BorderingOnMagnificent Sushi

SUSHI. . . .

O.K. . . . First 5 seconds.... what are you thinking?

Mentally running through a list of your favorite sushi spots, favorite rolls, or possibly revisiting really good times with loved ones or business associates over a great meal?

Possibly the first thoughts were...I've had that...and it wasn't my thing.

Or even...YUK!!!! RAW FISH!!! EEEEWWWWW!!!! NO WAY I"D EVER TRY THAT!

Three years ago I disliked fish and did not even eat tuna salad or filet o fish from "Micky D's"" golden arches. If you asked me, I'd say...I don't like fish. It tastes too...well.. you know. . . ..Fishy! But upon further thought I'd realize that I LOVED Shrimp and Crab legs. Sushi. . No. RAW fish ...No.

Did I mention that three years ago, I was also carrying 74 extra pounds on my body???

I was eating mindlessly and frequenting places multiple times a day where "Everybody knew my name" and made me feel at HOME. The only liquid I consumed for years was Diet Coke and in a way that "BRAND" WAS "ME".

It felt good to be holding a can of Diet Coke in my hand or pulling through the drive through to get my Super Size Diet Coke and a smile from my friends on Lagrange Road.

Dropping 74 pounds and keeping 60 of it off for over a year and a half didn't come by counting and can'ts and by carefulness... It came off because I started to CARE about MYSELF and CREATE ways of DELIGHTING myself, and TREATING myself instead of living in fearfulness and stress and JoyLessNess.

I KEPT EATING ALL OF THE CRAP AND DRINKING DIET COKE ! !

BUT ...... I ATE IT WITH CHOP STICKS ! ! !

Eating "regular" foods like french fries and chicken tenders with chopsticks was a big part of shaking up the usual patterns in my head and in my day. I would eat outside or in the center court in the mall and passers by would SMILE at me or strike up a conversation about how unusual and fun it was to see someone use chopsticks.

Something as simple as learning to juggle my food with a couple of sticks was not only making ME healthier ( I felt fuller faster...and actually TASTED my food.) but also creating a "mini moment" with random strangers! ! !

ALONG WITH USING CHOPSTICKS... I ADDED FOOD! Lots of it! I added good foods like eating at Schoops at the mall, every day. ( The Food AND the People who work there are BORDERING ON MAGNIFICENT !!!) I Added DARK chocolate every day, Edemame from Trader Joes! (healthy filling, and fun to eat!) ONLY ADDING FOOD...NO DEPRIVATION...NO RULES!

Using chopsticks, learning to play chess...Taking a belly dancing class for a couple weeks...eating outside...trying Sushi...or painting your fingernails black ( or dark teenager blue)for a couple weeks can RESET what you think you know about yourself, your possibilities and your purpose for being on the planet.

Can You Think For Yourself???? Can You Decide For Yourself?

Can You Make Changes that feel good rather than "Trying" to change, because you "Should"?

We are all better than we think we are,

but we only feel as magnificent as we give ourselves permission to be.

For The Next 2 Weeks...Add Or Try Something NEW or renew a forgotten pleasure.

Grab some extra chopsticks from Panda Or your local chinese takeout and carry them like you do a pen. USE THEM RANDOMLY.. at home and in public...DON'T WAIT to get good at it !!! It is NOT about what you look like or using them with skill...It Is About Learning and Enjoying and having Fun NOT BEING PERFECT!

Let me hear about your experiences!

ROCK THE SPACE YOU'RE IN !!!

Love and Peace of Mind,

Delight and Clarity of Purpose,

to you and those you love,

Joy