What is most important to you this year? What steps will you take in order to improve your health? How will you commit, so that you can have the health results that you most want?
These are important questions and sometimes difficult to answer. Creating a Mantra might be the way you find clarity and focus this New Year…in a way that you have never before!
So, take your time, there’s no rush! And know that here are some helpful hints below, in order to create YOUR VERY OWN MANTRA!
Fall is such a gorgeous time of year, I love it! It is an exciting time of year too and one of my favorite seasons! Lots of things are starting up and people are settling into new or old routines…and that can feel good. Routines are familiar, predictable, repeatable...so sometimes that is easy.
But sometimes, it can be sad that summer has ended…less family time, or maybe anxiety around not knowing how new experiences will feel.
I always have both with any change…excitement about what is coming and fear about what will result. I think some combination of these two is pretty common but what the hell does this have to do with our health and our habits?
How do we actually do this? Or is it too frickin hard?
How do we create and maintain good health habits this fall, with so much other crap happening?
Exactly. How do we actually do it? How do we move forward after we took the summer off from physical activity, we ate and drank things that we are not super excited about now and we are not feeling good in our body?
These are powerful things…the top 5 things in the secret sauce that I use in my coaching practice. We can move forward and take these steps together and create the change we want for our health:
Step Back - pause to consider what you most want and write it down! Be clear on this before proceeding with next steps.
Let Go - what do you need to let go of in order to create space for what you want. Sometimes our own clutter gets in the way but we can remove it.
Say Yes! to Yourself - Give yourself permission to to explore and do what you love.
Take empowered action - do something, even just one thing!
Set up support & accountability - ensure there is someone supporting you when things get hard and holding you accountable to keep showing up for yourself.
We can do this and it can be fun and easy too!
You have what you need in order to have what you want, not immediately, but definitely! And I would love to have a FREE one hour conversation with you so that you can start to make You & Your Health a priority…First this fall!
Wishing you much love as you celebrate you and your loved ones today!
What a beautiful day to reach out and do something special for the people we love. But I am curious…how do we show ourselves that same love today?
Have you ever tried to look in the mirror and repeatedly tell yourself…I love you?
What happens if you say it over and over again…do you actually believe it?
It’s one thing to TELL yourself, but how do you SHOW yourself?
What would it be like for us if we made our own self-love a priority? How guilty would we feel?
What happens if we love ourselves, does that mean we might love others less?
What if we love others so much, will our own self-love be less?
Does it have to be an either/or? Either we make other people a priority OR ourselves…maybe it can’t be both?
How do we show ourselves love each day? And does it have to be a big gesture?
My Top 10
What are some easy ways to show yourself love…no judgement, guilt or impossible difficulty
Trusting my gut to make the right decision
Making fun and family a priority!
Doing something physical every day
Practising gratitude by recognizing the good work of others
Smiling in the morning
Setting boundaries and only taking on the things I love
Recognizing my value is not connected to what people think of or say to me
Eating things that fuel positive energy
Being honest with myself and saying what I need
Engaging in active listening and being truly present in experiences
How will you show yourself love on Valentine’s Day? Just know that whatever you do, it is better to be an B- in ACTION rather than an A+ in intention!
You have what you need to have what you want. ❤
Have you ever told yourself “I love you” and really meant it?
Sometimes, it is really frickin hard. Try standing in front of a mirror and repeating, “I love you”, over and over again. This can feel super awkward but it is a powerful way to check in with how you are feeling about yourself.
I spent a lot of my life dis-accomodating myself, not giving myself even small doses of what I REALLY needed in order to truly be my best. Not loving myself enough to acknowledge what I really needed to do for myself and having that be ok. And by dis-accomodating, I mean choosing to not make time and space for thinking about what I needed and then slowing down to create space so that it COULD happen…naturally inviting that self-love into my life.
That system worked quite well for a lot of years but when I reached a new decade a few years ago, I decided it couldn’t continue. There had to be more and I could definitely be better. I didn’t want to care what the moms at school thought, or who is doing what better than me on social media. The idea that I was not driving in the direction of my best me and what I LOVED, was causing excess worry, anxiety, and especially overwhelm. Just spending too much time consumed with what not in alignment with what was actually most important. That feeling of never being truly relaxed and at peace inside. I feel like a lot of us know how that feels.
So, I committed to then new, consistent and gentle ways of learning to really fully accommodate what I needed.
I invested in courses and certifications that were truly aligned with what I loved and thought I could figure out how it all fit later.
I engaged in volunteer activity that was truly in line with my passion and professional background.
I committed to making my eating and physical activity super high priority so that repeating the patterns became easy and just what I do.
What I found was that it didn’t take away anything from what anybody else needed. It didn’t have to be EITHER I have what I need OR THEY have what they need, it turns out it can be BOTH! And by THEY, I mean your spouse, kids, co-workers, family, community. What if I accommodated what I needed and then I could better accommodate or support what someone else needed too?
But how do you even know how to accommodate yourself if you don’t really know what you need or want? For me, it started by learning to REALLY TRUST AND LOVE MYSELF. While a long way from perfect at it, I am regularly practicing ways of connecting to things I truly love about myself and my life and I feel more engaged and proud of myself as a result. Maybe this is a way that you can also connect to the true love of yourself :
THINK about some things you are passionate about, things that really spark your shine or feel really good!
CREATE a list of the things above that you would like to do in the short (1 - 6 months), medium (6 months - 2 years), and longer-term (> 2 years).
CHOOSE just one. Pick that one thing that you cannot be without or do without, and call this your Passionate Obsession.
Then ask yourself, what 3 things can I do now, in order to make that one thing happen.
And the final question, what do I need to let go of in order to make room for this new thing?
I have found that passion - and new LOVE OF MYSELF in my coaching, volunteer commitments, and in my spare time - family fun, playing the piano, lunch with friends, golfing, reading, skiing, running, teaching a fitness class. I LOVE it all.
So, wishing you a day when you can begin to fall in love with yourself and what you do. Have a beautiful Valentine’s Day celebrating yourself and your love!
Nourishment is about more than just food!
One powerful way we can nourish ourselves and others is by showing GRATITUDE.
This week, show gratitude to others by recognizing someone else for who they are or what they have done…and notice how it feels
It doesn’t have to be something they did for you, just something about them that you notice or are proud of them for doing.
Then make a comment here on what you observed and how you felt when you did it …AND you will be entered for a FREE Reset Your Health Cleanse!
With love and gratitude,
Nicholle Povhe
Tip: Print 7 pages, one for every day of the week. Before you go to sleep, set aside 5 to 7 minutes to complete the Daily Gratitude Journal. Let me know how it goes, either on social media or in the comments below, to be entered to WIN a FREE 21 Day Reset Cleanse!
OR comment below for a CHANCE TO WIN!
Let’s get outside and let’s get moving!
Did you really DO Christmas? Did you eat lots of turkey & stuffing, do lots of ZOOM, drink a few eggnogs or maybe just take it easy and do a bunch of nothing? If you engaged in the level of activity that you would normally do and that is working for you, great job! But if you didn’t, maybe this is YOUR time to reactivate! Maybe you WANT something different for your health and your life, so it is time to DO something different!
Maybe at the fresh start of a new year, you are looking for a fresh start for your health – do you want to kick some old habits to the curb that are no longer serving you & your body well? If the answer is YES…
I invite you to take advantage of this gorgeous weather to increase your Vitamin FA (fresh air) and Vitamin M (movement)! Leave a comment each time you go outside and get active for 20 minutes in the next 7 days and you will be entered in a draw for a FREE RESET YOUR HEALTH CLEANSING EXPERIENCE! WOOHOO!
Let’s Go – you CAN do this!!!
OR comment below for a CHANCE TO WIN!
Have you ever thought about reaching out to a Health Coach? Do you maybe wonder what a Health Coach actually does? What good are they? How can they help you?
Health Coaches are specialists…in habit change! They are masters of how to transform your habits so that you can LET GO of old ones that are no longer serving you well and LET IN the ones that are aligned with what you most want for your health.
I am dedicated to helping people who are focused on their career & their family, but are feeling depleted and stuck in their health! With heart-centered programs, I will support & stretch you in making simple choices in order to reduce stress, increase your energy and lose weight… without depriving yourself or stepping into overwhelming action! We will work together to create health habits that last so you can shift from STRIVING for work - life balance to THRIVING in work - life - health ABUNDANCE!⠀
In my cleanse, one way that we try to open up the body’s natural channels of elimination is by eating fresh, whole foods…those closest to their natural state. And then there are many other foods we avoid. We do not do this only to rid ourselves of these potentially harmful things but also to KICKSTART our journey to our health goals and see how good we can feel!
The Government of Saskatchewan has done a tremendous job of providing guidelines for Re-Open Saskatchewan but sometimes not all the details are clear or agreed upon by everyone. This is where JUDGEMENT and COMMON SENSE are applicable! The same is true of our HEALTH, ESPECIALLY NOW… when we have made our career or our families (or both!) a priority, or we have been living in a pandemic, all of these things above can cause us to struggle in our health.
Here are 5 things you can do to help SHIFT AWAY FROM SELF-JUDGEMENT and start to focus on your health goals…
Hello my friends! Well, a lot has changed in the world since the last time I wrote! For some, it has been the first or second week of isolation and social distancing; for others, they have been fully immersed in the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic - at the hospital, medi-clinic, grocery store, manufacturing facility of essential supplies, or special care home.
At a time when we are getting so much amazing information from the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control, and our federal and provincial governments, we might feel some comfort. But sometimes, we can feel uncertain or anxious. We might be anxious about what we are supposed to do or what we can’t, what might happen next or will I be ok?
So, as the experts figure out all of that and we listen carefully, we also know that ultimately, this will pass. At some point, we will look back and see some of the great changes that took place during this time and because of this time. Chaos isn’t just an opportunity for change but also an invitation for something to change. But for right now, I have compiled some of my favorite go-to tips, the ones I am practicing right now, for staying calm and active in the face of all of this. We can look around in the world at who to blame or watch what others should be doing and aren’t. OR, we can focus on what we CAN control…and help ourselves during this time, so we come out stronger than ever when it passes!
Here they are…my favorite tips to stay calm and in action in the face of disruption, chaos or crisis…and feel like I am doing something:
This is a powerful way to tell your brain that you are in a peaceful place even if your circumstances or our world events do not seem peaceful.
Then focus on just ONE of those things. Finishing or following through on just one thing feels good and makes you wonder…hmmm, what else can I do? Then you might just do that!
Maybe that is a walk with the dog, a bike ride, a run, a free fitness class on line (MOSSA is offering at motionfitnesssaskatoon.ca).
Never underestimate the power of movement in your life – it improves your brain function, circulation, breathing, mobility, strength!
Vitamin FA and S are plentiful at this time of year…and very powerful in aiding in digestion, improved immunity, lower blood pressure, anxiety, depression!
Skype, Zoom, the old telephone conversation to stay in touch and laugh, have virtual drinks, play games and LAUGH!
This aids in absolutely everything!
I like a mix of information in the morning and early evening, and then disconnecting from media during the day and especially before bed. Try it!
Smile at a passerby, say a kind word, send a thoughtful message, send a virtual hug, drop off some food or baking on their doorstep.
Reading, looming, gaming, knitting, puzzles, playing games, painting, building something, experiments, coloring pages, cooking, baking, crafts, music, sewing, cleaning even!
I love being clean and I especially love when my clothes are fresh… right out of the dryer is amazing!
The stores have a lot of fruits, veggies and nuts, try them! Or make a new recipe of cookies that you have always wanted to make.
My favorite meditation app, HeadSpace, now has a free offer! Check it out on your playstore – Apple or Android.
Check out if your church is livestreaming (mine is, woohoo!)
Write down what you are doing now, how you are feeling, plans for when the pandemic passes…because it will! Create a schedule for what you will do during the day.
If you are normally a scheduled person, and most of us are, it will help you stay in action and feel like you are getting things done! But…be gentle on yourself and allow for modifications!
Keep it dark, relax before bed with a bath, book, cuddle, music, your favorite tea, fuzzy socks.
Please keep your 2M distance from everyone else unless absolutely necessary. We will absolutely slow the spread if we do this!
Pray for those in essential services who can’t keep their distance right now. Let’s commit to do our part…we are better (virtually) together! Every day, we get to decide if something is going to be a gift or a burden in our lives (Dr. Sean Stephenson) so let’s let our actions today, be a gift to ourselves first…and then to others (me - Nicholle Povhe!)
Calm or chaos? I think we know the answer!
This is a picture of a (partial) stunning view from the top of the gorgeous Arc De Triomphe in Paris. I have had the pleasure of standing at its top; it is an impressive monument that is at the center of 12 radiating avenues.
I am curious…how do you feel when you look at this photo? What rings true for you? Does it remind you of your life? Your Job? Your house? Your family (or just your in-laws, haha!) What about your phone messages, your email inbox, the counter at home with the kids’ school papers on it? The laundry, your to-do list, your kids’ activity calendar, your volunteer commitments? Argh!!!
There is a jerk out there that we have all had the displeasure of meeting…and his name is Overwhelm. This character is the cause of anxiety, frustration, stress, emotional eating, weight gain, lifestyle disease and many other unpleasant things. There are many causes of overwhelm and also many different kinds:
Loud noises, clutter, smells, bad traffic, chaos (environmental overwhelm)
Pain or fatigue (physical overwhelm)
Grief, anger or excitement (emotional overwhelm)
Events, people, family, gatherings (social overwhelm)
Too much information or worry (mental overwhelm)
Sometimes when we feel overwhelmed, we get stuck and cannot step into action. Some of the ways I have felt stuck in the past look and feel like:
I don’t get enough things done or at least not the right things
There are too many things on the list that you don’t even know where to start
Too much clutter in your life or house
Being unable to determine priorities or not knowing what should be done first
I am not good enough to do the things I want or need to
On a scale of 1 - 10, how overwhelmed do you feel right now? Ahhh…now take a deep breath and read on!
The definition of chaos is “complete disorder and confusion”. I have felt plenty of disorder and confusion in my 40 + years! When my kids were 6, 4 and 1, I went back to work after my third maternity leave. Hubby was helpful but working long hours and carpooling to a location out of town each day. So, having your mom return to work is hard enough for those little guys! But at that point, we were also moving. The oldest would go to a new school and the two little ones would go to a new dayhome. I thought, this is so great, new house, new school…a new beginning, so much fun! But alas, we found out that too much newness is just too much sometimes and of course, my return to work did not go that well! The oldest was distressed and cried at school, every day for weeks. He just wanted to go to work with me and so eventually he and the principal worked on projects together until he was comfortable to stay in the class (I loved that guy!) He just wanted to stay home with his little brother and sister and me; 6 years old is still little and we had often put the other two down for a nap and played games together so we BOTH missed that! So that would have been hard enough…but the middle one cried at preschool drop off and then at the dayhome drop off; and the little one cried too, probably because the other two did or she just wanted to stay home too! I had the good fortune of working only three days per week, thinking I would ease into it. But I just got to my office, shut the door and cried every morning. My boss and business owner was a woman and luckily she was understanding; I also had the most incredible colleagues and we have remained close friends, even though we have all moved on to other jobs.
That was just the start of the day, then there was the middle and we all know what the end looks like with little ones…meals, stories, snacks, bathtime. I loved every minute of it and miss those days terribly but Overwhelm was definitely present then, how could it not be? Raising little ones is so much responsibility and I didn’t want to screw it up (or them)! Add a little perfectionist layer on there too and WHAMO…Overwhelm! I wish I had the information and skills that I do now…but thankfully my coping skills have evolved over time. It turns out that love is what you need most and all the other details don’t need to be perfect. Mistakes make you real and teach the example that we don’t need to get it all right all the time. What a great lesson! The kids won’t even know, or anyone else for that matter, it is just the story we tell ourselves sometimes. So “who cares!” (to quote my Scottish buddy), we are not living anyone else’s “highlight reel” (to quote my nephew!)
Speaking of evolving, I thought I would share some of my favorite ways to help me thrive (better now, not so good then!) when I feel overwhelmed. Here are my 10 favorite…they are easy, inexpensive and they work!
Breathing deeply!
Moving (running, a fitness class, etc.)
Laughing
Walking Barkley (my sweet little golden doodle!)
Date night with spouse
Hanging with my friends
Anything with the kids…going to their games, watching movies or playing games (my fav!)
Cooking
Reading
Last but not least…sharing information with you!
Doing these things creates space for pleasure in my life and opens up possibilities to kick overwhelm to the curb! But you might wonder and ask yourself…that is all great, but how do I actually get things done?
Sometimes we might just have unrealistic expectations…
Here are 5 simple actions that you can take in order to start to step out of overwhelm and into action:
Create a list! Put a star next to the top three things on that list that you would like to get done in the near future (< 30 days). Highlight or circle the item you wish to complete most.
Ask yourself why that item is the most important to you and write that down in a place where you can see it, easily and often.
Determine which day in the next 7 days you can create space for that ONE item and put it in your calendar on that day.
Say NO to something during that same period and DO THAT ONE THING. It is easy to get stuck in the daily routine and do the same things over and over. However, we know that “if we want something different, we have to DO something different!” Letting go of something to make room for something else is very powerful.
Breathe deeply and celebrate! Go to the mirror and say, “I am proud of you!”…until you mean it! When you celebrate what you have done, it opens doors in order to do and have more of THAT. It is true that “we are all winning the game we are playing” (Health Coach Institute) and if we play the game of joy, gratitude and celebration, that is what we will inevitably have more of in our lives!
And THIS…will translate into getting things done, one small step at a time!
The same approach is true with your health! If you would like to step into action in order to create the change you desire for yourself and your body, I will support you to take that action and avoid staying stuck! We will create opportunities for you to reduce stress, increase your energy and lose weight by taking action in a way you might not have done in the past. Reach out to me on my Contact tab if this is something you want for your health and your life. Take care of yourself FIRST…what’s the best thing that could happen?
The Expo this weekend was a tremendous success and so much fun! Other exhibitors were kind, professional, and so knowledgeable about the information that they shared with me! The attendees were enthusiastic, interested and curious about their health and I loved meeting you all! Thank-you for the many conversations about you and about me, I appreciated every one of them!
So, what you probably really want to know is: who won all the draws? Here they are:
Cleanse entry winner from day one: Gail S.
Cleanse entry winner from day two: Tiago M.
Cleanse entry winner from day three: M.J P.
Rush Tickets winner: Sheldon Y
Coaching package winner: Maureen M
CONGRATULATIONS to you all!!!
I will be calling each of you by Monday evening and look so forward to working with you! For those of you that were not drawn unfortunately, I would like to offer you a ” 25% off coupon” for either a cleansing opportunity or for a coaching experience. If you provided your email to me, I will email it, or else, you can access a coupon on my website later in the week!
Thank-you to all of you for your time and interest in me, my booth and my services! I will send you other additional, fun information from my company as it is posted - an article, recipe or other programs details that might be interesting for you!
I wish you all the very best in your health journey. Stay curious…you know yourself and your body best and there is no one that experiences things in their health exactly the way you do. Being positive about your health doesn’t mean that everything will always be ok, but rather that you will be ok, no matter how things turn out. But, we can be better than ok…we can strive for better health than yesterday by creating space for new experiences, ideas, food options, movement, relaxation, gratitude and fun!
Smile at or laugh with someone today, it really is good medicine!
With gratitude and love,
Nicholle
Is this JUST Clark at Christmas? Or does anyone else sometimes feel this way?
Is this a joyful time of year for you? Are you running around, buying Black Friday sale items, looking for Cyber Monday deals, buying more sugar, flour and butter than you do the other 11 months of the year combined in order to bake your buns off, then eating all of said baked items in an unreasonable period of time, maybe even before Christmas? Are you fitting every social event possible with every person you’ve ever known into the month of December, getting the perfect family picture taken and then shipping it off, while trying to think of the perfect gift for everyone? Or is this just me, lol? Ahhhh……
But seriously…what a magical time of year!
I love the beautiful lights and displays - downtown, at the mall, and in my own house each morning and evening.
I love my husband’s Christmas party with the amazing and talented staff - we drink drinks, play games, and laugh for hours.
I love watching my favorite holiday movies over and over again each year and feeling like it’s the first time, every time!
I love listening to children sing at this time of year, especially my own kids. This really melts my heart!
I love our family traditions of sharing beautiful meals and stories and staying in touch over the years with our extended family and neighbors.
I really love seeing people at their best and giving to those who don’t have what they do - with generous hearts and without judgement.
Of course, we also know that it can be a very sad and maybe even lonely time of year…
…for our friend who lost his mom and dad in the space of 12 days this year;
…for another friend making multiple trips out of province for a sick child waiting for surgery where none of it is covered by the system;
…for my mom, when we go to the candlelight celebration each year at the funeral home to honor my dad;
…for our neighbors whose daughter has suffered excruciatingly and endlessly due to nerve pain resulting from dental work;
…for my family who lost my mom’s eldest sister, Norma, this summer…a very special lady in our hearts and lives;
…for those struggling with their health and feeling so stuck, they don’t know where to turn and what could possibly help them at this point;
…for those who have lost their faith, their jobs, their marriage, or anyone they love.
It can, however, also be a very hopeful, reflective and peaceful time.
I am definitely hopeful and reflective during this time of year, but peaceful? Jeepers…how does this work with multiple jobs, a husband that works long hours, kids in many activities, pets, grandparents, friends, parties, the gym, groceries, laundry and all of those baked goodies just calling out to us everywhere we look?
I find that when I focus on what I do have and do accomplish, rather than what I don’t have or isn’t done, I see possibilities rather than limitations. I have a grateful heart, rather than an envious, anxious or resentful one.
Wayne Dyer said it most eloquently…
But how do we start to feel and appreciate that abundance…
…when we feel frustrated, anxious, sad or lonely? How do we get more of what we love and want in our life? The same is true for our health…how do we get more good health in our life, if that’s what we want? What does good health even mean?
We might be frustrated with our current health situation…our stress, energy level or weight, but we can choose to focus on something we have an abundance of right now…and that is our capability.
Our ability to choose is never diminished. We can choose to acknowledge that being stuck, getting started and moving forward is sometimes hard and sometimes sucks. And then we can choose…the right system, support and accountability to help celebrate what we are fully capable of doing. We can have abundance in our health, one small step at a time.
So, as 2019 comes to a close, try this out…whatever ignites your spark, do more of that, joyfully! This is my mantra for 2020. What is yours?
So whatever you celebrate this season…
a blessed Christmas honoring the birth of Jesus, a beautiful holiday, a wonderful family gathering, or just a break from routine to watch the Price is Right, Ellen and Dr. Phil each day, let that be an opportunity to focus on your own joyful abundance because I know this to be true…we grow more of what we celebrate!
Happy Holidays to you and all those you love!
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3 Easy Steps to Increase Your Energy…Today!
