that your time is now, it is time for you to care for you first.
Is today brighter than yesterday?
Are you enjoying the present moment and taking the time to love the people in your life? Are you enjoying yourself and what you are doing through your day? Perhaps it is time to start day dreaming again and imagining what life is like on the other side. The side you stopped thinking about when you began taking a back seat in your own life.
Patience is the key. Choose your goal, create your future in your mind. But start making each moment the way you carry out your future. Now is the time to do what is in alignment with your ultimate dreams. Now is the time. Remember that.
This life is a journey....enjoy each step.
Lao Tzu taught us that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step...take that step this year....today.
Have a great day,
Namaste

how are you!?

2009-01-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

Hey!
How are things going the first couple days of the year? So far for me they have been great! Still visiting with friends and family members - later holiday parties - but fun nonetheless. My body and mind are definitely feeling ready and excited for the new year!
I have been thinking about what I want to do this year to get myself excited - and I realized I have lots!
I am getting married in 2009! That is something to look forward to! I am also going to be moving to another city where my fiance works and lives. I am really excited for that I love it there.
I am going to run another marathon with Chris this year - in Chicago next October. I am looking forward to that. I loved the run this year in Akron and we promised each other we would do a flat course this time!
As well, I have a focus to meditate 10 minutes a day minimum on my yoga mat while I stretch. That is something I love doing and have always had a greater feeling of wellness and mind-body connection when I take the time to do it....so I want more of that!
I also want to continue my podcasts! I love doing them. They are so much fun for me, because it gives me an outlet to speak about all the readings and learnings I am doing. I love learning, but I love most when what I learn can be of use to others too - so I share it with them.
I look forward to helping out my fiance more with his fundraising for his non-profit commitments, which I genuinely enjoy doing.
I look forward to going away next Christmas - it is our goal to go somewhere warm next year around the holidays. I am not sure where yet though.
I am excited for our honeymoon! That will be a fantastic week long trip with my man, which I will truly enjoy.
One of my goals for 2009 is also to get back into school. I want to study more, learn more, understand more, and I would really relish the opportunity for more personal and knowledge growth. You know when you just don't feel like you are done yet!?
And there are so many other things. Some of my good friends are having babies in 2009 and I look forward to meeting new members of my close friends' families. Lives and love expanding. This is what I truly look forward to for 2009. Lots of love and family and happiness and celebrating times.
Above all.....
Authentic Happiness. That is what I will live each day being. Authentically eager, enthusiastic and happy. Authentically me.
Start dreaming up what 2009 is going to look like for you when you look back on it 1 year from now.
Dream big and don't just try.....DO
Namaste

this is your time

2009-01-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

Hi!
Welcome to 2009!
I hope you are feeling fabulous today knowing that the upcoming year is going to be the best one of your life.
How can I be so sure, you might ask?!
Well....its because you are going to make it that way. You are going to decide that if you want something, you can actually make it happen. You are going to be a dedicated Kaizen with Jen listener and I will do my best to help you come to the realization that you have every opportunity in the world to make your life the best life and make it the life you get excited to live every day.
Make this the year where your excuses subside.
Make it the year that you trust yourself. Love yourself. Respect yourself.
Don't make promises to yourself that you cannot keep.
Set realistic goals for yourself, and instead of disappointing yourself and not making them reality, do the opposite and hold yourself accountable.
Start dreaming again, and continue to dream all year. Dream about what in your life you want to make small, continuous improvements on then start dreaming up solutions, changes, ideas.
Email me with some of your resolutions or goals for 2009. I will be here to answer your questions and point you in the right directions to get started.
You have within you what it takes to reach your goals, and the only person who can stop you is you.
This is your year. Live for yourself this year and make whatever you want to happen happen.
You owe it to yourself.
And don't forget to have fun along the way.
Jen

Let the holidays begin!

2008-12-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hi!
Are you someone who loves the holidays, or hates all the stress that they bring along with them?
This month the kaizen with jen podcasts will be talking about holiday survival. I want to have you think a little bit each day about what it is that the holidays mean. What do you have to be thankful for? Who do you have in your life that you can say thank you to?
How can you make your holiday shopping more stress free? How can you minimize the negative impact of all the unhealthy foods that you are exposed to during the holidays? Do you want to play victim to the holiday media frenzy? Try to avoid your exposure to TV and your children's exposure to commercials. Remind them what the holidays are all about, and why we want to appreciate each and every gift we receive.
Begin thinking about everything that is positive in your life, and start a gratitude journal. It can have a positive impact on your mood, happiness level, physical health and overall wellness. Take some time each day to write down three things that you are thankful for and why. Learn to look around and see the positives you have in your life, and when we focus on these, more positives will enter into our world.
Practice mindfulness and start to become aware of your choices, actions, thoughts and behaviours. This can have a positive impact on each moment you are shopping, working spending time with family or friends or even partying. Make a conscious choice to eat and drink the things you do, don't just eat what is nearby and drink whatever is offered. Choose what you want and savour each thing you put into your mouth.
And do not forget to take the time for yourself and take care of you. Pamper yourself with a bath, exercise, or talk to good friends. Treat yourself fabulously this holiday season!
Have a great day!
Namaste

Did you breathe today?

2008-11-24T19:18:00.000-08:00

Hello!
The title of this post might sound a little strange, because if you are reading this, it means you did breathe and you are still living. But if you think about how many breaths you take in a day...on average about 50 000 or more, how many of those were you actually aware of?
It is hard to believe that you can do something 50 000 times in a day and not be aware of it. Well, I am here to tell you what an impact it can have on you if you take the time to notice your breath at least once a day.
Once a day for even a minute can have an important impact on your health, mind-body wellness, sense of peace, relaxation and stress levels.
In our fast paced society we are so often on the go with multiple tasks at any given moment that we do not even take the time to stop and smell the proverbial roses. Well, you really don't need to stop. Or find roses to smell. Breathing is something you can do anytime, anywhere, and whether you are aware or not, you do it, so you might as well take advantage of an opportunity to connect with your body and mind.
A small, constant improvement task, or Kaizen idea - try and notice your breathing and focus on your breath for one minute a day. If you start thinking of it once for a minute, add another minute at some other point in the day.
Just some quiet in and out breaths, focusing on nothing but the air going in and filling your lungs and releasing back into the outside world. The life giving air entering your body and nourishing your cells. We take for granted how miraculous our bodies are, and it is about time we embraced them, and paid them the respects that they deserve.
Take a few minutes today to check in with yourself and make sure you are still alive....not just merely living.
Have a great day, Namaste!
Jen

What will this week bring?

2008-11-17T12:02:00.000-08:00

Hello!
How are you feeling about the start of another week? I hope you are excited at all the possibilities of how fabulous this upcoming week is. What are you looking forward to? What are you not looking forward to?
How can you turn any snags into opportunities for learning, enjoyment and success?
Are you super busy this week? Take some time to think about when in each day you will fit in some YOU time, some workout time, some relaxed breathing and meditation time. I urge you to create windows of opportunity like this in even the busiest days in your week.
Each day can come and go, and how often do you think or say, "wow, time is flying by," or "can you believe it is already Thursday!? where has time gone?" Well, I would like you to take a few moments today to decided what you can add to make your day even better and what you can take away from your day that doesn't really need to be there.
Are you feeling bogged down, or just wishing for time to fly so the weekend can come back? Well, take a few minutes to think about a way that you can enjoy each day of the week, and not be wishing it away. Each moment is precious and there is much we can learn in even the most mundane moments. Give yourself a few minutes to ponder all the wonderful things your life has to offer. Give someone a call and say a kind word. Tell someone how much they mean to you. Thank those around you for what they bring into your world. Try and see the positive in others today. Give out positive feelings and they will come back to you.
Smile today at a few people you pass by while walking. Look around and observe all those others who are in this world, sharing experiences with you. Do not take a moment for granted or wish it away. Think of all that you can bring to the world, and show yourself and those around you that each moment can be a small little opportunity for happiness, fulfilment or growth.
What will it bring this week?
Have a great day,
Namaste

Goody Monday

2008-11-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Hello!!
How are you this Monday morning? Well, it is almost 1 pm here, so it is no longer Monday, but I hope you are good nonetheless!
I hope today you trying to detox a little if you had a treat filled weekend of candy and indulgences. The best thing you can do for yourself if you have had a lot of sweets and treats is DRINK WATER.
Water is a phenomenal way of flushing the toxins out of your system, so the impurities can go down the drain instead of store themselves for a long life in your cells.
Treat your body well today by drinking between 1 and 2 liters of water (more if you already drink that much!)
Your body will thank you by increasing your energy output and you will find you won't even need that afternoon chocolate bar pick-me-up that you stashed in your purse this morning (even the small ones will give you the high-low vicious cycle you do not want!)
If you can fit a great workout today as well, to sweat away the toxic buildup from the weekend, your body will thank you as well.
Remember, you cannot take away the things that you have already done, but you can take action going forward that will help to minimize the ill-effects that you may feel from your behaviours.
Treat your body well, and it will reciprocate love back in your direction!
Believe you have it in you to make one small change for the better today! Do it for YOU!
Have a great day and dont forget to SMILE!
Jen

Happy Haloween!!

2008-10-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hello!
I just want to do a quick post today wishing you a fabulous and scary Halloween! If you have kids (or you yourself are never too grown up to dress up!) enjoy the day and relish in the fun that it brings.
Try and stay away from eating too much chocolate and candy! Remember, what goes up, must come down, and the same thing goes for a sugar HIGH!
You can easily make yourself feel sick from all the sugar and treats you eat today, so aim to limit your intake to a reasonable amount.
The best advice I ever got - buy candy to give out that you HATE! Then you wont be tempted to snack on it in between the little ones ringing your doorbell.
There is lots of fun to be had that doesnt have to include copious amounts of candy and chocolate (or alcohol for you older "kids"). A little can go a long way when it comes to enjoying treats.
Remember podcast #9. It was all about savouring. Just because there is a lot of treats available, doesnt mean you have to eat them all. Enjoying one for a little longer than scarfing it down can bring you lots of pleasure!
Enjoy the day, be safe and have fun!
I just happen to have a special someone in my life who is treating me to one of my favourite treats of all time - SUSHI!
I shall be enjoying in moderation of course.
Happy Halloween All!
Jen

I love Mondays!

2008-10-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

Hi there!
I just want to put a different perspective in your head today. Are you one of those people who has the Monday Blues? Do you start to get agitated and irritated on Sunday nights because it means another long week at work?
Well, you might need to change your mindset.
I personally love Mondays, it is like a little mini new year's where you can get all gung ho and excited for all that you can accomplish this week. You can think about what goals you want to achieve this week. You can think about what you are doing next weekend, and how you want to feel going into that weekend.
If you are anything like me you want to go into the weekend feeling relaxed and strong and healthy and happy. Taking the time to think about how I want to feel at the end of the week makes me set little, constant improvement goals for the week ahead to give me that end result I want by Friday.
For example, this weekend, I will be going out with friends I haven't seen in a while.
How do I want to feel? Relaxed, excited, sociable, confident, carefree, curious, and ready for a good time.
So I think about what I have to do from Monday to Friday to get me to feel that way this weekend.
Well, I will have to work out every day, so I feel good about my fitness.
I will have to eat healthy meals all week long, so I feel energized for my workouts.
I will have to accomplish all the work towards my deadlines so I do not worry or ruminate over the weekend about the lack of progress I have made.
I will have to get a solid night's sleep every night, so I can maximize the hours I am awake.
I have to ensure to do my usual daily personal development and goal/dream journal, so I know that my personal happiness is taken care of.
I have to make sure that by Friday, I tie up all loose ends of emails, call backs and small business/housekeeping items I have...so I break them down and do a few each day.
And Voila! By Friday, I will feel like a million bucks!
Your list of to-dos may be vastly different depending on the many different circumstances we find ourlseves in, however, following this simple process of "beginning with the end in mind" can have a big impact on how that end result actually turns out.
Give it a shot this week!! It's never too late.
Jen

From my new computer!

2008-10-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hi there,
It has been quite a while since I have written here. Not for a lack of wanting, but more because I have been distracted and engaged in many other endeavors.
The membership of Kaizen with Jen is growing rapidly and I am so glad that there are people listening from all over the world.
I am hoping that this blog can serve as a place where we can meet and chat and I can get to know some of you listeners better. Another goal of mine is to link like-minded people like yourselves to others, so I hope this blog can serve as an arena for that as well.
I have had a number of issues with my previous laptop. I don't believe it was the computer's fault per se, I just think it has had a long life and its time was up.
I now have a new and wonderful laptop, which will be serving as my office space for the Kaizen with Jen podcast and this blog.
Lots more exciting stuff to come for Kaizen with Jen, however due to my technical and computer difficulties, I have not been able to publish Thursday's show. I will get that up as soon as this computer is restored with all my files and programs needed to accomplish that!
Take care,
Jen

The Marathon...what a journey

2008-09-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

Hi!
So, I am proud to say that I was successful in completing the marathon I have been training for over the last 6 months.
My fiance and I decided to do a marathon together, when we were inspired by a close friend who is running across Canada to raise awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Jonathan Howard (more info at http://www.runthedream.ca/) is running an average of a marathon a day for about 9 months.
Now, to paint you an accurate picture, I hadn't always been into running. I had always played sports growing up, and throughout my university career, I played varsity basketball, but I truly only engaged in running when I was chasing someone, running after a ball, or running sprints in practice. Never did I think I would be a long distance runner. I didn't think I had the body type, the desire, or the interest.
Well, I tried a couple of half marathons, and I enjoyed the experience, but I never thought I would do a longer race. But when Jonathan told us that he was doing a solo coast to coast run, it truly inspired me. I started to believe that if he could do about 200 marathons in a year, perhaps it was possible that I could do just one.
So the training began...
I talked my fiance into doing it with me, and it was an incredible journey that we went on together. We trained apart during the week (as we live in different cities temporarily) and then we did our long runs on the weekends together.
We were very nervous in the days leading up to the race, which took place in Akron, Ohio. We were facing such an unknown, as the longest distance we had run in training was 22 miles, and this was going to be the full 26.2.
Since this was our first one, we told ourselves we just wanted to finish it, and our time didn't matter. But secretly, my goal was to finish in under 4 hours.
The race began and I felt strong the whole way. I truly felt like I was running, not just jogging, or barely surviving. It was a great feeling.
I finished the race in under 4 hours like I wanted! And my fiance and I have already talked about doing another one together!! The training and the challenges of the race gave us a great opportunity to bond over shared struggles, and taught us a lot about what we think we can and cannot do. Running for 4 hours is certainly something I never thought I would even try and now I am certain I will do it many more times!
But today, I am taking the day off....

Slowing it down today

2008-09-18T14:25:00.001-07:00

HEY!
Today should be a day to slow things down! What is the rush we are always in anyway?
Really, today try to take a few moments and relax, lie in bed for an extra minute, take a few extra minutes in the shower, take your time walking or driving to where you are going.
Linger over conversation with someone, the mail man, the cashier...just slow things all down. That to-do list will get done eventually, no need to put pressure on yourself.
Just let things go with the flow today, like water flowing in a river, or a seed growing into a plant - those are things you cannot rush.
Why rush yourself? All in good time.
You owe it to yourself and those in your life.... One thing at a time, just slowly.
Try it!
Jen

Do not wait another minute to live!

2008-09-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Today's episode (11) is all about understanding how delaying gratifications can actually enhance your present moments by transcence. It is sort of a paradoxical thought at first, but upon practice, you really gain an understanding of how this can work for you.
I always think that it isn't the big things that we do in life, it is really all the little things, all those moments in between the big events, that are really of measure of who and what you are.
In our lives, we have births, graduations, engagements, weddings, holidays, deaths and other significant events, but when you think about the fact that there are 1440 minutes in a day, that's over 10000 minutes a week, and over 52000 minutes in a year - how are you spending all that time!? Not engaging in these monumentous occasions, that is for sure.
These minutes are spent working, cleaning, waiting in lines, grocery shopping, gardening, driving, exercising.
And if you are just waiting for those moments to pass to get to the big events, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to love the life you are living. To live each moment as if it were the last. To embrace and engage yourself in all that you do.

“We are always getting ready to live but never living.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

This quote was the inspriation for episode 11 - and the take away message is that you really want to evaluate your moments that you spend thinking about how things will be in the future when you decide to take action, or what you will do when you get around to it. Procrastination is not a tool of self-improvement.
Embrace each moment and live for today - but paradoxically do not engage in all the tempting behaviours that will have you straying from the path toward your goals. It is a fine balance between living for the moment and living for the future.
Keep those goals close to your heart and your mind, and make some positive decisions today to get you closer to living each moment the way you want!

"May you live each and every day of your life"- Jonathan Swift

Namaste,
Jen

Today: Strive for self love!

2008-09-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hi!
I hope this blog finds you on a great day.
Today I want to write about self love - do you show yourself love often enough?
And I don't mean by buying yourself things, or treating yourself to another piece of cake, I mean taking the time to truly sit down with yourself and contemplate your love of you - and all those wonderful aspects that make you who you are.
Do you spend a little time in your hectic day, complimenting yourself for being the hard worker that you are? Or for being kind and generous to others? Do you tell yourself you are good enough, smart enough and deserving of all that you desire in your life?
Every minute is another opportunity to show yourself love, and it does not have to be in these overt ways - such as telling yourself you are great (and meaning it! which of course is good, but there are other ways). It can also be in the ways in which you interact with others. Displaying yourself to the world as someone who is worthy of respect, kindness and generosity, by offering it to others (without expectations of reward or reciprocation).
Do you portray yourself to the outside world in the way in which you want to be treated? And do you treat others the way you want yourself to be treated?
Many of the ways in which we see ourselves are because of the way others treat us. So we observe the world and how others respond to us (poorly of favourably) and we tend to start reacting in that way and allowing that to become our sense of self.
Perhaps you thought you were artistic, but others have been negative about your recent creations, and you start to have self doubt. Well - in this case you have a choice - is that person, or are those people, important enough for you to put yourself down over? Or will you hold strong to your assertion that you are artistic and keep continuously improving on that gift daily?
Do not let those around you dictate who or what you are.
Treat yourself with love, respect and understanding for your less-than-desirable attributes, and the more forgiving and unconditionally accepting you are of yourself, the more you can be that way with others.
Take some time today for self love and see how it impacts those around you!!
Have a great day,
Jen

Gratitude Journal

2008-09-16T07:26:00.001-07:00

Hi!
I talked in Episode 8 about ways towards happiness, and one of the things I suggested was gratitude. Taking time each day to think about the things in your life that you are thankful for. It doesn't have to be something big, it can really be anything in your life. You can look around you at any moment (or look within you!) and see many things to be grateful for. Your clothes, your shoes, the fact that you are well fed, or not ill. You can be thankful for the fact that you can read this because you have a computer with internet access. Or you can be thankful that you can read at all.
Once you start thinking about things that you are grateful for, it is almost hard to stop. You just keep on thinking of another wonderful thing! It is a really fun exercise!
I encourage you to start a gratitude journal. One place where you write down your gratitudes daily (at least 5) and really give them a good thought and get yourself thinking deeply about how thankful you are for those things that you have or are.
This will undoubtedly give you a strong sense of positivity, and it will give you an opportunity each day to cultivate gratitude. Something that so easily is forgotten in this busy world.
Writing a gratitude journal will also allow you to look back at it anytime you are feeling down, or negative or stressed or worried. When you can read about all those amazing things that you have to be thankful for in life, it makes those day to day worries seem somewhat less important.
Honestly, it is worth the 5 minutes a day that it takes to write these gratitudes down.
Give it a try and you will fall in love with it!!
All the best, have a fabulous day!
Jen

Kaizen Mondays!

2008-09-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

People always talk about Mondays as being a day that they don't really look forward to at all. I don't want to generalize, but in this case, I feel I must. Most people head into Monday with a sort of "blah" feeling and are in a little mini mourning that the weekend is over. I have to say that this is sad, because it is surely a missed opportunity!
If we can head into this first day of the work week with a positive outlook and maybe a plan for the week about how we can improve one area of our lives, or make a commitment to ourselves to go this whole week working toward our goals. Let's say you want to make fitness more a part of your regular routine - well Monday is a great starting point! Perhaps you say I am going to go for an early morning walk or run 3 days this week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then it breaks your goal down into a small incremement and gives you a short term, reasonable goal to work towards.
People seem to put too much stalk in New Year's Resolution time and vow to wait with their goals until then - why!?!?
When we can think of each week as a New Week -we can resolve weekly (even daily!) to focus on what it is that we want in our lives, and then we can work in small steps to achieve it.
Kaizen - continuous improvement - you must focus on the little things, and a positive outlook and small outlines steps can have a serious impact on your goal when things start to add up!
Good luck and try it out this week - what is your goal!?
Happy Monday!
Jen

Kaizen today!

2008-09-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hi there,
My usual Thursday post was posted today due to technical difficulties. Episode 9 is up! Have a listen.
On Thursday morning I woke up and intended on posting my podcast first thing. Well, that plan went south quickly because my computer was not working in a functional manner. It took over an hour to boot up and I still couldn't open my web browser. Needless to say, I had many computer-related tasks to do, not including Kaizen with Jen, and this put a major dent in all that.
All my documents are backed up, so that was not a concern, but I started panicking wondering how long my computer was going to be broken for, or what if I was going to have purchase a new one?!
My tech savvy father interjected and started doing scans to figure out what the problem was (which ended up taking over 6 hours!).
What I was left with, was a large gap of time that I had planned ahead to fill with work. Now I could not do my work, and I was literally at a loss for things to do!
I realized in this moment how much I relied on my computer, and it made me wonder what life was like before computers.
Well, I made a new plan of attack to get my work done, but none could be done immediately. So I decided to use the time for things that I usually push aside from my schedule because I don't think I have time for them.
I took a relaxing shower after I did a pedicure for myself. I had a great cup of tea (in a real mug - not a travel mug!) and cleaned up my room. I did a few loads of laundry and I organized my papers and books. I made some phone calls and wrote in my journal.
I felt great by the end! The only thing I regretted, was that I did not sleep in! But once I was up and agitated about the status of my computer, that was no longer an option.
Anyway, my point to you is that once in a while we should turn off the technologies and tasks that we are involved in and think about some other things that we neglect to do for ourselves, that are still very important to our lives (obviously a pedicure is a rare luxury for me, but very necessary!!)
I hope this blog finds you in a great mood.
I wish you a fabulous day!

Hi! Welcome to the Kaizen with Jen Blog

2008-09-12T07:53:00.001-07:00

Hello there,
I am going to be updating this blog rather frequently, and I will try to give additional tips and topics to complement the Kaizen with Jen podcast.
The podcast can be found at http://jenbittner.podbean.com/
Or, alternatively you can search it on other podcasting websites such as podcast alley, podcast pickle, trumix.com or it can be easily found and subscribed to for free on the itunes store podcast site!
There are so many ways to experience the mind-body health, wellness, self-improvement and thoughts that Kaizen with Jen brings to you twice weekly for your listening pleasure!!
I hope you enjoy the podcasts and I welcome comments any time.
As well, my email address is kaizenwithjen@hotmail.com and you can email me anytime to request ideas for the show, or provide comments or feedback!
I look forward to hearing from you!
Jen

Episode 4 – is life passing you by?

2008-08-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hello!
This podcast is all about giving you an opportunity to question some of the ways in which you spend your minutes, hours and days. We have all been caught saying, "time is flying by" and it is true that time does fly by, but I want to ensure that you are really maximizing each of your precious daily present moments!
It is really about becoming more aware of your moments and what they are spent doing. Once you have an idea of how you are spending your time, you can learn to understand whether or not you are spending it in ways that will ensure you reach your goals.
Often times people will cite "time" as one of the reasons why they cannot accomplish the things they want in their lives. However, if we can become more aware of what we do spend our time on, it is quite likely that we can find pockets of time that can in fact be better spent - leading those many moments in your day to be more aligned with what it is we really want.
Best of luck pondering your daily ways, so that we do not miss out on a single moment for Kaizen!
Namaste,
Jen

One Step at a Time

2008-08-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today's blog is about taking things one step at a time to reach goals that you have set out for yourself. Too many of us put pressure on ourselves to make behaviour changes that are too big of a jump from our current ways. For example, if we want to be come more active, we have expectations for ourselves that include working out for an hour every day of the week. In reality, we would become more active in only 5 minutes of activity even one more day of the week than we were before.
If we have it in our mindsets what the goal is, we can break it down into manageable steps, exactly what it is that will get us closer to that goal. We have to set the goal high, but when it comes to the steps towards that goal, if they are too large, they simply will not be met.
Good luck and remember always, just take one step at a time, and you might be pleasantly surprised with the results!

episode 2 is up!

2008-08-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

Episode 2 is all about being BOLD! getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. Being true to who you are and really dreaming in reality. If you truly believe that you have the choice to decide how you act and react each day, you can really start to realize your dreams can become reality. BOLD stands for "be only living dreams" and the statement is trying sum up for listeners that if you live each moment in your life with integrity to who you are and who you want to be, your dreams will become your reality.
Be BOLD today!
...and never forget to smile - for others and for yourself!

Welcome to Kaizen with Jen!

2008-08-17T07:16:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the blogspot that will elaborate on some of the concepts that are talked about on the Kaizen with Jen podcast. This podcast focuses on continuous improvement in many areas in life and no matter what your desires are for self-improvement, there will be something there for you!