(90-Day Detox) Day 90: YOU DID IT, SPARKLEPUFF! (To be continued…)

*gulp*

It’s Day 90.

I know it’s the end of the day and I’ve been thinking aaaaall day about what to say on this, the official 90th day of our 90 day detox.

And I started a clever post full of inspiration and then fell asleep.

This morning, I’ve got kids to whip off to school, a teleseminar with Dr. Ritamarie and then it’s you and me, SparklePuff. For a 90-Day Detox Grand Finale.

Just wanted to let you know in case you were wondering if I’d bring this in for a home run.;-)

Got stuck on third base, but I’m cooooomin’ home, baby!

More soooooon!

(90-Day Detox) A Constipation Conundrum and a Scavenger Hunt

Okay, while you’re reading this I’m probably waking up in the morning wondering if I’m going to be able to POOP!

I know, I know. Trust me to get all personal and graphic, but the truth is that for as long as I can remember I’ve had a terrible time with regular movements when I’m in new places with new people.

In our teleseminar with David Rainoshek he talked about what happens to sphincters when someone is exposed to certain things (like, loud noises, etc.).

A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, so chances are quite good that I will be packing my enema bag on the bottom of my suitcase, or at the very least a bowel booster herb blend.

Funny thought! This string of consciousness just made me recall living in Japan where we had pink heated toilet seats in fancy hotels. And some people had them in their homes, as well. It can get quite cold in Japan and with no central heating, a heated toilet seat is quite a luxury. Anyway, they have funny buttons on the panels of japanese toilet seats for all kinds of things. (water spray at different temperatures and pressures, etc.) One of the buttons is to make a “fake” flushing sound so that a grunting, gas-producing bowel movement won’t embarrass anyone.

But it’s so funny because everyone can tell the difference between a fake flushing sound and the real one, so it’s almost more embarrassing.

Oh well!

There’s a great kids book out there called, “Everybody Poops!” They should make an adult version.

While I’m in Toronto, I’m bringing my blender with me and I’ll keep food simple. I’ve been getting into the water and lemon thing a bit in the mornings, so I might keep that up.

Was grrrreat to have the support call with Dr. Ritamarie yesterday on the 6-Week Detox. I really love being able to have someone like her to learn from.

Aside from my little constipation conundrum, I’m quite sure I’ll be having a spiffy good time and while I would like to be able to write you from Toronto, I’m bringing my computer to catch up on some writing, but I won’t be able to get access to internet very easily. I wanted to keep my commitment to our 90-day detox and so I wrote this before leaving and it will pop up with wishes for a fantastic weekend!

I’m getting ready for a 7 hour car ride and one of the things that has helped me pass time in the past is playing scavenger hunts and games like “I Spy…” in the car. And so I decided that today, in the spirit of adventure, I challenge you to a scavenger hunt!

***Your Saturday Scavenger Hunt***

Write what you find below:

1. Look around or scoot around and find something GREEN! What is it?

2. Find something with holes in it. What is it?

3. Find something that moves on its own. (Speed doesn’t matter.) What is it?

4. Find something purple. What is it?

5. Recall a moment when you felt really good about something you had achieved. Tell us about it!

Now, have yourself a spectacular Saturday! This particular Saturday is dedicated to Sparklepuffs like you EVERYWHERE!

Smooches and sunshine,
Tera

(90-Day Detox) Day 81: I’m Going on a Mini Vacation!!

Hey, Whoooooa Nellie!

It’s Day 81. If I had faithfully written every day it would have been even further along. We’ve got 9 days to take this to the finish line and then what?

I’d like to know what you’re thinking we should do from here. This blog has become a cozy little community hub, but maybe there’s a way we can pump up the volume around here and start doing something funky.

Would YOU like to be a regular contributor to the blog?

What do YOU think we should put out here one this 90-Day Detox comes to an end officially?

I love the daily connecting–like a heartbeat (even if it is slghtly irregular).

I love the simplicity of just posting where I’m at, and what’s happening in the moment. No other agenda but to connect with you. Like a love letter.

Today I’ve got to whip together another issue of Health In High Heels. I’ve got a support teleseminar and some packing to do, because I AM GOING ON VACATION!

Poor Keely! I haven’t even warned her, yet. Anyway, for the first time in 2 years I’m going to unplug myself. (I didn’t say I won’t bring my computer and get some work done, though. I’ve got a lot of writing to catch up on!) I will spend less time online and more time enjoying the sun and good people. In general, I’ve been doing a lot more of that than I did at the beginning of this detox program, that’s for sure. I’ve definitely detoxified and unhealthy stress nad manupl Fortunately I can preschedule my blog posts for the weekend.

Mr. Right and I are going to Toronto for a few days. Last night the whole team (4 kids, 2 gerbils and a fish) got together for dinner and a sleep over and it was AMAZING! Soooo easy and fun and I was almost shocked when we arrived 15 minutes early for school. Peddlin to school on bikes this morning was one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Like ducks in a row, I tell you, it was ADORABLE!

I NEVER arrive 5 minutes early for school.

Teamwork is a beautiful thing. It’s pretty neat to watch how easily it all fits together–as if the pieces we held separately were part of some cosmic puzzle just waiting to fall in place.

So, I’m off to Toronto and feeling a wee bit nervous about the idea, to tell you the truth. Do I pack my enema bag? *gulp* I want to, but I never would. Thank goodness for Dr. Ritamarie recommended herbal bowel boosters.

Today’s Friday! Finish off your week with a bang and let me know what you think we should do around here. I’m off to the support teleseminar then packing for my weekend away. The smell of freedom is in the air and the weather says all is well in the world.

Love and hugs,

Tera

(90-Day Detox) Day 80: The Middle Path

Yesterday’s message took a left turn from what I had wanted to share as I felt my entire being needed to focus on gratitude and gratitude alone.

Do you ever get that feeling like the weather is somehow manifesting your inner space? Or maybe it’s the reverse? Your inner space–emotions and thoughts–are somehow takin orders from the electricity in the air?

Today it’s windy. The kind of wind that humbles you with a reminder that Nature does have the upper hand. Though we do all manner of interesting impositions upon her space, her form, her plan for things… when the wind hits, when the rain strikes or when electricity rips white light through the sky, then you know who’s boss.

Sometimes is takes a mighty wind like this to remind me how insignificant some of my “problems” really are. While I won’t go singing “Dust in the Wind” just yet, I think there’s something to be said for thinking outside of the circle of our own little world.

When a big whipping wind come and rocks your world you can’t help but be affected by it somehow. Today on my bike I’m going to take the things that stress me out, the things that hold parts of my negative attention and I’m going to donate them to the wind. Maybe she’ll find some way of putting them through Nature’s rinse cycle and transforming them into something better. But I’ve decided the wind has come to whip something away, so I’m gonna clip wings on my crusties and let them all go.

*grin*

Don’t Be So Obsessed About What You Eat Detox.

Hmmm…

We were supposed to kick off this week with a Green Smoothie Revival. 3 days of green smoothies or green juices.

How did you do?

I made it through the first day of juices, as I believe I mentioned. Then at the end of the second day, I decided that it had been enough.

I needed to take back the reins and do what made the most sense for me. One of the things that’s really easy to do is get on a binge-fasting roller coaster. I wanted to avoid that kind of scenario, so once I realized that I had handled my not going to bed at night, my late night eating and overeating and other questionable habits… Once I realized my cyst has shrunk some, my skin softened, by mood improved, I said,

“Well done, Tera.”

And satisfied with my improvements, I got off the juice wagon. I admit the juices no longer had much appeal to me anymore.

I want balance, not perfection.

Overeating, bingeing, eating late at night–these things cause my system grief and are behaviours I’d rather avoid. The Green Smoothie Revivial did good things to get me back on track with my attention on something besides food for a while.

And I’m not perfect but I’m not trying to be. I feel like I made the right choice for myself, because I didn’t roller coaster into a ravenous binge or overeating session. I got back in control and I’m going to stay there for a while.

Today, my love buttons, a salute to the middle path–to knowing YOUR limits and having the courage to respect them.

• Here’s to making change on a gradient, YOUR gradient.

Here’s to keeping a spirit of play alive and well in your life. Don’t take stuff too seriously. Roll, play, giggle a bit more. Fall down, but get back up and take the steering wheel back on YOUR life. We don’t need to measure success against the accomplishments of others as much as we need to measure progress against our own experiences.

That’s what I like about you, Sunshine. You always come up with the good ideas.

Keep on chuggin’ along. I’m totally on your side.

Looooooove and windy wishes for warm spring kisses,

Tera

(90-Day Detox) Day 78: Love Without Limits

Goooooood morning, Sunshine!

Yesterday was my first day of Green Juices. I SO wasn’t prepared and didn’t eat enough at all, so I think that’s part of the reason I’m feeling a bit… bleeech this morning. It’s like having a window into the toxic moments of my life. A physiological reminder of the less-wonderful things I’ve done to myself.

I guess this is detox. I’m humbled by this experience. I feel calm. I feel green. I would love to dive into fruit, but I really can see what a difference this makes.

Excuse the juicy details, but I don’t think you’ll mind… I’ve noticed candida moving its way out of the system. It flared up recently for the first time in 6 years! i don’t know what it was… the fruit, the fat, the astral projections for Virgo?

I didn’t manage to get to my yoga class yesterday, but in light of the under-eating, that’s probably a good thing. Today I’ve already hydrated, I’m about to do an intestinal FLUSH! (don’t you love the juicy details ) and then going to keep that juicer busy all day long.

I find all the green makes me COLD!! They say foods have warming and cooling properties. I know bananas in the winter make me SHIVER!! And all this green food has me feeling pretty chilly. I’m not sure how long I’ll continue with juices. I nibbled on a few green veggies yesterday–not more than a couple tablespoons and I tried to spit out the fiber when I remembered. I guess that’s “cheating” but I really don’t care. Today I’ll try to be a bit more “strict” about it just for the sake of seeing what happens but I think KEY is having enough juice ready to go.

I’m missing fruit BIG TIME, but committed to riding out this process and observing the reactions taking place in my body. I went through an initial elation, but now am feeling very CALM and observant.

Focused.

Clear-headed.

I admit that it was strange to go for dinner last night. While they ate fajitas, I had a wine glass with green swamp water in it. One of the things that was really GREAT about that experience is it confirmed for me that it is NOT a big deal to order a salad or eat veggies when people are having dinner with their regular cooked food fare at the same table. It’s a whole different  ball game to politely sip swamp water while they pile on an extra serving of salsa and look at you a bit confused.

Anyone who says they don’t know how to socialize as a raw foodist has officially lost my sympathy. Order a salad! Nothin’ to it! If you think it’s tough, order a green juice. The salad feels like steak after that.

Yesterday’s blog post struck a chord with many of you and I’m soooooo glad. It’s empowering to realize that the only thing holding you back is YOU! Empowering and humbling too, I suppose. As much as we try to find “excuses” or “justifications” for not being where we say we want to be, there there’s no one tying us down to shove pretzels in our faces.

It’s your hand EVERY TIME that brings food to your mouth so YOU are in the driver’s seat, Baby.

I watched myself in the driver’s seat yesterday. There’s a certain amount of discipline involved in doing juices for only one day. I can tell you, it was A LOT easier with Mr. Right around. I’ve tried SO many times and never been able to do it on my own. I mentioned that he was totally committed to supporting me for this process. He’s been AMAZING! The Detox Doctor checking in on my all the time.

Funny, because after having supported over 15,000 women on a detox, I hadn’t realized how much I needed a bit of support myself.

I’ve never felt THAT supported before in my weird food adventures. I think most people are just overwhelmed with the strange extremism of what I do. It didn’t matter to him how strange it sounded, he just wanted to know what my goals were and then do whatever it took to help me achieve them.

In general it also helped to be distracted by the events of being together, instead of here, on my own with the fridge whispering my name. I really think community is important. I really do think we’re better together.

This song kinda sums up where I’m at on that subject!

Watching the evolution of this new relationship with Mr. Right has given me new insights into Divaland because it’s like a microcosm for our community. Some say, “You’re only as a strong as your weakest link.”

Today I disagree with that idea.

I watch how my strengths compliment Mr. Right’s weaknesses. I watch how my weakness finds strength in his “way of being”. I think we are better together and I’m not just talking about me and Mr. Right. I’m talking about all of us. How many things have you been able to achieve as part of this community? How many times have you been given strength by reading someone else’s story? How many times have you felt lousy, then gone to a park or received a phone call that perked you up?

We can do so much to support and strengthen each other. It goes without saying, that we can also be dragged down and negatively influenced by others as well. There’s been some talk on the blog of negative relationships, and I think it’s a valuable subject to address in light of the detox theme we’re still working with. I can say that I’ve definitely encountered some toxic relationships in my life. But I can also see how MY behavior, MY responses, MY fears, MY insecurities, MY unhandled crap were in large part responsible for the toxicity.

Sometimes life dishes out surprises in the form of interesting people. Sometimes we choose emotions like anger, resentment and blame and direct it toward others. This is a self-destructive process since you’re the only one swirling in negative emotions when you do this. No matter how bad a situation or relationship gets there is ALWAYS, ALWAYS something you can do to improve it.

A cat can’t scratch a glass pole.

People can’t irritate, annoy or get your goat unless YOU have your own issues for them to grab onto. Situations and people can’t shake you up, unless you’ve got stuff that can be shaken.

Do you know what I mean?

There’s always SOMETHING you can do to improve a situation, ANY situation, EVERY situation, EVEN THE SITUATIONS YOU THINK YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR. And a part of you knows there’s something you can do.

In my life I’ve gone to all kinds of extremes, different books, authority figures and friends looking for answers to what life is all about. I learned the most in relationship to other people. I learn the most when I fearlessly dive into the experience of living with LOVE for the people and experiences around me because I recognize I DO have some degree of responsibility for them. When you look out at the world through responsibility-tinted glasses, you gain a certain degree of leverage. It’s like you own your life just a little bit more. That’s a beautiful thing.

If none of this has made any sense at all, then allow me to take the role of victim to the effects of the bok choy, parsley, celery, broccoli and cucumber juice that is making its way through my system right now.

I think my brain is on detox, so rather than belabor what risks being a rather convoluted blog post (which I will post anyway, by the way) I best get off to handling other unfinished tasks.

I’ll leave you with this thought:

I tried to find a motto for myself at one point and the only words that really resonated were “love without limits”.

It works for me. Sounds simple, but I’m okay with that. Whether you apply it to your relationship with yourself, your food, your environment, friends or family, there’s always something you can do to find a graceful space within. There’s always something you can to to stretch the boundaries of how much love  you allow yourself to give, to receive and shine out onto the world.

Hope you got through Day One okay, Sugarplum.

Detoxing diva,

Tera