Posts Tagged ‘change’

Fall into the Season of Change

Upon gazing out into any landscape, whether you are strolling down the a winding path in the park or taking a drive through a road bordered with trees, take note of your surroundings. The leaves are changing colors, being lifted up by the wind and carried swiftly to the earth where they will break down and prepare for something new. The palette of colors dances across the scene, a treat for your eyes as bright oranges, reds, yellows and browns come alive. Isn’t nature beautiful? How magnificent is it that the  process of renewal can be displayed so vividly and in perfect harmony?

Here we are at the brink of a new season, the leaves are becoming one with the ground, and yet this is not a process that brings sadness, it is one that brings about a burst of energy, of excitement, and great anticipation of what is yet to come. Winter wonderlands, cool breezes, scarves and mittens are on the horizon. We welcome change as it comes with nature, we embrace it, we love it. If only we could think of change in the same light when it comes to our lives.

Change is necessary, change is constant, and change can be held in such a positive light. Why is then that when we think about making changes in our own lives, we are often met with feelings of fear and apprehension? Fear of the unknown, fear of leaping and not growing that set of wings on the way down, fear of falling, fear of failing, fear of being hurt. These types of negative emotions can hinder our growth and our development, and can halt our steps forward down various different avenues in our lives. Maybe it is love, maybe it is your job, your living arrangements, or your financial situation.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in our day to day routine, in the early rising, in the must be in the office by this time, must take lunch break here, that we forget to live. We forget to LIVE. We forget that our purpose in life is so much more than the day to day nuances that we effortlessly go through each day. So much so that we don’t even think about the what ifs anymore or contemplate what our next steps will be. And yet, these leaves, which were once green and so full of life, change to even more vibrant colors. Then, almost without warning, they let go of the branches and limbs that they once held onto for support and life, and they let the wind carry them carelessly to their next destination.

Some of these leaves land in streams and get taken with the current to reside elsewhere. Others end up in someone’s yard where no doubt the children will pile many together and dive right in (when was the last time you did that?). Then there are those that will be picked up by admirers who simply want to gaze further at their beauty. And some will be seemingly forgotten, but not really because they all return to the earth, breakdown and then become something new. Such is the cycle of life.

So as you watch the changes happening all around you in nature, and as you take note of their beauty, think about the changes that you want to make in your life. Perhaps it is something big (like you want a new job or a new apartment) and then perhaps it is something small (like you would love to take a long weekend getaway and simply explore a new destination). Then take that change that looks so big and scary, and break it down into smaller tasks that you can easily handle. For example, if you are looking for a new apartment, one goal might be “this week, I will spend one of my lunch breaks doing an online search for apartments in the new area I want to live,” and then your next goal would be “2 weeks from now, I will make an appointment to visit an apartment that I found online and get the grand tour.”

Suddenly, even if you are unaware of it at the time, you are leaving the comfort of the tree, you are gliding and becoming one with the wind, adrift and gracefully floating towards your new destination. You’ve let go and you didn’t even realize it. You are willing yourself to another level, to something different, to something more. And look at those beautiful colors radiating from your being! Simply magnificent!

Leaves change. Seasons change. And people change too. What kinds of things can change inside you?

Food, Inc. – In Theatres June 12

Are you Hungry For Change? We just wanted to put the word out there to all the members of our nation, the film Food Inc. will be in theatres June 12 (tomorrow). Visit the official website http://www.foodincmovie.com/ for additional information about this documentary, view the trailer, and learn how you can get involved.

Food, Inc. exposes America’s industrialized food system and its effect on our environment, health, economy and workers’ rights. For example, did you know that the average food product travels about 1,500 miles to get to your grocery store? And that transporting food accounts for 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year? A better and more environmentally friendly alternative is to shop local.

Were you aware that 30 million Americans are obese? High calorie, sugar laden processed foods coupled with our sedentary lifestyles is growing our wastelines and contributing to serious health issues like diabetes, heart ailments and cancers. By incorporating more raw and unprocessed foods into your diet, you are providing your body with the nutrients that it needs to heal itself and building a strong foundation for personal health and wellness.

Last but not least, approximately 10 billion animals (chickens, cattle, hogs, ducks, turkeys, lambs and sheep) are raised and killed in the US annually. Nearly all of them are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions. These industrial farms are also dangerous for their workers, pollute surrounding communities, are unsafe to our food system and contribute significantly to global warming.

What can you do?

First, check out http://www.foodincmovie.com/, and get knowledge on what’s going on with food right now, then follow the links they provide on their site to learn more about the various issues and the actions you can take. The list below was taken from their site.

10 Simple Things You Can Do to Change Our Food System

• Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages.
  You can lose 25 lbs in a year by replacing one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water).
• Eat at home instead of eating out.
  Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food prepared outside the home.
• Support the passage of laws requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards.
  Half of the leading chain restaurants provide no nutritional information to their customers.
• Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.
  Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.
• Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.
  An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.
• Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.
  According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.
• Protect family farms; visit your local farmer’s market.
  Farmer’s markets allow farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.
• Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.
  The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.
• Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.
  Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the U.S.
• Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.
  Poverty among farm workers is more than twice that of all wage and salary employees.