Guts, Grace & Gusto

Winning Words and Ways When Reality Throws You a Zinger

2009-07-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

“Shake it off. Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. Regroup. Bounce back and start again.” These words were printed on a notepad stuffed into a gift bag for guests at the Grand Opening of Speedy Printing in Fairfax, VA. I’m going to make post-its from them and display those winning words in strategic locations whenever a zinger lands in my lap to manage.

Have you had a few of those hurled your way? Events that rocked your world for awhile, you didn’t see coming perhaps, never imagined you’d have to deal with it, but there it is, smack dab in the middle of your reality.

“Now what?” you may ponder. For a time you may not have any answers which is another source of angst, of not knowing what to do. However, resilient souls discover paths that lead from the darkness and light up the way. Those with a powerful will to survive find or attract solutions to rise up to succeed.

Such was the case of Kia and Brahm Arian, owners of Speedy Printing who included those inspiring messages in my gift bag. I met the Arians a few years ago after Kia read my book, Dancing through Life with Guts, Grace & Gusto, at a time when my world was shifting and shaking. She had such creative flair and impressed by her graphic design capabilities coupled with excellent customer service, their business got my design and printing projects.

Even with all that talent, their business wasn’t thriving. Last summer they set their intention and focused on landing upon the path of success to turn around their reality. With that clear intention, solutions materialized. Enter Ben Glass, a marketing genius for business who provided guidance that turned around their reality.

The steps to success are repeatable with patterns designed to take you where you want to go, but action is required. The Arians took those steps and went from survival mode to thrival mode. They moved to a new location this year and business is booming. Effective marketing catapulted them into gusto mode, fully energized, vibrant and thriving.

The Grand Opening was truly a celebration of their unstoppable attitude, of finding a way that works when nothing seems to be working. There is always a way. Winners dust off the old, fire up resilience and bounce back—soaring into a welcome reality of success. The Arians did it.

Note those winning words. Keep them handy and put them into action when life has different plans. S.S.

Attracting What You Want

2009-07-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

In preparation for a session I’m facilitating this week on “Envisioning Your Favorite Future,” I envisioned setting the tone with Jana Stansfield’s CD, “If I Were Brave.” Its lyrics repeatedly beg the question, “What would I do today, if I were brave?” Works magic inspiring people to think about their own answers.

Saturday morning I rummage through my workshop prop box only to come up empty handed. The CD jacket was there, but no CD. Another opportunity for letting go, but the lyrics are permanently implanted in both my head and heart. I really wanted to share this inspiring song because those lyrics reflect the power of the heart, of blasting through fear and taking steps toward your dreams.

I didn’t let go of my desire for musically getting to the heart of the matter and having that question, “What would I do today, if I were brave? “ echo in their hearts. I just wished it would materialize.

I’ve found through my workshops, sometimes people are fuzzy how they would put their courage to work. I hear “I don’t know.” Yet, more often they do know. They have lots of reasons (AKA fears) to keep a lid on their dreams because unleashing the secrets buried within would create a world of change, and that can lead down some scary roads of intentionally walking down an uncertain future. Yet, everyone has the potential to act courageously and manifest dreams. It’s the unwillingness to let go of fear and focus on the “what ifs” that overrides them.

In my desire to let go of stuff no longer needed, I participated in a local “Circulation Day” last Saturday. A brilliant form of exchange—a no-sale yard sale, of bringing what you don’t need or want any longer, and taking, if so inspired, something in exchange. So, I gathered together a carload of stuff that needed to go-- clothes, boots, books, CDs, my mom’s tap shoes, in hopes others would find them useful.

They say nature abhors a vacuum (my nature is I abhor vacuuming, but that's another topic!) When we let go, something else takes its place. Getting all of that stuff out of the house immediately made me feel lighter and hopefully freed up some space for more good to flow.

After unloading it all, I scanned the treasures others were letting go. What an instant lesson that provided! For sitting right there was “If I Were Brave” CD, just hours before I had wished would materialize.

What a perfect illustration of getting clear on your vision and watching the Law of Attraction manifest, in wondrous ways, just what you do want. Sandra Strauss

When Ready to Change, Take Action

2009-07-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

David Smith of Phoenix, AZ weighed in at 650 pounds in 2003. He was so embarrassed he only went out at night. He didn’t work or have friends. His days were mainly composed of eating and sleeping. David wanted a better life, as well as a healthier one, since he knew obesity was putting his life at risk. So David went public contacting a local television station. A week later a personal trainer came forward to tackle the biggest assignment of his career. Together they created a miracle

This morning David burst through a photo mural of his former self on NBC’s Today to reveal his amazing 400 pound transformation. A story of sheer guts and determination to let go his bondage of obesity. His story also illustrates the possibilities that become realities when focused on a goal.

Changing habits takes motivation and that takes desire and commitment. Without these critical components, it’s unlikely your intention to achieve a goal will actually materialize. That’s just wishing. That means accepting a reality you don’t want, and wishing it would change. But until you’re ready and willing to take action, you’ll stay stuck, frustrated and angry at your circumstances because you have a dream of a different reality. The space between your current reality and what you desire is the gap of growth. Getting to a greater state of well-being and closing the gap requires action.

When motivation rises up within and you take action to make a change, you attract more of what you need to achieve it. The very private David got to a point he was so sick of his situation he went public. He contacted his local TV station which got a personal trainer motivated to step up to serve.

Help awaits when you set your intentions and are willing to let go of old ways. What changes would you like to see in your health? Your relationships? Your job? Are you ready to take action to make them?

Like a trapeze artist who has to let go of one ring to soar to the next one, you must move in the direction of your desire. Perhaps for a time, you’ll be suspended in the process, without a safety net, not sure of your next move. Growth is in closing the gaps, and letting go what you really don’t want to hang on to, so you can soar toward what you do want.

Sandra Strauss

What Are You Waiting For?

2009-06-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Headlines this week feature the deaths of several celebrities—the king of pop, a poster queen, a pitchman and a sidekick. Sudden death shocks us, as if it’s not supposed to happen, at least not during the prime time of our lives. That seems to intensify the tragedy and deepen the loss. It gives cause to reflect on the unexpected and often unexplainable that’s woven into the fabric of every life. Their star quality is a metaphor . . . bright stars shine for a time, blaze across the universe, and then their glow either eventually or suddenly, vanishes.

Life changes and usually bears little resemblance to the pattern you may have anticipated. The unexpected teaches us valuable lessons of the treasure of Now. We never really know what’s next on the horizon or what tomorrow will bring even with the most careful planning. So take stock. Are you waiting for the “perfect” time to make a change, to go for a dream, to take steps toward a life-enhancing move? Waiting can be costly to your happiness. Are you feeling stuck? Suffering from stagnation? That’s not really living. Life is for breathing passion into your days, or at least, breathing with as much energy as you can muster at the moment.

Life is about growing and stretching daily, putting more of who you are into expression, even when life tests you to the core. No matter your opinion of Michael Jackson, he leaped upon the world’s stage with his desire to be the fullest expression of talent as he moonwalked himself across the planet. Yet, growth is not just about expressing talent. It’s also tapping more of what lies within. Farrah Fawcett was far more than a famous head of hair. She transformed into a model of courage, hope and perseverance for the world to see.

Loss brings to the forefront the fragility of life, the fragments of time perhaps too often taken for granted. What are you doing with all those slivers? Are they blazing the trail of the legacy you wish to leave? Are they leading in the direction of what you value? Are you spending your time expressing what you desire? What choices would you make if you could see into the future and saw that time was not on your side?

Sandra Strauss

Traveling through Life with Passion and Purpose

2009-06-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

Today’s news headlines feature the sudden death of Craig Lenell, who was piloting the transatlantic Continental flight yesterday when he suffered a heart attack. “Flying was his life. He died doing what made him happiest,” his wife reported to the press. Fortunately, the flight crew handled the situation, quite literally with flying colors, and the incident posed no risk to any aboard.

As a career pilot it probably seemed to Mr. Lenell like an ordinary day at work, in a job that he loved. He had no idea that flight would be his last.

This raises a critical question to take to heart--are you doing what makes you happiest? Are you putting your passion into action?

Late last night, my 26-year old daughter who’s back in the world of work after a year of globe-trotting is feeling the pinch of her wings being clipped. Her passion is travel, exploring other cultures and welcoming the fresh delights of each day. Last year, she worked aboard a cruise ship as a youth counselor traveling several continents. Now, she’s grounded in an office using her both her degree and talent in communications to work. Yet, with every update from friends who are on international assignments, the yearning rises again. Each time, it’s a sign pointing the pathway back to her heart. The flurry of reasons holding her back are meeting less resistance—her heart is pulsing more powerfully with a plan for doing what she loves.

Do you notice any signs from your gut, or more accurately, your heart, of the life you want to live? Those yearnings, wishes, and rumblings that rise up again and again are hotwired to your heart. It becomes a matter of choice if and when you act upon them.

When you’re clear on what makes your heart sing and take action to do it, you’re clearly on the path of joy. When you choose to ignore those signals, you’ll stay grounded in a continual loop of wishing and hoping, but hope isn’t a plan.

It’s vital to keep in mind as you go about your life, what fuels your passion. It’s always the right time to soar.

Rx for Daily Doses of Humor

2009-05-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

“If laughter really is the best medicine, Roz Trieber would make a world-class doctor” Examiner.com, March 3, 2007

Fellow speaker, author, and colleague, Roz Trieber, a certified health education specialist and certified laughter leader, is all about bringing humor to people under pressure. She walks her talk. She has survived breast and pancreatic cancer. Roz once shared with me how she brought laughter into an exam room with a red clown nose appropriately positioned for a colonoscopy. Her speaking career has focused on embracing humor to reduce stress and cope with negative situations.

Roz’s pancreatic cancer returned and her indomitable spirit shines even now in hospice. She’s modeling what she values--to live her moments in joy. She is committed to bringing laughter into her life every day, with her husband Bernie, her sons, and her friends.

At last Saturday’s National Speakers Association-DC meeting, a challenge was given to us—to pool our resources in spreading the word about her book, Cancer and the Healing Power of Play—a Prescription for Living Joyously with Presence, Acceptance and Trust.

Her mission is to fire up the humor spirit and not just for people with cancer. The games are designed for everyone who wants to experience more laughter and fun.

“Humor is all about imperfection,” says Roz. “No one laughs when something’s perfect." Putting the power of play into action lightens up the way,no matter what you're going through.

Rocking the World with the Sound of Music

2009-04-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Walking onto the stage, Susan Boyle didn’t appear that “she had it in her.” Judges scoffed in anticipation of an apparent musical fiasco. Camera shots captured audience snickers and boos. Yet, when she began belting out her powerful rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream”, her magical voice transformed the sea of cynicism into thunderous applause.

Simon called her “a bit of a tiger.” Susan did indeed exemplify the guts, grace and gusto spirit. She took a risk and the world became her stage. There she stood vulnerable to attack and public embarrassment, but Susan knew what others did not. She had a gift, a talent to share and she put it into expression, and taught millions a lesson in judgment. Susan did indeed dream the dream and became an overnight sensation, because she was willing to take that moment in time and break open the world of possibilities. She’s already gotten much more than her 15 minutes of fame.

Are you finding ways to express your special gifts and talents? If not, what’s stopping you? Opportunities for expressing them may come and go. Are you prepared “to take the stage”? Are you willing to take a risk to put your talent out there? That takes guts, but you will be known for your gusto.You've got it. Rock the world with your own special talent.

Click here to see Susan shine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

A Note of Appreciation

2009-04-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

AFedEX truck delivered a surprise this morning, along with a pair of pants ordered last week from Coldwater Creek, one of my favorite retail therapy stores. While shopping at their Fair Oaks, VA location in search of ivory pants, Susan, one of their fashion consultants, provided extraordinary service. She took me to the rack with pants just the right color, but none in my size. She tracked their nationwide inventory and located a pair in Mission Viejo. Wish her approach to customer service would be cloned because she made buying a pair of sale pants memorable.

Tucked under the layers of tissue wrap, I opened an envelope. Inside was a handwritten card on Coldwater Creek stationery, a simple note of appreciation, yet another memorable customer service experience. Handwritten notes are becoming a bit of a rarity with the frequency and easy of email.

In our Get Along with Anyone book featuring tips for creating quality connections with customers, coworkers and kin, co-author Arnold Sanow and I write about how our increasingly electronic culture invites impersonalization with potential of severing connections with key audiences.

Kudos to Coldwater Creek for creating a quality customer experience from coast-to-coast. A small gesture that says a lot these days and was greatly appreciated.

Are You Keeping Up with It All?

2009-03-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

Lucky you, if you are! It’s tax time. My desk and tables have been piled high with files, receipts , ledgers and documents, an ever-present reminder of a time certain deadline. Meanwhile, my inbox is stuffed with many unopened, unread ezines and newsletters . I haven’t blogged in about two months. My Facebook and LinkedIn pages need to be updated. All important and It all needs to get done, but other priorities arise, sometimes at the most inconvenient times. Like managing care issues.

A few weeks ago, I received a call that my 90 year-old mother with Alzheimer’s had fallen and broke her hip. They rushed her to the hospital and performed a hip replacement. Less than 24 hours after her release she was back in the hospital with complications, extremely weak, and not eating. With her health failing, it was clear my priorities needed to shift from business to the business of managing her care.

Mom resides in a nursing home outside of Chicago, and although my sister lives close by, this was a time for sisters being together. With the doctor and staff ‘s assessment, we made the decision to place her in hospice care. A week later she fell again. A few days later, more phone calls about continuing care issues. Her care took precedence over all the things that I could not get done because her comfort and our desire to do whatever we could to make her as comfortable as possible, became a top priority.

In between care calls, business conferences, presentations, and all the details of daily multi-tasking, it’s a constant juggling act of redefining priorities. I can delegate to a degree but some things still remain my responsibility. With much to do and a desire to do even more, I struggle with not being able to do everything I need or want to do either by necessity or by choice. It’s a continuing lesson of sorting out real priorities and doing first what must be done. Letting go of expectations of what I should be able to accomplish often within self-imposed timeframes coincides with the process. Since I like to move forward boldly in the direction of my desires, it’s sometimes a very hard lesson. Patience is obviously another lesson being cultivated, as I can’t hurry up the process of dealing with “what is.”

Last night I handed off tax documents and a bulging box of records to my accountant. Postponing all that number crunching had hung over my head for a long time while tending to more important life issues.

This morning I received a call from a friend who’s now dealing with her 83 year-old mother’s declining health compounded with dementia. She knows I’ve walked the path. Although I had many things on my to-do list, I knew my highest priority right then was to simply listen and offer support. Uplifting a troubled heart might be the most important thing we can do at anytime, in spite of all the other priorities that yank us in all directions.

I'm not keeping up with it all, but I am usually very much in tune with what is the most valuable use of my time and energy. When all those other things I didn’t get done are swirling around in my head at the end of the day, I’m realize that simply being there for someone else is probably the best use of time.

My inbox is always overflowing. I don’t post blogs as often as I’d like, or do everything I know needs to get done. It’s all about getting more comfortable in having to let go of our own expectations at times and the frustration of not being able to get it all done. This is coupled with letting things be as they are while taking steps to move toward your goals at a more realistic pace. Above all, well-being is enhanced by living in alignment with your highest values on top though the moments of each day. That's being the best you can be for yourself and for others. S.S.

Are You on Course with Your Goals?

2009-01-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

Did you turn over a new leaf of intentions for 2009? If so, are you still focused on that same level of desire and commitment to achieve your goals? Are you continuing to take the steps to cross the finish line?

As a life coach I work with people who share their goals with me and then we develop a plan together with milestones to achieve them. It’s a joy to hear when a milestone is reached.

This morning I received a phone call from Mitch Buster, who has been firmly committed to his goal of significant weight loss and to his health since meeting him last June. Before I met Mitch, he weighed 325 pounds and was inspired to make real changes in his life. He began whittling away the pounds but plateaued around 260. He became discouraged when he couldn’t release more weight. Last June, I received a phone call from him and he wanted to keep moving toward his goal of 180. Together we mapped out a plan with the assistance of a nutritional cleansing component. Within a few months he dropped 40 pounds, then another 20, and today he hit a milestone of 199! Beyond the weight loss, he has plenty of energy, enthusiasm and desire to be of assistance to others. He tackled his goals with gusto and turned around his health destiny and discovered a new passion of service through the process. Way to go, Mitch!

Moving forward with gusto is pure passion in action. The reward in reaching a goal is exhilarating! If you’ve tuned into the Biggest Loser TV show you’ve seen personal victories over seemingly impossible odds. A goal is reached through renewed commitment, moment-to-moment, day after day. When we fall off course, we simply rise up again, dust off our best of intentions and move in the direction of our desires.

So are you on course with your goals? Congratulations if you’ve moved closer to achieving them. If not, decide what you want and how it would affect your life, then choose again. You’re just one choice away from moving in the direction of your heart’s desire. S.S.

The Power of One

2008-11-26T04:35:00.000-08:00

In an instant, a lesson in love can touch the hearts of millions. I took a few moments in between work projects to view an ABC news feature about a terminally ill, 11 year-old boy, Brendan Foster. While returning from a clinic visit, he noticed a circle filled with homeless people--his wish was to feed them. Although Brendon was extremely weak from his long battle with leukemia, his wish caught media attention inspiring willing hearts to take action, igniting the giving spirit coast-to-coast.

From this one dying wish, many rose up in service; tens of thousands were fed. What a demonstration of how the desires of one loving heart ripple to the core of others to manifest a miracle. Brendon witnessed that power in motion before he died last Friday. One heart’s desire, granted by the many moved to action, providing a legacy of love and a feast for the spirit.

Have you seen something you might do that could make a difference? Sometimes the very act of simply making it known can inspire the support of legions. Brendon’s wish demonstrates how others can breathe life into a dream, with a reach beyond the wildest imaginations. Everything is possible. http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=10831031

MatchCraft

2008-10-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

Life is all about relationships. As coauthor of Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere I passionately pursue strategies for crafting quality connections within my networks, as well as recommend them to my readers and audiences. My personal and professional energy is devoted to nudging people in the direction of their desires to take steps toward their bliss.

Today I connected with friend reeling from a break-up. For nearly a year, she had been suspended in a near-bliss state. Then, as magically as it had ignited, it was over. A relationship can be pure bliss for a time and then transmutes into a different reality. Hearts are often haunted by questions arising along life’s winding path of connections and disconnections—-the “What-if’s?” “What happened?” and “Where did the magic go?”

Contained within the collection of stories in Dancing through Life with Guts, Grace & Gusto are some of enduring heartbreak, of relationships ending and the dance, thought never to end, changes. While we know life is totally unpredictable in matters of the heart, we often expect different outcomes than what we experience.
Relationships will inevitably encounter shifts; some can be weathered, while others cannot. Even those filled with such vibrancy for eons may not endure. Life is so fluid, and different needs may surface to meet changing realities.

Our minds make up a long list of reasons whether or not to love, but we can never fool our hearts. Pain arises from the loss of expressing our authentic selves with another and feeling safe to do so, along with all the losses that accompany a break-up. If only we could hold on to another’s heart, so ours isn’t broken! But that’s not then love, that’s attachment out of an ego need. Being in a relationship when it’s no longer good for both, isn’t good. Period. Both will fall into a state of suffering, masked by false commitment.

I have come to appreciate the questions of The Work by Byron Katie. Who would you be without your thoughts that love can never come again? What would life be like for you without those thoughts? How would you choose to live? What would you choose to experience? Living a realistic life begins with the recognition that we each create our reality. www.TheWork.org.

Life is for fully expressing all we are and the very essence of each of us is love. That is what each soul yearns for—union with another loving spirit. Withholding that expression is death to vitality. Heartbreak pierces the heart wide open—a desire to protect it from future pain, a natural reaction. Yet, only by risking to open the heart again, will you be able to embrace the possibility for authentic connection and relishing once again the delights of bliss.

Keeping Calm Amidst Chaos

2008-09-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Feeling drained, overloaded, or perhaps flat-out fatigued from all the demands of endless coordinating, managing, sorting piles of everything, filtering through emails and plugging in so we’re never disconnected? Wondering how or if it’s even possible to get it all done? Perhaps, you’re dealing with something totally unexpected that landed most inconveniently or unwanted in your lap.

The reality is most of us admit we’re in a whirlwind that keeps us spinning with yet another thing that steals our focus from what we’d rather be doing. To add to the angst, often without adequate support, whatever “it” is, requires even more of our time, attention, energy and other resources. We yearn for some time to be “off duty” yet those moments are all to fleeting as we tend to pressing priorities.

A call to a dear friend yesterday makes the point. Deborah just moved out-of-state two weeks ago, and not only is solely managing the normal stresses of a long-distance move and settling in, but already has been to the emergency room three times in one week, twice for her mother-in-law, once for her own blood clot that suddenly appeared . So added to all the details of arranging for cable service, utilities and all the essential details for powering up 21st century life in a new location, she was thrust into assembling a whole new team of doctors and additional care responsibilities. To add to the overload, her husband is unavailable to assist much since his commute is now 500 miles away.

Similar scenarios were echoed during a meeting last evening of six talented, multi-tasking women who gather together weekly, all committed to creating daily lives woven together with harmony and joy. That’s the intention. Yet, each of us admitted frequently being overwhelmed from the constant stream of things that “interrupt our tranquility. “ That’s the phrase suggested to replace how we look at all those events often referred to as “stealing our peace”, that get in the way of what we want or would rather do than dealing with “what is.”

It’s these seemingly never-ending, unwanted or unexpected events that barge often abruptly into our own plans, the ones we’ve mapped out to fulfill our goals for living in tune with our personal desires, the ones that enhance our own well-being and bring us those jolts of joy. The ones we’ve created vision boards to manifest, repeat affirmations over and know eventually, that our goals, our dreams will become our reality. But in the meantime . . . . it’s dealing with the things that flow into our daily lives . . . literally flowing like the water main break that flooded my basement a few days ago and required major mop-up and repair, or joining the burgeoning care brigade for schlepping loved ones to doctors, waiting rooms, prescription counters, or switching hats for handling the care of home, car, computer and other service repairs.

In the midst of all of them, to move toward a sense of inner peace, it’s watching the stories that whirl around in your head. I’ve tuned into some of mine and it echoes classic resistance “Oh, no, not again !. . . .” I was so looking forward to just not doing anything and now it’s one more thing” . . . and woefully, “This was going to be my time, and now I must spring into action . . . again.”
It’s shifting from seeing the constant stream of life events required of us, as “one more thing to handle” to recognizing their existence, the emotions that arise from the aggravations and frustrations, and embracing rather than resisting their flow. Life is a very untidy bundle of unexpected events and thinking they won’t happen is purely unrealistic. They happen to all of us, they just appear in different ways at different times.

Embracing “what is” that’s the big lesson and the one we all admitted last night was the toughest. However, resisting reality is futile, creating resistance and more stress. So, it’s not about “catching up” but realizing we’re each responsible for catching our own breath, even when life dumps us a doozy. It’s breathing, moment by moment especially through the tough times, and remembering to tap your support network, using it to vent, to cry, to scream, to express whatever you’re experiencing, all important to keep centered and sane so that nothing steals your peace. Rather, you shift your perception that these are interruptions or detours, in a life that’s perfect because all of this is part of a perfect life. Ah, now that’s a soothing thought.

So, in my quest for creating a life of well-being when that next “one more thing” shows up, I’ll first try reaching for that little book on my shelf appropriated entitled, Tranquility, so nothing can steal my peace.

Bulging belly now could mean dementia later

2008-07-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

More reasons to be concerned about those extra pounds, especially those that settle around the middle.People with a bulging waistline in mid-life could face a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s in the senior years, a new study shows. "A large belly, independent of total weight, is a potent predictor of dementia," said Rachel A. Whitmer, a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA who led the new study. The findings are alarming in light of America's growing girth, Whitmer and other experts said.

"If these findings are replicated and better understood, it looks like an unhealthy brain could be another consequence of this epidemic of obesity," said Lenore Launer of the National Institute on Aging.

The research is the latest evidence that fat in the abdomen is the most dangerous kind. Previous studies have linked an apple-shaped physique to a greater propensity for diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Researchers suspect that belly fat cells are the worst because of their proximity to major organs. They ooze noxious chemicals, stoking inflammation, constricting blood vessels and triggering other processes that may also damage brain cells.

"There is a lot of work out there that suggests that the fat wrapped around your inner organs is much more metabolically active than other types of fat right under the skin," Whitmer said. "It's pumping out toxic substances. It's very potent toxic fat."

"What that tells you is the effect of the belly is over and above of being overweight," Whitmer said. "One of the take-home messages is it's not just your weight, but where you carry your weight in middle age, that is a strong predictor of dementia."

Whole body nutritional cleansing is a smart choice for flushing away impurities and a revolutionary tool for effective weight loss.

Dancing Along a Toxic Trail

2008-03-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

Dancing Along a Toxic Trail

The dull pain in my jaw which had persisted for months was now more than just a continuing aggravation-- it was affecting my livelihood and well-being. I had endured the drilling, filling, multiple crowns and ultimately, a root canal to make the pain go away. Yet, months later something was definitely happening inside my mouth. Traditional treatments were not working.

Fortunately, a friend suggested I seek the services of a biological dentist who embraces a holistic approach to dental health. After more than two decades at a traditional dental practice and with a mouthful of amalgams, crowns and root canals, I sought relief at Whole Health Dental Center in Fairfax, VA.

It was here I literally got to the root of my problems, which wasn’t really about just one tooth or a failed root canal. As I learned, good dental health is a complex combination of factors. From a whole health perspective, symptoms are reactions, not causes, and wellness requires fighting a complex of causes including toxicity, heavy metals, poor nutrition, emotions, postural problems and other factors which take a toll on our bodies.

As a speaker and writer on creating quality connections, Dr. Liao surpassed my expectations with his exceptional service, compassion and chair side manner. He provided a thorough diagnostic dental exam and gained my trust and respect immediately. Sure enough, I had some complex dental issues, many related to toxicity, and I believed they could be resolved with a different treatment program.

A few weeks later, through a series of steps to correct my dental issues, my pain had significantly lessened but was still there. I was scheduled to speak the next day and wanted to be in top form, so I called Dr. Liao, who gave me a different prescription for pain: “Write in a journal for 20 minutes. Then turn up the music and dance like nobody's watching.”

Well, it was just me and my dance floor, and with awareness of the many connections to health, and as coauthor of Dancing through Life with Guts, Grace & Gusto, it certainly was worth busting a few moves.

Dr. Liao sees beyond a patient’s mouth. I did exactly as he suggested, writing about the concerns whirling inside my heart and head. While I was writing, I noticed an almost excruciating pain rising from the top of my foot, but it soon vanished. I then put down the pen, turned up the music and danced with gusto.

When I awoke the next morning, the pain was gone! Releasing emotions by bringing them to the surface as well as de-stressing through movement and providing an outlet for release, undoubtedly helped to move out the pain.

I was fortunate to be guided to this dental practice that recognizes multiple factors impacting our wellness. My husband, who was stricken four years ago with a neurodegenerative condition and toxic encephalopathy, and as a result, now resides in a dementia unit, wasn’t as lucky.

In my journey for answers as to what had caused Rick’s mysterious decline of both his body and brain, I learned how toxicity is ravaging the health of millions today from multiple causes. Dental issues stemming from poor oral hygiene, gingivitis, periodontal disease, failed root canals, amalgams, crowns, and corrosion of dental metals have been linked to serious medical conditions, in addition to other sources of toxicity.

In seeking answers from many specialists over the course of several years, not one ever considered or suspected oral health as a contributing cause to Rick’s mysterious health decline. It wasn’t until years later when my own dental issues surfaced that another piece of the puzzle became apparent to me.

Just a few months ago, while Rick was confined in a state facility, a doctor noted he had several abscessed teeth. They were extracted, yet the toxicity from long-term exposure to other toxic agents had caused permanent damage to his brain resulting in dementia in his late fifties. His multiple dental issues undoubtedly compromised his health from the “body burden” compounded from his exposure over his lifetime to chemical solvents, heavy metals, toxic mold, and then, Lyme Disease. From tests, it was revealed that his body is genetically compromised and unable to process out toxins which caused failings in multiple systems.

In her book, The Autoimmune Epidemic—Bodies Gone Haywire in a World Out of Balance (Touchstone, 2008), Donna Jackson Nakazawa highlights how many of the scientists she interviewed agreed "that our day-to-day exposure to environmental toxins—through the air we breathe and the chemicals we absorb through our skin—is a major trigger of environmental disease.” She's also danced along the toxic trail in search of answers of what was ravaging her own body, and finally labeled with one of the 100 different autoimmune disorders, with hers short-circuiting messages from the brain to the muscles with multiple complications.

With toxicity now linked to causing many health problems from weight gain, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, inflammatory responses throughout the body, nerve disorders and a deterioration of general health, regular nutritional cleansing is a smart choice in our toxic times to help remove impurities. Additionally consulting with health professionals who understand the multiple factors related to wellness is another positive step for improving or maintaining health today.

I’ll be featuring research findings and other articles pertinent to toxicity in future postings on this blog. If you’d like to receive regular notices of blog postings, click on the RSS feed on this blog.

For more information on biological dentistry visit: http://www.wholehealthdentalcenter.com/carnail-dental.htm

Sandra Strauss

Stepping Upon a Purposeful Path

2008-02-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

Stepping Upon a Purposeful Path

While searching for my purpose

And uncertain where to look

I enrolled in seminars and classes

and poured through reams of books.

I looked everywhere around me

Sought advice from those outside

Who seemed to have the answers,

Were so brilliant, inspiring and wise.

Knowing my purpose is essential

It’s such a vital goal

For surely not having one

Would really take its toll!

I put my best foot forward

Yet hadn’t found a clue,

to find specific guidance

of what to be and do.

My soles got mighty tired

From trekking far and wide

Was there a chance I might have missed

The one true place to find my bliss?

It’s so exhausting and confusing

Searching far and near

Please, can someone tell me?

So my path will be made clear.

While waiting for the answer

Of what to do and be,

Came crystal clear direction

Somewhere deep inside of me.

“Listen to your heart so you will know

Just what you’re here to do.

The heart pulses with a plan

Tune into what it’s saying to you.”

“Give wings to your dreams

Let your ideas soar!

Put your talents to work

And you’ll find joy to the core.”

“Indeed, it takes fancy footwork

and many steps along the way.

But alas! Your soul's purpose is made clear to you today.

Just let your shoes carry you to where you want to be

One step at a time . . .and let your heart take the lead.”

Sandra Strauss

© 2008 Sandra Strauss delivers messages of hope, encouragement and inspiration through Guts, Grace & Gusto® programs which focus on sustaining well-being through change and the fancy footwork of life. The Guts, Grace & Gusto flying shoe logo is symbolic of the fancy footwork women need in their multi-tasking worlds, designed with wings for extra soaring power—lifting women to new levels of inspiration, self-discovery, and life adventures. For more information visit www.GutsGraceandGusto.com;

A Time to Sort Out New Directions

2008-01-29T15:20:00.000-08:00

An email from a high school classmate popped into my inbox this week announcing an upcoming reunion. Strange to see Scott’s name from decades ago, a real flashback--seemed almost back to the Twilight Zone!

I was a California girl during the Beach Boys era and moved across the continent right after college graduation. In all these years, I’ve never once trekked back to attend a high school reunion or heard much about what happened to the 500+ classmates in my graduating class. My time was invested in pursuing my career, traveling nonstop for quite some time, raising a family, checking off all the things in my “must see and do” list while attending to all the multiple priorities that involve the pursuit of happiness.

Scott’s email arrived just as my life is changing again. It’s been whirling for four years due to the journey in discovering the mystery of what had happened to my husband’s brain and body when the medical community didn’t have answers. Then, dealing with all the repercussions of his permanent disability of dementia resulting from toxicity due to environmental causes, biotoxins and more.

In a few days I become a full-fledged empty-nester. My oldest daughter, Stephanie, who returned home two years ago to work right after college, has taken a job on a cruise ship, sailing away to her new adventures in foreign ports. My youngest daughter, Stacy, graduates from Virginia Tech in May, and then will romp across Europe before taking a job in the hospitality field. My husband left me after 30 years of marriage exactly a year ago today because his brain was horribly impaired from toxic exposure and inadequate mental health laws unable to assist him. He now permanently resides in a dementia unit, long before the time when that might be expected. So, I’m holding down the “fort”, not really wanting to hold on to the property that represents my life I’ve now outgrown.

So Scott’s email brought to mind a time when life literally was a beach, one carefree strip of golden sand after another. Now, life has become much more complex. I’m sorting out piles of paperwork, care concerns and where I want and need to invest my time, energy, finances and so many critical decisions while focusing on an attitude of gratitude through it all. I must be true to my values of adhering to maintaining my well-being no matter what forces are at work in my life.

I’m now in the process of re-engineering my life, because it changed dramatically from where I thought I was headed. Quite unexpected and uninvited experiences forced me off one path and now it’s time to map out new steps to a different destiny, all in the Guts, Grace & Gusto spirit. It gives me real-life opportunity to continually walk my talk for leading an authentic life.

Getting a sampling of stories from Scott our former classmates' are doing the same—whether reeling from divorce, dealing with the mid-life dating scene, their own diseases and disabilities or those of a loved one, death of a spouse, and other unexpected events that will make us twist and turn along the way. Through the process, re-birth happens as new insights and/or insights eventually evolve, and from making choices to allow life to transform into something wonderful again.

I’ve come to accept that life’s natural flow is one of dealing with continuing change and does spin into chaos for a time. I may not like when it seems so out-of-control, but resistance doesn’t work so I try to go with the flow and breathe along the way. I’ve sustained myself through times of transition by releasing expectations that life wasn’t supposed to go this way, letting go of trying to do it all perfectly, gaining support from others as well as offering support when their lives are spinning. These are just a few of the strategies, of which Allie and I speak on to audiences that can help when life inevitably takes us down a different path.

Here’s to all of us who are managing the best we can to traverse transitions with courage, faith and wisdom. Holding on when you have to let go isn’t easy, but letting go when we’d rather hang on is the path that often takes us to a greater expression of who we are and what more we can be.

With guts, grace & gusto!

Sandra Strauss

The Delicious, Stress-Relieving Wonder of Mindful Savoring

2008-01-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

Are you enjoying or making moments of delight today? With a long to-do list, you might respond, “Delight? Are you kidding? Can’t devote time to that! I’m too stressed right now with too many demands dealing with a never-ending pile of responsibilities and obligations.” If joy is on the backburner, your well-being is at risk.

It’s especially when life spins in so many directions that snatching as well as reliving more moments of joy can boost your sagging spirits. After enduring an especially tumultuous year of much heartbreak and stress, I knew that my own spirits were in need of a lift and focused upon the Guts, Grace and Gusto Heart Core guideline, “Create more moments of daily delight.” I’m now even more committed to doing that and savoring every delicious one. Sometimes you don’t need to create them. They’re right there. All you need to do is scoop them up, soak them in and savor them.

“Mindful savoring” is a term coined by Fred B. Bryant, PhD, social psychologist at Loyola University Chicago relating to the things we think and do to intensity or prolong positive feelings. Experiencing joy means opening yourself up to it. It’s taking time to enjoy positive experiences. Seems so simple, yet it's a skill that few people have mastered because we're often busy and focusing on our responsibilities, worries, and woes rather than taking time to the fleeting, spontaneous events that enrich our lives and touch our souls.

Happiness is a state of mind and we’re each in charge of our own. Day by day, we weave together moments of experience, choosing either consciously or unconsciously, the energetic quality of our life—making it magical or miserable. Joy and delight in all your little moments will add up to something big—a life filled with magic in everyday encounters.

Better Health through Happiness

Mindful savoring doesn't only enhance our feeling of well-being, Bryant notes. It may also improve health. A substantial body of related research indicates that people with a positive outlook about growing older recover more quickly from illness and live longer—7 1/2 years on average, according to a large Yale University study—than people with more negative views. People who scored highest on a test Bryant designed measuring savoring ability also reported fewer illnesses.

Other studies have found that giving, receiving, and even viewing acts of kindness and joy increase serotonin levels in our brains, combating depression and reducing the stress hormones of adrenalin and cortisol. Laughter, another expression of joy, releases endorphins that naturally relieve pain as well as HGH, another hormone that’s important for growth, development, healthy cells and linked to a healthy immune system. Even the anticipation of a fun activity can trigger the production of endorphins and reduce stress hormones. That’s a moment well spent!

What are some ways to create more delight?

Make a list of the things that bring you joy. Think of the things that refresh your spirit, the times you are smiling, laughing, hugging, helping others, using your gifts, delighting in the wonders of nature, trying something new, being spontaneous—all the things that bring you joy. Keep adding to your list and do them as often as possible.

Carve out quality time in slices throughout each day—bantering with service professionals, cooing with a baby while standing in a check-out line, lightening up phone and email correspondence with humor, having a heart-to-heart talk with a friend, sharing laughter anytime, anywhere.

Share positive feelings. Sharing happy memories and experiences with others—or anticipating them—is one of the most powerful and effective ways to prolong and magnify joy, Bryant's research reveals. "It helps sustain emotions that would otherwise fade," he says. Affirming connections with others is "the glue that holds people together." Tell people how much they mean to you, how much you value them. Gather goodwill and spread it everywhere. Our positive connections with others is salve for our souls and touches the hearts of others as well.

Create sensory memories. As you’re experiencing joyful moments, soak in all the sensory impressions and live that moment fully--a warm embrace that melts away all cares, being warmed by a fire, a kiss that lights up the night, the fragrance of flowers, watching the blazing colors of a sunset dance across the sky, the taste of a favorite food on your tastebuds. Soak it all in while in that moment. Joy is created by reliving those moments later in vivid detail, time and time again.

Appreciate Earth’s treasures. Saturate your senses with the miracles of nature, drinking in its sights, sounds, and smells. Stroll through a forest soaking up the fragrance of pine, listen to the wind rustling through the trees or the crunching of snow , the silvery shadows cast across a luminous, moonlit landscape. Live in awe of it all.

Look for joy even when that may be hard to do. Refocus your attention to find the good wherever you are. Finding a slice or even a sliver of joy can help you better cope with adversity. Learn from the seasons. There are growing times and hibernating times, days of glory and days of dormancy, seasons of abundance and seasons of scarcity. Become tuned to the seasons of life. Weather the storms of despair. Remind yourself it is a cycle, that life is changing and that you are in the process of being regenerated. Let joy work its magic.

Creating delight is living (and laughing!) in the moment and mindfully savoring those delicious memories-- making and taking the time to notice, to care, to listen, to love, and to nurture, as well as revel in moments of relaxation, excitement, tenderness, laughter, and beauty—the infinite human expressions that bring us pure pleasure.

Giving up Holiday Guilt when Life is Spinning

2007-12-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

Our Guts, Grace & Gusto messages focus on ways to sustain stressed out spirits, especially during times when life’s dances may be out of step of what you expected. The holidays with their prolific ads coupled with your own expectations to celebrate, decorate, shop, bake, wrap, give abundantly and make memories in grand fashion can be overwhelming. I’m learning to let go of doing things in the same style, and that’s not easy for one who always relished creating holiday magic.

In the past, I loved decorating the house with lights galore and garlands suspended over doors, wrapped around banisters and twirled around lamp posts. I’d spend days in search of the perfect gifts. Wrapping glittery packages was an art form. Cookie tins were packed with a colorful array of homemade cookies, and our holiday cards sent with glee, proudly detailing our family’s adventures.

Not this year. Our family has been grappling with the ever-shifting journey of my husband’s deteriorating health from a neurodegenerative disorder, who is now permanently institutionalized. After creating 30 years of holiday memories, this year is decidedly different. There is no guilt, just grief.

While decorating the Christmas tree more melancholy rather than magic filled my heart. I decorated it alone and wondered about the millions of others whose lives have dramatically shifted this year. I dug down into the ornament box and pulled out the green sequined ornament emblazoned with “HOPE.” I bought that the first Christmas after Rick got sick as a reminder that hope always exists no matter what we’re experiencing, and to grab on to it with all the gusto you can muster. Hope reminds us of life’s infinite possibilities and the miracles that do manifest. Hope gets us through times that shake up our world, realizing that the situation will change, too, in whatever is meant to be.

I’ve kept the memories from all those years, but let the fantasy go of keeping up all the holiday trimmings and traditions. Today, my daughter comes home from Virginia Tech for winter break. There aren’t any cookies baked, I have one pathetic snowflake strand of lights outside, no garlands over doorways this year, so unlike the magical Christmases I created in the past, but the house will be filled with laughter, love and making new memories with traditions more simplified. I’m not even sure what we’re having for dinner tonight and that’s a major shift, since she loves Mom’s cooking. We’re indeed living in the moment!

The happy ending envisioned in our book turned out much differently than expected, and as the last paragraph in my story ‘Dancing through the Darkness’ states:

”Ultimately, I learned to dance through the darkness, knowing at some unknown point in time, that dance would be over. In its place would be another one, with another rhythm, a different beat, and new steps to learn.”

This season, the steps I’m intent in modeling for my daughters is resilience, creating joy and expressing love no matter your circumstance. We’re hosting a holiday party to be surrounded by loving hearts in our very supportive circle. These are the gifts of spirit that will serve us all whatever happens along the way. I’m learning new steps and the beat goes on. I’m winding my way through a new landscape of living, maneuvering through the changes with as much guts, grace and gusto as I can muster. I’m letting things be. That’s perfection—making it good enough without the guilt.

This journey has changed me profoundly. I've become a much greater risk-taker and realize the importance of creating joy, of laughing more, of not taking myself seriously, doing things out of self-imposed expectations, and even more so, to extend as much appreciation and love to others in whatever slices of time are carved out. Letting people know when they've touched my heart is a bold way of living and to me, the only way.

So many are dealing with so much. At a holiday dance party on Sunday evening , I reconnected with a woman who’s been dealing with her parents’ eldercare issues for 5 years. My heart goes to her and all she has to do to keep her spirits up. But there she was--dressed in a Santa hat with another for her mom as she rolled her mom in a seated walker to enjoy the music around the piano. The daughter won an award for “most improved dancer”, perhaps driven with a desire to feel free from all the responsibility.

If you’re already in transition, or perhaps the winds of change are lifting you into a new phase, the holidays can hit especially hard when life is transmuting into something different. You’ve got to dig down deep into your heart and know what’s yours to do, as well as what’s not. That takes guts. The holidays are a time to sort out what you really need to do from what would be nice to do if you had the time, energy and other resources to do it.

It takes guts to say “no” to the old and “yes” to a new way of simplifying and rearranging holiday hustle-bustle. Doing so can save your sanity as well as your energy to focus on more pressing priorities that rear their heads at life’s cross sections.

Sandra Strauss

Oh Tannebaum, Oh Tannebaum . . . How mold-infested are your branches!

2007-12-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

“Oh Tannenbaum, Oh, Tannenbaum . . . .how mold-Infested are your branches!

Reader note: Our blog will regularly feature research and news stories regarding health issues. I invite readers to email me interesting stories relative to health matters, especially in reference to environmental links affecting wellness.

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Allergy sufferers beware during this season of rockin’ around the Christmas tree—the mold that thrives on live pines may trigger allergic symptoms for weeks of suffering, according to research presented recently during the annual meeting of American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Mold reproduces by releasing spores into the air. "Christmas trees are another possible source of mold exposure during the holiday season," says researcher, Philip Hemmers, an allergist and immunologist with St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn.

Once the live pine was brought inside the house and decorated, the mold spore counts were taken 12 times over a two-week period. Researchers found they were five times above normal at the end of two weeks, and these high levels have been correlated with allergic rhinitis and an increased rate of asthma symptoms and asthma-related hospitalization in other studies," said Hemmers. "So if you don't feel well during the holidays, consider the Christmas tree as a possible source of allergies." Their research was limited to just one tree so further investigation is obviously needed.

With these findings, those with mold sensitivity may consider keeping a live Christmas tree in the house for a week or less or switch to an artificial tree. However, Hermmers cautioned if these are stored in the attic or basement where they can collect dust and mold, these can also be problematic.

Christmas ornaments and lights can also be contaminated with dust or mold. "Store Christmas decorations in plastic containers that you can wipe off, since cardboard can potentially have mold,” recommends Dr. James Sublett, section chief of Pediatric Allergy at the University of Louisville’s School of Medicine in Kentucky. "Also wear a N95 dust mask when bringing stuff out of storage." It’s not being overly cautious, it’s protecting yourself from these environmental hazards.

Beyond its ability to ramp up allergies, mold triggers a multitude of other symptoms and can lead to a chronic, fatiguing illness for those genetically susceptible. The Center for Research on Biotoxin Associated Illness has shown how mold, along with other biotoxic agents are putting people of all ages at risk.

So, deck the halls, but do so with caution. Environmental toxins are real and everywhere today. Toxins are indeed swirling in our air, our food, our water and our exposure is constant. More about mold and other toxins impacting our health today in future posts. S.S.

Preparing for the Unexpected

2007-11-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

After my dear friend and colleague got hit with breast cancer in her early 40’s, Paige urged me to investigate long-term care insurance. Her window for coverage had closed and she was unable to get it. As a Sandwich Generation Boomer, dealing with my mother’s finances and care, I had both insights and motivation to plan for the unexpected or perhaps the inevitable. I certainly didn’t want our daughters to be responsible for our care. I scheduled a meeting with Paige’s agent.

As my husband, then in his mid-fifties, and I reviewed policy terms and options, I thought it would be decades before one of us would have to rummage through the insurance file to initiate a claim. I couldn’t even imagine ever really needing it since we were both very active and healthy. It’s hard to know just what your needs will be when making financial decisions. Now I know it was one of the best investments we ever made and I am forever grateful to Paige.

Two years after purchasing our policies, the unexpected slammed us smack dab in the middle of a perfectly happy life. I awoke one morning in March 2004 to find Rick slumped over his computer and acting very strange, the first sign that something was terribly wrong.

He admitted he hadn’t been able to focus or concentrate for some time. He was shaking and I also discovered a bloody rash all over his back. The man I had known for three decades disappeared, as if his life force had been sucked right out of him.

Day after day, Rick suffered multiple symptoms and pain and we never knew what to expect or how long he would suffer without relief. His constantly changing symptoms varied in intensity and duration: crushing headaches, gripping stomach pain, joint pain, lightning bolt sensations, seizures, shortness of breath, wheezing, red eyes, light sensitivity, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and nerve pain that he likened to being on fire, without the mercy of death. He was cognitively impaired and had difficulty walking, and sometimes collapsed. Doctors were unable to make a conclusive diagnosis until a year later.

However, in the midst of the uncertainty, Rick’s care issues needed to be addressed. I explored adult daycare as a first step. I pulled out the policy and called the carrier to initiate the claim. It all seemed so surreal. Dropping him off each morning, he joined the elder league of those a generation older than himself. Shockwaves pierced through my heart. How devastating a scene for a man in mid-life and at the peak of his game—one which I never would have anticipated at this stage.

Ironically, Rick had been a vocational rehabilitation consultant, helping clients put back their lives after suffering a disability. “Temporarily- abled” Rick used to say, for all of us who never expect a disability or disease to dramatically change our lives. We can’t imagine our worlds collapsing into such foreign territory. But the world you thought would never disappear can. Suddenly, you’re dealing with many changes simultaneously—physical, emotional, financial, relationships and roles transform, care issues surface, and others that escalate and take a toll on your well-being.

Later, when Rick required around-the-clock supervisory care, I was grateful that we had taken a slice of time just a few years earlier to investigate long-term care insurance. Rick was permanently disabled, unable to work, and the cost of care would have been financially devastating as well as emotionally draining for our family. Fortunately, with his care needs expertly addressed, I could begin to redirect my energies for professional pursuits and handling all the details that were now my sole responsibility.

The happy ending of my story included in the book I coauthored and released last November, Dancing through Life with Guts, Grace & Gusto, turned out much differently than expected. His cognitive impairment requires him to permanently reside in a facility.

Without that long-term care policy, the blows from the unexpected would have been much more devastating. So, if you’ve wondered whether to purchase long-term care insurance, it is peace- of-mind living in a world of uncertainty. That is priceless.

Sandra Strauss

Welcome to our Guts, Grace & Gusto blog

2007-11-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our Guts, Grace & Gusto blog, dedicated to all who seek slices of serenity in their ever-changing worlds. Whether you’re not sure what moves or changes you want or need to make, or perhaps your life is on full tilt right now, come blog with us for connecting on issues with kindred spirits.
This is a forum for travelers of transitions, whether by choice or chance. We feature topics related to the wide world of relationships, personal growth, wellness and well-being.
We’re professional speakers, authors and coaches helping to uplift women through the twists, turns and transitions of life. We’re a cyber community, committed to providing connection . . . to share from our hearts, gain wisdom, encourage growth, sustain our spirits in the process, while traveling through life’s turning, learning and yearning points. Join us for the journey.

Sandra Strauss
Allie Bowling

The Guts, Grace & Gusto spirit—Learning to take a step at a time
Ironically, our own worlds experienced major heartquakes--sheer shake-ups while writing and collecting stories for Dancing through Life with Guts, Grace & Gusto. It was as if our strategies were being tested directly in the line of fire, shaking our paths, uprooting our plans and shifting priorities. We reeled in uncharted spaces which threw us off balance, yet we kept taking a step at a time, holding to our guts, grace & gusto spirit, until we found balance again and landed in new ground with a totally new map.
Here’s a very brief overview of our own profound turning points, which rocked our world with the unimaginable, dramatically changing our focus and direction.

Sandra Strauss: My “never sick” husband of 27 years was stricken with a mysterious illness in Spring 2004, severely affecting his body, brain and behavior. After more than a year of exhaustive tests, he was finally diagnosed with toxic encephalopathy, a condition resulting from a “body burden” from exposure to toxic agents, including chemical solvents and biotoxins (mold & post-Lyme disease) coupled with a genetic susceptibility making him unable to process them out.
As the disease progressed, his dementia caused wildly uncharacteristic and irrational behaviors—he moved out without supervised care, continued driving on a revoked license jeopardizing his safety and others, blocked my access to his medical and mental health care, and revoked my legal rights to help him. Although he was urged continually by family, friends, colleagues and even his doctors to get treatment, with insufficient mental health laws in Virginia, he wasn’t required to do so without his permission, until the court system finally intervened.
As a result, my eyes have been opened to what’s now termed, “the 21st century silent epidemic.” Toxic exposure is commonplace in today’s world and causing a multitude of health problems including brain problems. Thousands of toxic agents are impacting millions with all the symptoms and effects not easily or properly diagnosed or treated.
I will be sharing more about this in future blogs, as well as my other favorite topics of creating quality relationships, sustaining yourself through transitions, going for your dreams and finding time to do what makes your heart sing, even when swept into chaos and confusion, exactly when your heart needs, more than ever, to belt out its tune.

Allie Bowling: As a long-time caregiver to my mother and mother-in-law, both with chronic health conditions, including dementia, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor and coped with single-sided deafness as a result of the surgery. Having to juggle eldercare while balancing my personal and professional pursuits, I learned to let go of perfection and the feelings of guilt that went along with not being able to accomplish it all. I replaced these feelings with realistic standards of behavior. What worked at the moment to get through any given task became my new level of perfection. It was a freeing feeling. If a Band-aid approach worked to solving a problem then I accepted it. I found that it made everyone involved with the problem happier.
I also learned to ask for and accept the help of others. When family, friends and colleagues asked what they could do and how they could contribute to lightening my load, I told them specifically what I needed. Being a martyr had never been my style and I wasn't about to change. I learned that asking for help is a not a sign of weakness--rather a sign of strength.
In future blogs, I'll address sanity-saving tips when you’re overwhelmed, overextended and overdue for an overhaul.

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The Guts, Grace & Gusto spirit was founded upon our shared philosophy of living adventurous lives in tune with your heart. Usually, the heart gets twisted in different directions in search of bliss. We encourage you to breathe during the times that take your breath away—when you may wonder what’s next, wander for what may seem like an eternity in the “What Now? Zone” and wish you could just get on with it.
When faced with the unexpected, you may not exactly feel like dancing through it, but you do have the guts, the grace and the gusto to land on the other side of the unexpected with restored hope and happiness. That’s what our blog is all about—the genuine journey of authentic living.