It happens to me all the time. I will meet someone and say to myself, “That was the father I never had,” or, “That is the friend, teacher, mentor I have been looking for years.”

That was how I felt when I first picked up a book written by David Wolfe. Meeting him sealed the deal. It was not like David was my father or brother, but rather this divine being who could teach me a lot. And he did…and continues to.

There are so many teachers who have crossed my path through the years and inspired me to take action, yet I give  David much of the credit for getting me to a higher level of self-care and self-love. He taught me about nutrition through his books and videos and shed light on the energy that food is. While I always knew that processed food was depleted of energy, I was inspired to learn more about the life force of food through David’s books and through watching him speak. I love that man. Since I am on his mailing list, he recently wrote a piece called, “Why I am NOT a Millionaire.” While I know he would be the first person to not judge people who have money, he did share about the effects that scarcity consciousness has on our body and our health. He writes:

“What constitutes real wealth, anyway?

There are many people suffering in hospital beds, eating hybridized, genetically modified processed foods, who are spiritually, emotionally, and mentally confused. There are many billionaires even, suffering from poor health and unable to experience the vast number of enjoyments they have spent their life acquiring.

I have few assets, and yet I’ve never lacked for anything.  I’ve never eaten anything but the best food ever… slept in the best (grounded) beds ever… traveled to the most exotic lands ever… experienced the most extraordinary health ever, shared the company of the most beautiful friends and family, and most of all, met 100,000′s of fantastic, wonderful people like you who are hungry for the knowledge I share.

I am, in my estimation, incredibly rich — perhaps the wealthiest person in the world.

And where is true wealth found? Consider the following:

True wealth is a peaceful state of mind.

True wealth is abundant physical health.

True wealth is spiritual connection to source energy.

True wealth is emotional wellness.

True wealth is found in serving others.

True wealth is knowledge of oneself, knowledge of one’s environment… and finding and following your mission in life.

In addition:        

True wealth cannot be hoarded, only shared.

True wealth is not created by what one has acquired, but by what one gives away.

And true wealth (or happiness in oneself) is directly proportional to the happiness one brings to others.

So let’s consider that our previous notions of “wealth” and “resources” are outdated and irrelevant.

Let’s also consider that making money for its own sake is a meaningless and never-ending, never-fulfilling endeavor.”

So I ask you, what constitutes true wealth for you? I hope and pray that something inside you values health and chooses to put that at the top of your priority list. And just because you may have dodged a bullet meaning you still neglect yourself and are symptom free, I would ask you to consider your body and what it really needs. And if action is calling, the time is now. If not now, when?  David and I both agree that, “Life has so much to offer and it is no dress rehearsal.”

Be sure and connect with David: http://www.DavidWolfe.com

Hope your first week of this New Year was fantastic. I would love to hear how it is going for you so far.

And watch here how mine started. :):):). All good.

Happy 2010, I got Pooped On….

Blessings and Love, XO

Laura

P.S. Please join nutritionist and Ayurveda Healer Myra Lewin and I this Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at Noon PT for what we both know will be a life changing call. One small pinky step at a time, some small behavior can be impacted that can and will improve your health and well being.

Please sign up here.

http://onepinky.com/myralewin.html

I got Pooped On

There are many people out there who have still not found a way, a path and for those people, I pray every day, hoping they are guided to someone or something to help them. The thing about being awake is that you get to see that there is always another step to take and a hand to hold. You are never alone while at the same time feel very comfortable in your body being alone. Being awake is a gift and I have many people ask me, “what do I say to someone who needs help and cannot ask for it?”

How to Tell Someone You Love that They Need to Change

Have you ever thought, “Why didn’t someone tell me?” and wondered why a friend or loved one didn’t quietly take you aside and offer you advice or say the difficult truth when you were about to make a terrible mistake?  Have you looked back at a time in your life when you were running head-on into a train wreck – and realizing that no one tried to stop you, thought to yourself, “If someone had just said something to me, maybe I could have avoided that?”  It is important to reflect on these moments in life so that we can be ready when the situation is reversed – when it isn’t us, but our loved one who is headed for disaster with their lifestyle and health.

Do you love someone who has crossed the line and is no longer just “slightly overweight” or “too thin,” but is now truly unhealthy from poor choices and constant abuse to their body?  Do you sit quietly by their side, paralyzed, as they continue to do this every day and worry as they choose poor self-esteem, unhappiness with their weight, major illness, or even worse – death?   Are you concerned enough about their well-being to really do something to help?

Ask yourself:  Has this loved one ever asked for help with their weight issues, verbally or non-verbally?  Have they expressed dissatisfaction with their body, exercise habits, food choices or health?  Has this loved one ever passively given me clues that they are crying out for help?

When someone’s hurting, they can’t always say they’re in trouble – they may be too ashamed or too afraid.  At times, they might even deny that they need help – or that they asked for it.  They may even resent you for bringing up the matter.  I am here to tell you that there is a way to reach people without hurting them!

First, you must not allow yourself to stand paralyzed — wanting to help them and not knowing how.  If you truly care for someone, you must be willing to take a risk for them.  What is this risk?  If they are in deep denial and burying the reasons for their unwise habits and dangerous choices, they may walk away from you rather than face the truth.  When we hurt inside, we attack our bodies because that is what’s available.  Poor lifestyle choices, self-abuse in the form of food and lack of self-care are simply physical manifestations of pain.  If your loved one is hurting this much and hurting themselves, you can help them!

There is a healing and non-aggressive way to reach out to others through the art of story-telling.  Arm yourself with real success stories, choose a time to talk to your loved one, and begin your conversation with those stories.  My own life is a great example and can be found on “About Laura” at: www.LauraFenamore.com or right here at www.OnePinky.com.

Share my success with them – I released 100 pounds and kept it off forever. Tell them that there’s more to it – that I realized I hated myself as much when I was thin as I did when I was overweight.  I finally came to see that it is not what we look like on the outside – but how much we love ourselves inside!  Only then could I begin the slow and steady path of self-care and self-love.  I began to love Laura – and I was able to stop hurting myself as I moved forward and made positive, courageous changes every single day.

Your loved one will probably open up about their own situation, although they may be angry or hurt.  But are you more concerned with their well-being than initially offending them?  Are you willing to risk losing your loved one for a moment in order to help save their lives forever? If you are, then take the courageous step and begin opening up to them.  At the end of that discussion, you can guide them to read my special report at www.OnePinky.com and if that does not resonate with them, there is other help out there. No one is ever alone and I often suggest people start with one small Pinky step that is different from anything they have ever done. Something that will stretch them. Something that will take them out of their comfort zone.

The goal is inner peace and it may not feel comfortable to confront someone who is suffering and yet you may be saving their life.

Puts a nice spin on the season of Light. It is a way to give without spending any money and it is done in the spirit of service.

Happy Holidays Everyone.  Stay Healthy and Joyful.

Love, XO

Laura

…where people have access to healthy food—and can afford it.

…where girls don’t jump off bridges because they are anorexic.

…where people use food for nourishment and exercise for energy and enjoyment.

…where Paris and Britney are not the leading role models.

….where we don’t use our bodies as things to abuse.

…where abuse is something that we forgot existed.

…where we love and appreciate our bodies, and teach our children to do so by example.

…where  weight is only the top news story when it is about healing, not shame.

…where deprivation and a scarcity mentality no longer exist.

…where people choose health over size—over anything!

…where people don’t make excuses to not care about themselves.

…where myths are just myths and not truths that people buy into.

…where love leads the conversation and complaining is a thing we all have amnesia about.

What kind of world do you want to live in?

Please leave your comments, I welcome them….and know you are loved….

Live, Learn and Let Go!

XO, Laura

I was thinking today that we should publish our back and forth posts, cause there is a lot of insight and meat here. What do you think?

I am really enjoying this ceremony of writing daily. You inspire me to want to do it even when I don’t want to. Thank you for that Sweetheart.

Speaking of Sweet, I hope my mailing resonates with many readers on the dangers of Sugar…and everything in moderation…however, people need to be aware of the impact we are having on our bodies with food, with our thoughts, with our actions.

My dear friend Joe Tye is amazing. He gets it. He gets this mind, body spirit connection and wrote a great piece that he gave me permission to share with you all today…

In honor of Halloween, Joe wrote about his experience getting bit by a spider in the grand canyon and the impact and insight that had on him…Since tomorrow is Halloween and black spiders are part of the Halloween culture, I thought this was a good time to share this with you all. And a little bit of background, Joe goes to the Grand Canyon every year, sole and he also leads hikes there.  One of these years I want to go with him and I will.

May sound a bit far out so let me explain.

Those of us in the self help/inner exploration  movement, whether we are teachers or students, may forget about feeling good at times…

She was saying to me that she was in a funk for a while and it was hard for her to reach out to me.  I have no judgment about her not reaching out, rather I want to provide solutions to those who feel isolated (hence my inventing onepinky.com, so we can always reach out to someone).

I said to her what I say to myself, that life ebbs and flows and the key is to reach out to someone in those down times…not to get answers just to share your truth about where you are…

In isolation we wilt.

And one sure way that I have remembered to remember that is to reflect daily on how great my life is…I do a gratitude list everyday…no matter what. no matter how I feel.

Even in my darkest moments and darkest days, I do not forget to write down all the things I am grateful for, (on those dark days, I may not be able to feel the gratitude, however, I know that writing it keeps me connected to my truth and “who I am”.

“Gratitude”

For me it is a gratitude list every night…of at least 10 things and the bonus for me is to try to make them different everyday and not repeat myself.

I have enough to be grateful for in this lifetime to not repeat myself too much. That is how expansive my life is and how great the possibilities are.

Leah, I sure hope that you are feeling good today and…you better believe that your name comes up on my gratitude list a lot, (ok, true confessions, I do repeat myself on a few things every day, you included).

I am so proud of your powerful words below.

I am committing to live in world where I feel comfortable in my body, a world where I am sexy and whole each year I age and I nurture my body out of respect rather than obligation, a world where my weight holds no weight in my mind and my weight matters to me out of health and not for reasons of image.  What a beautiful and happy world.

I am looking forward to hearing your voice and inspiration on the call on Monday at 5pm PST.

You are an inspiration and teach Pinky’s how to live, learn and let go.

I love you, XO

Laura

“Don’t be afraid your life will end, be afraid, it will never begin” -Grace Hansen

I came across this quote today and I said right on! That is a quote I must share…

The workshop was fantastic and as I was just sharing with my new pal Kate @katebush, http://kbjonline.com/ the common theme or denominator for women in the workshop is that it is never good enough. FAT, SKINNY, TALL, SHORT, CURLY, STRAIGHT…it is never good enough. Women shared that no matter how great there lives are, they seem to get stopped and stuck by the scale, the 10 lb. syndrome…to this I say,

When is it ever good enough? Because what women say to me all the time is, “if only I had my pre-child body back or my 3o something body”…and then I ask them, “did you like it then?” and the answer is always the same, “NO, it was not good enough then either!” You seeing a pattern here Leah, ENOUGH, our bodies being enough must come from a deep place inside us. It is getting back to our roots, who we are, not who we think we are.

The body is where women get fixated because we are taught that Barbie is the norm and all else is not good enough. It is just a lie that most of us ATE and our job as women is to create the new conversation about the truth of who we are. BIG VISION, this new conversation and I think we can do it, don’t you Leah?

We began the workshop with a mediation, set our intentions and then answered these questions….and shared them with one another and with the group.

Questions for “Taking Responsibility”

Note: You may know how you want things to be and please answer these questions as truthfully as possible. There is no judgment here, just truth and letting go. There is no such thing as a wrong answer.

1. What do you project out regarding “responsibility” and is it authentic for you?

2. How do you “take responsibility” in regards to your body?

3. How do you neglect your body?

4. How do you “take responsibility” in regards to your health?

5. How do you neglect your health?

6. What does “taking responsibility” have to do with your body image?

7. Who or what empowers you to be accountable and take responsibility and what story holds you back from leaning into that person, place or thing?

8. Can you be responsible/want things (of this world) and be at peace?

Why or Why Not?

9. If you were to give how you are with responsibility a brand name, what would that name be?

10. What can’t you afford not to put off any longer?

Please feel free to take some time to write out answers to these questions too Leah and you can blog about them if you wish.

Enjoy your day, enjoy the video and feel me loving you and sending you and Leigh healing energy. You two feel it? I hope so..

XO, Laura

P.S. One of my daily affirmations read, “To receive more love in this lifetime I just need to love myself a little bit more” . And I feel you loving yourself more Leah, you are living, learning and letting go….

P.P.S. Hey Pinky’s come out and comment and play with us on the blog and in the Forum.

OnePinky.com member Barb sent in this lovely prose recently, and has granted us permission to share it with the community.

“My Truth”

pain, heartache, anxiety and loss are all life’s way of inviting me to grow
it requires me to name my sorrows,
to identify and explore their cause,
to see their manifestation,
to acknowledge the fear and sadness in my response
to what has become a inconsolable longing inside.

I cannot console what I am not willing to acknowledge;
what I am not willing to name.
I can not know what I am not willing to explore
and I cannot heal what I am not willing to release.

suppressing, hiding, denying, avoiding, minimizing,
pretending and stifling are the architects of
my sorrow, my suffering.
suffering comes from resisting, restraining,
confining.

healing comes from listening, releasing,
letting go, disarming, opening, speaking my truth,
naming what scares me,
exploring the root of my fear(s), telling my stories.

healing comes from presence.
awareness.
a willingness to relinquish
the past.
forgiveness.
healing comes each time I am
present in the moment,
each moment I claim what is true for me.
the moments I speak and write, laugh and cry from my heart
the moments I practice transparency,
the moments I am visible and vulnerable,
the moments I admit I don’t know,
the moments I quit pretending,
the moments I am playful
or serious or tender
the moments I know the difference.
the moments when I trust,
and embrace the complexities of my life and
especially my loves.

I choose the moments,
this moment.
now,
to heal
to be whole
to be authentic
to see the possibilities,
set aside expectations
and to love without conditions.

Thank you so much for sharing, Barb.

Do you have a moment of truth you’d like to share? An “Aha!” moment, an epiphany, or just a quiet realization? Share it here.