Healthy Living Tips

It's A New Page...

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 20:19:35 GMT

December 26th, 2022

AND --- here we go…

2022 is coming to a close, and when we wake on Sunday morning it will be a new year --- 2023!

Holy cow, where is the time going?

When I was a kid I would daydream about what the future would look like around this time. This is not quite what I pictured. I was sure there were going to be flying cars and robots doing the housework --- very George Jetson like! I was also sure I would never be this “old”. Surprise surprise! ��

But here we are about to enter 2023 with things much different than I daydreamed about in the past. But, nonetheless, here we are. It is a common tradition to "make a New Year's resolution". This could be something we want to change or something we want to see "different" at the close of the next year.

Some of the more common "resolutions" are to exercise more, lose weight, get organized, save money, quit smoking, etc.!

These are worthwhile goals, wouldn't you agree?

However --- did you know?

Of those who make a New Year’s resolution, after 1 week only 75% are still successfully sticking with it.
Two weeks later, it's now down to 71%
One month later --- 64%
And, after 6 months it is only 46%

Overall, until the year ends only a small majority (about 9% average) actually make and keep the resolutions they set at the start of the year.

Why is it we use the new year to “decide it is time to make a change”? Symbolically it represents an “ending” and a new “beginning”. When that page turns, it represents a good time for us to also turn a page and become our new selves. With the beginning of a new year we can also incorporate all the “new” changes we want to make. But then New Year’s day arrives --- a nd after the headache wears off --- and we are finished doing yet another day of celebrating --- you know what --- it is just another day. Business as usual.

You see nothing has really changed. The number of the year changed, but nothing else. We are still the same person, with the same habits and the same thought processes!

Change requires perseverance, but even before that, it requires us to truly realize that a change must occur. We need motivation. Without that motivation, it is not going to happen. When it comes to getting healthy, sadly, it often takes major illness before we are willing to make the changes we need to make in order to regain our health. Once we begin to feel the ill affects of our choices, and what we have been doing to correct those affects has not worked...then...we have motivation to do better.

Isn’t that sad? Shouldn’t our health and well being, physically and emotionally , be forefront in our minds at all times? Shouldn’t we always choose to honor the temple that was given to us to use for this ride called life. Wouldn’t the ride be smoother and more enjoyable if we physically “ felt better” ? I bet it would.

So what have you chosen to resolve to do this year? What changes are you making to who you are, or what you are doing? Remember that there is a difference between "resolve" and "resolution". "Resolution" is a decision to do or not do something. "Resolve" is a firm determination to do something.

For the record, long ago I’ve stopped making resolutions because I never achieved them. I choose instead to "resolve" to become a better person than I was last year. To do better where I feel I have failed. To love more and to do more good. No resolutions --- just a simple resolve!

If you need help achieving the health goals you have set for yourself, reach out. If you need help achieving other types of goals also reach out. I may not be able to personally help you but possibly we have a connection that could. Let's make 2023 the year we change the world by starting with the person in the mirror!

Wishing you a healthy, happy, prosperous and loving new year!

“In the new year, never forget to thank your past years because they enabled you to reach today! Without the stairs of the past, you cannot arrive at the future.”
--Mehmet Murat Ildan

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Merry Christmas!

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 14:59:44 GMT

December 19th, 2022

Another Christmas is upon us. Are you feeling excited, anxious, happy, or sad? Are you feeling a mixture of many emotions that go with this season?

Christmas has a lot of happy memories for me. As a kid growing up, we always gathered at my grandmother’s on Christmas Eve for a family gathering. She would make treats that I loved and would only get to indulge in once a year. It is funny how I remember that so well. I remember the taste of the treats --- and how bad my stomach felt afterward from overindulging (LOL).

There wasn't much money in our family, and there were a lot of kids. There would be gifts, but not an abundant amount, and often it consisted of something homemade. I remember one year after my grandmother had lost her dog, she gave me a framed photo of him along with a poem. I still have that, and I still tear up when I look at it. I loved that gift. One year, she completed an Afghan I had started knitting and never finished. M a ny years later I still have it. I remember one year I received a record player. Of course, I loved it, but I no longer have it. But I still have the gifts from the heart. Because there wasn't much money, my parents and grandparents looked inward to choose gifts that came from their hearts.

As time moved on, I think we all fell into the "commercialization" of the holiday. We lost the true meaning, the true spirit. And no it is not Santa Claus!!!

Let's talk about the legend of “Santa Claus” giving gifts to children. The legend started with a monk named St. Nicolas, sometime around 280 AD in what is now modern-day Turkey. “St. Nicholas” had inherited great wealth which he chose to “ give away ” by traveling the countryside to help the poor, sick, and needy. Through the years, the legend expanded into what is now the “modern-day” Santa Claus and the tradition of buying our loved ones gifts --- many of them which mean nothing two weeks later . I’m pretty sure this is not what the original “St. Nicholas” hoped his generosity would turn into.

What should Christmas be really about? What should gift-giving be really about? I admit --- I love giving gifts. I love receiving gifts. BUT --- there is a caveat --- I love giving “meaningful” gifts, and I love receiving “meaningful” gifts. I’m sure if you think about it, you feel the same way.

This year several patients have gifted Zach and me with some truly meaningful gifts. I appreciate them more than you can know. We feel very honored by the thought that went into them.

I did buy a few gifts this year as well. (Just wait until Karla sees what her little cat sister bought her …�� ) I did not go crazy, and each item I chose was done so for a reason. It was not random or something I felt I “had” to buy so that I “had” something to exchange.

So what are you doing for Christmas? Are you choosing to honor what the season is truly about? St. Nicholas gifted from his heart and helped others, and, that became connected to “Christmas”. I believe Jesus would love that. I do not believe he would love the stress and the commercialization of his birthday. If we are truly celebrating the birth of Jesus, shouldn't we be honoring that differently? Shouldn’t we be honoring that by gifting our hearts and not our pocketbooks? Shouldn’t we be teaching our children something different? Shouldn’t we be teaching them that Jesus represents love --- not money or material items? Shouldn’t we be teaching them that moments matter not " things "??

What gifts have you purchased this year? Did they come from your heart? Are you stressed because you “don’t know what to buy someone”? Are you stressed because you “don’t have money to buy a gift”? Then maybe, just maybe --- your heart is not talking!

How about we give this season and the birth of Jesus some justice and spend it in love this year? Treasure your moments with family --- there are many families that would love just one more moment with a loved one. Choose to make a memory that lasts and not one that is easily forgotten.

It has been close to 40 years since my grandmother gifted me that small frame of her beloved dog. It means more to me today than it did then. Now that my friends --- is a gift!!!!!

Merry Christmas! I wish you a day filled with memories that last a lifetime and fill your heart with love every time you think about them. I wish you moments you will never forget. I wish you love!

Thank you once again for the heartfelt gifts of love that you guys bestowed upon us. You all rock!!!!

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Live Brilliantly!

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 14:28:34 GMT

December 12th, 2022

There have been a lot of sudden and shocking deaths as of late, which has caused me to think "what if today were my last day here on earth?".

I would miss my loved ones...I try to make sure they know I love them every day, and hopefully, my daily actions reflect that.

I would miss my sweet puppy and kitty… I'll spoil them a little extra today!

I would miss my friends…I hope they know how much they mean to me.

I would miss, you, my special patients … I hope I filled your life with the tools you need to continue on with your health journey.

I will miss my morning cup of coffee… boy, today it tasted exceptionally amazing. (To be perfectly honest, I am kind of hoping they still have it where I am going and that it is served with chocolate...��)

I think I have it covered…

But do I? I believe, for the most part, I have the important things covered... but I wonder ??

If today were my last day, am I happy with the way I chose to spend my last moments here on earth?

Would my mother know I respect the challenges she endured to try and make our lives better than her life?

Would my friend who overcame challenges in his life know how much I admire and respect the courage it took to do that?

Would my daughter know that I love her more than life itself and that I am so proud of the person she has become?

Would the mentors that have appeared throughout my life know just how much they affected me, and how profoundly they have changed me?

Those are still some pretty important things --- have I completed them to the fullest?

As a spirit living a human experience, did I experience everything I wanted to? Did I live life to the fullest, and with the greatest love? Did I achieve my goals?

When I ask myself these questions, I know I have not. There are a few "bucket list" items that I am missing. I have never seen the magnificence of the grand canyon or witnessed the beauty of the aurora borealis. Darn, I never did get to go and see the "I Love Lucy" museum --- have a dog rescue --- or drive a Ferrari!!!!!

There are surely those "bucket list" items that I did not manage to do, but, in the grander scheme, it is more important that the people in my life know what they mean to me and how much I love and respect them. I hope I achieved my goals, and that I have used my experiences, good and bad, to impact the world. My hope is that the impact stands much longer than I do. As I sit and reflect --- there are places I could do better.

I believe we enter this life as a spirit having a human experience in order to grow spiritually and to enjoy the moments as humans. As humans, we get to experience the senses. We get to feel, see, hear, touch, and smell. We get to feel the ups and downs of emotions. We get to express love and create experiences that further humanity.

Without any doubt, life and moments are not promised. Tomorrow is not promised. Heck...this afternoon is not promised! We are given so many days, so many hours and so many minutes to achieve what we came here to achieve. I believe what we do here matters, and that those who we affect, and how we affect them, matters. I t matters way more profoundly than we realize.

I believe that there are no real “successes” and no real “failures”. As humans, we often label events in our lives as successes or failures, whereas, they are simply experiences. I believe that if we succeed we should do it brilliantly, and if we fail, we should do that brilliantly as well. Take the lesson from both experiences and use it for the greater good. Live each moment as the resplendent spirit you are and leave your mark brilliantly on each one of those moments. By doing so, we grow spiritually and impact humanity in the greatest of ways.

If you are gifted with today, tomorrow, and the next day --- go out and live each moment brilliantly. When you succeed, do so intensely, and when you fail, do so just as intensely. Achieve the greatest, fail the greatest, and love the greatest. Enhance your spirit so that when it is your last day as a human, you return to the glory of your maker as the most magnificent spirit you could possibly be!

This week --- lead the most brilliant life!!! Make sure that if today is your last day, you are loving the moment because it is truly later than you think!

“Often a very old man has no other proof of his long life than his age. Remember to enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think."
--Seneca

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Surviving The Holidays...

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:13:17 GMT

December 5th, 2022

"It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much mistltoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near
It's the most wonderful time of the year"

We have all heard the song. So much goes into the holidays. Our houses are decorated, lights are blazing everywhere, people are out buying gifts, making meals, and doing good in the world. It is the happiest of times. There is so much more joy, smiles, and love.

For the most part anyway... I am choosing not to use this message to give life to the negative side of the season. We all know about it, but we should never focus on it. It is important for us to understand, though, that for some people this is not the "hap-happiest season of all" . For many, it is a season of deep sadness, loss, and loneliness.

Let's focus on understanding and compassion during this season. For so many people this is one of the most difficult times of the year. There can be many reasons for this, only one of them being grief and loss.

When it comes to grief and loss, there are a lot of stigmas surrounding the process. Move on, you must continue to live and make some new memories, the first set of holidays will be the hardest --- it's easier after that. There are a plethora of other cliché remarks I have heard over the years. I am sure you have heard a few and can probably add them to the list.

I can guarantee you that someone in a state of grief understands they must move on and continue to live. They are doing it in whatever way works for them.

But when it comes to the holidays, it is often much harder to be strong. When you couple that with colder weather and less sunlight , it can often lead to depression and anxiety. It also becomes difficult for those watching them grieve to stay out of a state of judgment. We are not aware that people struggling through a loss are always trying to live up to our expectations of them. They are trying to make us happy by doing “ all the things they normally did ”. They are masters at keeping the pain to themselves.

Every...single...day.

You could find yourself angry, or disappointed because they have chosen not to attend your holiday gathering. You may take it personally even though they are just trying to keep the exhaustion at bay, trying to survive. They need time to be alone to come down from the constant cycle. They need to unwind, rest and recharge so they can continue appearing as if they are fine and continue healing. The constant fuss over the holidays can be exhausting for them. It is compounding what they are already feeling about the season and making it more difficult to endure. Take time to understand this and decide what will you choose. Will you choose love and understanding, or, anger, frustration, and judgment?

Here are some facts for you to consider. That same holiday gathering that you cannot wait to have? That one with the good food, family, and fun. The one that includes your family, your spouse, and all your loved ones will be a constant reminder to the grieving person of the love missing from their life. For the person working thru loss, every single moment of that holiday gathering is torture. It is a very painful reminder of what is lost to them. It is like a knife in the heart. While they are happy for you and the love in your life --- the love missing from their life becomes magnified. It is louder, more pronounced, and totally in their face. They are reminded that they will return home alone and face the next day alone. They are reminded that they once lived joy --- and now it is gone from their life, or very, very different from the joy they once experienced. Memories most certainly provide comfort. But, memories often cause deep unrelenting pain.

Your person is trying. They are doing everything they can to move on, move past and continue to live life. The moments creating these memories and moments that you treasure, and are excited for --- are not always as easy or even enjoyable for the person grieving.

Please remember, depending on the nature of the loss grief can take years to process and will often rear its ugly head at the most unexpected moments.

So if you know someone in grief, be gentle this year. If they do not want to attend your holiday gathering, give them some grace. Maybe being alone is what they need to survive the “ most wonderful time of the year ”. Maybe solitude is better than the energy that is required to share in everyone else’s joy. Maybe they are choosing to honor what they need at this moment! YOU have a choice to take this opportunity to practice LOVE --- not judgment!

Grief hits us all at one time or another . Some losses are deeper, harder to heal from, and take longer to process. This is not necessarily a bad thing. The harder it is to get past a loss, the deeper the love and connection likely was. That is a gift. It is possible that grief, being the cost of great love , is also a gift. Maybe, just maybe, our choice to be graceful and understanding towards another is a gift as well.

So this year, this holiday season, this " most wonderful time of the year " --- instead of buying obligatory gifts, or exchanging money, give the gift of true unconditional love and understanding. Honor the needs of others over yourself. How about we do what Christmas should really be about and LOVE unconditionally!

Then, and only then --- it might just turn out to be “the most wonderful time of the year”!

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
--How the Grinch stole Christmas

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Rerun December 2020 - Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:11:13 GMT

November 28th, 2022

A priest, a minister, and a rabbi want to see who’s best at his job. So they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it. Later they get together. The priest begins: “When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his First Communion.”

“I found a bear by the stream,” says the minister, “and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.”

They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. “Looking back,” he says, “maybe I shouldn’t have started with the circumcision.”

(This joke was voted the funniest gag in a 2010 Reader’s Digest joke contest.)

Are you laughing yet? What a great way to start out a morning --- laughter! Did you know that there have been many scientific studies done on the power of laughter and its ability to heal? Not that most of us need " science " to prove it, but we know from experience that a good belly laugh changes the mood in the room tremendously.

This week a couple of odd things happened to me. Things that could have evoked several responses. Let's take one of them. Monday morning at 5:30 AM --- in the rain --- I take the dog outside. On the way back in, my flip-flop ( yep I know it's winter ��) caused me to slip and fall on the wet wood. I landed on my knees and hands and tore my jeans. I had to go back inside and completely change for work and clean up the bruises on my knee. What a way to start a Monday morning! I could have been angry, frazzled, or frustrated --- I was laughing. It was truly funny! A few more weird little things happened that day ( it was accident-prone Monday for me ), but I laughed away each of them. Laughter truly was the best medicine that day.

By laughing at this, I kept my energy on a high note. If I would have been angry or frustrated, I would have dropped my energy lower, and possibly affected people around me. Our mood can directly affect others, their mood, and the overall energy of the area we share.

I'm sure if you sit and think about this, you will see times in your life when your energy might have impacted others; or the energy of another person impacted you --- either positively or negatively.

Think about this on a wider scale. If our energy can affect others within our immediate environment, it might also impact our larger environment. Now is a time when many people are living in fear. Fear, anger, and loneliness are prevailing emotions in our current culture. It's difficult to rise above that and keep ourselves in a state of love and acceptance. But it can be done --- and laughter is a great tool to help us get there. If you have children or grandchildren, you've likely seen the movie "Monsters Inc.". The monsters were sneaking into small children's closets at night and attempting to invoke the "largest scream" out of them. The power of the "fear" or the scream fueled energy for the monsters to live. Later in the movie, they realize that laughter emits an even greater power for them, so they begin to make the children laugh, not scream. Interesting analogy!

What if that's true in our world? What if we chose laughter, over fear and anger --- could we ultimately choose to change our larger environment? I don't know the answer to that --- but what do we have to lose?

So this week --- laugh, laugh, laugh! Smile at your neighbor. Wave to a friend. Smile under your mask while you grocery stop! Do a good deed! Spread goodness, light, and love --- and refuse to partake in the darkness!!!!

If you're having trouble laughing this early in the morning --- here you go --- I dare you!��

“With the fearful strain that is on me night and day. If I did not laugh, I would die.”
--Abraham Lincoln

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Small Deeds --- Great Love ---

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:08:57 GMT

November 21st, 2022

It is Thanksgiving week . Seems like we did this only a moment ago. Time certainly goes fast! Focusing on gratitude this month has been amazing! Do you feel that? Are you looking at things in your life differently? Are you approaching life with a kinder and gentler perspective? Being grateful for all things, good, bad, and indifferent , has the potential to change everything!

Gratitude tends to make us more gracious, more caring, and more spontaneous in our actions to help others.

The kindest and most generous people in the world often have a story of pain and heartache in their past. They have chosen not to harden their hearts, but to love and make a difference in the world. They choose to do even the smallest acts with the greatest love .

Deep down, most people, have the desire to help others. Most of us, however, do not have large platforms where we are able to reach many people at one time. Does the kindness then become insignificant if we reach only one person --- instead of 100?

I am sure most of you have either seen or heard of the movie " Pay it Forward ". If you remember, small acts of kindness rippled far and wide, ultimately returning to the young boy in an amazing act of love and generosity.

Did you realize that the “ pay it forward ” movement did not start with that movie? Its origin dates back to 317 BC (Dyskolos, Menander 317BC), and several other places in history.

Benjamin Franklin himself was quoted as saying “ I do not pretend to give such a deed; I only lend it to you. When you Benjamin Webb meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.”

Ben was a smart guy --- don't you agree?

Many years back, after watching the movie " Pay it Forward ", my husband and I decided to try an experiment. Each morning I stopped at Wawa in the morning to get a cup of coffee on my way into my office. I started work at 5:30 in the morning at the time, so my visit to the store was usually between 5:00 - 5:15 am. If you have ever been in a WAWA at that time of the morning, you know that it is mobbed with people getting their coffees before heading to work. During the first month of the experiment, I went in every day, got my coffee, and left. Nothing eventful happened that month.

The next month I walked in there every day, at times holding the door for someone, always smiling and saying good morning to everyone I would see. The majority ( not everyone obviously it was very early, after all, �� ) would smile back, say good morning, and occasionally engage in some chit-chat. There were several occasions when the person ahead of me in line paid for my coffee. I, in turn, paid for the one behind me. Who knows how long that went on --- there is a report of a Starbucks store in Florida that reported an 11-hour "pay it forward" run. One day, a gentleman brought me a box of candy – and told me how much he enjoyed chatting with me.

What was different? I was the same person, I just chose to be friendly, approachable, and kind --- and that, very simply, made a difference.

What I can hope is that some of the people I met felt more friendly, approachable, and kind in their daily lives. I may never know --- but I do hope.

Does it really matter if nothing good came of my experiment? I certainly lost nothing by choosing kindness. Was there anything gained? Besides a box of candy �� --- I may never know, and I am totally ok with that. Why don't you try this for yourself? Let me know what your results are!

This world is often dark, gloomy, sad, and filled with anger. We spend so much time focusing on what is wrong with our world. We are closed down, hiding in our homes, covering our faces. We have stopped hugging, we have stopped caring, we have stopped loving.

We should spend more energy and time hugging, caring and loving, and less energy on the negative things that impact our life. We need to spread kindness, gratitude and caring. We need to consciously choose kindness and choose to "pay it forward" every single moment.

This week, continue to choose gratitude. Every time you feel grateful for something --- give something back! Remember, we do not need large platforms and the ability to reach many people. We need to reach one. We have all the power at our disposal to change this world. Let go of those you cannot help, those that strip your energy, and focus on those that live in gratitude and appreciation for this great gift of life. Lift them up --- and watch them "pay it forward" and lift another!

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your family, your downtime, your after-dinner nap, or whatever this represents for you. Be grateful for all things!

“It takes but one person, one moment, one conviction, to start a ripple of change.”
--Donna Brazile

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Using Our Experiences...

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 19:25:03 GMT

November 14th, 2022

WOW, you have outdone yourselves with the amount of gratitude you have spread around this week! I absolutely loved reading all the comments. My phone blew up with texts --- so many of you sharing your gratitude with me personally. Amazing! Thank you for recognizing and sharing all the wonderful things that are blessing your life. I am looking forward to another week of gratitude and blessings!

This week a woman said to me "I want to be grateful, but I hurt so bad." Can you feel that statement? I surely can. For most of us, it is a struggle to remain grateful when the world is crashing down around us. This past year, so many of us have lost people we love and care about deeply. Some to death --- others to anger. Some of us have lost our health, our livelihoods, and it may seem as if our future. It is all grief. It is all loss.

So where --- in that grief and loss do we manage to find some gratitude?

I wonder how many of you have heard the saying “we are all spiritual beings having a human experience”? Let’s dissect this point a bit. First, do you believe it? Do you believe that there is more to all this than, getting up showering, heading to work, making money, paying taxes, struggling through life, and ultimately dying? Eternal rest in a box somewhere.

What is your personal belief system?

Personally, I believe there is more to all this. I believe every action we take, every word we speak, and every choice we decide upon is profound and far-reaching. I believe every moment matters, and every choice within the moment matters.

But --- all that being said --- no matter what I believe --- what I know --- there are times I become all too human . There are events that have felt as though they ripped out my soul. There are losses that have hurt so deeply I am not sure ( no matter what I know ) that I will ever truly recover. There are disappointments that make me question everyone and everything. There are moments when I am not sure anything will ever be good again, or I will simply be happy again.

And… that, right there, is the human experience talking!

This is where gratitude plays its biggest and most important role. You see gratitude grounds the human --- and allows us to step back into the spirit. When a moment like this arrives, I realize that yes, it is correct, nothing will ever be the same. But I am still standing --- still growing --- still moving forward. Because of these spiritual moments, I realize I value all the moments even more. I value the love more. I value the chance to use my newfound knowledge of that human moment to reach out and help others. That I value the opportunity that I am given, daily at times, to choose to take the spiritual road in lieu of the human road. That I can take my experience, my knowledge, and my newfound and deepening empathy and use it for the power of good, healing, and love.

This is the God within us all --- the part that should radiate and shine always. The part that will always live and react in love.

Remember, we are all spiritual beings traveling this path together. Every single one of us. That includes those you love, those that try your patience, and even that pernicious person in your life. There is a purpose, a meaning, a lesson, and a choice! How you choose to approach this --- that’s your call!

Grief hit many of us hard yet again this week. My heart breaks for each of you in the early stages. I wish I had words that would magically take away your pain, but I do not. There are no words. There is only time and choices. I have attempted to use my grief to help others. I still feel it. I still sink, sometimes more often than I like, but I attempt to use that to propel me into service to others. Remember that when you love someone who has experienced profound loss, they will love harder and appreciate more. It is a gift that comes with grief. If you choose to open your heart, you too, will receive the gift.

In honor of those that have left this journey before us, let’s all remain in gratitude this week. Let’s be grateful for the love we had. Let's be grateful for the moments that made us better. Let’s be grateful for the moments when we were not our best --- and vow to do better during this leg of the journey. Let’s take our failures, and in gratitude for them, let’s vow to do better. Let’s vow to love better, deeper, and harder, and not be afraid of what will possibly come. Let’s be grateful for every single moment that is granted to us in this human experience, and choose to feel it all. The good, the bad, and the ugly!

You are a great, mighty and powerful spiritual being with dignity, direction, and purpose.
---Dannion Brinkley

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Grace And Gratitude...

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 19:22:07 GMT

November 7th, 2022

Here we are --- the first week of November! This year just zipped right around, don’t you think?

This time last year my world was very different. It has been a very pivotal year as far as learning how to keep myself in a state of gratitude for all things. What about you? How are you different now than you were one year ago?

During November we tend to think more about gratitude and giving back. If you do not follow us on Facebook, look us up --- Fatkin Natural Healing LLC . Beginning today, we are going to be posting something we are grateful for each day, and asking you to let us know what you are grateful for. On Friday, for the next four weeks, we will choose someone to receive our weekly “give back gift” ! I hope you will join in the fun, and help us spread a little love, a little gratitude, and a little grace. (PS: You do not need to be a patient to join us.)

Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” This translates to showing appreciation for anything and everything. True gratitude reaches further. When we are grateful, our hearts are more open to giving back and returning those kindnesses we have received.

Most of us say thank you multiple times per day. I think thank you tends to be spoken very easily in day-to-day living. However, very often it is an obligatory response and used without much thought or feeling behind it. There is nothing wrong with this --- being polite is appropriate --- even necessary. Our world could surely use some more of it.

True gratitude, however, runs deeper. It is a profound thankfulness for everything in our lives. It is a true understanding that everything that happens, happens for a reason, and truly is for our greater good.

That’s where we often lose our connection with being grateful. When events happen that rock our world and shift our perception of reality, we will often find it difficult to find grace in the moment.

How do we remain in gratitude when this occurs? This is challenging! It takes work, diligence, and perseverance. It takes a true and deep understanding of the importance of gratitude, and it takes a profound peace in the fact that our higher power has our back, and is positioning us for greater things.

Gratitude and giving are two things that go hand in hand. If we choose to remain in gratitude during difficult times, it typically makes us stronger, and puts us in a position to reach out and help others. You see, we can only truly understand another person's challenges if we ourselves have lived them. We can try and relate --- or even empathize – but true understanding only comes if we have lived through a situation. Therein lies one reason for being grateful for our struggles --- the newfound sense of empathy and compassion we will now have toward another.

During moments of reflection this week, I read this phrase:

“The first step of gratitude is to see the gift. If you are in the middle of difficulties and problems, how can you feel gratitude? You've got to fight to find the gift even in the difficulty. When you shift your perspective from the perspective of the mind, because life will never make sense to your mind, --- mind is very logical and life is not. In order for life to make sense you've got to be out of your mind and you've got to be into your soul. When you begin to see life from the perspective of your soul then even in the midst of the worst of it you can see the gift. ” ---Neale Donald Walsch

Is it that simple? Many times, being able to find a gift in the midst of life's challenges is daunting. Remember that it is ok if you are unable, in the moment , to see any good coming from your challenge. Sit with your feelings and feel what is happening. Time and space will allow you to find grace and gratitude. Our actions in this life ripple far and wide. Our responses, and our choice to remain grateful in all things will profoundly and forever change others. Choose to be that change.

This month join us in being grateful.

I’ll start: I am grateful you are in my life. I am grateful to know you. I am grateful for this phase you walked into! Thank you for being you! (And yes --- it IS all about you)!

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -John F. Kennedy

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Coffee Is A Motivator...

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:56:44 GMT

October 31st, 2022

This week started off with a bang ! First thing Monday morning my coffee maker did not work to brew my beloved cup of morning coffee. Now, if you know me well, this is a catastrophe of monumental proportions! LOL S urprisingly, with clear thinking, I kept my wits about me and drove myself to the nearest convenience store and bought some coffee. Day saved!

This is where the story gets interesting. I proceeded to the checkout to pay for my cups of coffee ( yes…I said CUPS ) not really paying attention to anything other than returning home with my morning fuel. Now if you remember, Monday it rained pretty steadily --- and I still have not had coffee! When I got to the checkout, the girl at the counter said “ you look pretty today ”. ( BTW: not a chance…LOL ) I immediately looked up at her, smiled, and said “ you look pretty too .” She gave me a huge smile. I could tell by her face that is exactly what she needed to hear at that moment.

You see I understand human nature and people see themselves in others. They see what they need or are lacking. If a person always chooses to see most people as trustworthy, then they themselves are typically trustworthy. In this case, the girl was probably not feeling good about herself that day, so she was seeing in others what she felt she was lacking. She was seeing what she needed to feel --- what she needed to hear. Because I was able to discern that rather quickly ( considering I hadn’t yet had a cup of coffee ) , I was able to respond properly, hopefully, lifting her up and filling that need.

God, or your higher power, always works in mysterious ways. Did he need me to do that job for him? I suspect so . I suspect he chose me because he knew that he had gifted me with the ability to read that for what it was. He gifted me with the ability to see that it was not about me, but rather about what this girl needed. He knew that --- I did not. What we can’t see, what we can’t know --- our higher power does! I will never know the result of that brief interaction. I am positive there was a higher plan in effect and we both paid forward the kindness. How amazing to have been granted that opportunity!

Every day we are all given opportunities and chances to stay high vibration and act in love. Every day --- every moment . Many times we rise to the occasion --- many times we do not.

What if every single moment and every single challenge is just an opportunity for us to grow as spiritual beings? What if those seemingly insignificant events are the most profound and the most powerful? What if those single acts of love are what is needed to change the trajectory this world is headed towards? What if understanding is the key? What if stepping out of our individual challenges and seeing the joy in the moment is what it is all about?

What if???

Could it be that simple? I don’t know --- but I’d like to think so!

This week look at your challenges as gifts from God. God’s belief is that you have what it takes to rise up, do his work, and do it with great love! Keep yourself grounded and in the highest vibration possible. We do not all have great big audiences and we cannot all affect hundreds of people --- but we can all affect one person.

This week challenge yourself to affect one person positively every day! Use your gifts!!!! We got this --- this world is headed to a better place --- a place of true unconditional love! I believe!

Oh…and by the way. I have to admit that God will not be able to use my coffee pot as a motivator again --- I stashed away a brand new spare pot --- just in case!!!!! ��

“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways that I could respond to my situation: either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.”
--Muhammad Ali

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

A Life Well Led...

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 12:30:17 GMT

October 24, 2022

What was the high point of your week? Did your actions this week create a ripple in the world? Was it positive?

I had to sit and think about that a bit. It felt like a rough week. Actually, it has been a rough few weeks. I have personally struggled to keep my mood high, and life has the unique ability to pound us harder when we are already vibrating at a lower frequency. I know from many of you that you have been feeling the same thing.

I recognize the need to stay in a place of peace. Staying balanced and choosing to not allow outside influences to disrupt your balance takes effort and focus in every single moment.

The collective energy of our world is low right now. This is easily seen with a brief walk around my neighborhood. I will often hear couples arguing. Loud disruptive music coming from homes. Distracted people walk their dogs while mesmerized by the screen of their cell phones. In no way are they present in the moment. Always focused downward --- instead of upward.
Watching this everyday makes it easy to view our world as a sad, and very dreary place.

But --- is it --- really ?

If we choose to focus on all the above, it is definitely dark, dreary, and drab with little hope for improvement. The ripple we are creating with this vibration is one that will generate more of the same.

Or --- if we choose to look up!!!!!!!!

These cool brisk mornings and evenings, the sky is beautiful. Even when the sun ( that is that thing that lights up the sky every once in a while…LOL ) is not shining, if you choose to see it , the clouds appear almost 3-D and truly beautiful. The trees against the outline of the sky are sharp and 3-D-like. The moon and stars on the darker evenings are stunning and bright. If I choose to look down ( not at the screen of my phone ) Karla is enjoying sniffing something on the ground that she finds totally mesmerizing. Then, a moment later, she will hear a noise ( one that I clearly missed ) and jump to attention to see what is going on. Then back to sniffing those glorious smells again. While I am looking up, my neighbor's sweet dog is looking out the window at me and I can see her body moving with excitement. How amazing is the world I'm choosing to see?

If I choose to see it and tune out the unwanted noise --- allowing my senses to take over --- that seemingly mundane walk turns into an enjoyable and vibrationally high experience. What ripple is my positive feeling and gratitude in the moment putting out into this world?

In order for us to live lives of service and goodness it is imperative that we choose to keep our vibrations high. Our vibration is infectious. Both the positive and the negative. We can choose to raise the collective vibration of our world or choose to lower it with our choices every single moment. The ripple we create --- moment by moment --- is our choice.

Did you ever meet someone who considers themselves to be a philanthropist? Do you think they are highly vibrational people creating amazing ripples in the world? It is possible they are. The intention behind the gesture is what causes the positive ripple. Our actions should not be determined by the accolades or attention we will receive. Our heart needs to be in the right place . The size of the ripple does not depend on the size of the action --- but rather the size of the heart behind it. Feed your soul --- not your ego.

Our destiny in life should be to feed our soul. To grow as spiritual beings. To return to our source better for the experience we have lived here on earth, and to have left the earth a better place. Not for the rewards we received or the trophies hanging on our wall. Our growth comes at the times we have managed through difficult moments to remain in light and love and still continue to reach out and help others. It is the insignificant moments where you choose to step out of yourself, raise your vibration, and continue to offer love.

This week we lost a dear member of our community. One many of you know, and many of you love. Even if you disagreed with his policies, his heart was in serving . He served unselfishly. When he returned to his source, his maker, I am sure the little moments, of which there are so many , his devotion and love for his family, and his service to the community will be what is remembered. I am positive it was a glorious reunion for him of a life well led . A life of high vibration, true service to others --- and phenomenal music. Those ripples spread far and wide and will not easily dissipate. Well done!

RIP my friend! Your devotion and love for your beautiful wife touched my heart deeply. Your legacy will be your devotion to others, your true service to others, your unselfishness, and the love you shared with many! Oh…and that music! Godspeed!

In honor of a truly inspirational man raise your vibration this week. Live in love. Look up. Smile. Spend time in nature. Create a ripple --- and serve!

“The purpose of life is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Are You Listening?

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 12:25:26 GMT

October 17th, 2022

When I was a kid, I dreamt about what life would be like when I “grew up”. I couldn’t wait to have a family, cook meals, take care of a house, and have a dog. As an adult, I now know that kids are very idealistic and it turns out that cleaning the house was not quite the joy-filled activity I thought it would be. But as a kid, I was anxious to live life. To experience the joys of family and to feel and give love. All children have some sort of “ dream ” for their future. Watch them play and you will get an inkling of what your child is dreaming about.

The topic of “ letting go ” came up a lot this week. Letting go of past hurts. Letting go of past beliefs. Letting go of past patterns. Letting go of dreams. Letting go of what is no longer useful to us. Letting go of that sugar-filled cup of morning coffee!!!! ��

Interestingly, my life turned out pretty much like that dream I had when I was a kid. I had the most amazing family. I cooked them meals, cleaned the house --- and had three dogs to fill my world. Add to that, a job I loved and an exact plan for the future. Exactly like I planned it. Everything on track.

Until it wasn’t!

You see, someone had other plans for me. I saw the signs --- they were everywhere. I ignored them, or chose to see them as something other than what they were . That’s what we do when we are comfortable, and everything is as we planned it. We like comfort and security. We cling to our hopes and dreams because that is how WE want things to be. So --- it took a push. A really --- really big push . I kicked and screamed --- but ultimately, I chose to “ let go ” and move in the direction I was being pushed.

Would I say that it is better on this side of my original dream? Sometimes --- maybe. Sometimes --- maybe not. Sometimes I get stuck and reminisce about all I have lost. Sometimes melancholy will lead me to play the “what if” game. Then I choose to remember, that nothing happens by accident. That everything is for my greater good. That I am exactly where I need to be right now --- in this moment. I am grateful for the place and person that I am today. I recognize that there are more gifts on the way in this phase of life. I may never have envisioned this dream for myself, but, it is nonetheless a pretty great place to be. Unchartered territory --- no plans --- no safety net.

You see, sometimes those dreams we created represent safety to us. Deep in our subconscious mind, we are saying “ this is how we planned it --- it must go this way ”. Safety or not , it is not always in our best interest to follow the plans we have designed. Maybe it is for our greater good to respect our higher power.

One of the best things I ever did was lean into my fear and discomfort and follow the plan that was placed in front of me. That plan did not seem logical. Honestly, there are days it still does not. But it is the path I am currently walking, and the path I believe I am destined to walk. I have grown tremendously because of the gift that the change in direction provided me.

Sometimes in order to let go of what is holding you back, you need to think about what you want to embrace. If you find yourself clinging to the remnants of things that comfort you, but no longer serve you, then it might be time to make a shift. In my case, the signs were there that I needed to make a shift, but my perception was skewed by my desire for comfort and to "stick to the plan" . Could your perception be skewed by your desire? Are those things you are so attached to bringing you down? Could it be that if you let go, you will become a greater version of who you are now?

Ask yourself, what nourishes you? What feeds your soul? What brings you joy? And, yes, although I empathize with how that cup of sugary coffee feeds your soul --- I know that there are many ways to make it also feed your body! ��

This week make one simple change and lean into what your higher power is pushing you towards. Move away from your comfort zone. Lean into the feeling. When you start to listen --- really listen --- much of what you have been led to believe will no longer serve you. Listen to your gut, your pure gut, not the one skewed by the emotion of your own desires.

You can fly and become an even greater version of who you are today!
I believe in you!

Have an amazing week!

“Everything you need is already within you. The beauty of life is that your destiny lies always within your hands. The time has come for you to step up and be great.”
--Plato

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Sorry...Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 21:11:39 GMT

October 10th, 2022

What happens when we glue together the pieces of the mug in the photo above? Is it a solid container that we can use for our hot beverages? Does it function like it did before we repaired it? I would venture to guess that cup, maybe even your favorite cup, will never be the same!

Do you realize that words and actions are just like the cracks in the mug? Relationships of all types typically start whole and solid. However, when we deliberately choose to hurt someone through our words or our deeds, we create small fissures in the structure of that relationship. Often, we will easily and even offhandedly at times utter the words "I’m sorry". But do we truly mend the crack?

There are so many things in my past that I am sorry for, or about . I am sorry for unintentionally hurting people. I am sorry for the deeds and actions that might have caused others pain. I am sorry for not seeing the whole picture at times. I am sorry for judging people without knowing the full story. So many things --- I am truly sorry for!

Sorry is a big word that can mean a lot-- OR -- nothing at all.

In normal day-to-day interactions, we will often have misunderstandings that cause us the need to apologize. Usually, this is a misunderstanding about another's perception. We are not able to see how the other person perceives the situation and they are not able to see how we perceive it. Most of the time an apology on both parts, and a conversation will correct that.

But what about the deeper hurts ? Situations where we feel wounded by words or actions at a very deep level. What about the conscious choice of another to cause us pain? In these instances, the words "I'm sorry" does not cut it.

Saying "I'm sorry" will give the person that is apologizing a sense of relief, or even a pass on their actions. But it often leaves the other person hurt, or with a sense of disillusionment.

This is where it is important when we have a damaged relationship, that we mend it in a meaningful way. That we make amends and back up those words with actions. Be the change. Do things differently next time. Look at the mistake you made in its true light. See your part in it. (Oh…and just so you know I’m not giving the other person a pass here --- it always takes two. ) But the first step is just acknowledging that you made a mistake, accepting responsibility for that mistake, understanding why you acted that way, and making a conscious choice to approach the same situation differently the next time.

Can we take back those words? No, we cannot. They may linger in the air forever. There are times something we have chosen to do may take us years to correct. But only our actions, and our choice to do differently next time, will truly make the change.

In those instances where we do not have the opportunity to apologize or make amends, it is how we choose to live our lives from this moment on, that matters. Live forward --- do differently -- be the change.

This week, try to see someone else’s perception. Try to stand in another's shoes and see the world as they see it. When you feel the need to apologize --- back it up with action . Only honest, and genuine love is going to change this world.

Be that change!

“Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.”
--John J. McCloy

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

You Are Enough

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 01:08:09 GMT

October 3rd, 2022

I would rather not admit this, but I often struggle with the feeling of not being enough.

Haven’t all of us felt this at one time or another?

I would venture to bet that even if you do not voice it, you feel this at times. “ I am not enough” is a hard sentence to say --- it’s a hard truth to admit.

So be honest --- do you feel, at times, as if you are not enough?

Years back Audi made a TV commercial about a cheetah that refused to race with greyhounds. They showed the cheetah not budging to race when they opened the gates. The campaign was “Sometimes trying to prove that you are the best is an insult. We do not need to go down to the level of others, to show our strength. Think carefully and save your energy for what you deserve. The cheetah uses its speed only to hunt, not to prove to the dogs that it is the fastest and strongest.”

Great marketing campaign for a car --- even better as a motto for life in general .

How many times a day are we trying to prove ourselves? How many times are we so focused on the mistakes we have made in the past that we are unable to see the good we have accomplished? How many times do we waste our precious energy trying to prove something?

I’ve made a ton of mistakes in my life. A ton!

What about you? Are you beating yourself up because you stayed in the wrong relationship or job too long? Why? Now you know for sure what you do not want!

Do you feel as if you have not achieved certain goals in your career? Do you feel the need to push and work even harder to achieve those goals? Why? What are you killing yourself for? What are you trying to prove and who are you trying to prove it to?

If you never chose the wrong direction, or never missed a goal you set for yourself --- how would you ever learn what you truly want and what is right for you? Every “mistake” means you will learn more easily the next time around --- and you will, hopefully, make a better choice.

My mind loves to trick me into believing that I need to beat myself up for every imperfection. It loves to make me believe that I am not good enough. Does yours do that?

Years of working on improving myself have made me aware of the fact that this just isn't true. We are always good enough, exactly like we are and exactly where we are. Self-criticism deflates our spirits and defeats us every single time. It will never truly motivate us like we seem to think it will.

If any type of relationship is making us feel as if we are less than adequate we should make a clear and concise choice to remove that from our life experience. Don't bother wasting your time proving your worth to someone. It is not worth your time or your precious energy.

We are all totally enough, and we are in the exact perfect place at this precise moment We are truly " perfectly imperfect" !

We were not born to be perfect or to live a perfect life. We were born to grow as humans and expand our capacity for love.

So when you feel empty and unloved, remember you are enough --- exactly like you are, exactly where you are and you deserve to be honored for the human you are becoming.

This week --- be a cheetah and do not waste your energy trying to prove yourself to anyone --- you are enough!

“When you no longer care what other people think of you, you have reached freedom. Life truly begins the moment you realize you don't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself.”
---Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Control???

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 19:14:43 GMT

September 30, 2022

How much control do we have over our lives?
How much control do we want to have over things in our world?

What an interesting concept to explore and attempt to understand. Personally, I always believed “control” was not quite evil…but downright close to it . But would this be a correct assumption?

“ Control ” over people and their freedom is certainly the evil side of control. There really is no justifiable reason, that I can see, to try and control another person or persons. By attempting to do that, we limit their ability to live their own lives, make their own choices, and reap the results of those choices. Whether they are positive…or…negative.

This is a particularly hard lesson for us parents to learn. We give life to a child and we are in charge of guiding them for 18 years. Hopefully, we instill good virtues and values that allow them to go out into the world, prosper and do good. When they choose not to accept our virtues and values, it is often a tough pill to swallow. But the reality is … it is their life … their journey... and they must decide for themselves what serves them and what doesn’t. At that point --- it is “ out of our control ”.

So, what do we, or rather, what SHOULD we try to have control over?

Would that be our jobs…our relationships…other people?

How about none of the above!? Nothing in our outside world is truly in our control. We have our homes; they can be perfectly under control. No dog hair, no nose prints on the glass, no dog toys thrown around, the bed made, the carpets vacuumed … and yet some outside force can disrupt even that balance. Does this mean we shouldn’t clean the house??? Well, I’m a fan of that school of thought (LOL)--- however, it’s not practical. But we do need to accept the fact that we can clean, and clean and clean ---- but the perfection of cleanliness is pretty much out of our control.

What about our bodies and our minds? Ah…now we are talking. Here we have complete and total control.

Are you thinking you don't agree with me here? Well, we are approached daily by people who are out of control . This is usually something physical or emotional, or both.

We have the greatest control over our bodies and mind. Once we realize this, we can begin to take back our power. We have control over what we choose to put into our bodies. Higher vibrational foods (the body's fuel) are going to provide us with a stable and sound body. Lower vibrational food will cause the body to perform at a lower vibration allowing the onset of injury or disease. Remember disease is " dis-ease ". The body being at "dis-ease" with itself. So, by choosing to give your body higher vibrational foods, it lifts the overall vibration of the physical body.

Emotionally, we also have control . I’ve had a few conversations this week about OCD. We all have it to some degree. But how much is it controlling us and how much are we able to turn that around and control IT? Well, guess what? Here again, we have total control. First, we need to recognize the OCD and recognize it every time we get ensconced in it . Once we see it and recognize it, the power to change it becomes ours.

OUR BODY, OUR TEMPLE --- we do have control!

Recognizing what we do and do not have control over allows us the ability to take back our lives and our destinies.

Look at your patterns this week . Determine what needs to change! In what areas do you need to regain control? Then consciously choose to let go of what you have no power over. Practice acceptance, forgiveness, and love.

Have a great week!

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't.”
--Steve Maraboli

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Time To Take A Break...

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:15:48 GMT

September 19th, 2022

VACATION!!!!!!!

This week, I will be on vacation! ✋��✋��✋��

I must say, I’m looking forward to shutting down a bit and just focusing on the silence.

It seems as if there is never any silence in my world lately. The phone is always ringing, the traffic sounds are ever present --- there is always chatter. Most of that is coming from the 145 internet tabs that are open in my brain. You are shaking your head right now, aren't you? You get it!

I actually wanted to focus this week on silence, and the need for it. Is there ever silence in your world? I bet if you think about it, there never is. There is always something going on in the background.

Earlier this week, I read something about tinnitus (or ringing in the ears). Did you know that we all actually have this? Yeah, me either. When I read this my thought was…nope not me.

The article talked about silencing your mind, first focusing on the tone of the ring, and listening beyond the ringing. So I took a few moments and silenced my mind. Since those 145 internet tabs are always open --- that’s a bit more of a task than it seems. LOL But I managed for a few moments to close them. You know what I realized --- I do have ringing in my ears. Not detectable when I am not paying attention --- but most definitely it is there when I do.

I then began to try to “ listen beyond the ring ”. Ok, so to be honest, a few tabs popped back open while I was doing this and I didn’t get very far. I’ll have to keep you posted!

But the practice is real. Quieting the mind and resting are necessary for life. The ability to shut off all those internet tabs and get back to silence is essential for our well-being. Without this, we cannot heal.

We work hard. All of us. We do our jobs --- we take care of our families --- we work, work, work . Silence is a luxury we never afford ourselves. There just isn't "time". But, in order to be productive, in order to be of service, in order to do good … we must detach, set boundaries, and take a break.

This week I am going to shut down all those internet tabs. As a matter of fact, I am going to shut it all off . I am going to walk barefoot on the beach. I am going to watch the sunrise --- and the sunset. I am going to enjoy a glass of wine ( yes…I will likely regret it but I am going to do it...LOL). I am going to read a book, watch a funny movie, and indulge in life a bit. I am going to spend time with the people I love --- the people I value most in this world. I am going to create some memories. This --- this right here, is what life is about. It is what we tend to forget as we work, work, work and fall into the hustle and bustle of everyday living.

When I return, I hope to be refreshed and ready to go back to giving one thousand percent to the work that I love doing --- simply because I chose, for a few days, to shut it all off!

Try and find some moments in your everyday processes to shut down the world for a few minutes. I guarantee if you keep practicing, someday you will hear beyond the ringing -- and it just quite possibly might be the voice of your higher power!

Rest this week and find the value in what is truly important!

“Sometimes, you need to step outside, get some air and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be.”
---Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What If We Don't Know Everything?

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 14:06:20 GMT

September 12, 2022

Let’s spend a few minutes this morning thinking outside of the box!

Do you think you know everything there is to know?

Are you one hundred percent sure that what you “ know ” is total truth?

Do you realize that " your opinion " of another is often really your " judgmen t" of another?

Think about this for a moment.

I know for a fact that I do not know everything, and quite probably, many things I may believe could be incorrect . So, I always try to remain open-minded.

Are you receptive to ideas outside of the box?

So, what do you believe about your life here as a human being on the planet earth? Are you here to fulfill a purpose? If so, what is that purpose? Are you here to be happy? To serve others? To find joy? To get up and go to work every single day? Day in and day out. To --- live --- and then one day die? That’s it --- all done!

But, what if --- Earth was a school? A training ground so to speak. A place where we humans go to perfect certain skills and virtues and hopefully one day return to the source of all things.

What if?

That is a pretty intriguing way of viewing life. It really helps to explain many things in my mind. So, what “virtues” could we be attempting to learn?

The Bible states that virtue is " a habitual and firm disposition to do good" . The virtues mentioned are faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

Let's choose to focus, for this conversation, on “ life virtues ” or things we are attempting to learn and master during this lifetime. I read there are twenty-seven life virtues or life themes. I suspect we are here to learn and master all of them --- but there may be one or more that is of higher priority in our life.

Today I am choosing to look at compassion, empathy, and patience. I believe we know what these mean, and we can see how they would be good “ lessons for all of us to master ”.

Compassion and empathy are very similar yet very different. Most of us have compassion for another person when they are ill or hurting or something difficult has befallen them. Compassion at its highest level will cause us to reach out and help another person. Be of service in some way. Empathy, on the other hand, is more of a true understanding of what another person is experiencing. You only gain a true understanding by having had that same experience yourself.

Patience --- well we could ALL use some work on this one!

So what if another person is struggling in their life but unable at this moment to move forward? I have had moments where I've been there --- have you? At that time of my life, the last thing I needed was to be judged by another person's opinion of my situation. I needed compassion . Maybe that compassion came with a kick in the butt at a certain point. Always lovingly of course ! But judgments and opinions were never helpful. I can guarantee if you are judging another person ---- you have your own stuff to work on! Compassion, empathy, and patience may just be three very important virtues that you need to master!

When we choose judgment over where another individual is standing in overcoming their life challenges --- whether we have walked in their shoes or not --- we lack compassion. If we have experienced what they are experiencing, and we still choose judgment --- then we lack empathy. And --- in both cases, we lack patience.

What if that person and the challenge they are working on, is in our life at this moment to allow us an opportunity to cultivate our skills of compassion, empathy, and patience? A nd we’re failing the test every time?

What if?????

It is certainly something to consider. This week let us all spend some time listening to what comes out of our mouths. Spend some time being compassionate, empathetic, and patient. If you need to kick someone in the butt to get them moving --- do it with love. Sprinkle in a little kindness while you’re at it.

If we are here to learn lessons and take that growth back to our source, I sure want to do that to the best of my ability. I want to gain everything I can and master all the lessons given to me. What about you?

When you graduate from this school --- do you want to have learned all you can learn?

Yeah ---- me too!

Let’s master some skills this week! Have a great one!

“To live a life of virtue, match up your thoughts, words, and deeds.”
--Epictetus

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

How's Your Life?

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 16:11:24 GMT

September 5, 2022

A good friend of mine, when asked how he was doing, would always say “ lovin' life ”. He was 85 when he left this life and this was one of his amazing mantras. The last several years of his life were a struggle. Illness had crept in and he lost the ability to do the things he loved the most. However, when asked, "he was lovin' life” . He had nothing special that would make you look at him and think “ wow that guy led the life.” He was a simple man with a great big giant heart who truly “loved life”.

For some reason, I was thinking about him this past week, as I was busy complaining about “where my life was at”. I kept hearing the words “ but what is right in your life "? You know what --- the "rights" far exceed the "wrongs".
BUT --- I was choosing to place my focus on everything that was wrong.

Why do we choose to focus our attention on the negatives in our life?

There was a study performed where participants were shown pictures that were “ positive, negative and neutral ”. The electrical activity in their brains was being monitored while they viewed the photos. The negative images produced a much stronger response in the cerebral cortex than either of the other images did. This area of the brain is responsible for functions including memory, deliberate action, language, critical thinking, attention, perception, awareness, and overall consciousness.

The results indicated that your body has a different physical reaction to negative and positive stimuli.

In primitive times this served us well. Those who saw and perceived danger quickly were more likely to survive. Could the same be said for today? Maybe in some instances ---- but not necessarily to the degree we take it. We focus on so much negativity we tend not to see the positive. That same negativity causes anxiety and depression and weakens our physical bodies.

Today was a great example for me --- and a great chance for me to practice this “positive thought process thinking”. From the moment I got up, everything seemed to go wrong. I was so focused on all that was going wrong, that ---- more went wrong. The situation kept compounding. At some point, though, I remembered my friend and his ever-positive outlook on life. I realized what I was doing to myself and halted that critical thinking part of the brain and went back to looking at all the good things life had to offer me. Which, by the way, were many ---- way more than what was going “wrong”.

The things that show up in our lives are always going to be what we are focusing our attention on. If we choose to see only the negative --- we will get negative. If we choose to see the positive ---- we will get more positive. And….I’ve said this many times before….maybe what appeared to be negative will turn out to have been positive somewhere down the road.

Negative is a vibration. Positive is a vibration. Like attracts like. If your vibration is negative (meaning, negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions) you will attract more of the same. If you are a positive person, focusing more on the joy, love, and happiness in life --- the more of that you will attract.

If you want to improve your life, you need to improve the way you view life. We are all human and will have those moments where we sink into the negativity or defeat. We need to see what we are doing and stop that thought process. Where we focus is what will manifest.

To do this, don’t respond to negative people or events. Choose to view these as opportunities for you to grow as a soul and to respond in a positive way. Reacting to the negativity with anger, will create more negativity and more anger. You cannot change others --- the only person you can change is you.

Remember you have the power to avoid places and people that cause you to have negative emotions. YOU HAVE THAT POWER . No conversation necessary. If there is a situation that is causing you negative emotions STOP GIVING IT YOUR LIFE FORCE . The power is always within you. If you choose not to utilize your power than the negative that is occurring in your life is your choice because you supplied it with the life force that fed it.

I am not suggesting, by any means, that we wear rose-colored glasses and assume the world is the land of milk and honey ---- what I am suggesting is that we do not allow everyday events to destroy our moments and rob us of our joy. The reality of it is we do not know in this moment, what the next moment will bring. Maybe our higher power has us exactly where we need to be for a reason completely unknown to us.

Trust! Have Faith and continue always to live in a state of love, faith and trust.

You have the power --- we have the power! Be bold, be strong!

“You have the power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
--Marcus Aurelius

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Choose Your Words Wisely...

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 14:59:35 GMT

August 29th, 2022

Do you think your fist is one of the most powerful weapons you have? You could have the most powerful fist in the world --- but I guarantee you, your words are even more powerful!

Don't believe me? Allow me to prove it.

Did you ever hear of Masaru Emoto? He was a Japanese businessman and author. He believed that human consciousness could affect the molecular structure of water. His early experiments revolved around the hypothesis that water reacted to positive thoughts and that polluted water could be cleaned through prayers and positive reinforcement. ( The Hidden Messages in Water ) If you are interested in learning more, you can view many of his experiments online. Essentially he would expose water to various words or stimuli --- some positive, some negative. He would then freeze the water and view it under a microscope. What he found was astonishing! The water exposed to positive words was beautiful, while the water exposed to negative words was not. Here's a link to a video of a " rice experiment " done in a similar fashion. It would be very easy for us to duplicate this experiment and see the results for ourselves.

So words. Every day we say somewhere between 2000 and 5000 words. We could choose to be offering words of encouragement, appreciation, love, education, and guidance. Or on the flip side, we could be gossiping, spreading false truths, or just being downright nasty to another person. All are just simple words .

Remember the saying "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me". I must beg to differ!

Whoever said this did not realize the ability of words to cut like a knife. WORDS CAN HURT! Bones will heal, but the pain caused by words can linger indefinitely.

What takes only a simple second to utter --- can, and often does, linger for a lifetime . An off-handed remark may cause you to question your abilities, or many times make you feel less than adequate. It could cause you to be on guard or closed off to others. Words can hurt --- they sting and they leave lasting repercussions.

Stop and think about the words we use when speaking to our spouses, our children, our co-workers, and even our pets. While we're at it---how are we talking to ourselves?

Are we speaking positive words or are our words used as weapons? When we are angry, do we go for the jugular with a clear intention of causing pain? Have we said something that caused someone discomfort or hurt feelings? Are we using negative words in the common language without realizing their impact?

Some time ago something happened in my world that caused an angry reaction. Unfortunately, it was a complete misunderstanding. This week while cleaning out some stuff, I located the email where the anger was written. Wow---it stung all over again. Oddly, when reliving it, I realized the words still hung in the air like a dark cloud.

It is not uncommon, in fact , it is rather human, for us to mistake what someone says as being directed towards us. Most times however it is not, we are just lacking information. In the particular instance above, the "angry words" had nothing to do with me or anything I had done, they came from a place of deep hurt in another person . I recognize that, and there is no anger or resentment on my part, however, being the lucky recipient of those hurtful words leaves a big impression. One that may never truly go away.

When you are angry or hurt --- walk away. Talk at a time when you are more clear-headed. Express your feelings openly and always with love. Anger and hate never resolve anything. Just look at the rice experiment to see this for yourself.

So this week, be mindful of your words. Those spoken to others and to yourself . Your body will change its vibration based on what you are saying and hearing. Turn off the news, turn off the disruptive music, and turn off disruptive people. Surround yourself with high vibration! Speak in high vibration! Talk lovingly to yourself, others, your pets, and why not your water! What do you have to lose --- it might just all change.

Remember always --- you are loved and you have the power to change everything. It starts with your words!

“Words are vibrations of nature. Therefore, beautiful words create beautiful nature. Ugly words create ugly nature. This is the root of the universe.
--Masaru Emoto

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Where's your enthusiasm?

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 14:36:45 GMT

August 22, 2022

A while back when I was walking Karla I met a little boy, maybe 7 years old. He came over to us very enthusiastically asking if he could pet our dog. He was just so excited about her, that he started talking and telling us all about his trip fishing that day. He was talking so much, that his somewhat embarrassed mother called him away. I found his enthusiasm absolutely refreshing and I left the entire moment smiling and laughing over our conversation. By the way --- just for the record he ran to his mom when she called, yelling back to me “ thank you for letting me pet your dog ”! Don't see that too often anymore.

But back to the enthusiasm part. This kid was so excited about his day. Fishing! One of life’s simple pleasures. Being outdoors, surrounded by family, and just loving the moment. To top it all off, he got to pet a dog that wasn’t his and adored receiving her attention. He soaked it all up.

Again, the other evening, a toddler in a stroller squeaked enthusiastically at the site of Karla, and her mother asked if she could see her closer. Both Karla and the baby had a moment of pure love and appreciation for each other.

Children ---- are in the moment. They love life and simple things. Toddlers run around touching everything, the world being a sensory place. They are filled with excitement for everything and anything that they see. They are looking forward to their next birthday, the next holiday --- the next moment!

These two events made me wonder where my enthusiasm for life went. I’m not excited about fishing or seeing a dog. The sensory overload a toddler must experience is gone. So is my inner child. Along with it my enthusiasm and overall excitement about life and its little things.

Why does this happen? Here are a couple of possible reasons.

We are often burnt out, exhausted, bored, and overwhelmed. Maybe we are lonely, lacking connections with others. Or maybe we have connections, but we have not chosen well, and those connections no longer stimulate us . Possibly we are experiencing self-doubt about our accomplishments in life. Maybe we feel we should be further along or more successful. All these things can cause us to sink into negativity, self-doubt, and depression.

Lacking enthusiasm for life's simple pleasures is a very common thing that happens to us as we age, and as we lose touch with our inner child. We feel that “ we are older now ” so we always must be adultlike, responsible, and steady . And, yes, there is truth to this.

But what about that inner child? Doesn't that require “some” attention? Further, what would be wrong with nurturing that side of ourselves and having a little bit of fun, enthusiasm, and excitement? Does life always have to be work, responsibility, and steadiness?

Don’t we do enough of that every single day?

So how can we reach that inner child and do a little nurturing ---- and more importantly how would it benefit us?

Let’s start with the benefit. Excitement is good. Remember those butterflies you used to get in your stomach when you were excited? Remember how great that felt? When we’re excited about life, everything goes easier. We enjoy the moments, we enjoy the work, we don’t feel as overwhelmed, because we have something to look forward to. Our bodies relax and we don’t feel every single stress as a physical aliment. We’re healthier, happier and we rest better. All easy and simple ways to improve our overall health.

How do we do this? You know what, it's not difficult -- it's actually rather simple. Get excited!!!!!!! When you were a kid, what did you love doing? Did you love to fish? Did you love to play basketball? Did you love to go on an adventure? Figure out what gave you those butterflies ---- and then get out there and do it! Simple!

We can’t all go on extravagant excursions, and maybe it’s not possible for us to do big things to nurture our inner child. But we can do small things to bring back the excitement and enthusiasm of life. Pick up a coloring book and color (the old fashioned kind where you use paper and crayons…LOL). Get some sidewalk chalk and color the sidewalk with your child. Go on a hike. Paint a picture. Dance around the kitchen like no one is watching. Spend the afternoon going for a drive and getting "lost"...let those windows down and blast the radio! Break out of your comfort zone and give your inner child a gift.

We don’t always have to be so serious, so adultlike. It’s okay to have fun, to laugh, to relish the simple things, to be silly, to even be stupid. These are the moment's life is made of, these are the moments that matter.

The day I met that young boy, I don’t remember much about what I did that day. I can’t tell you anything special that happened, but I know I won't forget that chance encounter. I can tell you he made me smile, and gave me faith and hope that our world is going to be ok. All because he was excited about petting my dog.

It’s simple ---- get excited and start loving life again!

This week when you visit the office, I want you to tell me how you nourished your inner child this week! I can't wait to hear what you come up with!

This week --- play hard, love hard!

Life becomes precious and more special to us when we look for the little everyday miracles and get excited about the privileges of simply being human.
Tim Hansel

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Here we go again...

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 12:37:50 GMT

August 15, 2022

The work we do in our office has blessed us in so many ways. We have met so many truly wonderful people. We are helping you to find your way and regain your well-being. But are you aware that you so often provide US with a gift and a chance to heal?

When I write these emails, I usually do so based on repeated events that happen during the past week or weeks. Patterns emerge, and many people seem to be trying to heal the same things --- at the same time . These messages are to aid us all on that journey. I recognize that these messages do not come from me, but they are rather a gift to all of us, if only we choose to listen and see the correlation to our own life.

So with that said --- as much as I’d rather not --- I’m going back to the difficult and unwanted topic of grief.

This past week, I have watched someone I love dearly lose a family member in the most unexpected of ways. With so much tremendous loss in her life already, I question why. I have heard stories of people struggling in their relationships. Some beginning their journey of healing --- as well as others at the end of their rope and grieving the loss of something they thought would be for life. I’ve seen the loss of pets --- the loss of jobs --- the loss of health.

All grief --- all loss --- all unbearable as we’re working through it.

I wish I had all the answers, but I do not. Grief is a beast. It strikes from behind and oftentimes when we least expect it. It’s sad, it’s devastating, and it hurts like hell.

No one can walk you through your own personal grief story. No one can tell you how to proceed. But hopefully, I can offer you hope and maybe some tools to use as you process where you are right at this moment.

When you are in a state of grief, allow yourself some grace. The process is different for everyone and what you do and how you proceed will be unique to you. YOU DO YOU!

Grief is universal. Everyone has grief of some sort. Recognize that. If you have not experienced the profound loss of losing a loved one close to your inner circle --- say thank you . That loss never truly heals, and you never get over it .

Grief changes you . It is completely your choice as to whether you grow from it, or whether you choose to stay stuck in the sadness of it and refuse the growth it can provide.

All grief can help you grow if you choose to accept that. We don’t change or grow when we are in a state of happiness and life is simple and easy. The opposite end of the spectrum is what allows us the chance to grow.

There are a variety of physical issues that can go along with the grief process. Often, we will experience brain fog and simple tasks we have done repeatedly may seem impossible to complete. We could begin to experience illness. We may not sleep. We may experience anxiety. People that know us well might pull away because “we are not the same” --- and truly we are not . We may want to talk about our loss yet feel like we are burdening others. Depression, a topic we all think we understand, can happen to even the most positive of us. Why? Because our world is rocked, and coping has suddenly become difficult.

Ultimately, we are going through all of this and hopefully, we will see the other side. Is there one? Yes, but it will be different. There can be happiness, fun, and joy again. But just when you're lulled into believing the grief has left you --- it will return and often with a vengeance. Often when we least expect it. Often just from someone’s words. Almost assuredly, when we see someone standing in a place where we once were.

My friend’s grief reopened wounds for me and observing others standing at a place I once stood, profoundly affected my balance this week. It was a struggle to stay in the light and move forward. This caused me to question everything about my current station in life. But you know what really happened here --- these moments gave me yet another opportunity to heal something that has not completely healed. The universe, God, whatever you want to call it has placed me in the next step of my healing journey, allowing me the opportunity to move just a bit further past the pain.

Grief will never totally diminish . Hopefully, we have chosen our tribe well and those that are walking with us will continue to be the strength that picks us up when we falter --- as I guarantee we all will from time to time.

What about you? What is happening “ right now ” in your life that is causing you discomfort? What is happening “ right now ” that is causing symptoms in your body? What is the “ right now ” for you?

Realize that this is a gift and an opportunity for you to heal something. Healing is profound and reaches even further than the space you occupy on this planet.

Do the work. See the discomfort. Acknowledge the discomfort. Face that beast head-on. Then and only then, can you truly heal, and grow into the spiritual being you are here to perfect.

We are here on this planet to grow spiritually ---- get out there and get it done!

“Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life’s search for love and wisdom.”
– Rumi

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

I choose to be real...

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 13:26:47 GMT

August 8th, 2022

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” --- Excerpt from the Velveteen Rabbit

Did you ever read this story to your children? It is a beloved favorite of many and one that was read over and over again in our house. What a beautiful story about self-acceptance and "becoming".

Self-acceptance … how many of you struggle with it? I know I do at times and boy getting older does not help! It truly is not for the faint of heart. I think maybe this is something women feel a little more strongly than men. But maybe I’m wrong there… I am a woman after all!

Becoming! Once upon a time, we were all young. Each phase of life changes us in some way. Children exude love. They live in the moment. They hug freely and approach all things with their heart, and are happy with themselves. Unfortunately, this seems to change when they reach school age and peer pressure kicks in.

Teenagers tend to rebel. They want to shock the “older generations”. ( We were all there once….LOL ) Usually, by the time we hit our 20's we are finding ourselves. In our 30's we are settling down a bit more, and by our 40’s we are often content and at peace with who we are. Then come those 50’s --- and above --- when by this time --- hopefully, we have "become"!

I once fostered a 12-year-old golden retriever. Jax came to us at a difficult time --- and for whatever reason, I never hesitated to say “ sure we’ll take him in ”. This boy (many of you had met him) was truly a puppy in an old man’s body. Even though his body was failing, he never lost sight of his inner child. He could not see flaws, he only felt what was in his heart. That, my friends, was a puppy absolutely in love with anything that was shaped like a ball. Tennis balls were by far the favorite. Oddly, although the body no longer cooperated --- he still thought he was a puppy --- and lived his life as though he was one.

I believe this happens to us. When we are young, we are perfect yet always trying to be more than we are or be different than we are -- because we cannot see the perfection . As we age, our bodies become less than perfect and our panic to regain perfection often leads us to disharmony and lack of self-love.

In the Bible, it says that God made us in his image. That means clearly that we are sparks of God --- so if we cannot love ourselves as we are in this moment, then we are clearly not loving the God within us .

Each wrinkle, scar, age spot, and extra pound --- are all guideposts on the journey to where we are now. And, you know what? Each of those things made you beautiful and who you are today --- so why don't we choose to honor and accept them as they are?

For you women out there that have had children and feel your body “ hasn’t been the same ”. It hasn’t --- trust me --- I know. LOL! But truly we gave life – the greatest gift in the world and we should honor and love everything that has changed since. What a gift!

This week choose to be real --- accept and honor who and where you are right now. As if your body was its own individual universe --- its own spark of God, love it to its full capacity – exactly as it is!

It is our duty to honor ourselves --- and I have to say, just like the velveteen rabbit --- I’m glad to be real!

(Link to the audio story)

“When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”
--The Velveteen Rabbit

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Live in joy...

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:39:48 GMT

August 1st, 2022

Finding joy . It is what we all want in life. I mean who wants to live a joyless life????

What is joy?

It’s probably different for everyone. For me my greatest joy is family. There is nothing that makes me happier than sharing times with the ones I love. It doesn’t really matter what we’re doing --- it is the quality of the time.

But, I also find joy in cooking, reading, walking, being outdoors, and in the work I do. I feel that my life is balanced and filled with joy. I am truly grateful.

I will say that I did not always find the joy in the simple things of life. There were moments, or rather “ seasons ” of life where I searched for joy outside of myself. I tried to find joy in unfulfilling work and an unbalanced lifestyle.

How do you find the balance --- the joy?

Tony Robbins has a list of 9 things that he feels are the guideposts to finding joy.

Let go of the past: The past is not the future --- unless you live in it and then it is going to become your future. Regardless of what has happened, release it. Stop allowing it to hold you prisoner --- because it is also holding your joy prisoner.
Practice Gratitude: Life isn’t perfect . Even a joy-filled life will have moments that are less than joyful. Find gratitude in all things. It is there --- sometimes you just need to reach for it.
Use the Law of Attraction: Have you heard you get what you give in life? In the Bible, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 reads “ Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. “ Give to the world more of what you want to receive.
Surround yourself with positive people : You will become your tribe. The people you choose to be around are going to influence the person you are. Surround yourself with those that will lift you and push you to be all that you can be. Let the others go.
Change your physiology : Have you heard the expression “fake it ‘til you make it.” Change your focus from negativity to joy. Smile. Tell your brain you are happy --- even when you’re not. Try a power pose. Stand tall, throw back your shoulders, and put your hands on your waist. Confident physiology can change your entire demeanor.
Create positive daily rituals: Start your morning doing something positive. Maybe it’s journaling or exercise or meditation. It doesn’t matter what you choose, just make sure it brings you joy . Might be your cup of coffee?????? ��
Be present: If you choose to go for a walk in the morning, put your phone down . Enjoy the moment. Often we are so focused on outside stimuli, we never actually enjoy the moment. Get in it --- don't lose the gift of your moments.
Find your purpose: We’ve talked about this before many times. Remember our purpose is joy . Our purpose should bring us joy . If you believe something is your purpose and all it brings you is strife and anxiety you are not doing God’s work and your purpose is not being fulfilled . Get back on track and find the joy.
Give Back : Giving back does not always mean giving money. That is such a common misconception in our society. Sometimes the greatest gift is your time or your presence. Prioritize time to do good. Often the simple things are the greatest things.

Go out and find your joy this week! Like the amazing Lucille Ball says --- it’s a hellava start!

“I believe that we're as happy in life as we make up our minds to be.”
--Lucille Ball

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The best you, you can be...

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:31:22 GMT

July 25th, 2022

“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. Making our bed seems simple, but if we don’t do the simple things right … well … you know how that goes! Bed-making is strictly enforced in the military for this reason. After we all get up in the morning, we look at ourselves in the mirror and decide how to “make our lives.” So if we can get the bed part of our day right every morning, maybe we can get our lives right too!"

This was an excerpt from a speech by Admiral McRaven at the University of Texas commencement in 2014. If you have not heard his speech, take a few moments and listen to it. I guarantee it is worth your time. (Link to speech)

Changing the world. That seems like a daunting task in the light of what we are currently facing. Truth be told, it may just be. How are small, insignificant people like us supposed to go out there and make a difference? Could it be as simple as “making our bed”?

Metaphorically maybe it is. You see the act of making a bed symbolizes keeping our lives in order. Keeping our side of the street neat and orderly --- and as he says, if nothing else works that day, at least you get in a freshly made bed come night time.

So if our lives are in order we are more focused on our purpose of changing the world. Even if it is a simple thing. There is an older lady where I live who places dog biscuits on her step for the neighborhood dogs to enjoy. She has two out there at any given time and she replenishes them frequently throughout the day. I know you think this isn’t changing the world --- but take a moment and think about it . She goes out and buys cookies, watches the sidewalk throughout the day to see when one gets taken, and then she runs out there and replenishes them. Every day --- multiple times a day. She’s looking forward to seeing the happy dog and the happy owner. And, the dogs --- well they have grown to “ know which step has the treats ” and the pet parents are enjoying watching their dog get so excited. Everyone wins --- and you know what --- everyone changes a little bit for the better. This woman is changing her little corner of the world.

Your mark on the world might not seem monumental, but rather, like the woman in my story, a simple gesture of love. But it just might be monumental to someone else. I am grateful for the sweet lady and her treats for the animals. I’m grateful for the effort she puts into it. Her little ritual makes me smile on every walk --- and reminds me to be present in the moment with my animal, and enjoy the joy on her face every time she peeks around the corner. One simple act of love has rippled further than it seems.

What simple little gesture of love can you offer the world this week? Can you, in your darker moments, rise above and try to stay, and act, with love? When you fail, as we humans do , can you rise up yet again, stronger and more determined to do better next time.

Growth is the challenge. Failure (or your perception that you failed ) is ok --- as long as you recognize it and do better next time.

Being strong at our weakest moments is not easy. It is not always doable, and there are times we will falter. But rise stronger --- rise better --- and do better!

Get your inner world straight --- fill your moments with love, goodness, happiness, joy and service and watch the outer world follow along.

This week make your bed, organize your inner world --- and watch the outer one expand and grow!

“Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
--Mother Teresa

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Lead with your heart...

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:28:43 GMT

July 18th, 2022

The energy is heavy. Do you feel it?

Are you feeling fatigued? Not sleeping? Anxiety? Depression? Then I suspect you’re feeling the energy in the air right now. It’s palpable. Life is hard --- and it seems as if it’s getting harder.

If you didn’t feel it before----are you feeling it now???
Sorry, not a great way to start a positive message, but it gets better, hang in there. ��

Have you heard it said that humans use only 10% of their brains? The conscious mind, the part that plans, sees, hears, tastes, touches, moves, and makes choices, only needs 10% of the brain to function . So, what happens in the other 90%? That is the unconscious mind. The part of the brain that we are essentially unaware of. This part of the brain controls all the automatic functions of our body. We do not need to think about making our heart pump, or our lungs inhale air. It happens automatically. Even though we are unaware of it, the unconscious mind also controls our lives and our choices. Like a recording device, it records every moment of our life and every reaction to every moment. Every conversation we have ever had and every thought we have ever had. Every single one of them. Yikes …. that’s scary! LOL ��

Every moment of our life has an emotion attached to it and that emotion is stored away neatly in our unconscious minds.

So let’s go back to the heavy energy we are all feeling. We are focused on it. We watch the news; we hide out from family and friends. We are afraid --- living a life of fear. We have become prisoners in our own minds. AND…all this is being stored in that neat little recorder in our mind. The problem is that these emotions, fears, and reactions all stay stored. When a similar event occurs, we draw from past experience and past reactions --- and do the same thing over again! It is called programming. We are programming fear, hatred, anger, anxiety, sadness, and a plethora of other lower vibrational emotions away in our unconscious minds for further use.

Read that again!

These emotions then become our new normal. It is how we react. Like a merry-go-round that we can never stop, UNLESS, that is, we decide to put our foot down and stop the spinning.

Let me use myself as an example simply because I know my mind and my patterns . When something scares me, I run. So a red flag appears as something that is a legitimate cause for concern but, instead of stepping back and watching to see which direction that flag goes --- I give up and walk away . That is called being non-confrontational. It is a programmed response. So when life presents me with something that shakes me, I recognize that I have a choice. Repeat the runaway program --- or stop – step back and see what happens. If I confront the discomfort head-on and practice the belief that " whatever happens is as it should be " I can begin to write a new program and new way of living. It is not good or bad, it’s just a different path ---- one I may not have walked before!

I need to add this one statement to what I have just said. Years back, someone told me “ I always tell people to step into their discomfort --- unless --- their subconscious mind is screaming 'hell no'. ” So, remember, uncomfortable is one thing --- but if your body and mind scream "hell no" --- pay attention .

So how do you change your patterns? Harness your emotional intelligence and recognize what is happening. Then step into your discomfort and do something different . It does not matter how small the change is, one slight difference begins the process of changing to a new program. You can do it!

Our world is heavy and at times dark. Don't focus there. Focus on the light . The happiness. The moments of joy. And, beyond all things --- the love ! It is everywhere, and when we choose to collectively focus our attention on the higher vibrational emotions we will turn this all around. Stop all the nonsense and step into your unconscious mind --- your discomfort --- and take back your power.

Have a powerful week!

"The people have the power. All we have to do is awaken the power in the people."
--John Lennon

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

I Told You So...

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 15:26:15 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Life is full of those darned “ I told you so ” moments! I don’t know about you --- but I am not a fan of that phrase. Why? Simply, because whoever is saying it to me --- did indeed “ tell me so ” --- and I did not heed the advice! To further the problem, the situation turned out exactly like they said it would. You know what ---that “ being proven wrong ” thing --- it is a tough cookie to swallow. ��

So here I am ( approximately ) 21,000 days into this experience of life, and I’ve heard more “I told you so’s” than I can count.

Why is it that we so often cannot clearly see what other people are able to clearly see?

It is all about perception. When we are disengaged from emotion and viewing someone else's life experience, we can see the situation without the cloud of emotion tied to it. It is easy for us to use our past experiences along with our current perceptions to see how “other” people should handle the place they are in their life. It is very easy to judge. It is very easy for us to see life from our perspective, or our perception , and make a judgment call on how someone else should proceed. But when it comes to our own lives --- clouded with the array of emotions --- then it becomes a bit more challenging. Why do we so often miss the “red flags” in our own world? The same "red flag" that others see clearly.

One of the many gifts that life offers us is free will . That is the choice of any path we wish to take. That gift does not include foresight as to how that path will turn out. If you really take a moment and think about it, every single choice is an opportunity for a different path. Every choice. Think about it for a moment. If you are driving and go left instead of right --- your destination may be the same, but the time you arrive there could be different ---- and your experience along the way could be different.

Truly, one split second can make a difference. Maybe the difference is not significant, but who really knows. A major decision will obviously create profound differences. We will never know the outcome of choosing that right turn, or what experiences we may have encountered as a result. Have you ever uttered the phrase “ if only I had done this or that, things would be different” ? Guaranteed they would be different. How? That is unknown to us. Would it be better or worse? Or is there really a better or worse?

When life throws those “ red flags ”, those things that scare us or make us want to retreat --- what do we do? How do we proceed?

In certain instances, we have the ability to let something play out and see how it goes --- and then make a decision . If that option is available, that could be a good choice. That way you can gauge your “ perception ” of things and try to avoid having it cloud your ability to make a clear decision. If that option is not available, and a more immediate decision is required, try giving yourself a few minutes or hours of space between the need for a decision and the actual decision. Remember, there will never be a right or wrong – only a different learning, a different path.

Every decision we make will either help us grow or keep us stuck right where we are . When faced with life choices choose a direction that will move you forward, help you grow, and make you a better person. Each and every one of our life experiences, good, bad, or indifferent, have created the person we are in this exact moment, on whatever day you are in your current life experience. Honor that person, love that person, and continue to nourish that person with the choices you make.

When we meet today, we are meeting the person that has been blissfully happy, and horrifically sad. The person that has loved, and the person that has lost. The person that was angry and the person that has let all that go. The person that could not offer forgiveness, and the person that learned to forgive fully. The person that has started as an empty shell and now has a multitude of experiences with which to base future decisions on. Because of this --- when we are faced with something that will ultimately change our life, we have tools at our disposal to help us with those decisions. We have the learned experience of stepping back, allowing what will be to be, and choosing from that place. Honor that person.

Life can be very challenging. Life can be unknown and the result of what tomorrow can be is unknown. The only moment we have is now. So make the most of now. Make the most of whatever path you choose. And, when looking back at who you once were, only do so to reach for knowledge and understanding to help push you forward on your path.

Life is about to change…embrace it.
Have an amazing week!

“I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find out you're not, I hope you have the strength to start over again.”
--F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Are You Stuck?

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 18:54:01 GMT

July 4th, 2022

Are you stuck?

I know, in some ways, I am. Sometimes I can see it --- other times I do not. I can, however, usually see it in someone else. That's usually easy, but, oftentimes, seeing it in ourselves is a bit more challenging. Overcoming that challenge and being able to "unstuck" ourselves is the key to us living our best possible life.

So how do we know when we are stuck? Actually, it's pretty simple. We keep doing the same thing over and over again --- expecting a different result. We will always justify the past result as not being " our fault " but the fault of an outside circumstance. The words "if only this would have happened, or that would have happened, everything would be different" is a big clue that we are spinning our wheels.

Did you ever hear yourself saying something like this? Then you are stuck !!!!!

Welcome to the real world.

Last week I shared a story about a bowl that sucked me back to a moment of grief in my life. I'm definitely not "stuck" in that moment of grief, but there are times I am stuck in "grief". It rears its ugly head at times when I least expect it.

This week, I heard a number of people share something with me that I knew was a sign that they were "stuck" . The same actions will always produce the same result.

How can we step out of this destructive pattern? First, we need to recognize that we are spinning our wheels. We need to stop justifying what went wrong in the past, and defining how it could be different this time. Continually repeating actions or behaviors and expecting different results, or other people to change , will always yield the same result.

It's so easy to get in a rut and get stuck. Many times we are stuck in goals or visions we have for our life. Many times, something has been said to us in passing, that has caused us to be stuck in a moment, unable to move forward.

Regardless, we keep repeating cycles --- expecting, even justifying, why the result will be different this time.

Another sign that we are "stuck" would be expecting an external change to occur. Changing ourselves is very scary and painful because we have to let go of " what we envisioned " for ourselves, and allow " what is " to happen. But in order for us to find joy, love, and fulfillment we need to enter into the pain and walk thru it to the other side. When we do decide to let go of what's weighing us down, we will fly and become an even better version of ourselves.

This week, try to recognize places where you are stuck. Let go of what's burdening you. Let go of what you think life should be and embrace what it is. Go with the flow. Look for the signs that are on your path, being careful not to create signs.. Sometimes what we perceive as a sign is really just a distraction. Remember, if it didn't work before --- it's not going to work again . Guaranteed. Same action will produce the same result. Move on --- your true calling, and your best life, will be revealed only when you let go of what you have been programmed to believe!

All good things lie just past our ability to let go! Let's live our best lives and create a life we can be proud of!

Let go --- and Let God! You can not begin the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the old one!

“The process of becoming unstuck requires tremendous bravery because basically, we are changing our way of perceiving reality."
--Pema Chodron

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

I'm Broken Too...

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 13:13:42 GMT

June 27th, 2022

UGH! I am going to go all uncomfortable today! Why? Because we all need to hear it. Because it is everywhere. Because the writing is easy --- which means a higher power wants me to share!

So here goes . GRIEF! It is ugly, it is painful, it is debilitating --- but oddly enough --- it is everywhere --- in every one of us. Not everyone has experienced the grief associated with a devastating life loss, but that is not the only type of grief. It can be the loss of anything: a pet, a home, financial security, a job, a marriage, health--- whatever. It is all loss. It is all something we need to process.

People have a lot of cliché remarks they use when trying to comfort someone who is struggling. We do not mean to be thoughtless, often we just do not know what to say. Watching people in pain is extremely hard. The other thing that happens (even if we do not want to admit it) we realize it "could happen to us" --- and that is a hard reality to face. Sounds harsh --- but grief is just that --- harsh!

Grief is also fond of the sucker punch. You think you are doing well and moving forward and then bam! Here we go again!

Father's Day did just this to me. Several years ago, a member of my family was gravely ill. Father's Day in our house always consisted of a homemade apple pie. That year, this person was not able to eat much, so in lieu of making a regular size pie, I got an individual pie dish and proceeded to make a small pie so the tradition would still be enjoyed despite the circumstances.

I still have the dish. A few days before Father’s Day, not thinking about that time, I pulled that dish out to mix something I was making. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I remembered that entire moment of delivering the pie. I remembered the happiness at the sight of it. I remembered it all --- including the fact that I would never have the chance do it again. I have used that dish many times before when making something. Why did I feel sucker punched this day?

What are our choices when we are grieving. We can give up. We can refuse to live. We can refuse to love. We can refuse happiness. Most of us do not though. We take one step at a time, and we move forward. Then we pull out a dish that has a memory attached to it, and that day we go backwards. AND THAT'S OK!

Am I stuck in that moment? Absolutely not . Did I remember that moment? Absolutely. With some joy --- with some pain. Did I cry? Yes. It was necessary in that moment. Did it hurt? Yes. That, too, was necessary in that moment. That is grief . And guess what --- it is never going to go away ! And guess what is even more important than that --- I don't know that I want it too. You see I don't want to forget that love, or those moments. They are what made me who I am today. They are what is allowing me to find joy, and happiness and love in THIS MOMENT!

When you are grieving --- you do you. There is no right or wrong way. There is no time limit. Many people will not walk the journey with you, they will not have the strength. That's ok, let them go. But those that are strong enough to stick with you ---- love them harder. If you are trying to comfort someone who is grieving --- stop the cliché remarks. There are no words --- there is only love and compassion. Remember your life, will and must go on. You have a purpose. What that is, and what you decide to let into your life is completely up to you. Honor your grief, your place in it, and what it has given you.

If you are grieving --- please know that you are loved, and that there are those of us that understand. We stand with you ! Take one step forward, and if you fall ten steps back that's ok. Start all over again tomorrow. My only advice is no matter how broken you are, no matter how lost you are, LOVE MORE !

The only answer to brokenness is love!

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Recommended reading: " The Grief Recovery Handbook" John W. James

“Grief is about a broken heart, not a broken brain. All efforts to heal the heart with the head fail because the head is the wrong tool for the job. It’s like trying to paint with a hammer—it only makes a mess.”
--John W. James

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Finding A Purpose...

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:01:52 GMT

June 20th, 2022

What are you doing today? What is on your agenda?

When you think about the day ahead and what you have planned, how does it make you feel? Are you feeling excited about the day? Are you stressed and filled with trepidation about the day? How does your body feel? Relaxed --- excited? Stressed --- worried?

Take a moment before reading further and think about how you really feel about the day ahead and about the tasks you have planned.

There are many people that are living lives that are not totally fulfilling them. There are many possible reasons for this. Maybe it is financial? Maybe it is comfort? Maybe it is what they know and what they were trained for, therefore, it's what they do? Maybe it is inside of their comfort zone --- thereby "easier". There could be many reasons why we are not living our purpose. It is important to understand that none of these reasons are right or wrong. We do what we do --- whatever the reason.

Often times we begin to sit and take stock of life and what it means. Usually this happens to us as we get older, or after we have been dealt a significant loss. We start re-thinking life and what it truly means. We will feel like we are spinning our wheels building a life that doesn't totally fulfill us. We begin to realize the value of our time --- and the limited amount of it. We find we only want to do things that bring us joy in the moments we have.

Purpose is something that every person needs in life --- and many people lack . Without purpose, life will not be fulfilling. The term " purpose " is also gravely misinterpreted. We can think we have found purpose but our choice can leave us empty inside.

We have talked before about "ego". Ego is our sense of "self". It is our self-worth . Our perception that we are separate from all others --- and separate from our higher power. That separateness is what keeps us from finding our true "purpose".

I'm sure you have heard, or have said , that someone has a "big ego". That would mean they have a large sense of self and maybe even a large sense of "their own accomplishments" . A person living their true "purpose" is not doing so for the accomplishment of it, but rather for the service of it.

Living a life of "purpose" is being of " service to others " --- not "service to self" .

How can you tell if you are living "on purpose"? Start by asking yourself questions about why you do what you do. Be honest and write the answers down. Now read over them and see how they are centered. Pay attention to the wording. It would be helpful to have someone who is objective read over your list for you. Remember when doing this exercise " passion is not always purpose ". You should absolutely be passionate about your purpose --- but you can be passionate about something that is not your purpose. Passion and purpose are not the same thing !

A true purpose is honest, loving, and sincere service to others. It is service with exchange. Both the receiver and the giver are filled up by the exchange. The words "I am doing something to help another person" --- are ego centered. In true purpose --- everyone wins. Being a martyr is not living on purpose.

Remember if it feeds your ego you are not living on purpose.
You are living on purpose when it feeds your soul !

Your purpose may not be grandiose -- - it may be small --- that's ok --- it's all good, it's all helpful, and it all gets us where we're going!

Feed your soul this week --- and feed the souls of everyone you come in contact with. If it is not feeding your soul it is keeping you from what you are truly here to do.

Take one small step and GO FIND THAT ---- go live life with the purpose of a 4 year old in a batman costume!

“Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it”
--Buddha

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Congratulations Class of 2022!

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 16:58:21 GMT

June 10th, 2022

It's graduation time. Another group of young people heading out into the world carries with them their hopes and dreams for the lives they wish to create for themselves.

Dr. Fatkin's son is among those graduating this year, and as a school board member, he was asked to speak at the graduation ceremony. His words are heartfelt, sincere, and inspiring. Here is the link to the speech if you would like to hear it for yourself. (Fast forward to the 1:12:00 mark for the speech.)

As adults let's keep in mind that we are the role models these children look up to. I might be heading into controversial territory here, but I feel it's time to speak up. We owe it to this graduating class and future graduating classes to give them a country in which they can inherit and build lives filled with joy, love, and purpose. What is happening now is taking away their purpose and ultimately their opportunities for a fulfilling life. Let's stop the nonsense. We need to start speaking our truth and doing it with love and not anger. Let's take back this great country and pass it forward to our children and their children. Let's send them forward with the morals and values to continue making our country great. Let's fill them with the knowledge and inspiration they need to be good people. Good people who love and treat others with respect, who have the morals and values to continue to pay forward the happiness and prosperity that life has endowed upon them.

Go forth and prosper class of 2022 --- there is much to be grateful for!

Speak your truth in love this week ---- we owe it to the world!

“Never worry about who will be offended if you speak your truth. Worry about who will be misled, deceived, and destroyed if you don't.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Moment by moment...

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 19:06:41 GMT

June 6th, 2022

Karla! I am sure most of you remember her . She spent some time at the office recently as our official greeter! ( When she wasn't napping that is. ��)

Do you know one of the wonderful things about Karla? (And, yes, there are many. ) She lives in the moment. Completely and totally immersed in the now. I ran home to take her for a quick potty break on Wednesday afternoon. I was rather rushed that day. She, however, was NOT . Because I was due back at the office, our walk needed to be brief and quick. She didn't care . She would sit for whoever wanted to pet her --- and everyone is supposed to . She would stop and stare at the bunny feeding in the grass well within her reach. And, when we finally arrived back home, she would tussle in the grass with her buddy who lives next door. Of course, with me being in a hurry, I was not enjoying these quality moments quite as much as she was. ��

She made the absolute best out of her 10-minute walk. She enjoyed the sun, the scenery, and everyone that came into her path. She spread joy --- and she received joy.

Why wasn't I doing the same thing?

Well, we all know that story. Back to work. Back to the hustle and bustle. Back to being immersed in " life ". I don't after all have the life of a dog. ***Darn***

At every moment we have a choice. I chose to be stressed thru that entire 10 minutes instead of just breathing and enjoying it. So what if I were a minute or two late returning? Life and work would wait. But I have been programmed to be on a time schedule, and I have been programmed to " not be late ". At that moment my choice was to follow my programming.

This past week I had a moment that caused me to be very angry. Anger is an emotion I try to avoid, but in this case, something triggered it and I felt anger that I did not expect. Fortunately, at that moment I saw what was happening and knew what the trigger was. I chose to walk away and leave the situation. I sat with that feeling for a while and realized that the trigger was really a deep-seated hurt, and that moment brought it to the surface. I had a choice to work on healing the hurt, or reacting and causing more damage. In this instance, at this moment , I chose to walk away and work on healing.

Every single moment is a choice. Every single moment is a decision. We as humans have been given the great gift of free will. That means we choose everything. We can choose to be happy and joyful --- or angry and depressed. We can choose to help someone --- or walk away. We can choose love and laughter --- or anger and resentment. We can choose to see any given situation as a problem --- or as an opportunity.

On my next walk with Karla, I chose to let her enjoy the moment and I chose to enjoy it myself. My choice to understand what was triggering the anger gave me the opportunity to work on healing the hurt. Hopefully, next time, faced with the same situation, I will view it differently and enjoy it for what it was meant to be --- without my hurt interfering in the moment.

Are you enjoying the moment? Are you using your gift of free will to love life, help others, and do good? Are you living your purpose? Are you loving fully and without fear? It doesn't matter what happened a moment ago --- this moment you have the choice to do better. Embrace the gift --- and do better!

Stay high energy and live in love this week. Choose to shine your light in every moment. And, when you're walking your dog --- see life through their eyes, things might look a bit brighter. ( Unless it's raining and then it is ok to be grumpy ��.)

Have an amazing week!

"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life, as Eve felt the joy of life."
--Enzo, " The Art of Racing in the Rain "

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Signs...signs...everywhere there's signs...

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:22:14 GMT

May 30th, 2022

This morning on my early morning walk a cardinal flew directly in front of me. This past week, two very significant songs played, back to back, on my radio. Over the past week, I heard spoken an unusual phrase that has a very emotional connection to me. Coincidence --- maybe. Odd --- most definitely.

I believe that the universe is always sending us signs. Signs that we are supported and loved. Signs of guidance when we no longer can see our path clearly, or warning signs .

When people see cardinals they tend to think " angels are near ". I have always felt they were a symbol of love from beyond. I always see them in pairs --- but this morning it was a single cardinal . Another sign? I think so.

Life has a way of...well... being life ! It can toss out some extremely beautiful moments. It can whirl some love in there, some fun, some excitement --- and then just as quickly it can dish out some of the most painful times we have ever dealt with. All along the way, there are signs. Signs that we are loved and supported --- as in the single cardinal . Signs of guidance or warning --- as in the two songs. Or, signs to make you remember something very special --- as in the special phrase ! Thank you Universe --- I got it!

But --- there are times I have not heard the message or not heard it clearly. As a matter of fact, more times than I can mention. There have been times when I have chosen to walk a path "because I saw the sign". Down the road, I would see that it really was not a sign after all. It was more like a red herring --- distracting me from my true purpose.

So when we are looking for guidance, and paying attention to those signs, how do we know what is what ? Sometimes we will not know. I miss things or misinterpret things all the time. What I have learned is to know what the cardinals mean to me, and when I see them, I think of that. Songs are easy --- there are words after all. �� That's pretty much a no-brainer. But other things can be more difficult to discern.

My advice would be to get present in the signs. Things that are repeated more than once are definitely direct signs. Why though --- you will need to sit with that yourself. As always, the key is the feeling. Whatever your gut tells you is the answer for you at that moment. I think there are many red herrings coming at us and we need to be mindful of that. Don't always jump on something because you've decided you were sent a sign. Sit with it, for as long as it takes for you to feel it. You will know! The feeling is always the key! Remember there are no mistakes and no wrong paths, just different lessons. But the moment you realize you misinterpreted a sign, take the lesson and move on. Our purpose is only found when our focus on our true path is clear.

So I bet you're wondering what was that phrase?

Many years ago I worked for a wonderful man who has long since passed away. He was a profound influence on me. He had a great work ethic and he helped to mold many of us into the people we are today. His greeting words to me every time he saw me were "Good morning sunshine --- carpe diem" ! Now --- really who says "carpe diem" --- and twice in one week???? ��

Seize the day, seize the week, seize the moment and pay attention to the signs!

“It's a hard life sometimes and the biggest temptation is to let how hard it is be an excuse to weaken.”
--Walter Dean Myers

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Forgive and Forget...

Mon, 23 May 2022 12:33:19 GMT

May 23rd, 2022

FORGIVENESS!
We have all had moments where we have needed to offer forgiveness; and we have all needed forgiveness offered to us at one time or another.

What is forgiveness? On the surface, forgiveness is offered either for a momentary lapse in judgment or for a deliberate action that causes hurt to another person. This could be something very life-changing, or something rather small. Regardless, we can consciously choose to forgive.

Forgive and forget! This is something we start hearing in childhood. Likely, we will repeat those words to our children. After all, we do not want them to learn to hold grudges or to act out impulsively at someone that they think has wronged them. What is the point? Anger begets anger and the inability to forgive is really repressed anger.

The art of true forgiveness, however, takes a bit more work than that. It is really a spiritual practice. Forgiving allows us freedom. It is about releasing the animosity you feel toward another individual that has hurt you. In other words, we are forgiving for our own sake , not for the other person. By releasing our attachment to the incident, we release ourselves from the resentment or pain of that moment.

Ok, so now we have made the choice to forgive an incident that has caused us pain --- what about forgetting?

The two seem to go hand in hand. We cannot forgive yet continue to remember the incident. Or can we?

In the Bible, it is said “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you." Oddly enough, as much as we have heard the phrase "forgive and forget" that exact phrase is never spoken in the Bible. We are told to forgive but nothing is ever mentioned about forgetting.

So we forgive but we don't forget! Could that possibly be correct? When we have been hurt seriously by another person, we should absolutely offer them forgiveness . If we do not, anger will destroy us. When we do not forgive, we stand in judgment of another person. Since, w e ou rselves are not perfect we do not have the right to stand in judgment of another person's transgression.

But to forget that we have been seriously hurt by someone --- is that really wise? Let's suppose someone has let you down. We can all relate to this. We are hurt, but we choose to offer forgiveness. We no longer feel anger towards them, but, we still have not forgotten what caused us that hurt. Does that mean that we have not forgiven them completely? Possibly, if there is still anger, however, it could also mean that we are proceeding with caution. Maybe, we have consciously chosen to give them an opportunity to do better while remaining guarded and protecting ourselves. Or, maybe we have consciously decided to move on and away from it. Either way could be a complete act of love.

We all have people in our lives that we struggle to "forgive" for something. Let's consider this week that offering forgiveness ( even if we don't forget ) is the greatest act of love. We're allowing another person to do better next time ---- and we're giving ourselves the same opportunity to do better next time. Don't forget --- but forgive and move on.

One of the greatest acts of forgiveness I heard about was Robert Rule's words to Gary Leon Ridgway, the serial killer that had murdered his daughter. The families of the victims all had an opportunity to speak directly to Ridgeway. Many were angry and lashed out at him. Rule, however, got up and said “Mr. Ridgway . . . there are people here that hate you. I’m not one of them. You’ve made it difficult to live up to what I believe, and that is what God says to do, and that’s to forgive. You are forgiven, sir.”

Wow ---- now that is power! Did Mr. Rule forget --- not a chance! But he chose to forgive!

This week forgive someone. Maybe the grievance is small and "forgettable", but if it is not, choose to remember, but without any anger attached to it!

Have an amazing week!

“Forgiving is not forgetting. It's remembering without pain.”
--Celia Cruz

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The power or communication...

Fri, 20 May 2022 17:53:47 GMT

May 9th, 2022

I’ve been told I am a “ secretive ” person. That really is not the case, I am rather a “ private ” person. I don’t feel the need to share every thought my brain has, or every detail of my person, with every individual that crosses my path. I share selectively and with people that I feel can add something to the conversation and not judge the conversation . There is a clear difference.

Over the course of a lifetime, I have also learned that not everything needs to be discussed. Many times if you choose to ponder a situation you will discover that your perception of that situation is not what you originally thought it was.

When it comes to relationships that we value in life, communication is essential. Without it, a relationship will not survive. Any and all relationships.

Including your relationship with yourself!

Are you aware that you have two minds? The conscious mind --- and the unconscious mind.

The conscious mind is something that we perceive every day of our life. We can consciously decide to go to work, or to stay home. We can consciously decide what we make for dinner. We can consciously decide to communicate our feelings in the moment or to ponder them a bit before discussing. (Just saying --- if more of us were private -- many misunderstandings might be avoided.)

The unconscious mind however is not something we “communicate” with everyday. This part of the mind consists of programs that are running “unconsciously” in the background. These programs are made up of all our past experiences and how we perceived them --- what we learned from them --- and what behaviors we obtained from them. That's a lot to take in!

Yes, events in past relationships all the way through childhood, have created the programs that are running “unconsciously” in the back of our minds. They are making us who we are on a daily basis. They are guiding our decisions, and often times holding us back from being fully and completely immersed in the joys of life.

Do you know that everyone that reads this email could perceive it completely differently? That includes myself. My perception as I’m writing, may not be the perception you have as you read it.

Let me use a small example for you and one that is actually very humorous.
I have recently moved and part of the décor I decided on, was to place inspirational quotes around the house. My life is in a phase where it needs constant reminders to remain positive. I purchased a bunch of decals of inspirational sayings. Underneath the bathroom vanity mirror I placed two different sentences.
“Don’t Give Up.”
“I can and I will.”

If you are already laughing --- good for you! I didn’t see it until it was pointed out to me. Hysterical --- yes it really was. But here is a clear example of perception. I read it as two different sentences. Both in and of themselves very inspirational. Both in and of themselves something I needed to hear --- every single morning. However when read together --- the meaning was quite the opposite.

This week let’s pay attention to our perception with the understanding that everyone perceives things differently. Let’s take some time to try and see other perceptions. Before you decide to “communicate” what is on your mind , take some time and ponder it , with the viewpoint of the other person. Then consciously decide if it is worth communicating, and the proper way to do so. Take some time to see what it is you are telling yourself every day. What communication are you letting into your unconscious mind? Remember you have the power to control your choices. Your choices have the power to change those limiting beliefs that are keeping you from living a life of joy.

Everyday is a choice. How will you choose to perceive your world and the people in it --- including yourself?

We have choices every single day as to how we are going to react, and in how we perceive our world. If we want positive, healthy, and happy relationships we have to look inward at the programs running our lives. Maybe a little pondering before we speak is in order…

Have an amazing week!

“There are so many people whose minds do not belong to them. There are so many people whose thoughts have been purchased by people. There are so many people who have made people kings and queens of their thought. There are so many people who cannot sleep because of people. There are so many people whose lives are a small percentage of their own self and a greater percentage of others. When the offenses of people occupy your mind, your mind becomes the offenses of people instead of your own mind. To have your own mind and to be your own self, free your mind!”
― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What Are You Waiting For...

Mon, 09 May 2022 20:42:47 GMT

May 9th, 2022

I had already written and scheduled my Monday email when I heard some very disturbing news. I'm in shock. This has been a loud slap in the face reminder to me --- and I know for a fact there are those of you out there that need to hear it.

I'm no stranger to the knowledge that life is short and tomorrow is never promised. The lesson has been given to me over and over again --- yet somehow I still manage to forget as day to day "life" happens.

Unfortunately as we become complacent about the importance of the moment, God reminds us yet again. Last evening I heard the absolute worst news. A young wonderful man had suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. He leaves behind to carry on a mother, wife and children. A tragedy for them and for our world.

At this moment I'm sure they feel like a truck hit them. How does this happen? Why does this happen? I have no answers. Personally I feel sick for them and for the journey that is ahead of them.

But boy is it a loud reminder from God. Don't let the moment pass. If you love someone let them know. Don't waste time on trivial stuff. Don't let outside sources rob you of your moments and your love for others. Stop the nonsense. Live, love and be grateful for each and every moment. These moments are gifts from God --- and in case you forgot he is in charge and will someday take his gifts back. You might not be ready --- you might not be prepared --- but he will retrieve those he wants when he wants them.

Tomorrow is not promised --- just ask this family!

A young man being taken way to soon is God's reminder he's in charge and he knows what he's doing.

Please join me in praying for this family as they try to find their way thru this darkness!

RIP my friend. You will be missed!!!!

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The Ties That Bind...

Fri, 06 May 2022 18:26:47 GMT

May 2nd, 2022

There is a theory that everything is energy and all energy is connected by an invisible bond. If you have ever heard the term “chakras” then you know your body is energy. There are seven main energy centers of the body.

For those that have never heard this term, and without going into a lot of detail, let me provide a simple explanation. Chakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit. Energy centers or chakras are said to be spinning, spherical centers.

The seven main chakras of the body are:
1.The Root Chakra
2. The Sacral Chakra
3. The Solar Plexus Chakra
4. The Heart Chakra
5. The Throat Chakra
6. The Third Eye Chakra
7. The Crown Chakra

When energy in the chakras is balanced, we have a perfectly healthy person. Any imbalance will cause illness or stress.

The root chakra is our sense of security and balance. Our connection to the earth and our belief and security that all our needs are met. The heart chakra is fundamentally just love. When balanced you are able to feel love and empathy for yourself and others --- unconditionally.

So back to all things are connected and that “tie that binds us” . If this theory is correct than each one of us is connected to every other person on the planet. Some of those connections are close, loving and fulfilling connections. Others are distant and lacking love. Some (more than any other) are really unknown. There appears to be no connection between us and the stranger in the car beside us.

BUT, if indeed we are all connected, then it would also mean that one small gesture would have a ripple effect throughout the world. One small act of kindness would ripple way further than it appears to. Conversely one small act of anger would, as well, ripple way further than it appears to. It’s all energy.

This past week or so, many of us have been feeling low energy. We are exhausted, our moods are low, possibly even feeling physically off. Depending on the physical symptoms you are experiencing, you could link that to what “chakra” or energy area is unbalanced in your body. Understanding that can help you to rebalance the area and, possibly --- just possibly --- affect those around you. Just as an example, I recognize this pattern in my own body. The physical symptoms I experience are often tied to what is going on in my world. I find myself occasionally allowing the energy of others to impact the energy in my body, and that will produce physical symptoms.

In order to stop this cycle, we need to rebalance our energy. How do we do this? First and foremost is to recognize what is happening. Once we recognize that we are energy, and that we are both affected by the energy of the world , as well as affecting the energy of our world, we have the ability to change it. What do we change? That answer is simple --- the person in the mirror. Change your thought patterns. Recognize that the energy you put out is going everywhere, to everyone, and right back to you. If you are angry, instead of spewing angry words at someone, allow yourself the moment to be angry and then release with all the love you can muster. The more love that goes out into this crazy world we live in, the more that will radiate around and come back to us.

Remember, we have the power to change this entire narrative. Every single thing you do, say, and feel matters. We do not need to live in hate and fear. That is destructive. We can always, always choose love. Even in anger and hurt --- we can choose a loving response. It is definitely a more difficult challenge --- but we have that power. We are up to the challenge.

Rise to the challenge this week. Choose love in every and all situations. Be part of the movement to raise the vibration of this world to one of pure love!

“You don't need much to change the entire world for the better. You can start with the most ordinary ingredients. You can start with the world you've got.”
― Catherine Ryan Hyde

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What if?

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 13:03:50 GMT

April 25th, 2022

I find different theories on life and its purpose very intriguing to think about. Seems as if everyone, or every religion or spiritual practice, has its own theories about why we are here and what we are supposed to do with our lives. I don’t honestly know what is right, or if any of them are completely correct. Regardless, reading and listening to different theories is definitely thought provoking.

One of the more thought provoking theories I’ve been delving into lately is that we pre-plan our lives before we come here to earth. We do this with certain goals in mind. The theory ( simplified ) is this; we create certain challenges in order to overcome blocks or grow spiritually. If we choose to consider a thought process like this, it will challenge a lot of what we have been taught throughout our lives. Remember --- we are considering --- not concluding that this is fact. If we keep our minds open to new theories --- we grow, however, if we close our minds to new theories we will never move past where we are.

So consider for a moment…

What if you planned your life before you ever entered a body? What if the challenges you faced during your life --- were planned? What if they were planned to help you grow spiritually?

Hmm….that might change some things….

Before I proceed, I want to say that there are certain things in life in which I struggle to apply this theory. I’m sure you will have the same thought. That’s ok --- we are human and there are many things we will not be able to understand. But for the sake of conversation let's apply them to day to day things.

So, if you remember from last week, I am trying to “love something I hate”! Successfully some days --- unsuccessfully others! What if I take it a step further and conclude that I planned this challenge to help me grow spiritually? (I have already considered that --- but it’s a work in progress.�� )

Working through that process I have tried to consider what I am to learn? What good has come from this? What good will come from this?

Is there a theme in your life? Something that constantly re-occurs. Do you have difficulty with relationships? Difficulty finding a job you love. Difficulty recognizing your self-worth. Difficulty with self-esteem. What challenges has life presented to you --- over and over again ?

What if you take a moment and consider that those challenges where there for you to address, face head on and ultimately heal ?

Back to loving what you hate. Do you hate the challenges life is giving you? Do you struggle to see the good in the difficult? Do you struggle to find the purpose in the difficult?

This week, take a moment to look over your life and see what challenges have reoccurred over and over again. Maybe you reach out and read a bit more on this topic and see if it resonates with you. Can you find themes in your life? Do you see more than one theme? I would encourage you to address one at a time, and maybe seek out someone to talk with and walk you through what you are seeing. Ask yourself what this challenge has taught you and what good has come from the fact that you have faced these particular challenges.

How have you changed as a result?

It's a process. It doesn’t happen overnight, and sometimes just when you think you’ve healed it, it will rear its ugly head again. So it has been two weeks and I’m still struggling to love what I hate. We are human after all – we need to give ourselves some grace and continue reaching for the love!

Let’s take this opportunity to reach outside of the box and embrace a new school of thought. Let’s heal ourselves and the world.

We have all the power!

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
--W.B. Yeats

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Choosing Your Words...

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 11:55:52 GMT

April 17th, 2022

Words have power . Power beyond our wildest imagination. They can warm our hearts and make us feel loved --- by the same token, they can cut like the sharpest of knives.

This week something came up that caused me to ponder much about the life I thought I led, and the one I am currently leading. It has caused me to self-reflect and think about the words I chose to use in the past as well as the words I use in the present.

You can tell a lot about people by the words they use. Listening intently, and with purpose, can tell you where they are in their lives. Are the words chosen more positive or are they more negative ? When they refer to events, past or present , are they more of a positive tone, or more of a negative tone? Are past events spoken of in present tense --- indicating they are stuck in the past? Or is their choice of words present tense --- indicating they are in the moment? You can learn much about a person if you choose to really pay attention to their words.

Love and hate are two words that I feel are power words . When we say "I love you" we're sharing the deepest part of ourselves with someone else. We are warming their hearts and creating positive vibrations in our world.

Hate is also a power word. It also shares the deepest parts of ourselves with another person. It can cut like a knife and lower our vibrations.

I try very hard to avoid using the word "hate", and never in reference to an individual. I really do believe that we should love all things and all events. That said --- being human and ultimately flawed --- I often fail at that endeavor. There are certain events, or things, that are just hard to love.

The event that occurred earlier this week is hard to love. It is hard to love something that cuts like a knife. But you see, therein lies the challenge. If I want to advance as a spiritual being then the fact that it hurts gives me the opportunity to remain in love and respond in love.

How do we manage to love that which we hate? I'm not sure there is a perfect answer or perfect solution for every situation. For the moment, I'm choosing to "hate' this scene in the play of my life. I'll do that for today -- maybe even tomorrow -- always attempting to interject a bit of love into this scene whenever I have the chance. Amidst the hate --- there is always an opportunity for love. Since love is the more powerful force, it will always overcome the hate and allow for a shift to occur. But, if we try to suppress the negative emotion, there will never be an opportunity to heal it. There is always the opportunity for love in every scene of your life --- but you may need to reach for it. So is it ok to "hate'? Only momentarily and always infused with love! Reach as far as you need and raise the vibration of the moment --- that is where true healing occurs.

Spend this week listening to your choice of words or phrases. Are you stuck in past moments, or are you present in current moments. It's ok to sink and momentarily "hate" something, but it is equally as important to always seek for and find the love. That is the core emotion we all need to return to --- ALWAYS. That is our destiny.

Have an amazing week and reach for love!

“In a world full of hate --- be love.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Lessons Learned...

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 15:36:55 GMT

April 11th, 2022

When I was a kid, I had a hard time falling asleep at night. I think I was afraid of the dark. I discovered if I started telling myself a story every night at some point during the story I’d fall asleep. The story I began creating was what I wanted my life to be when I grew up. It was about the family I wanted, and the love I wanted to create.

I did that for years. Oddly enough my life turned out pretty much like that story I told myself. It was pretty much exactly what I dreamt it to be. Until it wasn’t!

What changed? Well, the universe (or whatever you prefer to call your higher power), had other plans for me. My life was to begin to head in a different direction. One that I didn’t see coming. One that I didn't necessarily want to happen. But, fighting that course correction had no purpose. Even more to the point it was just downright impossible. It was what it was.

Life has a way of teaching us things as we travel along our path. Some of those things are not what we planned for ourselves in our carefully constructed worlds, but nonetheless, they are there for us to grow into.

Some of the many lessons we're given in life, are learning the difference between real love and unhealthy obsession, and the a bility to welcome real love when it enters our world. You begin to accept that defeat may not necessarily be failure but a course correction. You learn to plant your own flowers instead of waiting for someone to bring them to you. You learn that even beautiful sunshine can burn if you stay out too long, and that even water, essential to the body, can be harmful if too much is consumed. You learn balance. You crave peace. You learn that you can endure and that life has given you a strength you didn’t know you had. You learn the power of aloneness. You become!

There’s so much power in growing older. There’s so much power in the lessons life teaches us. When I go back to that story I told myself, the story was based on what I needed at the time. What I craved. I created that to be so with my mind. I created the perfect picture of what my life needed to be fulfilled and joyful. Oh…and it was!

But life has course corrected. Things are different. The road I’m traveling on has changed. The view is different. Some aspects of this road are pretty interesting. Some aspects of this road are scary as hell. Every single aspect of this road is unknown. The unknown is a scary place to be. Life is always about choice. How do I choose to see this road? Do I choose to focus on the interesting, or do I choose to focus on the scary? How much faith do I have that the higher power that course corrected me knows exactly what is happening? How much faith do I have that I am safe and secure? Has life given me enough tools to be solid in that faith and choose to go with the flow of the new road?

These are questions we always need to ask ourselves when life hits us with a sucker punch. I spoke to several of you this week who have been dealt some difficult course corrections. My advice is always the same --- how much faith do you have in something bigger than you? And, the truly important one is “you do you”. Whatever works for you to help you adjust to the new road, the new way of being --- that’s what you do. Listen to your gut, your inner knowing. It will never let you down .

Remember to build all your roads on today. Tomorrow’s road is not stable, and yesterday’s road is gone. Live in the moment and grab hold of every tool today gives you --- tomorrow you might need to call upon your inner strength to begin walking your new road!

Have an amazing week! Live, love and honor this present moment!

“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry – all forms of fear – are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.”
– Eckhart Tolle

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Staying strong...

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 13:37:04 GMT

April 4th, 2022

Each and every one of us have been through times in our life that have been challenging, trying, wearing, difficult --- however you'd like to describe it. I bet during those times " we've learned who our friends were" . We've seen firsthand who has the fortitude to stay in the game thru thick and thin. Who doesn't bail the moment things get hard. I bet we appreciate those people even more after those times have passed.

I've chosen to share a reading I read earlier this week. We're in such a difficult time in history that I've seen families turn away from families and lifelong friends lose each other as a result of an outside event. I think this turn of events is devastating for us spiritually. I'm hoping that by sharing this reading, you can see how important it is for us spiritually, both on a personal and worldwide level, to stick together --- thick and thin!

Hey friend,
You can fall apart around me. You can lose it. You can say things you're not sure if you mean. You can stress out. You can vent. You can verbally process. You can cry. You can let it all out.
If you need to be dramatic for a minute, by all means. Be dramatic. I'm here for it, and I'm here for you. I'll listen, and I'll lift you up, and if you decide you're open to some advice, I'll give you the best I have, but I'll hold my tongue until you're ready for it. In the meantime, I'll happily be your sounding board. What is friendship if we can't be a wreck sometimes? What is friendship if we're trying to filter out our pain? What is friendship if we're not there for all of it?
Life is weird. Things are hard. And sometimes, stuff just happens and we don't know quite how to deal. Holding it together all the time is exhausting, and having the perfect response to every situation is impossible. So when you need to let go, you can trust me. I know your heart is gold.
Will I sit back and let you make a big mistake? Nope. But will I sit back and let you have your moment? 100%. Sometimes you're a mess...sometimes I'm a mess. I'm just so glad we're doing it all together.
So, consider this your invitation to be dramatic, to be broken, to be confused, to be in the middle, to be real. I'm here when you fall apart, and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Excerpt from: I'll Be There (But I'll Be Wearing Sweatpants) -- Amy Weatherly and Jess Johnston

When it comes to your personal life are you a person that stands strong regardless of what's happening? Do you have the backs of those you love? Remember that if you do not, or are unable to, then you are not living in love. It's time to look inward and ask yourself if you really understand what it's like to love unconditionally. It will change your life!

Stay strong, stay united, and live in love!
WE, when we stand together, have got this!

“Snowflakes are one of the earth's most fragile things. But look what they can do when they stick together.”
--Vesta M. Kelly

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Failure --- Or Is It?

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 17:55:09 GMT

March 28th, 2022

Every single person has things that trigger emotions in them. Earlier this week a conversation triggered an emotion of failure in me. What is failure? Failure is defined as “State or event of not meeting a desired or intended objective” In other words, I did something I thought would have one outcome --- but it had totally the opposite.

I was stung by that realization. I was stung that I could do something with one intent that wasn't received in the intended manner. How could I not see that ahead of time? What is wrong with me? Am I a failure?

Maybe in that moment I was. Maybe I failed at my desired objective. If that is the defining factor then, yes, I failed.

Or, could it be possible that the emotions triggered need to be addressed, individually, by everyone involved? Could it be that that triggered emotion is crying out for healing? Could this be an opportunity to do just that?

In life we all approach things and events based on our past experiences. It's been studied that traumatic events can attach to areas of our body and cause physical discomfort. A trapped emotion could have the same affect. A trapped emotion could be triggered by a conversation with someone, or by a life event, or by a noise, or a smell. It’s amazing what things can release emotions within our body. There is a certain smell that transports me immediately to my grandmothers kitchen when I was a child, and an event that at the time was unpleasant.

Dr. John Sarno, is a physician who theorizes (and documented) that the mind creates pain in the body to distract us from addressing painful emotional issues. He has done extensive work and research to validate his theory and has helped many people overcome physical pain. Sarno believes that if you address the emotion -- the physical pain will dissipate.

In order to heal the emotion (and if necessary the physical pain), then clearly the triggered emotion needs to be observed. Why would something trigger you? What is it your feeling ---- exactly? Where in your body do you feel it? If we take some time to see what the “true” emotion is, we are able to do something about it and to heal. The trigger is almost never the actual emotion. It’s always deeper.

Nothing that anyone else could say should affect us so profoundly that we have triggered emotions. And, if we do, the problem is not with the other person, but rather with ourselves. We need to heal. The trigger has given us the opportunity to do so.

Back to my conversation. Emotions were triggered everywhere and with everyone involved. When this happens there are multiple triggers evoking a very different response in everyone. Each individual first needs to see they were triggered and go back and look deeper at their individual emotion. The key is, first, recognizing you were triggered.

I clearly see that I too was triggered. My choice is now to heal it and learn from it --- or choose failure next time it shows up --- and it most definitely will. . Although now I can see I didn’t fail this time --- I grew --- I expanded my horizon --- and I choose to grow into a more loving and caring person because of it.

What are your triggers? Have you acknowledged your part in that? Are you choosing to heal yourself or stay stuck in the pattern? Remember, there is no failure --- only steps in which to improve yourself and your situation.

Pay attention to what triggers emotions in you this week and choose to heal!

“Everything you do is triggered by an emotion of either desire or fear.”
--Brian Tracy

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The Prison Of Our Mind...

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 17:40:53 GMT

March 21st, 2022

Did you ever send someone a text, or call them, and they don’t respond? What do you do? Rather, what do you choose to do? Do you choose to assume the simple solution that they got busy and forgot? Or, do you choose to assume something deeper? Do you forget about it, and make another call or text, or do you spend the next several hours or days hashing over in your mind the thousand reasons why they didn’t possibly get back to you?

If you chose the later --- you might be an overthinker!

Overthinking is when we “beat a dead horse”; “make a mountain out of a molehill” or any number of the other idioms used to describe overthinking. We run something over and over in our minds, maybe magnifying it as we go along , and ultimately coming up with no solutions to our dilemma. So often, the solution, or reason, was simple and right before our eyes. But the mind game we played stopped us from seeing that. Often times, we’ll look back, and in hindsight, we can clearly see we blew a minor situation into a full scale event.

Overthinking can put us into a “mental rut” and cause us to get stuck within our own programs. Life experiences cause our mind to develop programs, or habits. They may be designed to protect us from hurt physically or emotionally. But often times, those same programs do not allow us to see a solution that is right before us.

There is a legend about the famous magician Harry Houdini. He bragged that he could get out of any jail cell. All he needed to do was go in with his street clothes on. One hour, that’s all he’d need. A very old jail in the south heard about what Houdini had bragged and took him up on it. A crowd gathered, and Houdini entered the cell with his street clothes on, and they shut the metal door behind him.

He began by removing his coat, then his belt. Hidden behind his belt was a 10” piece of steel, very tough, and very flexible. Houdini began to orchestrate his release. He tried everything and couldn’t open the door. Finally after 2 hours he gave up. In frustration he leaned against the metal door --- which to his surprise --- opened !

You see the door had never been locked . But instead of checking that first, Harry began to work his solution. He worked his "program". As time went on and that wasn’t working, he became more and more frantic, overthinking the situation, and was unable to see the solution that was right in front of him. Harry had a program in his mind that he had to “escape” any situation. He’d never given trying the door, first, a thought. That solution wasn't in his program!

This happens to all of us. When we’re faced with a situation we see every potential problem. Everything that can go wrong. But what if we were to shift that narrative to what could go right! I know that I’ve said this in the past --- there is no right or wrong. No good or bad. It all just “is” . So what if we focused on all the potential good things that can happen instead of the bad. What if we shifted to looking for a simple solution, rather than a difficult one What if Harry Houdini had just pushed the door before he even removed his coat? That legend would be a totally different story!

This week pay attention to your mind chatter . Pay attention to what stories you are telling yourself. Pay attention to programs that are stored in your subconscious, and decide whether or not they are still serving you. Get out of your head and live and enjoy the moments of life. Sometimes we spend so much time in our head and “solving problems” that we miss the beauty that is right in front of us.

Enjoy life --- check to see if the door is open before you break it down!

Have an amazing week!

“My brain is the key that sets me free.”
--Harry Houdini

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Rising Strong...

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:48:36 GMT

March 14th, 2022

This week has been a tad trying. A couple of unexpected, and unpleasant things happened. You have all been there. You know the weeks where everything breaks all at once! Yes --- that kind of a week!

I have managed to hold my center thru it. I have not had any of those “ hot mess ” kind of moments. Again --- I am sure you can all relate. I have been laughing about most of it, because, you know --- life happens !

Adversity is everywhere. We are constantly being challenged. Every day, every hour, every minute. Life is a challenge. Sometimes things are rolling along smoothly while other times it feels like we are being buried with “stuff” every single moment.

I am listening to a book about overcoming adversity and rising up out of it stronger than you were before. Adversity can make us or break us. How we manage those adverse situations are what tell us who we are as people. It is also what tells us who others are as people.

This week I chose to just shake my head at the things that were happening and choose to take the attitude that it is all for my greater good. That does not always happen. Sometimes I react poorly. Sometimes I fall apart. Sometimes I get angry. Sometimes --- but not most of the time! You see I have realized long ago that we cannot stop the little stuff from happening and choosing to waste precious moments worrying about them is useless.

Some people have great difficulty managing adverse situation. There are people that will become extremely angry and blame others. There are people that will turn to substances to help them cope. There are people that turn to food and eating to help them feel better. None of these are long term solutions and we will always return to the adversity --- with nothing changed.

The adversities of life give us an opportunity to grow. All of us will change and morph into new people as the years of our life pass by . I am in no way the same person I was at 20, nor would I want to be . If we want the adversity to shift, we need to shift. We need to grow in the way we handle these situations. If we keep handling things the same way we did in the past ( the way that did not work ) we will keep facing the same issues over and over again.

Life is a learning experience . In order to learn we need adversity. In order to grow we need to learn to overcome adversity and rise strong . You truly will never know who a person is until life slaps them with a demanding situation, and they rise strong to meet the challenge!

Trust me, rising strong does not mean perfection . It means a constant choice to choose the higher road, a constant choice to grow as a person. In a marriage it means the constant choice to grow together as a couple. Adversity is the gift that will move you forward. Are you able to handle it?

This week try looking at every situation as your chance to shine. Your chance to grow as a person, as a couple, or as anything you wish to be.

It is your chance --- grab it and rise strong!

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."
—Maya Angelou

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Building A Solid Foundation

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:42:51 GMT

March 7th, 2022

As we walk thru life we all have experiences that shape our belief systems and shape us into the people we are at this present moment.

These experiences also guide the trajectory of our lives. Who you are in this present moment is a compilation of each and every one of those events.

Recently a patient gave me a book to read through. In doing so, I realized that events that occurred during my childhood have profoundly affected the belief systems I currently hold today.

This would be the case for every person living a human experience.

These events were neither good nor bad --- they just were . The belief systems they produced were, as well, neither good nor bad --- they just are.

However, if you have produced belief systems from things you were taught, taking the time to look individually at them, from a higher perspective, could potentially cause you to re-think how strong your foundation is.

The foundations that we build our lives on start in childhood. Those foundations begin with our parents, teachers, siblings, events, etc. Those foundations began generations before and were carried through to us. They are what we learn and adopt into our lives, and what we will use to raise future generations.

They are strongly held beliefs as to who we are as people. They affect everything in our lives including our relationships with others.

If you grew up in a home that was nurturing and that affected you in a positive way, you may grow up to be a nurturing person. You may learn that it's safe to trust people and that it’s good to help others. You may yourself have strong solid relationships. If, however, the opposite were true and you grew up in a non-loving environment, you may learn to be distrustful of others. You may have difficulty with relationships and maintaining strong foundations.

But is this always the case? Does our environment completely affect who and what we are, or do we have some control over that?

I maintain we have complete control over that. It is always, 100% of the time , OUR choice as to what we choose to become.

Looking back over my childhood and the foundation I built growing up, I can clearly see what has steered me to hold the beliefs I currently hold. Again, neither good nor bad.

There is one belief, however, that is definitely holding me back from having the life I want to have and share. This is an ingrained pattern, a learned behavior . It started with one very specific event and grew from there. While doing the work of reviewing this, stepping away from it, and seeing it from a different perspective , I am now able to make a choice as to whether or not this is a behavior I wish to hold on to. Do I want to rock the foundation of my beliefs, or do I want to continue doing what I’m doing?

Decisions --- decisions!

The world right now is probably in the scariest place I’ve seen it in my lifetime. I am at a point where I am questioning everything I’ve learned and believed my entire life. My foundation has been rocked. I know that many, if not most of you, are in the same situation. It’s time for all of us to stop for a moment and look at those foundations we’re standing on and decide for ourselves how secure they really are.

OR , are we at the point of deciding we want to live a life filled with joy, happiness, and love, built on a truly solid foundation of truth and integrity.

Our choice….

It’s always our choice to choose to strengthen the foundations we are standing on, or leave them as they are. It’s always our choice to continually work towards becoming better people. It’s always our choice to live in love. Always --- 100% of the time!

This week be bold, be brave, face your foundation and choose well!

“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become."
--Carl Jung

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

If Tomorrow Never Comes...

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:41:17 GMT

February 28th, 2022

12,775 DAYS

What could you do if you had that many days at your disposal? That's approximately 306,600 hours. What would you do? Where would you start?

That's ALOT of time . Something we never seem to have enough of. I don't know about you but I'm always wishing I had more time. More time to get things done. More time to travel. More time to enjoy the moments of life.

More time.

There is just never enough.

12,775 days is 35 years. Now that seems like alot of time. But, if I look back on being 35, I didn't really think I accomplished all that much with all the time I'd been granted. I'd been married for several years by that point, I had a young child, and a job I loved. For all intents and purposes things were looking pretty good. And, really they were. 35 years rolled around in no time. I didn't really value the moments. I allowed, at times, anger and petty differences to disrupt the moments I was gifted. I left things unsaid. I didn't always act on my intuition. There were moments I was frustrated and overwhelmed. I was grateful, always, for what I was gifted, but sometimes I think I took life for granted.

Tomorrow was another day.

8,395 more days. Older now. Wiser now. Time has changed things, and changed the person I am. Now I am more grateful. Now I value moments. I rarely let petty differences disrupt the moment. As a matter of fact, most times I'll make a conscious effort to not allow that into the moment. I value time. I value relationships. I respect time much more than I used to

You see so far I've been granted 21,170 days here on this earth. The more days I gain, the more I realize the value of each of them. The more I realize that I should never let anything go unsaid. The more I act on my intuition. The more I laugh and the more I have fun.

The date of my expiration is unknown . It could be in one day, in 365 days or in 3,650 days. Whatever it is, I plan on making the most of them and never wasting one moment doing anything that does not bring me great joy.

What have you done with the hours and days that have been granted to you? Are you making the most of your gift? Are you giving and loving unselfishly? Do those you love know how you feel? Do those you respect know how you feel?

What if tomorrow never comes?

Live today like tomorrow may not come. It might just change the value of this moment for you.

“If tomorrow never comes, make sure you're satisfied with how today ended.”
--Steve Gilliard

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

That Self Talk...

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 12:53:16 GMT

February, 21st 2022

S elf esteem! We've talked about it many times. It's the "esteem" or the respect or admiration you have for yourself.

We all have people in our lives that we respect and admire. Most of the time, if we're honest, we're striving to be more like them. Maybe it's their persona, or maybe it's a physical attribute that we like.

But do you respect and admire yourself?

Most of us have stories that include moments or chapters in which we are unhappy with our choices. Most of us also have moments or chapters in which we are unhappy with ourselves. That unhappiness could be physical, how we carry ourselves, our educational level. Anything at all.

It's our perception of ourselves --- and normally there is a degree of dissatisfaction with what we have. If we have straight hair, we want curly. If we're short, we want to be tall, and so on and so on. We're never happy! This week I read the following and I'd like to share it with you.

Pretty Ugly
by: Abdullah Shoaib

I'm very ugly
So don't try to convince me that
I am a very beautiful person
Because at the end of the day
I hate myself in every single way
And I'm not going to lie to myself by saying
There is beauty inside of me that matters
So rest assured I will remind myself
That I am a worthless, terrible person
And nothing you say will make me believe
I still deserve love
Because no matter what
I am not good enough to be loved
And I am in no position to believe that
Beauty does exist within me
Because whenever I look in the mirror
I always think Am I as ugly as people say?

Wow ---

How many of us have a narrative similar to this as part of our daily routine? How many of us look in the mirror and see less than true beauty?

I suspect that everyone reading this can relate in some way or another.

But, you see, it's all about perception. Every single person has beauty within. We may not be physically perfect ( trust me NO ONE is ) --- but true beauty comes from within. It comes from your genuine appreciation for the blessings in life. From your ability to give freely of yourself both in deed and in love. You deserve to be loved, and you are truly deeply beautiful!

NOW --- take a moment and go back and read that poem from the bottom up!

A little change in perspective certainly changes the entire view ... don't you think?

This week, change your self talk! Read this poem from the bottom up once every day. Let the words sink in. Walk into every room yielding the power of your true beauty! And, spread it around and let someone else know just how beautiful they are! Remember in every single moment that YOU ARE ENOUGH -- exactly as you are right now!

Have a blessed week!

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
--Buddha

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Choose To Heal!

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 16:48:36 GMT

February 14th, 2022

I truly believe in the statement “ everything is exactly like it should be ”. Yes, really. Even the tough stuff. I’m also a big believer in that whatever I’m feeling strongly in the present moment is presenting an opportunity to heal something deep inside.

Discomfort has been the driving force in my life the past few months. Everything is uncomfortable. There’s just no sense of balance. I wrote two weeks ago about leaning into your discomfort and the importance of noticing what makes us uncomfortable. I recognize that this is something I need to pay attention to and work with.

So what do various emotions mean (or rather what “could” they mean )? I think for each person it could be different but maybe this guide gives us a starting point to follow.

Bitterness: Are there areas of life where you stand in judgement of yourself or others?.

Resentment: Are you living in the past and not allowing the present to be what it is?

Discomfort: Are you paying attention right now to what is happening? What aspect of your "uncomfortableness" is giving you the opportunity to do something different than you have in the past.

Anger: This can indicate that you are passionate about something. You know where your boundaries are and what you believe needs to change. Remember that anger can be both "constructive" and "destructive".

Disappointment: You tried for something. Maybe it didn’t work out, but you tried. You didn’t give up.

Guilt: Are you still trying to live to others’ expectations of you?

Shame : Do you need to reconnect with yourself? Are you are internalizing other people’s beliefs about who you should be?

Anxiety : It shows that you need to wake up and be present in the now. Stop living in the past and fearing the future. Fear is always destructive. Everything is as it should be, and all will be well.

Sadness : Maybe life has dealt you some tough blows. This shows how deeply you feel and have felt --- and oddly enough, are still capable of feeling if you allow yourself.

I saw this list earlier this week and thought, wow, that’s all so true. We have all felt these things at different times and in varying degrees. Forefront in my life right now are discomfort, disappointment, and sadness. If I look at what each of them means, I can see clearly what I am being given an opportunity to heal in my life. My choice --- heal or repeat! You see, what we choose not to heal, will repeatedly show up in our lives, and continually give us another opportunity to choose healing.

During my “discomfort” these past several weeks, on several occasions I was shown the most profound acts of love. Those gestures came from outside of my inner circle and away from anyone that knew what was happening. So, while I’m working on my “healing”, the universe, God, whatever you choose to call it , made sure that I knew that I was loved and supported, even though I felt neither. How amazing is that?

Which of these emotions feel strongest for you? Which are prominent in your life right now? What are you being given the opportunity to heal? Remember, even when it seems so, you are not alone in your healing journey, you never are, and never will be. You are loved and supported, and if you're open to it , you'll see that manifestation in your life!

So, this time around choose healing . Move past what’s holding you back and live your best life now!

Have an amazing week! We’re halfway through February --- spring is almost here!!!!

“Courage is not having the strength to go on. It is going on when you don’t have the strength.” --Theodore Roosevelt

FATKIN NATURALHEALING LLC

Rerun From February 11, 2019: Ethics...

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:53:28 GMT

February 7th, 2022

Each week when I write these, I choose something that has shown up for me several times during the preceding week. I figure that if I've seen it that many times, it's something that I need to hear, and most likely many other people as well.

This week, the word " ethics " kept showing up. Ethics are the moral principles that govern our daily lives—b asically, it's how we choose to act in situations. Do we do the right thing even when no one is looking ; and even when the " right " thing to do is not the " right " thing for us personally? I think for most people that's always where the moral dilemma arises. We face something that may be good for us personally, but it's not the "right" thing to do morally .

Case in point would be the story of Keven Booth . ( Click here to follow a link to the story. ) He found a bag with $17,000 dollars in it outside of a local food bank. Instead of keeping that money for himself, he turned it in to the food bank; thinking it could help more people that way. Now that was ethics ! Why, you ask ? Most people would have returned that money, right ? The amazing part was that Keven was homeless, and he chose to do the right thing even though no one would have known otherwise; and even though I'm sure that money could have turned his personal situation around. Kevin did what was right. In doing so, he helped so many other people.

What about us? How many times are we called upon to do something— or guide someone in a direction— that is the right thing to do, but might not be in our personal best interests? Are we able to do that?

I had heard the story about Keven Booth several months back. However, when I went looking for the article this morning to share, I found multiple stories of homeless people that had returned money they found. What's so amazing about that is these people truly need the money. To a homeless person, finding a large amount of money could be a gift or could be life changing. Yet in so many cases, they opt to return or share their findings with others. Not only does that qualify as great ethics, but it qualifies as great compassion and humanity.

Remember: we're all in this thing called "life" together. Do what's right, always, everyday, and in every endeavor. By helping others, we help ourselves and we help the world! And—remember this as well—our children watch and see how we act, and they act accordingly! You act with ethics...they act with ethics...we change the world!!!!

Here's to an amazing. life changing and ethical week!

"A truly good and wise man will bear all kinds of fortune in a seemly way, and will always act in the noblest manner that circumstances allow."
-- Aristotle

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Faith And Reason...

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:41:14 GMT

January 31st, 2022

Faith and Reason! What's the difference?

Faith is instinctual , it requires no evidence . Reason is logic , it requires cold hard facts.

Years back I knew a woman who had been single most of her adult life. She had married once early on, had a child, and subsequently divorced. The experience for her had been so negative that she vowed never to marry again. She was very independent, very strong, very creative, and very funny.

She had moved from her lifelong home to a retirement community. One day we receive a phone call that she is getting married, and we must come and meet her intended. We were shocked. Now mind you, these two were in their late 80’s at the time, she had been divorced since her early 30's. I knew her for many years, and this is the last person I would have ever seen getting married again. Yet here she was.

I remember talking with her privately while we were there and my reasoning mind asked her “ What the heck are you thinking ?” (Yes those were really my words. ��) Her response to me was “ Sometimes the most uncomfortable things make you the happiest. ” Honestly, I rolled my eyes and prayed for the best . But they proved me wrong. They had such a powerful relationship. It was inspiring, and truly everyone that knew them was blessed by knowing them. They both passed in 2010 a few months apart.

I didn’t really pay much attention to her words at the time. Life for me was fulfilled, happy, content, balanced. Everything life should be. But those words, in one form or another, showed up again this week on three different occasions from three different people. Hmmm…time to pay attention.

“We’re all just walking each other home. ” But what does Rumi mean when he says that? It’s not the physical home that he is referring to, he’s talking about finding our wholeness, knowing who we are at the most profound level, and building our life upon that foundation.

In order to find our wholeness, we need others . Those others will often reflect upon us areas in which we need to heal or work on, in order to know ourselves completely. Life is a play. We are the star in our own play, and others take on supporting roles--- to guide us, to challenge us --- and to walk us home.

Something I have experienced in life is that the more committed I am to learning, growing and being my best self --- the more opportunities the universe gives me to show up and to heal.

“To Heal” comes from the old English word “haelen” and that means “wholeness”. So to heal is not about being sick and getting well, but rather about coming to wholeness as an individual.

In order to learn, grow and be the best person I can be, I need to show up with intention and awareness to everything that I have avoided and run from in the past. Lean into my discomfort. When we avoid looking at the things that cause us discomfort, we lean away from our ability to become whole again. Remember that “what is” in this current moment is bringing you closer to God. He is walking you home.

My friend and her husband leaned into their mutual discomfort . They spent the last several years of their lives living in love, and blessing everyone around them with that love.

The willingness in life to show up, without a guarantee of an outcome is the key to more happiness and love in your life.

This week, “lean in” and accept “what is” --- there’s an angel on your side, leading you home to the best you, you can be!

“You owe it to yourself to be the best you, you can possibly be.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Death Of The Ego...

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:36:09 GMT

January 24th, 2022

This week I heard someone share a story that belonged to another person. They did so out of concern and compassion, but really it wasn't their story to tell. In doing so, they violated the confidence the other person had placed in them.

Sometimes out of concern, since we are human , and feel we can help someone in a seemingly difficult situation, we share stories in hopes that another person has an answer that will aide the person we care about.

But it's not our story to tell.

The reason I bring this up is because I was watching a clip from David Hawkins where he was discussing our ego self, and about taking an individual moral inventory. I loved the one thing that he said so much. When you start taking your moral inventory you should "just agree that everything is gonna be horrible and get it over with". As funny as that sounds, it's totally true. If we are being totally honest with ourselves during this process, I doubt that there is anyone of us that hasn't lied, cheated, had a bad thought? I didn't think so!

So why is it, when someone else is going through something we feel the need to share it with others? Is it the need to gossip? Maybe it makes us feel better, because it's not us in that situation? Or...maybe, just maybe it's our ego talking!

That ego. We all have one. It's our sense of self. Our individuality. Something we protect and defend at all costs.

But is it our friend?????

The greatest vanity of the ego is judge mentalism. We feel we can stand in judgement of others because whatever we're judging is not our reality at the time. But taking a "moral inventory" --- it probably was in some degree at some point in time. Therefore --- we cannot judge.

Looking in the mirror and facing our ego is probably one of the most difficult things we'll ever do. It requires us to face the fact that we are not perfect. We are flawed, and will likely always be. In fact we are completely and totally imperfect. It also makes us accept the fact that no matter how hard we try to "do everything right" from this moment on --- we are still human and we are still going to falter and " sin ".

Interestingly, the ancient Greek definition of the word "SIN” is "to miss the mark ".

The story that was shared above was about someone who was currently " missing the mark ". OR...so it seems to the judgmental ego mind . But what if the perceived "missing of the mark" is really an opportunity for everyone around to "stay out of judgement and let go and let God"! ��

David Hawkins also said that the only death we can truly experience is the death of the ego. This happens after we face ourselves in the mirror, and acknowledge the ego self. Once that happens, we are truly surrendering to our higher self and allowing the greater good to work through us.

This week, stop your ego when it gets in the way. Let that go, and let your higher power take over and watch things change.

Have a fabulous week!

““In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” ”
---Buddha

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Fear Or Love???

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 11:32:42 GMT

January 17th, 2022

As most of you know , my choice of a weekly topic usually results from conversations or events that repeatedly show up during the week. Then I know that it's not only for my ears, but for me to share with others.

Well this week was rather overwhelming with one very specific theme. Fear of loss, fear of trust, and the true power of real love.

In 2018, after a series of monumental losses ( including several of our beloved pets ) one Saturday morning I receive a phone call from a woman that runs a local shelter. She only fosters animals that are senior or hospice. She had been consulted by us during the loss of one of our pets, so she was well aware of our story. She called to ask me if I could foster a 12 year old Golden Retriever that had some hip problems, but was otherwise healthy. For some reason, unbeknownst to me ( I’m sure it was God ), I said "yes" immediately without any hesitation. Never having met the dog, and having lived through a very sad situation only 2 months before --- this was seemingly VERY stupid!

Actually, however, it turned out to be anything BUT stupid. Many of you met Jax, or heard his story. He lived with us for 2 years ( yes we foster failed��. Who didn't see that coming? ) before he returned home. A truly phenomenal big ole man, who healed the hearts of almost everyone he met…ours included.

One of the questions I was often asked was “ aren’t you setting yourself up for more hurt”? Yeah…I guess I was. Because it hurt when he returned home, as much, if not more , than if I had him as a pup. But here is the thing --- what those two years gave to us were of way more value than the pain I felt at losing him. We were blessed beyond measure with the gift of this boy!

Later in the week, I had a dream that threw me for a loop. I’m a believer that dreams you remember ( I typically do not remember my dreams ) are things you should pay attention to. I knew there was some sort of message for me. I was having difficulty figuring out what that was, so I consulted with a good friend to get some guidance.

My initial reaction was to analyze it from a logical standpoint. Knowing dreams are never literal , I chose to focus of the parts that stood out to me, looking for symbolism. As I began talking , she said wait a minute here, how did the dream make you “feel”? What emotions immediately arise?

Exploring that side of it I realized that fear of the inevitable has the ability to keep you from feeling at all. I knew when I adopted Jax that he would not be with us for long. I knew that he would likely have health problems. I knew many things --- it was inevitable - yet I opted to ignore those things and follow my heart . What that decision did was help to repair broken pieces of my heart, and the hearts of everyone who walked in our door. Yes, our hearts broke again the day he left us. But during his brief tenure with us, he repaired way more than he broke.

I would never, for one moment, trade a second with him to not feel that pain.

Are you allowing fear to keep you from feeling? Are you allowing fear to keep you from living?
As my friend said --- the feeling is the key to the dream. The feeling is also the key to life.

The feeling is the answer!

How do you feel? Are you letting fear stop you from experiencing all life has to offer. Reach out of your comfort zone and embrace every moment and every experience that life offers you. This life is what you choose to make it, and the experiences you have are all what you choose to make them. Choose well!

Have a fearless week!

“Fear is energy which contracts, closes down, draws in, runs, hides, hoards, harms. Love is the energy which expands, opens up, sends out, stays, reveals, shares, HEALS.”
--Neale Donald Walsh

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Let's Not Worry.

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 13:57:33 GMT

January 10th, 2022

Worry: a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

We all worry about things. Probably, if we sit and think it over, we worry every single day about something. Right now my current “worry” is about the weather, and driving in it . I check the weather app every day to see what the next day and week are bringing. That way I can “plan ahead”. If the weather is potentially going to be bad I want to have certain things put into place so that I don’t have to worry about other things.

Geez…what a cycle!

I’ve spent the last 4 weeks doing this. Worry daily and weekly if I have to “make other plans”. Guess what --- not one of these days has been bad enough weather for me to even have concerned myself. None of my “pre-thought” out plans were required. Everything has gone smoothly. Yet I worried.

Did the fact that I spent moments of my life worrying “prevent” the weather from becoming bad. Nope! Did any one of my moments of worry keep any of the potentially awful scenarios that I thought about from happening. Nope! Was anything positive achieved by any one of my moments of worry or concern? Nope! Did I lose moments of my life worrying about something that never happened? Y ou bet I did! Did I affect my life in an unproductive way by worrying? Y ou bet I did! Did I accomplish anything positive at all by spending moments worrying . I did not!

So why worry?

There are several schools of thought on why we choose worry. Many times it’s equated with problem solving. Much like in the scenario above. I’m preparing steps to take in case of a potential outcome. What is my plan? How will I handle it if there is bad weather? What scenario will make that situation easier for me to handle in that moment. Instead of waiting until that moment and then having no idea what I will be doing.

There are times though when we’re trying to control the uncontrollable. We worry excessively about something that we have no control over. Example --- the current state of the world. Not that we shouldn’t be concerned, or act upon what it is we believe in --- but if it’s preventing us from living, enjoying life and finding joy --- then it’s problematic worry.

We often believe we’ll never be blindsided if we worry. Life will never throw us a curveball because we always have a solution to every problem --- because we worried about it.

If I worry excessively about my spouse, my children or my pets, it shows how much I care.

Worrying motivates me to be productive.

If I worry, I’ll never have a problem, I can't solve, because I already have a solution.

The truth is --- worry robs us of the moment. It robs us of our joy. And --- regardless of how many times we run any scenario over in our mind and plan our course of action, life will still throw us curveballs.

This week, take a few moments and catch yourself when you are worrying. Is it productive or destructive? Embrace the unknown. Enjoy the journey and realize that all things are exactly like they should be. If a major event blindsides you, I guarantee you will never have worried about it enough to solve every problem that comes up. You’ll figure it out, you have the tools.

Stay calm --- worry less --- love more!

Have a great week!

“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but it never gets you anywhere.”
--Erma Bombeck

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

ReRun January 2019: Keep On Going...

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 12:49:14 GMT

January 3rd, 2022

Here we are: one week into 2019. Life is back to "normal" after the holidays; the days are getting slightly longer each day and we're cruising into spring! Bring it on!

Not to spend too much time looking backwards, but are you staying on track with all those changes you wanted to make for the new year? I've read that most people won't make it through the first week of a new program of any sorts. That's not designed to make you feel bad; it's meant to light your fire and make you stronger. If you faltered this week, remember what you promised yourself and get back on track . If you are still staying strong— GO YOU !!!!

Keep going, you are one step closer to achieving your goal for yourself.

When you commit to any new lifestyle or change, approach it easily and slowly . Decide to commit to 10 days, make it through those 10 days, and then commit to 10 more. Baby steps ! When you commit to smaller goals, it's easier to achieve and you don't feel deprived. Remember that during the course of life, you are going to have days that are grea—days where your energy rocks and you feel positive and empowered—and days where your energy is low and that fire to move forward is dim. Hang in there. Decide what is important to you and what isn't, and stoke that fire within.

The song " Landslide " is actually based on Stevie Nick's decision to continue trying to be a musician after being dropped by a record label. Here's a link to the full story. If she would have given up on her dream, the world might not have been treated to an absolutely amazing song that has been performed by several other artists over the years. Not to mention, she would would have missed joining Fleetwood Mac and a legacy of music that followed. Sometimes our goals seem impossible, they seem unreachable...but if your heart is there in that dream...keep pressing forward! Even if it is only a baby step...keep moving... keep your fire lit !!!! Your contribution just might change the world!!!!

Keep moving forward --- you got this!

"Everything you need is already inside you. Don't wait for others to light your fire. You have your own matches."
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Random Musings...

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 18:11:03 GMT

December 27th, 2021

RANDOM THOUGHTS...

As we close another year, I felt it was important to take a moment and before going forward, go back and reflect on how 2021 changed me.

I regret the times I lost my center.

I regret the times I chose anger over love.

I regret the lost relationships.

I’m so grateful for the strengthened relationships.

I’m grateful for new traditions.

I’m grateful for the moments of peace I had during a stressful time.

I’m grateful for the friendships I have.

I’m grateful for the long time friend who gave me the most amazing piece of advice earlier in the year. Her words stuck with me and carried me through the year.

I am deeply saddened as I watch an incredibly brave and courageous woman fight for her life --- her only concerns in the last moments of her life are for her husband and children. I feel for them --- this is going to be tougher than they realize in this moment. But the love that is present is what it is all about.

I witnessed some of the most magnificent sunrises and sunsets that I’ve ever seen. Almost like the world was in 3-d.

I was able to get away for a few long weekends, something that hasn’t happened in awhile.

This year I’ve failed.

This year I’ve succeeded.

This year I’ve lost.

This year I’ve gained.

Sometimes I felt like I could carry the weight of the world. And, I did. Other times, I felt like the world was crushing me. And, it was.

I’ve gained joy, and I’ve lost joy.

And…I’ve learned --- I can do hard things!

Seems like this year was all over the place. And, it truly was! During this year, I’ve lost and gained, I’ve loved and lost, and at the end of it all, I’m still here, and it’s all fine . Why? Because there is no right or wrong ---- or gained or lost --- it’s all the same. Everything that I've ever considered to be a loss has shaped me into the person I am today --- and I will always choose that person.

So what is my new years resolution? The same as it is every year ---- to come out as a better and stronger person at the end of next year than I am right now. To always remember, as my dear friend told me --- "you can do hard things, and it will be ok".

To those people that I spoke to this week that are facing what seem to be insurmountable odds going into the new year. Stay strong --- you can do hard things too!

Happy New Year! Wishing you many blessings in 2022!

" We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives...not looking for flaws but for potential.”
--Ellen Goodman

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Maybe It's A Bit More...

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 15:04:16 GMT

December 20th, 2021

Christmas is upon us once again. I've decided to share something I recently read. I feel it personifies what Christmas should be. I hope you enjoy it!

ATTENTION TO ALL PARENTS WHO NEED TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT SANTA
Son: "Dad, I think I'm old enough now. Is there a Santa Claus?."
Dad: "Ok, I agree that you are old enough. But before I tell you, I have a question for you. You see, the “truth” is a dangerous gift. Once you know something, you can't unknow it. Once you know the truth about Santa Claus, you will never again understand and relate to him as you do now. So my question is: Are you sure you want to know?"

Brief pause...

Son: "Yes, I want to know"

Dad: "Ok, I'll tell you: Yes there is a Santa Claus"

Son: "Really?"

Dad: Yes, really, but he's not an old man with a beard in a red suit. That's just what we tell kids. You see, kids are too young to understand the true nature of Santa Claus, so we explain it to them in a way that they can understand. The truth about Santa Claus is that he's not a person at all; he's an idea. Think of all those presents Santa gave you over the years. I actually bought those myself. I watched you open them. And did it bother me that you didn't thank me? Of course not! In fact, it gave me great pleasure. You see, Santa Claus is THE IDEA OF GIVING FOR THE SAKE OF GIVING, without thought of thanks or acknowledgment.

When I saw that woman collapse on the subway last week and called for help, I knew that she'd never know that it was me that summoned the ambulance. I was being Santa Claus when I did that."

Son: "Oh."

Dad: "So now that you know, you're part of it. You have to be Santa Claus too now. That means you can never tell a young kid the secret, and you have to help us select Santa presents for them, and most importantly, you have to look for opportunities to help people. Got it?"

What a concept! We all have the opportunity every single day, every single moment to be Santa!

So this week before Christmas, let's show the world what we're made of and spread a little real Christmas love everyone's way. Do good. Be good. Offer good. Spread love and joy! Stop supporting stores. If you really want to give someone a gift, make it. If you can't create something, commission an artist to do it for you. But always keep in mind that you can be Santa every day --- just give of yourself!

Merry Christmas!

“Christmas at my house is always six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And, while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we'll be seeing six or seven.”
--W.C. Fields (****sorry it was funny)

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Whatever Arises --- Love That!

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 11:52:14 GMT

December 13th, 2021

Whatever arises ---- love that!

I’m an avid reader. I love to read things on how to have a better and more fulfilled life. I believe that everything happens for a reason and is for my greater good. I truly believe that. Even the “bad” stuff --- I believe there’s good in all things. I believe that if I stay in a state of balance and peace about all things, “ this too shall pass ”.

BUT --- sometimes I forget everything I know and suddenly revert to be a human being! �� These past few weeks I’d have to say I’ve reverted to being a human being more times than I like --- definitely more times than I’m proud of ! The stress of life just “got to me”. I became a hot mess. I didn’t always keep myself in a state of peace and balance. Honestly, I’m disappointed in myself --- because I know better . I know that the more out of balance I become --- the more out of balance my life becomes and the worse things get.

You see when stress levels are high, not only are you emotionally out of balance, but physically your body gets out of balance. As many of you know, our office got hit hard with the flu this past week. We actually closed the office two days and lightened the schedule dramatically the rest of the week.

How did this happen to us? We do everything right as far as supplementation and eating right --- how is it we succumbed to the flu? Again, this is a frustrating question to answer. But being emotionally out of balance, working extremely hard, not resting properly, and other mitigating circumstances --- take a toll on anyone. Fortunately it didn’t take long for us to get back on line.

We’re all human! That’s the important thing to remember. I need to forgive myself for allowing life to overwhelm me. For allowing myself to let circumstances decide how I was going to react. But I need to remember this one important thing. “whatever arises ---- love that” . So maybe I didn’t behave in a way I’m happy with, but nonetheless I was given many lessons I can take from it, and use to my advantage the next time something like this happens. The most important being that the more we falter and become human, the more love we need. So when we are sad --- we need more love, not less. When we’re angry -- more love --- not less. Regardless of the emotion or our attachment to it, we should be offering up more love to ourselves and others.

Whatever arises ---- I’m choosing to love the fact that I turned out to be human after all. I failed! Go me! �� What a way to learn some very powerful lessons! The flu part I could’ve done without though!

So this week, choose to love what arises? When someone falters like I did, stand behind them and have their back. Consciously choose not to stand in judgement of them because at this moment you're in a better place. Try offering more love in situations like this. Try being a powerful loving being and remembering that each and every one of us is human at times. And…that’s OK! Whatever arises ---- love that!

Your day will come. The day you’ll need the support, the love, the guidance. The day you’ll become all too human --- regardless of what you know! The universe likes to remind us that we’re here to experience, to over come, to learn …but most importantly to always stay in a state of love.

Learn to love it all! Learn to love the ride! Let the love in, and see what starts going right in your life!

Whatever arises --- love that!

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.”
--Ghandi

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The Power Of A Word!

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 11:48:00 GMT

December 6th, 2021

Words!

They can create --- or they can destroy !

Did you ever say something and the moment it was out of your mouth you regretted it? I suspect there is no one on the face of the planet that would say that it hasn't happened to them. Usually followed by immediate regret --- and a replaying of the incident over and over again in our mind.

We can apologize. We usually do. We mean it. The word wasn’t designed to hurt someone, it just came out that way. We’re a society of text messages now, and that’s often a place where misunderstanding can happen. Something is written to sound one way but it comes off to the reader as another. Words can do that too.

Words --- we speak them, we think them. Do you think your mind is silent? Try sitting and listening to it for a moment. Close your eyes and try to silence your thoughts.

Harder than you think, huh????

Yes, our subconscious mind is processing thoughts --- repeatedly --- at a dizzying rate of 60,000 to 80,000 times a day. Holy cow that’s a lot!

So now someone says something that hurts you. It’s hard to let it go because we’re sad and we’re hurt. We replay that word over and over and over again --- 60,000 - 80,000 times ( or more maybe) a day! And the next day! And the next day! Until something in us finally releases the need to replay the event.

During the course of that time, what has happened to us and our physical bodies? What toll has the power of that word taken on our health and our well being?
There are scientific studies being conducted that show a proven word-brain relationship. If you’re interested in reading more about this, read “ Words can Change your Brain ” by Dr. Andrew Newberg. He has concluded that “ a single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress. ”

So what are those thousands of thoughts per day telling your body? Are they increasing your stress level or helping to regulate it? Are they healing your body or are they keeping your body in a state of dis-ease ? Are you unconsciously creating problems with your thoughts?

Yehuda Berg, a 21st century Jewish Rabbi said this about the power of words: “Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively use words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.”

The power of a word!

Think of the power we can yield for ourselves, and for others if we choose our words more consciously. If we choose to uplift rather than destroy! If we choose to empower rather than disempower. Consider this possibility for "both" words; words that are spoken, and words that are thought.

This week pay attention to those many-many thoughts running through your brain. Pay attention to the words. Remember they have power. Make a very conscious effort to choose words that will empower both yourself and others.

You can change anything at any time --- it’s all within your power . It’s all in the words you choose to use!

Have an empowering week!

"The tongue has no bones but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words."
-Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

ReRun from December 2020: Pick a door

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 20:40:21 GMT

Posted: November 29, 2021

Did you ever want something so badly you could taste it? But no matter what you did, you just couldn't get to the point where you had what you wanted? You feel like you're banging your head against the door— if only it would open then everything would fall into place.

Did you ever stop and think: maybe it's not your door?

During the course of our lives, we step through many doors. Some will lead us to great success—or great love—and maybe even open more doors for us. Other doors might lead us to heartache or dead-end opportunities. There are those that should just simply remain closed... yet sometimes they are so tempting we feel we need to re-open them to take one more peek! In those cases, the results are usually not so good because there was a reason that the door was closed to begin with!

Wouldn't it be great if we could realize the difference and only open the doors that were meant for us? The ones that would move us forward on our journey?

Well, we're human so sometimes it's hard to differentiate between a door that "shouldn't" be opened and one that just requires us to " work a little harder."

The doors that require us to "work a little harder" are more like goals. Goals in life are very important —they keep us fresh, they help us grow, and they move us forward in this journey of life. With goals, we are learning more about ourselves every day. We are moving forward; not stuck in one place, waiting for something to happen.

When we're beating our heads against a door that's not opening, we're stuck. We are not moving and we are completely focused on the fact that we can't open this door or get over this hurdle. We are missing other opportunities that could help us move forward and totally change our lives for the better. If it doesn't open, then it's not your door! Keep searching for the doors that are open to you and walk through them with gratitude and anticipation.

The more you pay attention to what is opening for you, the more that will open for you! Remember: sometimes there are forces greater than us that can see the entire picture and can see exactly why that opportunity is not panning out for you.

Beating your fists against a door that refuses to open will diminish your spirit and keep you from the things that you desire.

You are a beautiful human being and you deserve so much more. Move away from that door, look to see what is open for you...and walk through it! There is so much of life that awaits you, don't miss it because you're too busy staring at a closed-door!

“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.”
--Alexander Graham Bell

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The Power Of Gratitude.

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 13:15:28 GMT

November 22nd, 2021

Here we are at Thanksgiving week again . The time that the majority of our country gathers with family and friends, enjoys a traditional meal and the comradery of those we love and hold dear.

The word thanksgiving dates back to 1530. It comes from combining two nouns ‘thanks’ — taken from the Old English ‘þanc’ — meaning ‘grateful thought’; and the present verb ‘give’. This is from the Old English ‘giefan’ meaning ‘to bestow or grant’. So we could also say, the giving or bestowing of a grateful thought.

This one holiday tends to make us more present in gratitude! Then we return back to life as usual and lose our focus on being grateful. I read a great article the other day about a professor that provided an interesting lesson to his students.

He handed them a "test" piece of paper and asked them to write about what they saw. It was a blank sheet of paper. There were no questions, just a black dot on the bottom left hand corner of the paper.

After “the test” was over the professor read his student's responses to the class.

Without exception , every student chose to focus their essay on the black dot. Not one person wrote about the white part of the paper. The professor went on to explain that this represents the way most people view life. Instead of focusing on everything good we have in life, we choose to focus only on certain things. Usually the more negative or challenging aspects of life. The not so good. We tend to focus on health issues, relationship issues, financial issues, disappointments. But overall these are small things compared to everything else that is in our life.

By choosing to put our focus there, it spoils all the truly good in our life.

So as we are approaching the day of gratitude, take a piece of paper and focus on all the things that are good in your life. All the gifts that you have already been given. Place your attention there.

I'm going to share a few things I'm grateful for.

I am of course grateful for family, home, food, career. I'm grateful for my dog, my favorite chair, my favorite TV program, my favorite book --- and oh yeah my cell phone (sorry, but it's true)! ��

But I'm equally grateful for the experience of great loss. For upheaval in my life. For the times I've been disappointed in others. For the sadness, for the grief, for the loneliness.

I'm sure you're wondering how I can say that about things that are "awful", or that encompass that "small black dot on the paper". Yes, they are awful. They are hurtful, painful and disappointing. But without the "other side of the coin" --- "that black dot" --- how would I ever truly feel and enjoy the moments that are filled with laughter, love and pride? I would not be able to feel the full effects of those, had I not experienced the other side of it. Neither could you. If you don't know the extremes of life, you can never really enjoy the comfort zone of life. It would be meaningless.

Sit and think about what you're grateful for --- good and "bad"! Embrace it all and acknowledge where it has led you. You are who and where you are today because of all of those things. Where you are today is a pretty great place to be --- if only you focus on that!

Try looking away from the black dots in your life and enjoy everything that has been given to you. We have so many things in life to be grateful for, let’s not waste another moment focusing our attention on the seemingly not-so-great things.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."

Albert Schweitzer

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

We're All Connected.

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 12:33:24 GMT

November 15th, 2021

Earlier this week someone shared a short video clip with me about a woman named Penny Wittbrodt who had a near-death experience. Whether you believe in this or not, I encourage you to take 25 minutes and listen to this video . What she says could change your outlook on life.

So what if we are all connected? What if it is really the little things that matter? I loved the part where she spoke about the $.72 cents she gave the woman in the grocery store line. I loved the fact that that small gesture affected this woman's life in such a positive way. I've always believed that we can change the world one small gesture at a time. If $.72 can have that effect, so can a smile, a hug, or a kind word.

Let's spread that everywhere!

What I really found powerful was the effect our thoughts have on others. Our thoughts! Wow, who knew! Who knew that when we think negatively about other people, we are helping them to stay "stuck" in that space. I've written many times about not judging a person's station in life --- BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE FULL STORY ! When we choose to gossip or talk down about another individual and their behavior, or their choices, this is exactly what we're doing. We appoint ourselves judge and jury --- without knowing all the details . But what if it's true? What if, our thoughts and judgments of another person keep them stuck --- unable to move forward. Is that really what we want to do? Is that really our intention? Or would we rather help people move away from those things and onto a better and brighter life?

She's talking about the seemingly simple thoughts that we project onto others. We don't like someone's behavior, or their choices so we malign them with our thoughts. We are projecting that onto them --- and since we're all connected projecting it onto ourselves as well.

There are deeper hurts. Those times that someone has hurt us deeply and we're working on forgiveness. We all know it's simple to utter the word forgiveness but actually doing and feeling it is another process. Typically though with forgiveness, we are trying to heal our hurt and not 'necessarily' projecting negative thoughts onto another. We're working on the process. Being stuck in the inability to forgive is another issue altogether.

How can we use this knowledge to better the world?

We're in a time of complete division. Everyone is angry at everyone else. We don't like someone's political point of view or their choices regarding any number of "hot button " issues. What if people "more powerful" than us are aware of the power of thought? What if they are projecting division into our world and we're feeding off of it? Just think for a moment about the "WHAT IF" of that?

I have a philosophy in life that "if it can't hurt me, or anyone else, it's worth a try" . This can't hurt anyone. If we stop maligning others with our thoughts. If we think love, light, and healing to each and every human being, regardless of what they say or do ---- could we change the trajectory of this world?

Wouldn't it be worth a try?

So this week, be conscious of your thoughts. Put effort into changing a negative thought as soon as it manifests and change it into something positive. Use, humor. Laugh to yourself when you feel yourself getting tense. Smile more. Enjoy the moment! Send love and light to everyone that crosses your path --- and shut down those negative thoughts as soon as they begin!

Remember the power of $.72 and pay it forward!

HARNESS YOUR TRUE POWER THIS WEEK! We got this!!!!

“Truly thoughts are things, and their scope of operation is the world itself.”
--Napolean Hill

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Your Shadow Self...

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 15:08:09 GMT

November 8th, 2021

Boy are we humans good at judging others.
Every single one of us!

How many times have you said, “ if that were me, I’d do this ”? How many times have you said “ that’s not the 'right' way to handle that ”?

How many times have you held yourself above someone else and criticized their station in life? We all do it --- EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!

I remember many years ago in the early days of our marriage ( before we had a child ) one evening we had decided to go out for a late dinner. Both of us had had a super long day and we were tired and frustrated so in lieu of making dinner, we decided to go out. We sat down at the booth and ordered our dinner. At that point, a family with a toddler arrived for dinner; they put the toddler in the high chair and she began to SCREAM!!!! ! And those of us that have raised children know just how loudly children can scream! After the day we both had --- it was exasperating. I was actually angry. I mean why didn't those parents handle that screaming child? Why didn’t they take control of the situation and stop the screaming? We both were extremely judgmental of these parents and their ability to handle this situation. Somehow, having never had children of our own --- we knew JUST what needed to be done in that situation.

AND…then we had a child…yeah --- ENOUGH SAID!

Did you ever hear the term “shadow self”? The “shadow self” was a term coined by the famous 20th century psychologist Carl Jung. The “shadow self” belief means that there are unconscious parts of the personality that our conscious ego doesn’t want to identify in itself. In short --- what you are criticizing in others is your own personal criticism of yourself. It's something that you are not conscious of. Jung said this, “Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.” Meaning, the shadow self is the darker side of ourselves. The side that we unconsciously repress or ignore. Like an invisible bag we drag around with us.

So what happens when we don’t recognize that we have a dark side. An unhealed side? Jung believed that if we didn’t embrace our dark side and “make the unconscious – conscious ”, that it would direct and lead our lives. It would lead to limiting beliefs, undesirable outcomes, self-sabotage, destructive behavior, and difficult relationships.

How can we begin to bring our dark side to the light? First and foremost, you create balance. You learn to accept the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful --- all of it!

It definitely is not a simple thing to do. It’s not wow, I get it, now I’m fixed.

We need to begin to identify what our "shadows" are? Most of the time the answer to this lies in what triggers us. If we are frustrated by another person’s inability to solve their life problems --- then there is something there that we need to address in ourselves. We cannot move someone from their current station in life --- we can only guide them based on our experiences. But if where they are is triggering a response in us, it's a shadow, an unhealed portion of our soul. If where they are at is causing us to feel anger, or grief, or any other emotion --- then it is a trigger. An unhealed part of our past hiding in our unconscious mind.

Pay attention to your triggers. Our instinct is to blame someone. Either ourselves or others. But, instead, be kind and compassionate with yourself. You are trying to heal. Trying to move into the light. We always have the choice to stay put or to evolve. To evolve means we grow; we enrich ourselves spiritually. To stay put is just that, we stay stuck in the same patterns and behaviors.

If something is really triggering you and you cannot work thru it yourself, reach out for help. Someone else’s perspective might just give you the key you need to work thru something. Remember never to blame. There is no right or wrong answer, there is just a different path to each situation.

You are worth it. It might not be a walk in the park to accept that you have unhealed portions of your soul. Guaranteed you may not like some things you see because it already triggered you. But remember that you deserve love, happiness, and grace! The sum of all your parts --- light and dark --- is beautiful and makes you the amazing person you are!

Let’s bring the dark to the light this week and heal it! This world needs our light to shine as brightly as possible!

Your choice is always to evolve or remain. The same challenges will continue to present themselves until you consciously choose to heal them. At that time, you will awaken to love, you will become, and you will be!

EVOLVE!

“I am evolving and it’s so damn beautiful.”
-- Anonymous

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Life Returns To You What You Give.

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 13:17:15 GMT

November 1st, 2021

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:24-25

The Bible has many references about giving. It’s commonly heard that we “get what we give in life”. The Bible clearly states that those that give freely also receive freely. I am in no way discussing material things here, I’m discussing actions. A person that freely gives love, joy, and compassion, will likely receive those things returned to them in their daily lives.

Last week I had a conversation with someone who is very intuitive. During the course of our conversation, she said to me “the thing you both desire most in this life, is the thing neither of you has the capacity to give at this moment ”. WOW, pretty profound.

I actually had to sit with this one for a while before I was ready to discuss it. But as is often the case, when others need to hear it, it keeps coming back around to me. At that point, I usually realize that the message really wasn’t ONLY for me, but that others need to hear it as well.

So here we go…

Karma! We’ve all heard the word. Karma is a Sanskrit word that roughly translates to "action ". That would indicate that like causes produce like effects. OR, anger produces anger, compassion produces compassion, a good deed leads to future good deeds, and bad deeds lead to future bad deeds.

I believe that most people are good. Most people want simple things like comfort, security, family, home, food, happiness, joy, and purpose. Most people however are looking for something else. Maybe more joy. Maybe more fun. Maybe more happiness. What would you like more of? What would make your life more meaningful? Have you achieved everything that brings you happiness? If you have, congratulations. If you haven’t, or you feel some area of your life is lacking what can you do to correct that?

There is definitely an area of my life in which I feel a huge void. I’ve known this for a long time, but for some reason, I can’t seem to fill the void. If I go back to what my intuitive friend said to me and I evaluate areas of my life, I’d have to say she is completely correct. I am unable to give what it is that I need the most.

Hmmm…….so therein lies a conundrum. Is there a void in your life? Is there an emptiness? Something missing? Take a moment and think about it. What could your life use more of? Now, take a moment and ask yourself if you are putting that out into the world. Are you capable of putting that out into the world? Are you giving what is missing in your life?

Sounds difficult, right?

Suppose you feel that there is a lack of joy in your life. You go through the motions, do what you're supposed to do --- but where is the joy? Where is the fun? Now ask yourself --- am I doing anything to bring joy to someone else’s life? Then --- further that with deliberate action to bring joy to someone’s life.

Spend some time and look at what is most prevalent in your life. What do most of your days “feel” like? Are they filled with happiness? Are you finding enjoyment in what you do every day? What are your interactions with others like? Are they pleasing, or are they difficult? Pay attention to those things, and to what you would like those things to be. Your actions in life should mirror what you want to see in your life.

It’s not difficult to change the trajectory of our life and our level of contentment ---- it’s done one step at a time. One breathe at a time. One gesture at a time.
For me to be able to gain what I need most in life, I need to work on regaining the capacity to “give” it. Maybe now’s not the time. But the awareness of what I’m lacking is the first step to overcome it. Awareness is always the first step in forward movement .

Sometimes life circumstances cause us to be “unable” to give something that we actually need. We may shut down in an effort to protect ourselves. We are human beings. We’re here on this journey to learn. We make mistakes. We take steps backward and we fail at our goals sometimes. Those that keep moving forward, keep trying to improve who they are and recognize that voids in your life are easy to fill --- if only you give back and allow it to happen.

Don’t let the past define you or stop you from living your best life. That’s over and done, and the only power it has over you is what you give it.

If you want friendship --- then be a friend. If you want compassion --- then give compassion. If you want joy --- then be the joy in someone's life. If you want love --- then give love. It’s simple!

What you want most in life ---- GIVE! And then GIVE some more! Watch the universe fill that void with even more than you ever thought was possible!!!!

“In the end, the love you take is the love you make."
---Paul McCartney

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The Search For Happiness...

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 12:21:44 GMT

October 25, 2021

Are you happy?

Seems like a pretty simple yes or no answer. But is it---really? I think overall I'm happy. But there are always things that could improve, and with that, I think my overall sense of happiness would improve.

I remember an incident years ago when we went to visit my father-in-law in the hospital. He was very ill and near his transition time. There was another gentleman sharing the room with him. When we arrived for our visit his family was there. We had a very nice conversation with them. This gentleman loved to read, but his vision was so bad he had difficulty being able to read. The regular reader glasses didn’t help. When we returned for another visit we had picked up a large magnifying glass for him. He was able to read using the glass. That gentleman smiled ear to ear as he sat reading the paper while we visited with our family. I remember feeling such pleasure in his happiness. Such a seemingly silly thing brought this man joy. I’d actually forgotten about that event, but several years later I ran into someone from his family and they reminded me of that moment. They told me how pleased he’d been by that gesture and how happy it had made him. Leaving that chance meeting, I was filled with the same happiness that I felt on that day.

The thing about this story is that this was a seemingly insignificant moment, a seemingly insignificant gesture, that I had totally forgotten about. B ut it brought great joy to another person. Both the giver and the receiver felt happiness at that moment --- and oddly enough, not just in the moment it happened but in the moment it was remembered years later . Now that’s a gift!

Does happiness come from the instant gratification we receive when we “want” something and we “get it” right away? We live in a society where everything is about feeling good at the moment. We always feel that having that elusive item is going to make us happy. But does that bring true happiness? I don’t think it does, it brings fleeting happiness.

Ancient philosophers understood true happiness not to be a state of mind or a feeling of pleasure or contentment as the word might imply. They rather saw it as the highest human good desirable for its own sake, rather than for the sake of something else. In other words – we do good for the sake of good and for no other reason. In their way of thinking that would be true happiness. The moments I felt true happiness were not in the receiving of things or items that I wanted or desired, but in the moments where I made another person happy. Where I could see the joy on their faces.

So true happiness according to ancient philosophers would be " excellence in terms of human action and virtues ". Virtues are traits like honesty, courage, and generosity. If we concentrate on being virtuous people with the right character -- the right actions will follow.

Could it be this simple? Could unhappy people reverse their level of joy by just reversing their character and virtues? Possibly. We are a very me…me…me society. We want the rewards before we put in the effort. That’s evident in every aspect of our lives. Just look around, it’s undeniable.

As we always say, we have no power to change everyone or everything in this world, we only have the power to change ourselves.

So what are you waiting for? Stop and consider what you are doing today for others? Are you doing things to put others first? Are you offering of yourself to help another in need? Are you choosing to do good for the sake of good --- and no other reason? Are you living a virtuous, honest, and genuine life? Are you giving back?

Start today! Right now! Do something good for another person --- and expect nothing in return. It can be something small, simple, and seemingly insignificant at the moment. Just like my magnifying glass story, it might just come back to you years later, after you’ve forgotten all about it, and once again fill your heart with happiness!

Be happy --- do good!

"The simplest way to be happy is to do good."
--Helen Keller

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

I Do Not Know, What I Do Not Know.

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:43:40 GMT

October 18th, 2021

This week has given me some moments of great insight. It hasn't been easy, but I've learned a great deal from it. I now truly KNOW something I didn't KNOW before.

What do I mean by that?

Well:

I KNOW what it's like to bear a child.
I KNOW what it's like to love unconditionally.
I KNOW what it's like to lose a loved one.
I KNOW what it's like to have your life uprooted.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE
To lose a job.
To get divorced.
To be a millionaire (darn)
To lose a child

The things I know are because I've personally experienced them. Every experience that has ever happened in my life is something that I truly " KNOW ". Any experience that I've witnessed another person go through is something that I have empathy for, but no real basis to actually know.

When I " KNOW " something, I'm in a space where I can truly offer guidance, support and compassion to another person. Many of you are aware that my main reason for beginning NRT™ was a back injury that led to chronic migraines. This has helped me tremendously, along with a series of tools I use on a daily basis. I get what a migraine is. I get what it feels like. I get that it debilitates you completely. I also get what it feels like when people do not understand the daily struggle that it is.

This week I shared a knowing moment with several patients. We all laughed at the fact that unless you have suffered from migraines, there would be no way we could explain this to you. That's perception. Our perception from a knowing point of view . We know, we understand and we have immense compassion for those struggling and we have immense pride in others that have walked this journey and gained forward movement with it.

This applies to absolutely anything in life. I've never lost a child. I can assume what that would feel like. I can cry for a mother in that situation, but I don't KNOW. ( Thank GOD ). I have no idea what it must do to someone to go through a divorce. To lose what you thought would be forever. I have no comprehension. Can I assume? Can I even empathize? Yes, but I don't KNOW. It's much more difficult to help someone when you have no basis of true knowing.

All of our life experiences are lessons which allow us to truly KNOW what another individual is experiencing and it allows us to take our compassion and empathy to a new level. What we'll find, is that in each experience each person will react differently, but if we have a knowing , there's a part of us that will get that, on a level that someone else will not.

Our experiences are gifts from God . It's a gift that allows us to cheer on the person who has succeeded in moving forward from that place. It's a gift that allows us to reach in and help them up. It's a gift that allows us to share their pain.

It's a GIFT!

What are your gifts? Are you using them to help others? Are you using them to reach in and help someone on their journey? If you're not using your gifts to be the light for another person, you just might be wasting what was given to you by God. It's possible you're not in the space yet to guide other people. That's ok. Take the time needed to get yourself in that space. But use those gifts and help others.

Remember even if you don't have the experience of something you can still help others by being strong, solid and sure of where you're headed. You can still offer light in the darkness!

Let's lift the world by lifting one person at a time. Be the beacon of light in another person's world.

One light in a dark room can light the entire room! Be that light! ��

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
--Desmond Tutu

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What Do You See?

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 12:18:11 GMT

October 11th, 2021

This weekend we're attending a symposium to learn about some new advances in Nutrition Response Testing™. We're super excited to share what we're learning with you. BUT, due to the time involved in doing that, I've decided to share something I recently read with all of you. I think you'll find it inspiring, or at least I hope so.

Bee a good human

“My dad has bees. Today I went to his house and he showed me all of the honey he had gotten from the hives. He took the lid off of a 5-gallon bucket full of honey and on top of the honey there were 3 little bees, struggling. They were covered in sticky honey and drowning. I asked him if we could help them and he said he was sure they wouldn't survive. Casualties of the honey collection I suppose.

I asked him again if we could at least get them out and kill them quickly, after all, he was the one who taught me to put a suffering animal (or bug) out of its misery. He finally conceded and scooped the bees out of the bucket. He put them in an empty Chobani yogurt container and put the plastic container outside.

Because he had disrupted the hive with the earlier honey collection, there were bees flying all over outside.

We put the 3 little bees in the container on a bench and left them to their fate. My dad called me out a little while later to show me what was happening. These three little bees were surrounded by all of their sisters (all of the bees are females) and they were cleaning the sticky nearly dead bees, helping them to get all of the honey off of their bodies. We came back a short time later and there was only one little bee left in the container. She was still being tended to by her sisters.

When it was time for me to leave we checked one last time and all three of the bees had been cleaned off enough to fly away and the container was empty.

Those three little bees lived because they were surrounded by family and friends who would not give up on them, family and friends who refused to let them drown in their own stickiness and resolved to help until the last little bee could be set free.

Bee Sisters. Bee Peers. Bee Teammates.
We could all learn a thing or two from these bees.

Bee kind always."

Do you know someone who is struggling? Are you choosing kindness and compassion? Are you choosing to reach in there and assist them? Remember when we lift another --- we also lift ourselves in the process!

"This week --- do good --- bee good!?

Here's a link to the video of this beautiful event happening!

Have an amazing week!

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”
--Amelia Earhart

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

One Day At A Time...

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:57:02 GMT

October 4, 2021

JUST FOR TODAY!

One moment at a time. One breath at a time. Just for the now.

These are principles taught when you first begin studying Reiki. If you're unaware, Reiki is an ancient form of energy healing in which the practitioner works with the flow of energy in and around your body. If you're interested in learning more, or experiencing it for yourself, reach out to Susan Drey in our office. She practices and teaches. It's quite the experience.

What I want to talk about though is learning to adapt these principles in our life.

Life is hard, and man it can throw some punches. I have to say that the past few years have dished out more than I think I can handle some days. Definitely more than I want to handle most days.

If I look back over life, I've looked at the view from the highest vantage point --- and from the lowest point in the gutter. If I think of the line of a heartbeat on a graph that would be how I would symbolize life. Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down, and sometimes you're a flat-line. When things are going smoothly and easily, we're riding that flat line. The most exciting phases of life are when we're on the upswing. Can any mother out there say that the moment they lay your baby in your arms isn't the greatest ( by far ) moment of your existence? It certainly was for me. Many times the lowest moments of our existence come when we have to say goodbye to those we love. Many times, grabbing our bootstraps and pulling ourselves up out of that gutter is difficult --- if not seemingly impossible.

What comes after ? Sometimes inconceivable loneliness, extreme emotional pain, darkness that you can't begin to understand until you've experienced it for yourself. But, here's the thing, with all that pain also comes bravery, hope, fear, and deep, sincere gratitude for all that remains in your world.

During the darkest moments of my life, I felt the need to look deep into my soul and examine myself closely. I was pushed to stand on my own two feet, to begin to embrace a new normal, and even allow my heart a chance to feel again. Trust me, all much harder than you think they are --- until it's you walking in those shoes.

Regaining yourself after a dive into the gutter is difficult --- maybe it's even impossible.

During my difficult times it was suggested that I go on medication to help " make the sadness go away ". It was suggested I have a drink before bed " so I could sleep and the world would look brighter the next day ". Yes, this really was advice from people that "meant well" --- but had no reference point in which to give advice.

Would that have helped? Who knows. Maybe temporarily.

So this week I've been faced with the topic of grief and feelings from a number of people I work with. This is a difficult topic and I'm honored that you consulted me and I hope I added some value to your choices. I was asked what I felt about "medications". What I felt about "numbing the pain".

Well here's my answer for everyone to hear.

What's wrong with just feeling it?

So today you need to cry? Cry. Want to scream. Scream. Want to go adopt another animal --- do it! ( ok maybe think that one through a bit...LOL ) The point is, feelings are not bad . They don't always feel good --- but they're not bad. They are necessary in order for us to find our peace as we enter a different season of our life.

If you never feel the low, how can you ever appreciate the high . If you don't allow yourself to grieve the loss of loved ones, how can you ever appreciate when the universe fills that void with more love. The flat easy moments of life are wonderful --- enjoy them. But when life throws you into a high or a low again (as it always will) embrace that as well . Feel it. Experience it. Take from it whatever you need to, so that when you're back in the high swing again --- it's even better than before!

Just for today --- just for the next 15 minutes if need be --- experience life, moment by moment and embrace every little bit of it! It is all for your greater good!

“Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.”
--Sonia Ricotti

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The Meaning of Life (Rerun from September 16, 2019)

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:54:32 GMT

Published: September 27, 2021

Seems pretty simple, right? We're born, we live, we die, we pay taxes, and a few things in between. So...what's the meaning?

Some would argue that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42 . I, however, found that Siri has some pretty good suggestions. I personally like: " All evidence to date suggests it's chocolate!" Works for me.

But seriously, what are we doing here? People have always been searching for the answer to that question. I'm pretty sure no one has really come up with a definitive answer, just their suppositions on it. That's what this is: my take on what might "possibly" be the reason why we are here .

I read a lot about the need to find our purpose in life. Once we find that, things seem to fall into place and we tend to find joy and peace. But for most of us, it takes well into our lives before we find that purpose—if we ever do. I've read: "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." I feel like that is true. Think back to when you were younger—maybe high school or college years—we're very idealistic at that time of life. We think we'll find the perfect job and the perfect mate; we'll make perfect babies, and the house will always be clean, the wash will always be done (and put away!). Ok, that one might be a fantasy that happens as we get older...but you get the point! We picture and imagine this idealistic world and life for ourselves. Then life happens!

The job isn't perfect, we're not fulfilled. It's not what we imagined it to be. Our perfect spouse is sometimes not so perfect! And our children... they become teenagers! LIFE HAPPENS! This doesn't mean we don't love our spouse or our children, it's just not the nirvana we thought it was going to be. It's life, it's real, and sometimes it's not totally fulfilling. It's hard work.

So what is the purpose of all of this?

I guess we'll never really know. I think at different phases of my life I thought there were different purposes. Maybe that's true.

Perhaps as we grow and mature what we feel matters, and what does matter to us is different. But what if we're looking for a deep answer? Maybe the answer is super simple?

What if you fulfilled your purpose when you spent time reading to a child?

What if you fulfilled your purpose when you helped an elderly person across the street? When you saved a stray cat? When you held the door for a stranger?

What if your purpose isn't the accumulation of things, but rather your heart! What if it was your compassion, your love, your deeds, your gratitude ... what if it is what you put into the world, and not what you take out of it!

What is your heart? What is your purpose? Are you fulfilling it?
Lead with your heart this week! Let your purpose be compassion and love. Spread it all around..create a meaning!

“Once a wise man was asked, what's the meaning of life? He replied 'Life itself has no meaning, life is an opportunity to create a meaning”
-- Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What Defines You?

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:50:58 GMT

Published: September 20, 2021

Ugh, the world is chaotic. It's stressful. There's fear, anger, hatred, fighting...

OR...

The world is a beautiful, loving, and happy place!

What's your take?

We spend a lot of our time looking at the outside world and seeing chaos and disorder. It's there, no doubt. What once seemed like a secure life, no longer has that security. It's downright scary!

BUT , how are we ever going to change things if our focus is always on the chaos and the disorder?

We talked about fear and its manifestation in our bodies last week. I hope that you were able to re-frame some of your thought patterns this week and try to view situations differently. It's hard. It's a daily struggle to attempt to keep ourselves in this place of peace.

How can we ever see peace in the external world if there is no peace in "our internal" world? You see, we are not able to bring out into the physical world what we do not have to offer. Peace and love start in your heart. Only once it is firmly entrenched there, can it begin to manifest in the external.

People that have the ability to manifest peace in their internal world are no different than you and me. I guarantee they still have the chattering thoughts and troubled emotions that we have. They have learned however, not to put all their energy into those feelings and emotions, but rather to put their energy into love and peace. We all have the ability to channel our feeling into positive --- or negative. It's a choice. It's first understanding what we are doing, and then choosing to do differently.

What are some tools you can use to change your internal state?

Shut off the news . Focus on making your part of the world the best it can be. Remove negative and toxic people from your life, or limit your exposure if you cannot remove them. Pay attention to how you speak. Are you using negative words when you talk? How do you talk to your family, your children, your pets --- and yourself? What words do you choose to describe your life or the people in it --- including yourself.

Remember that even when you are joking around, if you are choosing words with negative connotations, you are inadvertently putting negativity out into the environment. It starts internally --- change your talk --- your view --- your level of internal peace and watch how we turn this all around.

Together we are strong, we have the tools, let's put them into full force this week. If you hear someone (or yourself) use a negative connotation in reference to anything, immediately re-phrase it to a positive. Spread kindness, love and goodness everywhere.

Let's help the world by finding our internal peace!

“Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What are you worshipping?

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 19:59:41 GMT

Published: September 13, 2021

FEAR: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. (dictionary.com)

Fear! Lately, that's all I see, hear, and feel. It's everywhere. It's permeating our society. Everyone is feeling it from the children to the senior citizens. We walk, talk, and breathe fear.

So I know I've written about this before. We've talked fear, we've talked the responses in our body. Over the past week, I've seen and heard so many things that are fear-based that I think it will serve us all to hear it again.

Let me start by saying that what you believe about the current world situation is your choice. I am not trying to persuade you either way. But there are things we all need to know and understand regardless of our point of view.

Fear controls! Period, end of the conversation . If you are living in a state of fear, you are being controlled. When you are being controlled by fear, it is manifesting itself in your physical body. Let me explain.

Fear is a necessary human emotion that is designed to protect us from threats. Whether the threat is real or perceived is not important. A reaction to something that scares us will start in an area of the brain called the amygdala. This is the area of the brain that determines what the emotional significance of a stimuli is. So if you see a bear, this area of the brain will release stress hormones and trigger the sympathetic nervous system ( fight or flight ).

Now the adrenal glands are releasing adrenaline into the bloodstream. When this happens we often experience shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, upset stomach, dilation of pupils --- to mention a few possible things.

This is the perfect response to have when a bear is chasing us! It's what our bodies need in order to effectively keep us safe --- keep us alive!

HOWEVER, when we're always in this state because we are being driven by fear, it's like we're always being chased by the elusive bear. Our bodies are always in hyper-prepared mode.

GUESS WHAT HAPPENS....

You do the math. You're not going to sleep. You might have headaches. Your back and shoulders might hurt. You might be constipated. Whatever area of your body is the weakest, is going to feel the result of the hyper preparation your body is in. It cannot sustain that state for long without impacting the physical body on a permanent basis. You will become ill --- you may even become ill with that which you fear.

So how do we mitigate fear? There are many things we can do to change our reactions to it. There is no one answer for every single individual. The first step is always knowledge and understanding.

I heard something incredibly powerful this week that I want to share with you. Keep this as your thought process whenever you find yourself in a state of fear.

"Is your fear greater than your faith in God?"

If you are living it a state of fear --- it is!

This week spend some time noticing what you fear, and ask yourself that question. Re-assess for yourself what you're afraid of and if that fear is serving you. Focus yourself on living the life you were given. It is a gift --- we should not be squandering it on fear --- unnecessary fear!

THIS IS NOT SERVING ANY OF US, NOR IS IT SERVING GOD OR OTHERS BY LIVING THIS WAY! We need to reign this in.

Do not let fear control you. Let knowledge be your truth . Join together with other souls on this journey! In unity we are strong, and we can step out of this place of fear and begin to feel fresh and renewed!

Stay strong, stay united, and share love!
WE, when we stand together, have got this!

“To be afraid is to have more faith in evil than in God.”
– Emmet Fox

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What happens...happens...

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 19:59:38 GMT

Published: September 6, 2021

I've always been fascinated with Native American culture. There is so much wisdom there, so much connection to the earth and to true spirituality. There is much to learn if we'd take the moments to understand.

Sometimes life has a way of throwing things at us that we can't understand. How/why is this happening? What's the purpose of it? Why me? These are very common questions, and if you sit and think about it, they're actually questions that come from our " victim " mentality. Yeah --- we do all have a little bit of it to lesser and greater degrees. I'm a big believer in " what happens is happening for our greater good ". I can't always see the wisdom of it, and I'm often tired of trying to figure it out , but it is a core belief that I have. I came across this reading the other day, and I feel inclined to share it because I believe many of you struggle with the same thing. I hope it guides you, and gives you the perspective you need.

_____________________________________________

There are four Native American Indian Spirituality Laws that say nothing happens for no reason in life. When you do understand this, it's very easy to handle and you confidently look at what's happening, thankful for what was there and happy for what's going to happen.

The 1st law says:
′′The person you meet is the right one.′′
That is, no one comes into our lives by accident, all the people around us who interact with us, stand for something, either to educate us or to help us in our situation.

The 2nd law says :
′′What happens is the only thing that can happen.′′
Nothing but absolutely nothing of what happens to us could have been different. Not even the most insignificant detail. There just isn't ′′ if I had done it differently... it would have been different..." No, what happens is the only thing that can happen and needs to happen, so we can learn our lessons to get ahead. Everything, yes, every situation that happens to us in life is absolutely perfect, even when our spirit resists our ego and doesn't want to accept it.

The 3rd law says:
′′Every moment when something starts is the right time.′′
Everything starts at the right time, not sooner or later. When we are ready for something new in our life, it's already there to begin with.

The 4th law says:
′′What's over is over.′′
It's that simple. When something ends in our life, it serves our development. That's why it's better to let go and move forward, bestowed on the experiences that have now been gained.

I don't think it's a coincidence that you're reading this here. If this text meets you today, it's because you meet the conditions and understand that no rain drop anywhere in the world accidentally falls in the wrong place.
Let it go well...
Love with your whole being...
Being happy without end...
Every day is a happy, happy day.

I Am.
You Are.
We Are.
Oneness.

--Shared from Daisy Foss

This week try excepting life as it happens. Try using the above four principles in your life and watch how things change.

“May you find grace as you surrender to life. May you find happiness, as you stop seeking it. May you come to trust these laws and inherit the wisdom of the Earth. May you reconnect with the heart of nature and feel the blessings of spirit.”
--Dan Millman

Sincerely,
Fatkin N atural Healing

Life's Changes

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 19:59:20 GMT

Published: August 30, 2021

Your life is your story! I was struck by this quote when I saw it. How true. If you’d known me 20 years ago, I was a different person. Life has changed me. Experiences have changed me . Some experiences have made me softer and more loving --- others have made me tougher and harder to reach. Life’s hard…period. Just when things seem to be amazing, somewhere out in left field something lodges a hit in your direction. If you’re lucky you might dodge it --- if you’re not, it might just change everything.

What are a few sure things in life? There are going to be happy times and sad times. There is going to be great joy and great loss. There is going to be laughter, love, hurt, and pain. You are going to embrace certain moments with joy, and certain moments are going to knock you down. Life is going to reward you--- and wound you.

Life is your story. It's what you make of it. Life is full of chapters, seasons, whatever you want to call them. Life ebbs and flows between amazing and painful. From each of these peaks and valleys, we learn, we change and take something new that moves us into the next chapter of our life. Most of the time what softens our tough exterior the most is the difficult times. The times that wound us make us take stock of what is really important, it may even take us down a path completely different than the one we were on. In my life what has softened me and made me more caring were most definitely the hard times. These were the times that made me realize that anger gets me no where. It made me look at situations and people from a less judgmental stand and from a more loving stand. When life was moving along beautifully and I was living happily, I was less able to see why someone else may not be. Only the hard times allow us that perspective.

So if you’d known me 20 years ago, you would have seen a person who had everything they wanted in life. But that person needed to grow, so life threw me the hard lessons --- the important ones . What we do with those lessons will create the next chapter and our wins and losses there.

So if you walked in on this chapter of my life, you’re seeing the version that has changed and has adapted to those changes. The one that has grown through all that life has dished out. The one that that got knocked down a few times, but continued to try to move forward. The one that takes 10 steps forward and 15 backward. That's what you’re seeing in this chapter.

What do I see when I look at you?

What do you see when you look at others?

Are you judging --- or are you loving?

Once again, your choice! Don’t wait to gain compassion until life kicks you. Try shifting your perspective now. Live in love and compassion. Stop judging others by what you see in this moment --- it’s not their whole story. Add value to the lives of those around you. Do it now --- tomorrow is not promised.

We are in this together. Each and every one of us has the ability to help another along. Don’t judge anyone by where they are in this moment --- there may be way more to them than you realize!

“This is my life, my story, my book. I will no longer let anyone else write it; nor will I apologize for the edits I make.”
--Steve Maraboli

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What's your choice...

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 19:58:46 GMT

Published: August 23, 2021

Relationship!
Immediately when we hear that word, we think of two people that are in a relationship. However, the true meaning of a relationship is the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected or the state of being connected. (Dictionary.com)

So when we are “ in a relationship ”, we are in the “ state of being connected ”. That clearly states that we are “in a relationship” with almost every single thing in our life.

We share relationships with our partners, our children, our pets, our employers, our co-workers --- and yes, even some strangers . There is no time factor on this, it simply is a point of connection. That could literally be a moment or 50 years.

Regardless, the quality of the relationships in our lives is key to our level of happiness and fulfillment in life. And yes, that means all relationships.

So how do we have good relationships?

First , we should take some time and take stock of the relationships in our lives. Are the majority of them healthy and balanced? Or, are they toxic and unbalanced? When we are sharing time with the people in our lives, are we for the most part fulfilled, or do we feel that those relationships are lacking something?

Second , we need to look at ourselves. What are we putting into these relationships? If the relationship in question is with you and a friend, are you putting in the effort to make a good friendship , or are you relying on the other person to do all the work?

Do you value the relationship? If so, what can you do better? What step can you take to move more towards the relationship you’d like to have? Are you putting that effort in, or are you holding back?

There is a viral blog post by the author Richard Paul Evans where he discusses his relationship with his wife and how he ( actually they ) turned things around. He said he realized that he could not change her, he needed to change himself . That's where everything begins --- within ourselves. They did the work, and 30 years later they are still married --- and they "like" each other!

Relationships are points of connection . When we are connected, we are fulfilled. Therefore, when we look at the relationships in our lives, we should ask what can we do better? How do we improve upon ourselves in order to improve upon our relationships?

Spend some time looking at how you react to others in your life. When you have a quick interaction with a stranger, think about it afterwards. Did you, and did they, leave that moment with more than you entered it with? Did a positive and uplifting interaction occur? If not, what could you have done better? How could you have altered the course of that moment? Then pay attention to the more valued relationships in your life. How can you improve upon them? How can you add value to them?

Points of connection are vital in our life . Each of us is a soul here on this planet trying to do our best to get to the other side. Every single interaction we have has the ability to help another move forward on this journey or to keep them where they are. Without these points of connection, we are void and lost. It’s up to us to make the most of what has entered our world. Every moment, every interaction, has the power to be positive or negative… it's your choice!

What do you choose?

“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship."
--Brené Brown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

The purpose of life.

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:13:10 GMT

Posted: August 16, 2021

What is the purpose of all this?

The purpose of life. A question for the ages! What is it? How do we find it?

I get up every morning, brush my teeth, get dressed, drink my coffee and head to work. Work all day, head home, eat dinner, walk the dog and go to bed. Same thing --- virtually every single day . Do I smile during the day? Sure . Do I enjoy moments of the day? Sure. But what’s the purpose? Why am I doing all this?

Well it would seem that I’m doing all this so I can have a place to live, a vehicle to drive, food to eat, clothes to wear. But is that it? Geez, I hope not!

The search for the purpose of life has been a question asked by virtually every person in every generation. It’s not new, and I don’t think anyone has really found the answer.

It certainly doesn’t lie in the type of car we drive, or the house we live in. So where then?

I recently heard the term “ Daymaker ”. It’s a person who makes the day of another person. The story of how this came about goes like this. A woman goes into a hair salon to get her hair styled for an event she says she's attending. The salon she goes to has a very warm inviting feel, and she is very happy there because she is treated as if she is very special. Her stylist laughed and joked with her, and put his heart in his work. She leaves that day and decides “ not to attend her event” . You see the event she was planning on attending was a funeral. HER FUNERAL. She had planned to take her own life. (This, by the way, is a true story.) Several days later, the stylist received a letter from her explaining that his kindness that day had changed her mind. She checked herself into a hospital to get the help she needed. Had he not treated her with that kindness she well may have proceeded with her plan. His kindness not only saved her life --- but the grief and sadness of all that loved her. The “Daymaker” group was established around this event with the sole purpose of “ making the day ” of people around the world. Now what a concept that is!

That’s a purpose I can get excited about. We think that making the day of another individual has to be huge, but it doesn’t, not at all. You could smile at a stranger. Hold the door for someone. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line at your local coffee shop. Pick up flowers at the store and hand them to someone on your way out the door. Leave your spouse a note telling them to have a great day. Maybe being a daymaker one day means taking care of you, and by doing so, you can be more purposeful in your desire to make someone else’s day.

We never know what is going on in the lives of the people around us. Most people put on a face for the world to see. A smile; a kind word; but behind the eyes is a pain we cannot see. Be kind, be caring, be a daymaker . You have the power in you to alter a life dramatically.

It's impressed upon us every day that we have no power to change what's going on around us. WE HAVE ALL THE POWER! We have the power within each and every one of us to change the world. It starts with us . It starts with our actions and our choices. Make it your purpose to do one random act of kindness (this can be as simple as a smile ) every day of your life.

One simple random act of kindness has the power to change the course of everything! Be a part of this movement --- be a daymaker !

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes; this day will be gone forever; in its place is something you have left behind...let it be something good.
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

It's your choice

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 20:17:48 GMT

Posted August 9, 2021

Today I've decided to share a post from someone that I greatly admire. There are certain events that happen in life that change you. Once they've happened, you will never go back to the person you once were. Hopefully they make you better, more powerful and more grateful. I hope you enjoy this, she summed it up better than I ever could have.

"When you live through trauma, you become a changed person.
It's dark, all-consuming, cold, and lonely.
You no longer see the world the way your family, friends, and co-workers often do.
You evolve past petty disagreements and complaints of the norm into someone who sees's and feels more deeply.
You grow beyond the worry over acceptance, having what society deems the suitable material objects into a being that understands true wealth does not come from what we own but who we are at our core.
People around you sweat all the small stuff and bicker about their loved one's perceived shortcomings, and at first, you feel angry that they don't appreciate what they still have in the now. Eventually, that anger turns to an understanding that they can't enjoy what they don't understand is fleeting. Uninformed humans don't know any better.
Reintegrating into the world is challenging because you see life's actual value at its core. You have gratitude for the simplest joys of life, and that level of knowledge is widely accepted or understood.
You begin a search for meaning that can't be found outside through monetary means but only through a deep dive into oneself.
You have a "dark night of the soul," forced upon you by trauma you didn't ask for or anticipate. You are shifted in a prolific manner that rocks your entire world.
Suddenly you notice the light above the darkness. You grasp the simple beauty that abounds.
The key at this junction is continued growth.
We can get stuck in our pain, our victim status and develop resentment, anger, and bitterness towards the world around us. It's easy to do, developed by that feeling of "why me" and "nobody else understands."
The truth is, whatever trauma you have survived, it has happened, and there is nothing we can do to change the past. You have to take the necessary steps to heal yourself, mind, body, and spirit.
Once you begin to heal, you will intertwine the beauty of your new awareness and perspective and enter the world an enlightened soul who spreads much-needed hope for humanity.
I'm not asking you to be grateful for your trauma or thankful for your evolution. I'm simply asking you to notice it, sit with it, learn from it, and grow.
Pain is inevitable, but forward progress is optional.
Look up above the darkness, and see the stars, a billion souls shining down on our continued journey.
Choose to take your trauma and allow it to morph you into the next version of your soul.
Will you?"
Michelle Steinke-Baumgard

What are you choosing everyday? What can you do better? We only have this moment --- live it and love it!

HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!!!!

“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
--Muhammad Ali

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

"I am"

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 20:14:51 GMT

Posted August 2, 2021

Words have power. Incredible power.

The words we use on a daily basis are the clearest reflection of what is in our hearts. If we choose to use empowering words, we will empower ourselves and others. If we choose to use limiting words --- we will limit ourselves and others. Paying close attention to the words people choose to use, will enlighten you as to what is going on in their inner world.

I usually have a clear vision of what I'm going to write about before I sit down to actually do it. The funny thing is that I always seem to get a "sign" that I'm on the right track before I begin writing. So, right before I sat down to write this I ran over to Target. I was kneeling down looking at something on a lower shelf and a super cute little girl was staring at me. I looked up and smiled and asked her how she was. We had a very sweet conversation that ended with her saying "you're so pretty". �� Of course I'm laughing to myself, but she was so sweet and so genuine when she said it. You see children do not see flaws. I have a thousand labels I've put on myself, and what she saw wasn't one of them.

The choice of words that we use when talking with others is a clear reflection of what is going on inside of us. A four year old sees life totally innocently and with none of the preconceptions we adults have. They also speak directly from the heart. (I think we can all remember times when our child blurted out something not so sweet and innocent. ��)

"I AM". These are two of the most powerful words available to us. Why? Because we are defining who we are when we use them. If we look in the mirror and say "I am fat" --- we've destined ourselves to be fat . Conversely, if we look in the mirror and choose to see the positive, the empowering, then that is what we have destined ourselves to be.

How many times a day do you say "I am"? What words do you put behind it? Are they " empowering " or " disempowering " words?

The words "I AM" are a power statement. What are you empowering yourself with?

In life, there are two things that will have the greatest impact on what we become and what our future will look like. They are the people we choose to associate with, and the words we program into our minds.

If we choose to associate with empowering people, we are going to feed off of each other and elevate each other to the next level of greatness. If we choose to associate with lower vibrational people, then we are going to navigate in that direction. What do you choose for yourself? If you don't believe me, think clearly about the people in your life. Think about the ones that you "want" to be around. Think about how you feel when you are around them. I'd bet, they lift you --- they encourage you --- they have your back . What about the people that suck your energy and make you feel drained. You are your tribe! Choose wisely!

You have complete control over the words you choose to place behind your "I AM". What will they be? Will they empower you? Will they accentuate your greatness? Will you choose to keep yourself stuck in the prison of your own negative words, or will you empower yourself with words that are powerful? What label are you attaching to yourself?

What words will you speak in your future?

This week, change your dialog. Change what you are programming into your mind. Speak empowering words. The future is bright --- reach for it and enjoy every moment!

“The whole world is simply my story, projected back to me on the screen of my own perception. All of it.”
--Byron Katie

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

When should we let go?

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:37:27 GMT

Published July 26, 2021

Do you have the power to "allow things to just be"?

I know I often have a hard time with that. There are moments that I want to make something work out the way I feel it should. But every time I do that, it doesn't work out like I planned. But when I make a choice to just "allow " things to flow as they will, it usually works out better than I planned .

As humans, we have a hard time just "allowing". We want to get in there and fix, or adjust, or correct... or force things to be as we feel they should be . We can’t just let things go, we always need to be in there trying to change someone, or save someone, or attempt to intervene in “what is” .

This week I was talking with a 92 year old woman who is struggling with a major health issue. Several years back, she lost her husband and a few years later her only son. She’s had a tough life. Because I’ve spent time talking with her, I know about many of the other things that happened in her 92 years, that most people do not. She has family and friends who all care about and love her --- but her “life”, her “world” is on the other side .

Do you understand that? I mean, really, deeply understand that? Have you lived it? Do you know how it feels to be walking in a body, essentially alone in this world? Sure --- people care --- but they have their families, their careers, their lives --- and regardless of the amount of “care and love” they have for her, she is not part of that. She is an outsider. They feel she needs their sympathy, their understanding, their help --- and those few minutes they can spare her.

Yep --- that’s her, that’s how she feels. So now along comes an illness. What I’m about say is going to sound harsh --- maybe even difficult for you to hear --- but she’s ready to move on . She does not want to struggle anymore. Her family, her friends --- they want her to “fight”. Why -- because they don't want to experience the loss of her. She wants to be reunited with her loved ones --- her world. But the pressure continues. Every time she's around someone they encourage her to “fight”. They pressure her, they increase her stress --- they take away her joy that this might soon end and she can be reunited with her loves.

Why do we do this? Talking to her, I, too, had to fight the urge to tell her to fight. I had to step out of the loss I would feel at her departure to attempt to understand what she felt. What she needs. What she wants. It’s not about me, or my feelings --- it’s about her, and her needs.

Do you do this? Do you struggle to see another point of view. Do you struggle to step out of yourself or your needs and honor someone else’s place in the world Honor their choices?

This is everyday and not just when it comes to death or dying. It’s every decision, every moment in life. Each of us is on a path. That path teaches us something. Many times there are multiple paths we could take (as in this instance), and maybe none of them is right or wrong --- just different.

Maybe each lesson is different and it doesn’t really matter which way you choose to go, as much as it does what you take from the path you choose .

So maybe instead of chiming in and voicing our opinion when someone is telling us how they feel --- we should just listen . Choose to just honor and respect whatever choice they make --- and hold their hand along the path of that choice.

You see, they will learn something --- and so will we! Compassion and understanding are tools we could all work on perfecting. We need to stop allowing our needs, wants and desires to affect someone else doing what is best for them.

I love my 92 year old friend . She’s been a huge inspiration to me on my journey. She is one of the strongest woman I know --- and as she steps into her power and makes the decision that is right for her , I will love her through it. That is all I can do. Hopefully when she returns home, she will feel the strength of her life and her struggles in those of us that she touched.

This week, honor everyone and their choices. Open your heart and ask yourself what you would want if it were you. Love them unconditionally --- it is the only tool we have that really matters!

“Accept -- then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it ... This will miraculously transform your whole life.”
--Eckhart Tolle

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Is anger ever justfied?

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:34:21 GMT

Published July 19, 2021

Anger! It's a dirty word and always tied to something bad, or wrong .

If we see someone reacting in anger we always assume they are wrong. We always "judge" and say " that could have been handled differently ".

But is anger EVER justified? Can anger EVER be good? Is it possible that anger could even be productive ?

We've talked here many times about vibrational states. Love, joy, gratitude are high vibration states. Anger, vengeance, hate are the lower vibrational states. The goal should be to resonate in the higher states the majority of the time. All of us, however, go between states all of the time. It is possible to move up and down along that scale many times throughout the day. The important part is the state you "live " in. The one where you are the majority of the time.

If you've studied, or are aware of this school of thought, then you know that anger is somewhere right in the middle between the upward vibrations and the lower vibrations. Anger is also one of those emotions that can lead you up --- or down the scale.

Because of this, I feel that there is justifiable anger. It was pointed out to me earlier this week, that even Jesus showed anger in the Bible. The references I found said there were four different occasions in which Jesus expressed anger. Each time was justifiable. He was angry at an injustice he saw and he reacted to it. He reacted --- he didn't hold it in and let it fester until he exploded. He justifiably showed his anger at an unjust situation. By doing so he created the opportunity for change.

Someone angry at a social injustice may use that anger to try and precipitate change. That's positive.

Destructive anger, however, we hold on to and do not release. What ends up happening is that we "live" in that state and ultimately that anger will express itself --- most likely in an unhealthy fashion .

Anger, where we physically or verbally hurt another person --- regardless of the reason --- is not cool. It's also not productive --- and instead of propelling us up the vibrational scale it will drag us down into bitterness and resentment. Holding anger in our bodies is not healthy. It will self destruct inside of us and cause illness, discomfort and disease (read dis---ease) !

SO --- do we turn the other cheek? Do we take the high road?

Is there something that provokes your anger? Something that just "sets you off"? What if that strong emotion of anger is really just a message to you that you need to work on something. What if it’s the method the universe uses to get your attention? What if it’s your chance to heal?

Anything that triggers us is really just a guidepost for what we need to heal. So maybe your anger is provoked and you react. Pay attention to what triggered you and how you chose to react. I personally believe anger is justified in certain situations. What's important is how you react. Don't react with more anger, but use the situation to heal and repair areas of your life that need it, and propel yourself forward towards a higher vibrational state!

Live in those higher states --- only visit anger when you need reminding, and make sure it heads you in the right direction!

"Anger is a sign that something needs to change.”
--Mark Epstein

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Life is NOT a journey

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:31:13 GMT

Published July 12, 2021

When my daughter turned 16, I created a video of her life up until that point. After it was done and I watched it, I cried . It was so powerful to see 16 years of her life captured in 12 minutes on a shiny disc. Everyone that had watched her grow cried as well. You see, we remembered those moments. They were etched in our subconscious. We remember the child we held, fed, read to, played with and loved beyond measure. Twelve minutes was all it took to totally capture 16 years of life, and capture it powerfully.

We were always big on pictures. Lots and lots of them, capturing every moment of the " journey called life ". When I chose pictures for that video the majority of what I chose were the simple moments. The pictures we originally didn't deem " good " enough to include in the albums or display around the house.

I put her first 16 years to music. Carefully selected music that represented that part of her story. If I were going to put music to her second 16 years, I'd choose different songs. Songs that would powerfully portray this part of her journey.

BUT --- life is not a journey.

Philosopher Alan Watts states "There is a danger in thinking life is a journey ; some sort of a pilgrimage with a purpose at the end. Life is to be lived along the way, in the same way that music is to be enjoyed. If music were only about endings, composers would only write finales!"

It's proven that the energy in our universe is the same energy that has always been there. It doesn't go anywhere. This isn't made up. Just ask any scientist, and they will confirm that the energy present at creation is still here and occupying the same space as the body you are carrying now.

So that means that life cannot be a journey. There is no real finale, no real purpose at the end.

So what is life then? Could this be a school? Maybe it's like grades kindergarten through 12th --- except every age group is thrown into one collective environment . Maybe some of us are still in kindergarten --- and maybe some of us are in graduate school. Maybe we're taking all this too darned seriously.

Now wouldn't that be something? All we need to do is wake up, listen to the lesson --- and take the tools we gain with us to the next lesson --- and keep on learning, growing and sharing our lessons with others.

What if we stop trying to arrive somewhere? What if we're here to play. To enjoy the experience -- whatever that is. What if life is not a reality to be solved, but an experience to be enjoyed.

What if you start thinking of every 16 years of your life as a 12 minute video on a shiny disc? What do you remember? What songs would you put to your life? Would they be dancing songs? Would they be sad songs? Would they be inspirational songs?

What if you started thinking of life not as a journey, but as a series of songs. What songs are describing your life right now? What would be the theme of your 12 minute video? Would it fill you with joy when you finished watching it? If not --- why not?

Try a little experiment and assign yourself a theme song for the day! Try doing it in the morning and see if that song sticks through the day or if it changes as the day goes on. Have a little fun with it! Let's start viewing life as something to live and enjoy rather than something to endure!

HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!

“Life is a game...play it. Life is a challenge...meet it. Life is a dream...realize it. Life is a sacrifice...offer it. Life is love...enjoy it.”
---Sai Baba

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Lead with love

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:22:38 GMT

Published July 5, 2021

Love. What is it really? Why would it be the most powerful source in the universe?

I guess when we think of love, we think of romantic love. The love that two people share for one another. But is that it, is that all there is to it?

Not at all. There are many types of love. There is of course, love between partners; the love a parent has for a child; the love we have for our pets, our family members, our friends. It’s all real. It’s all different. It’s all powerful.

There are a lot of people in my life that I love. Many people . Each of those people has brought something amazing to my life. There have been times that I’ve loved someone instantly. I was recently talking with a friend about the first time we'd met. I just loved her instantly . I wanted to be her friend, to get to know her. It felt like we’d known each other forever. Instant click. Now that she is one of my closest friends and I know that she will be there throughout my life.

That doesn’t always happen and actually it’s rare . Normally love is something that grows with time.

BUT, here’s the part that really matters --- it shouldn't need to grow with time!

Read that again and again until it sinks in.

Don't run away at the thought of what I'm about to say, just ponder it a bit. I’ve been reading a book lately that is suggesting that we are all sparks of God. We’ve all heard God is love. For those of us that choose to believe in a higher power, we believe God is love . SO --- if God (or your higher power) didn't need a moment to grow some love for you --- why do you need time to choose love for another person --- any other person????

Why are we choosing hate, anger, nastiness or any negative emotion for that matter? Are those choices what God would want us to do with the gift of life he's given us?

Sit with that a minute.

Are you living a life like a spark of God would? Are you honoring others and their choices and loving them regardless? Are you loving? Non judgmental? Non hateful? Non angry? Non vengeful? I’m pretty sure I had a day or two this week where I was not wearing that spark very well. I can do better.

How about you? Are you making God proud? What can you do better?

Can you love more?
Can you forgive more?
Can you stop judging?

Personally, I feel that love in all its forms is necessary for our survival. In what parts of your life have you found love? Where could more exist? Is there room for more? Love is not a finite resource. We can always give more --- and always receive more. The more we give --- the more we have to give.

Love is the most powerful weapon we have against what is going on in our world. We cannot fight hate with hate --- it will breed more of it. Let’s stop the hate today --- fight with love! Love everyone, every moment, everything!

Are you awake????? Are you living your life like a spark of God’s love? If not --- why not? Can you do better?

“At the hour of death when we come face-to-face with God we are going to be judged on love; not how much we have done, but how much love we put into the doing.”
--Mother Teresa

Sincerely,
Fat kin Natural Healing

Work on yourself

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 18:00:49 GMT

Published June 28, 2021

I've always known that you can tell a lot about a person and who they are by how they view life. Think about it for a moment. The happy person views life as joyful and happy. The negative person will see all things in a negative way. The judgemental person judges everyone. The loving person loves everyone.

Isn't that who they are?

Self Reflection. It's the ability to look at yourself, clearly see your flaws or shortcomings, and work at acknowledging and growing from them.

We all have flaws. We all have shortcomings. We all have STUFF ! Recently something happened that triggered a response in me that I completely do not understand. When this happens I know it's imperative that I go inward and find the cause of the problem. Essentially, I believe it's God's, the universe ( whatever your belief system is ) way of allowing me to heal something that happened long ago, but still has the ability to trigger me.

How do we self-reflect? Sometimes we do it in real-time. An event occurs --- we react --- we acknowledge --- we choose to respond differently , or take a different course of action to avoid another occurrence. Simple .

Other times, we react --- without really understanding or seeing a clear reason why that event triggered that response. Maybe we even overreact?

What then? I think there are many tools we can use when this happens, my personal favorite is the " journal "!

When you begin journaling, you cultivate openness . You are being honest with yourself. You begin by writing down what comes up --- even if it doesn't seem to make sense . Write down EVERYTHING . Keep writing until your mind is clear of thoughts. (It actually does happen --- honestly...LOL) The suggestion is to do this first thing in the morning, however, for me, evening works best. Find a time and stick with it. Do your writing --- set the book aside and read what you wrote at a later time.

Be observant. Pay attention to the words and phrases that you are writing along with specific things happening in your life. Referring back to my self-reflection. While journaling I was reminded of events that occurred over 20 years ago and my reaction to them. Literally, today while discussing this topic with my girlfriend ( who knows nothing about my journaling ) --- she said to me verbatim " how would you have reacted 20 years ago ?" --- My answer got me a " that's my girl " response. She, clearly, does not agree with my current course of action! ��

The final step is to be objective . As you are reading what you've written, be objective. Try to distance yourself from the current situation and see it as a third person. Decisions, even those that seem insignificant have the potential to affect many people. Make sure your mindset is clear before leaping.

A journal is a simple technique for slowing yourself down in emotionally intense situations and identifying the relationship between your thoughts, actions, and emotions. When you break old habits and patterns you create a better life for yourself. Our thoughts are beliefs we've accumulated over time and our actions are a result of those thoughts and beliefs . Are those thoughts, beliefs and actions creating the life you want for yourself? This practice will help you reinforce that you are in complete control of your own destiny! Where do you want to see yourself go????

Self-Reflection is a wonderful tool. If only you use it!

“ Self-Reflection… Looking back so the view looking forward is clearer.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Stop that talk.

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 18:00:46 GMT

Published June 21, 2021

AND . ..exactly how many times did I have this conversation with someone this week???? Truly --- way too many times as far as I'm concerned.

Every day I talk to at least one person, if not more than that, who is unhappy with themselves. Either it's their physical body or something that is occurring in their outside world, be it a job or a relationship. I find it very sad that there are so many people dissatisfied with " life " in general.

Why are we like this? Why are we not happy with what was given us? So, disclaimer here , as I continue to write this --- yeah...I do it too! It happens! There are mornings when " yikes " is the first word out of my mouth! �� BUT...then I move on!

I think the first step in learning how to move past this is to see it for what it really is. We talked a week or so ago about intuition and ego. They are polar opposites of each other --- and ego is not the voice we want to be tuned in to. The thing about ego is, it's the voice we hear --- very clearly --- each moment of every single day . Intuition, however, is the voice we can not hear. It's the feeling, the knowing --- the gut!

Ego tells us we're not good enough.
Ego tells us we're overweight.
Ego tell us we can't do ( insert your whatever here ).
Ego tells us we can't change.

EGO DOESN'T WANT US TO CHANGE!

Why? Because status quo is comfortable. Beating ourselves up because we're overweight is easier than taking the steps to change it . OR --- to face the possibility that we won't change it and we will fail. Ego tells us we're not good enough --- because that keeps us from trying to be better. Ego prevents us from loving fully --- so that we don't get hurt. Ego is designed to keep us from failing --- but it essentially keeps us from living fully.

So when you're looking in the mirror, picking out your imperfections, and beating yourself up because of it --- that's your ego talking! Because guess what --- you are beautiful, amazing, loving, capable, qualified and totally rocking this life experience just as you are!

AND...if anyone tells you differently --- move on!

Love yourself. Feed yourself the beautiful words that will enhance your life and the life of everyone around you!

I'm sharing this video simply because I think it's amazing and encompasses the power of words in a beautiful way. Take a moment --- watch it, remember it, and put it into action in your life --- TODAY!

This week use powerful, uplifting and loving words in your life. Speak them to yourself and to others. Watch things change!

“Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Chose yours well.”
--Robin Sharma

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Life is a miracle...

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:18:14 GMT

Published June 14, 2021

Miracle: a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.
Ref: Dictionary.com

The greatest miracle in my life would clearly be the day they laid my newborn baby daughter in my arms. I'm pretty sure that every parent would concur that that is a life-altering moment for them. I remember it as if it happened yesterday and from that moment on nothing was ever the same.

There are other moments that I would say were definitely "miracle" moments. In the rain one day, on a road I've driven a thousand times, in the middle of the day with nothing out of the ordinary, I lost control of the car and it hit a curb in the exact right way to flip the car over. There was a telephone pole and a creek right there. I hit neither. I crawled out of the car, broken glass everywhere, and didn't have scratch on me. I came across photos of the wrecked car the other day and was astonished at the absolute miracle of that day.

I could list countless other times in my life when something happened --- that shouldn't have happened --- yet when I look back on it I can see that it was absolutely in my best interest that it happened the way it did. For all intents and purposes --- it was a miracle!

The little things, though, are rarely considered miracles , whereas the birth of a child, or the walking away from a major accident, unharmed , would be.

What about everyday things? What about the fact that you woke up this morning? That you got the chance to go to work and make a difference? What about your child giving you a hug this morning? What about the words "I love you"? What about the wag of your dogs tail when you walk in the door at night? What about it ALL --- everything, every single seemingly insignificant moment. Every darned one of them!

The real truth is every single thing IS a miracle. If only you chose to see it that way!

Our days at the office are filled with miracles. We see people heal, both physically and emotionally. We get the great privilege of guiding them on their journey and to their path of wellness. We've met wonderful people --- we've watched miracles happen! Oh, then there are the hugs --- they are the best --- especially when they come out of the blue from a child.

What if you were to spend this week looking at everything as a miracle? The sunrise is a miracle. Your spouse is a miracle. Your children are miracles. Everything!!!! Even when you lose your keys and are late for work. Even when supper burns in the oven. Even when your spouse or children are irritating you. Even when that unexpected bill comes in.

What if it was all for your greater good --- what if it was truly a miracle --- just one that you couldn't see in the moment. What if it was God's hand weaving magic in your life? Are you ready to accept and be grateful for that magic?

This week it's all for your greater good. It's all a miracle! Shift your perception and view your life not as though it's happening "TO" you, but rather as if it is happening "FOR" you --- and watch how everything changes!

Enjoy a miraculous week --- and make sure to tell me all about it when you're in the office!!!!

“A miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love.”
--Marianne Williamson

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Ego vs Intuition...

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:18:12 GMT

Published Monday June 7, 2021

I've always been one of those people who uses my intuition to guide my life. I pay attention to those "gut" feelings and I listen to them. They are usually spot on. Actually, if the truth be told, they're probably always spot on --- except --- when I'm not listening ! Why wouldn't I listen to those feelings when I know that they tend to be correct? Hmmm...let's see, maybe I don't like what it's telling me --- or maybe my ego is getting in the way of me seeing the full picture.

You see, for each and every one of us, the ego and the intuition are constantly battling each other. The ego represents our conscious mind and it likes structure and patterns. The ego is what we tell ourselves without question. Ego comes after the "I am" . "I am smart." "I am talented." "I am fat." These may have been things that were programmed into you as a child, or they may be things that you've picked up along the way. Regardless, they are your "identity". What you have told yourself that you are, and more importantly what you " believe " you are.

Intuition on the other hand is what we just "know" . Something we feel, something that guides us to look beyond ourselves. If we listen to it, it will never lead us astray. It always, always has the answer.

SO --- what happens when the two become muddled? What happens when you can't tell what is intuition and what is ego?

It's a seemingly simple answer (although I'm going to admit here it's not quite this easy to apply in real life.)

Think of it as a "loop" and a "spiral".

A loop is just what it implies --- a loop. You constantly tell yourself something. What is your "I am"? This is your ego. Plain and simple. You are repeating the same cycle over and over again. It feels comfortable --- it feels "safe"! It's a loop, you run over and over again in your mind. I am not good enough. I am not worthy. I am ( you insert your words here ). That's your ego talking. It's keeping you safe, not allowing you to take a risk, trying to prevent you from being hurt. It keeps you living in fear.

A spiral on the other hand, starts at one place and gradually grows larger as it moves past its center point. This is your intuition. It's calling you to make gradual changes to your life, to your situation, to yourself. Gradual. Nothing radical. Just make yourself a bit uncomfortable. Give yourself time to adjust to that, and then push it a little further. These changes lead you to evolve and grow into a more spiritual being. Consciousness, pure consciousness is able to see beyond repeating cycles and urges you to move forward. It takes you out of the loop --- and it takes you away from the fear. It allows you to live, to truly embrace life and all it has to offer.

Intuition will lead you away from fear. Ego will keep you trapped in fear. When we chose to live without fear, and in the moment, we will truly be embracing all the gifts that are right there in front of us.

Don't stay stuck in your loop because your ego won't allow you to see past it. Recognize what you are doing. Make a change. One little change. Take one step, allow yourself to be uncomfortable with that step, and then embrace it, and take another step. Before long, your entire world will look different than it does now --- in the most positive of ways . Our intuition will never steer us wrong --- if only we'd learn to listen to it! Our best life might be just one step past our comfort zone. Life is short --- go for it!

This week embrace your inner knowing and take one step towards a brighter future!

“It's never too late to be who you might have been.”
--George Elliot

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

We owe you...

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 13:52:34 GMT

Published May 31, 2021

Imagine for a moment: It's November 14, 1965. You are 19 years old.

You lie critically wounded in the jungles of Vietnam. Your family is 12,000 miles away, and you know, in this moment, that you are never going to see them again. You will never tell your mother you love her again. You will never raise a family. You know: this is your day to go home.

Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense that your commanding officer has ordered the MedEvac helicopters to stop coming in.

There you lie critically wounded with no help on the way.

Suddenly , over the machine gunfire, you hear the faint sound of a helicopter. How could that be? There are no MedEvac markings on the chopper, b u t it is very real!

Remarkably, Captain Ed Freeman and his commander, Major Bruce Crandall, volunteered to fly their unarmored helicopter in to the warzone to support the endangered troops. In total they made 14 trips to the battlefield, bringing in water and ammunition along with rescuing wounded soldiers. They are credited with saving 30 lives. Had these brave men not risked themselves, 30 more lives likely would have been lost. This was not their job . They did it anyway . Moreover, they kept going back until all the wounded were out. Only after all the wounded were rescued did anyone realize that Captain Ed Freeman had been hit by gunfire 4 times.

I bet you never heard about this man --- or of his passing on August 20, 2008.

Whether you agree with a war, or you disagree, does not change the fact that these men and women are heros. They are TRUE heros. They risk their lives for other human beings. They've seen situations and dangers that most of us will never even begin to imagine. When duty calls them, they rise to the occasion and put others before themselves.

They are the true heros! Unlike the people we put on pedestals in our culture.

So as this Memorial Day rolls around and you're out there grilling your hot dogs and burgers, take a moment to think about the men and women that risk their lives everyday to protect us. Because once again --- regardless of your opinion on the state of our world right now --- let's be grateful for those front line workers that risk their lives to protect us.

To our military, our veterans, our police officers, our emergency workers, and their families - -- we offer you our sincerest thanks for your service and your sacrifice!

May God bless you and your families!

"This will remain the land of the free so long as it is the home of the brave."
-- Elmer Davis

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday - Stop the Hate

Mon, 24 May 2021 14:32:14 GMT

Published May 24, 2021

Daryl Davis. Do you know who he is? Up until this past week I had no idea. He'd never been featured anywhere, I'd never seen his name on the news. Frankly --- I didn't know he existed.

I should have known. He should be all over the news. We should ALL know his name. WHY --- because this guy -- he's is a game changer.

Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father was an officer in the State Department so most of his early childhood was spent moving from town to town, country to country. When he was 10 years old his family moved to Belmont, Massachusetts where he joined a Cub Scout Pack. There was an incident where Daryl was carrying the flag and marching with his troop in a local parade when people began throwing rocks and bottles at him. You see Daryl was a "black" child in an all "white" troop. The kids in the troop formed a protective ring around Daryl to protect him from harm. Children don't see differences. Davis never understood the event or what was happening. This event would have occurred sometime around 1968 when racial prejudices in our country where very high.

The event sparked a desire in Daryl to understand " why the hate ". Davis actually befriended a man named Roger Kelly, who was the leader of the KKK in Maryland. Against the odds, the two became friends. Davis eventually went on to befriend over 20 members of the KKK, and is directly responsible for between 40 to 60, and indirectly over 200 people leaving the Klan.

How did he do this? He learned most prejudices come from misconceptions and from believing things we've been taught. It's not having "full facts" but having partial truths and making judgements based on that.

This all goes back to us believing everything we see and read. How do we know there is truth in any of it? At what point do we realize that we are being played? At what point are we going to see that it doesn't matter if we're short or tall; white or black; fat or thin; left-handed or right-handed --- we're all souls here on this earth in a physical body trying to have the best experience possible. We all feel, we all bleed, we all love. We all are doing our best to make the best of a tough world.

When will we stop the hate? Take a moment to watch this video of Daryl Davis talking.

Hate breeds hate. Fear breeds fear. Anger breeds anger. What's more powerful than all of this? Only one thing. LOVE! We have it in our power to stop all this right now. It all starts with us. Change yourself, your views, your fears --- and everything else will fall into place!

This week, let's respect everyone and recognize that each and everyone of us is here on a journey and we're doing the best we can. Don't allow fear, or hate, or anger into your corner of the world. It all starts with YOU!

What's the one thing that can light up a dark room? ONE --- ONLY ONE light needs to shine and the darkness is gone. BE THAT LIGHT!

Let's change the paradigm and stop allowing evil forces to control how we think and feel!

“Let your light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark.”
--Katrina Mayer

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Love unconditionally

Wed, 19 May 2021 20:44:06 GMT

Posted May 16, 2021

Who in my world loves me unconditionally????? Hmmm...let's think...ah...oh yeah I know --- my dog!!!!!! ��

Wow, that was a tough question. Did you stop and think about that for a moment? Was coming up with an answer that difficult for you?

Unconditional love. That means, love with NO boundaries. It means loving someone who makes choices you don't approve of. It also means loving someone when you're angry, disappointed, or they have caused you deep hurt.

So I think most of us will agree that just because someone is late for dinner and we're "angry" -- we still love them. We don't stop loving people just because they disappoint us, or we don't get our way about something. Love is bigger than that. But what about when we are deeply hurt by what someone says or does? Do we have the courage to continue to love them right where they are at this moment in time?

Sometimes the power of unconditional love means that we have to accept people and situations exactly like they are without attempting to change them. Even when we know someone is on the wrong path --- or what they are doing is not something that is within our understanding, or rather our tolerances. Often times the truest testament of love is to let someone walk their path without interfering. Just be there, don't judge, and don't try to fix anything.

When we make a choice to truly love someone unconditionally --- it's everything. Every moment, every day, every event --- everything! And you know what --- it takes great courage! It takes the ability to step away from yourself and honor someone exactly as they are, no adjustments necessary. In some cases it might mean loving someone enough to realize that at this moment in time they don't have the capacity to love themselves enough .

I heard someone recently say that relationships of all types are about compromise. Personally, that sounds as if we're compromising ourselves to be part of something. Why? Why do we need to compromise, why can't we just accept. You are who you are and I love that --- every single piece of that.

Guess what --- I got out of bed Saturday morning feeling like crap ( and looking it too I'm sure). MY DOG -- she sat on my lap . She loved me even though I didn't take her for an immediate walk. She loved me even though my hair was a mess and I hadn't brushed my teeth yet! She loved ME! Regardless of anything else. Later in the afternoon when I was feeling up to it, we went for that walk. She loved me then too. That's unconditional love.

Are you practicing unconditional love in your life? Are you accepting people where they are and for who they are -- no changes necessary? It takes courage to love someone right where they are. This week practice that --- and remember you are absolutely amazing ' right where you are at'!

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”
--M.K. Clinton

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Accept this moment.

Wed, 19 May 2021 20:44:04 GMT

Posted May 10, 2021

Acceptance!

There are times in life, many of them , where acceptance is just so difficult. How do we ever accept the diagnosis of an illness that is going to radically change our lives or the life of someone we love? How do we accept the sudden death of someone near and dear to us? How do we even accept the loss of a job, or the loss of our financial security? How many times have you heard "you have to just accept it"?

Well of course we need to get to that place of acceptance when something radical changes our reality. There is no other choice . Sometimes, though, you need to allow yourself a bit of grace, sit with your challenge for as long as necessary, and then accept it and proceed forward.

BUT , what about when you're faced with something that you just cannot accept? What if your belief system is radically different than your spouses, or your parents, or your children? What if that other person is so firm in their belief that they begin pressuring you to change how you feel? What then? What do you do? How do you accept something that you just cannot accept?

This is a problem right now in our society. It's a very difficult situation that is going to have long-term implications regardless of what your belief system is. Families are being torn apart . Friendships are ending. Strangers are accosting other strangers and inflicting their opinions on them. No one is allowed freedom of thought, freedom of choice. The world is full of anger and self-righteousness because everyone believes they are right.

For one moment, regardless of what your belief system is --- ask yourself who benefits from all this anger present in the world? Is it us? Is it our families? Is it our world? If not us, then who?

Why are we feeding into this? Why are we suddenly unable to "accept" another person's truth as their truth. Not our truth --- their truth.

How about we accept this one simple truth? If we believe in "God" or a "Higher Power", then everything is going to be as it should be. No arguing necessary. If it's your day to pass --- you will pass. If it's your day to live --- you will live. Let's get back to the acceptance. All that really matters on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis is the love you create in this world. Stop feeding into the anger and the hatred and feed into the love! Changing this current paradigm can only happen if we agree to disagree and do so in a state of acceptance.

Only when we begin to live in the acceptance that others have the right to choose their own path, are we really living in a state of love.

This week --- sprinkle love everywhere and on everyone! There can never be enough!!!!!

“Radical acceptance is the willingness to experience ourselves and our life as it is. A moment of radical acceptance is a moment of genuine freedom.”
--Tara Brach

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

What would you say?

Wed, 19 May 2021 19:15:47 GMT

Posted May 3, 2021

If you were given an opportunity to go back and give yourself some advice, what would that advice be?

I have been thinking a lot about the " what if " I knew then what I know now? Would that knowledge have changed things --- even more important, how would that knowledge have changed the me I am today?

So I began thinking about specific times. There was a pair of " bell-bottom " pants that I just loved. I guess my grandmother was not happy that I always wanted to wear them, so she hid them from me. I admit --- I'd be sure my younger self knew where they were so I could go retrieve them --- before I outgrew them! ��

Then there's the time I was leaving the house, I knew deep down inside that when I returned the dog would no longer be there. He was old --- and I knew the expression on his face. I brushed it off --- left --- and never went back to say one extra goodbye . That one I would surely change!

What other things would I want my younger self to know? How about stop trying to be an adult so fast --- it's not all that much fun! �� Hug your grandmother more --- she won't be here forever. Tell everyone you love that you love them. Arguing and being angry never solves anything. Stop worrying so much --- it'll all work out exactly as it should. Stop caring what others think of you --- it really is more a reflection of them, than of you. (Grandma was right.) Be grateful for absolutely everything. Even the difficult times are shaping you into the person you will become. Embrace them. Don't let fear hold you back, or pain to harden your heart. Do all things with love. It's the greatest tool we have to make the world a better place. You got this --- you have every tool you need to live a happy, fulfilled life, keep your eye on what's important.

What is truly important to you? For me, it's definitely not anything I've collected in life, that's just stuff. For me, it's the relationships I've created and the love I've enjoyed. What is it for you?

Think about all the things you wish your younger self could know. Maybe there are moments ( like the bell-bottoms or the dog) that you wish you could go back and do-over. But we can't --- so rather, what did you learn from that? Well I learned that...I'll do the hiding on my bell-bottomed pants ��. AND, the important one is that when I love someone, they will know it, EVERY TIME I leave the house. I will NEVER brush off a moment of "knowing" again. You see, it's not something that can ever be changed.

Take the lessons from the things you wish to tell your younger self and be proud of how far you have come. The person you are right this moment is a reflection of all these moments that you wish you can change .

Love who you are --- you are totally enough!

“A message from your future self: Pssst...It will all be ok. Breathe. Enjoy this quirky journey of a life you are on.”
--Karen Salmansohn

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Where are your Butterflies?

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 12:52:35 GMT

(Posted on April 26, 2021)

What are you excited about?
When is the last time you felt butterflies in your stomach?

Do you remember being a kid and you couldn't wait for something to happen. Maybe it was a holiday, a birthday, or a vacation. It was so exciting that you felt those butterflies floating around your stomach. Wasn't that an amazing feeling?

I remember back a few years ago, Zach's daughter Ella was small. She asked if she could go home and have lunch with me and Zach said it was ok. The entire way home she kept asking me when we'd be there. I'd say in a few minutes. Under her breath I'd hear her excitedly say "I can't wait"! She was so enthused about something that had seemed totally mundane to me. But her excitement brought a huge smile to my face, which I still have whenever I recall the memory. What a gift.

I don't know about you all, but it's been a long time since I felt that kind of excitement about anything. Days have become mundane and routine. I do this on Monday, this on Tuesday, etc., etc., --- and then it's finally the weekend. That zips around so fast I hardly know what hit me.
Then back to the mundane.

Do you realize we're wishing our lives away? How sad is that? What if we could regain some of that childhood enthusiasm and begin to look forward to life again.

The truly sad part about all of this is that world events have led us to be so routine about our lives that we're no longer interested in living them. We're " doing " them...but we're not "l ivin g " them. Y ou see, living requires us to be engaged, enthusiastic and in the moment. Where did that go?

I've realized lately that I haven't been enjoying life. There is no joy. So, I have very consciously been trying to reconnect myself with the things in life that bring me joy. It's made a huge difference in the moments of everyday.

How can you do this for yourself? Easy, simple things. When is the last time you and your spouse went on a walk and held hands? What about sitting and coloring with your child? Let them talk --- soak up their enthusiasm for life. They might just leave you with a memory, like the one I have with Ella that makes me smile years later. Go visit an elderly neighbor, take them a treat you made. ( Look at our recipes on line and keep it on the healthier side --- yeah I did have to say that .) Listen to their joy at your arrival. Do something different, outside of your usual routine and watch how it perks up your day --- and just possibly puts some butterflies back in your stomach!

Get excited ! Do some good! It's time we stop reacting to fear and stress and start living like all that matters is those butterflies in our stomach!

Make this week exciting!!!!!!

“Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing.”
--Hunter S. Thompson

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Laugh a Little

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 12:49:42 GMT

(Posted on April 19, 2021)

T he world is a somber place these days . Anger is everywhere. Everyone is afraid to live their life; whether you are fearful of getting ill, or fearful of someone's response if you don't agree about something. It's downright miserable in certain areas. You could cut the negative energy with a knife.

How do we combat this? Well good luck with that, right? Anger is being promoted and fear is the tool that's doing it. What can one individual do?

Honestly --- ALOT!

I try to start every morning off by laughing. Sometimes I scroll thru my Facebook feed and something will pop up that is just funny. Other times the goofy dog will make me laugh. Sometimes I just need to find something to laugh about. It sets the entire day off on the right track.

Did you know that laughter really is the best medicine?

Laughter relaxes the entire body. Laughing relieves physical tension and stress, relaxing your muscles for about 45 minutes.
Laughter boosts your immune system. Laughter increases your immune cells and helps you fight illness.
Laughter releases endorphins. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
Laughter protects your heart and can help protect against a heart attack.
Laughter burns calories --- you will still need to go to the gym though...sorry! ��
Laughter lightens anger’s heavy load. Nothing defuses anger better than laughter. Stop and look at the lighter side, it will help you gain perspective.

Watch this clip and start your week off with a good hearty laugh!

This dog just made me giggle. My entire mood shifted after that. Can you imagine if you were watching this clip on a crowded bus? If you started giggling, I'd bet everyone else would too. Give it a try --- let's spread the laughter.

Why are we not laughing more, and sharing that joy?????

This week let's harness the power of laughter and use it to change the course of what's going on in the world. We're letting fear and anger control us. Let's combat it with the most powerful tool on the planet --- laughter!

“Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.”
--Erma Bombeck

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Never Say Never

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 21:58:53 GMT

(Posted on April 12, 2021)

NEVER ...how many times in life have I used that word???

I remember growing up my grandmother told me she was writing down everything I ever said " never " to. She had enough for a book...I mean, after all, I was a teenager and I knew everything! ��‍♀️ Funny how life had a way of humbling me!

Throughout the course of my life, I've said "never" to so many things I can't even count them. What I did not realize in my staunch refusal that " something would never happen in my world ", was that I was severely limiting what " could " happen.

I'll use a simple example. You've all seen photos of "Karla" that we post usually on a Wednesday. Some of you may have even met her. She's super sweet, truly a very good dog. I am blessed to have her in my world. HOWEVER...she almost didn't come to be in my world. Why? Because I had a staunch, firmly held belief that the only type of dog for me was a golden retriever. You see that's what we always had. That's what I knew. That's what I identified with. That was my reality. A set of circumstances led Karla to my door. Honestly, I was resistant to it --- she was so different than what I knew, what I identified with . Fortunately for me, and for those that know her, I found my way past that and adopted her. She's been the biggest blessing, and she has taught me unequivocally that "perfect is not always in the package that I think it should be in" .

Here's one time where I've been humbled by the word "never".

According to dictionary.com " never say never " is an idiom to say anything can happen and nothing is impossible. By using the phrase, you are telling someone not to make such a bold statement about a future they can't predict. It's been shown that over 50% of the "nevers" in our life come from a place of insecurity---and insecurities are not facts. Who, other than myself, is telling me that I can "never" be attached to a dog unless it's a golden retriever. Boy have I limited myself by doing just that.

Whether we are realizing it or not, we are limiting ourselves and our lives by using the word "never". Wouldn't it be better to change the narrative to " not at this time "? That would allow us to be open to the possibilities of what life has to offer, and to our own power within those possibilities.

This week pay attention to your narrative. Stop yourself when you say never , and instead say not at this time ! Embrace life! Embrace what it gives you --- and be grateful for it all!

Have a week full of possibilities!

“It always seems impossible until it's done.”
--Nelson Mandela

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Would You Go Back?

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 14:07:46 GMT

(Posted on April 5th, 2021)

Time Travel!!!! Isn't that the most intriguing of possibilities? If we were able to travel back to the past and change events, change outcomes , wouldn't that be amazing? We could right wrongs, change the course of history --- even change those outrageous hair styles we had in our yearly school pictures! Wow --- now that would be amazing. ��

Or would it?

There is a television series called 11.22.63. It's about a man who discovers a wormhole and travels back in time two years prior to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He goes back in time to stop that event from happening . In this show he's able to see the result of making that change, and what it did for society as a whole. I'll let you watch it and find out for yourself.

Have you ever considered the possibility in your own life? I'm pretty sure that there is absolutely no one on the planet that doesn't have one event in their life that they would like to change. I am also quite sure that everyone believes by making that " one simple change " their world would be different --- undoubtedly --- better.

But let's really think about that. What could the implications of this sort of technology be? This thought came to me because of some training I've been doing. Would changing the past alter the future in a positive way? Most likely, in certain ways it would improve things. Hindsight, after all, is always the clearest vision . But with every positive change we make, it is also likely, even probable , that there would be some fallout, or some changes we really do not like. What if it weren't the "event itself" that was holding us back, but our perception surrounding the event ? What if there was a way to access that event, change our perception about it , and ultimately change the way we view the outcome.

There is! It is the power of our mind. In many instances, we have connected the dots in our mind to one particular event being the " problem " in our life. Do you have a moment that sticks out in your mind as if it happened yesterday? Sit with that moment and really analyze it. What would you do differently? What would the outcome be if you had done it differently? Feel the emotions you feel about that event and where in your body you feel it. You will likely be surprised at the way you feel if you really sit and concentrate. Make a list of every good thing that came out of this event. Trust me --- something good always does, even in the worst of situations. When you can begin to shift your mind away from seeing an event as awful, painful, hurtful ( whatever it is for you ), you can also begin to release your attachment to that moment and how it is affecting your current place in life.

We're here to learn, to grow, to experience! It's all good --- every unbelievable, beautiful, crazy, happy or sad moment! It is all good --- all beneficial --- and all in perfect order!!!!

Don't dwell in the past --- live in the now!

“You don't need a time machine to change your past. You just need to change the direction it is sending you.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Navigating Emotions

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 13:42:23 GMT

(Posted on March 29, 2021)

This week marked the fifth anniversary of the passing of my closest friend. Five years have gone by. Much has changed. Her remaining family are some of the closest people in my circle. I am so beyond grateful for them .

It's been five years...and this one kicked me in the gut!

Five years . How is it possible that grief could return with such a vengeance? How is it possible that for nearly 8 weeks now I've been reliving our last time together? How is it possible that I still remember our last conversation? How is it I can still cry like it happened yesterday? I reached out to her daughter the day before --- a nd you know what , it was the same for her . How? Why? When will it ever let up?

Why would I bring this up? These past few weeks I've met many of you that are dealing with great loss. I know that many of you are receiving well meaning advice from others. I know that grief is universal; each and every one of us can understand it on some level. The difference is the level at which you understand it. Each person will individually travel the road of grief at their own pace and in their own way. If I were to relay this story to certain people, they might look at me like I'm crazy. Like really, it's been five years, get on with it . Here's the thing ---- I have gotten on with it and so has her daughter. We have moved past that day. We have done what we should be doing. We have taken steps to heal. BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES.. . TIMES THAT JUST KICK YOU IN THE GUT!

What about you? Have you lost someone, maybe a parent, a child or a spouse? Are you having moments where it's difficult to process your emotions? Are you having difficulty understanding how someone else is processing their grief?

Remember that the loss of a parent is different than the loss of a spouse. The loss of a spouse is different than the loss of a child. And, the loss of our pets, well I won't even go there . There is no universal healing plan. You--do--you!

Allow yourself to feel your emotions. Don't try to hide them or ignore that they exist. I chose this day to do something positive in the name of my dear friend. I sat with myself and remembered our last conversation. I read through some of the cards she'd given me over the years. I lit a candle in her honor. Does it take away the pain . No--it does not. But here's the thing, I don't really want it to go away. If the pain goes totally away, I might forget this day. I might forget my friend. I might forget the truly unique friendship we had. I might forget the beautiful person she was and the impact she had on me and on the world. I don't want to lose that . It's worth the pain. I want to use those gut-wrenching moments to feel her impact, to feel how she transformed the world in her way.

When you feel an emotion, any emotion, transform that energy into something that will shine a light into the world. If you need to sit with it for a bit before doing that, that's ok. Give yourself some grace --- and then impact the world!

“Sometimes the joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
--Thich Nhat Hanh

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Are YOU Listening?

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:28 GMT

(Posted on March 22, 2021)

One very difficult lesson that most of us need to learn in life is to say what we mean. Most often, usually because we're trying to spare someone's feelings, we'll skirt around the issue.

One time when I was young, we went to my grandparents on a Saturday evening. They were cooking " steak " and asked us if we wanted some. Of course we did . They told us that if for any reason we didn't like it, we should just tell them and they'd make us a hamburger. Well my sisters each took a bite and preceded to exclaim that "it was yucky". They got hamburgers. I, on the other hand, felt bad and didn't want to hurt my grandparent's feelings, so I ate the whole thing. (FYI...it was the worst thing I'd ever tasted.) When I finished my plate they told me that I had eaten liver. Ok, so I gagged down a meal, no big deal, and I spared their feelings in the process. That's good --- right? EXCEPT ... guess what they made me every time I went over there after?????? Oh yeah...my sisters definitely had the right idea! ��

I've learned since then that speaking the truth is very important. If you don't, you might end up with something you truly do not want.

However, there are instances in life where all of us do not speak our truth. Actually --- we do --- it's just coded and unless someone is really listening, really hearing, they won't get it.

Case in point. I have a friend who is struggling with an illness. I offered to check him, and I offered to do it on the weekend because he is some distance away. I referred him to our website and suggested he check it out. I called Friday evening to see what had come of it. The response I received was "I didn't have time to look into it, but I'll come down if you want me too."

Fortunately I've been practicing truly " hearing " what someone is saying. What he actually said there was " I don't want to be checked ". Maybe he doesn't believe. Maybe it's not his truth. But he'd do it for me, because it's what I wanted. If I hadn't truly been listening, I would have said to come on down and let's get you checked --- once you're on a program and you see you're feeling better, it'll all fall into place. However --- I did not do that. I care very deeply about this person and their illness. I want to help him. But, if I force my opinion on him, then I am NOT honoring or respecting him. I am NOT allowing that person to be who they are. I am NOT accepting another person as having their own rights and choices. I am forcing my will on them. Even if I am doing it out of love, or concern. Even if I KNOW I can help him. It is NOT my right to ignore what another person wants for themself . So I left it out there. If you decide at any time you'd like me to check you, the offer is always open.

But if I hadn't been truly listening I might not have heard!

Do you truly listen? Do you truly hear? This week, try really listening to what people are saying. Listen to the words. Watch their body as they are saying the words. Does what they are saying match what they are doing? " Listening and truly hearing " takes practice. But once you have mastered it, your relationship with yourself and with others will be exponentially improved!

THIS WEEK --- JUST LISTEN AND REALLY HEAR !

“The biggest communication problem is, we do not listen to understand, we listen to reply.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: How will YOUR life review look?

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:27 GMT

(Posted on March 15, 2021)

"As my body lay dead on that stretcher, I was reliving every moment of my life, including my emotions, attitude and motivations. The depth of emotion I experienced during this life review was astonishing. Not only could I feel the way both I and the other person had felt when an incident took place, I could also feel the feelings of the next person they reacted to. I was in a chain reaction of emotion, one that showed how deeply we affect one another."
--Dannion Brinkley

For those of you that have never heard of him, Dannion Brinkley was 25 years old in 1975 when he was struck by a bolt of lightening when on the phone with his friend. When 180,000 volts of electricity hits you, you die . Or not so, in his case. Actually, he did die, he was pronounced dead, and remained so for 28 minutes. During that time he was then able to tell an incredible experience he had " on the other side".

Now I realize that I might be touching on a subject here that will be a little sensitive to some. I encourage you to keep an open mind. I read a lot. I read everyday. I read Dannion Brinkely's book many years ago, and several times since. Out of any book I have ever read, this one affected me the most profoundly . Why? Because if what Mr. Brinkley was saying was true, than every single action of our lives is important. Every single action has a re-action. It made me consider what type of life review I wanted to have.

In short, I encourage you to read the book "Saved by the Light" or watch the movie of the same name. After Mr. Brinkley "died" he encountered a life review which in his words was a "chain reaction of emotion ". He wasn't a good guy. As a matter of fact, according to him he was a pretty hardcore, nasty person. When he encountered his life review, however, he was put in a situation where he was experiencing profound emotions from the other person's point of view; and then he experienced the ripple affect of what every person that had been affected by his act had felt. He described it as "hell". I believe it was. His decision when he returned was to live a life that he would love to feel all over again.

Would you love to feel the life you're living all over again, and from the point of view of the people you have interreacted with? Would your life review be heaven or hell? Mr. Brinkley decided his next review was going to be one of service and love! After reading his book, I know that I looked at every event in my life differently. " Do unto others as you would have done unto you." It's even more profound when you think of it this way.

What type of legacy are you creating for your life review? Are you living a life of integrity? Are you living a life of service? Are you living a life of love?

This week think about what type of life review you would have if you were to leave this life right now. We can't undo the past, however, from today forward, we can begin to create a life that we will be proud to call our own!

CREATE AN AMAZING WEEK!

“You are a great, mighty and powerful spiritual being with dignity, direction and purpose.”
--Dannion Brinkley

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: That could be me...

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:25 GMT

(Posted on March 8, 2021)

Before I had a child of my own --- boy were other people bad parents, and their kids were unruly and misbehaved.

I mean when I had a kid , they were never going to have a temper tantrum in a store. I wouldn't tolerate it . They were never going to talk back to me. Nope, not my child. Parents that allowed those tantrums to occur, well they just didn't know what they were doing.

Insert. a. very. loud. screech. here. --- along with the entrance of a child.

Things suddenly weren't going that smoothly . There were times when the dirty diaper wasn't changed the instant it got dirty. There was spit up all over my clothes. There were toys all over the floor. And, that baby . . . my baby . . . the one that was never going to have a temper tantrum in public ------ well . . . guess what! Holy cow did life hit me with a huge realization! This parenting thing wasn't that easy!

To all those parents I judged before becoming one myself --- I am truly sorry!

You see I was quick to judge. I was quick to assume that those parents were doing something wrong. I was quick to assume that it wasn't hard and if you just did a certain set of things this wouldn't happen.

And then --- I GOT IT!

We all judge to some degree or another. Sometimes it takes the wisdom that comes with age for us to see other sides of an issue. Sometimes it takes life to smack us upside the head for us to see that there is always more to the story . Here is a plain and simple fact; if we are judging others --- for anything --- we need to take a look inside of ourselves.

Let me set the record straight on judgments in our culture:
Most people are not overweight because they are lazy, eat too much or just don't care.
People do not have anxiety because they are weak or crazy.
People are not ill because they want to be.
People are not alcoholics because they are weak.
People are not withdrawn because they are hateful or angry.
(Just for the record, I didn't make these up. Over the past few weeks I've heard each and every one of these.)

We have absolutely no idea what is going on in the lives of others, yet we sit and judge. We put ourselves on the level of GOD --- yet we don't act like GOD would act. GOD would not judge --- GOD would have compassion. Where is ours?

Reality check: you don't understand being a parent --- until you do . You don't understand loss -- until you do. You don't understand pain --- until you do. You understand absolutely NOTHING --- UNTIL YOU DO!

What if it were you? Would you want the judging eyes?

A lot of people think compassion comes only towards people we know, or to people that have visibly suffered great misfortune. But the truth is, compassion should be everywhere. It should extend to everyone, in every moment.

Catch yourself this week when you are standing in judgment of someone --- and change the narrative! Find the compassion in your heart and remember "there but by the grace of God, go I."

“You know my name, not my story. You've heard what I've done, not what I've been through.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What's going on inside?

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:24 GMT

(Posted on March 1, 2021)

Are you stuck in the habitual?

What does that mean? Well, basically we are creatures of habit. We habitually do what we learned and what we know. We form habits. Obviously some habits are beneficial, while others can be detrimenta l. The majority of the time, we don't even realize we are acting out of habit.

Habits are formed. They can be taught, or they can be learned. Either way, they are set patterns that we believe, and ultimately create within our life.

Overall there are two types of people in the world. Those who are happy --- and those who are not!

There are people in the world who believe their problems extend from external sources . Something, or someone, other than themselves. There is always someone or something to blame for why their lives are where they are. They then find confirmation of this belief in their world. For example, they believe the world is volatile and turn on the TV to have that confirmed.

By the same token, there are others who see life differently. They take responsibility for their situations. They use the things that have happened to them to make themselves and others better. With adversity, they gain strength. That is then confirmed in their world.

Your external world, is a mirror or reflection, of what is going on inside of you!

If you spend time looking outside of yourself for solutions to your problems, you will never find a solution to them. Your life will mirror what you believe and what you think. You will struggle to find your way out of situations that you are not happy in. Nothing will change --- until you change .

Your thoughts, and your self talk is the key to this. You are constantly talking to yourself . Stop for a moment and listen. That loop never stops . Try and silence it. You might be able to for a minute or so, but it will begin again. Listen to the talk. Take notes. Is it positive talk, or is it negative talk? Write down what you're saying. Then look at your words --- what are you seeing in them? Most likely you are seeing in your world, exactly what you are thinking.

Try changing the talk! Think this is easy? Yeah --- it's not! It takes practice and patience. But most of all it takes an understanding of what you are actually doing. It takes understanding that the talk is creating the situations that you are now in.

Your external conditions are mirroring your internal conditions. Clean your room --- straighten up your space --- calm that internal disorder, and watch the external calm as well!

This week spend some time observing your internal chatter? Is what you are saying what you want in your life? Do you like the chatter? Does it feel good? What doesn't feel right? You have the power and the control to change anything that enters your internal world. USE IT --- and watch the external flow with it!

Align your thoughts with the magnificent --- and watch that appear!

“ Everyone and everything that shows up in our life is a reflection of something that is happening inside of us.”
— Alan Cohen

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: It is what it is.

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:23 GMT

(Posted on February 22, 2021)

Some things cannot be changed!

That's a hard pill to swallow. There are things in life that just need to be changed. Don't you agree? We talked last week about change and how it happens regardless of what we want or feel we need. But then there are other things, places in our lives, that we want to see change, and for reason unknown to us, they simply will not change.

There have been many times in my life where something needed changing. I will define a goal and work towards it, but nothing changes . Same story, different day.

Then I begin to wonder what am I doing wrong? I've asked myself that question many times. Can I go about this differently? Am I missing something?

I came across something this week that really resonated with me. Maybe it's not supposed to change ! Maybe there's something still unfinished! Maybe I need to shift my focus and my energy not into " changing " but rather into " accepting " that this is EXACTLY as it should be.

I think we all know the serenity prayer. (There are different versions, I chose this one)

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Is it possible that sometimes in life we focus so hard on getting "unstuck", "making a change", "correcting a problem", whatever it is for us, that we forget that somethings should not be changed. Maybe --- what we are lacking is the wisdom to know the difference.

How can we gain that wisdom? I don't know that there is one answer. What I've found that works for me is to define a goal for myself and work towards that goal. If it becomes too difficult and there are too many obstacles in my way, then I need to reassess my goal. Read my wording closely there. I am not saying to stop pursuing the goal if there is an obstacle, but if the obstacles become overwhelming , it is possible that you need to reassess the situation. That's where the wisdom comes in.

This week live one moment at a time. Set a goal for yourself and trust that you will be guided to what is best for you! Trust that you will have the wisdom to see the best path!

This week may you have wisdom --- and may you have the courage to follow it's guidance!

“We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.”
--Marcei Proust

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Let's Make a Change!

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:19 GMT

(Posted on February 15, 2021)

CHANGE...

Wow that word just makes us want to cringe ... most of the time anyway.

Change ...the word carries with it a little bit of fear. Why? Because usually change, even when it's a good change, requires effort and adjustment on our part. It will inevitably involve losing something in favor of something else. Status quo, for most of us --- works . We like routine, the usual, the similar --- and we don't enjoy losing any of those things . Whenever change occurs it takes us awhile to fit into that new routine or that new status quo.

Whenever change is presented to us, typically on some level we resist. Example in point. I love to move furniture around . Sometimes I'll decide on the spur of the moment and just start moving things. Usually though, it isn't on the spur of the moment. It's usually been festering in there for sometime and the moment the change occurs is when I've decided to go for it. It would make the people in my family a little crazy at times, but they would grow to like the new arrangement and it would begin to feel comfortable to them. Their new status quo. Until that is, I'd start all over again...

Why do I enjoy doing this ? It keeps everyone on their toes, that's for sure...lol...but that's not the reason for it. Have you heard of Feng Shui? It's an ancient Chinese practice designed to bring balance to a room, or a garden or anything really. It claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. Is there truth in this ? I don't know. All I know is that there are times when relocating the furniture in a room gives me a fresh new feeling about that room. It changes the way the room feels and the way I feel about the room.

Does change in our lives work the same way? Change happens and what do we do? We resist. We continue to resist until we finally give in to the new status quo. That becomes our normal. It becomes what we know.

Think back for a moment to a time in your life when there was a huge change. Choose a change that WAS NOT something you wanted to have happen to you. Think about it for a minute. Try to re-create your feeling around that time. Was it loss? Was it fear? Was it both? What did you do to get yourself through that time? What tools did you use? At what point did you shift into the change and embrace it? Or didn't you?

There is no one easy answer here. Change is difficult in many cases. The one thing about change that is always true --- is that when I reflect on that time I can always find something good that came out of it. Even the absolute worst situation. The trouble is that it often took me a long time to see the positive side. Our goal should be to bend with the change, and stop resisting it. Believe, know in our gut , that whatever is happening is happening for your greater good. Try and take the lesson earlier rather than later. There are not many constants in life --- but change is a constant! It will always be here --- always waiting around the corner and often coming when we least expect or want it. So let's learn to love the moment, as it is , and embrace the next one as it is !

And go have some fun and move some furniture...��

“Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won't have a title until much later.”
--Bob Goff

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Imagine Your Life...

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:17 GMT

(Posted on February 8, 2021)

What if your imagination was more powerful than you realized?

In 1946, at the age of 36, Joseph Wilson inherited the Haloid Corporation from his father. They made photographic paper. During the war years business was good. Three years after Joseph took over as president and CEO, the work that was being supplied to them by the government began to slow and eventually stopped completely. Looking for other avenues to remain in business, he took the suggestion of some friends and looked into an invention by Chester Carlson. His invention would allow the making of photocopies on plain paper. This “ invention ” had already been turned down by companies such as IBM and Kodak! How many times have we heard stories like this before?

Joseph Wilson however saw the potential and ran with it. In 1959 they launched the most successful single product of all time --- Xerox 914 . Need I say more!

Joseph Wilson had vision. He had the ability to envision something as done. At the beginning he could see the end. He saw it as working and as successful. What role did his imagination have in all this? How about absolutely everything! Of course, there was work involved. A lot of it. There was innovation involved. There was creativity involved. Yep – all true! But if he had not sat down and “ imagined” himself being able to make a duplicate of something on plain paper --- NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED!

Every great thing that we have now began in the imagination of some person ! I heard something very powerful this week – “Our founding fathers did not believe in the future, they believed it in .” This was written by Robert Frost for a LIFE magazine article a year before he passed away. He said "we are always imagining ahead of our evidence." Sit and ponder that a minute. It’s absolutely the truth . Imagine them sitting and thinking about the future of their children or their country. Imagine them planning what they wanted to see. It never started with them believing in it --- it began with them imagining it! Then --- believing in it!

Imagination. We stop using it as a child. We stop daydreaming. We stop dreaming ---period. We suck it up and live life. We do what we have to do. We do what is expected of us. We stop imagining those things that would light us up! Why? I'll save that rant for another day!!!!!

When you pick up the morning paper, or turn on the morning news, and begin to feast upon the negativity in the world, you are “ imagining ” that into the world. This week feast upon things that will nourish you, nourish your imagination and help create a world in which we can all be successful and happy!

Spend this week daydreaming about something you’d like to have happen in your life! See what happens! Take it a step further and day dream something wonderful for someone else! Spend the day dreaming that love is all around --- and FLY!!!!!

“The man who has no imagination has no wings."
--Muhammad Ali

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Let there be...fear?

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:16 GMT

(Posted on February 1, 2021)

I'm afraid of birds! Terribly, unbelievably, stupidly even --- terrified of birds!

They are super pretty in a book --- or thru the window! I even appreciate that robins are typically thought of as signs from heaven; bluebirds omens of good things to come; and hummingbirds symbols of love.

Wild Birds Unlimited --- I love that store! I love birdhouses of all types, and have several hanging around my yard. AS LONG AS THOSE PESKY THINGS DO NOT COME ANYWHERE NEAR ME ---- OR FLY INTO MY HOUSE --- we're cool! We can co-exist and I can even admire their presence in my world.

Why am I afraid? Honestly I have no idea, but if one of them gets too close to me I almost have a panic attack. It's crazy --- I'll admit it . Maybe I watched "The Birds" to many times --- who knows. ��‍♀️ Regardless, the fear is there . It is embedded and no matter how many birdhouses I put outside it's not going anywhere soon.

And you know what --- that's OK! Why ? Because truly this doesn't affect my life. I can enjoy the creatures ( yes I did say creatures ) from behind a window. The beauty is not lost on me.

But if I had an irrational fear over something that was affecting my daily life, or my ability to live a full and rewarding life, then that's something I would need to look at. Fear motivates! However, in most cases, it's not motivating in a productive way. Fear can immobilize us. It can prevent us from leaving our homes, or driving a vehicle or doing anything that might "risk" our life. For some, fear of being hurt, or feeling pain of any kind prevents them from giving their love to others.

Fear is an emotion that is very two sided. Fear, is something that can actually save us from harm (i n certain cases ), but then in other cases it can paralyze us so much so that we don't fully live life.

Fear is also a motivator! While I was growing up, fear was used as a punishment. "If you get in trouble in school --- just wait until you get home." It was effective. But fear has also been used in the past as a way to control the masses, and very frankly, it's still being used today .

Society has always used fear as a tool to make us do what they want. FEAR ! In Nazi Germany they created a fear state which made everyone fall into line and do what the government wanted them to do. And, they did --- because they were afraid . Once you feel fear --- you will do whatever is necessary to avoid that which terrifies you. There is no chance there will ever be a pet bird in my house --- NO MATTER how many times someone tells me what a great pet they are.

Are you living in fear? Are you afraid of losing someone you love? Are you afraid of the heartbreak that will follow? Are you afraid of getting sick? Are you afraid of failure? What fear is it that is blocking you from moving forward in your life? Face that fear! If it's a legitimate one, acknowledge it, but find a way to move past it so that it does not keep you stuck within it!

We're only here in this life for a short time, and none of us is getting out alive. DON'T ALLOW FEAR TO CONTROL YOU or rob you of any of those special moments ! Get out there and make the most out of every single moment of this magical, magnificent, beautiful, terrifying, messy life!

“Fear can make a moth seem the size of a bull elephant.”
― Stephen Richards

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Let's change our diets.

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:15 GMT

(Posted on January 25, 2021)

Yep, today we're going to talk food! Food for our bodies, food we enjoy, food we crave... FOOD !

Ok, so we all know that food is important; what we put into our bodies is going to reflect how well our bodies function, how long they live, and how they feel on a daily basis. Good fuel in --- good performance out!

Simple!

BUT....

What about everything else? The " food " we're feeding our bodies is not necessarily the only physical stuff that's on our plates. It's SO much more than just that. It's what we eat, what we think, what we read and so much more.

What about the people you're hanging out with? Do you realize that they are impacting the person you are? They are silently (in most cases) influencing your thought patterns, your beliefs, your feelings about yourself.

What about those feelings you have about yourself? If you're looking in the mirror and seeing someone who is fat --- guess what --- it doesn't matter what anyone else sees, you have told yourself the story that you are fat. And you will be .

What if you're telling yourself a story that you're poor and that you're not worthy of better things --- g uess what --- that's what you will be.

What if you're telling yourself you're not good enough --- guess what --- you won't be!

Let's change our diets!

RIGHT NOW --- TODAY! Sit down and visualize what you want for your life. Is it a better job? Or a better relationship? Or a healthier body? Sit down and think about how wonderful life is going to be when you achieve what it is you want. Really FEEL it!

If you already have everything you desire --- FANTASTIC ! Sit in gratitude for it and FEEL that gratitude.

The feeling is the key! What if we have the power to do, to be and to achieve anything we want? What if that power is right at our fingertips? What if it is as simple as using our imagination! You know --- that thing we stopped using when we became adults! Just imagine if it were that simple!!!!

This week every night before you go to bed imagine the life you want, and wake up the next morning as if you already have that life! What do you have to lose?

During the day, be careful of what you choose to take into your world. Watch what you read. Watch what you listen to. Watch who you allow into your world. You will become what you allow! Begin imagining only that which you really desire!

It has been said that imagination is the beginning of creation --- let's create an amazing world and an amazing life for all who are in it!!!

“The world is a mirror, forever reflecting what you are doing, within yourself.”
--Neville Goddard

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: We the People

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:13 GMT

(Posted on January 18, 2021)

Here we are --- 18 days into our 365 day spin around the sun. We've traveled approximately 28,944,000 miles so far this year! Woah! That's quite a distance. The world is truly amazing. Sit for a moment and consider what's happening around us that we really don't think about. We take for granted the earth spinning on it's axis, and traveling around the sun at a rate of 67,000 miles per hour! That's astonishing.

What about our bodies ? They are truly amazing pieces of art that we don't even begin to understand. Just a few examples for you.

On every inch of your skin, there are about 32 million bacteria.
The nerve impulses in your body travel to your brain as fast as 170 miles per hour.
The brain has approximately 100 billion nerve cells that send and receive information around the body.
The human brain cells can hold between 3 and 1000 Terabytes of information. For reference: The National Archives of Britain, containing over 900 years of history, only takes up 70 terabytes.

Amazing! Life is amazing, the body is amazing, everything is truly amazing! YET --- how much of that amazing world do we see on a daily basis? Or rather --- how much of that amazing world are we missing on a daily basis?

I know that as life goes on and I'm doing my daily things, I am missing much of what is going on around me. I never consider that I'm walking on something that is actually spinning in a circle and moving at 67,000 miles per hour.
How many of you think about that ?

I never consider the amount of work my body is doing on a minute by minute basis. The sheer amount of information that is being transmitted by our bodies is hard to, if not impossible to , comprehend.

These things are true miracles. Everyday things work, happen, grow, rebuild, renew --- all without us even acknowledging or understanding that they happen.

So, what else are we missing?

Right there is a question each and every one of us should ask ourselves. There have been many times in my life that I found out later that something I believed strongly was not true. The signs were there for me to see --- but I missed them. Was I trying not to see them? I don't think so. I just think living life had me in a fog. This is what I do today, and I don't have time to see things outside of what is within my reality.

This past year has taught me that I need to be more aware of my reality. Or the reality I am creating --- consciously or unconsciously. Are things truly as I am seeing them? Is my reality skewed by past beliefs? Is my reality skewed by other's beliefs?

We are powerful! We are strong! We are resilient! Just look at our bodies and all of the amazing things it does in just one minute! What makes us think for one second that we don't have the power to change our realities. Maybe it's as simple as changing our perceptions!

This day alone grants you 1,440 minutes. Don't waste them ! Choose to see something unique and special in every one of those minutes. Choose to look at one thing today from a different point of view. Question everything that you hold dear and see it from another angle. Take a "what if" point of view. This does not mean you will change your opinion or your viewpoint, you are simply questioning. There are many things we do not know, and our beliefs are base don conjecture and opinion. Question it! Question everything! Rise about the beliefs you hold dearly and just question!

" WE THE PEOPLE " --- it's more than just the starting words to our constitution, it is the power we have a whole, as a group when we step beyond our preconceived notions and open to the reality of all that is!

“Never underestimate the power of a small group of people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”
--Margaret Mead

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Power of Faith

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:12:09 GMT

(Posted on January 11, 2021)

Faith!

I looked up the word to see what the " dictionary " had to say. One definition said " complete trust or confidence in something "; or, " strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof ".

So faith is simply "a belief" rather than "a proven fact".

We're taught, or I feel more inclined to say programmed , from an early age to have faith. Have faith in everything that someone is teaching us, whether that be knowledge of history, or math, or language or our faith in God.

JUST HAVE FAITH --- h ow many times has someone said that to you? In my life --- more times than I can count. As an adult, I've used the words more times than I can count. I think if we sit and ponder this question, it will lead us to see that we live our lives on faith. Everyday --- every action!

Sometimes we lose faith in certain things, or in certain people --- or our worlds are shook up completely when something we believed and held true are proven to be false. What happens then?

Everyone reacts differently when their core beliefs are challenged. Some hold true to what they believe and refuse to be challenged. Others, adapt and change to the new way of believing or being. What's right? Whose to say -- because again "faith" is a belief in something you hold true -- it's not necessarily a proven fact.

Take that a step further. A proven fact! What's proven? Is anything really "proven"? We could ask that question about absolutely anything. What is truly " PROVEN " in our world that is not someplace else totally " DISPROVEN ". Nothing --- absolutely NOTHING! For every swing of the pendulum there is a swing in the opposite direction.

So in reality, anything that we choose to believe as a truth in our life,
is "proven" true by someone that we put our faith in.
Anything that we do not believe in our life -- is also "proven" by someone that we put our faith in.

So, without a doubt, every moment, every belief, every thought process, every action, every reaction, every single thing is without a doubt " FAITH" !

So what do you have faith in? Who do you have faith in? Where are you putting your faith? How are you choosing what to put your faith in? Are you strong in your faith?

There's no one solid answer here, if there were, we wouldn't need faith. Evaluate what you believe in this week. Look at everything and recognize that there is always another viewpoint, another side, and that smoke and mirrors can often change what seems to be reality.

Have faith in your truth this week. Don't waiver, stay strong in what resonates in your body and with your vibration.

Together, in faith, we are strong and invincible.

“Make your faith larger than your fears and your dreams bigger than your doubts.”
--Robin Sharma

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: A Resolution

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 22:55:47 GMT

(Posted on January 4, 2021)

Thursday night we went to sleep in one year and Friday morning we woke in another. Yet another year of goals, joys, smiles, laughs, happiness as well as sadness, loss and challenges to overcome. Most of the time we'll label a year as a "good " year, or as a " bad" year, always depending on the challenges we faced during that year.

We seem to view that simple switch of the clock as somehow monumental . A time to put the old behind us and step forward into the new. A time to relinquish old habits in favor of new habits. A time when "bad" years are gone and now a "good" year will begin. A time when we can finally set our goals and reach them. A new page --- a blank page! Let's begin writing!

I actually feel this is a good practice. A time to sit down and reevaluate what is right in our world and what can use improvement. Years ago I used to fall into this trap and would sit down and write down all the things I was going to do in the new year. Exercise everyday, eat better, read more, etc., etc., etc. You know what, it would all happen --- until it didn't! Those resolutions never became a part of my life and never stuck. Why? Life got in the way! So somewhere along the line I decided that every year I would make one simple resolution --- one thing that I could look back on and say "Yes, I accomplished that". This is one thing that we can all do, every single one of us. My resolution every year is to be a better person than I was the year before! Simple!

Simple yes, but that also means that we have to look at ourselves objectively; we have to be willing to see where we need improvement, and to actually make that improvement. One of the easiest steps to take in that direction is to be more loving to yourself. How many times a day are you hard on yourself? Do you criticize your appearance, or your performance at any certain task? Are you criticizing your body? Your eating habits? Anything...anything at all!

Are you aware that the body is approximately 70% water? Are you aware that if you talk to water in a positive way it changes the molecular structure of it? Are you aware that if you talk to it in a negative way it also changes the molecular structure of it? Dr. Masaru Emoto did tons of experiments on this exact thing and the results are astonishing. While researching some of his work, I came across this video clip of an elementary school that did a simple version of his experiment using rice. You'll love it, and it clearly shows the power of our words on the environment.

So what is the first step to accomplishing your goals for 2021? Start with you -- the person in the mirror. Don't bother writing down everything that is wrong with you and wrong with your life and your world. Write down how you want to see your world. Speak lovingly to yourself --- speak lovingly to your environment. Speak what you want to see in your world and watch it change everything!

Resolution for this year --- "Be the best you you can be --- and do it with loving words!"

Change your words --- change your life!
(another short clip on the power of your choice of words)

Happy New Year!

“Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out.”
--Anonymous

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: 365 Days...

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:54:58 GMT

(Posted on December 28, 2020)

365 Days
8,760 hours
525,600 minutes
31,536,000 seconds

The amount of time given to us in a typical year!

2020 is coming to a close . We're just 4 days away from the end of it. Most of us are glad to see this one come to a close, and we're starting the new one with renewed hopes and dreams.

Let's take a moment to reflect on 2020. Well, for starters it was a leap year, which meant we actually had a bit more time to accomplish our goals. The winter was relatively mild. Drive-in movies made a comeback. We stayed at home and cooked more, enjoyed family time, watched movies, read books, played board games. Schools took on a whole new level of learning. We attended events from the privacy of our home ( and in our pj's -- my personal favorite )! We took walks, we played outside, we spent time together.

Many people took up what seems to be the dying art of sewing and came up with creative masks for people to wear. I mean if we have to cover our faces why not be stylish about it?

In June in Barcelona Spain, The Gran Teatre del Liceu opera house reopened and performed its first concert since the lockdown to an audience of plants . The 2,292 seats in the auditorium were occupied by plants, the event was streamed live for a human audience , and the plants were donated to local healthcare workers.

Pet adoptions and fostering of pets was higher than normal. People were home, they had time --- why not love a pet?

Speaking of dogs --- this denture stealing dog made us laugh and stole our hearts.

As a collective whole, we are waking up . We are seeing what's truly important and we're focusing on that. We recognize that if we keep our body healthy, we're less likely to get sick, and if God forbid we do, we know how to support our bodies so that it handles it better. What a valuable lesson.

The average life expectancy in the United States is 78.54 years . That means we have approximately 28,667 days in our lifetime. That's actually not a lot. Think of it in terms of dollars --- if you only have 28,667 dollars --- than 365 is quite a bit . You're going to ration and only spend those dollars on what you truly need or truly desire. You're not going to waste them frivolously. Why would you choose to waste the precious moments of your life?

So here we are, about to put this year behind us and embark on the next part of our journey - 2021 ! What will be different? What will have changed in the outside world? Likely, not much. Will there be challenges ? You'd better believe there will be. Will there be moments of joy and happiness? There absolutely will be!
Which are you going to focus on?

Or, is it possible that every single thing that happens in our life is meant for our greater good. What if 2020, amid all its challenges, opened us to a new way of thinking, a new way of being --- what if it woke us up?

Wouldn't that be a true miracle????

Reflect on 2020 with a different view and an appreciation of all it gave to us. Move forward into 2021 with a renewed sense of appreciation for life and each and every one of its amazing moments!

We GOT THIS! 2020 woke us up --- 2021 is going to be fantastic!

Many blessings to you and your family during this holiday season!
BRING IT ON!

“If I had my life to live over. There would have been more I love yous ... more I'm sorrys ... more I'm listenings ... but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it ... look at it and really see it ... try it on ... live it ... exhaust it ... and never give that minute back until there was nothing left of it.”
--Erma Bombeck

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Ghosts of Christmas Past

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:54:57 GMT

(Posted on December 21, 2020)

And ...here it comes --- Christmas 2020! Most likely this one will be different than any we've experienced in the past. Most likely it will be lacking some of the festivities --- maybe in some cases, some of the joy --- of past holiday seasons.

Thinking about this caused me to reflect a bit on past Christmases, on this Christmas, and on what I hope for future Christmases.

Growing up we spent every Christmas Eve at my grandmother's house. She'd have a big spread --- ring bologna, cheese, Christmas cookies, dates with peanut butter and rolled in sugar, egg nog and tons of other delectable goodies for us to chose from. She'd spend days getting ready, and the dining room table would be covered when we got there . Presents under the tree, Christmas Carols playing --- and the entire family gathered in one place! I remember being so excited on Christmas Eve I couldn't wait to go over there. Then of course, we'd head home so that we could put out cookies and milk for Santa and get to bed early in case he was earlier than we expected.

As an adult, I attempted to replicate those great memories for my daughter. We adapted each Christmas as we went along and tried to make them as memorable for her as possible. Present day Christmases, a s the older generations passed on , became less of a festivity and more of a family day. But still filled with joy and happiness.

Each year came with its lessons and changes, nonetheless the days where memorable and special. What will this year -- 2020 -- the year of the pandemic bring to our holiday celebrations? More importantly -- what will it teach us going forward about the values we should strive to embrace?

What do I remember most about those past holiday celebrations ? I remember the love that went into preparing the feast we would all enjoy! I remember the feast! I remember laughing. I remember the Christmas Carols. I remember the Church service, and singing all those special holiday songs.

I remember the joy!

When Christmas 2020 is behind me, what will I remember? What do I hope to see in future Christmases?

JOY!!!!

Love, Happiness and JOY!

Whatever you do this year, do not allow yourself to lose the joy of Christmas. Even if you are alone --- even if you have no money for presents! IT DOESN'T MATTER! Find something to fill you up on Christmas day! Look thru old photos --- watch a favorite old Christmas movie Find something to be joyful about --- and hold onto that! Next year you want to be able to look back on this day and remember the joy! The joy you searched for and found in the midst of the darkness! The joy that you held onto and didn't allow circumstances to rob you of.

Don't allow the circumstances of this physical world to rob us of what Christmas truly means! Hold onto to your JOY --- it's a gift!

Merry Christmas -- Happy Hanukkah -- Happy Holidays -- whatever it is you celebrate --- do it with love and with joy!!!!!

"Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance — each beautiful, unique, and gone too soon."
– Deborah Whipp

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Shine Bright!

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:54:55 GMT

(Posted on December 17, 2020)

T he power of light!

Did you ever notice that one small candle can light a pitch black room, but, in contrast the pitch black room cannot extinguish the light from that one little candle.

Do you remember the song from Sunday School -- " This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine "? (Fantastic rendition if you're interested.) What if that is so much more profound than just a simple children's song?

There is a yoga parable called " The Blind Man ", it goes like this:

A blind man stayed with his friend for a few days, and then started for his hometown in the night. His friend gave him a lit lantern, but the man protested, "Why do I need a lantern? Everything is the same for me. For someone who is blind, what is the use of carrying a lamp?"

"My dear friend, this is not for you; this is for the person who comes in front of you. If you have this lamp in your hand, the person who comes in front of you will not bump into you."

"In that case, I will take it," the blind man said.

He took the lamp and started walking in the dark. In spite of that, someone collided into him head-on down the road. The blind man lost his balance and fell down. He got angry and asked, "Why did you bump into me? I had a lamp with me - can't you watch where you’re going?"

"What lamp? I don’t see anything," said the man who bumped into him and looked around.
Then he found the lamp and said, "Oh yes! There is a lamp here, but the flame had gone out long ago, my dear friend."

The blind man carries the light, not for himself, but for others . He didn't notice that his light went out, therefore he had stopped helping others. It wasn't his intent to distinguish the light, it just went out.

Sometimes in life, we lose our light. Things happen that take us to dark places and we do not even realize the light is no longer shining. Maybe we're fortunate enough that it again begins to burn on it's own; or something causes us to change perspective and again begin to shine our light. Your individual light is your truth! It's your spark of joy, happiness, love, and internal peace.

We each have our own light and it's vital, not only for ourselves, but for everyone, that no matter what challenges might arise, we step into it and move forward. It's tough, it's a challenge --- but remember that we are shining that light not for ourselves but for others. Without our light many will struggle in the darkness never able to find their own way.

Our world right now is shrouded in darkness. BE THE LIGHT! STAY SHINING REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR DAY TO DAY ENVIRONMENT!

The more lights that shine, the more we crowd out the darkness!!!!!!!

WE, standing together in light are stronger than any darkness anywhere! Stay united in love and in light!

WE GOT THIS!

“Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars."”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Laughter is the Best Medicine

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:54:54 GMT

(Posted on December 7, 2020)

“I found a bear by the stream,” says the minister, “and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.”

They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. “Looking back,” he says, “maybe I shouldn’t have started with the circumcision.”

(This joke was voted the funniest gag in a 2010 Reader’s Digest joke contest.)

Are you laughing yet? What a great way to start out a morning --- laughter! Did you know that there have been many scientific studies done on the power of laughter and it's ability to heal. Not that most of us need " science " to prove it, we know from experience that a good belly laugh changes the mood in the room tremendously.

This week a couple of odd things happened to me. Things that could have evoked several responses. Let's take one of them. Monday morning at 5:30 AM --- in the rain --- I take the dog outside. On the way back in, my flip flop ( yep I know it's winter ��) caused me to slip and fall on the wet wood. I landed on my knees and hands and tore my jeans. I had to go back inside and completely change for work and clean up the bruises on my knee. What a way to start a Monday morning! I could have been angry, or frazzled, or frustrated --- I was laughing. It was truly funny! A few more weird little things happened that day ( it was accident prone Monday for me ), but I laughed away each of them. Laughter truly was the best medicine that day.

By laughing at this, I kept my energy on a high note. If I would have been angry or frustrated, I would have dropped my energy lower, and possibly have affected people around me. Our mood, can directly affect others, their mood, and the overall energy of the area we share.

I'm sure if you sit and think about this, you will see times in your life where your energy might have impacted others; or the energy of another person impacted you --- either positively or negatively.

Think about this on a wider scale. If our energy can affect others within our immediate environment, it might also impact our larger environment. Now is a time where many people are living in fear. Fear, anger, loneliness are prevailing emotions in our current culture. It's difficult to rise above that and keep ourselves in a state of love and acceptance. But it can be done --- and laughter is a great tool to help us get there. If you have children or grandchildren, you've likely seen the movie "Monsters Inc.". These monsters were sneaking into small children's closets at night and attempting to invoke the "largest scream" out of them. The power of the "fear" or the scream fueled energy for the monsters to live. Later in the movie they realize that laughter emits an even greater power for them, so they begin to make the children laugh, not scream. Interesting analogy!

What if that's true in our world. What if we chose laughter, over fear and anger --- could we ultimately chose to change our larger environment? I don't know the answer to that --- but what do we have to lose?

So this week --- laugh, laugh, laugh! Smile at your neighbor. Wave to a friend. Smile under your mask while you grocery stop! Do a good deed! Spread goodness, light and love --- and refuse to partake in the darkness!!!!

If you're having trouble laughing this early in the morning --- here you go --- I dare you!��

“With the fearful strain that is on me night and day. If I did not laugh, I would die.”
--Abraham Lincoln

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Live, Love, & Be Joyful

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:54:52 GMT

(Posted on November 30, 2020)

For nearly 30 years, I had breakfast every Friday morning at the same restaurant, in the same booth, with the same person. We'd exchange stories of our week, what was happening in our lives, how our jobs were going. I watched her daughter grow up and her grandson being born. She watched as I got married and had a child of my own. These children are now adults. We had seen a lot of life together. We smiled with each other during the good times, and we cried with each other during the painful ones. At one point we were reminiscing and realized that we'd been together 30 years --- 3 decades. So much had changed, for both of us, we were different people in different places than we were all those years ago. We were truly "just kids" when we met, yet here we were, still friends at different phases of our lives and facing different challenges.

Where did the time go?

I remember getting my driver's license and driving for myself for the first time. Oh those butterflies.

Oh the butterflies when I met my future husband.

I remember vividly the day we chose our first dog at the animal shelter. I remember the butterflies in my stomach when we brought her home. I remember the heartbreak when we had to let her go.

I still remember the moment they laid my newborn baby in my arms --- heck I still remember the moment I found out we were going to have a baby. I remember, vividly, the rush of emotion I had--the excitement and the fear. And those butterflies!

Somewhere along the line I lost those butterflies . Do you remember that feeling? That excitement so palatable you felt it in your body. That feeling where you couldn't wait to experience this brand new experience.

Yeah --- that left! How did that happen? It probably happened sometime during that 30 years, 3 decades, that I didn't see flash by my eyes.

Life is a brief experience. Sit and think about your life for a moment. Remember your highs --- and your lows --- and oh those butterflies. Have you lost your excitement for life?

Why do we lose that excitement? Maybe some of the painful experiences cause us to shut down. Maybe we now have all the things we were trying so hard to obtain --- and the "firsts " are gone. There's nothing to be excited for --- we've been there, done that! We know how it turns out.

What if we chose to be excited with every moment of our life? What if every moment was a wonder? What if every moment was an experience? Life would take on a whole new meaning if we were present in it, grateful for everything, and open to anything.

During those 30 years that we met every Friday, I can think of a few conversations that resonate in my mind. Usually something that had a powerful emotion attached to it. But overall, I couldn't tell you what we talked about each week. I couldn't tell you the nuances of each conversation, what the weather was or who was in the next booth. It flashed by! 30 years in the blink of an eye.

Many of us are living in fear right now, afraid that life is going to be taken from us at any moment by a virus that is everywhere. Some people will, very tragically, lose their lives to it, no doubt. Some will get ill, no doubt. It won't be fun, no doubt! But here's the truth of the matter --- your life, and the life of everyone around us is not guaranteed. There is no assurance that you will wake up tomorrow --- or that you will continue having breakfast with your best friend every Friday morning. You see, those Friday morning breakfasts are no longer a part of my life because my dear friends life was not guaranteed. How I wish I would remember every detail of every conversation we had --- instead of just the snippets!

How I wish the butterflies were still there....

This week, let's pay attention to honoring each and every moment of our life as if it's our last moment. If you knew as you stepped out of bed this morning that today would be your final day --- have you experienced everything you wanted to experience --- have you told everyone you loved them --- did you feel those butterflies for the last time!

LIVE --- ENJOY THE MOMENT. FEEL THOSE BUTTERFLIES AND TELL THEM TO BRING A FEW FIREFLIES ALONG TO THE PARTY!

“Life is a game, play it; Life is a challenge, meet it; Life is an opportunity, capture it.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Be Grateful in the Moment

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 21:40:31 GMT

(Posted on November 23, 2020)

2015: The year went along as normal. The holiday season came and we enjoyed the holiday with our family. We made memories that came along with that type of celebration. I prepared a large Thanksgiving meal, we had a houseful of guests. We enjoyed chatting during dinner and a movie after dinner. It was a great day . Little did we know, at the time we were making those memories, that come that next holiday season, five of the souls that joined us during 2015 would not be there to share with us again.

I'm sure you can all relate. I'm sure that each and every one of you has likely had that "last" physical gathering together. That "last" big memory. That "last" joyful time of sharing. I'm sure, like with us, it's also etched in your memory.

Why am I bringing this up? Simply because 2020 has brought with it a new set of challenges. Many people have already lost those "last" memories of times spent with those they love. Many people are going to lose those "last" memories of those they love. There is also the possibility that many people will carry with them added grief, or added guilt, because of situations that are out of their control.

What can we do to change this paradigm? First and foremost, we can try not to buy into the fear. Fear and love are two very powerful emotions. If you believe that " thoughts are things " and you are living in a state of fear, that is what you are projecting into the world. Try living in a state of love . Try projecting love into the world. Maybe you can't physically visit grandma in the nursing home, but what about calling her, and keeping her on the phone with you while you all watch a movie together --- in your own homes. Or if that doesn't work, call her 10 times that day and tell her how grateful you are for her. Find a creative way to still share the holiday with her.

What about the person that is alone and can't attend a family gathering this year. Take them a plate of food and talk to them thru the door. Let them know how grateful you are for their presence in your life.

What about doing a "zoom" dinner? For family that is computer savvy, set up a zoom call and enjoy your individual dinners together. Everybody talk like you're sitting at the table together. Remember to share your gratitude for everyone's presence in your life.

What about your pets? I was just reminded that we often take our pets for granted. We spoil them of course, but we never actually acknowledge them for the roles they play in our life. I'm super grateful that I have the best watchdog in the world -- and the loudest barker! ��

2020 has taken from us much of what we know as normal. It's been a weird year by all standards. Let's not allow it to take from us our memories, our holidays, and most importantly our gratitude for all things that are truly meaningful. It may be a different way to celebrate --- BUT CELEBRATE ! Love and be grateful for all the clarity that 2020 has brought to us. We never know what moment will be our last, or the last of someone we know and love, so be present in those moments and don't let one of them sneak by you!

Happy Thanksgiving! My gratitude for each and every one of you is beyond measure. Thank you for sharing with us and being part of our extended family!

“Live in the moment, day by day, and don't stress about the future. People are so caught up into looking into the future, that they kind of lose what's in front of them.”
--Jenna Ushkowitz

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: You Do You

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 21:40:30 GMT

(Posted on November 16, 2020)

I remember joking as I became a parent that I couldn't wait to use this line. As a child, my grandmother would say this all the time. I couldn't stand it. I mean, of course I wouldn't jump off a cliff --- RIGHT?

It's funny how as you move along in your journey of life, you realize just how many times you did jump off a cliff. Not literally of course. But there was that time when everyone I admired was going to the Friday night football games and ditching their warm jackets and ear coverings -- because it wasn't cool . Damn...I was cold--but I was cool! There were so many moments in life that I listened to someone else, because I admired them, and didn't make my own choices.

That was high school, but even as I went into the work force there were times when what others were doing or choosing became what I was doing. Was it because I truly wanted to do something or believe something? Or rather, was I doing something or believing something because of where I was. That's what everyone else was doing and so I did that too. Yep --- I jumped off the cliff.

As we become parents, everyone is trying to be the perfect parent. We want to do everything right. We read all the books, we volunteer at the schools, we cook the meals, we clean the house --- we jump off the cliff! Why --- because that's what everyone else is doing.

This is a right of passage. It's a part of our growth pattern and it's something all of us does. It's only as we get more settled in life and in who we are that we realize --- yeah I'm not sitting out in the cold without a coat and hat just to look cool. Forget that!!!!!!

If we really think about this, we would see that it's way more effective to gain our perspective on what matters to us personally. Let others and their expections go by the wayside, and along with that will go the guilt and the exhaustion of trying to be something we are not. Having it " all " is possible as long as you clearly define what your " all " is.

The more we can free ourselves from others expectations of us, the more we will realize our full potential and get to a life we truly love. If you are living a life that someone else dreamt up --- then my friend, you are jumping off a cliff because someone else did.

This week, pay attention to moments in which you may not be honoring who you really are. What things are you doing to please others that cause you discomfort? Honor yourself and your beliefs , just maybe you can be the force that keeps someone else from jumping off that cliff.

Stay strong --- YOU DO YOU!!!!!

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
--Maya Angelou

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Where there is great love...

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:18:10 GMT

(Posted on November 9, 2020)

So how is everyone holding up this week? Are you feeling the stress of the world, or are you managing to keep yourself steady and calm? I'd bet there's a little of both going on.

The past several weeks and the weeks coming up are going to be stressful. So how are you reacting to it? How are you reacting to others because of it?

I think this external situation, of which none of us has any control, is a good time for us to reflect on ourselves personally. Where we have no control over others, or worldly situations, we do have control over what we chose to do, and how we chose to react in our own lives.

Case in point. I know of a man and a woman, both who are in pain. Daily, chronic pain. If you've never dealt with debilitating pain -- say a big thank you right now! So back to these two people. If I met either of them in the grocery store and struck up a conversation, I'd have no idea how much physical pain they were in. What I would notice, however, is that the woman was smiling and sweet --- and the man was nasty and mean. Again, not knowing anything, it's possible that I would walk away annoyed with the man, and uplifted over my meeting with the woman.

What makes the difference? Why can someone deal with excruciating pain and smile and be grateful about life, while, in contrast, another person chooses to be angry because they stubbed their toe? I'm not sure I know the answer to that, but here are some things I do know.

When we meet people, it is not possible for us to understand everything that is going on with them. What past experiences led them to be who they are and do what they are doing. We don't know what their level of pain is, and what they are able to tolerate . To someone who has daily pain, a stubbed toe is nothing. But to someone who has no pain, a stubbed toe might be all they can take.

Sometimes it's all about perception. We perceive the smiling person one way, and the angry person another way. But perception isn't fact . Every single situation in life is perception. We view all things, and we tend to make our choices based on our perceptions coupled with our past experiences. So maybe the angry person has no love in his life, and now he's in pain. Maybe that causes him to be angry --- not necessarily because he's in physical pain, but maybe he's in emotional pain. The physical pain gives him the excuse to be angry.

I'm not justifying anger, or mistreatment of others . That's just not OK in any circumstance or situation. What I try to understand is why someone might be acting the way they do, and what can I do to illicit a different response. I know the woman who is smiling is in great pain. I can't take that away --- but I can love her. Her light is inspiring me to move forward and to show love for others. Is she ever angry because she's in pain? I'm sure she is. What about the angry man? What can we do? The same thing . He needs love. Don't respond to his anger with more anger. Be gentle, smile, respond only with good intentions. It might not diffuse the current situation, but it will not escalate it. The emotion of anger has a vibration, and to diffuse it, you need to respond at a higher vibration.

You get out of life what you put into it. If you want love - give love ! If you want friendship - be a friend! If you want someone to listen to you - listen to them. Whatever it is that you want in life --- be that! Everything in life is a vibration and how you chose to respond is what you will attract more of in your life. These outside circumstances are designed to distract us from what we really are. Don't let that happen --- STAY ABOVE IT!

Put out into the world more of what you want to receive back! Stay calm, stay focused and continue to spread love!

ALL IS WELL!

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
--Nikola Tesla

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: We're in this together!

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:18:09 GMT

(Posted on November 2, 2020)

I usually make a conscious effort to not be political in this email. This week, or rather for the week upcoming, I think I need to venture into that realm a bit.

This is not about what you should think or who you should vote for. That choice is yours . Anyone that tries to inflict their point of view on you is wrong. No one has that right.

But from what I'm seeing, regardless of who wins this election there is going to be some very powerful, possibly even dangerous , emotions out there. People are angry the likes of which I have never seen.

Let me just state a few facts here.

1876: Rutherford Hayes beats Samuel Tilden by 1 Electoral vote, loses popular vote by 3 percent. The 1876 election was one of the most disputed in American history. Tilden defeated Rutherford in the popular vote, but had 184 electoral votes to Hayes' 165 with 20 uncounted. The 20 votes were in flux because three states (Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina) were being claimed by both parties. They were ultimately awarded to Hayes.
1916: Woodrow Wilson beats Charles Hughes by 23 electoral votes, 3.1 percent popular vote. The election took place during World War I when incumbent President Wilson faced Supreme Court Justice Charles Hughes, beating him by a small margin.
1960: Kennedy defeats Nixon by 84 Electoral votes, .2 percent popular vote. One of the most famous elections in our history --- and one of the most famous presidents in our history. The Nov. 8 election in 1960 John F. Kennedy had an early lead as polls in the earlier time zones closed, but as the west began to close - Richard Nixon gained momentum. It wasn't until the following afternoon that Nixon conceded. Kennedy carried 11 states by three percentage points or less - Nixon carried 5 states by the same margin.

Sorry for the history lesson, but we're always led to believe that we're in the " closest " election or our time. We're a " divided " country. NEWSFLASH: we've always been a divided country. The problems and issues we are facing now have always been here. In some ways they are now better, and in some ways they are now worse.

There is no easy solution to anything. Regardless of who you are choosing to vote for there are likely things you'll like, and likely things you do not like. This is one hundred percent of the time with every decision we make in life. ALWAYS!

In the past there have been elections that I've been happy with the outcome, and elections where I've been disappointed with the outcome. I got up the next day and went to work and continued with my life . I continued to try and do good in the world, and to create balance and love for my family and friends.

Regardless of what happens this week, violence is NEVER OK . Hurting others, verbally or physically, is NOT OK. We have disagreed before. We are still here, we are still moving forward, and the fact is plain and simple --- we have no idea where we would be had the other scenario played out.

Let's make sure we know what type of future we are voting for on Tuesday when we cast our vote. Vote with your heart, do it in love, and pray for the best outcome for all!

Before and after you cast that vote, continue to do good in the world. Spread love. Hold the door for someone. Buy someone a coffee. We can disagree all we want, but we are all still human beings on a journey together. This election is not the only thing that will determine how we move forward --- our actions as humans towards other humans will be the defining factor!

Let's show them what we're made of!

“Continue to move forward with dignity and grace.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Try a little compassion!

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:18:08 GMT

(Posted on October 26, 2020)

Compassion ... Gratitude ... Judgment

We're fast approaching the season of gratitude . November is a few days away and Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away from that. This is the time of year when we gather and show gratitude for all that we have .

Have you ever thought about gratitude and judgment in the same sentence? How can you be judgmental if you are being grateful? In truth...you can't—these are opposing forces.

We see a lot of patients every week and we get to know them on a very personal level. They tell us where they hurt, what their emotions are, and how their lives are going. If we were to only see them in passing in public, we'd never know these little details. These details about people's lives and backgrounds make people who they are and influence how they act.

How many times have you been grocery shopping and heard an exasperated mother dealing with her upset child? How many times have you seen someone else who is harsh and abrupt with another person? How many times have you witnessed someone driving erratically—to which you immediately determine the situation as irresponsible?

How many times do you judge these moments?

Stop and think about it for a minute. Do you randomly think to yourself: "That woman should be more compassionate with her child;" or, "Geez that dude's got an issue;" or, "That person is going to cause an accident, they should lose their license."

We all do it. Instead, what if we approached everything with gratitude? What if we remember a day when we also felt exasperated with our children? What if we smiled at that moment and felt grateful for the memory? What if we felt compassion for the person who was being harsh and abrupt and wished him well? What if we were grateful for the erratic driver that caused us to slow down and pay more attention to the road?

What if we looked at everything that happened " TO " us, and were grateful that it happened " FOR" us?

We're human. We are going to lapse into judgment at times. It's part of being human. The challenge is to try and see those times when we are judging and turn them into gratitude. Any time we find ourselves discussing someone else and what's going on with them— we are judging .

It's not our path, it's not our journey , and we don't have any idea what that person is feeling—or trying to learn—in that moment.

If we are profoundly concerned about another person and the journey they are on, the only thing we can do in that moment is to be grateful that it is not our journey and allow them the grace of walking their path with only our love beside them— not our judgment .

You can never truly understand another person's journey if you are not in their shoes. Compassion and gratitude are the only tools at our disposal to help another.

This week, let's practice noticing when we are judging a situation and try to turn it into gratitude. Let's get the season of gratitude off to a good start this year. We have everything to be grateful for!

I'm grateful for each and every one of you and the roles you are playing in my journey. THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR FAMILY !

The struggle ends where gratitude begins.
--Neale Donald Walsh

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: I Was Here

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 14:49:43 GMT

(Posted on October 19, 2020)

Life is a journey . There are moments where the traveling is smooth, uneventful, even beautiful. Then there are moments where the traveling is hard, uphill, rocky— painful!

When we’re in that smooth traveling time of life, we tend to get stressed over little things. The refrigerator broke--the house isn’t vacuumed--the kids need to be here, there and everywhere. We’re focused on growing, achieving, adding to our collection of “ things ”!

Then here comes a bump in the road. It happens-- to everyone . Maybe it’s the loss of a job. Maybe it’s the loss of a loved one. Maybe it’s an illness. Maybe it’s the state of the world. Maybe it's everything at once. The ride goes from smooth sailing--to bumpy and unpredictable. Suddenly it’s not so pleasant anymore.

The funny thing is, that when life is going along smoothly we start to take for granted the peace and the calmness. We forget the joy . We forget the love. We forget the gratitude. Then BAM --- along comes that rocky part of the trip and all of a sudden we remember and we begin again to value the peace and the calmness. Isn’t it almost sad, that as humans we need adversity in order for us to value and appreciate that which we have.

Maybe with all the adversity and stress that 2020 has brought to us, it has also brought us back to ourselves. Maybe, if we stop and reflect a bit, we are calmer, more focused and more ready to make a positive mark on the world.

Are you making a mark on the world ? Are you leaving behind sparkles of goodness and light? You have the ability --- in every single moment.

This weekend I was out for a walk and I ran into someone that I hadn’t seen since way before I was married in the early 90’s. We struck up a brief conversation in which he told me a story about something he had witnessed my husband and I do. He’d been hospitalized and we were in for a visit. The man in the bed next to him was struggling to read the newspaper, even with his glasses on. On our next visit we brought him a magnifying glass to help him see better. I, honestly, never gave it another thought.

This gentleman retold me a story, that I’d already known, but had forgotten about. What I didn’t know was how profoundly it had affected him . He was very emotional as he shared the experience with me. What he didn’t realize was that in telling me that story again, he answered a question I had been pondering these past weeks. Isn't it amazing how life can sometimes go full circle.

I got in the car to return home, and the song “ I Was Here ” by Lady Antebellum was on the radio.

“I wanna do something that matters
Say something different
Something that sets the whole world on it's ear
I wanna do somethin' better, with the time I've been given
And I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this life
And leave nothin' less than something that says I was here”

Do you realize that it’s not the “big” huge things that matter, but it’s the simple little gestures. The ones you likely have forgotten about. Not all of us can be public figures and touch thousands of lives --- but we can touch one life --- and possibly without us even knowing it, we might have touched many more.

This world right now needs the gestures, the small things, the love. Regardless of what the world shows, I am going to smile under my mask, and be polite and kind to everyone.

Don’t feed into the anger. We cannot change what’s going to happen by stomping our feet, and feeding the anger. But we can change it by changing our attitude towards it and responding not in anger --- but in love!

LOVE ON ---- WE GOT THIS! ❤

This week try and do a small gesture of kindness for a stranger. One act! It’s more simple than you think! Touch a heart this week.

With one kind gesture you can change a life. One person at a time you can change the world. One day at a time we can change everything.
Dr. Steve Maraboli

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The MOMENTS of Life

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:13:07 GMT

(Posted on October 12, 2020)

Yesterday afternoon I took Karla to the dog park . There was a couple there with their two dogs and their newborn baby. The mother was sitting on a bench feeding the baby and my dog ( who LOVES babies ) had to take a peek. Fortunately for me, the woman was really receptive to Karla sitting aside of her and staring lovingly at her baby! �� As a result, the two of us struck up a conversation . The baby was 2 months old and she was feeding every three hours. The mother was exhausted—and in 3 weeks she had to be back at her job. She was a bit stressed about how she was going to make things work.

I think most of us parents can relate . We remember the times when we weren't sleeping, trying to work, trying to keep it together, and trying to give our children a balanced life. We were trying to enjoy it! Sometimes we succeeded at keeping the balance, but sometimes we likely fell short of succeeding . Regardless, I bet we realize in hindsight that those moments were fleeting . The nights I held my crying baby to give her comfort—sacrificing my own sleep as a result— it was only one moment out of many . The "terrible twos— they were a moment . School years— a moment . All of it— simply a moment .

All moments gone by.

Now, in hindsight, those sleepless nights are something I smile at. The time my two-year-old emptied the refrigerator on the floor and gave the dog a " huge " snack— hysterical ! Although with everything going on in the background—and a sick dog— it was not so funny in the moment!

Moments! Our lives are filled with them. I see a young mother holding her baby and I just want to tell her to relish that moment! It's fleeting. Enjoy the antics of a two-year-old; they will fill the book of your life with the most memorable of moments.

Sometimes when we're dealing with the stresses of daily life we forget that our lives are only a series of moments. The present is the fine line between past and future. We have a choice in every moment, but sometimes it's hard to see that when stress gets high. It's hard to, in the moment , always react perfectly or on a high vibration. Sometimes we react in anger or a lower emotion. That's a moment as well. When you look at the movie of your life, what types of moments do you want to see? Do you want to see happy, love, and laughter ? Or will you see anger, resentment, and fear?

Choose wisely! Life is a fleeting series of moments!

This is an important time in our history and it's vital that we lead with our hearts. While I was researching information for this article I came across "Doc Childre." I remember hearing about him years ago but had honestly forgotten about it. He had developed some physical issues and began researching alternative treatments for them. In 1991, he set up the Institute of HeartMath (now called HeartMath Institute) as a nonprofit research and educational organization. The institute conducted experiments on how the right sounds can help to align a person's heart and mind energies. There is a link above if you're interested in checking it out. Apparently, they are offering free access to the entire course because of what's going on in the world. If you're having difficulty dealing with the stresses and aligning your responses in a loving way, this might be something that interests you. I just signed up for it, and I'm interested in learning more. It is so important right now that regardless of our beliefs that we stay in love! Do not allow fear and anger to rob you of the moments of your life. They are precious and they are few!

Go forward this week in love! Share love. Give love. Receive love!

WE GOT THIS!!!!

"Remember then: there is only one time that is important -- NOW. It is the most important time because it's the only time when we have any power."
--Leo Tolstoy

Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Feeling of Love

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:13:05 GMT

(Posted on October 5, 2020)

Did something simple ever happen to you that just made you feel LOVED? It happened to me a couple of times this week. Simple gestures that made me feel like I mattered. How cool!

Did you ever notice that a greeting you receive from a child or your dog can wipe away even the most stressful of days? Why? Because they make you feel loved . When's the last time you "felt" loved?

We use the words "I love you" all the time. We offhandedly say those three words when we're on the phone, when we walk out the door, maybe even before we go to bed at night. But they are just words. How often do we " show " people that we truly honor them?

What is love to you? Is it the words? Is it deeds? Is it gifts? Is it a hug? Is it a gesture?

One of the greatest gifts I ever received (and still cherish to this day) is an afghan my grandmother knitted for me. She was teaching me how to knit, and I actually started knitting this afghan myself. I guess I got distracted—I don't really remember—but she finished it for me and gave it to me for Christmas that year. I still have it . I'm guessing it's close to 40 years old. I still remember opening the gift that Christmas Eve. More importantly: I remember feeling loved . She put her heart into a gift for me.

I also remember one year, for my birthday, she gave me a photograph of her dog with a poem included. He had passed away and I was heartbroken about it. There were few pictures of him, but she chose one of the best ones and created a little frame for me. Again, I felt loved .

When my daughter was little, I would leave for work very early in the morning and I wouldn't get to see her until late in the day. If I went into her bedroom to kiss her goodbye, it would wake her up. I began the ritual of putting a lipstick kiss on a sticky note and hiding it in the house for her to find. I hoped that they would make her feel loved. My husband would tell me she'd wake up every morning and go looking for the little kiss I'd left her—gleefully coming to him when she'd find it. I found a pile of those "sticky note kisses" in a drawer a while back. To us, they represented a gesture of love.

It wasn't the act of receiving these little gifts that caused the love, but rather the love that went into the gift. I've received big expensive gifts in my life and I don't treasure them nearly as much as I do the afghan or the photo— or even as much as finding the pile of kisses. This week, a simple lunch and a bottle of maple syrup made me feel special. Why? Because thought went into those simple gestures.

Our world is missing this right now. It's missing love . We're so wrapped up in arguing over who is right and who is wrong. In all our years and with all our experiences we still haven't learned that there is no right or wrong, but rather just different . We struggle to accept the differences between us. We still haven't learned that the only thing that matters is love. Love will override fear, anger, and hatred EVERY SINGLE TIME.

When is the last time you felt loved? When is the last time you gave love?

If it were as simple as giving more love to turn this world around, would you do it? Where would you start? How would you start?

THEN WHY AREN'T YOU DOING IT?

This week, find a place to begin and start showing love ! Maybe it's a simple note stuck in a lunch bag or a sticky note kiss placed on a steering wheel. Whatever it is for you, whatever makes you smile and feel loved, give that feeling to someone else . You may not even realize the power of what you did for that person.

Let every person who crosses your path this week leave you better than how they came to you! You have the power to change anything—one interaction at a time! Spread LOVE! Not hate!

“You had the power all along my dear, you just had to learn it yourself.”
—Glinda, The Good Witch (The Wizard of Oz)

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Trust Your Inner Voice!

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:13:03 GMT

(Posted on September 28, 2020)

It's time to make a big decision . It could be changing jobs, changing relationships, or moving to a new location. What do we do? Whatever it is, we make decisions all day every day. Most of our decisions are relatively inconsequential—or so we think anyway.

What do we base those decisions on? Facts...or gut instinct?

Probably during the day most of our actions happen through gut instinct. We just do what feels right. So if we get up in the morning and the red dress makes us feel good, then that's what we wear. No facts are involved—just feelings and instincts. It seems to be a relatively inconsequential decision.

Then there are bigger decisions. Everything seems to be moving along smoothly in our lives and then out of the blue someone offers us another job. A good job; one you're sure you would enjoy and would bring you fulfillment. However, you like what you're doing now. This was unexpected. It's decision time !

This is where the facts come in. You make the T-Chart and list the positives and the negatives of each option. Now you have facts to work with—things you are 100% sure of. These charts help give you a clear direction you should take. Even with the logical option sitting in front of you, something inside your gut doesn't feel right. Your head and your "gut instinct" are not aligning.

So what do you do?

In my experience, things did not go well when I listened to the " facts " over my gut instinct. Would things have been better had I gone the other way? Who knows!

There is a big interest right now in natural medicine about gut health. There is even science out there suggesting that there is a second ( and even more powerful ) "brain" in our gut . The balance of this "brain" in our gut can affect our moods and even our health. It's quite an interesting topic with much to learn. What if this "brain" in our gut is actually a better decision-maker than our actual brain? When we use gathered information to make decisions, sometimes we're using someone else's "truths" that are based on their experiences. Maybe that resonates with us and maybe we just accept their "truths" as fact without looking into them any further. Someone else might come to another belief by using the same experiences and information. Who's wrong? Maybe no one. Maybe there is no wrong answer or wrong decision—just a different perspective. Regardless of the perspective or what we choose to believe, we'll all learn a different lesson.

So is there ever a wrong decision ? I don't think there are wrong decisions in our general, everyday lives. I think there are different directions and different learning experiences. I feel strongly that our gut knows the greater lesson. If we listen to that, then our lives will be more balanced and fulfilling.

The next time you need to make a big decision, try to go with your gut! Don't listen to facts, figures, or that handy dandy T-Chart— listen to your inner voice. It will never let you down!

“Never discredit your gut instinct. You are not paranoid. Your body can pick up on bad vibrations. If something deep inside of you says something is not right about a person or situation. Trust it.
—Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Drop the Drama!

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:13:02 GMT

(Posted on September 21, 2020)

Take a moment and think back on the story of your life.

Usually when I do this, I can only come up with one word to describe my life: " BORING "! Not much to report. Grew up, went to school, learned to drive, got a job, got married, bought a house, had a baby, created a life and got old. Yep, boring stuff!

But there were individual moments in there that were, at least to me , filled with drama and excitement. There were also moments in there that left me remorseful and deeply pained. I'm sure parents out there will agree with me that the day you hold your child in your arms is a pretty drama-filled and exciting day. Watching them grow and achieve success is their life is thrilling. You want the best for them, and you hope that you've worked hard enough as a parent to ensure that they have the life they want. You weigh your decisions, each and everyone of them , so that your child had only good experiences!

BUT WAIT ! They didn't have entirely good experiences. As you're watching them live their lives, you can clearly see where you might not have made the best decisions.

This came up pretty clearly to me this week when a close friend was making the agonizing decision to put down their beloved dog. Their child is the same age as my daughter was when we lost our first dog. The situations were similar in that the dog was with us before the child. Our dog was our child. Losing her was traumatic for my husband and me, and we attempted to shield our daughter by doing what we felt was the best decision at the time.

I asked my daughter about that event in light of what my friend was dealing with. I was looking to get her adult perspective on this difficult moment in our past. She told me something that made me realize there was absolutely no "good" decision here. No matter what I had done, it would have left her with some residual trauma. There was no "perfect" answer, regardless of what we would have decided.

So if there are no perfect answers—no matter how hard we try—that also means that our parents and generations before them had the same dilemma we now face. I often hear people toss "blame" toward the past for the way their life is now, but is that fair? Do we truly understand where someone was at when they made the decisions they made? Do we truly understand what past experience they had that might have influenced them to choose the path they did?

This is where we can choose to create drama or we can choose to accept what happened as something that helped us to grow, learn, and maybe make a different choose later in our life. Nothing that ever happens to us has to be viewed as a mistake, but rather should be viewed as a guidepost that moves us to another level of learning.

Back to the loss of a pet. We choose to be honest with our daughter about the loss of Kelly, our dog. She was a golden retriever, she was 17, and we loved her dearly. It was her time. We explained that and allowed our daughter to say her goodbyes, but did not allow her to be part of the euthanasia process. We felt she was too young. She remembers this vividly, and it's a very painful emotion for her.

When I was a child, my grandmother had a dog that I loved. He was literally my best friend growing up. When I could drive, I'd go over there just to take him for a ride. I loved him dearly. One day I returned home from work and was told he was gone; that they had taken him to the vet that day. I was never given the opportunity to say goodbye or to hold him while he passed. I believe that everyone wanted to shield me from the pain and that the motivations of everyone involved was of the best intent. However, I carry sadness and guilt for not being with him. I've chosen, as a result of that, to never allow another animal of mine to pass alone if it's within my power. Was this event a mistake in my life? NO it was motivation to help me do better in the future.

If you are stuck in your life—be it a relationship or a job— ask yourself about what part of your past is keeping you there. What belief system did you develop earlier in your life that is keeping you stuck? Do you believe you don't deserve health, wealth, love, or joy? Why? Dig deep. Listen to your inner voice. What makes you afraid to change, or afraid to let go of an old belief system?

Remember to dig deep. Remember that nothing was a mistake. It happened to you to get you where you are today. AND, where you are today is YOUR CHOICE . Your choice alone! This is not about blame. No one is to blame for the choices they made. Our parents are not what is causing us a problem in our life now. We are are own problem -- as well as our own solution .

Look at your life and pay attention to patterns: strong beliefs and events that produce strong emotion. These are the things you need to work on—the things that need healing. They are also your tools; ones given to you so that you can use them to create good in the world and to change your future.

Don't let your tools go unused. Find them, be grateful for them, and use them for the greater good!

“Most people I know live their lives moving in a constant forward direction, the whole time looking backward.”
― Charles Yu, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Rise Up

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:13:00 GMT

(Posted on September 14, 2020)

This week carried with it an enormous amount of emotion. September 11, 2001 and the days and weeks surrounding it were some of the most profound in my life. Every year as the day approaches my heart aches for the lives lost that day. Senselessly lost. Lost because of hate.

I vividly remember the moment when the first plane hit the first tower. Then when the news came about the second plane -- and then the news about the pentagon. It's a vivid memory --- like it was moments ago . I still feel it in my body. I can put myself in my chair -- in my office hearing that news broadcast. I remember the exact project I was working on. I remember all my fellow co-workers gathering in my office as we listened to the news reports. Nothing else got done that morning. We sat in shock. We sat in fear. We sat in disbelief .

My daughter was 5. She was in kindergarten I couldn't wait to get home and hold her again and make sure she was safe. Many parents raced to the schools to pick up their kids and get them home to safety. Except we didn't really know what safety was. Those of you that lived it will remember. Likely, you remember as vividly as I do.

The next morning I stopped at WAWA to pick up my cup of coffee like I did every morning. This was typically around 5:15 am, so normally it was just hustle and bustle in there at that time. That morning there was a silence about it. I remember feeling an almost calmness about the air --- it was slower. Not in the sense that people weren't afraid. There most certainly was fear --- but there was also a stillness--like we were valuing the importance of the time we had. The gentleman in front of me paid for my coffee. I paid the for guy behind me.

I love the Alan Jackson song " Where were you when the world stopped turning ?" He sums up what so many of us where feeling that day, and he shows how we can, and should, carry hope in our hearts in situations like this. The human spirit rises to the occasion.

So now we fast forward and it's 2020. The year that keeps on giving. This one's been a challenge. Always when events that are this monumental occur there is negativity in the world. We can either focus on that, or focus on the positive. The events in 2001 tended to bond us together as a nation and as a people, whereas, the events happening now are pulling us apart and dividing us .

We cannot change world events --- however we can change how we react to them, and we can change how we treat others. We do not need to argue with someone who shares a differing point of view. That's ok. Let them have that viewpoint. We don't have to live in fear and in hate --- we can live in compassion an love. We can shake hands and "agree to disagree" --- and then every evening we can say our prayers that this world heals and the people in it heal.

We can act more like dogs! This weekend I took my dog to the dog swim down at Antietam Pool. She's a Saluki, and she traveled down in the car with her friend, who is a German Shepard. When they got to that pool, they played with the pugs, and the golden doodles and the terriers --- and even the little tiny yorkie (who had no problem keeping my girl in line �� ). They didn't stay together in little groups of dog breeds. They all played, and ran around and swam and had a great time together. They enjoyed life, the moment, and each other . Why can't we do that?

We can't change the world events --- but we can change the world if we just change ourselves.

This week, breathe -- love a little more -- show compassion -- don't argue -- shake hands! And, if you are wearing a mask --- smile under it. It shows in your eyes!

Let's turn this situation around --- let's take back our world! We got this --- TOGETHER!

“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” — Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl.

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Tick Tock

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:12:56 GMT

(Originally posted on September 7, 2020)

TIME
There are moments in life we want more of it . There are moments in life that it can't go fast enough. There are days that drag out-- running on forever --- and by contrast, those days and weeks that zip by before we know what happened.

Fact: time never really changes. It always moves at exactly the same pace. So why do we perceive it differently?

I had a friend, who is now since passed over. He was in in 80's and I had known him most of my adult life. Over the years we kept in touch, but didn't see each other regularly. Our conversations were always lively. He was a funny guy. He'd start and end every conversation the same way -- " Hello Sunshine " --- and at the end he'd tell me a joke. Usually an awful joke --- I'd roll my eyes and groan --- and then three hours later I'd find myself laughing at it . In the later years, our conversations revolved around him trying to learn how to navigate a personal computer ( this was always fun on my part ). This was an older man with the heart of a young person. Something he said to me always stuck in my head. " I feel like I'm 25, but I look in the mirror and wonder who that old guy is. " The thing was, he never saw himself get old, nor did he see his body having a difficult time. I did. I'd talk to him and hear the same man I knew when I was 20 --- but when I'd see him I'd see an old man, struggling and running out of time. Thing is, I'm sure he saw the same in me. He knew me as a child. Now I was a middle aged woman with a family --- wrinkles and gray hair ! (And most days I'm not sure who that person in the mirror is either. ��)

Time. We don't see it moving in our lives. We don't see the changes it's bringing with it. Sometimes we wish it away. Sometimes we want more of it.

2020 is such a prime example of this. I want this year to be over! I'm sure I can get an AMEN on that! But when I say this, I think of everything about this year that is driving me nuts. BUT --- what I'm not considering is that I'm missing moments of my life by wishing it away--simply because it's not like I think it should be. Maybe it's exactly like it needs to be. Maybe if I'd sit back and try and enjoy it for what it is , and see the beauty in it , I'd stop wishing these precious moments of my life away .

Years ago I read a piece by the amazing Erma Bombeck. I'm sharing some of it for you to enjoy. Here's a link to her reading it. “ If I had my life to live over...

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy and complaining about the shadow over my feet, I'd have cherished every minute of it and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was to be my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have burnt the pink candle that was sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored.

I encourage you to listen to her heartfelt reading of this, and see how much of it pertains to your life. What are you missing? What are you wishing away?

This morning before I wrote this, I already had an idea of what I was going to write about. It was early and I took the dog out for a walk. I paid attention to every detail. It was a cool morning. The sky was gorgeous. She really wanted to sniff this morning -- it must have smelled extra good. Then as I'm walking up the one street, past a house I walk by every day, I saw the the most amazing thing. As I was approaching the house it looked as if there were those small solar lights hanging from the tree in the front yard. It looked beautiful, I thought maybe they had had a party. But as I got closer it was actually spider webs running from the tree to the ground (tons of them) with the small leaves from the trees caught in them. With the sun shining thru the webs it looked like lights. It was beautiful. The homeowner came out and we talked a few minutes about it. He said he'd never, in the over 30 years they had lived there, ever seen this. He agreed it was beautiful, but then commented his daughter was terrified of spiders so he was pretty sure they wouldn't see her very soon. �� I wonder if I would have missed this beautiful display of nature if I hadn't been more present in the moment.

Are you giving moments away without squeezing every second out of it? Are you looking in the mirror and seeing an old person -- instead of a person who has lived and enjoyed every minute of life? Yes, there are 60 minutes to every hour for every person --- but not every person has the same amount of hours. Don't waste yours!

Carpe Diem --- "Sieze the day"

“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.”
― Erma Bombeck

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What happened to our excitement?

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:12:55 GMT

(Posted on August 24, 2020)

Earlier this week, a photograph of an old TV Guide page showed up on my Facebook feed. The caption was something about being able to watch endless cartoons on Saturday morning. Nowadays that's something we don't even think about . We can watch whatever we want, whenever we want—constant streaming is at our fingertips.

When I was growing up, Saturday mornings were amazing . We'd get up early simply because our favorite shows were on TV. We didn't watch TV very often, but this was special. Not to mention there were only about 5 channels, and you had to walk to the TV to actually dial them in. ��

Seeing that TV guide photo made me remember how I enjoyed paging through and seeing if there was anything interesting that week. It also made me think about how much things have changed since then. Similarly, how much I had changed.

Once upon a time, that TV Guide arriving in the mail was exciting. Christmas was exciting. Birthdays were exciting. Weekends were exciting. Life was exciting. There was so much to look forward to . Whether it was something happening during the weekend, a big holiday coming up, or going out to dinner—there were things to be excited about.

And then...things just weren't so exciting anymore.

The routine: We get up, we go to work, we cook dinner, we take care of the kids, we watch TV ( whenever and whatever we want ). We go out to eat frequently instead of on rare occasions and we have all the clothes we could ever need and more. What's left?

Is it possible that by giving ourselves all of our desires we've removed the fun and the joy out of life?

I think it is possible. We no longer have anything to look forward to, and so things become mundane. We do what we have to do—but without the excitement and joy.

How can we get that back?

The first step is to ask yourself: " W hat am I excited about today ?" If you can't think of anything then you have some work to do. Start by finding something simple and go from there. I'm writing this on a Sunday morning. Today, I'm excited that I will take my dog to play with her best friend. The two of them are always so happy to be together and they're always excited to play together. It makes both his owner and me so happy to see their joy. It's a simple thing. Sometimes the simple things are the special things . Now I have to say, I didn't really consider myself " excited " about doing this. It would just be something I would have done, but I changed my perspective and chose to be excited about it. Perspective changes everything. It's called "reframing!" Reframe your point of view!

So what can you change your perspective on? What can you "choose" to do instead of just mundanely doing? How will that change that thing or that moment in your life?

So when you're headed for work in the morning, try getting excited about it. You don't need to jump around and exclaim. Perhaps use the commute to jam out to a song you really love. What adventures are awaiting you as your Monday progresses? What challenges lie ahead? How can you make them work to your advantage? Where can you bring joy to someone? Where can you spread kindness?

Remember: Sometimes it's the simple things that mean the most! Someone else's joy might just be your joy too!!!!

Spread passion and purpose this week! Get excited and stay excited. Life is a beautiful adventure!

“Life is either a great adventure or nothing.”
—Helen Keller

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What a Coincidence!

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 20:07:50 GMT

(Posted on August 31, 2020)

Coincidence.
Serendipity.
Accident.
Random.
By chance.
DESTINY.

We meet by random chance. We strike up a conversation and instantly like each other . We feel connected and on the same page about everything— until we realize we have a very opposing point of view on one subject . Very opposing; completely opposite, in fact! How can this person we thought was so wonderful and so much like who we are believe something so totally ludicrous? It changes our opinion of them instantly. We can no longer even have a conversation with them because they believe differently than we do.

How many times has this happened to you? I believe in this "2020" environment we’re living in it happens a lot. We are so divided by the powerful and emotional events that are happening in our world that we cannot be involved with someone who feels differently than us.

it's very sad on so many levels. Families, friendships, and communities are torn apart. Everyone is arguing about “coming together,” yet we are getting absolutely no where near that possibility. This is a spiral downwards. If we don’t consciously, one by one , make a change then it will only get worse.

Every person that comes into our life is there for a reason and a purpose. They were not put there randomly but rather to help you grow on your journey. By shutting down an opposing point of view and refusing to love another because they don’t share your point of view, you may have just robbed yourself—and them—of a great gift.

If you believe in God, or the Universe, or whatever great power you do choose to believe in— do you believe that that power would want us divided ? Do you believe that it serves the greater good for us, as a people, to be divided? It serves a purpose, but I don’t believe it serves the “greater good” or the good of any of us on an individual level. It’s up to us to find our own personal truths. Maybe that person with that opposing point of view is a gift to help you see a bigger viewpoint!

There are no coincidences! Pay attention to what is coming up around you. Listen. Acknowledge. It doesn’t mean you need to believe . If you keep hearing the same thing then maybe you do need to listen! However, sometimes there are toxic viewpoints that you should never acknowledge or respect. Remember: human rights and lives are NOT an opinion.

Everything that crosses our path is something we need to pay attention to. Open your mind, open your heart. We are all human beings on a journey together. Let's remember that and not let differences be the controlling forces in our life!

Let's take back our reality and live in love! Start by changing the person in the mirror!

“One must dig deeply into opposing points of view in order to know whether your own position remains defensible. Iron sharpens iron.”
—Pamela Collins

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Go Ahead— Imagine It!

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 14:58:52 GMT

(Posted on August 17, 2020)

When I was little I would put myself to sleep at night by telling myself a story. It would usually involve something that I wanted or something I hoped for . I would see it clearly in my mind's eye. I could visualize it and feel how I was going to feel when it came to fruition. Then I would fall asleep— sometimes actually dreaming about the little story I told myself.

As I got older, I stopped doing this. Television became my method of going to sleep. The images on the screen soon replaced the images in my mind's eye. Little did I know, I was inadvertently shutting down the "power of my imagination!"

For most of us, imagination is something that kids use. We love to watch them playing and using their imagination; watching them create worlds out of Legos or cities out of sidewalk chalk. We smile while watching them—remembering the times when our imaginations were that powerful.

When did we lose the simple pleasure of imagination? Why did we lose it? I remember imagining as a child that I had a little battery-operated car that I could toot around the backyard and go where ever I wanted. ( In the back yard of course !) I also had a telephone in my small car so I could call home and let mom know where I was. ( I know, I'm laughing too! Our yard wasn't all that big. ) At the time, that kind of car did not exist. Someone else must have also imagined it because they created it. Children of today no longer need to imagine it—it's a reality for them.

Nikola Tesla, one of the world's greatest inventors, was well-documented as having used his imagination to create his very complex scientific creations. Tesla could visualize his work in great detail. He imagined complex rotating machinery, electric currents, magnetic fields, and how all these things would interact together before he would even begin manufacturing the technology!

The following quote is Telsa speaking on his imagination:

“I soon discovered that my best comfort was attained if I simply went on in my vision further and further, getting new impressions all the time and so I began to travel; of course, in my mind. Every night (and sometimes during the day), when alone, I would start on my journeys – see new places, cities, and countries; live there, meet people and make friendships and acquaintances.

This I did constantly until I was about seventeen, when my thoughts turned seriously to invention. Then I observed to my delight that I could visualize with the greatest facility. I need no models, drawings or experiments. I could picture them all as real in my mind… I do not rush into actual work. When I get an idea, I start at once building it up in my imagination. I change the construction, make improvements and operate the device in my mind. It is immaterial to me whether I run my turbine in thought or test it in my shop.”

The term imagination comes from the Latin verb imaginari , meaning "to picture oneself."

So if imagination is truly this powerful, then stop for a minute and think about what you are imagining—o r not imagining . What if we were to all go to sleep at night and imagine a healthy, vibrant, and happy world? What if we were to imagine prosperity for all? What if we were to imagine happiness, equality, and love for all?

This week, let's spend some time harnessing the power of our imaginations. Take a few minutes every day and imagine the life you want for yourself and your family. Visualize it. Feel it. Ask yourself: "What is it going to feel like when this happens?" Truly take time to feel pleasure in the events you have created. Try imagining something special for someone you care about. Don't forget to feel how it feels when it all comes together!

What do you have to lose?

Have an amazing, imagination filled week!!!

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.”

—Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Sincerely,

Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Change Your Paradigm

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:38:51 GMT

(Posted on August 3, 2020)

PARADIGM — a standard, perspective, or set of ideas.

A paradigm is a way of looking at something.

When you change paradigms , you're changing how you think about something.

(Vocabulary.com)

The motto behind Nutrition Response Testing™ is #changetheparadigm . Why? Because sometimes it seems like our society as a whole is getting sicker and sicker, yet our knowledge of the human body is greater than it has ever been. Why, with all of our knowledge, do we still struggle to give medical answers to those who need them?

Many of the patients who come through our doors feel like they have been failed by the medical system. Most have struggled with symptoms for years—and are often left without answers for what is causing them. We have heard stories about patients being shuffled around from specialist to specialist, racking up medical debts with nothing to show for it. They are sick, tired, and desperate for answers. Why haven't they been able to find help within the system that was designed to help them?

In cases like these, sometimes we need to find a way to " Change the Paradigm " and do something different. That's why supportive care like Nutrition Response Testing™ exists.

This concept obviously applies to our health, but also to our lives in general. Have you ever stopped to think about all the " paradigms " in your life?

Our paradigms, or perspectives, are way more complex than we realize. The views we have set for ourselves will influence the decisions we make, our ethics, and how we think other people ought to view the world. H ow can we be sure our values and beliefs are true and accurate?

Let's use the statement, " the Earth revolves around the sun, " as an example. We've been taught this fact since day one. Once a theory, it is now understood to be " true " based on research and evidence that supports it as a fact . It's a "true paradigm." A " false paradigm " would be the belief that the Sun revolves around the Earth. While both theories could explain why we have cycles of night and day—and both account for the movement of the Sun and moon across the sky— only one of these theories can be supported by the facts .

There was a time in human history where we believed that the Earth circled the Sun. It took brave and courageous scholars to stand up against the status quo and challenge this belief. Despite the mathematical theories in support of a Sun-centered solar system, it still took centuries until the truth took hold.

The scholars who supported a Sun-centered system were ridiculed—their research condemned—and yet they stood true to the mathematics before them. Without these astronomers, our modern world may have developed much differently. Granted, folks of the past had comparably inferior technology to that which we have today. They did the best with the resources that were available to them. Regardless, when faced with new information the public refused to open themselves to the idea of an entirely new way of understanding the world.

Basing our core beliefs on a "false paradigm" could have a variety of damaging effects on our societies and the futures we build for our children. By continuing to believe in "false paradigms" despite facts, we are restraining the development of the world around us.

What do you firmly believe? Sit and ponder it for a minute . Personally, I know there are many things that I believe very strongly— many of which have changed over the year s. Admittedly, there was a period of my life when I was unwilling to consider certain " facts " as anything other than the absolute truth. That was a time of my life when I was idealistic and I believed that the world could be perfect. Time taught me differently. Time made me realize I needed to be open to the possibility that the things I've believed my entire life could be wrong . That's a hard one to swallow because it shakes up our paradigm—our standard. If the Earth really does revolve around the Sun and not the other way around, then what does that mean?

What if I'm wrong?

In order to create lasting change in our lives and in our world, we need to consider the " what if's" in life. What if there's more that I have not learned yet? What then? What if the core beliefs I was taught as a child are no longer true?

Be a voice —a strong, loving voice. One that can consider new perspectives and is always open to the possibility of something more. We live in an incredible time: the age of information . There is no excuse for ignorance anymore. Educate. Learn. See. Grow. Hear stories from the people who have lived them. Listen to a good podcast or an interesting TED Talk. Explore somewhere new. Only when we open our eyes can we see the light!

Be open this week to a new idea—any new idea. Ponder it, read about it, listen to another point of view and think about the "what if's." If we are going to shift the paradigm and make the world a better place for everyone, we need to start with a willingness to be open to something that may rattle our reality!

Have a great week. Remember: do all things with great love!

( PROTIP : TED Radio Hour is a wonderful podcast, and is a fantastic resource for shifting your perspective. You can listen to episodes for FREE here , or through music streaming services like Spotify.)

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect.”
—Mark Twain

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Staying Grounded!

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 13:27:27 GMT

(Posted on July 27, 2020)

Ever have one of those days? Days where it feels like the pigeons are using you for target practice?

I had one of those days this past Wednesday. Murphy's Law: anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. The best laid plans just weren't working. Things that I had done numerous times before— having worked well before— were not working this time. As the day went on, things just kept compounding.

By the time the day was over and I finally sat down, I had to laugh . It was so unbelievable that it was almost hysterical.

David Hawkins wrote a book called Letting Go, in which he describes how our body's vibrations respond to how we react to certain situations. My reactions to each negative event would be reflected in how *I* was vibrating in that moment. Ultimately, we should have a " take it as it comes" attitude about most events. We should not react in anger or any other type of lower vibration emotion. Keep steady, strong, and grounded—regardless of what's happening around us. More importantly, know that whatever happens is for our own greater good.

So how do we master that skill? I feel almost like laughing while I'm writing this because " to master " seems like an impossible task. We're human beings, regardless of what we " know ." We are going to have days that try our patience, our sanity, and our resolve to stay grounded.

Wednesday was that day for me. It was a challenge. I recognized that I was off-center and losing myself in the events of the day. I also realized that if I didn't find a way to re-center myself, this day was going to continue getting worse. Frankly, I'd had enough already.

So when I had a moment to quiet myself and relax, I began laughing . At nothing; at anything . Laughter seems to be a good starting point because if you step yourself out of what happened and look at it third person, it truly is funny! Now I'm not going to tell you that it was that simple to regroup myself—it wasn't. As a matter of fact, I believe that all the events of that day affected my physical body as well. My body wasn't happy either.

Keeping ourselves centered and grounded in the face of adversity is not easy. It is a challenge each and every one of us faces everyday. It could be something simple, or it could be something more difficult like a suppressive force in your life— perhaps someone who knows how to find your buttons and repeatedly push them. When that is happening, it can be very challenging to find your center and stay there. This is something we need to consciously work on everyday. If we don't, it will affect our happiness, our joy, our purpose, and our physical well being as well .

Are you letting the events of your world weigh on you? Are you letting a suppressive force in your life keep you from living your best life? Are you struggling to find your center and stay there? At what vibration are you reacting to the events of your life? What can you do to raise your vibration to a more positive, loving one?

There is not a one size fits all solution here. It is, by no means, a universally simple process to re-center yourself. In this instance I used laughter, meditation, and yoga. That helped, but I had to continue it over the next several days. I gave my body and mind what it needed and asked for. I had to accept and forgive myself for getting thrown off balance. More importantly now that my mind is clear and I recognize my responses to these events in the past, I need to do whatever was necessary to regain that center.

So if you see me this week and my hair's a little grayer, now you know why! ��

Take note this week of how you are reacting to situations in your life, and pay attention to how your physical body is reacting. Find some tools to help you when you feel yourself getting stressed, anxious, angry, etc. It could be deep breathing. It could be a walk or a hike. It could be indulging in some pet therapy. It could be laughter. Whatever works for you! What helps one person may not necessarily be successful for you. The times we are in right now are challenging for us all, which makes it even more crucial that we work on self grounding. We need to stay mindful and sane so that we may help bring peace and love back into the world!

Have a great week everyone!!! Stay strong—we've got this!

“Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing.”
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Reprogram Yourself! It's Time!

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:22:01 GMT

(Posted on July 20, 2020)

Do you remember the first 5 years of your life? Anything? Anything at all? I’ve sat here and thought about it and I can’t think of one thing I remember from that time. Even if I heard stories, I don’t remember it.

What’s interesting is during those first five years, our brain is logging data and creating patterns of belief that we will utilize throughout our entire lives. So, as a parent— and from the perspective of a parent —let’s look at the things we tell our children during those first five years.

"I'm so proud of you."— Well we are, right? Our kids did something great, they worked hard, or they shined. We're so full of respect and admiration for their achievement that we tell them how " proud" we are of them.

**BUZZER SOUND**

Yep that is not great programming . What we taught them, or programmed in them, was to always live up to our expectations of them. We didn't teach them that they were successful on their own right, but we made them responsible to live up to our expectations.

"Don't cry, everything will be okay!"— Ah, we hate to see the child cry. It makes us feel bad, especially if they are hurting over something serious. If they are just crying over something they didn't get or when they didn't get their way, it drives us nuts. So we tell them "don't cry."

**BUZZER SOUND**

Again, what have we programmed in that unconscious mind? We've told them crying is not ok. Bottle up your emotions, don't let them out, don't show them to others. This is especially problematic when raising boys. The problem is that crying IS absolutely necessary for mental and physical health. Sometimes if we can't find a way to let out the emotion—or we hold on to the emotion—it is going to affect our physical bodies. Instead of encouraging the child not to cry or express their emotion, encourage them to let it out and offer them a hug. Or sit and hold them while they cry. Allow them to feel, help them work through their pain, and teach them that feelings are HEALTHY.

There are a plethora of other comments that we use unconsciously. We think we are encouraging or helping, when really we are setting up programming that will affect the lives of our children— and their children!

I was listening to a short talk by Les Brown . I've included a link to a 10 minute talk he gives that really explains well what I'm trying to say here. He talks about the programming that's done to us, unintentionally , by well-meaning people. He talks about the programming that continues throughout our lives— every single day of our life —through social expectations, the people around us, the media, our educational sources, etc. This programming keeps us stuck, and living in unhealthy cycles.

We need to recognize the programming. We need to look at our self talk, and change that so that we may rewrite the programs that have been implanted in us. Then we can find what our purpose is, and live that purpose . As Horace Mann said, "We should be ashamed to die unless we've made some major contribution to humankind." If we live within the parameters of the our programming— will we make that contribution ? Will we live the life that's full, happy, joyful, and full of purpose? Will we bring light and love to the people we care about most?

I learned an interesting story about Sylvester Stallone and the movie Rocky . Who doesn't know that movie ? Turns out Sylvester Stallone wrote the original script for the movie. He was a starving actor at the time. His intent was to sell the story and play the role of the main character. He tried selling the script to multiple studios and was apparently offered some large sums of money— but he was not given the leading role. He decided he was ok being poor, and would hold out until he could play the role. He, as we all know, did eventually sell the script and get the leading role but the script was sold at far less then the original offerings. He could have chosen to get himself out of poverty by taking one of the earlier offers, but he held on to his dream and achieved even greater success than he could have imagined.

Are you holding on to your dreams? Or has your programming been preventing you from achieving those goals? Are those unconscious programs being reinforced daily by what you are exposed to? Are you being programmed to fail? To be poor? To be unhealthy? To be fearful?

**BUZZER SOUND**

STOP! Take one small step today to redefine who you are and what you want to do with the gift of a life you've been given. Are you surrounded by people that are bringing you down or lifting you up? Do you realize that you will become, over time, the people that you associate with? Are the people you are associating with people you admire or people you strive to be like? Think about it, because you will ultimately head where your tribe heads !

Define your goals, define your purpose, define what's holding you back from achieving those goals and finding your purpose! Then change it! It's within your power. Programs can be rewritten; you just have to understand what's driving you before you can do that!

This week, begin living a life of purpose and joy! Take five minutes every morning and imagine the life of your dreams. It's all within your reach!

“You are what you are and where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change what you are and where you are by changing what goes in your mind.”
—Zig Ziglar

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Power of Forgiveness!

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 14:04:47 GMT

Posted on July 13, 2020

"Forgiveness."

On October 2, 2006, a gunman walked into an Amish school in Nickle Mines, Pennsylvania. He took the school hostage, shot 8 girls between the ages of 6-13—killing 5 of them—before he committed suicide.

What a senseless act of terror and hatred . I remember sitting in my office and hearing the news and feeling absolutely horrified. My daughter was 10 years old at the time—and in school.

What followed from the Amish community was truly amazing.

On the day of the shooting, a grandfather of one of the murdered Amish girls was heard telling people not to hate the killer, saying, " We must not think evil of this man. " Another father stated, " He had a mother and a wife and a soul and now he's standing before a just God ." A gentleman named Jack Meyer said, "I don't think there's anybody here that wants to do anything but forgive and not only reach out to those who have suffered a loss in that way, but to reach out to the family of the man who committed these acts."

And that's what they did. They publicly forgave the gunman and reached out to his family—taking them under their wing. Amazing !

The gunman's family stated how Amish community members reached out and extended forgiveness to them. There was a story of one Amish man who sat with the gunman's sobbing father in his arms, reportedly for as long as an hour, to comfort him.

A truly astonishing act of forgiveness!

I remember talking about this event with people, saying that I wasn't sure I'd have that amount of compassion in me to forgive as readily as they did. Would you?

Forgiveness is such a hard thing to understand. This is an extreme case I'm citing here, but the power to forgive was there within the Amish people in part because of their strong belief system.

When we look at an event like this—and then we look at the things that we are not able to forgive—they tend to pale in comparison (in most cases). What events from your past are you holding onto that you have not forgiven? Are you angry with your parents because you were abused, physically or emotionally? Are you angry with your siblings because you felt that "they had it better than you?" Are you angry with an ex-spouse or partner because—well... just because? Are you angry with an ex-employer because you were "wronged?"

What is that "thing" you are holding onto? What is it that you can't let go of?

What if you were to forgive it? What exactly does it mean to forgive?

Suppose you're angry with your parents because you believe that they emotionally berated you as a child. Maybe they were telling you you weren't good enough, so you decided you weren't and you've been a "failure" ever since. That's their fault, right ? If they would have treated you differently, you would be successful and life would be different. So you hold a grudge. You can't forgive them for ruining your life.

Who are you really hurting here? Not them. Their life was, and is, going to be what they choose it to be. Guess what? So is your life! You have taken their words, implanted them in your subconscious and you've become that. However, if you would choose to forgive them of that injustice, you may untie yourself from those words, become a stronger person, and lead a more fulfilling life. Most of the time, people do not realize the impact of their words and their actions on others. Many times things are said in the heat of a moment that are not designed to destroy another, but are said in reaction to something else. However, those words or actions cause invisible pains in another person. There is not one person on this planet who has not experienced this. There is not one person who has not been given the opportunity to choose understanding and forgiveness over hatred, revenge, or indifference.

I struggled often with understanding what forgiveness was exactly. I could say I forgive, but occasionally something would pop up and remind me of a moment in which a strong emotion would again flare. When I think of this Amish community, I know they said they forgave the man. They certainly acted as if they had. I'm sure, though, there were dark moments when those thoughts returned to them and they had to consciously work on forgiving. I believe forgiveness is a process. It might take years to fully forgive. It might rear its ugly head until the end of your days. You might have to consciously offer forgiveness everyday, and you may have to act as if you have forgiven everyday. You know what? That's ok .

I always questioned when I would know that I had actually forgiven a perpetrator. If you've ever read Dannion Brinkley's books, he talks about his near death experience. He was able to experience all he did in his life from the perspective of the other person or persons involved. ( He was not a nice person {his words} prior to this experience.) So , he was able to feel the emotions of the people he hurt and everyone affected by his actions. He said it was truly a form of "Hell. "

I believe I truly forgave in the moment I did not wish for the other person to feel my pain. That's when I knew I had let it go.

When I had let it go, I had untied and released myself from that person and that event. It no longer controlled me, and I could move forward with love and compassion. I also found that as I learned to forgive it becomes progressively easier and easier to do—simply because I enjoy the feeling of peace I have when I am not carrying the burden of an unforgiving heart.

This week, work on your forgiveness skills! Let it Go!
Move forward in love! Make the ties that bond you ties of love and compassion, not those of anger!

“LIFE is an adventure in forgiveness.”
—Norman Cousins

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Promote a More Positive Reality!

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 16:20:58 GMT

(Posted on July 6, 2020)

REALITY : The totality of real things and events.
FAITH: A firm belief in something of which there is no proof.

Where does reality come from ? Well, likely from things we observe, things we feel, things we've learned, and things we've experienced. Those are real. The Earth is round; our planet circles the sun, etc.

Where does faith come from? Faith is our belief in things that have no concrete proof behind them. We're taught to have faith and to not question reality.

So, reality is really faith isn't it?

We have faith that what we were taught in school is real. We learned history by studying it in school. We trusted teachers— who learned from their trusted teachers — who taught us all we needed to know. Not only did they teach us about history, mathematics, literature, etc., they taught us how to " live life;" how to create a family, work a career, and function as an adult.

It's all written down in textbooks and carried forward from generation to generation. The basic teachings are the same. (Although they did decide there's a new way to do math --- and those of us older folks still can't figure that one out! ��) But the basics are the same.

We have faith that the realities of everything we're being taught is true.
But WHAT IF none of it is true?

What if reality as we know it is NOT what it seems?

I know we're getting crazy here, but humor me . Sometimes we get so caught up in our opinions, or in what we've been taught, that we cannot see anything else around us.

Case in point : Richard Wiseman is a well known author on "Luck." He wrote about why some people are lucky and why some people are not. When writing his books, he did a few very interesting experiments. (*Note: He had his groups divided into what he called the " Lucky " and the " Unlucky.")

Experiment 1 : Both groups were given a newspaper. They were asked to look through the paper and count the photographs. The majority of the "unlucky" people took an average of 2 minutes to count the photos, whereas, the "lucky" were finished in just seconds. Why? Because the second page of the newspaper contained the message “Stop counting – there are 43 photographs in this newspaper.” This message took up half the page and was written in type that was over two inches high. No one should have missed it, yet the "unlucky" were so focused on counting photos that they never saw it.

Experiment 2 : Halfway through the newspaper he placed a second ad. This one said: “Stop counting, tell the experimenter you have seen this and win $250.” Again, unlucky people missed that opportunity because they were busy looking for photographs.

They found that what they considered to be "unlucky" people were typically anxious. When given a task to complete, they became so focused on the task they could see nothing else. They did repeated experiments on this. The book is called "The Luck Factor" by Richard Wiseman. I have not read this, but this material was referenced in something else I was reading.

Is the reality we've been taught and conditioned to believe actually REAL? I'm questioning this simply because of the state of the world we're living in. There is so much negativity out there. Or is there? Or are we being conditioned to see ONLY THAT?

WHAT IF we choose to look at the other point of view—objectively?
WHAT IF we stepped out of our truth and take the time to learn about something other than our perceived truth?
WHAT IF we focused our realities on the good in the world?
WHAT IF we smiled more? Maybe it might inspire someone else to smile more.
WHAT IF we weren't living in fear? Maybe we could help others stop living in fear.
WHAT IF we choose love? Maybe others could also see that love is more powerful than hate.

WHAT ARE WE FOCUSING ON? Is it stopping us from having the reality we truly want?

What can we do to collectively change our realities?
Question everything.
Shut the news off sometimes and focus on what is right in front of you.
Stop supporting anything that promotes anger, hatred, and inequality.
Smile.
Promote small kindnesses. Hold the door for a stranger.
Look around your world and be part of your world. Focus on what you can actually see.

The only way we can change this current state of reality is together. We need to bond together. We need to stay solid, strong, and with love. Together, we are an unstoppable force. Divided, we are one against another.

THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN WE CHANGE THE WORLD—TOGETHER!

“Change your conception of yourself and you will automatically change the world in which you live. Do not try to change people; they are only messengers telling you who you are. Revalue yourself and they will confirm the change.”
—Neville Goddard

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: "It's the real thing!"

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 19:40:09 GMT

(Posted on June 29, 2020)

Whaaaat?

Yep, probably some of you are thinking she fell off her rocker. There are others of you that are old enough, and you're singing too!!!! Well if truth be told, I might be off my rocker —but I AM singing!

So let's start by explaining to anyone who doesn't know the reference. In 1971, Coca-Cola's tagline was " It's the Real Thing. " A few of the advertising execs that handled the Coca-Cola account were stuck in an airport on a forced layover. Apparently there was quite a bit of unrest, as often happens when plans are disrupted. The next morning however, these execs noticed that there were fellow travelers hanging out, talking, joking and drinking a Coke. One of the execs wrote the line, " I'd like to buy the world a Coke, " on a napkin and shared it with British hit songwriters Cook and Greenaway. This duo had previously written a song called " True Love and Apple Pie, " which they adapted into the " I'd like to buy the world a Coke" jingle . From that they created the iconic " Hilltop " TV commerical. This is still, to this day, listed as one of the best commercials ever recorded. It's been duplicated throughout the years, and even re-recorded in later years with many of the same actors and actresses and their families. How cool is that ?

This song crossed my path this week. I thought to myself how interesting it was that in 1971 this TV Commercial was promoting peace, unity and love through a very simple pleasure. It showed the world, regardless of differences, able to enjoy a moment of unity over something so simple.

Could it be that easy?

Well let's look back. We tend to look at the past with rose colored glasses. We see only the good. We look at this commercial and see unity and love . But 1971 and that time frame was not unity and love. Racial tensions were high, there were riots, protests, and innocent people being harmed or killed.

1971 was not a bunch of happy humans of all races, religions and backgrounds standing on a hill drinking a Coke.

Nearly 50 years later...not much has changed!

Is it worse or is it better? In some ways I think it's a little of both. But you can only see that if you lived during that time frame. You would only be able to gauge the level of improvement based on what you have lived through. I remember being small and hearing my parents and grandpa rents talk about world events—feeling the fear they felt. The fear they felt for the world they were living in, and the world their children were growing up in. They were concerned about the economy and how we'd survive; they were concerned for our safety. Would you be safe living out in the world on your own? What if Russia dropped the bomb? What would we do?

Generations that hadn't lived through that just laugh at us. That didn't happen, and it wasn't going to happen. But they didn't live it, and they don't realize how the fear of the unknown was genuine and real. 49 years later—we're still at it!

We need to do something different! Maybe we need to buy the world a Coke! Maybe we need to stand on a hilltop, hold hands, and stop the fighting! Maybe we need unity!

After this song crossed my path this week, this video showed up on my Facebook feed. Take a moment and watch both of these. The message is real, the message is right. Let's not keep doing the same thing. Let's do something different, and this time let's make a change for the betterment of all humanity!

This week try to make a difference! Live in unity, peace and love! Take a conscious moment to support equality, love, and life. Let's stop hating so that in 50 years when we look back at 2020, we don't remember the riots or the hatred— but we remember the moment that everything shifted and we truly made a difference!

"It's essential for us to raise our voices in empowerment and love for one another."
-- Emmanuel Henreid (Onry)

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Reprogram Your Brain!

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 18:34:16 GMT

(Posted on June 22, 2019)

On Saturday morning I got up, had some breakfast and coffee, and was sitting reading the news. For some reason I also felt like having a cup of hot tea, so I heated some water on the stove and made a cup. I then received a phone call and had to leave the house quickly. I got in the car and by the time I got to the bypass it hit me : I wasn't sure I had turned off the stove . But surely, I did. If I did not, and if the cat were to crawl on the counter she could burn her paws. Suddenly I am panicked. I am sure I turned it off – but what if I did not? Has this ever happened to you? (PS: Stove was off.)

This is what we commonly refer to as an OCD. I am frequently worried that I’ve forgotten to turn off electrical appliances. It will usually pop into my brain when I am at a point where I cannot—or it would be extremely inconvenient—to turn back around and check. Even when I have turned around to check, the appliance is almost always turned off.

I suspect that everyone has something like this. For some the OCD could be checking to make sure the doors are locked; or even perhaps a compulsion to put things in order. When these things get out of control, or we become too obsessive over something, it becomes harmful to us. It can be so overwhelming that it will control aspects of our life and could actually keep us from enjoying— or living life —to the fullest.

We all have two minds: the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind controls things we are consciously aware of happening or doing. We decide to take a run and we consciously make our bodies run, or we consciously will decide to make a cup of tea. Our unconscious mind runs programs in the background. That background program turns off the stove, because that is what we do after the water is hot.

Our unconscious mind contains millions of memories and operates flawlessly. It has been programmed over years and years, both intentionally and unintentionally. It is like a supercomputer; unlike any man-made computer we have on earth. It has been loaded with a huge number of complex programs—many of them necessary for survival. But then there are other programs that are obsolete or counterproductive ( like my obsession with turning off electrical devices ) that have been unintentionally programmed in there. How did this happen? At some point I most likely left something on and was either told ( or told myself) that I could have caused a fire. That caused fear, which caused my brain to never leave the house without turning off all electrical devices . When I have not consciously made a note that I turned something off then my unconscious mind will remind me, cause me to panic (more fear), and strengthen the hold that program has on me.

What do you do to stop this? Reprogramming a computer is a complex job. So that means re-programming our minds is going to be a process too. The first step would be to recognize it. The second is to take action to change it. Your unconscious mind was programmed one way. You certainly have the power to program it another way.

I just began reading “ The Genie Within ” by Harry Carpenter . This is a phenomenal resource to begin learning about your unconscious mind and the power it has over you, as well as giving you tools to begin the reprogramming process. If you are going to get this book, I highly recommend that you consider the audible version. He has exercises for you to use at the end of each chapter.

Sometimes we are sabotaging our own efforts and not even realizing it. In the beginning of the book, he has a little parable that I would like to share which I believe does a great job of bringing the point home.

"When he was just a boy the old man heard a story of a woman who found a corked bottle on the beach. When she pulled the cork from the bottle, she imagined a genie had come out. The genie granted the woman all her wishes. The old man spent his life searching for his own bottle with a genie in it. He combed the beaches of every continent. Because of his obsession he never made lasting relationships or held a job for long. He was an unhappy man. One day on a beach near his home he found the bottle he had been looking for. For a reason unknown to him he felt there was a genie inside. Corks in other bottles where hard to pull out but this one slipped out easily. Out of nowhere a genie appeared. The genie said to the old man “I am here to grant you whatever you want." 'Whatever I want' replied the old man. 'Well' said the genie, almost anything. 'Since you are old and have never been in politics it’s unlikely that you can become president of the United States. Nor do I think it’s wise to wish for spot on the Olympic basketball team, and I do not think you want anything taken at someone else’s expense. So no not everything. Still more than what you have dreamed of. Certainly enough to make you happy and peaceful.' The old man was ecstatic, then he became angry. 'Why has it taken me so long to find you? I could have accomplished so much had I found you when I was young.' 'Ah master' said the Genie, 'but I have been with you all along. I was not in that bottle; I have been with you and granting your wishes all of your life. Remember when you were six, and you wished your father would pay more attention to you. You cut your finger, that was no accident. Your father washed the cut and held you. Remember? There was the time you took the CPA exam. You kept telling me you were not smart enough to be a CPA and you were not worthy to make enough money as a CPA. Remember how you froze during the exam. You got your wish. Because you were not aware, I was granting you wishes' continued his genie 'your wishes often hurt you. Sometimes the wishes were not even yours they came from parents, teachers, friends and yes often from TV ads. I am glad you found me, now you will make wishes that are heartfelt and good, now we can work together. Together we can stay healthy, find peace, and enjoy the richness of life.'

Listen to your self-talk this week and see where you might have programmed some “unhelpful” self-talk. Begin re-writing your story !

“Remember, you have the capacity to choose. Choose life! Choose love! Choose health!”
― Joseph Murphy, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Allure of the Past

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 18:52:19 GMT

(Posted on June 15, 2020)

The past is an alluring place . It carries with it all the events—good and bad—that made us who we are today. It carries memories; often times they are memories that are lost to us in the physical space of the present. A smell, a food, a breeze blowing threw a window curtain, a sound...they all hold spots in our heart. Hearing, seeing, or feeling those things again can instantly take us back to a place and time in our past.

A few weeks back the past came up for me again in an unusual way. I felt an odd sense of security, almost as if someone had wrapped me in a blanket and said "You're safe now." I think most of us long for that feeling of safety and security (especially during times like we're living in now) and it can easily trap you. It would be so easy to fall into that sense of security and head right on back to something that wasn't good at the time — and wouldn't be any better now.

So why do we romanticize the past? I'm not sure I understand the exact reason for it. Often, if you listen to people talk, you'll hear them say things like "I grew up in the 50's and it was just a perfect time." That, or the 70's were a slower and calmer time. "Families ate meals together, there was less technology, kids were nicer," etc. etc. etc. Are these things true? Perhaps they are, in some ways. But does this mean that there were no challenges during that time? Of course there were. Some of those challenges were definitely more difficult than today . I suspect we begin to romanticize the past when present day fears creep into our lives. The past is familiar, and the future is always unknown.

But if we were to sit down and make an objective list of all the " perfect " and " adverse " things of each time, and/or each situation in our life, I suspect we'd see things very differently. There is never anything that is completely perfect. We are going to have to nurture any choice we make,—whether it be a relationship, a career, or even a move to a new location. Everything will require our effort. The important thing to pay attention to is whether or not your choice is moving you forward or keeping you stuck in the past. Safety/security feels good, but it can be a trap that doesn't allow us to move forward.

So when this happened to me, I didn't see it for what it was initially. I became wrapped up in it, it felt good to think about the past and the time in which I felt safe. Then, as life often does, I was given the opportunity to see this from another point of view . By seeing another person going through a similar situation, I was able to see my situation much more clearly. I was given the gift of clarity; fortunately, I recognized it.

Does this happen to you? Are you trapped in the past? Are you romanticizing areas of your past? Do you want to go back?

If you are, it's time to take a moment and look at it for what it is. If you're longing to go back to something and leave the present, start by making lists. List all the great things about that time of your life (or relationship, or whatever it is for you). Focus on the great things for awhile . Then sit down and objectively focus on the the other side of the coin. What were the difficult things, or the challenges of that time frame? What else was going on during this time? Write them down. I kept paper with me and jotted them down as I thought about them. This is likely not something that will take 15 minutes, but could take several weeks or months. Regardless, take the time as necessary .

It's possible that returning to something in your past is a good thing for you. It's possible that you've grown and what seemed like a challenge at the time will be less of a challenge now. It's also possible that you will see you are romanticizing that time, and that it would not be a good thing for you to return to. Keep in mind, that know you are looking at the past with hindsight—something you did not have at the time.

This exercise can help us, once and for all, remove the bonds of the past that keep us from moving forward. That thing that we hold the "romantic" feeling about could possibly be the thing that keeping us stuck in the present—unable to achieve that beautiful and fulfilled future awaiting us.

Notice your conversations this week and what's coming up for you. It might just be something you need to pay attention to!

Have an amazing week, don't look back for too long!!!

“I have learned that if you must leave a place that you have lived in and loved and where all your yesteryears are buried deep, leave it anyway except a slow way, leave it the fastest way you can. Never turn back and never believe that an hour you remember is a better hour because it is dead. Passed years seem safe ones, vanquished ones, while the future lives in a cloud, formidable from a distance.”
— Beryl Markham

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: This little light

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 14:37:03 GMT

(Posted on June 8, 2020)

“ This Little Light of Mine ” is such a lovely song. Do you remember singing it as a kid? I do, for sure. As a matter of fact, there’s a funny story my grandmother used to recount. She taught Sunday School; on special occasions they would have the kids go up and sing a song to the congregation. So one time she told me " not to be shy" and sing loud enough for her to hear me. �� Bad thing to say to a kid who can’t carry a tune! Hopefully she wasn’t too embarrassed to tell people I was her granddaughter! After all I was just doing what she asked ! ��

It’s interesting that I’ve seen so many Facebook posts this week about light – shining the light – being the light; and then I woke up with this childhood song in my head and I couldn’t stop singing it. No worries, I’m doing it quietly this time!

I decided to look up the origins to the song. I think the history of it is a little unclear. Some records show it being written as a hymn as early as 1912. Because it was such a simple yet powerful song, it has been used over and over again in many types of situations— often as a non-violent weapon ! When you listen to the words and think about their meaning, “This Little Light of Mine” is more than a sing-a-long song. It’s a rallying cry about meeting the darkness in the world with unwavering hope.

So why did I wake up with it in my head? Probably because of events in the world. Probably because – regardless of stance taken on the situation – it feels as if darkness is overcoming the light . Violence and anger are overtaking our world. Everyone is angry no matter what your thoughts are on the current situation.

So what can we do? WHAT MUST WE DO ???? We first need to stop the anger, AND SHINE OUR LITTLE LIGHTS ! If every single one of us would become a light in the darkness, we can overtake this anger and injustice and turn it around. We may feel as if we don’t have power, but we do. It’s within us. If one small light can illuminate a dark room, imagine what hundreds and thousands of lights can do. Never underestimate your power and your power to change a situation.

How can we shine our lights and overcome this darkness? We can do it by not reacting in anger but reacting with love and compassion. Help someone. Reach out in the world, find someone in need and help them. Our world is filled with people truly in need, so let's take care of them. Let's show our humanity, our love, and our light by giving of ourselves. Shine, shine, shine!

And sing the song—loudly— even if you're off key ! (People might still be laughing about it 40 years later!) What better way than that to shine that little light of yours?

Thought I'd include a link to one version of this song! There were lots of great ones to choose from, but, I chose Bruce's version because who doesn't love a little Springsteen? ENJOY!

"This Little Light of Mine"

Have a great week! SHINE BRIGHT!

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
—Martin Luther King Jr.

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Where are you now?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:31:12 GMT

(Originally posted on May 4, 2020)

So how are you all doing? Looks like we're going to be self-quarantine for a bit yet, or at least according to what I'm reading. There is always and upside and a downside to every situation . Usually, the way you choose to perceive something will be the deciding factor in what you take out of any given scenario. In other words, are you going to grow or shrink because of this situation?

When I first graduated high school, I went to work for a company in my first " office job." The relationships I cherished while I was in school were falling by the wayside simply because my life had changed. I was concerned about different things and I had set different goals for myself. I was on a path to achieving those goals and the relationships that I was now creating were enabling me to see the direction I wanted my life to head in. At the time, I didn't realize that my relationships had changed because I had changed . So what changed me? Was it the situation I was in? Or was it my goals for the future?

I think it was a little of both ; simply because at that stage of my life—and with a lack of life experience—I couldn't see differently. As we get older and have more experience under our belts, we can CHOOSE how we let a situation change us.

Let's take this situation we're in now. I was supposed to go to Florida this past weekend for the Level 3 course as part of my training. Obviously that wasn't happening ! Therefore, they came up with a way to deliver this level via a Zoom classroom. I was apprehensive. I wasn't sure the level of information— or maybe the ability to absorb the information —would be the same as it would be if being done in person.

So my choices were to let my concern rule me or to be open minded—going into the class with the intent of taking out of it everything I could . In the end, I chose the latter and I was pleasantly surprised. There were definitely positives and negatives to each scenario ( as there always is) , but the positives outweighed the negatives by far. I left the class feeling like my brain is full of information, and I'm excited to get back into the full swing of things and help people! Mission accomplished!

Life is always a choice! We can choose to only see the dark side of a situation, or we can choose to see the light. What if this time of " quarantine " allows us to rest and rejuvenate? What if it allows us time to open our minds to other alternatives? What if it allows us to awaken, grow, and move past situations that are causing us to stagnate? What if this is EXACTLY what we need at EXACTLY this time?

Would that change the way you're feeling? What if you could look in a crystal ball and see the future? What if you could see that what you learn and choose to do in this moment will be the deciding factor in how your future will be?

This is an awakening! Use this time to move past what's holding you back and to start looking forward.

We got this!!! Stay strong, stay positive, and awaken yourself!

“Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
-- Alice in Wonderland

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Three sides to every story

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:31:09 GMT

(Originally posted on May 11, 2020)

STATUS QUO: The existing state of affairs.

We as human beings enjoy the status quo. It offers us security and normalcy— we feel safe in the status quo . When things change and our patterns and routines are shaken up, we have difficulty adjusting to those changes.

Some of us will seek change, but usually it's in the little things. Perhaps we're bored, so we paint the walls or move the furniture around. It makes us " feel " different; maybe even refreshed or new.

But when it comes to big changes like jobs or relationships, then we're a little resistant . This is normal to varying degrees—everyone is like that. But just like moving the furniture can make us feel fresh and renewed, it's likely that changing the status quo in our relationships or jobs—or whatever it is—can also make us feel renewed.

In regards to what's going on in the world now, if you're following Facebook at all you'll probably see a lot of arguing about what's " really " going on in the world. I'm seeing posts being pulled, insults being thrown around, and downright bullying of people on both sides of the issues at hand.

THIS IS NOT SERVING US! Period! End of story!

WE are not each others enemies. Regardless of what you think or feel about this situation; the anger, the insults, and the bullying are the REAL ENEMY!

We need to STOP!

Say that someone posts a post that you don't agree with, or that you believe is false! FIRST OF ALL - ARE YOU SURE IT'S FALSE ? It might be 100% false, but it also might be only be partly false, and what you're reading or believing might be only partly true . You see, everyone has an agenda. Everyone putting out media like this has an agenda that serves their purpose. If you refuse to look at both sides of the issue, then you are PART OF THE PROBLEM! And if you're angrily responding to someone posting something like this then you're part of the problem as well .

By the same token, if you've researched something and have information that can help someone else, definitely point that out. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!!! If we DO NOT find a way to come together (even in our differences), then whoever has the bigger agenda is going to win!

Do not let fear control you. Let knowledge be your strength . Join together with your fellow humankind! In unity we are strong, and we can step out of this status quo into a place that will make us feel fresh and renewed!

Remember that when acquiring knowledge on any given subject, there are always three sides to every story: Side A, Side B, and the truth! The truth is usually found somewhere in the middle. So reach out of your comfort zone and with an open mind; look at the other side of this virus. Look at the evidence and look at the theories, t hen take whatever resonates with you and have that be your truth. Honor that, and remember to respectfully honor someone else's truth as well!

Stay strong, stay united, and share love (from a distance, lol!)!
WE, when we stand together, have got this!

“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
--Muhammad Ali

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Do you lead, or do you follow?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:31:08 GMT

(Originally posted on May 18, 2020)

"If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?"

This was one of my grandmother's favorite sayings. I'd tell her something about what my friends were doing and she'd ask me this question. UGH....this question? Seemed so silly and so stupid at the time. Of course I wouldn't give into peer pressure. Right ?

Social conformity ; the need to be " like " everyone else; the need to " fit in." It is also the need to be part of a " herd " or a " tribe": a group where you feel secure, safe, and free to be yourself. It's a basic human need . Most of us love our families, but very few of us have that need fulfilled within our families—so we look for it elsewhere. I think this need—for the most part— lessens as we age. Personally now, I feel no need to fit in. I'm no longer concerned what others think and I'm living life to the beat of my own drum. I suspect that at every age we feel like we are doing that, but only in hindsight can we see where we conformed— maybe even against our own inner knowing.

Social conformity can be good to a degree. If we choose a tribe that is moving us forward in our goals, then that is definitely a positive. However, if we've chosen a tribe that doesn't have goals, or goals different than ours, conforming to that can affect our life in a different way. Maybe it keeps us from reaching the goals we've set for ourselves; or worse, keeps us from ever setting goals for ourselves.

Let's take the current situation at hand and use it to see how social conformity could affect us. We were told by legislative offices to wear masks and maintain social distancing. Whether we believed this or not, most of us conformed . To me, this is a form of social conformity that is respectful. You can disagree with it all you want, but for the sake of those who don't, nothing is lost by conforming.

I heard someone say recently "You don't like my choices." Maybe I don't—but that's my moral compass. That said, your choice is not my choice so I have nothing to say about it! AND, if you're TRULY happy and content with the choice you made, what I think should not matter. If my thoughts matter so much, then you need to reconsider your choices .

Keep that in mind the next time someone starts to argue with you about your stances, remember that the choice is YOURS ! If they can't accept your choice, and feel the need to argue with you (either way), then realize that their response is their responsibility. They are following the sheep in their tribe!

Don't follow —LEAD! Here's a little clip on social conformity that, to me, really exemplifies the gravity of the situation!

This week, pay attention to places where you might be following the norm and ask yourself if it's right for you. If you feel discomfort in any aspect of it, do a little research, with an open on mind, and find a balance that resonates with you. And, always, always accept others where they are!

“I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself.”
― Rita Mae Brown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Who is behind YOU?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:31:07 GMT

(Originally posted on May 25, 2020)

I just finished reading the book People I met at the gates of Heaven by Don Piper. If you hadn't heard of him, he wrote 90 Minutes in Heaven. A friend had given me the latter book to read a number of years ago and it was certainly a good read. Don Piper was a pastor on his way to an event and was involved in a very severe car accident. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He didn't call what he had a " near death experience, " but rather a " death experience ." The information in this book was something he didn't discuss in the first book. It was about the "people" he met when he arrived at the gates of Heaven.

I'll spare most of the details of the book. Of course he met his loved ones, but then he went on to meet others who he was surprised to see. These other people were not "significant" parts of his life, but rather brief moments . The common denominator was that although these people shared "moments" of his life, the moments they shared were profound. So profound, in fact, that they changed the course of Don Piper's life and guided his future actions.

Have you ever sat down and considered the people that made the most profound impacts on your life? Our parents and grandparents are often key figures in our lives, and they've certainly guided us in more ways than one. I believe that those pivotal people in our lives give us the tools we need to carry through and to achieve our goals as well as our purposes.

But what about the other people that have guided us? The people whom we most likely forgot about as time ticked on?

Years ago, I worked for a man that had a phenomenal work ethic. He was always showing us tips to " save money " and present ourselves so that the customer had the best experience. He smiled everyday; he laughed, joked, and made work fun. His favorite comment was always: "Everyday can be whatever you decide it to be." If someone wasn't happy, he'd work at trying to make them happy. He was such a nice guy. I ran into him the other day while I was out and about ( of course, years and years later—a mask and social distancing not withstanding ) I recognized his voice as he repeated the above comment to someone in line. I had a nice conversation with him—one in which I think we both left with a different state of mind.

That moment, that person, and the many moments before in which he guided me — simply by living his life in the way in which he believed —was profound for me. Most likely, because of him, I have guided someone with the same guidance he gave me. It's the ripple effect.

So perhaps he will be there when I die—along with countless others who have provided momentary guidance to me. I suspect this man will be at the gates for many other people as well.

Don Piper said that he hopes to be at the gates, welcoming many, many people to their new home. That means that he needs to work daily at positively affecting others lives. Not in huge ways, but in the simple little ways : kindness, love, empathy, and compassion .

What about your life ? Do you feel you have affected another's life in a positive way? You may not even realize it. I know that the man I worked for, for instance, does not realize the profound affect he had on me. He wasn't trying to do that, but it just came naturally. It was part of who he was.

Is it part of who you are ? Are you affecting people in a positive and profound way? Are you being kind, loving, empathetic, and compassionate? This time we're living in is challenging and encouraging us to " rise to the occasion " and show our love and compassion at a higher degree than ever before. Show kindness to the angry because they are probably living in fear. Show kindness to the scared because they are living in fear. Be gentle and understanding about others opinions about this situation because the reality is that we don't know all the answers. Know this though: there is nothing to fear because of the strength we have behind us!

Go out in love. Change some lives, and prepare to be in the welcoming committee of many souls when they arrive at Heaven's gate!

“We never know which lives we influence. or when, or why.”
--Stephen King

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Don't fall for the illusion

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:31:06 GMT

(Originally posted on June 1, 2020)

ACTUALLY, they are both the same color!

The shadow of the green cylinder—when paired with the fact that A is surrounded by lighter color squares, while B is surrounded by darker color squares—gives us the impression that A is darker than B.

It's an optical illusion . Illusions are everywhere and we've seen them on more than one occasion.

Did you ever pull into a parking space, turn off your car, and the car in the next spot immediately begins backing up? And what do you do? Slam on your breaks! �� That is to say, you only realize a moment later that your car is shut off and you are not moving. That too, is an optical illusion. Your brain perceives movement out of the side of your eye, and the assumption is you are moving although you are sitting still.

These are two obvious signs that our brains are seeing something differently than what is actually occurring .

Neuroscientist Beau Lotto said that "Perception underpins everything we think, do, believe, know, or love." Wow, that's profound. If that's true, then the world could look differently to each and every one of us. Two people could view the same exact event from two different perspectives and see two different things. Amazing!

The world is not black and white. It's not, "This is how it is, and that's all there is to it." Everything is subjective, and can be different for every person.

Basically that means our life experiences are totally unique to us; every event has the ability to be positive, negative, neutral, powerful or insignificant. Experiences can be whatever you want them to be! They can affect you in any way you want them to.

So taking this a step further: how are you, your actions, or your decisions affecting yourself and the other people in your life? What are your actions saying to other people?

I'm reading a book called Go Down Together - The true story of Bonnie and Clyde . The author does a great job of separating fact from fiction— telling details about the lives of Bonnie and Clyde from writings that were kept and exchanged from the outlaws and their families. It gives you a different perspective on the two of them and what may have led them to become who they were.

There are so many interesting aspects to this story, but the amazing part is how idolized they were by the public. Regardless of how they got to be who they were, human lives were lost and forever impacted due to their actions— yet they were idolized by the public . The media portrayed them as heroes. Why? How could this happen? How could people be so manipulated into believing that murderers were heroes? Perhaps because the " establishment " had let the people down, and they felt Bonnie and Clyde (as well as other gangsters of the time) were rebelling against that. The perception was one where "the establishment" had failed them—but the "criminals" were fighting back against that.

I can see how this could happen. I could see how disillusionment with one section of life could lead us to believe that something more radical is better. But was it? Was what they did any better than what the "establishment" did? And the media—what was their role in it? How did what they publish affect how the world saw these people? Did they fuel a fire?

We need to keep this in mind with our world situation now. We need to keep our heads and not go between one extreme (or one perception) to another extreme ( or another perception ). We need to stay solid and united . We need to remember that just like the picture above , a situation may look one way from where we stand. However, it could very well be a totally different picture from another viewpoint. Keep your mind open, and do not allow yourself to be manipulated by one perspective. Move your position and look again!

Stay open minded this week; look at things from every angle. Remember that everything you do affects someone, somehow— so make the affect a positive one!!!!

“One day we will have the ability to relive others’ memories as our own experiences in real time.”
--William Stillman

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: HOPE—it's always present!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:31:02 GMT

(Originally posted on March 30, 2020)

So how are you all holding up? This week has taken social distancing to an all new level: shelter in place ! So how's that working out for everyone?

Well I'm just going to be honest here: my fuse is shorter than usual! Why? I don't know....I certainly do know better! I feel a little overwhelmed, worried, and stressed. I'm sure you can all relate.

But the thing is, I do know better! I know full well that worrying about this is not going to make it go away. It might even make things worse because I'm stressing myself and forcing my body's immune system to work even harder. So essentially, those concerns in my mind are working against the good things I am doing— eating right, nourishing my mind, and exercising ! I've got most of it right, but I'm sabotaging myself every time I start to let the worry in.

We're all human. The concern for the well-being of our loved ones and of ourselves is going to outweigh what we know at certain times. Right there is where the challenge lies. If we think of our life as a training ground or a school, then every experience is akin to taking a class to learn something. Well this is a tough class. How many of us will excel...or even pass?

Let's start by thinking of this current state of the world like a class—a class we need in order to graduate. Perhaps it's even our least favorite class! �� We know that we have to get through it or we won't graduate; what steps are we going to take to make sure that we pass? (If it were me, I don't want to just pass— I'd prefer to excel!)

So where do I start?

First thing's first, I need to lengthen my fuse ! I can't get so upset at things that don't really matter—It's time to laugh them off! I think in this instance, laughter really is the best medicine. So every time something tenses me, I'm going to laugh instead!

What about the anxiety ? The first question I have to ask myself is, "What am I afraid of?" Am I afraid of getting the virus? Well if that is the case, what steps can I take to prevent that? I already know this answer: keep my immune system strong. I do that by making good, healthy choices, and by consciously keeping my mind in a good place.

Am I afraid of what could come of all this? Perhaps that is the case, but the worst thing I can do is feed into that thinking and become part of it. If we watch the news continuously, there is no way we can help but to feed into the fear. Our collective thinking will have an impact on that. If we work together and help each other, there's nothing to be afraid of.

Am I bored? Why? I wanted some downtime, right? Well I got it! So why am I not grateful for it and using it to the best of my ability? Cook with your family, pick up a new hobby, watch a funny movie (or catch up on a new TV show), go for a walk/hike, or maybe work on a house project! It's all within your reach. Be gentle with yourself, but remind yourself to try to get out of the fear and just do it! Be grateful for this free time!

Remember that without obstacles or challenges, we can never grow. How are you overcoming this obstacle? A re you growing or shrinking? It's all up to you!

Everyone must join forces! T hink positively and help others as much as you can. We can pass this class together—and better yet, we can excel at this class together. Together we can do anything!

“Our species can only survive if we have obstacles to overcome. You take away all obstacles. Without them to strengthen us, we will weaken and die. ”
— Captain James T. Kirk

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: WE are responsible!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:31:01 GMT

(Originally posted on April 6, 2020)

So how are all of you doing in quarantine? I saw a post that said "I'm finally grounded for all the things I never got caught for in my teens." �� I'm sure we can all relate!

But seriously: how is it going? When we're faced with situations like this, it should give us time to sit and reflect on ourselves as well as what our values and priorities are.

This experience for me has given me new perspective on many things. I found that I'm fine with being home. There is plenty for me to keep busy with, and there are moments when I just choose to be still— that's OK too. I've enjoyed walk after walk after walk with my dog ( sometimes she gives me the side eye, like, "Again? Really???" ) I've learned that I enjoy a slower pace and that I need fewer things. At the office, we are using this time to implement some new programs to help you all achieve your goals. I'm actually finding this entire situation to be a time of inner reflection; most of all, I choose exactly how I'm going to react to what's going on . I plan on using this time wisely, and coming out a better person on the other side.

From what I've seen, there is an amazing amount of good going on in the world. People are reaching out and helping others; neighbors helping neighbors, and strangers helping strangers. During this time, I've only personally witnessed one angry response from a patron in a store. The interesting thing was that as angry as he was, no one in the store responded in anger. They just let him rant and went about what they were doing. The best response to anger is no response! In all other cases, I've seen kindness and empathy—more so than in normal circumstances. That is a beautiful thing!

We may not have control over this pandemic or what the newest regulations will be. However, we have complete and total control over how we react to it. Stay calm and steady. Take this time to reflect inward on who you are and who you want to be. Evaluate what's important in your life and where you want your life to go when this is all over. When this is all past us and when it is just a memory, will you have taken something positive from it? Will you have grown? Will you be a better person? Or will you be like the guy in the store: full of rage, anger, and FEAR ????

Look in the mirror. You are the one in charge here! How are you changing from all this!

BE THE LIGHT!!!!!!!

“Within you is the light of a thousand suns.”
— Robert Adams

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Allegory of the Cave

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:58 GMT

(Originally posted on April 13, 2020)

I read " The Allegory of the Cave " once in a psychology class years ago, but I'd forgotten about it until it showed up for me this week in something I was watching. If you've never heard of it, here's a short clip that explains it pretty well.

I thought I'd share this today because most of us have had our realities shaken up a bit in the past several weeks. Let's not even look at our daily existences and how they've changed, but let's look at Easter . What "normally" happens? What has happened on Easter since you've been a child? Probably the same things; We follow the same rituals and the same traditions that have been handed down over generations. Personally I don't think this is a bad thing — I love tradition — but I think it serves us to look at it a bit differently this year because it can pertain to every single aspect of our lives.

We do the same things over and over again. Life is a series of programs that are built into our minds, and we do them over and over and over again . We believe what we see, what we read, what's told to us, and we never question it—unless we are provided the experiences and perspective to do so. What if like the one prisoner in Plato's allegory, we were to escape our reality and see that there is something way bigger out there than what we see and believe?

What then? Our entire realities will have been shaken up.

What if this whole Covid-19 situation has just given us the opportunity to shake up our worlds? Now please, do not get me wrong here, I am not downplaying the severity of the situation that people are getting ill or are passing away from this. I'm looking at what has happened to the rest of us. We've been forced to slow down, to social distance, to cook our own meals, to spend time with our families. We've been forced to find new ways to celebrate Easter and find new traditions to begin. The amazing thing is we've done that, and so successfully. I've seen such incredible things being posted on Facebook of all the great things families are doing together; how people have managed to include their loved ones even if they couldn't physically see them. The love and the ingenuity is amazing.

What if we all broke free from our chains because of this? What if we can now all see the Sun, as well as take time to enjoy the space and quiet this has given us? What if we've all learned a new way of existing because of this? What if we've all changed, and changed for the better because of this?

If you've changed for the better, it's your responsibility to show others that that's possible. I encourage everyone this week to be positive; share your new you with others, encourage others to break free from their chains, and share in the beautiful light of the Sun with you!

Have an amazing week everyone! Enjoy your new normal!

“Don't hold together what must fall apart. The familiar life crumbles so the new life can begin”
-- Bryant McGill

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Think for yourself!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:57 GMT

(Originally posted on April 20, 2020)

Another week of quarantine . How's it going? How are you holding up?

If you're paying attention to the news, things seems really bleak out there. It doesn't seem like we're going to get out of this easily, unless someone comes along with a miracle to stop all this madness.

That's the message you take if you listen to the media all the time .

If you listen to alternative sources of media, you'll hear all kinds of other things; from conspiracy theories, the end of the world, and even aliens ( my personal favorite— I do have my tin foil hat ready ).

So here is what I see: there could be some speck of truth in everything we hear. Did you ever notice that two people see a situation differently? It's called perception. Say that two children are having an argument over a toy; when they tell you the story, each will see only their perception— their viewpoint . Neither are lying, it was just seen from another point of view.

Law enforcement has long recognized this, which is why they will interview everyone at the scene of an accident. They'll often get varying points of view on the same accident scene.

Why? Who knows really. However, it is known that beliefs and experiences play into our perceptions of things.

When it comes to a situation like we're in now, it is VERY crucial that we do not just listen to one source of information and think we have all we need to know. We can't. We are seeing only one side of the story, and it will always be biased based on the person telling the story . We need to seek out other sources of news, and we should not forget to look at history. Often times, historical events can shed light on things that are happening now— maybe even shed some light on what we can do, or not do, in these moments .

This time of our life is bigger than the pandemic—make no mistake about that . We all need to be informed, totally and completely . Our lives, the lives of our children, and the lives of future generations depend on us to take the time to make informed decisions.

We, as a collective group, are bigger than this virus . We are big and powerful enough to conquer anything . We do that by focusing on knowledge, love, and compassion . We must not allow anyone to force us into a decision based on fear. Our decisions should be based on knowledge.

Stay strong! Stay bonded! Don't let fear rule you. The antidote to fear is love!

Knowledge is power! We're coming out of this much stronger than we went into it!

This week, look for the good in what you see and hear. Pay attention to how what you're hearing sits with you, and what resonates with you. Therein lies your answer.

STAY STRONG THIS WEEK! ACT IN LOVE!

“I am convinced that knowledge is power - to overcome the past, to change our own situations, to fight new obstacles, to make better decisions.”
-- Ben Carson

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Staying Strong

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:55 GMT

(Originally posted on April 27, 2020)

Another looooong week , and it looks like a few more to come. People are getting antsy and unhappy. I'm hearing a lot of people talk about how they can't stand being confined any longer. They are feeling depressed and angry—along with a myriad of other emotions. Being controlled can do that to a fairly stable person, but think about someone who is struggling on a day to day basis to try and be stable; s omeone that already deals with depression, loneliness, or anger. A difficult situation for people that are normally upbeat and optimistic is even more of a struggle for those who are not.

If we're following the news, there isn't much to look forward to. The situation is grim and about to get worse. Everything I hear is negative . It is a pandemic, after all.

We have two kinds of people in the world. People that are critical thinkers and the people who hate. Critics want to learn . They have open minds and realize that there are many sides of one issue. People who hate will only see one point of view, and will choose to hate anyone that doesn't share that. A critical thinker will allow room to change their minds on an issue, while a hater will decide something and never change their mind. In this confused world, we need to think critically; share our opinions with others openly and without judgement or anger; and stay grounded and strong in our realizations. We must all also realize that although we may share different points of view, we all share the same goal: a prosperous and peaceful world for our future generations.

So what can I do ? Well here's where we need to use "Critical Thinking." We can choose to believe everything we see and hear and take it at face value; or we can look at all sides of the story and make a decision from there. "Critical thinking" is productive. It encourages us to look outside the box and educate ourselves on things we may not know.

Open your mind this week. There is a lot of information out there than can help you make informed decisions. I do believe most people are good . I believe that most of us are critical thinkers—using our experiences and knowledge to help us decide on what's best for us. Stay in that space! Don't let anger begin to spark in your life— stay in your peace ! That is the best thing you can offer to this world in this time of upheaval.

If we keep ourselves educated and open minded, we will find our way out of this and in a better world.

STAY STRONG!

“Don't entrust your future on others' hands. Rather make decisions by yourself with the help of God's guidance. Hold your beliefs so tight and never let go of them!”
― Hark Herald Sarmiento

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Forward

Motivational Monday: Who are you?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:53 GMT

(Originally posted on February 24, 2019)

It's Monday again! How are you feeling? How are you starting this week?

Our mindset in any given situation is what is going to make or break our day, our week, our month, or our life . Sure there are external situations that temporarily change our normal outlooks, but how you ultimately decide to react to these situations is completely within your control.

We often don’t even realize that we are standing in our own way.

I know that I am guilty of this at times. I will let current, or even past events, define who I am and what I can do or not do. These beliefs limit me and keep me from reaching my true goals. Until, that is, I acknowledge them, recognize the gift in those events, and change the dialogue around it.

Think back on a time of your life that you felt was life altering. What about it affected you so profoundly that you are still holding on to it? Why are you still letting it affect you? Now take that same event and list out all the positive things that happened because of that incident. You might have to really sit and think on this, and that's ok. Remember: in every single event in life there is always a positive side. Sometimes we have to reach to find it, and sometimes it's not there immediately— regardless, it is always there . The challenge for us is to find it and to acknowledge it.

Only when we see the positive can we rewrite the story we are telling. We are leading this life. We have the ability to use everything to our advantage or to our detriment. It's up to us! YOU are totally and completely up to YOU!

I challenge you this week to pull out those journals! (A regular notebook will work. This is your story.) Everyday, no matter how the day went, write down every single positive thing that happened that day. Even if it was a "negative" event, write a story around it that is uplifting and positive. Take this week to see how creative you can be at rewriting the challenges in your life. Go within and remember all the gifts and talents you have.

The week, make it a daily practice to celebrate the divine beings that we are, rather than focusing on what we think we are lacking.

Let’s embrace our uniqueness and let life show us what we are meant to do during our time here. It might not be what you expect, so stay open to the signs.

Wishing you a magical week! May it be a week where you begin to see your true power and you begin to write yourself a new story!

“Accept - then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.”
— Eckhart Tolle

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What have you learned?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:50 GMT

(Originally posted on March 2, 2020)

How is your journaling going? Are you seeing any patterns in your life? Did you notice any specific patterns this past week?

I did and I'd like to share them with you. This week I had someone say to me: "Y ou have no idea what pain feels like."

I also ran into a friend that I knew many years ago and lost touch with. We had a very brief discussion about the past and some of the " fun " we had.

I also had a long talk with someone whose knowledge and opinion I value tremendously. We talked about grief; especially about what it does to you and who you believe you are.

So I'll go back to each of these and what I've taken from these experiences. The first gentlemen that told me I don't understand pain was angry because he was hurting. He " assumed " because I was not exhibiting anger that I could never comprehend or understand the pain he was experiencing. He's at the anger phase of what he's going through. He's absorbed in it, he can't see past it or see that anyone else might be in as much pain as he's in. That's just the phase he's at. He'll move past that—or he won't. Either way he'll learn something. What I learned was that I'm past that phase. I'm not angry, but rather accepting and even grateful that the experience led me to a new place, a stronger place. Hopefully he will get there too.

The second experience unnerved me a bit. The conversation was brief, but it took me back to a time of life that I'm not totally proud of. Are we ever totally proud of our youth? Or are there moments that just make us cringe? My experiences were cringe-worthy. It's hard for me to believe that the person I was in my youth and the person I am now are the same. What I learned is that I've grown and I've changed. I've also learned that some experiences are just not necessary—they are just the inexperience of youth leading us to make foolish decisions. Decisions that will hopefully only lead us to cringe in the days ahead. Am I grateful? Yes, in a way—if only simply because having those experiences ONCE was totally enough! ��

The third event was a bit more profound. Grief is a complicated emotion and one that doesn't just "stop." Every one of us has grief in our life. Every one of us has had a loss of some sort that has affected us profoundly—it doesn't necessarily have to be the loss of a loved one either. What is interesting is how everyone deals with it. There is no linear way to cope or no straight line to the light at the end of the tunnel. It's what works for you that is important. There is one thing that is important to keep in mind, however. You can cry, you can wallow in self pity, you can be angry —but grief is NEVER an excuse for poor behavior or mistreatment of others. Am I grateful for the experience of grief? Yes. It taught me that tomorrow is never promised and that I should fully appreciate the people that are important to me in this moment !

Someone I knew use to say: "Too soon old, too late smart!" When we're in the midst of any phase of life, we can only see behind us and not ahead of us. The path is not always clear. People will come into your life that have had those experiences and found their way out. Look to them for help and support. Chose your tribe wisely, because you will become who they are.

Keep journaling this week and notice the experiences that happen during your week. They may be momentary experiences—like my brief conversation—or they might be more profound conversations. Everything that happens is designed to help illuminate your path and lead you in a positive direction. Life is a journey that is full of lessons. Be grateful for what comes your way.

“We are what we do. We are not what we think, or what we say, or how we feel. We are what we do.”
—Dr. Gordon Livingston

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Let's Laugh!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:49 GMT

(Originally posted on March 9, 2020)

"Because he always has a great fall."

��

Oh come on that at least made you smile a little bit!

Did you know that laughter really is the best medicine? According to research done by the Mayo Clinic, laughter has both short and long-term benefits to our bodies and our health.

Physically when we laugh, it increases oxygen to the heart, lungs and muscles. The brain will also release endorphins that improve your mood and can help to reduce physical pain.

So why aren't we laughing more? Maybe we've gotten all too serious about things that are going on in the world.

I thought I'd share this little clip from Ellen . I challenge you not to laugh!

So you're laughing, aren't you?

Laughter has so much power to heal and renew our bodies as well as our minds. If we utilize it, it can help us surmount problems in our daily life and support, grow, and enhance our relationships. The best part is that it's fun, free, and easy to use .

Children laugh daily— many times daily ! As adults, with the pressures of daily life upon us, we often forget to laugh. We may even go days where we don't really laugh much at all. We should take moments every day to see the humor in everyday events. You know, we really are funny people! (Or at least I am!)

I laugh at myself and the silly things I do everyday. I think the first step to accepting yourself and who you are is to laugh. If you take yourself too seriously, your body will always be tense in a state of stress. You'll hold that stress in the tissues of your body. Release and laugh! Enjoy life!

Have a humorous week! Don't forget to laugh, laugh more, and laugh again!

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What does your world look like?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:48 GMT

(Originally posted on March 16, 2020)

It's been a very interesting week in our world ; lots of fear, panic, and a touch of craziness . This isn't another commentary about what we all know, but it's more about how we're viewing events in life—not only now, but on a daily basis.

Events like this tend to show us a lot about human nature and ourselves as a society.

Earlier this week I had something happen that really shook me up. I was driving a short distance from my house. Just as I made a left turn, I noticed out of the corner of my eye what I thought was a man stumble and fall face first into some bushes. I quickly made a u-turn to return and see if what I saw was real. It was. He had gotten up, his face was bloody and he was continuing to stumble forward down the street towards a major highway. Another gentleman had stopped aside of me as I was trying to dial my phone for help. I could easily tell there was something more seriously wrong here than just him falling. Sadly ( although I feel it was fortunate as the situation could have turned out worse than it did ) he fell again just before he walked himself onto the highway. At that point we had him convinced to stay put until help arrived. He was in pretty bad shape. About six people in total stopped to help keep him safe until the ambulance arrived. Six people . Someone had a blanket, someone called for help, and someone put cones down to protect him from danger. Everyone stood around him shielding him from danger of other vehicles. The ambulance arrived and he was taken to help.

That was people helping people!

Then later in the week, news of the Coronavirus became forefront in our news. Schools were being closed, people were told to stay home, travel suspended— and the entire world needed toilet paper ! ��

Panic set in. Everyone for themselves. Worse yet, everyone fighting among themselves.

So what did this accomplish? Panic, selfishness, greed, and more FEAR !

Fear sells . Did you ever think about that ? What kind of world do we live in when the media hypes something and the world goes crazy. Has the hype been necessary? Perhaps. It's yet to be seen what comes of this. Hopefully, like so many times in the past, this will just be another panic that blows over. Time will tell.

Our world is a reflection of what we put into it. Looking at each of these events individually: love and compassion for other people was put into the first event; while fear, panic, and angst were put into the second event.

The more we feed into hype and fear, the more hype and fear we're going to get. The more we feed into love and compassion, the more love and compassion we're going to get.

Let's take a step back from this craziness and make a conscious choice about what we want to see in our world. Wash your hands, take your supplements, nourish your physical body, and put love and compassion out into the world. Put the fear and angst in a box and let it go !

What you see in the world is a reflection of who you are! BE LOVE !!!!!

“Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back. What you sow, you reap. What you give, you get. What you see in others, exists in you. Remember, life is an echo. It always gets back to you. So give goodness. ”
-- Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: You GOT this!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:46 GMT

(Originally posted on March 23, 2020)

Wow, another week of chaos! This feels like we’re living in a science fiction novel. Anyone else get that feeling? I look around me and think, "Yeah I watched that happen somewhere, once upon a time!"

The adjectives I think I can find to describe this time: s cary, unsettling, boring, FEAR— to name a few!

But, there are a few others . Camaraderie, caring, compassion, friendliness, ingenuity! I know someone who works for a retirement home. She told me there are no visitors allowed right now because they are trying to keep the residents safe. I can understand that— the elderly are high risk individuals. This is sad because often these people receive visits daily from their families and the loneliness is really affecting them. Can you imagine?

Then I saw pictures on Facebook about how people were still managing to communicate with their loved ones in these homes. That's love! Isn't that amazing? Out of chaos and fear comes love!

We’re complaining because our kids are home from school, we’re stuck in the house, and we can’t get away from each other—yet these people are wishing for a moment that they can see someone they love again; to feel their love and to know they care.

Then there is the uncertainty and fear. Many of us aren’t working which means no income. We have bills to pay and kids to feed, but nothing coming in to do that with. That causes us to panic.

So what do we do? Well, fact is, there isn’t much we can do about the circumstances we are in. We should do what we can to minimize our contact with others, wash our hands frequently, don't touch our faces, and if we show any signs of the virus in ourselves we should stay put!

BUT where we might not have any control over what’s happening around us, we DO have control over ourselves and our families. There are things we can control—and if we’re not doing so, we should do so immediately.

First is the care of our physical body. Give it the fuel it needs. Whole foods as much as possible; avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners, packaged boxed foods. These are NOT food! You are NOT giving your body fuel with these kinds of foods! Fuel it with nourishment. Given the proper tools, your immune system will be more able to resist these viruses, keep you strong, and be better able to handle any other stresses that arise. You have the power to help your body—use it!

Second is your mindset. This ones actually the hardest one. We need to work extremely hard at keeping ourselves in a good place mentally. Don’t let the panic and the stress overtake you . Not only will it affect your mood and presence, it is also going to affect the health of your physical body. Stress is well-known for how it negatively impacts peoples' immune systems—potentially making you more susceptible to illnesses, and not just the coronavirus! It’s relatively easy to control what we’re consuming and putting into our bodies. But our minds can be our best friend or our worst enemy. We need to take control of our mindsets.

A couple of tips to help with that.

First recognize the negative thought patterns . Acknowledging that they are there is the first step.
The moment you recognize it, seek to change it, and change the story that goes with that thought.
With every negative thought, visualize a stop sign in your brain to stop that thought pattern. Then immediately replace that thought with three positive thoughts.
Meditate. Take a few minutes every day—even if it’s two minutes at a time ( ya know we all have a bathroom�� – so no excuses ) sit down and quiet your mind. Especially if you are self-quarantining right now, this is the perfect time to start meditating!
Practice 4, 7, 8 breathing . ( Don't know how here's a link ) Breathe in for 4, hold it for 7 and release for 8. Sigh out that release – make it audible. Do this for 2 minutes several times a day.
Have gratitude for what we do have:
- A healthy family
- Food in our refrigerators
- Shelter
- Backyards
- Board games
- Space – Haven’t we all longed for a little downtime lately?
- Time – precious moments with our families
- And so many other things I could go on and on

What are you grateful for during this time?

We’ll all be back to work and running around like lunatics in short order. We’ll make it through this challenge just like we’ve made it through every challenge that has ever been presented to us.

So rest, renew, revitalize and be grateful—the best is yet to come!

“Fears are nothing but a state of mind.”
-- Napolean Hill

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: How have YOU changed?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:44 GMT

(Originally posted on January 20, 2020)

The road of life—it sure is a journey! We all start at exactly the same place and end at exactly the same place! We all begin with certain tools at our disposal, and end where ever we allow those tools to take us. The parts in-between, however... now that's the interesting part!

What if life were a play and you were the star ? What if everyone else in your world was a player in your story? What if everything you did and said affected their story as much as everything they did or said affected yours? What if your choice and reaction in each moment influenced how each of you grew? What if we're all tied together and can lift each other up or drag each other down?

These are pretty deep things to think about. We all start the journey of life as infants, pretty much at the mercy of our parents. We're guided by their beliefs and altered by the relationships we build (or don't build) with them. Some people like to blame their entire lives on the fact that their parents weren't "good" parents; or the opposite: they are everything they are because of their parents. In actuality, neither is a true statement!

Then we move on to young adulthood when we're spreading our wings and trying new things. Usually at this time of life we are idealistic . We dream and believe that there's a perfect world; that we can have everything and we don't need to sacrifice anything. This is really a great place to be.

Then we're middle-aged before we know it. We're raising families and/or growing our careers. We're having fun, but the stress has kicked in and we're rethinking all those decisions of our youth— wondering if we took the right path! (Oh yeah...now it hits us— there were sacrifices along the way.)

Now our families are grown, we're still worried about them, and we try so hard to guide them away from making the same mistakes we did. The p roblem is that we can't—nor should we . They are the star of their own play!

And now, we've lived; we've walked the long road and it's time for us to move on.

If we are to look back on our journey, what will we see? We all started at the same place and end at the same place—but in between all that, life gives us many highs and lows.

Life gave us certain parents . W hat wonderful things did we get from that experience? No matter what type of parents they were—what experience, what knowledge, and what gift did they give you?

That gift led you to the next part of your journey and gave you the tools you needed to succeed there. And yes,you always succeed; there is no such thing as failure. There is only a choice, a path, and a gift !

This is the same with every step and phase of your life. How much have you grown and changed from the person you were in your youth? And, if you haven't changed at all, is it possible that you are stuck and not fully using the gifts and the tools that were given to you?

Look at who you have become and be grateful for the players that have helped you get there. If you feel stuck in your life, then it's time to look at all the tools that have been given to you and begin using them to help you move forward. When we start to accept responsibility for our life—recognizing that our life is what it is because we chose it to be so—then, and only then, can we change the outcome!

And, as Glinda the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz said: "You've always at the power my dear, you just had to find it out yourself."

Utilize gratitude and empower yourself this week! Be grateful for everything in your life, especially the obstacles put in your path. Trust the journey and trust that everything is for your greater good—even if you don't understand why at the moment. Know that life and these obstacles are making you stronger and adding to the tools you already have. Use them for good. Do all things in love and gratitude. Gratitude is the strongest possible feeling that will help you get up again!

“There are only two ways to live your life. One as though nothing is a miracle. The other as though everything is a miracle."
-- Albert Einstein

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What is your news feed feeding YOU?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:42 GMT

(Originally posted on January 27, 2020)

I was watching the news the other morning. The news anchors were reporting the stories of all the terrible things that were happening in the world. Along with that, there was the feed that ran across the bottom of the screen where more negative things were being reported . You know, just in case what they were saying wasn't enough to start my day in a negative state of mind.

If you don't look any further than the news that's fed to us, the world is going to look like an awful place. When we sit and watch that everyday, the thoughts of what we see and hear are having an impact on what we do during the day. We tend to take what we see and hear as fact—forgetting that we're listening to a version of what's happening from the perspective of the person telling the story. There is always at least one more version to every tale.

This isn't a commentary on news reporting, but rather on thoughts . So our minds get fed thoughts; then of course we add to it and we expand upon it, and suddenly it's a problem.

It's estimated that the average person has between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts per day. Take a moment right now, set the time on your phone for 2 minutes, stop reading, and just listen to your inner thoughts. What are you hearing? Are you feeling frazzled by the day ahead? Do you have a thousand things to do and you can't imagine how you're going to accomplish it all? Or were you calm, peaceful, and able to slow down those racing thoughts?

Anxiety happens when we can't slow down our minds, and it leads us to overthink and over analyze events in our life. There usually is a physical reason for this, but there is also the mental factor. Once we start feeling anxious about something —just like that ticker tape on the news channel— our brains run every possible other scenario that can happen. The next thing you know, we're frantic about a hundred possible outcomes that will probably never happen.

How many things do you spend your time worrying about each day? How many of these things will never happen?

Worrying is such a waste of energy. I'm not judging because I often do this—even though I logically know better. Instead of worrying, what if we channeled that energy differently? What if we only spent energy thinking about the things we WANT to happen? What if every time we had a negative or destructive thought, we stopped it in its tracks?

I want you to think back on that exercise from earlier and let's do it again. Set your phone alarm for 2 minutes. Now try and sit quietly for that 2 minutes with NO news feed running through your mind. Just observe . When a thought does pass through, observe it and let it go . Don't run with it.

How was that? Were you able to quiet your mind and achieve some silence from all those thoughts?

The next time your mind starts running rampant, sit for a minute and try and quiet your thoughts. Then analyze the remaining thoughts. Are they constructive or destructive? Are you worrying about things that may never happen? Remember that we cannot control the outcome of events; we can only control our reactions to them. Things are gonna happen as they happen, and when they do you'll handle them. Your track record for handling things thus far is 100%!

Negative thought patterns do not move us forward. They keep us stuck right where we are afraid to make a move. Starting today, pay attention to your news feed. Replace all negative feeds with at least 3 positive thoughts. Keep doing it. It's a process and like all good things it takes time. The more you do this, the more you'll see your anxiety calm down and your life take a turn for the better.

Change your thoughts—change your life!

"Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true."

—Napoleon Hill

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Power of the Mind

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:40 GMT

(Originally posted on February 3, 2020)

I was listening to a lecture this week by Joan Borysenko who wrote a number of books (none of which I've read yet). In this lecture, she was talking about the power of the mind in creating what we see as life.

She started talking about the "placebo" effect and how it is a real thing. Dr. Henry Beecher , while serving in WWII, ran out of morphine and was unable to treat soldiers that were in serious pain. He began injecting them with salt water, telling them it was morphine; to his surprise they reported a reduction in pain. This took him on a journey to discover how powerful the mind was in determining our ability to heal and respond to life's events.

The knowledge that the mind was powerful certainly didn't begin here—it has been known for centuries. However, the studies done in modern times are really interesting. " Mind over Medicine " by Lissa Rankin, M.D . is a good starting point if you're interested in reading more about this.

So let's talk about emotions and their impact on our health. Have you ever met someone who is just angry ? Have you ever met someone that is just negative ? Have you ever met someone who you can plainly see is holding onto a negative experience, and just won't let it go?

This is certainly not a judgement because we all hold onto things and struggle to release them. What if the things we struggle to release today are not only affecting us, but what if they are affecting everyone around us?

As an example, let's look at a person with deep-seated anger. Suppose it's suppressed; on the surface they are gentle and sweet, but they are holding onto the anger. This anger begins surfacing in the organs of their bodies—hence maybe causing pain, illness, or even both. Their life is so severely impacted because they don't realize that they are "angry." Perhaps they were taught growing up that being angry is not acceptable behavior, so they are suppressing it so they can be accepted.

Then there is the other extreme: the visibly angry person. They are angry at everything and everyone, to the point where other aspects of their life are also affected—not just their health. Relationships with family and friends are strained. They don't enjoy what they do in life. They have no joy. They take their anger out on everything and everyone. They are hard to be around, so they find themselves alone to wallow in that anger; thus, it continues to grow and get worse.

What if anger wasn't the real emotion though? What if it was something else? Perhaps some pain from childhood or even before that. There's a study called the ACEstudy ( ACEstudy.org ) which suggests that childhood trauma can have impacts later in life. That trauma, according to this study impacts gene health for up to four generations. So four generations ago, trauma, stress, poor lifestyle and emotions could be affecting us because it has altered our genes. Adding to that, our poor lifestyle choices and not dealing with or processing our emotions effectively is going to worsen this affect. If we can't break the chain, it will continue to impact our future generations. ( See the Pottengers Cats study )

If this study is correct, then it is important that we take control of our stories now. We are in charge of what our life is and what it isn't. Can you clearly define your purpose in life? Do you know what you are here to do? Are you doing it? Are you living in anger? Are you holding onto emotions like anger? Are you misinterpreting or suppressing your real emotions?

Take a look at what is happening in your life physically and see what emotion could be causing that. Begin to try and see that emotion for what is really is, and ask yourself if it is still serving you and serving your purpose. If it is not, then allow yourself to feel it, acknowledge it, and let it go. Forgive yourself, and forgive anyone that hurt you and move on.

Forgiveness is not a one time thing. You may need to keep offering forgiveness . I realized that I'd forgiven someone when I no longer cared that they felt my pain, and that I could wish them the best on their journey. This may be different for everyone.

Let's release the anger and resentment that might be holding us back from achieving our true purpose in life, and might very well be affecting our physical bodies. Let's move forward out of that darkness and into a new dawn for us—and for our future generations.

What step can you take over the next several weeks to support your health and well-being? Make that determination and then work at doing that one thing, and see how your story changes.

"You are the author of your own life story. You have the leading role and get to determine how you interact with your supporting cast and other characters. Without realizing it, you may have allowed the events in your life to write your story for you rather than taking deliberate action to write it in your own voice. What will it take to love your life story to create the happy endings you desire?“

-- Susan C. Young

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Love, love, love

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:39 GMT

(Originally posted on February 10, 2020)

This coming week is the week of love. Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and everyone is thinking about what special thing they are going to do for their special love. (If I just reminded you that Valentine's Day is this week—you're welcome! ��)

I like the sentiment of Valentine's Day and the thought of celebrating love— but why do we need a special day to do it? Why do we need a national holiday to show our love? Shouldn't that be something we do every day?

This past week has been a bit of a challenging week for me. Several things occurred that were— shall we say —not too much fun! I seem to be in that cycle where stuff just keeps happening. At one moment I had to just step back, laugh, and ask myself about what was going on here. I happened to be looking for a new book to listen to at the time, and the book "Whatever arises, love that " by Matt Kahn appeared on my feed. Seemed like maybe I needed this, so I downloaded and began listening.

Right off the bat it seemed to be what I needed to hear. We choose what we love, we choose who we love, and most of the time we're choosing the events in life that we love and don't love.

What if we loved it all?

That would mean everything? Every person, every event, everything!

What if we started with ourselves?

Do you love yourself? I grew up believing that if I loved myself it was narcissistic and selfish. How could I put myself first? My entire life centered around putting the needs of everyone else before my own— e ven to the exclusion of my own. Self-sacrificing behavior, if you will.

Taking that a step further: I do not love everything that happens in my life. How do we love those crazy events that seem to sucker-punch us and take our lives in a totally different direction or uproot our normal routines? You know what I mean: those routines that we're comfortable and content in.

Hmmm...comfortable and content ! Right there are two words that feel safe and secure— but really offer us limited or no room for growth . When we're comfortable and content, the status quo is fine. Why change what's working? Don't fix it if it isn't broken, right? So there we sit—stuck!

When one of those events comes along that shakes up the norm, then we leap into action! We make changes, we look at our status quo, and we reevaluate if it's really serving us; from it, we grow! We move forward, we learn, and we add another tool to our tool belt. That tool might be one that helps us down the road when life sucker-punches us again.

I realized this week ( and the weeks prior ) that all these crazy things that are happening are doing so to help me. They have helped me. It has been a battle, but I'm learning to stay grounded and not let these events rattle me or move me away from my center. I'm trying to love those events, be thankful for them, and grateful for the lessons they have taught me. This is a process. When I feel myself getting off center, I need to stop myself and remind myself that this is a lesson. It is a lesson I can choose to pass or repeat! That situation, or one similar, is going to keep showing up until I get it! More importantly—until I love it!

This week— the week of love— start by loving yourself and all the unique places your beautiful life has led you. Love all experiences; the good and the bad! Be grateful for it all. Stay grounded and unrattled in the tough times—and be loving in all times!

“Love is the bridge between you and everything"
-- Rumi

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What's your Intention?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:38 GMT

(Originally posted on February 17, 2020)

Thoughts are things! We've seen it, we've read it, we keep hearing it. We've also heard over and over again: "change your thoughts—change your life!"

Yeah, okay, cool. Should be easy...right?

It's a little tougher than that. Life likes to throw us curve balls all the time and sometimes it hard to just " think " our way out of it. We're supposed to be positive and see that glass as half full; we don't complain, we just keep on going no matter what! Good thoughts, right?

Well...maybe. But what if our " thoughts " and our " actions " don't align? We've chosen to see that glass as half full but we act as if it isn't.

Let's say that we're not happy in our jobs. I'm not talking about those certain aspects that don't make us happy, I mean we don't like what we're doing and it doesn't align with our ethics and morals . We're working to make money; we're working so we can buy that big beautiful house and that fancy car—but every day we go to work for those reasons, and it rubs at us that we're doing something we don't agree with.

So we're doing all the right things, we're looking at that glass as half full, we're smiling—but deep inside we're torn. Our thoughts not aligning with our desires.

So we decide to look for another job. The same type of job of course, because we need to keep that income at a status quo. Perhaps we find that job. Maybe it's more money, better vacations—we're happy. But only temporarily! It's still not aligning with out truth—our purpose—our intention.

Can you see how life never really improves? We're stuck in a constant state of "maybe". Maybe once I get that job I'll be happy. Maybe once I get that new house I'll be happy. Maybe once I have that new car, I'll be happy. Maybe--maybe--maybe!

What if we live our lives with intention and move away from the " maybe " state we're living in?

Let's start being happy now! Set that intention! How would you like your life to look? Sit down and write up a detailed description of everything you want your life to be. This might take some time, it might take several drafts. Take your time, make it detailed. Make sure to include your purpose -- your intention!

Once you have that down, then start finding one place that you can start to move in the direction of that intention. It might be a very small step—doesn't matter. Baby step yourself in the direction you want to go. As you start moving this might change and your intention might change. What's more important is that you will likely change along the way. You'll begin to see what's important to you and what isn't. You'll begin to align your thoughts and your actions. You will live more purposefully!

Most of us live have at one point or another lived in the state of "maybe". But "maybe" will lead you nowhere!

It's time we get clear on our intentions —drop the maybe and move your life forward.

Need help defining your desires? Hash it out with a friend of spouse. Journal, talk to yourself. Whatever you need to do to define the direction you want your life to move in.

Clear intentions - clear goals - make for a rewarding life!

“There is no dishonor in losing the race. There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose.”
― Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Remembering Compassion

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:35 GMT

(Originally posted on December 16, 2019)

Christmas is just about a week away . Wow, crazy isn't it? Time seems to fly by!

When I was a kid, Christmas was so exciting. My fondest memories of that time are not about getting gifts, but about the gatherings and the times spent with family. We'd all gather together at my grandmother's house on Christmas Eve and she'd have a big spread of food. My absolute favorite was something she would only make on Christmas Eve: dates cut in half, filled with peanut butter and rolled in sugar. Now as an adult trying to live a healthy lifestyle, that makes me squirm — but as a kid you could hardly pull me away from the plate! What's interesting is that I have no remembrance (for the most part) of the gifts I received, but I remember helping her make the dates and I remember helping to cut the trays of food. What I remember is the time spent, the conversations shared, and the feeling of love in the air. While I don't remember the mass majority of the material gifts I received, I do remember one. I had been knitting an afghan with my grandmother's help. I was a kid and got frustrated because it was taking so long and I basically gave up. She finished it and gave it to me for Christmas that year. I still have it, and still use it. It reminds me of her and of the Christmas Eve that she gave it to me. What a blessing, and now that she's gone I have that memory to treasure.

The other day, I stopped to pick up some groceries. While I was in line the woman in front of me began talking to me and telling me how much she was dreading the holidays this year. Her mother had passed 15 years ago and she had never really gotten over it. Boy, I'm sure we can all understand that! She was smiling and telling me what she was going to do for her family, and what memories they were trying to create. S he said, deep down, she had this sadness that her mother wasn't there to share it with her. Outwardly I would have never known how she felt, had I not spoken to her. She looked happy and excited—but inwardly she was heartbroken and hurting.

This made me wonder how many people in the world are happy and smiling on the outside, but deeply wounded on the inside. I suspect most of us are broken to some degree!

So how and why do we keep on keeping on? Because most of us realize that we are feeling that loss—that lack of connection—simply because we were lucky enough to feel great love and great connection. We know and understand love and happiness, even though we may have lost it.

The greater loss would have been to never have experienced it at all.

I'm not sure what everyone believes, but I do believe that someday we will be reunited with our lost loved ones. Someday we will share all those memories we have amassed over the years. If we keep making memories, sharing, love and laughter, we'll have so much more to look forward to.

Remember to be compassionate this season. Everyone is broken in some way and a little love—and a big hug—can go a long way!

Enjoy your holidays, and don't make the peanut butter dates no matter how tempted you are! They aren't healthy!!!!!! ��

"When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold . They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful."

--Barbara Bloom

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Focus Less on the Tigers, and More on the Strawberry

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:34 GMT

(Originally posted on December 23, 2019)

So here it is! The week we've been anticipating for so long. We've decorated, bought our presents, planned our meals, mailed our cards, invited our guests ... and now it's here! And in another moment ... it will be gone! All that work, stress, prep—in a moment it will be over and we'll be moving on towards the next big event. The most important thing that we'll be left with is the memories —not the gifts, or the leftovers!

I've come across two interesting writings about Christmas that I want to share with you. Regardless of your belief system, I think they pertain to everyone and are important lessons for all of us to hear.

First is from C.S. Lewis . You might know him as the author of the Chronicles of Narnia . He was known for taking an ordinary topic and injecting it with an unexpected twist; filling it with fantasy and leaving you thinking. His thoughts on Christmas were no exception. (Keep in mind, he wrote this essay in 1954.)

The essay entitled Xmas and Christmas: A Lost Chapter from Herodotus . (You can follow this link to read a more detailed excerpt of this essay.) The essay described the fictitious island of Niatirb ( aka Britain spelled backwards ) which had a yearly celebration they called “Exmas.”

Lewis explains, the celebration of Exmas is basically— insanity . Individuals are required to send " each of his friends and relations a square piece of hard paper stamped with a picture;" and, " every citizen has to guess the value of the gift which every friend will send to him so that he may send one of equal value, whether he can afford it or not ."

" This fifty days of preparation is called in their barbarian speech the Exmas Rush… But when the day of the festival comes, then most of the citizens, being exhausted with the Rush, lie in bed till noon. But in the evening they eat five times as much supper as on other days and, crowning themselves with crowns of paper, they become intoxicated. And on the day after Exmas they are very grave, being internally disordered by the supper and the drinking and reckoning how much they have spent on gifts and on the wine..."

He goes on to describe a sector of this group that participates in a different type of festival that they call Crissmas. "But the few among the Niatirbians have also a festival, separate and to themselves, called Crissmas, which is on the same day as Exmas. And those who keep Crissmas, doing the opposite to the majority of the Niatirbians, rise early on that day with shining faces and go before sunrise to certain temples where they partake of a sacred feast. And in most of the temples they set out images of a fair woman with a new-born Child on her knees and certain animals and shepherds adoring the Child…"

He states that these cannot be the same festival. It makes no sense to subject yourself to stress, insanity and sickness if your festival is "Crissmas" and not "Exmas."

The other parable I've heard before is the Zen parable about the strawberries and the tigers:

"One day while walking through the wilderness, a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice.

As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine.

Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!"

What should this teach us? There is beauty in every single moment, if we only look. We are always being chased by tigers, there is nothing we can do to change that. We can only change how we view and see the moment we're in.

To me, this season feels like I'm being chased by tigers. What C.S. Lewis says is correct; we feel forced to do certain things that are part of the season. We're forced to do so whether we feel like it or not, and whether we can afford to or not. That's not joy, nor is it living in the moment; it's certainly not honoring what the season is really about: LOVE!

So for the next few days, stop paying attention to the tigers and start paying attention to the succulent strawberries—make them the best you've ever had!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

We at Fatkin Natural Healing wish you love, peace, joy, happiness, and health during this season and always!

It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags. Maybe Christmas (he thought) doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.”
— The Grinch

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: How do we start 2020 right?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:32 GMT

(Originally posted on December 30, 2019)

Here we go . It's the end of another year, and the start of another new one! This time, the start of a new decade—2020—almost seems like something out of a science fiction novel.

The end of an old year; the beginning of a new. For so many of us, it's a time where we make resolutions usually encompassing all those things we didn't do the year before. N ow that the clock struck midnight—and this "new" year has begun— we're going to start doing them!

I always think reflection is good, but it should be an ongoing thing—not just the strike of midnight on December 31. If we observe something that is not working for us—or not getting us to the place we want to be—then it's time to re-think it. Maybe it's time to move in a different direction, or maybe it's time to just stop and reflect.

I believe that the ritual of " resolving to make changes for the new year " is a good one if we go about it in the right way. First, we should never set goals that are unreachable . We should always be setting goals that are achievable ; then throughout the year we should be re-evaluating them to see if they are still working for us. If they are, maybe it's time to set the bar slightly higher to another reachable goal. And if it's not working for you, maybe it's time to let it go and set another goal—o ne that will work for you.

Life is ever changing; we need to go with that flow and bend with the changes that come our way. If we're not able to bend, those changes can sometimes break us and make it more difficult to get back on our path.

Going beyond resolving to make things better for the new year; what about letting go of the things that are holding us back? These could be old hurts or old patterns of thinking. If they are causing us to be " stuck" they can also prevent us from moving forward. Many times we hold onto feelings that we've had about certain events and we struggle to get past them. We may even believe we gotten past them, and then out of the blue something causes them to re-surface and we begin to fall into the same old pattern.

What do we do when that happens? Recognize it. The first step is recognizing the pattern and then working on seeing it from all angles. From there you can determine a course of action that will best benefit you. Sometimes we need to just take a moment, offer forgiveness, and just " let it go!" Easier said then done—and not usually a one time thing! We may have to work at that for quite a while before we can overcome that obstacle. It takes practice and persistence.

I'm a big believer in starting the morning with a few moments of reflection and silence. Could be prayer or meditation— whatever it is for you . I've found this lovely short meditation on Y outube about letting go. I practice this one whenever I feel the need to release something. This might be a great way for you to start 2020 : Release some old patterns and start some new ones!

The process of change is ongoing; it's not a one-time "make a resolution" thing. We need to first define a goal, set baby steps to achieving those goals, and bend where necessary in our quest to achieve that goal.

So this year try to reach your goal in silence! Keep your goals to yourself and focus on the walk step by step. You got this!

May you have a blessed, happy, and healthy 2020!

“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.”
-- Ann Landers

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What story are you writing?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:31 GMT

(Originally posted on January 6, 2020)

So I'll just admit this: I'm a little addicted to the " The Crown " on Netflix. Yep, I managed to squeeze all 10 episodes into the last 10 days. For me, that's unusual. I don't typically have time to watch TV; when I do, I usually fall asleep. This show kept me awake and engaged.

Now this isn't a documentary; there is a great deal of poetic license that takes place. Certain events were altered to make them more dramatic and to keep us glued to the set. However, there was one event that actually did happen ... and that is the topic of my thoughts this morning.

On October 21, 1966 there was a catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip on a mountain slope in the tiny Welsh village of Aberfan . A period of heavy rain led to a build up of water in the top and caused it to suddenly slide down a hill. At the base of the hill was a junior school which was engulfed in the avalanche. That morning 116 children and 28 adults were killed. Horrific to say the least. I'd never heard of this or even knew this tragedy had occurred. At that time, Queen Elizabeth was begged by her staff and leaders in parliament to visit the town and console the residents. She refused to go initially , and only visited the site 8 days after the tragedy occurred. It has been said that this is the biggest regret of her Monarchy, and in hindsight she wished she would have gone sooner. History judges her harshly for this decision. More importantly , her actions indicate that she judges herself harshly for this decision.

Hindsight —always the clearest vision. So, if our lives were a movie ( besides the fact that most of us would need a lot of poetic license to make it watchable ��), would you be pleased with the events in your life and what you are watching? Are you, today, making memories that you are proud of? Are you living a life you are proud of?

Did you ever sit and listen to an older person tell a story about their life? I had the pleasure of chatting with a woman who would tell me stories about her younger life when she was first married and her children were little. She had such a colorful life ; as she spoke, I could see it in her eyes. She loved dancing, cooking, parties... and these memories brought her deep joy. She created a life full of beautiful memories. Were they all perfect? No; there was sadness, grief, tragedy, and disappointment as well. What was forefront in her memory was the love and the light. Because of her struggles, she knew the power of the love and she chose to focus on that.

Where are you at in your life? Are you in a colorful moment in time? Are you living in a moment of love or are you facing a storm? When you look back at this time of your life, what will you see? Will you have fully enjoyed the color, or will you have faced the storm with the strength and resilience needed to get through it? Will you take something positive from it? What will your future self see? Will they be proud?

Life is sometimes difficult. I believe it's meant to be. Without darkness, we'd never know light; without the chill of winter, we'd never truly appreciate the warmth of summer. ( Or vice versa. ) Sometimes there are hard decisions, but it takes a strong person to focus on the light. We need the contrast to make us totally appreciate the moment. Just remember, you are the author of your own story—you choose everything that future you will see and remember!

So this week, makes memories your future self will be proud of. Do something that makes you proud—no matter how small—and record the event in your mind so you can remember it with fondness!

“When writing the story of your life, don't let anyone else hold the pen.”
— Harley Davidson

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Are you heading towards your purpose?

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:29 GMT

(Originally posted on January 13, 2020)

Are you personally on a journey to get healthier and find more purpose and meaning in life?

Are you on this journey alone, or do you have family and friends supporting your efforts? Are they working with you?

"Do they support and encourage you, or are they indifferent and/or discouraging?

Do they work with you as you try and change your diet, and your mindset, or do they sabotage you every chance they get?

Obviously when we have support, things go easier and we’re often able to achieve our goals with less stress. In the cases where we don’t have that support, the journey towards that goal will be way more difficult— if it’s even attainable at all .

All relationships should have a goal. Maybe it’s spoken and maybe it’s unspoken; it’s a direction that we’re headed in regardless. Marriages and friendships that succeed long-term do so because they have a common goal.

I'm sure that in the course of your life ( I know this is the case in my life ), that there have been many people— family AND friends —that the relationship was just too difficult to maintain. Not that we didn’t appreciate each other, but rather we didn't have the same goals, so the relationship became a lesser priority. The things we have no time for— or rather are not willing to make time for —are things that are of no value to us.

So what do we do? I think this answer depends first on determining where our values are, and what is important to us.

If the relationship no longer has value to you , maybe you simply release it. Let go of the expectations you have for that relationship, let it be what it is, and focus your thoughts on your goal. The less you focus on a relationship that is depleting you, the more energy and clarity you have towards finding your purpose and achieving your goal. If we continue to focus on these stagnant relationships it will keep us from moving forward and achieving what we want for ourselves.

If the relationship is one that you truly value , then the lines of communication need to be opened. You need to grab a cup of coffee, sit in a room without disturbances and define your goals. Then you can move forward in a loving, nurturing way to achieve your common goal.

How do we decide this? Make a list of what your goal or purpose is at this point in your life. It can be short or long term, doesn’t matter. Then make a list of the aspects of your life that need improvement, and determine what is helping you achieve these goals or what might be hindering you. Take steps to remove the things that no longer serve you. Once you get there, set another achievable goal and go for it.. Like any change in our life, baby steps! You'll get there the more focused you stay.

Goals and purposes in life are necessary every single day of our life . Whether we are 25 or 95—it doesn't matter! You should always have a goal and you should always have a purpose!

Do you want to lead a life where you found your purpose and achieved your goals, or are you content in knowing you did’t make it? As always - your choice!

"So much of being successful in life is getting out of your own way."
—Dan Avidan

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: We are all connected

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:27 GMT

(Originally posted on November 11, 2019)

Here I stand in the middle of a gorgeous park. It’s so incredibly peaceful and serene; the sun feels fantastic on my skin. There's a chair nearby that’s just calling my name, so I walk over and sit down. It’s the most comfortable chair I have ever had the pleasure of sitting on. With the warmth of the sun on my face and the comfort of this chair, I just want to fall into a peaceful sleep.

In front of me holographic images begin to appear. There I am at 10 years old. Mrs. Hoover lived two doors down from us and her husband had just passed away. She rarely leaves the house—and when I do see her, she looks so sad. So me and two of my friends decide to knock on her door. She invites us in, and we sit with her on her porch and talk to her for a while. Then we hear our parents calling so we leave. My dad wasn’t happy with me for bothering Mrs. Hoover and I was sent to my room for the rest of the day. I feel as if I am reliving this scene as if it’s happening right this moment. I’m crying; sobbing so hard that my stomach hurts, and then I fall asleep. But I’m not just watching this , I’m feeling it again. But this time I’m not feeling my pain—I’m feeling how happy Mrs. Hoover was that we sat and talked with her. She spent the rest of her day singing as she went about her chores. When her children called to see how she was doing, she told them about how blessed she felt that these three children came to see her. I feel her joy .

I also feel how proud my friends' parents were because they visited Mrs. Hoover, and spent time with her. I felt their pride as well as my friends' happiness because their parents were proud. What surprised me was that this event was stuck in my mind because it was painful for me; yet as I watched these events unfolding, there was no pain, only happiness—and lots and lots of it! The feeling I have I can’t describe. The adults then followed our lead and my mother, along with my friends' mother began visiting Mrs. Hoover on a regular basis.

The ripple effect of one little moment…

These images went on and on throughout my entire life. I saw every action and every reaction. There were times I reacted in anger, or in judgment, and I felt that too. I felt everything—every feeling that was associated with that one moment in time. There were moments I felt proud of what I’d accomplished in my life and moments I felt shame at the choice I’d made.

I seemed to have fallen asleep in that chair. When I awoke, there was a young and vibrant Mrs. Hoover sitting on the chair beside me. She tells me how much those visits meant to her. She was happy to talk of her husband, even though he had passed. Everyone was so afraid that talking about his death would hurt her— but to her, talking about him was wonderful because it kept his memory alive. She tells me how every moment in life is linked to every other moment. Everything we do matters and it affects not only us, but everyone around us. When my father views this event, he will likely feel totally different emotions than I did. What he will feel will depend on where his heart was at the time. It’s not about what you do necessarily, as it is about where your heart is when you do it. You see, a good deed—even a huge gesture—done with an unhappy, unloving or self-absorbed heart is not the same as a small gesture done with a loving heart.

With those words, Mrs. Hoover disappears and I wake up; asleep on the sofa in my living room.

I hadn't thought of Mrs. Hoover for many, many years. She has long since passed. I feel, with this dream, that she received some love from her neighbors during a difficult time of her life and that she felt great gratitude for it. I also realize that everyone that visited her—and took the time to open their hearts—received something as well. Something they may not yet realize they received.

This dream reminded me to take a moment to visit my new neighbor, welcome her to the neighborhood, and offer her a few minutes to chat about her new life! Maybe offering her a few moments of compassion will help her on her journey!

Everything matters: every moment, every gesture, every smile…EVERYTHING! Be mindful of what you do and lead with your heart. Someday…maybe not today, but someday, you will know just how powerful you were!

“I don't always know the right thing to do in a situation. So, when I'm stuck, I ask myself 'What is the most loving thing I can do in this moment.' And, that's what I do.”
-- Katrina Mayer

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Your body is your home

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:25 GMT

(Originally posted on November 18, 2019)

This is the time of year when people tend to gain the most weight. I suspect it starts with Halloween candy, and then progresses into the Thanksgiving holiday and right on through New Year. We just eat continuously— and most of the time it's not healthy eating. But why do we do this?

I suspect most of us would say: " Because it's there," and because we're invited to parties where there's food and we don't want to be rude. Maybe that is part of it, but maybe it's something else altogether.

Have you ever sat and examined your relationship with food? What do you do when your stress levels are high? Do you eat? What do you do when you're sad or when you're grieving? Do you turn towards food to try and fill the part of you that is missing? Are you trying to fill a void? What type of foods do you gravitate towards? What times of your life do you gravitate towards food? Do you binge eat? Do you leave the table stuffed and not feeling well? Did you enjoy the food you ate? Did you taste it? Did it satisfy you?

I watched a very interesting video clip from Geneen Roth . She said "We eat the way we eat because we are afraid to feel what we feel.” She's the author of many books that discuss eating disorders and our relationship with food. She suggests that when we eat we are really trying to fill up a part of ourselves that is not complete. I found that concept very thought provoking. She also suggests that because we don't like or honor our bodies the way they are, that we are using food as an escape.

How many of you have been on that roller coaster diet? I sure have been. You do this diet, you lose 20 lbs, you go off that diet, and you gain 25 lbs. Well that diet didn't work, so let's try another. On and on it goes. In the process of this, not only are we hurting our bodies, we're also hurting our self-esteem.

We feel great , for the few minutes that the weight is off of us. Then we feel awful when it creeps back on—we berate and degrade ourselves for being weak and unable to keep it off. We decide we "hate" our legs, or our butts, or whatever it is for us. We don't like how we feel in clothing— and worse, we don't like how we feel without them. Finally, maybe we decide to try another "diet" or we just give up. We decide we're going to hate ourselves just the way we are.

Whoa! Stop!

Do you see what's happening here? It's a downward cycle. We're never going to succeed at a diet. In fact, NO ONE succeeds at a diet— EVER ! But if we keep riding the roller coaster, we are going to succeed at ruining our chances of ever being happy, healthy, vibrant beings.

What about those few people who do seem to "succeed" at a diet? That's because it's NOT the diet that they succeeded at, it's changing their relationship with food that they succeeded at. They have worked at filling up those places in themselves that food is currently occupying. They eat to nourish themselves physically...not emotionally.

Geneen Roth said that our body is the " piece of the universe we've been given." That's so powerful. We've all heard the saying: "The grass is greener on the other side," and we could apply this to Geneen's statement as well. The universe isn't any better over there and maybe if we stop, honor, and love the part of the universe we've been given then we'd see that! We can continue to degrade ourselves for not being "perfect," or we can love ourselves for being the beautiful, imperfect, absolutely wonderful beings we are!

Start today—this moment! Love who you are, exactly as you are; that's your first step. Only after you accept yourself and become present in yourself can you start to create the universe you want for yourself.

You matter. You are perfect. You are enough! And you're rockin that butt!

“Weight loss does not make people happy. Or peaceful. Being thin does not address the emptiness that has no shape or weight or name. Even a wildly successful diet is a colossal failure because inside the new body is the same sinking heart.”
― Geneen Roth

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: So thankful for YOU!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:23 GMT

(Originally posted on November 25, 2019)

Here we are again: it's Thanksgiving! Most of us are looking forward to a day off, a good meal, and some companionship with loved ones. This is the season of joy, happiness, love and gratitude!

There's much debate over whether or not the Pilgrims and the Indians actually shared a feast on the "first harvest" in October of 1621. Instead of focusing on that, I think we should focus on what this story should teach us.

According to the legend, the Indians taught the Pilgrims how to live in this new land. On that "harvest" day, they joined together to enjoy the fruits of their labors. To this day, we join together as family and friends to share a "feast" and to "give thanks" for our prosperity during the preceding year.

But should we be giving thanks only on this day? I believe we should be giving thanks everyday, in every way, for everything! Yep, that means everything!

So that driver in front of you that was going so slow you were late for work— yep, you should thank him! Maybe he saved you from being in an accident just up the road.

What about that crisis that happened at your house and cost you money that you were saving for something else? Yep, be thankful! Maybe whatever it was you were going to do with that money wouldn't have been for your greater good.

What about when you were bullied by a classmate growing up, and now that classmate needs your help? Be grateful— because you may have become a more loving individual because of them, and now you have the opportunity to show them love. Maybe you even have the opportunity to heal their wounds—and your wounds—in the process.

You see, everything—no matter how difficult, or how dramatic— always, always, always has at least one positive thing that came out of it. At least one! And I bet if you sat and looked at it, you could find many things. The ripple effect is always happening; what we put out there, ripples out into the world.

Did you know that Thomas Edison, when inventing the light bulb, said, “I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” That’s an attitude of gratitude. Sometimes when we "fail" (although I don't really believe anything is a failure or a mistake) we have an emotional response. We've been let down—either by ourselves or others. If we live in an attitude of gratitude ALL THE TIME, we realize that failure is just a key to learning; to doing things a different way. So sometimes, like Thomas Edison, maybe you have to fail 10,000 ways before you finally get it right. If you give up too soon, you'll likely miss the wonderful result when it finally all clicks into place! I mean really...thank God, Thomas Edison didn't give up! My power was out for about 10 minutes last night and during that time I was grateful that I'm not a Pilgrim. ��

If you consciously choose to see everything that happens in your life as something that has the potential for good, your entire life will shift. This week during our week of gratitude, I challenge you to try and see all the things in life that you are grateful for. Maybe take this even a step further by choosing a difficult moment of your life and write down all the good that came from it. I bet you'll see that that event rippled way further than you see, and that way more good came out of it than you ever realized before!

Happy Thanksgiving! I am personally grateful for each and every one of you and the impact you've had on my life! Thank you!

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”
– Thornton Wilder

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Pick a Door

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:22 GMT

(Originally posted on December 2, 2019)

Did you ever want something so badly you could taste it? But no matter what you did, you just couldn't get to the point where you had what you wanted? You feel like you're banging your head against the door— if only it would open then everything would fall into place.

Did you ever stop and think: maybe it's not your door?

During the course of our lives we step through many doors. Some will lead us to great success—or great love—and maybe even open more doors for us. Other doors might lead us to heartache or dead-end opportunities. There are those that should just simply remain closed... yet sometimes they are so tempting we feel we need to re-open them to take one more peek! In those cases, the results are usually not so good because there was a reason that the door was closed to begin with!

Wouldn't it be great if we could realize the difference and only open the doors that were meant for us? The ones that would move us forward on our journey?

Well, we're human so sometimes it's hard to differentiate between a door that " s houldn't" be opened and one that just requires us to " work a little harder."

The doors that require us to "work a little harder" are more like goals. Goals in life are very important —they keep us fresh, they help us grow, and they move us forward in this journey of life. With goals we are learning more about ourselves every day. We are moving forward; not stuck in one place, waiting for something to happen.

When we're beating our heads against a door that's not opening, we're stuck. We are not moving and we are completely focused on the fact that we can't open this door or get over this hurdle. We are missing other opportunities that could help us move forward and totally change our lives for the better. If it doesn't open, then it's not your door! Keep searching for the doors that are open to you and walk through them with gratitude and anticipation.

The more you pay attention to what is opening for you, the more that will open for you! Remember: sometimes there are forces greater than us that can see the entire picture and can see exactly why that opportunity is not panning out for you.

Beating your fists against a door that refuses to open will diminish your spirit and keep you from the things that you desire.

“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.”
--Alexander Graham Bell

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: It's Contagious!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:21 GMT

(Originally posted on December 9, 2019)

It's all up to us! What we feel, how we react, what kind of day we have, what kind of life we have—it's up to us! What we think, will be!

Someone starts yawning so we yawn. They yawn and so on and so on...

Someone starts laughing and we start laughing! Experiments have been done on this. I know we shared this video before but it's so funny it's worth a repeat! Laughing now? I bet you are!

So if yawning and laughter are contagious, what else is contagious? Have you ever met someone that makes you feel awesome every time you're around them? By the same token, have you ever met someone that makes you feel drained and exhausted every time you're around them?

The people that make us feel good are impacting our energy in a positive way. They are essentially filling us up and sending us back into the world with a positive outlook.

The people that drain at us are having the opposite effect. Unfortunately we can't always avoid the people that bring us down; however there are some things we can do to protect ourselves.

The first is always recognizing the situation for what it is. If you always feel poorly after being with a certain person, recognize it and then prepare yourself before you spend time with them again. Go into the situation with yourself in a good and solid place. Smile ( that's contagious too... ), be upbeat, and refuse to take on their energy or their tone. You might need to take a few minutes to yourself after your meeting to shed their mood. Don't forget to smile....keep smiling!

The way we choose to see events in our life is the tone and the path which our life will take. It's like a spiral— we can spiral up or we can spiral down. The choice is ours!

We are all light and we are all darkness . Do we choose to show the world the light, or do we choose to show the world the darkness?

Now don't get me wrong, there are events in life that are going to suckerpunch us and take us down for a bit. We're human and it's ok to feel those feelings. What we need to be cautious of is the spiral . Going down is much easier than rising up! I love this quote by Colette Werden: "It's ok if you fall down and lose your spark, just make sure you rise up as the whole damn fire." The problem with people in a constantly negative state is that they can't see their way out of their own darkness. We can guide them and show them light by our own actions. Smile, be upbeat—it's contagious! Your smile and joy just might be someone else's light!

The world seems to feed on fear and anger. We fall into it easily by watching the daily news and hearing about all the negative going on in the world. It's true, there is a lot of bad out there—but there's also a lot of good. What are you focused on?

Changing our views and our perceptions is a challenge for all of us. We can only do it step by step, moment by moment. There are times we'll succeed and times we won't— but our efforts at laughing, loving, and being positive will be the first steps in moving our world in a different direction!

There's a great book called " The Positive Dog." It's a story about the " two dogs inside of us." One dog is positive, happy, optimistic, and hopeful while the other dog is negative, mad, sad, pessimistic, and fearful. These two dogs will battle inside of us— but who is the winner? It will be the one we feed!

Which are you feeding?

“All energy is contagious. If we can infect each other with fear, hatred and violence, then shouldn't we, presumably, be able to do the same with love, generosity and patience?”
-- Daniel Goldsmith

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: They are our future

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:16 GMT

(Originally posted on November 4, 2019)

Several weeks ago, I was invited to a birthday party that was scheduled for this weekend. What was so unique about this was that it was for a little boy turning 9 years old. He was having a party that was " family only," but he wanted to invite me and my daughter. He even told me himself: "It is only going to be family." How powerful it was to be included—by a child—and not at the behest of his parents. There was no way I wasn't going to be there! How could you possibly turn that down?

Besides having a great time and laughing like crazy ( which is always healing ), I left with a great big reminder about how important it is that we are good role models for our children. We are the ones who guide them to be compassionate and loving human beings.

You see, in the days before this party—as they were preparing for the big day—this young man showed just what an extraordinary soon-to-be 9 year old he was. While he was trick-or-treating, he picked out candy that his family (not he himself) would like. He then voluntarily gave his school Halloween prize to a special-needs classmate who didn't have one. Then he frantically asked his mother to save a spider trapped in their Halloween decorations! He also asked for money for his birthday so that he could buy his hamster special food to make him happy!

Wow!!!

How many of us are that selfless, thoughtful, caring, and extraordinary?

Well we all have the ability to be—but do we choose to be?

Self-care and self-love are truly important. There are moments and times where we need to put ourselves and our care first. Only then can we be totally present in the world and prioritize other's needs. However, we have the tendency to be self-serving. We complain about our youth growing up, but do we ever stop and see what our example is teaching them? We neglect ourselves to honor their needs— no matter how trivial . We don't want to see them cry, so we give in and give them whatever they want. We teach them not that self-love and self-care are important , but they they are the most important —no matter what else is going on. Obviously, this young child is seeing positive role models in his parents and he is emulating them. He is changing the world simply by being a part of it and acting in love.

Love is the nature of children. They cuddle with us to read books, they give hugs freely, they want to play, and they want to hold hands on walks! They act in love naturally... until they are taught otherwise . At what point do we lose that freedom and why ? Children are sponges—they will pick up and learn from what they see in their environment. Are we teaching them behaviors other than love? Are we teaching them to compete with others and to try and prove they are better? What if we are all the same? What if we are all candles shining in one sun and we all make up the light? What if we all have the ability to make that sun shine brighter?

We do—and it's our responsibility as adults, parents, grandparents, and friends to show our children that they are lights; that they have the power to help the world shine brighter. We need to look at ourselves and see what role models we are playing for our children.

I bet that many of you have similar stories like the one above about your children or grandchildren. I'd love to hear them. So I challenge each of you to think of something your children did that made you proud, and that showed their light to the world and send it to me. I don't care if it was yesterday or 50 years ago. You can reply to this email. We'll gather them and include them in a later email ( using no names of course ). Let's prove that the world is changing and that there are children growing up to be extraordinary human beings! Let's believe that we're headed for an extraordinary future!

"Always remember," God had smiled, "I have sent you nothing but angels."
by Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations With God

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Groundhog Day!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:14 GMT

(Originally posted on October 28, 2019)

Groundhog Day!

So you've seen the movie— and if you haven't, you should ! It's funny and Bill Murray is great as usual. It's a movie that is filled with real meaning.

Bill Murray is cast as Phil Connors, a TV Weatherman given the job of covering the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He decided this job is " beneath him ," but nonetheless checks into a local B&B. The next morning he wakes to the final bars of Sonny and Cher’s " I’ve Got You Babe" and a couple of highly caffeinated deejays. He goes about his duties, but is prevented that evening from leaving the town because of a snowstorm. The next morning he wakes and finds it's February 2, all over again! Everything is happening exactly like it happened originally . And, so the entire movie continues with everyday being the same—no matter what he does. Until, that is, he makes some significant changes in himself and finds himself out of the loop!

Well we don't have the same day repeat itself in our lives, but we often have the same situation repeat itself—maybe with just a little bit of a twist. This is happening to me right now. I'm in a situation that has happened to me twice before in my life. In both instances, the situation ended causing me great emotional stress and I moved past it with the words: "lesson learned, NOT doing that again!" But here it is again—and I did it again! Will I ever learn? When it happened in the past, I didn't see it and I didn't recognize what was going on nor what was happening. Now I do. So this is my opportunity to do things differently; hopefully learning the lesson that is being offered to me.

But what is the lesson? I guess that's always the hard part. I'm not sure that Phil Connors recognized the lesson—until he learned it, that is. I'm not sure I know exactly what my lesson is. Has this happened to you? Have you asked yourself : "Why does this keep happening to me?" or ,"What am I missing?"

Once we see the pattern repeat, we immediately attach the same feelings and the same outcome to the situation. It's not something we consciously do, it just happens. I've attached fear and dread. I'm building up my defenses to keep myself from getting hurt again. But I can do better, and so can all of us. We can keep ourselves open so that we can see the lesson, recognize what it is that we're supposed to learn, and do things differently this time! You see, each time the situation presents itself we're given a unique opportunity to change the outcome. We can write a new story and hopefully heal the wounds of the past in the process.

Grab a journal! What is repeating for you? What is it you don't seem to be able to get past? What emotion have you attached to this situation? What would be your chosen outcome? What action can you take to precipitate a better outcome? Keep doing this; keep journaling and logging your feelings to see how they change over time. Eventually you will see patterns to your responses—just like there are patterns to your life. Only once we recognize the pattern, can we change it!

We repeat what we don't repair! Just as a little side note, they analyzed the film "Groundhog Day" and concluded it took Bill Murray 12,934 days to make a change - hopefully we do a little better than that - so let's get started!

“If history repeats itself, I am soooo getting a dinosaur.”
-- Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Everything Matters!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:28:40 GMT

(Originally posted on October 21, 2019)

I love to read . I usually always have an audio-book going while I'm working around the house, trying to get other things done. Once in awhile I'll pick up a fiction story to read, but I mostly stick with non-fiction books. I guess I'm looking for answers. What's life all about? Why do we have to suffer (either physically or emotionally) and how much control do we have over it?

Right now I'm listening to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's autobiography " The Wheel of Life." What a phenomenal woman. She was one of 3 triplets born in 1926 in Switzerland. She weighed 2 lbs, and they didn't think she'd survive. Turns out she did—and became the biggest influence of the hospice movement in America. I had to laugh at this little excerpt from the book:

"At six, a teacher asked her to write an essay about what she intended to be when she grew up. When she told her parents about the assignment at dinner that night, her father, a middle manager at an office-supply company, told her that she should plan for a career as his secretary. “No, thank you!” young Elisabeth snapped. That night, she wrote in her journal that she planned to become a physician and an adventurer. “I want to find out the purpose of life.”

Strong willed! (And her dad wasn't too happy about it!)

But you know, he should have been happy about it. Without her tenacity, the world would have missed a unique perspective on living...and dying! If you'd like to read more about her, here's a link to an article about her life.

What if, everything, every deed, every action, every thought, that we had during this life had a consequence? That means everything— good and bad?

Probably the most profound book I have ever read—and the one that set me on my path to trying to "understand life"—was " Saved by the Light ", by Dannion Brinkley. This book has been criticized and debunked (like every other book on the subject) many times over. Regardless of that, the message could be—and should be—taken by all of us. Everything matters! We may not see it here in this moment, but what if our "judgement day" is the day when we get to see the results of our actions?

So if you do something simple and seemingly insignificant for a stranger, like holding the door while smiling and wishing them a good day. Maybe they were having a bad day, and your deed resonates with them! The rest of the day they might continue to smile and do nice things for others. You would never see this, or know that your gesture turned their day around.

You might never get to fully see how your kindness affects the lives of others, but what if on "judgement day" you get to? And not only do you "see" the kindness you brought others, you "feel" it! What a wonderful moment that would be!

In contrast: what if you verbally degrade someone and make them feel terrible? What if that person is a young child, and that child takes that feeling you instilled into their life and treats their children and others around them the same way they were treated? What if on "judgement day" you get to feel that? Not only your child's feelings on that day, but every other feeling associated with that moment throughout the course of his life. That would be a not so wonderful moment. It might even feel like "Hell!"

The stories in Mr. Brinkley's books are just this. In my experience, these stories make me think about everything I do and what its ripple effect might be. I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Brinkley speak a few years back, and no matter what critics say about him, I found him to be awe-inspiring and spreading an amazingly powerful message . He, too, works with hospice and dying patients trying to make their transitions more graceful.

If we were all to live our lives as if every single thing mattered—and that someday we feel how much things mattered—don't you think the world would be different? As Dannion Brinkley said when he spoke to us that day: he wants his next "death" to be filled with hugs and love!

How about it? Let's do this and make our lives and everyone's lives around us filled with love and hugs!

We're making this world an amazing place to live in!

"Humans are powerful spiritual beings meant to create good on earth. This good isn't usually accomplished in bold actions, but in singular acts of kindness between people. It's the little things that count, because they are more spontaneous and show who you truly are."
--Dannion Brinkley

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Being part of the solution

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:28:39 GMT

(Originally posted on October 14, 2019)

Ellen DeGeneres has been all over the news this week. Normally I don't pay attention to these sorts of things, because frankly, they're negative . I believe that the more negative I see and hear, the worse I feel. Do you find that in your life? Are there people in your life that raise you up and make you feel good, and then others that drag you down and make you feel bad?

I see this daily in my personal corner of the world. But what about the world in general . There are people all over the place spouting theories on how we can correct the problems in our world. Then when they find someone who disagrees with their thoughts on the matter, they fight with them. They "hate" them, maybe even to the point of becoming physical.

I just finished reading the series of books "Conversations with God ". In this dialogue there was alot of stuff that resonated very well for me, and of course , there were things that did not. The one thing that really struck me was the talk about " collective consciousness ". If you haven't heard this term before, it's the thought that our beliefs create our reality, and that our "collective" beliefs create our "collective" reality.

So going back to those that raise us up and those that drag us down. Depending on the balance of those forces in our life, will depend on how we see the world. Do you see it has fearful, hateful, terrible....or do you see it as good, peaceful and joyful? Your thoughts on this matter are part of the "collective consciousness". It's possible that there is more "hate" in the world than there is "love". It's also possible that we're fed more "hate" than we are "love" to influence our mindset. So what can we do? We can raise our "collective consciousness" by raising our "individual consciousness". The more people that do not respond to the hate and fear, and choose love and joy, the more we raise ourselves as a society.

So back to Ellen. What she did here was amazing. She said outright, I might not agree with his politics, but I'm friends with the man . Ellen's right here. We don't have to agree and that's ok . Why do we choose not to appreciate the differences in people? Wow, if the whole world was full of clones of me...the world would be a pretty darned boring place to live. Let's all follow Ellen's lead this week, and instead of judging others, let's offer love and compassion. Smile, laugh and listen with someone who believes differently than you.

Choose to see the world in a state of love, instead of in a state of fear! Let's start today and change the direction we're headed in!

Be the light, shine that light in the dark places and let's change the "collective consciousness"! As the song says "It all starts with the man in the mirror"!

BE THE CHANGE!

In a gentle way, you can shake the world!
– Mahatma Gandhi

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The UNIVERSE has a message for you!

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:28:37 GMT

(Originally posted on October 7, 2019)

The Universe! An actual message from the Universe! If you don't know the story of Tut.com, it's a pretty cool story.

"What started in 1998 as an email sent out weekly to 38 addresses has since blossomed into today's daily Notes from the Universe, sent to over 800,000 subscribers in 185 countries! These Notes are brief passages written by "The Universe," personalized with your name (and occasionally your personal goals and dreams), designed to remind you that you have, indeed, been given dominion over all things." (You can click the quote to open the link to sign up for your own note if you'd like.)

I signed up for these years back and always find them inspirational. Seemed like more often than not, they would be spot on to whatever was going on in my life. When we started these emails, it was designed to bring people things to think about life—and to hopefully help us all look at life's challenges —with a different perspective.

Messages of guidance come to us in many forms. They can come in a "note from the universe," a Monday morning email, or directly out of the mouth of someone that has no idea they are giving us a message!

This happened to me this week. Out of a seemingly insignificant conversation came words I was stunned to hear; words that I had heard many years ago... words that I did not heed many years ago! So was this a very specific " note from the universe?" A message that was pointed directly at me, so that I would specifically not miss it? I think so!

Did this ever happen to you? Did a situation, or a similar situation, happen to you more than once? Did you see it? Did you learn the lesson? Or did you keep on trudging through—hoping for a different outcome?

Sometimes I believe that God, The Universe , whatever you want to call it, puts signs directly in our path! It says: " Whoa, slow down and see this for what it is. " I don't believe that, in any circumstance, there is a right or a wrong decision or a right or a wrong course of action—it is just crucial that you have taken a moment to make a conscious course of action.

Life is a series of experiences. Some experiences are happy ones, some are unhappy ones, some move us forward, and some send us backwards. Regardless, we are always learning ; what we don't learn will show up again and give us another opportunity to try and actually glean the lesson from the experience. Once we've acknowledged it and learned it, only then can we move forward. And every once in awhile—like in my case this week—the universe will give us a big ole slap in the face and say: " Get it right this time!"

So has the Universe been sending you a message? Do you recognize it when it happens? Be present and pay attention to things that happen over and over again, or things that keep showing up. This can be in the form of numbers, words, phrases, or even objects. Sometimes we are given guideposts along the way and we miss them. However, seeing them can help us to step back, view the larger picture, and hopefully take the lesson!

Have a beautiful week! Pay attention, learn from the past, and create a brighter and much happier future!

"You've got A LOT of important stuff to do today and this week. The most important of which is to remind yourself not to go it alone. Leverage the universe; engage the magic.”
-- THE UNIVERSE ( tut.com )

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Only YOU can change YOU!

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:54 GMT

(Originally posted on September 30, 2019)

I’m a big believer in “ Everything happens for a reason ," even when I don't like what's happening. Every event—good or bad—has a purpose and a lesson for us. We don't always see it...or maybe we’re just not ready to see it.

This week I was thinking about relationships in our lives: some good, some bad, some hurtful, some helpful, some filled with love, and others filled with distance. What I’ve come to realize is that some of the most difficult relationships of my life have taught me the most. Honestly, in most cases these relationships have taught me what I don’t want to be. They’ve challenged me and allowed me to reach beyond to find a deeper part of myself.

As I was pondering this, one of my clients began chatting with me about her relationship with her mother. That relationship, according to her, was challenged almost from the beginning. That mother/child bond just wasn’t present; throughout life she felt degraded, admonished for mistakes she’d make, and she was just generally unloved. Her mother passed many years ago, but she was still harboring anger towards her. Now older, settled, and much more balanced, she’s looking back at her relationship with her mother and realizing that she did the same thing to her daughter. She’s feeling now that she missed the lesson, and just walked the same path as her mother.

I don’t know her daughter, so I’m not sure how she processed these events and what she chose to do with them. There are always many choices in these situations. We can continue the pattern, or we can change the pattern to rewrite a new present and future. More importantly, it’s never too late to make changes to current relationships. Remember that we need to grant forgiveness to those that we have wronged us, as well as ask and grant forgiveness to those that we want to forge new relationships with.

But what if we don’t want to change a relationship, or allow someone to be a part of our lives?

That’s ok too! Sometimes we need to learn the lesson and move on! Keep the lesson but keep moving forward. It's healthy to recognize who is toxic in your life—those who cause you pain and suffering— and remove those people so they don't continue to hinder your growth. Grant forgiveness though, because harboring anger and resentment only hurts us. Along with granting forgiveness, be grateful for the lesson you have learned. It has served you well!

Live your life in love and gratitude! All events in our lives shape us and make us who we are today. How are the events of your life shaping you? Do you like what you see? Only YOU can change how you feel and react to how you feel! If you don’t like what you see, every single day you will have a new opportunity to re-shape your world, re-shape your relationships, and re-shape your life!

It’s never too late…Carpe Diem!

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today.
Let us begin!
--Mother Teresa

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

PS: This 2-minute clip is worth a watch! Jenna the editor wanted to include this clip in. Despite the fact that it is from a cartoon, it harbors a very strong message: nobody can change you but YOU! The antagonist in the clip was abandoned, abused, and forgotten—taking her anger and hurt out on the boy in the clip. The entire movie talks about dealing with abuse and PTSD in a very simple way.

Motivational Monday: We are always learning

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:52 GMT

(Originally posted on September 23, 2019)

I've always been under the impression that I can learn everything I need to know " all by myself!" If I want to learn how to do something—or if I want to learn more about a certain subject— if I read and study then I can figure it out ! And, you know what? Most of the time I can do this. This way of thinking has served me well in most areas of my life.

I do think that all of us—to some degree or another—are trying to grow, mature, and figure out who we are in this life. We can read, study, focus, meditate, pray...whatever it is we do. However, there are usually some aspects of our lives where guidance from another individual—usually one who has been where we are—is the best navigation tool.

I knew someone who once told me that he couldn't see how he could possibly learn something from someone that " didn't have it perfect themselves." For a time, I subscribed to this belief myself. How could you teach me something when you yourself are still working on it ? Sounds logical, but is it really?

If this were truth then that would mean no one could ever be a teacher. We're all human, we're all flawed, we all fall into old habits from time to time. We pass on the knowledge that we have amassed up to this point in our lives; it is part of our learning process. It's part of how we grow, mature, and add to our bank of knowledge and experience. They say that the best way to LEARN is to TEACH!

For those of you who are new to the Nutrition Response Testing program, you've heard us say that none of us are perfect and that we're teaching you from what we've discovered to work. This doesn't mean we're not human from time to time— it means we consciously make choices with the knowledge of what that choice will do to us. We've worked very hard at learning what works and what doesn't. Regardless, we are human beings; flawed, imperfect, and occasionally we make poor choices. And, you know what? That's ok!

Think about the areas of your life in which you are most able to help or teach another. It's usually because you lived it. You know what they are experiencing and that gives you first-hand knowledge on how to deal with it. It gives you tools that you can share with another to help them navigate this time of their life. Each time you falter, another tool has been added to your arsenal and you are able to teach another experience, or another level of an experience. It's a process. What is coming to you to teach to another is something you still need to learn.

If we think of life as a road or a journey, and that we are each at different places on that road. We have each brought with us certain experiences and we are each still working at learning certain things. No matter what part of the road we are on, we always have the ability to teach another that is any place along that road. We are either teaching them from experience or reminding them of where they once were. Either way, we are the teacher... and the student!

Keep learning, keep experiencing, and keep sharing! If we are all connected, then one person's success is everyone's success!

EXCERPT FROM "CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD" Book 3: NEALE DONALD WALSCH
"I am, in short, keenly aware that I am not worthy to represent myself as a man of God or a messenger of truth. I should be the last person to assume such a role, or to even presume to. I do an injustice to the truth by presuming to speak it, when my whole life has been a testimony to my weaknesses."

Everything that has happened in your life has happened perfectly in order for you— and all the souls involved with you—to grow in exactly the way you've needed and wanted to grow .

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Meaning of Life

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:50 GMT

(Originally posted on September 16, 2019)

Seems pretty simple, right? We're born, we live, we die, we pay taxes and a few things in between. So...what's the meaning?

Some would argue that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42 . I, however, found that Siri has some pretty good suggestions. I personally like: " All evidence to date suggests it's chocolate!" Works for me.

But seriously, what are we doing here? People have always been searching for the answer to that question. I'm pretty sure no one has really come up with a definitive answer, just their suppositions on it. That's what this is: my take on what might "possibly" be the reason why we are here .

I read a lot about the need to find our purpose in life. Once we find that, things seem to fall into place and we tend to find joy and peace. But for most of us it takes well into our lives before we find that purpose—if we ever do. I've read: "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." I feel like that is true. Think back to when you were younger—maybe high school or college years—we're very idealistic at that time of life. We think we'll find the perfect job and the perfect mate; we'll make perfect babies, and the house will always be clean, the wash will always be done (and put away!). Ok, that one might be a fantasy that happens as we get older...but you get the point! We picture and imagine this idealistic world and life for ourselves. Then life happens!

The job isn't perfect, we're not fulfilled. It's not what we imagined it to be. Our perfect spouse is sometimes not so perfect! And our children... they become teenagers! LIFE HAPPENS! This doesn't mean we don't love our spouse or our children, it's just not the nirvana we thought it was going to be. It's life, it's real, and sometimes it's not totally fulfilling. It's hard work.

So what is the purpose of all of this?

I guess we'll never really know. I think at different phases of my life I thought there were different purposes. Maybe that's true.

Perhaps as we grow and mature what we feel matters, and what does matter to us is different. But what if we're looking for a deep answer? Maybe the answer is super simple?

What if you fulfilled your purpose when you spent time reading to a child?

What if you fulfilled your purpose when you helped and elderly person across the street? When you saved a stray cat? When you held the door for a stranger?

What if your purpose isn't the accumulation of things, but rather your heart! What if it was your compassion, your love, your deeds, your gratitude ... what if it is what you put into the world, and not what you take out of it!

What is your heart? What is your purpose? Are you fulfilling it?
Lead with your heart this week! Let your purpose be compassion and love. Spread it all around..create a meaning!

“Once a wise man was asked, what's the meaning of life? He replied 'Life itself has no meaning, life is an opportunity to create a meaning”
-- Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The Present

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:49 GMT

(Originally posted on September 9, 2019)

Have you ever had a time in your life where you're moving along just fine? Things are going well; you're feeling upbeat and strong about the present and the future— and then out of the blue the past resurfaces. Is it bad? No of course not. It's actually kind of neat when it happens; but if you think about it, sometimes it puts you in almost a kind of time loop. You start thinking about the past—things you did and enjoyed, but no longer do . Places you've been, but no longer go. People you knew, but no longer know . More importantly: how much you have changed and become a totally different person than you were during that past time of your life.

I'm sure if you sit and think about it enough, you can also include all those moments where you felt you screwed up. Who doesn't have those moments? But in this instance I'm talking about the moments that brought you joy, but that somewhere along the line you stopped doing. Now that you're thinking about it, you're in a time loop! The funny thing to me is once the past revisits your mind, it keeps revisiting ; likely because there is something we need to address—or something we need to see—that will help us now in the present.

So when the past revisits, are you remembering those joyful moments or are you remembering those "Really? Why did I do that?" moments? Is the past bringing you joy or is it making you cringe?

I always hear we shouldn't live in the past: "The past is the past. Let it go ." I agree wholeheartedly. If you're residing there on a daily basis, that's another issue altogether. However, these little revisits are sometimes guideposts to help us in the present day. Reminders to us of successes we've had or mistakes we've made. Whichever is the case, it's a tool—as long as you recognize it for that.

In my particular instance, the past has resurfaced for me on several occasions during the past month. Sometimes I can be hard on myself, and not honor the fact that I've come a long way from where I began. Each one of these revisits from the past has shown me just how far I have come. It has also shown me where I've moved ahead in some aspects of my life and where I've moved backwards in others. Each revisit has been a learning experience.

We as humans have short memories. Sometimes life needs to throw us bones so that we remember what is necessary for the moment; what will help and serve us in the present moment.

This doesn't mean in any way that we should live in the past. We should not. Take the experience—good or bad as you see it—and use it for your greater good here in the present. When something happens more than once, it requires your attention. Sit with it. See what the common denominator is and use it for your greater good!

If you want to move forward in your life, use these little reminders as stepping stones to a better and brighter future. Learn from the past, don't let it define you. Be proud of who you are now and where you have come from!

This week, pay attention to the signs life is giving you! The guideposts are always there.

"I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday."
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Setting Boundaries

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:47 GMT

(Originally posted on September 2, 2019)

Even the thought of writing this makes me cringe. Yet I've seen it and heard it so many times this week, I know it's something that we all need to hear.

Why does the word "NO" make us so uncomfortable? I struggle with this; often I get overwhelmed when I go out of my way just to avoid saying this word to somebody—fearing they will get angry with me for doing so. Why do I do this when it's not in my best interest?

Think back to when you were a child. You'd ask your parents if you could have a candy bar before dinner and they say " NO!" You'd want to go to a late movie on a school night with your friends and they'd say "NO!" It starts to become a word we just don't like. We might even get angry and decide we don't like our parents anymore because they never let us do what we want.

What we fail to realize, as children, is that our parents are acting as a conscience for us. We don't see the importance of having broccoli for dinner, and the candy bar would taste so much better. The movie with our friends is way more fun than studying for the test tomorrow! As children, we haven't seen enough of life yet to understand why "no" was important in these situations.

Problem is, I think we carry how we feel about hearing "NO" into our adult lives. We don't want to hear it, so we don't say it. We're afraid that when we say "NO," someone will become upset with us for doing so. Therein, lies a problem. What if "NO" was a protective shield? A way of protecting us from things that we shouldn't do? If we're always saying "YES" to everything, we would have no boundaries in our life. Sometimes boundaries are important—and even crucial—to our well-being.

So when should we set boundaries, and when should we allow those boundaries to be intruded upon? These are individual questions that each of us needs to answer for ourselves. There are times, obviously, when we need to be willing to extend our boundaries to help another person—but there are just as many times when we to to keep our boundaries in place to protect ourselves (both physically or mentally). In those instances, telling someone "NO" is a necessity! And, frankly, if they have a problem with that, that's their problem. Loving, honoring and caring for yourself does not make you a bad person. It will help you become more present, caring, and nurturing in the other aspects of your life.

For those of us that have difficulty using this word—or saying "NO" when we need to—how do we overcome this? Practice slowly, saying "no" to the smaller things that don't serve you. Practice realizing that it's OK to put yourself first at times; set those boundaries, and stick to them!

One step at a time...honor yourself, and by doing so, you will honor others!

“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.”
― Anna Taylor

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Define Yourself

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:42 GMT

(Originally posted on August 26, 2019)

Life is a journey ! Sometimes it's a beautiful, happy, joyful ride and sometimes it's a tough road!

Every one of us starts out at the same place. Yes, some of us are born into what appears to be an "easier" situation than others, and some of us are born in what appears to be a more "difficult" situation than others. However, life and history has shown us over and over again that our beginnings are not what defines who we become. I could name countless "billionaires" who have come from impoverished backgrounds and have made for themselves— at least financially— successful lives. Although I would argue that "financial" success is not always happiness; in this instance, it serves to make my point. The fact that we swept floors for a living—or slept in a car at one point in our life— does not mean that we cannot move out of that situation and move on to one that serves us better. In fact : sweeping floors or sleeping in a car might very well be serving us. It might very well be the thing that propels us forward in life. It might also be the thing that keeps us humble and allows us to reach out and help others.

They say our past should not define us. I'm not sure I agree totally with that. In some way, allowing it to define us might be good . Maybe our past should define who we choose to become in the future . If we find the good in everything, we can also find the usefulness in everything. There are no unique experiences—whatever you have experienced in the past, someone else is going through the same thing this very moment. You are an example that your experience is a moment; that it will pass and that you will move forward and past it. The journey will continue and joy and happiness will return. You don't have to do anything other than be a beacon of light for another person. You overcame, you grew, you learned, and you have become who you are today because of your past! Be that beacon for someone else experiencing the same thing. You can show them that they can also overcome their struggles and that they can succeed!

If by the same token, you choose to hold anger and resentment and " live " in that past, you are not serving yourself or others. We have all made "mistakes;" we have all chosen what we feel is the " wrong " path, and each and every one of us has " regrets ".

But...should we?

No, we should live in the moment. The now . Embrace who we are; be grateful for the experiences that made us who we are. Use those experiences as guidance for the future and accept the future for what it is. Now is all we have ...we can't change the past and there are no wrong paths or mistakes... there just "is!"

This week, embrace who you are and how far you have come! If you feel like you're walking through Hell right now... walk as if you own the place! You got this, and you and the world are going to be better for it!

"You have the power to create light in the darkest days. Choose to shine!"
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Sit down with yourself today

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:40 GMT

(Originally posted on August 19, 2019)

We seem to have a growing problem with depression. We can't watch television without seeing ads for different medications and we can't help but read news articles about awful things happening in the world—many attributed to the " mental condition " of the person committing the acts. How in the world do we stop this?

I wish I had an answer, but I don't. Depression is not a new problem. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, C.S. Lewis, and Abraham Lincoln are just a few of the well known historical figures that suffered with known bouts of "melancholy" or "depression."

Abraham Lincoln was loved by his demographic when he was running for president in 1860. He received standing ovations at the Republican National Convention. After the convention—and his great " success " with his peers—William J. Bross, the lieutenant governor of Illinois, said he saw Lincoln sitting alone at the end of the hall and he asked if he was o.k. Lincoln responded and said, " I'm not very well ."

This was not uncommon with him. "No element of Lincoln's character was so marked, obvious and ingrained as his mysterious and profound melancholy. His melancholy dripped from him as he walked," said William Herndon, Lincoln's law partner. Yet Lincoln, recognizing his own propensity towards darkness spurred himself to painfully examine the core of his soul. Having considered suicide throughout his life—and working hard to avoid it—he developed crucial skills that forged him through those times and led him to be one of the most well known and well loved figures in American History. Even though his depression prevailed throughout his life .

Recognizing depression for what it is takes strength — something many of us just don't have in the moment of that depression . It's also a cycle: one dark thought leads to another and then another and then another until it's out of control. At that point we reach for whatever will help. In many cases that's medications... or drugs and alcohol.

Now I'm not here to judge anyone for any decision they make . The reality is that I know that people put on faces for the world to see, even if that's not what they're feeling at the moment. We've been taught to do that: face your trials alone and don't drag anyone else down with you. So we don't. We go it alone.

What if we approached this another way?

What if , instead of finding something to occupy us instead of sitting with our feelings, we sat with them and let ourselves feel whatever it is we're feeling. What if we actually said it's ok to cry or to be angry in the moment? Or perhaps to "be" whatever it is that we are in that moment?

Maybe if we allowed ourselves time to sit with our emotions, we'd find a way to move past it and let things go. Remember that holding onto anger—or resentment or pain of any kind— is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die . We destroy ourselves, and not the person or situation that is causing us to feel this way.

Reflect inwards one step at a time . All our answers are within us and around us, we just have to open to them and allow them to be what they are in that moment! Maybe whatever is pulling you into a state of depression is also what can move you past it—into the recognition of a stronger and more developed " YOU!" When you reach deep, the answers are there. They are not as far away as you think they are.

If you are fortunate enough to be someone who doesn't deal with depression but know someone who does: offer compassion , because moments in life are not guaranteed. What's strong and solid today may not be tomorrow, and you'll never be fully prepared for it. Offer kindness and compassion, everyday and in every way!

Don't take for granted the love this life gives you
When you get where you're going don't forget to turn back around
And help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind
-Tim McGraw - " Always Stay Humble and Kind "

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What you resist, persists!

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:38 GMT

(Originally posted on August 12, 2019)

One of the things I notice working here is that every person I meet has something going on in their lives that they aren't sharing with others. Maybe they're feeling depressed, maybe they've lost a loved one, or maybe they are just unhappy with the circumstances of their life. But every morning they get up and do what they are supposed to do . They bury the feelings inside themselves and just keep going.

Many of these people feel they can share these feelings and experiences with us. I think it's mostly because we're more or less strangers to them, and they feel like we won't judge them. Isn't it a sad thought that we can share our feelings with those outside our circle, but trying to share with those inside our circle is more difficult or even seems impossible . I know each of us feels honored that people feel able to share such vulnerable things with us, and hopefully we are able to offer them a safe space so they can talk.

What's interesting to me is that many of the life experiences we have had are experiences that others share. We've dealt with—or are still dealing with—what they are coping with now; we may just be at a different place in our journey than they are. This is something called mirroring . People will enter your life in what seems like a pattern. The same situation will occur over and over again...until you acknowledge it. This happens because that person, their experience, and where they are at that moment in that experience, is something you need to look at in your own life. If we choose to keep ignoring the message and refuse to look at it, it will continue to show up.

So what's repeating in your life? What person or situation keeps showing up? Do you feel like you're on a merry-go-round where nothing changes? Well, until we go inside and really look at ourselves, that situation will not change. It will keep repeating— giving us ample opportunities to do something different. Remember: there is no right or wrong way to handle anything, there are just different ways. If something isn't changing in the direction you want to change, you need to stop doing what you're doing and find another way. Jump off that merry-go-round, put your foot down, and find another way!

I read a lot, I enjoy books. In a book I recently read, a man talked about how his marriage was not what he wanted it to be. So he decided that every morning when he woke up, instead of being disappointed that things were what they were, he was going to try a new tactic. He'd get up every morning and ask his wife what he could do to make her life easier today. And, then, no matter what she said, he did it. He didn't complain, he just did it. She, of course, was skeptical so she wasn't always very kind to him. He kept his resolve, however, and persisted. Eventually she came to soften towards him, and they actually rejuvenated their marriage and they lived "happily ever after" ( BTW: This was a non-fiction book, and he jokingly said it took months and he cleaned a lot of toilets!)

So consider looking at what repeats in your life and what shows up more than once. Remember: this can be anything—anything that is a pattern. Try looking at it differently. Ask what you need to learn from this situation and what you are not seeing. Go inward , do not look for the answer outside of yourself: It's inside of you. Everything, every tool, every answer is already programmed inside of us ...we just need to look inward! The more we resist looking inwards...the more our problems persist!

This week, reach deep down and find the direction to refocus your life!

“What we resist, persists.”
-- Carl Jung

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What are you reaping?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:37 GMT

(Originally posted on August 5, 2019)

We've all heard the saying: "you reap what you sow ." Sounds fairly simple: do good, and good will come your way. So that means be kind, be giving, and be generous! Yeah...for sure it does; however, it's much more than that.

Reaping what you sow is a moment by moment thing. Right this moment— as I sit here writing this— both my dogs are barking insanely at nothing! OR, nothing that I can see ( which is really the point here ). I can get up and get angry that they're barking and scold them. (They'll probably start again anyway as soon as I walk away...) OR I can accept that they see something I don't and let them do what they do. It's all about how I choose to react in the moment. If I choose anger by yelling at them, they will still continue barking. I yell some more....and well, you get the picture. Anger achieves nothing except creating more anger. But being at peace with them barking actually makes me laugh a little.

Now this is a simple scenario, but in the book " Letting Go " by David Hawkins he gives us a great example of a day-to-day event and how we might react. Here's a shortened version of what he says:

"Let's say for example, that we have parked our car and, just as we get out, the car parked in front of us backs up into our car with a thud. Our bumper and the front of the fender are dented. Here is what the different levels of consciousness might sound like. (These are shortened from the original text).

BEFORE YOU READ FURTHER, THINK ABOUT A TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE AND HOW YOU HAVE REACTED. THEN SEE WHERE THAT FIT BELOW. IT COULD FIT MORE THAN ONE PLACE, OR A COMBINATION OF THEM, BUT IT WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT LEVEL VIBRATION YOU ARE AT AND ATTRACTING IN YOUR LIFE.

SHAME: How embarrassing. I'm such a lousy driver, I can't even park a car. I'll never amount to anything.

GUILT: I had it coming.

APATHY: What's the use, things like this always happen to me.

GRIEF: Now the car is ruined, it will never be the same again!

FEAR: This guys probably furious, I'm afraid he'll hit me.

ANGER: The damned idiot.

PRIDE: Look where you're going, you fool!

COURAGE: Oh well, we both have insurance.

NEUTRALITY: These things happen in life.

WILLINGNESS: How can I help this guy calm down?

ACCEPTANCE: It could have been worse.

REASON: What's the most efficient way to resolve this problem?

LOVE: I hope the other guy isn't upset, I'll calm him down.

PEACE: This is what it is and is probably for my greater good.

Most of the time, our reaction to an event will be because of something we're holding inside of us. Maybe we woke up a little grumpy and snapped at our spouse, and then this happens. So we snap at the guy who hit us, and then most likely the rest of the day follows suit! We reap what we sow; we attract what we give!

So the next time you're having a bad day, stop a minute and think about how you're reacting to the events around you—a nd more importantly, why ? If you understand the "WHY", you can easily shift your reaction to a higher place --- more towards being at peace with everything and anything that happens. When we get to that level of peace, our lives totally shift. It's not that nothing bad will ever happen again, it's just that our way of handling it changes. Stop focusing on the "problem." Just accept it, and out of nowhere an answer will arrive --- and maybe, just maybe, it'll turn out to be an amazing gift!

Have a peaceful week!

"Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back. What you reap, you sow. What you give, you get. What you see in others, exists in you."
-- Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Where are you in your journey?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:35 GMT

(Originally posted on July 29, 2019)

I read these words in a book I'm reading: "Too often in life what we want is just the chance to do what we should have done to begin with." (The Road Home, Richard Paul Evans)

This series is about a man who loses his way in life. He's presumed dead in a plane crash and decides to walk Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica to—hopefully—find himself. The experience of this walk makes him realize how much of himself he's lost on his life path. He began in one place with one dream, and ended up someplace else; having lost track of what was originally important to him.

I think this is so true of every single one of us. As kids, we have dreams of what we want our lives to be. It's usually a perfectly romanticized version of total bliss and joy. Then life happens! Sometimes on our way to our perfect career, we take a job to help us get by. We get married because we're in love; but down the road again, because life gets in the way, we lose sight of why we're together in the first place. But by the time we have kids, own a house and a car, and we're getting by— we're busy with life but lost sight of what our original dreams were. How is it possible to change this? How is it possible to get out of our rut? Well, it's not feasible for the majority of us to take a few months and walk Route 66 to can regain our perspective... but we will need to start a little smaller than that! There are simple things we can do to help re-route our lives and help us get back to ourselves and our dreams.

First thing you need to do is define your goals:
What do you want to change, and how important is it to you?

Then remember we don't have to do everything at one time. A simple daily change; the re-writing of the patterns we've created will lead to long lasting changes. So if a new career path is what you would love, you need to figure out the smallest thing you can do to move yourself in that direction...and then DO IT ! Everyday—one small step at a time! If your marriage is struggling and you want to improve it, everyday when you wake up try to ask you partner how you can make their life more enjoyable today . And, then whatever they say... DO IT ! Everyday; no matter what response you get. Eventually they'll come around, it may take awhile , but they will. Think of these daily challenges as obstacles to overcome.

Remember that obstacles are just that: "obstacles". They are not necessarily meant to stop you—maybe they are there to help your focus get stronger. Change your view of what you're perceiving as an obstacle and look at it as a tool you can use to connect the next dot!

Choose carefully who you want to be around daily. If you're surrounded by people that are bringing you down or are talking you out of changing, you are going to struggle to change—even if your focus is there. Choose to be around people who emulate what you are trying to achieve. That positive influence will keep you going strong in the direction you want to be headed. Then take that further and try to be that positive influence for someone else. Remember: you don't need to be perfect; or to even be at your ultimate destination, to be a teacher, or to be a positive influence for someone else. You simply need to be further along the path than they are. Your experience can guide them—moving both of you forward. Experience is the best teacher, and none of us will ever be 100% perfect in anything.

Then remember to "trust your gut". If it feels right, then do it. If something doesn't sit right with you then pay attention to it. Steve Jobs said: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards." You need to trust yourself enough to believe those dots will connect going forward. Never doubt your inner knowing.

Small steps towards positive changes, everyday!

“He who has a why can endure any how.”
— Frederick Nietzsche

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Listen to your gut instincts!

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:00:31 GMT

(Originally posted on July 22, 2019)

So do you remember those famous sayings that your parents used when you were a kid? The "a nswers " that you really didn't want to hear? I'm sure you remember asking to do something or get something " because all my friends are doing it/have it!" Then being met with the response: "Well if all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?" (And then there was my all time favorite: when you'd ask " why " and get told "Because I said so!") Boy, those were frustrating answers as a kid! As an adult and parent though, I bet you've used them! ( And smiled deviously inside when you did! )

We think—as we get older and move into different phases of our life—that we lose the need to be accepted by our peers and " do what everyone else is doing." But is that really the case or do we tend to go with trends or fads; or simply tend to believe everything we read or hear? Do we just go with everything that the " experts " tell us without utilizing our own gut feelings? I think we do. Sometimes we jump off the same bridge as everyone else because instead of listening to ourselves internally, we follow what everyone else is doing. We don't want to be different—something that would cause us to be ostracized, or criticized, by our peers.

I always tell people when they approach us about starting a Nutrition Response Testing program: "You need to find your perfect balance." If what you read or hear about any topic doesn't resonate with you, then find something that does! Be your own advocate , this is your body, your life and your choice! We are very privileged to live in a time where we have a lot of options and information available at our fingertips. Find what works for you—in every aspect of your life—and do it. That will put you in a place of peace, joy, and perfect balance. Doing what is right for others will only put you in a place of discomfort and " dis-ease "!

Sometimes you have to be different—you have to think outside the box and go your own way. But sometimes the different path leads you to all new adventures and a completely new way of looking at life!

Be free this week, go left when everyone else is going right!

“The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone, is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.”
– Albert Einstein.

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Accept Yourself

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:54 GMT

(Originally posted on July 8, 2019)

The thought of self-love tends to make me uncomfortable. I was always taught that if you loved yourself you were vain, arrogant, or narcissistic. I guess that came from the thought process that if you loved yourself, you were putting yourself above others and seeing yourself as better than others.

As an adult I realize this isn't true and that self love is so important— almost vital to our well being. Everyday I meet people who are starting their journey towards better health, and for many this includes weight loss. They detest the body they are in, and they are here with the sole goal of changing that viewpoint. That's good...in a way! Definitely getting to a healthy weight is beneficial for your physical well being as you will likely have more energy and fewer health issues.

BUT....

What about the beautiful individual that lives inside that body? When you wake every morning and are critical of yourself and find things to detest about your physical body, you are degrading who you are. What about that beautiful individual? That person who lovingly cares for his or her family? That person that radiates light and love into the world? That person matters! And the people that are in the path of that light and love aren't seeing the " imperfections "...they are seeing the beauty . So why aren't you?

Each and every one of us has something we don't like about this physical vehicle that we live in. And, no one is perfect ... no one! Or what is "perfection"? One person's idea of perfection might not be another's idea. Those stretch marks you don't like, gave you that baby that you adore beyond measure! That surely makes them more beautiful, and certainly worth it. Those wrinkles around your eyes mean you smiled and laughed a great deal during this journey called life! Maybe those imperfections (as you see them) are "not negative" but really a mark of a truly memorable life!

So it's up to us to love who we are, the way we are! We accept others the way they are... why can't we accept ourselves?

This week, look in the mirror everyday and find the "perfect" in the "imperfect" and LOVE IT !

Love the entire, "perfect", and completely beautiful you!

And, then sit back and watch how you become what you believe!

Have a loving week!

"I don't like myself, I'm crazy about myself."

- May West

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Change a life, be considerate

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:51 GMT

(Originally posted on July 15, 2019)

Several months back I was in line at a local store trying to check out. There was only one register open and the clerk was not at her station. I waited a a couple of minutes before she returned. She'd been in the back of the store trying to help an elderly woman find something she needed. She apologized when she got back and immediately told me this woman had recently lost her husband and was now battling cancer. Of course, my compassion kicked in and I was very patient waiting for her to be checked out and taken care of. I even exchanged a brief conversation with her. She was a very sweet woman.

After I left, I asked myself: "Would I have been that patient had the clerk not filled me in on that story?" I'd like to think so, but depending on the situation of the day, maybe not. You see, people do not wear signs that indicate their personal struggles. There's no "I had chemo today and I don't feel 100%", or "I lost my beloved pet today", or "I am in awful pain today"... we are not privy to others' inner struggles and the majority of people do not wear their hearts on their sleeves.

If we could read signs telling us what people are going through, we'd be nicer. However we shouldn't need signs indicating that we should be kinder to a person—i t should be a natural reaction, whether we know what's going on or not or whether they " deserve " it or not.

Think of the times in your life when something was going on and the majority of people didn't know about it. Maybe you were feeling very low when you were grocery shopping and someone was super impatient with you. Didn't it make you feel worse than you already felt? Did you need that? Maybe if that person would have been patient and kind, it wouldn't have made you feel better but it certainly wouldn't have made you feel worse!

Everyday we have the power to bring people up or to crash them down. What is the purpose of causing someone anymore hurt than they already have, when your words and your choices have the opportunity to build them up?

This week, let's give everyone a little extra does of love, kindness and patience!

"The fragrance always stays in the hand of the one that gives the rose."
--Hada Bajar"

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Everyday.

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:49 GMT

(Originally posted on July 1, 2019)

Recently I saw an ad for a phone app that allows you to take a photo everyday and then put it together like a story. They showed a mother snapping photos of her baby everyday, and then at the end of the year combining it into a 365 second video. It was really amazing to see how the baby had changed—almost daily. It's something we normally do not pay attention to.

That got me thinking . I have a puppy and everyone keeps telling me how big she grew, but I can't see it. It's because I'm there everyday and it's part of my everyday world... but what else am I missing?

So I decided to try a similar experiment. Every morning, about the same time, I take the puppy for a walk and every morning I'm struck by the beauty of the sky. So I decided to try and take a photo in (approximately) the same place and at the same time every morning. What I saw was something amazing: the same spot, at just about the same time every morning, was a different picture. The world I live in looked different everyday!

But again, just like I don't see my puppy growing up each day, I don't always see the subtle changes in my world. Even though every day was different—some days it was raining, or chilly, or hot and humid—it was still strikingly beautiful. It made me realize that, no matter what is happ ening, that every day can be beautiful if I just choose to see it that way.

What are you missing in your world? Can you see the subtle changes in your children, your pets, your spouse? Can you see those subtle changes in yourself? Are those changes the direction you want to be heading in? What subtle shift can you make that would allow you to see the world differently, and to see everything as having purpose and beauty?

Try the experiment for yourself. Find something or someone to photograph everyday for a brief period of time, then put it together and see what you notice. Here's a link to a very quick clip of what I took. (I'm not the best photographer, so mine aren't absolutely perfect, but you'll get the point.) Maybe we'll find a positive use for those phones we're tethered to after all, haha! ��

What this taught me was to see the beauty in each and every day. Even though I might initially think: "Ugh it's raining again," I can still take a moment to realize that the sky is still rather gorgeous, the walk was enjoyable, and the moment is memorable!

So enjoy each day—notice the subtle changes and be happy for them. The little things are what make the canvas of our world so unique and amazing!

Have a week in which every day gets better and better!

"We possess within us a force of incalculable power, which if we direct it in a conscious and wise manner, gives us the mastery of ourselves and allows us not only to escape from physical and mental ills, but also to live in relative happiness."
--Émile Coué

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The opposite of fear

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:47 GMT

(Originally posted on June 24, 2019)

FEAR. It starts in a region of the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala activates whenever we see emotion in someone; however, it's much more pronounced with both anger and fear. Something that is threatening—such as catching sight of a predator—will trigger a fear response and activates our fight-or-flight response. It also triggers stress hormones and leads to changes in the body that prepare us to effectively handle the stress. The brain become hyper alert—our pupils dilate, breathing accelerates, heart and blood pressure rise, and some organs (such as those involved in digestion) slow down. (Read more here .)

So if we're hiking the Appalachian Trail and we're approached by a bear, then this response works very well. Our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode, and we're (hopefully) able to respond in enough time to save our lives.

However , this same response happens any time we feel fear. The likelihood that we will encounter a life threatening situation on a daily basis is not there, but being bombarded with daily news, constant social media, and always being " on " is enough to trigger this response in us on a daily basis.

We've all heard the saying that fear is the opposite of love; I guess that means if we just replace all those fearful thoughts with loving thoughts our lives will suddenly become a perfect nirvana. Hmmm...I try to have loving thoughts everyday, and I definitely make efforts at not focusing on the things that I fear, but we're all human and it's difficult.

This week I came across a different approach to this—one that really makes a lot of sense to me. What if fear is stopping you from living your life fully? What if it is preventing you from achieving—or even finding—your purpose in life? What if fear is holding you in a relationship that is no longer serving you? What if fear is holding you in a job that is no longer benefiting you? What if fear is preventing you from striking out on your own and making your mark on the world?

What if fear could be the compass that would lead you to where you need to go?

Now that's a different way of looking at fear! What if fear is really a tool, and instead of fearing it...we walk right into it!

So take a moment and think of something that you are afraid of right in this moment .

Now analyze why and what exactly are you afraid of. Is it possible that that thing you're afraid of the most IS EXACTLY the direction you need to be moving in? Our bodies and our minds like structure and they are "afraid" of change; It just might rock the status quo, and humans like stability and certainty. But there is NO stability and NO certainty in life and our fear holds us back from doing what we should be doing (or where we should be going). So going back to the first paragraph: not only is that fear holding you back from a joyful and rewarding life, look what it's doing to your physical body. Every day, your physical body is in fight-or-flight mode. You're fighting off bears when there are none. Years and years of this will take a huge toll on us physically.

So what's your greatest fear right now? How can you move into it and change it from fear to something that moves you forward and towards a more rewarding life?

Here's a quick link to a great inspirational video !

Have a great and fearless week!

“Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”
-- Sir Winston Churchill

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What if?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:46 GMT

(Originally posted on June 17, 2019)

WHAT IF…

What if you somehow received the knowledge that Friday at 5 pm would be your last moment on this earth?

WHAT IF???

Well Richard Paul Evans’ book A Perfect Day is about just that. You might know of this author as he also wrote The Shack — definitely one of my all time favorite books. In this story, the main character discovers he only has until New Years Day to live. In that time, he attempts to right wrongs and show the people he loves that he does indeed love them.

What’s interesting is seeing how he lost that feeling that life should be cherished; how time and circumstances changed his perspective on what’s important and what is not important.

I think that happens to all of us to one degree or another. We love our spouses, our children, our parents, and our grandparents. They are everything to us, and we know that if we were to lose them our worlds would be shattered. But we get busy. We’re pursuing careers—and they take time. Life gets in the way. There’s work to be done and hey…there’s always tomorrow…right?

Well what if there wasn’t? What if it’s Sunday morning at 8 o’clock and you have until Friday afternoon at 5!

129 hours
7,740 seconds…

Just think about what you’re doing today …would you still do it?

The seconds are ticking away. Would you rather spend that precious time scrolling endlessly through social media, or making memories with those who you love most in this world?

I think this is something we should make the time to think about. If we’re doing something today that we would NOT do if our time was limited, they why the heck are we doing it in the first place? And, by the same token, if we are neglecting to do things that we would do if we knew our time was limited--then why aren’t we doing them NOW ?

Because— reality check —we’re not going to get a 129 hour warning bell.

So okay, we can’t all quit our jobs and stay home to hug our families all day . We can, however, make the moments we have with our loved ones special. Say “ I love you ” every day to everyone that’s special to you. Don’t let the moment pass! If you need to offer someone forgiveness, then by all means do it now ! If you need forgiveness, ask for it NOW ! Show your family how much they mean to you today-- because tomorrow is not promised! That love you give them today might be what helps them in the future.

Don’t just write a bucket list…live your bucket list !

This life is beautiful…make every moment count! Start living as if you were dying!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

—Mark Twain

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: A rose or a thorn?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:41 GMT

(Originally posted on June 10, 2019)

"Every rose has its thorn" is a famous proverb . I think there are many possible meanings to this; probably the one most thought of is that nobody and nothing is perfect. Even the rose—as beautiful and enticing as it is—has thorns that can poke and pierce our flesh. Still, the rose is considered one of the most beautiful flowers and has a wide variety of meanings when given as a gift.

Red roses are used on valentines day to signify romantic love; white used to show purity, innocence, sympathy and spirituality; and green to show the constant rejuvenation of spirit. All these roses—with their beauty and their special meanings—still have thorns! And those thorns can hurt!

How can something so beautiful dually contain something so painful and hurtful?

Or is there another way to look at those thorns? Those same thorns have a very distinct purpose: they protect that beautiful rose from danger.

Maybe life is a little like a rose. There is great beauty but there are also those thorns; those things that poke us when we're least expecting it, and darn-it they hurt! However, those pokes and pains really do offer us a chance that we could miss if we focus too much on the how much that thorn hurt. I absolutely love the message in this short TED Talk: " What happens if you lose everything ?". I had to stop and ask myself if my view could have been the same as this guy's view. I feel like it should be. I love his perspective, but sometimes we're too wrapped up in this physical life's energy to find the moment—or the gift—in what everyone perceives to be a tragedy. I predict this gentleman will put together a fascinating piece out of the fragments he is left with.

If you have never read or watched the movie " The Way of the Peaceful Warrior " I'd highly recommend it. It will help you to see life in a different perspective. As the main character in the book says: "There are no ordinary moments." They are all extraordinary: the good, the bad and the ugly! They are special moments on your special journey through this thing called life! Each event, whether it be a rose or a thorn, is moving you further along and defining who you are in each moment. Take all those moments and allow them to make you the best you you can be!

Blessing for this beautiful week ahead of us! Let's enjoy each and every moment!

“It is better for you to take responsibility for your life as it is, instead of blaming others, or circumstances, for your predicament. As your eyes open, you'll see that your state of health, happiness, and every circumstance of your life has been, in large part, arranged by you - consciously or unconsciously.”
― Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Are you broken?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:39 GMT

(Originally posted on June 3, 2019)

Broken ! Sounds like a harsh word to apply to ourselves. Yet in most cases, something has broken each and every one of us. It might have been a terrible childhood, or a loss that affects us so profoundly that we have difficulty moving past it. So many things in life have the potential to " break " us.

The events that shape our lives and make us the people we are today sometimes are difficult to maneuver our way thru. There are moments that they will take us to a dark place, a place where it's very hard to see the light. We'll often hear well meaning people say things like "pick yourself up", or you have to "move on" or "move past" this event. Facts are, of course you do, but maybe not today.

Maybe today, you need to just sit in it and allow yourself to feel whatever emotion is coming over you. THEN, and only then, do you need to let it go.

But what happens after you let it go? Is it gone? No, I doubt it, it's still affecting us on some level so now what do we do? Whatever your experience was, someone else out there is going thru that same thing today, and tomorrow, and the next day and the next year. You now have a new insight. You know what that experience feels like on day one, and on day 365. You know what helped you and what made you want to scream. You probably also find that you are much more sensitive to someone else's pain than you were in the past. You now " get it "! You " get it " in a way that someone that has not experienced that event cannot possibly imagine.

“When the Japanese mend broken objects , they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful.”

Isn't that a gift ? You have the choice when it comes to the things that " broke you ". You can either use them to benefit the world, and make you more beautiful, or you can bury them, and let them live inside of you, and possibly continue to damage you or harden you. Or you can share , soften your world and help soften someone else's world.

I keep hearing that one person cannot possibly change the world. I beg to differ . If we change ourselves and offer ourselves and our change to the world, we are changing the world.

So what " broke " you? Was it a difficult childhood? Was it a difficult marriage? Was it a profound loss? Maybe you don't realize or know what it was.

Each morning (or evening, whichever works best for you) sit and write a few words. Let them flow. Whatever comes up, write down. If you're afraid someone will read it, burn it, shred it, or rip it up and throw it away. That's ok, because eventually you'll see a pattern of what's deep inside of you. Then share it! You'll find that people come into your life that have had the same experience. Share your experience. Don't compare their experience with yours, or offer guidance or words of advice, unless you're asked. Just simply share your story. You'll be surprised at how healing that will be...for everyone!

Have an introspective and healing week!

“Broken crayons still color.”
-- Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: The world is a beautiful place

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:38 GMT

(Originally posted on May 27, 2019)

First I'd like to start with saying "Happy Memorial Day" , and a big THANK YOU to all veterens and those currently serving. THANK YOU for your service and your sacrifice ! Today we honor you!

The topic of beauty has come up a lot lately. Beauty—t o me anyway —has never been something easily definable. I could look at someone and think: "Oh they are nice looking," or "They have a nice smile." The word " beautiful, " however, I've always reserved for something way deeper than what I see on the outside.

This morning I saw a photo of Marilyn Monroe. I'm pretty sure there is no one that doesn't know who she is—regardless of how old you are. She was the iconic "sex symbol", and to this day is still considered to be one of the most beautiful women in history. But why ? According to our current standards of physical beauty, she's not beautiful. Those standards are constantly changing depending on what the current fad is. But is that " true " beauty?

I looked up the definition of beauty. It said: " the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit" .

Hmmm...sounds like beauty is a bit more than something we see with our eyes!

Yesterday I stood in line waiting to pay my respects at a funeral service. I was in line about 15 minutes, and directly in front of me was an older couple who had gone to school with the deceased gentleman. They married right out of high school, he went onto serve our country, and they raised a family. As they were talking and looking at each other, I saw love in their eyes and absolute beauty in their souls. In my mind, there is nothing physical about beauty—it's something deep inside of us. These two people where absolutely beautiful! The amazing thing about it is that everyone has a spark of beauty. Everyone—no matter what they look like on the outside or how imperfect they feel in their skin or body—has that spark of beauty! Yesterday I saw it plain as day when I looked in the faces of those two elderly people. I saw their love and their quality of life.

Did you ever realize that children tend to see beauty where adults do not? When my daughter was about 3, we were in line at the grocery store and the girl checking us out had a cleft lip. I saw my young daughter staring intently at her. I could see the girl was getting uncomfortable at this young child staring at her and I, to be frank, was afraid of what would come out of her mouth. I didn't want her to make this girl feel worse. As we were getting ready to leave the line, my daughter looked straight at this girl and said: " You have the most beautiful eyes ." The girl's face lit up! What a beautiful moment. A child saw the beauty, and I as the adult saw only the difference. Out of the mouths of babes!

I came across this very interesting video from the author Jeff Olsen, who wrote " I Knew Their Hearts ". He had a near death experience and shares the details about it in this video. It's all very interesting and I'd encourage you to watch the entire video if you are so inclined. Around the 11 minute mark he talks about an experience he had where he realizes the hearts and souls of the people around him. It changes his view on life entirely.

What if you could see someone's soul? Would you see the beauty within them? Would you be able to look at life totally differently if you could understand what makes someone tick; what makes them do what they do?

Take a moment this week and try to see the beauty in everyone you meet—maybe even compliment them on that beauty. One kind gesture can instantly turn someone's bad day to the positive side. Make someone feel beautiful this week! Look beyond the obvious!

“It's that heart of gold and stardust soul that make you beautiful.”
-- R.M. Broderick

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What kind of week will you have?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:37 GMT

(Originally posted on May 20, 2019)

ANGER! We all know it. We've all felt it. We've all been the recipient of someone else's anger.

Anger is a very real emotion. Although we always think of it as a bad emotion with negative consequences, it's an emotion that we sometimes just cannot control. It happens!

Sometimes anger can lead us to be productive. Maybe we're angry because someone called us lazy, so we set out to prove them wrong—and in the process we achieve way more than we normally would have. This is one type of anger, and it does benefit us on occasion.

But unresolved anger is another issue totally. Sometimes when we have unresolved anger, we'll lash out at the wrong people. Maybe it's for a reason we think is justified at the time—we may even " assume " our anger is justified and fly off the handle without even hearing the other side of the story. When this happens, we create hard feelings and maybe even alter relationships that were previously good. Remember, words once spoken can only be forgiven, not forgotten.

The interesting thing about this is that unresolved anger can be so insidious that it affects our physical body and our physical health. Did you know that one minute of anger uses enough of your resources to suppress the immune system for 4-6 hours? Doesn't that sound bad enough to you ? Well then do the math: you go to bed angry and you sleep for eight hours. You have suppressed your immune system for 20 days ! One choice to remain angry, and your body consequently suffers. Remember the old adage: don't go to bed angry! They may have been onto something there.

Do you ever actually feel good when you're angry ? Sure, sometimes there is an adrenaline rush. For the most part, however, I'm sure the answer to that question is "no". This should tell us something about the power of anger. This emotion is also likely damaging your body on a physical level. Prolonged, unresolved anger has been linked to a host of physical illnesses, including heart disease, headaches, insomnia and anxiety.

Is it worth it? Do you know the entire story? Is your anger justified, or is it a result of something deeper? Only when we realize the "why" of our anger can we begin to resolve it. Not only is it directly affecting your relationships and your physical health...it's robbing of you of your joy! Why are you angry? And why do you feel the need to blow off steam by confronting another person? ". So why do we hold onto anger when it's so detrimental to our physical well being? It could very well be that we don't realize we're angry about other situations in our lives—and then something small triggers the avalanche. I'd encourage you to look at things and circumstances that provoke your anger and ask:

Did what happened in that 5 minutes rob you of an entire day?
Remember...we can't get time back, why spend it angry?

Pay attention to your emotions this week and try to understand why you're reacting the way you are. Your physical body will thank you for it!

“Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”
-- Buddha

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What do you see?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:35 GMT

(Originally posted on May 13, 2019)

EVERYTHING HAS BEAUTY, BUT NOT EVERYONE SEES IT.
--Confucius

WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS PICTURE?

Take a minute before you read any further and think about what you see first, and how the picture makes you feel.

I took this picture the other evening when I was out walking the dog. It was between rain storms (big surprise), and I decided to try and give her a little exercise. I was struck by how 3-D the sky looked that night. Even though it was dark and grey, it looked deep...real, maybe for lack of a better description. Then I saw this field of dandelions. My first thought was " C o ol! A field of wishes! ". Remember when you were a kid and you'd pick a dandelion, make a wish and blow it into the air? Oh I remember it well! I also remember hearing the words, from some nearby adult: " Don't blow them into the air, you're creating more weeds ." You see, as a child we see wishes ...and as an adult we see weeds . What did you see? Weeds, or wishes?

Although, as an adult, I certainly understand not wanting more weeds. I mean, that does seem to be the only thing I can grow. I do, however, miss the magic of being a child and seeing only wishes. This same mindset really can apply to anything in our life. There is always a positive in absolutely every situation—even in the "worst" situations in life. Sometimes you just have to reach to find that positive. Maybe it's what you learned from what happened? Maybe it's what changed because of what happened? Maybe it's simply how you have changed because of what happened?

When I write these messages, they start with something that has happened in my life during the week. Usually it's a theme that's been repeated during the week. I believe that if something happens more than once, it's something I need to pay attention to and share with others. This week, I've seen several situations where people have taken what appears on the surface to be a tragic and awful situation and turned it into a way of helping others. A situation that, in our perception, " should not have occurred " and they turned it into something positive. Without that experience, they likely would not have been motivated to reach out and change the world. That takes the "tragic" totally out of it, and spins it into a tool for change. Please don't think that these people aren't still living with their demons from these events. They surely are; they are just channeling them into good. To the people this week that have shared their "tragedies" with me: I thank you for positively affecting my world.

So again, what do you see? Dandelions or weeds? Dark, rainy, dreary weather...or a 3D sky with magnificent cloud formations? (And a break in the rain so you can enjoy some time outside!)

What shaped you? What event in your life can you look at differently? Pick one thing that you're carrying in your life and try to see a positive spin on it. It can be little, doesn't matter the significance-- just try to see it in a different light. Do you see how it changes you?

Remember: You cannot understand "breakthrough" unless you understand "breakdown". You wouldn't appreciate the "sun" if you didn't have the "rain", and you wouldn't appreciate "abundance" if didn't understand "lack". It's all about contrast!

I think this week I'm going to make an awful lot of wishes...after all, I grow weeds beautifully!

“A successful person never loses, they either win or learn."
-- John Calipari

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Time for some Laughter

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:30 GMT

(Originally posted on May 6, 2019)

This has been an exciting week for us as we prepped for the open house of our new building. We sincerely thank everyone who attended, and those who took advantage of our special offers!!! We are looking forward to being able to offer many other alternatives to healing and making a larger impact on the health and well-being of our community. Thanks so much for being a part of that!

Now as exciting as this was—and as happy as we were to put in the effort to make it a great experience— I have to say... it was exhausting . As I sit here reflecting on what we did, and what we could have done differently, I feel tired! Very tired!

Last evening as I was getting ready to call it a day, I turned on the TV and caught part of an episode of " I Love Lucy ". I found myself really laughing at this one clip. (I couldn't find the entire clip, but this was a shorter part of it.) I watched it, and then watched it again later with someone else. Now maybe I was just tired, but I think it was more like I really needed to laugh. Laughter is healing. It's restoring; and it's just downright good for us .

Laughter is a powerful countermeasure for stress, pain, and conflict. Think about it: a good and powerful belly-laugh works faster than anything to bring our minds and body back into balance. When we're in the throes of something stressful, humor can lighten the burden, connect us to others, keep us grounded, focused, and alert. It can also help with more intense emotions like anger and can even help us forgive . If we can laugh at something that happened, it's easier to forgive it.

Laughter has so much power to heal and renew our lives . It's a tool. It's something we forget about when times get stressful and we're under pressure to get something accomplished. If we are able to step out of ourselves for a moment and look at the situation from a different perspective, we might just be able to see the humor in our stress. I'm sure all of us were pretty darned funny last week trying to get everything in place for our open house. Did our stress help anything? Probably not. Everything might not have been the " perfect " way we thought it should be... but you know what ? It was great, just like it was supposed to be.

If we are able to step back and see life as "it is what it is, and that's perfect", then maybe we'd all laugh a little more at the process of getting to that place!

I just learned that there is such a thing called " Laughter Yoga ". It's based on the belief that voluntary laughter can provide the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter. What they have found is that forced laughter most often times turns into real and contagious laughter. I went searching for clips and found this one that was short, and I think showed this in action the best. ( Warning : some expletives are used by the kids in the clip.) But I think overall this shows the benefits of laughter.

So this week, let's spread something around: let's share our laughter. Laugh a little more, especially when you feel you're too stressed to laugh! See if it doesn't lift your mood and the mood of those around you! Get a group together and just sit and laugh for two or three minutes...then laugh for two or three more minutes at how silly you look! Betcha feel better!!!!!

Laugh my friend, for laughter ignites a fire within the pit of your belly and awakens your being.
—Stella & Blake

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What's LOVE got to do with it?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:29 GMT

(Originally posted on April 29, 2019)

Pretty powerful image, isn't it? It really struck a cord with me. What are we filling our children with? What are we filling others with? What are we filling ourselves with? The choices are endless: what are we choosing?

Many years back, someone gave me a book about Love from the author Leo Buscaglia. He was a pretty popular motivational speaker in the 70's and 80's. Dr. Buscaglia was moved by a student's suicide, encouraging him to contemplate human disconnectedness and the meaning of life. He started a non-credit class he called Love 1A, which became the basis for his first book " LOVE ". Dr. Buscaglia empowered people all over the world to LOVE more! He knew that love is life and life is love -- the more love we welcome into our hearts, the more life we will add to our world.

Dr. Buscaglia said “Love yourself—accept yourself—forgive yourself—and be good to yourself, because without you the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.” How powerful is that? If we don't recognize the power of love, we deny everyone in our sphere a great gift. When we do recognize it, we give a gift to everyone we meet!

So back to the above picture. If we are filling ourselves daily with hate, greed, and sadness, we are radiating that into the world and adding more of it to our world. Our children are seeing that; they are being filled with it and that is what they share with the world. They only see us, they see how we live, and they emanate that. Remember that children will learn was love is by what they see. They will continue to model their lives after what they see in the world they grow up in. If they see dysfunction that's what they continue with. It's what they know . If they see love and compassion and gratitude, they continue with that. I t' s what they know. It all starts with us!

If on the other hand, we fill ourselves daily with love, compassion, affection, and gratitude, that's what we send out into the world and what returns back to us. Our children see that, and while they are imitating what they see, more love is going out into the world.

So let's stop blaming the kids for acting poorly, and let's look in the mirror at how we're acting. What are we filling them with? Do we honor, love, and respect our partners on this journey? Do we honor, love, and respect our children? Do we honor, love, and respect our pets, our friends, our neighbors? Everything is part of our world, everything should be treated with love and respect. Maybe if we approached all life like this, life would be love!

Here's a link to a brief chat by Dr. Buscaglia . You know he nailed it when he said: "Love costs nothing to give, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain"!

So love a little more! This week, fill yourself, your kids, your entire world with love and just watch it ripple outwards!

“A loving relationship is one in which the loved one is free to be himself — to laugh with me, but never at me; to cry with me, but never because of me; to love life, to love himself, to love being loved. Such a relationship is based upon freedom and can never grow in a jealous heart.”
~ Leo Buscaglia

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Your Power

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:23:27 GMT

(Originally posted on April 22, 2019)

Most likely, everyone knows the story " The Wizard of Oz" , and how Dorothy goes on an adventure down the yellow brick road so she can find the Great and Powerful Oz to help her get home! The metaphors and the lessons throughout this story are really wonderful, but the one that sticks out the most to me, is when Glinda tells Dorothy she had the power all along!

What if we have had the power all along? What if our emotions—and our thought patterns—play a much larger role in our growth than we could even begin to know? In the attached clip, Dr. Guy Winch talks about the power of emotions, and our minds, in our physical health. We pay so much attention to our bodies— we eat right, we take supplements, we exercise, we get out in the sun —but we tend to forget about the power that our thoughts and emotions have on our bodies. It's commonly known how long-term stress can actually degrade your immune system and body over time, so the connection between emotional responses (both conscious and unconscious) and the physical body is very real.

Chinese medicine believes that every organ corresponds to the energy of a certain emotion, and that every disease stems from an imbalance in that emotion. For example, the liver is called the "angry organ," the lungs and the large intestine are associated with grief and depression, and fear is an emotion of the kidneys and bladder.

There was an experiment done in Finland where they mapped emotions in the body. The participants reported that happiness and love sparked activity across nearly the entire body. Anger has been shown to increase your heart rate, arterial tension and testosterone production.

We all have these emotions, and most of us go through a range of emotions sometimes within the course of a day . It's not the burst of anger that affects us long term—it's the continued, chronic state of anger that will degrade our very physical being. Similarly, enormous amounts of grief can cause long-term affects including a weakened immune system. Even after we consciously have emotionally stabilized after a very strong bout with grief, our bodies are still reeling and can be severely weakened.

So back to Dr. Winch's talk : the state of our minds (which we tend not to consider when we're struggling with something physical), can sometimes have the most profound affect on that physical illness. If we can get our minds in order, we can approach that physical situation totally differently. If we can be aware of the connection between our emotional state and our physical response, we can take better care of our health.

So what are you struggling with physically? What are you coping with emotionally? Are you happy? Are you fulfilled? Are you living a life of purpose?

IF NOT ...what can you do to change things? Your life, your physical well being, and absolutely everything else might depend on it! Remember: "You already have the power my dear..."

"Anything can happen if you let it."
--Mary Poppins

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!

Tue, 26 May 2020 17:59:06 GMT

(Originally posted on April 15, 2019)

Saturday afternoon was the first day of puppy kindergarten for our new addition. We were the second family to arrive. The family that was there before us had a beautiful—and rather well behaved—Irish Setter. We took our seats as our little girl was being rather " vocal " while the other families and pets arrived. Each pet arrived calmly and responded rather well to their owner's basic commands. And there we are: our little girl sitting there, being VERY vocal! My daughter leans over and whispers, "M om, are you sure you enrolled us in the right class ?" I must admit, at this point I was wondering! But figuring we'd probably get kicked out, we persevered. As the class progressed, she quieted down and she actually did quite well. She learned the new commands quickly, and while practicing with her at home I noticed a major difference in her responses. One 60-minute session and there is a noticeable change in how she's behaving (or rather how I'm behaving and she's responding). The point is that I made a change, and she responded to that change. Fast.

Do you realize that this also happens in people? We have patterns and habits that are set up in our brains. We do the same things everyday at the same time, and our brains become adapted to that routine. Do you have a little anxiety over a daily task? I do. I'm always worried whether or not I turned off the curling iron. This would cause me so much stress that I'd think about it on the way to work and turn around to go check it. Ridiculous! So I started taking a moment to actually "notice" that I turned it off, then I'd tell myself it's off. Problem solved; no more returning home to make sure I did that.

This trick works well for anything in our life; like if we have a bit of anxiety about something, or if we have an automatic response to stress. Maybe we have a habit of eating cookies at 3 PM because it makes us feel better.

What happened is that our brain developed a habit pathway. This pathway is what we do, and do frequently. Instead, we should do something "different". We need to tell our brains that this is our " new habit ". Over time, that difference will become our habit, our response, and our old response will lessen. Positive change takes time, diligence, and practice.

Up until the past decade or so, science believed that our brains cannot be re-wired—or basically, "you can't teach and old dog new tricks. " They now realize this isn't true. There is new research called " Neuroplasticity " that is proving we have the capability to change our brains, our patterns, and everything in general! There's lots of information out there about this. Here's a quick clip that explains it rather nicely, I also found this book (which I haven't yet read, but is on my list).

So start today! Make a list of the patterns that you want to alter or change. Start with something small and change it. Stick with this change awhile and see how long it takes for it to become your new pattern. Then move onto something bigger. Each small change will spiral into bigger changes. Before you know it, things in your life will be so much better. The beauty of this is that we have the ability to change again and again and again!

Life is short, let us not stay stuck in patterns that are no longer serving us. Don't do what you've always done: think outside the box.

And look, I didn't get kicked out of puppy kindergarten... at least this week!

“Whatever the circumstances of a child’s early life, and whatever the history and current state of that child, every human has the built-in power to improve, to change for the better, to significantly restore and often to recover. Tomorrow, that person you see in the mirror can be a stronger, more capable, livelier, more powerfully centered, and still-growing person.”

--Dr. Michael Merzenich “Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life,”

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Sometimes we all just need a Lamborghini

Tue, 26 May 2020 17:59:03 GMT

(Originally posted on April 8, 2019)

I'm sure we've all thought about what we would do if a genie offered us a wish! Our heads usually go towards wanting more wishes or wanting a million dollars! Yeah, that would surely make our lives easier—but if we really sit and ponder that question? If we were really faced with only one wish... would it be for that ?

Sit for a minute and think about it. You could have anything.

I saw this clip awhile back and was so moved by the simple wishes these people had, and by this young lady's simple desire to grant those wishes! Wow...she's better than any ol' genie! Or, at least to these people she is!

There are two really inspiring things about this story. The first one are the simple wishes and joys of people in this home. The souls living in these nursing homes want so little in life, and what brings them joy is something simple: cheese...maybe some Vienna sausage! Or maybe a visit and some time from their loved ones!

Simple wishes, simple pleasures, simple joy!

The second thing that inspires me about this story is this young lady. We spend so much time criticizing our youth— but take a look at this kid ! Think about how many more of them out there are like her... but our focus is always on the ones that are not like her! Let's shift our focus...let's find the Ruby's in the room and put them in the limelight! Let's focus on the positive for a change !

So I went on a search for kids doing good deeds! And, boy did I find them. Disclaimer: get your Kleenex ready....

G avin
Jia and Zuri
Middle School Football Players
Myles

Sorry, but I did warn you! I bet you also feel really good! There is so much good out there; let's focus our attention on that and let's choose to be a force for good in our own daily lives.

Remember...it's the little things that make big results!

Let's all make a wish today: may the good outshine the bad, may love overcome hate, and may the best be yet to come!

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
--Winnie the Pooh

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Finding Joy

Tue, 26 May 2020 17:59:02 GMT

(Originally posted on April 1, 2019)

When I was a kid, I envisioned what my perfect life was going to be like. I was going to do things SO differently than what I'd seen done, and I wasn't going to make the same mistakes everyone else did. My life was going to be perfect!

And then it happened... life ! I worked long hours, more than one job, took classes, and tried to "get by". Eventually things leveled out and life was going along pretty good. Although, when I say pretty good, certainly not like the dreams of my youth . But it was good.

And then a curve ball hit. And then another...and then another. All of a sudden life is nothing like it used to be— and once again, still nothing like those dreams of my youth. I fell into the same trap that everyone else did.

Darn it...that wasn't supposed to happen!

So this week a realization hit me. I adopted a dog that is absolutely nothing like the other dogs I've adopted in the past. Throughout our life, we've always adopted a certain breed of dog because we thought they were "perfect "! Not that I didn't love and enjoy other dogs ( I mean, is it possible not to love a dog? ) But this particular breed was perfect ... i n my mind! But now I have this dog that is "not perfect" ... except she is !!! So my lesson in all this is: "M aybe p erfect is not what I think or perceive it to be." That said, maybe that "perfect" life is not what I think it is either; maybe, just maybe, it's "perfect" the way it is!

So how do you see your life ? Are you missing the perfection in it? Are you always looking or striving for something better? What if you stopped right now and just saw your life as totally "perfect" just the way it is? What if you let go of any preconceived notions of what perfect is and opened your heart to what life offers you? If we are able to shift our perception to believing that life is perfect just as it is, our whole world changes!

This week, focus on seeing the total perfection in every aspect of your life. What are you learning from your current situation? How is it the perfect place to be? How will it help you later? What can you do with what you are learning, and how can you use it to make a "perfect" world for yourself?

Here's to perfection in all things!

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
-- C.S. Lewis

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Where do YOU live?

Tue, 26 May 2020 17:59:00 GMT

(Originally posted on March 25, 2019)

For me, every year begins with some time when I reflect on the past. During the next several months I find myself residing there: in the past, and in a time that I wish I could change.

This morning as I was scrolling through my Facebook page, I came across an article from Danielle Mackinnon . She's an animal communicator who has some really interesting things to tell us about our animal companions. The article she shared was titled: " 5 Quick Tips to help you communicate with your animal better" . Those of us that love our animals also believe that our animals love and understand everything we're saying to them. So of course I just had to click on that link! One of these tips really hit home on many levels:

"#4: Animals don't live in the past and neither should you.

"Many animal lovers are also great rescuers. They take in cats, birds, cows and more that have been abused or neglected. Animals have shown me again and again that their desire is to heal and move forward from their troublesome past - but humans tend to hold on. To have the best connection with your rescued/abused/neglected pet, it's actually best to let the past be the past. Stop telling your friends "he's a rescue" and talking about "the story of his past". If you find yourself referring to your dog's past simply correct yourself and move into the now, Right NOW he has food, Right NOW he gets two great walks a day. Right NOW, he loves snuggling. It's that easy to create this stronger connection. Living in the present moment is what allows animals to have such successful rescues and rehabilitation. Animals just want to get on with life, and if you follow their lead, the two of you can be happy, living in the present together."

So where are you living? Are you living in the shadow of your past; the successes and/or the failures? Are there really successes or failures? Does it really matter what the past was as long as you learned from it, accepted the lesson, and expanded who you are?

I quoted the book "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein before. It's such a profound story, with such a different perspective on how to see life. The most important lesson of that story is to live NOW. This moment right here—not yesterday and not tomorrow. All that matters is NOW!

So this week expand your awareness of NOW ! Enjoy the moment!

“What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now.”
-- Buddha

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: What are you reflecting?

Tue, 26 May 2020 17:58:58 GMT

(Originally posted on March 28, 2019)

This picture is real and was not edited.
The stone is real.
The trees are real.
The soil is real.
And the sky is real.
Now, the only thing you have to do is to change your point of view.
Look at the picture upside down.
You'll see!!!

How we look at the world directly reflects how our life turns out. Sometimes we can look at a situation and see something terrible in it, and guess what, that's what it is going to be. But, if we chose to change our perception, or our view of the situation, we might just get a totally different outcome....or as in the case of the picture above...it might be nothing at all like it seems. (PS: The inverted image is at the end of the email.)

The same thing applies to what we want in life . If we want a happy home life and a rewarding career...but we hate going to work and we're arguing constantly with our spouse and children do you think we're going to get what we " want " in life? Nope? You're going to get exactly what you are giving. Our world is a reflection of what we are putting out there.

So...here it is, easy and simple...

“Be a reflection of what you’d like to see in others!
If you want love, give love.
If you want honesty, give honesty.
If you want respect, give respect.
You get in return what you give.”
--Unknown

Simple! Yeah, actually it is. Wake up in the morning and decide what you want your day to be... AND MAKE IT THAT ! If you don't really like your job, it's not the career you want, you're family is always fighting and you have no friends....THEN.. just for today .. .imagine it's the job of your dreams, you're family is getting along, and you have wonderful friends! Smile, be grateful for the work you get to do, and give that day your all! Let anything that isn't in your perfect world roll off your shoulders and don't let it affect your peace. See what happens! One day may not change everything, but it might change something. Then tomorrow, wake up and do it all over again... JUST FOR TODAY! Baby steps, one day at a time. Anything is a step in the direction of the life you really want. Envision that life, envision it every morning and go out there an act like you already have it!

Want joy...bring joy...give joy! Joy will follow!!!!

Imagine big things...big things will come!

“Why sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
-- The White Queen, Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Sincerely,
The Staff at Fatkin Natural Healing

It was just a reflection...what are you reflecting?

Motivational Monday: "Oh the thinks you can think"

Tue, 26 May 2020 17:40:18 GMT

(Originally posted on March 11, 2019)

This week I've heard the words " don't over think it " more times than I can count. How can you possibly over think something? Well...that's easy, it's like the idiom says "you're beating a dead horse".

So it's decision time . Something comes into your life that you need to make a decision on. When you first hear about this opportunity, you're excited. Everything seems right with the world. How great is it that this opportunity has fallen into your world! You're on a high!

And then...

You tell someone about your plans...and they scoff, and come up with a ton of " what if ' this happens, " what if " that happens, and all of a sudden you're over thinking the problem!

Now you're worried about those " what ifs " that they brought up...plus about a hundred more things that you've thought up on your own! Sound familiar??????

How many times in your life have you done this ? I'd bet that for all those times, there have been those times when you didn't " over " think something, but instead listened to your gut and just acted. I know that for me personally, the times I've listened to my inner voice...and not the thoughts in my head...things have turned out great! Typically, when I've over-thought, over-reasoned, and often times listened to "logic" it didn't turn out so well.

The problem with over thinking is that we often take a simple situation and turn it into a major ordeal. This can actually prevent us from moving forward in our lives, causing us to be stuck in the same place, never having experienced anything . Does that mean we shouldn't take some time "considering" major life choices...of course we should. What I'm referring to is when we work the situation out from every possible aspect, and then prevent ourselves from making any decision at all. Any situation, no matter how long you stew on it, can have the potential to turn out good...or bad! Every choice will always, 100% of the time, have a positive and a negative. The thing is, it's all in how you look at it. Maybe that "negative" isn't really negative at all, it's just one way you could have gone. Maybe you'll learn something that you couldn't have learned any other way. There is no " positive " or "negative" there just " IS "! Your perception will decide which it is.

So what are you over thinking? How about listening to your inner knowing and go for it! See where it takes you and what experience it will grant you!

Life is about the experience...let's go for it!

“Be decisive. Right or wrong, make a decision. The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision .”
-- Unknown

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Make the Shift

Tue, 26 May 2020 17:40:16 GMT

(Originally posted on March 4, 2019)

We are fortunate in at Fatkin Natural Healing because we get to spend time with a lot of little ones. The kids are great , and always manage to provide a lot of insight for me. Recently, I was having a conversation with a boy about something that was happening in his life. As we talked his body language conveyed "embarrassment" ! He squirmed and giggled, but, it wasn't a happy giggle it was more of a humiliated giggle . I needed to hear what was happening in his life, but I really didn't want to make him feel that way in the process.

So instead of focusing there and embarrassing him more, we began telling him things that had happened to us, that we were embarrassed about. And, we all laughed! You see, from our adult perspective, the things that happened to us as a kid, are now comical. We are now in a place where we can now laugh about it ( ev en if we are still a little embarrassed.)! But when we're in the middle of it...it's not always funny! Perception of things and events change as we get older. What we perceive as embarrassing at 5 or 6, is funny now that we're adults.

Well, I should say in most cases . There are those things that we might not ever see as funny, and instead of making us stronger, those things make us weaker. Let's say for example, in gym class in 6th grade, no one wanted you on their volleyball team because you were not a great player. ( Yep...that'd be me.... ) So there are two ways this could go, we could laugh about it. After all, we all have things that we're not good at...right? Or, we could let this embarrass us every time it comes up and we could criticize ourselves for not being good at sports.

Wouldn't it, however, be better to embrace the things we are good at, instead of focusing our attention on the things that we do not excel at.

Every time we criticize ourselves, instead of raising ourselves up, we really don't honor the person who we are. So we're not good at volleyball ( or any other sport for that matter...in my case) , WHO CARES ! There are plenty of things we are good at.

What about you? Are you focusing on what you can't do, or what you can do . Because I'd bet, that what you can do, you do super well, and it's really a gift to the world.

Are you using that gift, or are you so busy focusing on the gifts you didn't get!

And what about that kid? What are you teaching him or her ? We need to teach them, that we all have things that we're embarrassed about, or that we're not good at, and that it's ok . As a matter of fact, it's more than ok...it's PERFECT! Turn the focus to something that's great about them. Teach them that imperfection is beauty, that everything is a gift, and that we have the free will to use that gift any way we chose!

Make the shift!

"When you replace 'Why is this happening to me" to "What is this trying to teach me', everything shifts."

Sincerely,
FATKIN NATURAL HEALING

Motivational Monday: Forgiveness and Acceptance

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:18:35 GMT

(Originally posted on February 25, 2019)

Forgiveness and Acceptance! Two words that are sometimes really hard to put into action. What are they exactly ? How do we forgive someone when they have truly hurt us, and how do we accept someone or something completely without judgment?

First, maybe we should try and understand what these two words are and are not . When I was younger and when someone had wronged me, I believed that by forgiving them, I released them from accountability and gave them a pass for doing whatever they did. I'd hold onto the anger and not let it go. R eality was, the only person I hurt was myself because anger is a very deep and detrimental emotion . When you forgive, you often help yourself as much, if not more, than the the person you are forgiving.
You can't do much about what people have done to you, but you can do EVERYTHING about how you choose to react to it. Forgiveness is a choice! Like Dr. Phil says in this clip, you don't "forget it ", but you " forgive it" !

What about acceptance? It goes right along with forgiveness. Sometimes we just need to accept people for who and what they are, and not expect them to become what we want them to be. JUST LOVE THEM ! Let them be who they are, and you be who you are. It's all good . it's all AWESOME ! I think this kid says it better than I could.

Forgiveness—and even acceptance— tend not to happen naturally for most of us. We are human after all .; it's something we need to work at everyday. Someone very wise once told me that every time I think of something that makes me angry and needs my forgiveness, I need to stop in that moment and offer that forgiveness. The same would go for acceptance. When I realize I'm not accepting someone or something for what it is, I need to stop at that moment and " just love it "! Keep in mind that forgiveness extends to ourselves as well. So when we're having trouble with this concept, maybe we need to stop, forgive and accept ourselves first for being human, and then forgive others.

So this week, accept things, forgive things and be AWESOME!

"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him."
-- Martin Luther King Jr.

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Shine On

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:18:33 GMT

(Originally posted on February 18, 2019)

First things first this morning . I realized at some point last week that the link to the breathing video in the last email did not work. I apologize for that. Here's another link to it. Enjoy, it's a great video on many levels, and the exercise at the end is very helpful. ( Matt Strom, Breathe to Heal)

Did you ever hear the saying " be kind, everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about ". This is really true. We see people that are in pain everyday, yet by the smile on their face, you would never know. Most of us will get up everyday, put a smile on our face and go about our daily business. We might be physically, or emotionally hurting, but we don't outwardly show it, and we just do what we need to do. Most people, even if something is going on with them, will still reach out and help others, or try and comfort others, usually in the midst of their own difficulties. When they do that, they are the rainbow in someone's cloud.

This week, someone reached out to me in a very simple way, but in a very special way. No one knows about it other than me, or would likely appreciate it, other than me, but it was just so cool, that it totally changed my feelings about the day. A rainbow, in my cloud.

I saw this clip on Facebook this morning. This guy takes time out of his day to brighten the lives of sick children. Such a simple thing, but what a huge impact! Oh, and the laughter...I bet you're giggling too?

So what can you do to brighten someone's day? Remember, sometimes the little things pack a big punch! This week, let's try and do something small to impact someone's life! Remember...they might just be struggling with something you know nothing about! Be the light in their storm!

You see, you may be damaged, broken and unhinged. But so are shooting stars and comets.
--Nikita Gill

Sincerely,
The Staff at Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Be Still and Breathe

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:18:32 GMT

(Originally posted on February 11, 2019)

Silence and breath: two of the most vital tools we have at our disposal, yet the two things we tend to take for granted; rarely used to their fullest potential.

Breath is life. It is the life force that sustains us. We need it; without it we would not be here. Yet, do we ever think of our breath? Do you consciously think about breathing? Right now, sit for one minute and breathe. Pay attention to it.

Go.

Now notice: was your breathing shallow or deep? Did you breathe into your chest or into your belly? Did either area rise and fall with each breath? Can you control your breath? Can you direct it where you want it to go?

Hmmm...did you ever think about these things? The power of breath!

What about meditation? What is that exactly and how does it differ from prayer? Some people are afraid of the word "meditation" or believe it to be something it is not. I heard it put like this: " Prayer is when you're asking God for something, and meditation is when you're ready to listen. " I love this short clip where Deepok Chopra explains the difference very nicely.

The two—breath and mediation—are intrinsically linked together; without first mastering our breath, we cannot master our minds. So you've tried the breath exercise, most likely finding it relaxing and easy enough to do. Now try to silence your mind for one minute.

Go.

Yeah—how'd that work out for you?

So how are we supposed to quiet our minds enough to listen and hear the answers we need in order to help us through this journey of life? Practice—and breath! First...breathe! Do it every day, multiple times a day , and the practice will compound on itself until one day you are listening...and maybe just receiving the insight you need to solve a problem you're experiencing.

This is a great clip on so many levels. It speaks about breath and how important it is to us. It's about 15 minutes long, and at the end he gives you a one minute exercise you can do multiple times a day. And YES, you can do it...people take breaks for many things throughout the day.. .make yours a " breathing break ".

Have an amazing week! Fill it with breath!

Deep breaths are like little love notes to your body!
--Unknown

Sincerely,
FATKIN NATURAL HEALING

Motivational Monday: Ethics

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:18:30 GMT

(Originally posted on February 4, 2019)

Each week when I write these, I choose something that has shown up for me several times during the preceding week. I figure that if I've seen it that many times, it's something that I need to hear, and most likely many other people as well.

This week, the word " ethics " kept showing up. Ethics are the moral principles that govern our daily lives—b asically, it's how we choose to act in situations. Do we do the right thing even when no one is looking ; and even when the " right " thing to do is not the " right " thing for us personally? I think for most people that's always where the moral dilemma arises. We face something that may be good for us personally, but it's not the "right" thing to do morally .

Case in point would be the story of Keven Booth . ( Click here to follow a link to the story. ) He found a bag with $17,000 dollars in it outside of a local food bank. Instead of keeping that money for himself, he turned it in to the food bank; thinking it could help more people that way. Now that was ethics ! Why, you ask ? Most people would have returned that money, right ? The amazing part was that Keven was homeless, and he chose to do the right thing even though no one would have known otherwise; and even though I'm sure that money could have turned his personal situation around. Kevin did what was right. In doing so, he helped so many other people.

What about us? How many times are we called upon to do something— or guide someone in a direction— that is the right thing to do, but might not be in our personal best interests? Are we able to do that?

I had heard the story about Keven Booth several months back. However, when I went looking for the article this morning to share, I found multiple stories of homeless people that had returned money they found. What's so amazing about that is these people truly need the money. To a homeless person, finding a large amount of money could be a gift or could be life changing. Yet in so many cases, they opt to return or share their findings with others. Not only does that qualify as great ethics, but it qualifies as great compassion and humanity.

Remember: we're all in this thing called "life" together. Do what's right, always, everyday, and in every endeavor. By helping others, we help ourselves and we help the world! And—remember this as well—our children watch and see how we act, and they act accordingly! You act with ethics...they act with ethics...we change the world!!!!

Here's to an amazing. life changing and ethical week!

"A truly good and wise man will bear all kinds of fortune in a seemly way, and will always act in the noblest manner that circumstances allow."
-- Aristotle

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Are you the change you want to see in the world?

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:18:28 GMT

(Originally posted on January 28, 2019)

Probably over the past month or so, I've been hearing more and more people complaining about children and how they act in certain situations. We complain about them being on their phones, not interacting with others; or playing video games and not engaging in the joys of the world.

So is this the child's fault? No, it is NOT! They need to be guided. And as parents , we are those guides. If we're going to complain about how children behave, let's first look in the mirror. Are we always on our phones? Are we always staring at the TV? Do we put a TV program at a higher priority than building a snowman?

Our children mimic us. They mimic what they see and how we behave! If we put down the phone and listen to what happened to them at school today, they are more likely to tell us and will want to share more with us—especially if we are engaged in what they are saying. We want to start that communication young so that as they grow—and as the challenges become greater—they feel they can come to us without judgment. We also teach them to listen and honor another person's need to speak.

The only way we can change this world and what is happening in it is to engage ourselves in it. Stop paying attention to negative news and arguing negative things with someone else. Get your head out of your phone ! Engage yourself in making your part of the world a better place; one without anger, hate, and judgment. Make it one filled with compassion and good deeds!

Let's raise our children to know that this world can be what they make it and what they choose it to be!

Let's change the world. We do indeed have the power!!!!

“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”
— James Baldwin, Novelist

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: How long would it take?

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:17:13 GMT

(Originally posted on January 21, 2019)

Well, how long would it take ? Probably with most people, if we would even list it at all , it would be way down on the list. Most of us place high value on our spouses, children, family and pets... but rarely do we put value on ourselves.

Sometimes by the time the weekend finally rolls around, I'll be feeling tired and run down, but I know there are SO MANY things to do. When Saturday finally comes, instead of relaxing and enjoying the day I just plow through it and get those things done. And then, before I know it, the week has started again and my list of "to do's" is still piling up—and I'm feeling more and more tired and run down! At no time during this cycle am I practicing self-love. My reason for doing this is because I'm taking care of my family, and doing the things they need done—they are my priority! Hmmm.....

So just ask yourself this questions...does this sound like you?

My bet is "yes"! We live in a society where we're driven to do more, and push ourselves to the brink everyday for those around us!

Our bodies will take so much before they break down and can't do it any longer. Illness will set in. Being strong people, we'll push until we can't anymore.

Now let's ask some other questions . If you're not here to take care of your family, will anyone do it as well as you do? Will your family be happy if you're not here? Will life be the same for them without you?

Already knowing the answer to that question, it's evident that if we don't practice self-love and self-care at some point during our lives, our families, " our priority " will be affected. By loving and taking care of ourselves, we are taking care of our families and those we love the most.

So how do you practice self care? Eat right, rest, exercise; get outside and go for a walk—these are great things! But sometimes reading a book, or sitting down with a cup of tea and truly enjoying the flavor, a few moments of quiet during the busy day, a hot bath...whatever it is for you. Relax...those chores will be there tomorrow, some days we need to put ourselves and our needs first and foremost! Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

That said—today I'm relaxing!

"There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither"
-- Alan Cohen

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: You're a rockstar!

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:17:11 GMT

(Originally posted on January 14, 2019)

I don't know about you, but I often think I lead a pretty boring life. When I listen to other people tell stories about things they've done, seen, and experienced, I think: " wow...I'm boring !" When I really listen to them though, I realize that they think they are boring too. Most of us do not think the experiences we've had, or the things we've lived through, are all that exciting. It's just the way it is!

Do you feel that way? Like your life is pretty boring?

Well stop right there ...and think about things a little differently.
You were born. Y ou learned to walk . You learned to read. Y ou attended school . Maybe you went to college. M aybe you went right to work. Y ou created a life. Perhaps you raised a family . You reached out and helped others! These are not small things— they are huge! When you were learning to read, i t seemed so difficult ....now it's just something you do! School was overwhelming at times, and now it seems like those were simpler times! Everything is relative. To a child, 2nd grade math is a challenge—to an adult, not so much ( OK...maybe I could have used a better analogy here....to all of us that have tried helping with second grade math nowadays, we know it really is a challenge :-) )

It's all relative, and so is an exciting life ! Every one of us has done great things in our lives; we just can't always see how great they are! Everyone has a story ... even you and me!

Life is a challenge. Every day is a challenge. You get to the end of one challenge, and the next morning you wake to yet another!

YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR—just for taking on this daily life challenge and succeeding day to day !!!!! Remember: you have a purpose and a plan for your life. Everyday you get up and work towards that plan and towards that purpose. By doing that, you are creating an amazing life story !

So keep going. Keep being your unique, beautiful you, and sharing your gift with the world! Keep rocking this life!

"Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it."
-- Zig Ziglar

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Keep on Going

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:17:09 GMT

(Originally posted on January 7, 2019)

Here we are: one week into 2019. Life is back to "normal" after the holidays; the days are getting slightly longer each day and we're cruising into spring! Bring it on!

Not to spend too much time looking backwards, but are you staying on track with all those changes you wanted to make for the new year? I've read that most people won't make it through the first week of a new program of any sorts. That's not designed to make you feel bad; it's meant to light your fire and make you stronger. If you faltered this week, remember what you promised yourself and get back on track . If you are still staying strong— GO YOU !!!!
Keep going, you are one step closer to achieving your goal for yourself.

Keep moving forward --- you got this!

"Everything you need is already inside you. Don't wait for others to light your fire. You have your own matches."
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Have a Truly Joyous Christmas

Tue, 12 May 2020 16:25:15 GMT

(Originally posted on December 24, 2018)

It's here! Christmas Eve! Are we having fun yet?

This week I've heard so many people say that the holiday season—the time of joy, love and family— REALLY stresses them out! They're so stressed that they aren't sleeping, they're feeling sick, and they have SO much to do yet. Worse yet, if they don't do certain things and things aren't the way they are supposed to be , then the stress is even greater because everyone is unhappy with them.

So, like I said, are we having fun yet?

So when did the Christmas JOY leave and the stress enter ? Why does it have to be this way ? Well, frankly, it doesn't . We're driven by the media. We talked about the commercialization of Christmas last week, and how it affects us, but what about the stress others put on us? Some of this is coming from within our own families and within our own circles; b ut the real stress is coming from ourselves . We're allowing this stress in our life and we have the power to make it stop. What would happen if we were the ones who stopped it? What if we said: "This Christmas, we're going to get together but it's going to be light, easy, and filled with smiles and love. It doesn't matter what we eat, let's just make it simple and relaxing for everyone. Let's laugh, let's love, let's enjoy ... ALL of us!"

What would happen if we honored ourselves?

Personally, I plan on having a stress free holiday. I don't care if we eat on paper plates and our silverware doesn't match. I don't care if the table isn't set perfectly. I most certainly don't want the people I love and care about to stress about buying me a gift. The time we spend together laughing and loving is my gift! That's CHRISTMAS!

So speak your truth, live what you love, and actually enjoy the moment of the holiday season!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! !

"Enjoy this MOMENT, for this MOMENT is your life."

Sincerely,
The Staff at Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Let's Laugh a Little

Tue, 12 May 2020 16:25:13 GMT

(Originally posted on December 18, 2018)

I'm pretty sure we all need a little laughter amidst the hustle and bustle of this season! Thought I'd share this letter from a mother to Santa Claus! I know all of us parents can relate! Even if you're not a parent, I'm positive you'll find it comical! ENJOY ... and relax, we're supposed to be having fun!!!!!

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my daughter's girl scout sash with staples and a glue gun.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with one potty-trained toddler, two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, "Don't eat in the living room" and 'Take your hands off your brother,' because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. And please don't forget the Playdoh Travel Pack, the hottest stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the in-laws' house seem just like mine. If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn't look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch a cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always...Mom.

P.S. - One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

Sincerely,
THE STAFF AT FATKIN NATURAL HEALING

Motivational Monday: What is Christmas?

Tue, 12 May 2020 16:25:12 GMT

(Originally posted on December 10, 2018)

Tis the season! The season when we're supposed to be filled with joy, happiness, and gratitude. But for most of us, the season comes with more stress than it does happiness and gratitude . Why is that?

Did you ever study the history of Christmas? It's really quite a story how it all came about. For Christians, this holiday is about the birth of Jesus. Interestingly enough, there is no mention in the Bible about the " actual " day of the birth. The church settled on that day at the end of the 3rd century, probably to coincide with other holidays. Please understand, I am not diminishing here what we believe Christmas to really be about, I'm just mentioning history in this case.

Now how did " Santa Claus " get involved in all of this? Well that's a pretty interesting story as well. One that starts with the idea of love and of giving. But over the centuries, it has changed and molded into what it is today. St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop who was known to have helped the needy. Both his parents passed when he was young, and it was said from that point, he used his inheritance to help the needy. There are countless stories of his generosity. One story tells of a poor man who had three daughters. At that time in history, a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—called a dowry. Of course, the larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. If she didn't have a dowry, she would be unlikely to marry.

So this man's three daughters were destined to be sold into slavery. But on three different occasions, a bag of gold mysteriously appeared in their home—providing the needed dowries. They had been tossed through an open window, and it's said that they landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This story led to the current day custom of children hanging stockings by the fireplace.

There were many other stories of generosity, and different countries have different ways of incorporating this into their customs. Over the years, the story of one man's generosity grew into a very commercialized idea of St. Nicholas providing gifts for children all over the world.

So how did our Christmas become so commercialized? Call it the power of marketing and promoting! We watch all the commercials, and it becomes programmed in us that if we love someone we must show our love by giving them a gift. But that gift has to be big, it has to be expensive .. . otherwise we don't love them enough! Every year, the pressure we put on ourselves to outdo last year becomes bigger and bigger and bigger . Every year, the stress is more, and the love of the season is less!

But what if the Grinch (FYI: my absolute favorite Christmas character) really is right? At the end of his story, what if he really GOT it? It's not about the gift, or the price of the gift, it's about the LOVE ! It's really that simple...it's the LOVE!!!!!

So how would your Christmas be if there weren't gifts involved? I bet if you really think about it. It would be a whole lot less stressful and much more enjoyable.

Several years back, we stopped buying gifts for anyone outside of our immediate family—and even then we scaled back to only one gift per person. We emphasized gifts that came from our hearts and had special meaning— but we made sure to spend the day together. We'd have a nice dinner, we'd chat, catch up on what was happening, hug, laugh, enjoy...and LOVE !!!!!

Guess what...I enjoy Christmas SO much more!

Sometimes when you simplify something and take something back to the basics, it actually becomes more pleasurable. Less stress, no bills to catch up on in January, more enjoyment, and more love!!!!

Now that's what Christmas should be about!

Let's love it up this season! Instead of a huge, expensive gift...how about something from the heart like a hug, or just some of your time????

"It's not about how much we give, it's about how much love we put into the giving."

--Mother Teresa

Sincerely,
FATKIN NATURAL HEALING

Motivational Monday: Strive to be Happy

Tue, 12 May 2020 16:25:10 GMT

(Originally posted on December 3, 2018)

Poetry is described as literary work where special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by using distinctive style and rhythm. Personally, in school one of my least favorite things to do was memorize a poem and recite it back to the class. Yikes!

But as an adult, I certainly appreciate the emotion and feelings that go into writing a piece of poetry...and then making the choice to open yourself up to share it with the world. One of the most popular poems ever written is " Desiderata " by Max Ehrmann. ( Desiderata means "something that is needed or wanted" )

Max Ehrmann was an attorney and later in life worked in his family's meat-packing business. When he was 40, he decided to leave that business to pursue his first love: writing . He then published more than 20 books and pamphlets along with many essays and poems. Probably his most acclaimed piece was " Desiderata ", which only became popular after his death in 1945. In the 1970's it was made into a song, and several well known figures have stated that it's been a guiding force in their lives. Here you can hear Leonard Nimoy reciting the entire poem on his album " The Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy ". (Yeah I know you just have to listen because it's Leonard Nimoy....I mean really, who doesn't love the guy? )

Max actually wrote this poem for himself because he believed these were the ideals he should live by . In truth, they're the ideals we all should live by! The fact that Max decided at age 40 to pursue his dream of writing has affected lives generations after his passing. What a beautiful gift to the world!

What gift are you giving to the world ? What gift are we all giving the world? What we do today, has the ability to affect lives generations from now. It can be something simple, and you might not see the ripple effect of it just yet. That does not matter— do it anyway! Share yourself with the world and leave a legacy of love!

" We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. "
--Chuck Palahniuk

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: DO IT NOW!

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:47 GMT

(Originally posted on November 26, 2018)

OK, so let's just put it out there: is there ANYONE who never procrastinates? I doubt it. To one degree or another we all are capable of procrastinating. Sometimes though it's just prioritizing. It's simply not possible to do everything in one day—sometimes we need to do what is most important in the moment.

But when I'm talking here about procrastinating, I'm referring more to the big picture things. For example:

1) We'll take a cruise on our 25th wedding anniversary.
2) I'll stay with this career ( even though I'm not happy or fulfilled ) until I have enough money saved to do something I truly enjoy and find full filling.
3) I'll start taking care of my health and my body AFTER the holidays!

Those are "big picture" types of things. So think about this: what if something tragic happens and you don't make it to your 25th wedding anniversary? Look at the experience you have lost and the memories you won't have.

What if you never save enough money and you spend your entire life in a job you don't enjoy? You will have spent most of your life doing something unpleasant and missing the opportunity to follow your life path.

And of course the one we all say: " After the holidays!" We'll eat all we want now, and then we'll crash diet after it's all over. This is something we hear all the time. But this year, what if we try a different approach? Don't be afraid to begin supporting your body—or continue to support your body—even though you know you'll be faced with challenges. That's ok, it is the holidays after all . You see, every day you choose to eat healthy during this time is going to support you on days where you don't do well. You might just get through the season without the stress of a cold or the flu. Likewise, if you do get a bit run down, your body might just be in a better position to keep you from getting totally ill. Not to mention, that this season comes with all sorts of mental and emotional stress. When our bodies are supported, we're able to handle that much better. Do yourself a favor this year...support your body, and find yourself enjoying the holiday season more fully!

Who knows...maybe Santa will bring you that cruise!

Remember " DO IT NOW " (sorry I just had to share that, it was too funny}!

"If we're waiting until we're ready, we'll be waiting the rest of our lives"
--Lemony Snicket

FATKIN NATURAL HEALING

Motivational Monday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:45 GMT

(Originally posted on November 19, 2018)

It's Thanksgiving week again! A time to show our gratitude for everything in our lives. How much time do you take each day to be grateful? What are you grateful for?

Did you know " There is a 'secret to happiness, and it is gratitude ." ( Dennis Prager, Happiness is a Serious Problem ) We tend to think that all happy people are grateful, and that ungrateful people cannot possibly be happy. We also think that being unhappy is what leads people to complain all the time. But I think it is truer to say that complaining is what makes people become unhappy. Become grateful and you will become a much happier person. Do you know people who are constantly complaining about everything? It always seems like there is nothing good happening in their lives. Well you know what? There probably isn't-- or at least from their viewpoint. I bet if they changed their point of view, they would find plenty of things to be happy about and to show gratitude for.

What about you? Do you tend to be a happier and more grateful person? Or do you tend to be more down-tone and ungrateful?

Let's just look at a few things we all experience each day and how we can show gratitude.

Ugh, I have to go to work today, and I hate my job.
- "I'm grateful I have a job to go to day, one that provides for the needs of my family and myself.
There's sooo much laundry, I never get it done.
- I'm grateful for all the warm clothes my family has.
The dog is barking in my ear over nothing (this is actually happening at this moment )
- I'm so grateful for the love of a big ole dog and the sound of his big ole bark!

You get the message. Gratitude is everything. It can change the most mundane task, or moment, into a joyful moment. Truly, we are all blessed. Even when we think we have nothing, we really have everything, if we just change our perception.

This coming holiday season let's focus on the happiness, the joy, the love that is all around us. We are all blessed, let's chose to be grateful for those blessings!

Have a blessed and love filled Thanksgiving!

" The struggle ends when gratitude begins. "
-- Neale Donald Walsh

Sincerely,
Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Surround Yourself

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:44 GMT

(Originally posted on November 12, 2018)

Philosopher John Locke said it best:
“ We are like chameleons, we take our hue and the color of our moral character, from those who are around us .”

We become what we think, what we do, and who we surround ourselves with. In my life I've always surrounded myself with people who I consider to be good people, successful people, and intelligent people. My closest friend was one of the most intelligent and genuinely good people I knew. Because of my affiliation with her, I believe I became a better person. I wanted to be able to talk with her on her level, so I learned. I strived to be of her caliber, so I worked at it. Simply because I chose to be around her, I became better. Several years back she fought a difficult battle with cancer-- and lost that battle. Her courage was inspiring to all those around her. More importantly than that, she left each and every one of us with so many gifts. Simply because she existed, she taught us, she inspired to be great, and she inspired us to be great right along with her.

My life, and the lives of those that loved her, are richer and greater because she was great and because she shared that greatness with us.

That attitude rubs off on those around us. If you go to work and chose to lift others up, they will rise. If you chose to bring others down, they will fall. You are, plain and simple, a product of your environment and the people you choose to be around.

So what if you are in a daily environment that is down tone, negative, and not at all inspiring? Get off that merry-go-round... be the beacon of light . Lift others up! Will it happen overnight or on your first attempt? Maybe--or maybe you'll have to keep working at it. Look at all those chances you are given to be great and to shine! Keep at it, one day you'll see the amazing results of your choices.

I love this little clip from from Chad Lewis , Author of " Surround yourself with Greatness ". It's all about what we put in our daily paths and who we surround ourselves with.

It's all up to you! You choose! I choose greatness!

"Walk with the wise, and become wise."

-- Proverbs 13:20

Wishing you yet another wonderful week!
The Staff at Fatkin Natural Healing

Motivational Monday: Your Choice

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:42 GMT

(Originally posted on November 5, 2018)

I love this picture. It makes me smile. Just look at how much fun those ladies in the first row are having! Those belly laughs, filled with pure joy of the moment, completely unconcerned that their unmentionables are showing! The second row is still having a good time-- they are smiling at the ladies in the first row and appreciating someone else's positivity. The third row of ladies, well... they're not even present: looking off to the side as if something more important is happening.

What row are you in?

Is your life filled with joy of the moment or are you only appreciating someone else's happiness? I don't know about you, but I want to be in the first row experiencing that bliss!

So how do we do that? Well it's a conscious choice. Each day when we get up, we should set aside a few minutes just to experience gratitude and joy. Be grateful for everything-- even the stuff that doesn't seem to be for our greater good. When we start to open our hearts and become grateful for the experience-- good or bad-- the universe reacts positively. Did you ever notice that some of the " worst " experiences in our lives were some of the most powerful and meaningful , and the ones that propelled us forward the fastest .

We need to learn to embrace the experience of each moment and to find the joy in it. Look at the woman in the front row. Do they appear worried or concerned? Rather, are they in a moment of joy? The ladies in the back row are concerned about what they are missing. Interesting isn't it? They are missing a moment of joy, of bliss, of laughter...all because they think there's something better down on the ground. Choice...perception...and priorities! They are missing the moment that is right in front of them, and all theirs!

So this week, laugh, enjoy the moment, be grateful..don't worry if your unmentionables show.... (well...yeah...worry if they show... )

HAVE SOME FUN!!!!!!!

Welcome to ROW NUMBER 1!

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.”
—Joseph Campbell

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Grow From Doubt

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:40 GMT

(Originally posted on October 29, 2018)

A while back I read that in life that being doubtful or skeptical can be very beneficial; but that having a closed mind--or being cynical-- is not beneficial. When we're doubtful, it actually assists us in growing. A closed mind, one that refuses to see any other way , will actually send us backwards on our path.

Why is this ? Because when we're "doubtful" we'll keep our minds open, and we'll actually try to learn about what it is we're questioning. Regardless of what we decide in the end, we'll have learned something and formed an opinion based on actual experience.

When we're "cynical" , our mind is totally closed to the possibility of anything new or different. We won't bother to read, research, or listen to the opinions of anyone else because we've already decided we know the answer . Maybe we do know the answer-- or at least the answer that works for us-- but we've denied ourselves the opportunity to learn something new.

I see this everyday in the work we do. We will often have new patients come in that have never seen this type of work, and actually think it's "out there"! Most people have been down other roads with minimal success and are open to the possibility of something different working. They take books to read, they do the program fully and completely, and once they see results their mind is open to other possibilities and other ways of thinking.
It all started with a willingness to accept something different as a possibility.

Some people, however, will come in with a pre-programmed belief that anything out of the ordinary is impossible. So they won't give the program their all, they won't do what they need to do to get better, and the results speak for themselves. Because their mind was closed to a different possibility, or because they had already decided an outcome, that's the outcome they got. Maybe if they were skeptical instead of cynical their outcome would have been different. The major difference is that if you're skeptical, you don't NEED to be right. You are willing to be wrong because being wrong will help you learn and grow. When you're cynical you NEED to be right at any and all costs.

I don't need to be right.
I need to be better, healthier, more informed, more present, and more productive in my life!

What about you?

Did you ever hear the story about Hans Christian Anderson ? As a child he would go with his grandmother to the insane asylum where she was a gardener. The women there considered him to be a gifted and bright child, so they told him wild stories. The stories he learned he later used as inspiration for many of the fairy tales he wrote. Here is one truly wonderful example of keeping your mind open: if he had chosen to detest going to that asylum with his grandmother; if he had chosen to brush off, or not listen at all, to the stories or supposed ramblings of these women, history would have missed the truly fantastical stories he wrote.

Open your mind, open your heart, and " turn and face the strange "!

"Open minded people embrace being wrong, are free of illusions, don't mind what people think of them and question everything, even themselves."
--Unknown

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Stay Positive

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:35 GMT

(Originally posted on October 22, 2018)

This morning I felt like it would do us all some good to have a morning chuckle. The above statement actually made me laugh, so I thought I'd share the laugh. (I also went upstairs and changed my outfit...but we won't talk about that.)

All kidding aside, how we choose to show up in life everyday really determines how our day is going to go and how other people are going to react to us. Let's go back to the idea of our clothing: if we put something on that we're physically uncomfortable in, the day becomes uncomfortable. If we show up at work grumpy and angry, then everything about the day will become grumpy and angry. If we consciously chose to show up happy, upbeat, and helpful then the day follows suit and becomes that.

We are our thoughts, our choices, our actions!

Here's an excerpt from a book written by David Hawkins. He's discussing the vibration we chose to be in, and how it affects our environment:

“The basic rule of the psychic universe is that 'like attracts like,' Similarly, 'love promotes love,' so that the person who has let go of a lot of inner negativity is surrounded by loving thoughts, loving events, loving people, and loving pets. This phenomenon explains many scriptural quotations and common sayings that have puzzled the intellect, such as, 'The rich get richer and the poor get poorer,' and 'Those who have, get.' As a general rule, therefore, people who are carrying the consciousness of apathy bring poverty circumstances into their lives, and those with a prosperity consciousness bring abundance into their lives. Because all living things are connected on vibrational energy levels, our basic emotional state is picked up and reacted to by all life forms around us. It is well known that animals can instantly read a person’s basic emotional state. There are experiments demonstrating that even the growth of bacteria is affected by human emotions, and that plants register measurable reactions to our emotional state (Backster, 2003).”
― David R. Hawkins, Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender

So if plants, bacteria, and animals react to the emotions of the people around them, that also means that on some level everyone is reacting to the emotions of others.

So watch your words, watch your actions, and watch your world change!

"There is no truth, there is only perception."
-- Gustave Flaubert

Motivational Monday: Feel

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:34 GMT

(Originally posted on October 15, 2018)

"It is more difficult to teach ignorance to think than to teach an intelligent blind man to see the grandeur of Niagara. I have walked with people whose eyes are full of light, but who see nothing in wood, sea, or sky, nothing in city streets, nothing in books. What a witless masquerade is this seeing! It were better far to sail forever in the night of blindness, with sense and feeling and mind, than to be thus content with the mere act of seeing. They have the sunset, the morning skies, the purple of distant hills, yet their souls voyage through this enchanted world with a barren stare."
--Excerpt from "The World I Live In" by Helen Keller

What an incredible story the life of Helen Keller was. She was born in 1880. By the time she was 19 months old she had lost both her hearing and her sight due to a bout with an unknown illness, possibly scarlet fever or meningitis. She became an unruly child-- which is really not hard to understand , after all she couldn't communicate in anyway with the people around her because she couldn't see, hear or speak. Two of her five senses were gone. Just think how we feel at the prospect of losing our eyesight, or losing our hearing. Now imagine being a child, who had not yet learned to speak, and you lose two of your major senses; an essentially silent and dark life becomes all you know.

But miraculously we all know how this story turns out, and what a powerful influence Helen Keller was, and is, on the lives of people all over the world.

But here's the point I want to make. Was Helen Keller " disabled ", or was she more " abled " than those of us who have all our senses?
When you think about it, do you go through life enjoying the sun, or the rain, or the beautiful rainbow in the sky? Do you take time to just stand and enjoy? Or do you casually notice it, and go about your more important business?

I bet Helen Keller would have stood and stared in absolute awe at that amazing rainbow in the sky. She wouldn't have just "seen" it...she would have "felt" it, with her heart!

What are we missing everyday? What are we letting just pass us by? Why don't we try and focus this week on relishing the beauty around us. Let's enjoy the sound of a child's laughter, or the excited bark of our beloved pet! Let's truly feel the sun on our skin, or the rain on our face! Take moments throughout the day and just " STOP " and breathe in the moment, breathe in the gift!

Let's not just see and touch this week....LET'S FEEL WITH OUR HEARTS!

"Yesterday's the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is a gift. That's why they call it 'the present'. "
--Bill Keane

BEST WISHES!
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Changing Our View

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:32 GMT

(Originally posted on October 8, 2018)

Good morning... HAPPY MONDAY !!!!

Yes, I did say " Happy Monday!" I know everyone is thinking we've gone off our rockers here at Fatkin Natural Healing, but we are truly happy to start another week. You see, for us, another week means getting to see some great people, helping people achieve their goals in life, and truly enjoying what we do! Oh, and the added benefit of getting lots of hugs from our truly wonderful patients! **Hint..hint

But the reality is that we're pretty fortunate here. Many people don't feel the same way about a Monday morning. Many people don't feel that way about any aspect, or at least some aspects, of their day-to-day life. The other part to this is that many people are "stuck" in those situations because their livelihood depends on it.

There is saying "Do what you love, Love what you do" . Don't you wish it was that easy? But bills, life, and the 'real' world prevent us from flipping pizzas, painting, or walking dogs for a living . It's not real, we can't make a living at it, how will we eat, how will we survive?

And so it goes .

This is how we think; how our minds work. But our minds can get us into trouble sometimes. So do a Google search for the definition of "consciousness." It reads: the state of being awake and aware of one's surroundings.
So in the morning we tell ourselves, we're awake and we're aware...and Mondays are still not "happy"! Well there you go. Guess what, Monday is not going to be happy because you told yourself that it wouldn't be. Your conscious mind believes exactly what you're telling it over and over again, and you are going to get the same result over and over again. All of a sudden our mind is our enemy.

What if we change that level of consciousness?

As Einstein says: “No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it.” Basically he's saying that whatever we are facing, we need to rise up to a new consciousness . A totally new way of thinking.

Did you know Einstein loved to sail? My mind tells me that most sailors know how to swim, right? Well guess what? Not Einstein. Apparently he couldn't swim and didn't consider it a problem. He just went about doing what he loved.

Sometimes we need to just take on a different consciousness and not allow our minds to cause us worry. Einstein surely didn't let the fact that he couldn't swim stop him from sailing. He just did what he loved, and loved what he was doing.

The saying " Out of the mouth of Babes " came to me this week. Did you know that that originated from a Bible verse, and basically means that wisdom comes from the innocent mouth. I found this great clip that shows how we can change our thinking or our consciousness. These kids took negative statements and changed them into positive ones. It's great! So look at your "problems" or "dilemmas" and view them from a different state. Find another solution! It's always there, we just need to look!

Out of the mouth of Babes -- watch this kid go, and listen to her wisdom and take it with you this week!

So...HAPPY MONDAY!!!! Let's ROCK this week!!!!!!

"I really love being human, but some days I wish I could be a fairy"
Greta - Age 4

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Think

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:30 GMT

(Originally posted on October 1, 2018)

Today's thoughts came to me via a patient. Thanks Kim!

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK
T - is it TRUE
H - is it HELPFUL
I - is it INSPIRING
N - is it NECESSARY
K - is it KIND

Drop a glass on the floor... what happens ? It breaks, right? Now pick up the pieces and carefully glue them back together . Even if you manage to gather all the pieces, and you manage to carefully reconstruct that glass so that all the pieces are together perfectly...that glass still has cracks, and it can still leak!

Our words have power to them. Everything that comes out of our mouths has the power to lift or to lower another individual. Using the above analogy before we speak is a fantastic way to gauge the words coming out of our mouths and make sure that what we say is helpful. Does that mean that we will never have to reprimand a child or an employee? No it does not. However, there is a way to do it that will allow you to lift a person rather than lower a person.
It's all in the words you choose!

Dr. Masaru Emoto did what he called " The Water Experiment ". His central premise was that human beings can affect the shape and molecular structure of water just through conscious intention. His first demonstration of this was by displaying images of frozen water crystals from Fujiwara Dam before and after it was blessed by a monk. He then labeled bottles of water with varying words and thoughts--some positive, some negative-- and froze those samples as well. Using a high powered microscopic camera, he noted the crystal variations in each of the waters. The water with positive affirmations have intricate structures and shiny, diamond like reflective qualities, while those labeled with negative thoughts are deformed and unstructured. Quite telling. This same experiment has been done hundreds of times withe water--also with rice and plants-- with the same results.

Now add this thought...the average human body is 50-65% water!

So how are you talking to yourself? How are you talking to your kids? How are you talking to your employees? How are you talking to strangers?

If water responds to words, then people do too!
So before you speak: THINK!!!!!!!!!!!

“If we understood the power of our thoughts, we would guard them more closely. If we understood the awesome power of our words, we would prefer silence to almost anything negative. In our thoughts and words, we create our own weaknesses and our own strengths.” Betty Eadie

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: What's Really Important?

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:28 GMT

(Originally posted on September 24, 2018)

Earlier in the week this quote showed up on my Facebook page, and it really stuck with me. Probably because I recently read that at the end of our days, the only things we take with us are love and knowledge . That's really pretty powerful if you stop and think about it. Out of everything we do-- every single day-- the only things that matter are the love we show to ourselves and others as well as the knowledge we gain. Wow!

So when we get up in the morning, we're focused on the work we're doing. We may have a project due and it's consuming our time and our energy. Because we put a high importance on that project, we forgo everything else in order to get it done. We race out the door in the morning, we drive to work hurriedly, and we're angry at every car that's slowing down our progress. Yep. We've all been there.

But if today were your last day on earth, would any of that matter?

So if love is all we take with us, how many of us truly "love" ? Are we truly loving someone if we are not accepting of who they are? To accept someone in their entirety would be unconditional love.

So what is unconditional love? (I say this respectfully because I don't think that most of us have truly learned this-- at least not 100% of the time.)
Unconditional love in the dictionary is described as: "affection without any limitations, or love without conditions" .

Now, back to this quote. I loved the quote so I looked up Byron Katie and found her website " The Work ". I haven't read any of her books yet, but I did decide to take her "Judge your Neighbor" quiz. You know what I found out? I judge ! Without meaning to, without intending to, and very subtly, but I do judge! I encourage you to put aside a few minutes and take the quiz yourself.

So what about truly loving? We could take this same sort of quiz and ask ourselves if we spend our days "truly loving" everyone we meet and and everyone in our path. If it doesn't seem possible to do that, we must ask ourselves "what can we do so that we can love them?" It's certainly not easy, and each situation calls for a different response. We need to remind ourselves that not everyone is built the same way or has had the same stimuli in life. We are all different for a reason. We don't know their story, so we judge their outward attitude by our own standards. BUT, we DON'T know their story !

I think this is a goal for us all to work at, everyday, even though it's probably not a goal we'll win at everyday. Regardless, we should keep trying-- because at the end of our days it's all that will matter!

"When you go back, you must remember that there are no mistakes in life. There are no mistakes. Money, material possessions and job titles don't matter. The only things that matters in life are love and knowledge. There is nothing else. You must remember that.

Jeffrey Long, MD "The Science of Near Death Experience"
**Shared from the experience of Deborah L , NDERF.org

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Fear

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:24 GMT

(Originally posted on September 17, 2018)

FEAR ...What would you do if you weren't afraid?

Did you ever stop and think about how many times fear stops you from doing something? Anything?

Fear is anxiety caused by a perceived threat. It is a natural and potentially lifesaving response--we all face it at one time or another. When we're children, we're afraid of the monster under our bed. As teenagers, we are afraid of failing a test or being made fun of by our peers. When we're older, we are afraid of losing our jobs or not having the financial resources to support our families. In severe cases, we're worried about everything-- even losing our families.

Fear can paralyze us.
It stops us from moving forward positively and it literally just stops us from having, and living, a fulfilled life. Can fear be good? Of course! There are plenty of times in our lives when fear is a justified emotion. It should, however, remain an emotion that we "feel" and then release. Not one that we hold onto everyday or make every decision based on that fear.

There are no guarantees in life. There is no right or wrong path to take. What if fear were just a story?

The story of the ship the Essex is one that I think shows how fear, courage and choice are intrinsically linked. The Essex departed Nantucket on August 12, 1819, for what was expected to be a roughly two-and-a-half-year voyage to the whaling grounds off the west coast of South America ( Wikipedia ), On the morning of November 20, 1820, this ship with a 20 man crew, was struck by a sperm whale. They spent two days salvaging what food they could from the wrecked ship. Using rudimentary navigational maps, they decided on a course. The closest island to them was one that might have been inhabited by cannibals; so, out of fear of the cannibals, they opted for the "safer" choice that was much more dangerous. By the time these men were rescued more than two months later, less than half of them survived-- most of them falling victim to their own form of cannibalism. We will never know what the outcome would have been had they made the other choice, that's for sure; we just know that each choice was a different story. Each choice contained fear and contained courage, along with a host of other emotions. This story also became the inspiration for one of the most well know stories in literature today: Moby Dick .

So what choices are you making out of fear? What if fear didn't exist, and you could make all your choices based on the story you wanted to tell? Are you, right in this present moment, showing the world the story you want told, or are you allowing fear to make you tell a different one?

Don't let fear paralyze you and prevent you from living the life you want! Face it, embrace it, and grow from it into the person you want to be!

"It's not death that men should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live."

-- Marcus Aurelis

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: What's Your View?

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:23 GMT

(Originally posted on September 10, 2018)

So we all know someone who can see the positive in everything. By the same token, we all know the person that sees the negative in everything. Of the two of them, who would you say has a more fulfilled life? I suspect deep down that the person who is more positive is having a more fulfilling experience with life. Maybe I'm wrong, but I know when I'm upbeat and positive about doing something, things usually turn out well. If I feel negative-- or not quite as enthusiastic about something-- it typically turns out just like I expect it to: negative !

I just had an experience while traveling where the employees of a restaurant were very rude ! The service was poor, and the food was mediocre. Not to mention when the food finally arrived, the order was wrong. Despite several requests, I never received my proper order; worse than all of that was the attitude of the waitress. I watched her handle other tables and I noticed the attitudes of the people at those tables. They were getting angry from the poor service, and the angrier and more frustrated they got, the worse she got. It was plain to see: the anger was feeding on the anger!

This is the case in life. We have the power to change and alter what is happening in our daily lives just by how we respond to events like this. My choices were to complain, to react in anger like the other tables, or to get up and walk out--all valid choices considering the circumstances. But being an observer of people, I chose to react politely. When I paid the bill, I smiled and told her:"Have a great day!" She obviously wasn't having one!

So if I look at this situation on the surface, I see an angry, unhappy person bent on making others angry and unhappy (and sadly succeeding). Or, maybe something is happening in her life that I don't know about to cause her to respond in such an angry way. Maybe offering her some compassion, or simply a smile, changed the way the rest of her day went. Who knows--and does it really matter? I didn't buy into the anger and let it affect me for the rest of my day or the others in my circle!

I suspect that we should all see life more from the eyes of a dog! Here's a little " pre-movie " clip from one of my all time favorite books "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. Just look at how the dog, Enzo, looks at life. Maybe we should all view it from that more simplistic point of view and be happy! (Especially because we have opposable thumbs! Enzo talks about how much he wants them throughout the entire book .)

Change your perception and how you view daily events in life. Find the positive in everything, and you'll change your life!

"When I return to this world, I will be a man. I will walk among you; I will lick my lips with my small, dexterous tongue. I will shake hands with other men, grasping firmly with my opposable thumbs. And I will teach people all that I know. And when I see a man or a woman or a child in trouble, I will extend my hand, both metaphorically and physically. I will offer my hand. To him. To her. To you. To the world. I will be a good citizen, a good partner in the endeavor of life we all share."
Enzo -- "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Practice the Pause

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:43:22 GMT

(Originally posted on September 3, 2018)

Pause ...just for one moment...slow down, breathe and take it all in! Boy do we all need to slow down and do a bit more of that.

I can tell you that I am guilty of NOT practicing the pause . There are times I judge a situation only to later find out that my judgement was incorrect; or I'll assume an outcome to a situation, only to find out later that my assumption was wrong. Things may have been better had I taken a moment to stop and pause!

But pausing can apply to almost anything. When we're trying to change our eating habits, if we take a moment and pause before we eat, we may just make better choices. Perhaps we're driving somewhere and we're in a huge hurry-- if we take a moment and pause before we head out the door, we might just drive safer and prevent an accident from happening. What if we pause for a moment and hug our child for a few seconds longer, or say I love you to our spouse before heading out to work, their day (and yours) might just be all that much more pleasant.

All these things seem simple, and really they are...if we would only pause .

This applies to things on a larger scale as well. What if we pause before we judge the parent of the child who is screaming behind us. Maybe they aren't bad parents, maybe the child has an earache. We assume the homeless man begging for change "just doesn't want to work"...maybe something tragic happened to get him to that place. (After all, anyone can end up in their position.)

When we look at someone else, we may never know the trials and tribulations they went through to get where they are today. Everyone has had struggles--and if we would stop and pause for a moment before we judged a situation, that moment might allow us to remember that fact and act more compassionately.

Take a few moments this week to simply pause and watch the magic happen .

"Learn to pause, or nothing worthwhile will catch up to you."
--Doug King

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: What is Happiness?

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:33:42 GMT

(Originally posted on August 27, 2018)

Happiness!
What is it and how do we get it?

Well, the dictionary describes happiness as " the state of being happy ". Hmmm... not much help there .

How many times do we say things like:

"I'll be happy when this happens..."
"I'll be happy when I get that new job..."
"I'll be happy when I find my perfect partner..."
"If only I had that new house, then I'd be happy..."

And then "it happens", and we're still not happy. We're still looking for the next " thing " that will actually make us happy.

Isn't that just sad?

It seems as if we spend most of our time reaching for things to make us happy instead of being happy about the things we have in this moment! Aristotle said " Happiness depends on ourselves ." More than any other philosopher of his time, Aristotle believed happiness was a central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. So what are we doing wrong? Why aren't we happy? Why can't we find something to make us happy? There, in my opinion, is the problem: we keep looking for something outside of ourselves when the real answer lies inside.

So what can we do to truly find happiness? Think about the times that fill you with the most joy. Is it spending time with family? Is it reading a book to your child? Is it when a loved one looks in your eyes and says "I love you"? Those little moments that make up a day can surely fill our hearts with happiness.

But what about the bigger things? What about the job we're unhappy with, the finances that are in shambles, or the partner who we no longer seem to connect with? These things seem to control larger aspects of our life and sometimes rob us of the joy of the smaller moments.

Sometimes life has us in situations that we can't immediately change. But if we are truly unhappy with something, we need to find a way to change it or we are going to miss the truly important, joy-filled moments. Remember that making a positive change might simply require changing how you view your situation.

It all starts with you, and it is all within you!

Stop missing the beautiful, small moments of precious happiness. Stop letting these moments be overshadowed by the unhappy ones. You have the power within you! You have the power to make your life better, and in doing so, the lives of everyone around you!

While doing a little research on happiness, I came across this TedTalk video clip where Dan Gilbert discusses "The surprising science of happiness." It's a little long, but it's incredibly interesting to see how the brain works in relation to how we see events in our life.

CHOSE HAPPINESS this week! Chose to smile, chose to love, chose to give...and pass it on!

"BE HAPPY! Not because everything is good, but because you can see the good in everything."

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: What's Your Purpose?

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:33:41 GMT

(Originally posted on August 20, 2018)

What's your purpose? What's my purpose ? I'm sure you've asked yourself that many times, I know I have. There are some people that know exactly what their purpose is right from a child. We all know someone that knew since they were young exactly what they wanted to do, and what direction their life would take. But most of us, not so much!

This usually starts because we do not recognize what our individual gifts are. It's easy to see a gift in yourself, if doing something you love comes easy to you. Some people are more naturally inclined to be an artist, or a musician. or they are great athletes, or natural born actors or actresses. We always tend to think that " it comes easy for them ". And, in some respects, it probably comes " easier " to them. But make no mistake, they had to work at it too, it's just that it was their gift, and they knew it.

These are more obvious gifts. But what about those more subtle gifts ? The things we don't even realize sometimes are gifts. What about the guy that cleans your car at the car wash. He knows his job, and he does it with enthusiasm and tries to make everyone he comes in contact with happy. What about the waiter or the waitress who greets you with a warm smile, and knows exactly what you are going to order. This list could go on and on! Everyone has a gift! Even if that gift is " only" , that they make people smile. ( And, that is in NO way an insignificant gift .)

Take some stock this week. See what it is you are good at, and work at making that part of your daily life. If you are great at drawing, draw something everyday. If you love music, pick up an instrument. If you make people smile, make them smile this week! Take that first step towards seeing what your gift is in this life...and then GIVE IT AWAY!

No gift is small, they are all great gifts and it's our purpose to use those gifts!

Here's a brief clip ! Your purpose, no matter how "seemingly" insignificant has the power to change lives. Let's change some lives !

"God has given each of us a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another."
-- 1 Peter 4:10

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Have You Laughed Today?

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:33:39 GMT

(Originally posted on August 13, 2018)

Laughing, chuckling, chortling, guffawing, giggling, tittering, twittering,
cackling, sniggering, informal hysterics...

All of us, for sure, remember moments where we laughed so hard our stomach's hurt! Or we just couldn't stop laughing, maybe for no reason, we just laughed! Didn't that feel great? Laughter truly is the best medicine. Laughter actually produces endorphins in our brain that make us feel immediately better and relieved. Remembering again those good long laughs...you probably felt amazing afterwards. Laughter truly is a great way to create and share feeling of pleasure with others .

Tickling someone is one of the easiest ways to produce laughter. It's been studied that tickling helps with bonding of a mother a new born. ( Dr. Sophie Scott, The Science of Laughter )

This same research shows that people laugh in all kinds of situations. We laugh because others laugh, even if we don't know why . This shows us that there is a behavioral and emotional component to laughing. This is probably du to us having empathy for others.

Studies have shown that our brains actually " get ready to laugh " when we hear laughter. This really suggests that laughter is meant to be shared between individuals.

So here are 7 really great reasons why you need to start laughing more.

1) Laughter triggers the expansion of the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, thereby, increasing blood flow. “ It is said that laughing may be important to maintain a healthy endothelium, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says principal investigator Michael Miller .

2) Laughter triggers the brain's emotional reward centers, contributing to a healthier emotional state.

3) It plays an important role in social bonding.

4) Want to be more attractive? Studies have shown that men with a good sense of humor are thought to be more attractive, likewise, men are more attracted to women that laugh at their jokes. It has also been argued that having a good sense of humor in a job interview could increase your chances of getting hired.

5) It lowers stress and anxiety.

6) It strengthens your immune systems.

7) Laughter is the fastest and easiest method of regulating breathing. It can lead to an increase in heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen consumption. When you enthusiastically laugh for a longer period of time, the lungs are filled with fresh oxygen-rich air. This allows you to breathe deeper and improve your respiratory health.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR.......LAUGH!

Need some help? Watch this ...and just think about punctuating your life????

"Laughter is an instant vacation."
-- Milton Berle

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Are You at a Crossroads?

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:33:37 GMT

(Originally posted on August 6, 2018)

We've all been there: it's time to make a decision, but which decision or choice is the right one ? Every choice has good and bad aspects, but sometimes deciphering which is the better choice can be difficult.

When I started to think about "standing at a crossroads," I became curious and found that the mythology surrounding them was really fascinating. I thought I would share some fun facts with you.

Early Europeans would bury criminals and suicide victims at crossroads because they believed that when their spirit rose from the dead, they would be confused and return from where they came and leave the living undisturbed.

Primitive South American cultures such as Aztec, Mayan , and some southern North American Indian tribes used crossroads as a place of sacrifice. Alters, or totem-like poles would be erected at these locations to indicate hallowed ground.

It is even fabled that if you have no other choice but to make a deal with the devil, do so at a crossroads. The belief is that you have a 4x better chance of outrunning the devil's clutches because you have a choice of four roads. (Hmmm...I guess the devil doesn't know which road you'll take)

It's also believed that crossroads are places of higher energetic vibrations from the earth and its atmosphere. These high voltage spots are often blamed for car accidents.

Some of the mythology surrounding crossroads is really interesting and fun to read. If you're interested in learning more, click here .

When we're faced with choices, sometimes those crossroads can be stressful places to be. We look down one road and see one outcome, while we look down a different road and see another. Which do we chose? Alternatively, there are times in life when we're faced with a crossroad we really do not want to be at. Maybe we lost a job, and we are now faced with the question of where to go from here. Perhaps we lost a loved one and life seems unsure. Consequently, the road now seems totally different. Where do we go? What do we do? Which road do we chose?

Those decisions are never easy. But here's the thing: there is no wrong decision. Whatever you decide will work out. Maybe your choice will lead you in a totally different direction than what you anticipated and maybe it might be a better direction. Even if down the road you feel it wasn't the best choice, the reality is that you'll never know what the outcome of the other choice would have been, so why worry about it? If you believe in the theory of alternative timelines caused by choices, think about the Butterfly Effect . This is best examined in Ray Bradbury's short story "The Sound of Thunder," in which a single butterfly's demise radically changed the future.

Think about choices in your life that brought you to where you are today. Maybe you came across a huge career boost because you went to one restaurant over another. Perhaps because something tragic shook your world, you were able to grow closer to your best friends where you barely spoke before. Little choices and events in our lives can make a huge difference. Try to think about how different your life could have been, and then appreciate the things that you had the privilege of experiencing!

Keep moving forward, keep making new choices. Learn from the past and invent your future. Nothing is ever really lost, there is good in all things. Sometimes we can't see the positive until we are farther down the road or until the next crossroad presents itself. Keep moving forward and lead with your heart. It will never steer you wrong!

Remember it's NEVER too late to make a change or redirect the course of your life. It's NEVER a bad time...it's always the perfect time!
Today is a new day...make it your new day !

"What if I fall? Oh but my darling, what if you fly?"
-- Erin Hanson

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: The Power of One

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:33:35 GMT

(Originally posted on July 30, 2018)

It's really that simple!

What seems so simple, or even like nothing to you can mean the world to someone else. Every person is fighting some sort of a battle. Whether it's physical, mental or otherwise; almost everyone has something going on in their life. I know personally of a family dealing with drug abuse in their adult son; another woman who broke her foot, and is trying to cope with month's long recovery, and yet another family dealing with the imminent loss of their wife and mother. These people are dealing with very difficult situations that I happen to know about, but had I met them on the street, or in a store, I'd have no idea of what situation they are currently enduring. We tend to think that if we can't see it, it's not there.

Unfortunately, we can never truly understand a situation until it happens to us. So we tend to judge the family who is dealing with drug abuse instead of offering them love. We can tell the woman who broke her foot, " It could be worse ", or we can offer help, take her a meal, sit and talk with her. We can avoid the family dealing with death because we don't want to face it ourselves, or we can open our hearts and offer a shoulder.

What I think what really changes us, and allows us to see things differently, are the experiences we ourselves have had. If you, or someone you know, has dealt with drug abuse, then you are less likely to judge another family and more likely to open your heart. Back to everything being a blessing!

So how can you be the bright spot in someone's world! Say "HI" to a stranger. Ask the older gentleman getting coffee how his day is going...and listen when he answers. " Listen ", that's so important. Don't forget to open your heart before you respond! Sometimes not responding, and simply listening is all that's needed!

To someone that is alone and has no one to chat with, a smile and a chat from a stranger can be the difference between feeling totally isolated and feeling like someone actually cares. Be the person that cares! Be that ONE!!!!

Quick little video that explains this beautifully. Enjoy!!!

"Kindness is free, sprinkle that stuff everywhere"

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Look Who's Watching

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:30:12 GMT

(Originally posted on July 23, 2018)

There is ALWAYS someone watching us! When we're in the grocery store, at the movies, or even out to dinner, if it's not our children, it's someone else's children. They're watching us, seeing what adults do, how adults act, and learning for themselves how to act when they are adults.

As parents and grandparents, we are of course the main players in our children's lives, but we all have a responsibility to children everywhere to act in a way that teaches them.

This weekend as I sat in a restaurant enjoying memories with loved ones, sitting next to us, there was a family with two young children. Both children and both parents were on their mobile devices. There was little interaction between them. They spent most of the time looking down. I thought about this later, and I realized that I'm often guilty of this same behavior. I'm more interested in what's on my phone, than who is sitting next to me. I was also struck by how I often complain about children doing this, when I myself am guilty of it.

I realized that I am teaching children that it's more important to see what's on their phone than to listen to them talk. And worse yet, I complain when they look at their phones instead of talking to me.

Hmmm....maybe I'm the problem!

The thing is, we have a responsibility towards all children everywhere. When I was growing up there was a woman in our neighborhood who had no children of her own. She loved kids. We'd stop to visit her, and she'd sit on her porch and talk to us, give us cookies, and always a big hug and a gentle reminder to stop by again. I didn't realize it at the time, but, s he was a role model! All these years later, I still remember her, because she made an impression. More importantly, she taught me how important a few minutes and a little love can be to a child.

Remember that no matter what our role is, parent, grandparent, friend or even stranger. Children watch us, they mimic us, they learn from us. Instead of complaining about our children, let's show them how to be adults, how to be good people, how to be husbands and wives, employees and friends, and always, how to love! They're are future, let's shape it in a positive direction.
Be the person you want your children to be!

This week, let's put down our phones, smile at a child, offer encouragement to a child, and BE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS! Changing the direction of the future starts by changing the person in the mirror!

"It's not only children who grow. Parents do to. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself"
-- Joyce Maynard

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: The Gift

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:30:09 GMT

(Originally posted on July 16, 2018)

This is sometimes a tough one to wrap our heads around. How can the dark, depressing, difficult and even tragic times of our lives be gifts? Trust me , we won't see it at the time . We might not even see it for years down the road. But one day, that realization, if you're open to the possibility, will most definitely come your way.

This past week, I was reminded of this in my own life. Several years ago something happened where we were faced with a difficult situation. This past week I was contacted by someone who was living almost an identical scenario and they were asking me for advice . Because of our experience, I was able to assist her. Maybe even make her situation somewhat easier, simply because I had seen first hand what to do and what not to do. Not that I have any answers, sometimes there just aren't any , but having lived and experienced what she is currently experiencing, I could offer guidance .

What experiences do you have in your life that you could use to help someone else? Have you lost a job; changed career; faced financial problems, lost a loved one, faced a health crisis? If you did and you know and understand that situation, you have been given a gift that can help someone else. Use that experience. What did you do? How did you cope? What worked? What didn't work? All of these things can be used to help guide another person. Each experience, no matter how similar, will be different for each person, but having first hand knowledge is a gift . A gift that was given to you, use it wisely ! Be another person's inspiration!

There's actually another side to this that we often don't look at. Many times, we don't realize that by helping someone else, we actually help ourselves. We're all connected . Sometimes until we open up and share our story, we can't see the gift in it. Life is truly a masterpiece!

WE ALL HAVE A STORY!

If we reach out and chose to use our story to help better someone's life, what a wonderful world we could have. This week, chose to hear someone's story, you just might be amazed at the life and experiences they have had, and how their story, just might make yours a little brighter!

"Everyone has a story to tell, a lesson to teach, and wisdom to share...
Life is a beautiful masterpiece bound together by your experiences. Open up and share your story; become an inspiration to others. You can make a difference because you matter. You were created with purpose. Live your life with intention, go out there and make a difference by being the difference."

Melanie Moushigian Koulouris

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: The Habit Loop

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:30:08 GMT

(Originally posted on July 9, 2018)

HABIT: a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.

We all have habits, some good, some bad, some helpful, some harmful!

Charles Duhigg, the author of “ The Power of Habit ,” says that "Habits are not born, but created. Every habit, whether it's good, bad, or not significant at all starts with a pattern called a 'habit loop'."

A habit loop, according to Charles Duhigg, happens in three steps. Step one starts with a trigger that tells your brain to let a behavior unfold. For example: it's 3:00 in the afternoon, you feel a big sluggish. Step 2 : There's candy in the break room, so you grab some. Step 3 : It tastes great, and it gives you that boost you need.

So the first step is the trigger (you're sluggish), second step is the behavior (you eat the candy) and third step is the reward (it tastes great and you feel momentarily better). This is what allows the habit to form . The next day when you feel sluggish your brain remembers the candy made you feel better, and so you do it again. You justify that it's only a small amount and it gets you through the day. Next thing you know, you need that candy in the afternoon, or you'll fall asleep at your desk! We justify again because which habit is worse, a small amount of candy, or losing our jobs?

Do you see how easily a habit starts? We all have habits and we all have bad habits , maybe even ones we don't recognize as bad. The problem with the bad habits is that they prevent us from moving forward in our lives and achieving our goals. If your goal is good health and weight loss, then eating candy everyday is not going to work. If your goal is to exercise more everyday, then coming home from work and taking a nap doesn't get you there. If your goal is to change jobs, or create a better future for yourself, then the habits you have surrounding your current situation need to change.

Sounds simple: change a habit, change your life! Yeah...ok! The problem with a habit is our brain believes we need that habit. The only way to change the habit is to re-wire the brain. Scientists have done tons of studies on this, and it's very possible to change your habits, but it takes time and perseverance.

The European Journal of Social Psychology , reported that a team of researchers observed 96 people over 12-weeks. Each of the participants chose a "new habit" and reported in each day with how automatic this behavior felt for them. What they concluded was it took an average person 66 days until a "new habit" felt natural.

So when you've decided to make changes in your life remember that all good things take time. Be gentle with yourself. Have perseverance. Stay strong in your convictions. A new habit, a better habit will form, and your life will be better because of it.

So this week, let's pick one habit to change, or one habit to begin incorporating in our life, and let's start making changes!!!!!!

"We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence then is not an act, but a habit."
--Aristotle

Sincerely,

Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Time

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:30:06 GMT

(Originally posted on July 2, 2018)

TIME ...is there ever enough of it?

I don't know about you, but I feel like there could be 6 more hours in every day, and even then I'm not sure I'd be able to get everything I wanted accomplished. Time ...it's not always my friend.

But lately I've been thinking about how much " time " I spend trying to accomplish things, or worrying about what I'll accomplish tomorrow, or do I have "time" for this, or that. Seems like my mind is focused an awful lot on " how much time I have ". Even as I write these words, I'm concerned that I'll have enough time to get the next task done.

I've put Mitch Albom's " The Time Keeper " as my next book. I usually read a bit of a book before I decide if I'm interested or not. I found this excerpt that I thought applied to how I've been feeling lately about time.

“Try to imagine a life without timekeeping. You probably can’t. You know the month, the year, the day of the week. There is a clock on your wall or the dashboard of your car. You have a schedule, a calendar, a time for dinner or a movie. Yet all around you, timekeeping is ignored. Birds are not late. A dog does not check its watch. Deer do not fret over passing birthdays. Man alone measures time. Man alone chimes the hour. And, because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creature endures. A fear of time running out.”

As I read this I was struck by how true it is. We spend so much "time" focused elsewhere, that we miss the true beauty of the moment, the now, the present ! How many times do we miss the giggle of our children because we're worried about getting to work on time, or we miss our beloved pets need for attention because we're focused on the TV program we're watching...or worse yet...looking down at our phones that consume so much of our precious " time "!

Well, I know that this week, I'm going to put down that phone, pet my dog, soak up some sun, enjoy the laughter of a child, and keep my eye off the clock and on the moment!

How about joining me?

“We all yearn for what we have lost. But sometimes, we forget what we have.”
― Mitch Albom , The Time Keeper

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin

Motivational Monday: Control Your Mind

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:30:04 GMT

(Originally posted on June 25, 2018)

This week we've actually been talking a lot about re-programming our minds. We refer to this in the context of changing our eating habits, and it most definitely applies there. However, this also applies to every other aspect of our lives.

Our minds, and our ability to " over-think " or " not think at all " can many times be detrimental to us. We spend so much time in our heads that we forget to live in the moment . When is the last time you held a cup of tea and focused on the warmth of the cup? Or perhaps focused on the aroma of the tea or the taste of the flavor in your mouth? It has probably been a long time, if ever. As most of us are drinking our morning tea or coffee, we're focused on what we're doing that day, what we have to accomplish, how soon we have to get to work, and a myriad of other things. The problem with our brains is that they get into a pattern. If we're constantly worrying, our brain signals us to worry more. If we're constantly eating junk food to make us feel better, our brain tells us that we need more of that or we won't feel better. Sometimes we just need to stop and start re-programming our brain. Focus more on the now, and not on the past or the future. The only moment is now. The past is gone, you can't unring that bell. The future isn't here yet, you have no idea what will happen...so why are you worried about it? The only thing you have is the present moment. Why not enjoy it?

This week, start re-programming your mind beginning first thing in the morning. Enjoy your morning cup of tea, or coffee. Be mindful, be present, be in the moment . Even if it's only for 5 minutes. That will make a total difference in how you view your entire day. When you reach for food, stop for a minute, ask yourself if it's good for you and good for your body. Even if it's not, and you chose to eat it, you'll have started the process of re-programming your mind...and re-programming your life. You'll have begun creating an amazing new future for yourself! You can change ANYTHING ...it all starts with how you chose to view it!

"The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion."
-- Thich Nhat Hanh

Sincerely,
Dr. Zachary Fatkin