Today Is The First Day of the Rest of Your Life

It's been a while since I have been here but I am so happy to be back! My life is so different since moving to south Florida and I can hardly believe that 3 and a half years have gone by, but I must admit that it has been a positive move in the right direction for me. Being in a different location after spending your whole life somewhere else is quite an eye opener at first but you do learn to get used to it and focus on the positive, leaving the rest behind. Continuing to travel from coast to coast really puts things in prospective and life is always different visiting/vacationing as opposed to actually living somewhere else.  I tend to get so excited about the thought of possibly moving again and starting a different life in a completely new place the moment I get there, but I quickly remember how living here is a 360 from the week long vacations of the past, and it has taken some getting used to. Obstacles such as traffic, cost of living, and the dynamics of the many cultures here quickly take their place and hit you in the face! I do love the diversity of the area, from weather and tropical surroundings to the melting pot of people from all over the world. It seems that you can enjoy the life you want wherever you are as long as you have the right attitude and mindset.

Changing careers from being a CPA to a Holistic Nutrition Coach/Customer Service Manager of a Golf Clothing and Accessory Distributor has helped me move in a more heartfelt direction where I can be true to myself. In other words, my stress level has decreased significantly, eating habits changed completely, and outlook on life is much more positive. I realize the importance of taking good care of myself in order to help others embrace their happiest healthiest versions of themselves.  After finishing my health coaching course I realized that I needed to connect with like minded people in the area involved in promoting better health and wellness. I looked for local health fairs, green markets, and events that would lead me in these directions. The continuous exposure to the ever growing health industry of supplements, machines, positions, etc. was overwhelming.  I had to listen to my gut when I was exposed to the same nutritional supplement twice in 2 days. It made so much sense to include this in my arsenal of gifts that I could offer to others. I immediately jumped on board  and I must say it has been  a great ride that I will continue for the remainder of my life. My health coaching course taught me the power of eating a plant based diet, including the rainbow of fruits and veggies and the many benefits of each. Why would I not take 6 capsules with over 30 fruits, veggies, grapes and berries each day as an insurance policy for prevention of disease, and increased daily health. It made so much sense. I had been taking an array of good quality vitamins and supplements everyday but they were so expensive. When I compare what I was spending to my new regime of fruit and veggie capsules, it was a no brainer. Little did I know that this was the best decision of my life. It is hard to explain how good I feel everyday since making this change.  I also stopped eating dairy; milk and cheese, which helped my digestion and inflammation so much. Noticeably better hair, skin, nails, and gums, not to mention the increased energy.  I have always had reflux and indigestion but did not realize how bad it was until I didn't have it anymore. Occasionally I do eat good quality cheese and creamy sauces and the indigestion and stuffiness hits me like a ton of bricks.  I also notice how I crave more veggies and fruits as a result of the increased whole food nutrition intake each day. I truly believe in the power of food as medicine. I use myself as an example, and take it from me, it happens quickly once you make small changes in your diet and exercise routines.

What I am continuing to learn and practice is being present in my life. Enjoying each moment as it comes. Having my parents so close to me so that we can play golf and enjoy meals together on a weekly basis, is priceless, and I am enjoying this so much. I realize that I do want to stay close to them and no matter how many places I visit, I am here to stay as long as they are here. I have built a life in this new place that is happy, healthy, and satisfying. I continue to pursue my many interests within the health and wellness industry; alternative natural treatments for cancer, the many benefits of cannabis, the power of breathing, meditation, and yoga, and the positive results of having a good attitude. Golf is a big part of my life here and my goal is to play at least twice a week.  I must give kudos to the EWGA of Fort Lauderdale chapter for enhancing my life and introducing me to so many great new friends, not to mention all the great courses we get to play all the time.  I do miss my racquetball community back home but we are all still connected thru Facebook and I do love keeping up with everyone.  These are great memories for me and I will keep them close for the rest of my life.

My message to all is to enjoy your life now and be present where you are. I have been talking to my kids about this lately as they embark on new adventures and directions in their lives. Life is learning  to appreciate what you have and enjoy each and every moment as if it were your last. Tomorrow is not promised but we always have today, so make the most of it. Hug your loved ones and tell them that you love them every chance you get. Smile at the person walking towards you who may be frowning. Most of the time they will smile back and you could have just made their day.  For me it makes my day just to see someone smile back.  Life is so short so don't sweat the small stuff and focus on the big stuff. Remember to give back as often as you can. It will come back to you ten fold when you least expect it.

I will see you back here soon!! Love to all and go out and touch as many lives as you can today, including your own!!

Susan G now Feeing Fine After Fifty
Juice Plus

Why Wait; Live Your Life Now

I was let go from my job in January of this year. It has now been about 6 months and I have learned so much about myself, my friends, and others I have come in contact with during that time. In February I finally joined facebook to promote this blog, and it has undoubtedly been one of the best decisions of my life. I have reconnected with so many old friends that I did not keep in touch with over the years who I really had fun with growing up. What I realized is that the connections to these friends are still very much the same now. Although our lives have changed due to careers, marriages, divorces, and locations, our personalities and likenesses have remained the same. The most ironic thing I have noticed is that we are all at that point in our lives where we just want to spread our wings and fly. What I mean is that for whatever reason; probably because of what we are taught, when you are young, we have a tendency to choose the more logical path. I know that's what I did. I always enjoyed theater in high school and started out in college somewhat going in that direction. I always knew that I wanted to be involved in some way. While working a summer job before starting at ODU I met an older woman who was very unhappy in her long time marriage, but could not leave her husband due to financial constraints. I realized that I never wanted to be in that position during my life. I knew I was good in math and english, and decided to pursue a career in accounting., knowing that it would support me financially and I would never have to depend on anyone but myself. It was by far the best decision I could have made at the time, and has been very good to me for the last 29 years. I was able to start at the bottom after graduating with a BA in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting, and ultimately became a CPA. I climbed the ladder year after year, and job after job, to finally land that job I had always hoped for. I could never have done the job without my years of experience in different positions, with different companies, and dealing with some of the most colorful characters. I had years of career, and life experiences.

I am now at a crossroads in my life. It is my time to do what I want to do. I have been divorced and single for the last 18 years. Wow, that sounds like a long time. I am in the process of selling my house as the kids are gone, and moving to Florida,where I have wanted to go for many years. I have chosen my new career path which I will start after I move, but has gone hand in hand with the premise for this blog: HEALTH AND WELLNESS. I can hardly wait. The best part of the last 6 months has been reconnecting with my old friends from this area and realizing that we have not changed inside. We all want to get back to what we want to do. One of my friends is singing in a band, while my other friend is getting ready to perform in local theater. They still have their full time jobs for now but they have reconnected with their innermost passions. I am so excited for them, and even more excited for myself. I also realize that I do not want to spend the rest of my life alone, and very much want to fall in love again, and find that special someone to spend the rest of my life with.

As part of this life transforming process, I have also opened myself up to so many new things; golf, writing, travel, and the ultimate for me: HEALTH AND WELLNESS. Feeling good inside and realizing what I need to do to enhance that is the seed of all things. I truly believe that eating well, exercising, sleeping enough, and enjoying life to the fullest is definitely the key to a long, happy life. I almost forgot to mention that I have been seeing a therapist for the last year, in an effort to help me deal with some anger issues surrounding some unforeseen circumstances. This has been such a wonderful enhancement to my life, and has taught me to look at life much more positively (the glass really is half full), as well as my approach to all people, issues, and life as a whole. I am much more accepting of others and their lives, and have learned to only deal with what I can control, and leave the rest behind. I should have done this years ago but I can only look forward at this point. If you are having issues in your life that you are not happy with, and can't figure out what direction to go in, I highly recommend finding the right professional and seeking help. It is AMAZING, and will change your life.

Check out this video and keep these lyrics in your heart.

And The Winner Is Facebook

I recently signed up for facebook in an effort to promote my blog. Everyone has been bugging me to join and keep up with the rest of the world, but I was so opposed, thinking my life would be so exposed and it would take up so much more of my time. Well, I have been proven wrong. Yes, I said it, WRONG!! I am enjoying this new social media outlet (for me) so much that I find myself there everyday just to see the news. I see who posts everyday and the kind of things they post as well as being able to participate in the likes and dislikes of all the gooey gossip. It's actually really fun and it doesn't take up nearly as much time as I thought. I even figured out how to create my own facebook fan page for my blog which seems to be a feat in itself.

Overall I am really enjoying it and recommend it to anyone who is not participating. Everything seems to be so connected to it and I can post articles, pictures, events, etc. I am thoroughly impressed. I even found myself asking others why they were not utilizing all the features such as events when they needed to be promoted. This is by far the best way to reach as many people as possible at the same time, and in record time. I now know why businesses as well as individuals are taking advantage of this incredible medium, and it is INCREDIBLE!!

I have to say that I am really enjoying trying new things this last month or so since I have been unemployed. In addition to facebook, I'm in the middle of a magazine writing class, which is giving me great exposure to a totally different way of writing. I still haven't figured out if I really want to go in that direction, but this is a good way to do it. I am taking a ballroom dancing class at the YMCA which is really fun as well. I have always wanted to do that but never did. Tomorrow I am going for a swedish massage which I have done before but not in a very long time. I am also going to start Zumba classes and spin classes next week. I feel the need to make my workouts more diverse. The machines in the fitness room don't seem to hold my attention very long. I am still playing racquetball 2-3 times a week and trying to get golf in when the weather holds up. I also find myself watching Rachel Ray and Dr. Oz most days if I am home, for great cooking and health tips. Rachel really knows how to make everything look so easy and delicious. Dr. Oz gets so excited about everything he has on the show, so it's hard not to follow suit.

The point of this article is to inspire you to go out there and try as many new things as you can. How many times have you said to yourself, "I always wanted to take that class" or "I will never do that", or "it's just not something I'm interested in". Well, I am here to tell you that if you don't step out of your comfort zone you will never know what is out there waiting for you, and believe me, it is worth stepping out for.

Living for Change