According to Carole Dweck, one of the study's authors, "When you have a limited theory of willpower, you're constantly on alert, constantly monitoring yourself. 'Am I tired? Am I hungry? Do I need a break? How am I feeling? And at the first sign that something is flagging, you think, I need a rest or a boost." That is when we might grab for a sugar boost---ah...hem...perhaps in the form of dark chocolate...my personal favorite.
People who have a more abundant theory of willpower are not looking for those cues all the time and their actions are more sustained. So how do we get to a belief of abundant willpower? Simply, we need to start with small successful experiences in willpower and feel the emotions of those to form new beliefs and habits. We know a little something about the habit mind.
- It is easier to start a new habit than to stop an old one.
- Our "natural" willpower is strongest in the morning.
- Starting with a first good step in the morning can pivot your whole day in a good direction.
 Think of the domino theory in reverse. Uprighting the first domino can start a virtuous cycle that continues to upright dominoes throughout your day.
In Ayurveda, we do not focus on stopping "bad" behaviors, rather we focus on what to add. By adding something good we disrupt the old pattern and enjoy hope of a new outcome.
In this issue you will find some high impact actions that can give rise to your dominoes. Just pick one. That's all....just one.
Live with radiant intention and be well. Rhonda |
Start First Thing in the Morning
Take charge in some small way first thing in the morning. Don't effort by trying to engage your willpower all day long, rather, use your natural morning willpower to start a new habit. Once a repeated action becomes a habit, it requires no mental energy at all--that is the beauty of habits. Before checking email, before giving over your day to others' demands of you, first do one small thing for yourself and plan to do it every day.
- Meditate - even if only for 5 minutes, even if you are still in bed.
- Exercise - Start your day with exercise. I like to do yoga to the DVD--Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh. There are three 15 minute segments of increasing challenge. I only ever expect myself to do the first 15 minutes -- "Awakening". It's pretty easy so I don't have resistance. Then I see what I feel like doing and often I want to do segments 2 and 3.---but I don't always and I never expect it. Or do some stretches in bed.
- Breakfast -Have a breakfast that gets you going--grapefruit with ginger and honey (recipe) to cleanse and stimulate agni or hot grain cereal for nourishment. Set everything out the night before. I cook steel cut oats or cream of rice in a rice cooker. Just get it started an
 d let it cook on its own while getting ready for your day. Easy!
- Start your day with a glass of warm water and fresh lemon. One of the best morning rituals you can do. Benefits
- Scrape your tongue (video). Soooo refreshing!
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Quick Tips to Keep You Going Later in the Day
- Sugar Buzz - Craving for a sugar snack to keep your willpower going? Substitute a cup of tea with a teaspoon of honey. Honey is the only fat burning sweetener
- What's for Lunch? - We grab for convenience and then can go astray. Fresh prepared is great, but leftover fresh prepared
 is better than grabbing processed food. Try making a soup or other dish that you can eat for 3 days. Nice to have something on hand.
- Supper - get some rice going in the rice cooker and lightly saute some veggies--quick. Or scramble some eggs and veggies for supper--again---quick.
- Late night cravings? Try a warm bath with epsom salts instead. Sometimes we crave comfort and we think food---think alternatives.
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Using Ayurveda to Change Negative Habits
Into Healthy Rituals.
Read the article
here
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Classes
Rhonda Egidio, Ph.D., R.A.P. [Registered Ayurveda Practitioner] feels great passion for sharing the wisd
 om of Ayurveda and the simple yet effective practices that
can make important upgrades to our digestion and overall radiant health.
Full Radiant Living with Ayurveda:
The Sister Science of Yoga
Purification, Balance, and Rejuvenation
with Rhonda Egidio, Ph.D., RAP
and Cynthia Hoss, LMT, ERYT, AYS
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Location: Transformations Center, 3427 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo Township, MI 49048
flier/registration
Guided Spring Cleanse:
Detox for Radiant Health with Ayurveda
There is no more important time to detox than the transition from Winter to Spring. In the dry Vata Winter season we accumulate toxins. When the Spring moisture comes, the dried toxins are dislodged and begin to move. We want to make sure we are moving them OUT of the body so they don't sluggishly resettle somewhere.
March 25 + April 1; 6:00-8:00pm Kalamazoo
Ayurveda Radiant Skin and Natural Dental Care
Learn about Ayurveda skin and dental care and make cleansing
and moisturizing products from foods and spices found in nature.
You will make Ayurveda cleanser/toner and moisturizers for your skin type and dental powders that you will use in the workshop with samples to take home. Recipes will be provided so you can make formulas on your own.
April 8, 2015; 6:00-8:30pm Kalamazoo
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R
honda Egidio Ph.D., R.A.P, [Registered Ayurveda Professional] provides Ayurvedic assessments of primary health
concerns, diet, sleep and lifestyle and offers Ayurvedic
recommendations. It's a good idea to get a baseline assessment to help you to apply Ayurveda knowledge in a customized way to your particular needs.
Check out
assessment and session options.
Rhonda Egidio, 269-345-2991
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| Upcoming Classes |
Full Radiant Living with Ayurveda: The Sister Science of Yoga 2/7
Spring Cleanse
3/25 + 4/1
Radiant Skin and Natural Dental Care
4/8
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The Ultimate Heaiing Mantra
"The Gayatri Mantra is believed to to transform the listener into a recipient of divine energy, forgiveness, enlightenment and empowerment. Sound is the primordial matrix from which everything springs."
Listen to a beautiful rendition of the
Gayatri Mantra
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Cozy Vegan Hot
Cacao
Still want an afternoon energy boost?---move to a healthy version. Everyday Ayurveda
Ingredients: 2 Tbps raw organic cacao ½ Tbsp maple syrup ½ tsp organic vanilla extract 2/3 cup filtered homemade hemp, almond or coconut milk or water ½ tsp Organic Ceylon cinnamon 1/8 tsp cardamom 1 inch grated fresh ginger Directions: Combine ingredients and stir or whisk well. Bring to a gently simmer on the stove top stirring until hot and completely mixed. Serve warm. |
Intercept a
Habit Path
Intercept -to stop, seize, or interrupt in progress or course. [miriam-webster]
Take a habit you have and intercept it. As you are on the natural course of the habit, make a substitution to advance your new goal.
Example 1: Want to start walking in the morning? Place your walking clothes and tennis shoes by your bed. Don't put on your slippers! Immediately dress for the walk. Or try the same with yoga clothes. Intercept the habit of getting out of bed with a strategy that serves your new goal--better than trying to get the willpower an hour later.
Example 2: With your night time ritual, take a string of dental floss and drape it over your toothbrush so when morning comes, you don't effort to floss...it's right there for you.
You get the idea, what strategies would advance your goals?
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How to Cure Procrastination
by Eban Pagan
Habits are the internal paths of least resistance.
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"So where is the place we can invest our energy to get the biggest return? It's in creating new
habits - and specifically, habits that bring us the highest possible success and returns. This
is the path to accelerating your success in life."
Eban Pagan, Creator of Wake Up Productive
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Ayurveda information shared here is for general educational purposes and is not intended to substitute for medical or psychological advice. Please consult with a qualified medical professional in these matters.
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Ayurveda thermos for your daily spice water. (regular price $200)