An Alchemist’s Recipe for Dreaming Big

It’s Memorial Day weekend…time to kick-off the most relaxing season: Summer! I’m writing this on Thursday as Carlos and I are headed to Lancaster this weekend for some much needed R & R. I’ll be posting the following Monday about our trip as there is a HUGE farmers market there. I’m so excited to get away and start dreaming big about the next steps for my role in spreading the word on healthy living.

I ran across this clip below with Will Smith talking about charting your own destiny. I found it exciting and inspiring. I remember hearing this stuff years ago. But it didn’t really resonate until I got my health in order.

I always wanted to believe you could create a life you wanted to bound out of bed in the morning for. But it wasn’t until I had a body I felt comfortable in, a mood that was consistently optimistic and calm, along with enough energy to “beat anyone on a treadmill (which you’ll get once you watch the video), did things like this video move me to action. It took an exceptional level of health to take this knowing in my head to a fundamental belief that flowed through my body. There’s a huge difference between knowing and believing.

Here’s Will Smith recipe for success. I’d add that to be able to out run anyone on a treadmill and be able to have the laser sharp focus and stamina Smith references, you need a top-notch nutrition and exercise plan for your unique body, a strong spiritual connection to keep guiding you and a great team to train and support you.

What is the missing ingredient you need to live the life of your best imagination?

Simple Solutions for Radical Times

Last weekend I was up in New York City for a nutrition conference. It was sponsored by Metagenics, an amazing company that uses non-toxic (aka natural ingredients) to help the body regain its balance.

Not only did I love that the lunch was all gluten, dairy and sugar-free, but I learned what a quality company Metagenics is. And I have to admit, when I first came into contact with the company a couple of years ago, I thought, oh, another supplement company.

But after hearing the Metagenics President speak, who demonstrated a deep understanding of the human body, mind and spirit, the importance of living in harmony with the environment and the high standards of quality they have for every aspect of their business, I decided this company might be up to something really cool – so I better pay attention and take great notes.
Which I did!

The details are interesting and neat, especially for someone like me who never ceases to be fascinated with the human body. But more profound was how after all the molecular biology, the new information on obesity and type II diabetes (which is not what you think), the cutting-edge research and new protocols for treating autoimmune and toxicity, it all came back to eating whole foods that work for the individual and stress management. And that means living a life with purpose, feeling connected and moving!

Whole Foods + Exercise + Stress Management = Radiant Health.

For a big picture person like me, Eureka! Life is complicated enough. When it comes to our health, simple solutions work in these radical times.

So how can you simplify a challenging area of your health? Can you add one more vegetable in per day? Can you set-aside three minutes to breathe deeply? Again, start small. The body likes slow and gradual change.

I may sound like a broken record here but every conference, article or person dedicated to radiant health has the same message: Keep it simple!

We are ONE

This was the name of the concert that HBO pulled together for the inauguration last week. What a show! I found it moving on so many levels. I spend a lot of time in my head but found that this past week, I was in my body feeling inspired and overwhelmed with emotion. I am so proud of our country (even the people who didn’t vote for Barack Obama allowed a peaceful transition which doesn’t happen in many parts of the world) .

I think the reason Obama is such a phenomenon is because he reminds us of our greatness, the wholeness in all of us. Believe it or not, many of us are afraid of our power. And for the past eight years, our country has been operating out of fear versus the hope, ambition and optimism that founded this country and the democracy concept in the first place. But we learned that playing small doesn’t work very well. Let’s move on – and fast!

It’s clearly time to step into our individual power and call upon our strengths. It’s a great way to be a Patriot! In Obama’s inauguration speech, he clearly explained that it’s not just about him – it’s about us too. And we have a lot of work to do.

So I ask you, where are you playing small in your life? Where can you make better choices so you feel whole, confident and ready to change your part of the world?

To get started, I suggest looking at what we in health counseling call your primary foods. Primary foods are what feeds your soul: Career, relationships, spirituality and physical activity. These are equally important as what you feed your body. When these things are balanced in your life, you feel that oneness, that wholeness that we crave more than chocolate.

So just start with ONE change. Maybe it is your diet. That will definitely aid in your confidence, energy and mental clarity. Or maybe it’s being a better friend or trying that yoga class you always thought about.

I know for me, once I got my nutrition right, I gained the energy and chutzpah to jump off the corporate ship and hang out my own shingle doing something I passionately believe in. I’ve never felt more alive in my life. I never knew such small changes would add up so big.

So whatever changes sounds exciting to you, go for it. And instead of thinking “What do I have to lose?” think “What do I have to gain?”. It will be a new era for you and our country.

And if you need some inspiration, check out U2 at the ONE concert:

Mike’s Investing Strategy: Get a Healthy ROI

As an athlete, both past and present, I was always interested in nutrition, but had very limited awareness of how crucial it is to living well…both physically and mentally. It was Ali’s passion for health and wellness that convinced me to examine my nutritional needs more deeply. Ali’s natural ability and genuine desire to help people succeed made it easy for me to sign up to work with her to get results. To this day, its been the best time and money I’ve ever invested.

~ Mike Bonitt, Philadelphia