I have just recently returned from Hawaii where I volunteered to help with the 2013 Kona World Ironman competition. I volunteered in registration so I was able to interact with the athletes, hear their stories first hand, share their wonder, and see their excitment and worry first hand.
There were some very big names in this years event. It brought some thoughts to my mind and I see some very big parallels with the journey to be an Ironman and the journey that we each travel in our own personal lives.
It doesn't matter how famous you are, how much money you are being paid (in the case of someone representing a product), if you won the lottery, or if you made it to the event the good old fashioned way, you qualified. You can hire all the trainers that you need to help you along the way to improve your performance. You practice, you work hard, you push yourself to be the best that you can be in this sport.
When it comes to the day of the race, you are the one that has to do the work. All of those that have helped you along the way can come and cheer you on, but you are the only one that can swim, bike, and run to complete the task that you've set out to do. In the end, no matter how famous you are, you end up like all of the rest of the athletes in the race and you have to utilize all that you've learned during your training. You are the only one that can finish this race, there is no one else to do it for you.
Like life, in the end, the only one that can do the work to find happiness within yourself is you. You can get the training, learn techniques, but if you don't run the race yourself, learn to push yourself in those times that it is only you, all the training in the world will not get you across the finish line. There will always be people there, on the sidelines, to cheer you on. It is up to you to dig deep and keep moving forward ... no one can do that part for you.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Living A Life of Compassion
The topic of Pema Chodron came up during a class that I was teaching last Monday. We were discussing her books and how meaningful they are. Of course, that made me come home and take one off of the shelf that I had been wanting to read from beginning to end. I have read relevant chapters to what I needed for classes, but never the entire book.
The preface held a message that really stood out for some reason. "If we are willing to stand fully in our own shoes and never give up on ourselves, then we will be able to put ourselves in the shoes of others and never give up on them. True compassion does not come from wanting to help out those less fortunate than ourselves but from realizing our kinship with all things." Wow.
What does that mean, to "stand fully on our own shoes". It means to take responsibility for your own actions and realize that no matter where you are in life you are the one with the ability to change things. If you give up on yourself, you will never move beyond where you are right now. It's learning to be compassionate with yourself! It's learning to forgive yourself for the things that you feel you've done wrong, it's learning to love yourself and see the potential that is within you and moving forward.
I've always used Pema's words "start where you are" while teaching a class. Every moment is a new beginning. Going back and beating yourself up over what you did yesterday, last year, during the last decade, will do you no good. Looking forward with fear to all the "might happens" does you no good either. Every moment is a new beginning and with that new beginning lies an entire set of new possibilities.
One of her teachings is that no matter where you are in your life or what is happening, someone else in the world is having the same emotions and similar experiences. When you realize this, you also realize that you are never truly alone. There are others that DO understand exactly how you feel in that moment. You may not know them, but you don't have to know them. You only have to realize that they are out there and you are not alone. Stand fully in your own shoes, and never give up. When you do that, you are also helping the others to stand in their own shoes. If you can do it, you give them hope that they can do it as well. Sometimes that is all that someone else will need to rise above whatever current situation that they find themselves in.
When you live with compassion for where you've been and what you've experienced, compassion for yourself, it becomes a way of life and compassion for others comes naturally. Compassion is a very strong and powerful emotion. A moment of compassion can change the outcome of a tense situation. It reminds me of the Lord of The Rings, when Gandolph and Frodo are discussing the fact that Bilbo held his hand when he could have killed Gollum. It was a moment of compassion on Bilbo's part as he saw beyond the exterior and had a glimpse into Gollum's sad life. In the end, it was a blessing that Gollum was spared as he still had a major role to play in his life. Judging and deciding in a moment how someone is or is not, isn't fair to the person (or you) as you really don't know what they have been through in their lives.
When you stand fully in your own shoes and never give up on yourself, you begin to change. As you change those around you change as well. I've seen it happen. You are worth every moment of compassion that you give. You are never alone. Start where you are, live in the present and take the first steps in living a life filled with compassion.
The preface held a message that really stood out for some reason. "If we are willing to stand fully in our own shoes and never give up on ourselves, then we will be able to put ourselves in the shoes of others and never give up on them. True compassion does not come from wanting to help out those less fortunate than ourselves but from realizing our kinship with all things." Wow.
What does that mean, to "stand fully on our own shoes". It means to take responsibility for your own actions and realize that no matter where you are in life you are the one with the ability to change things. If you give up on yourself, you will never move beyond where you are right now. It's learning to be compassionate with yourself! It's learning to forgive yourself for the things that you feel you've done wrong, it's learning to love yourself and see the potential that is within you and moving forward.
I've always used Pema's words "start where you are" while teaching a class. Every moment is a new beginning. Going back and beating yourself up over what you did yesterday, last year, during the last decade, will do you no good. Looking forward with fear to all the "might happens" does you no good either. Every moment is a new beginning and with that new beginning lies an entire set of new possibilities.
One of her teachings is that no matter where you are in your life or what is happening, someone else in the world is having the same emotions and similar experiences. When you realize this, you also realize that you are never truly alone. There are others that DO understand exactly how you feel in that moment. You may not know them, but you don't have to know them. You only have to realize that they are out there and you are not alone. Stand fully in your own shoes, and never give up. When you do that, you are also helping the others to stand in their own shoes. If you can do it, you give them hope that they can do it as well. Sometimes that is all that someone else will need to rise above whatever current situation that they find themselves in.
When you live with compassion for where you've been and what you've experienced, compassion for yourself, it becomes a way of life and compassion for others comes naturally. Compassion is a very strong and powerful emotion. A moment of compassion can change the outcome of a tense situation. It reminds me of the Lord of The Rings, when Gandolph and Frodo are discussing the fact that Bilbo held his hand when he could have killed Gollum. It was a moment of compassion on Bilbo's part as he saw beyond the exterior and had a glimpse into Gollum's sad life. In the end, it was a blessing that Gollum was spared as he still had a major role to play in his life. Judging and deciding in a moment how someone is or is not, isn't fair to the person (or you) as you really don't know what they have been through in their lives.
When you stand fully in your own shoes and never give up on yourself, you begin to change. As you change those around you change as well. I've seen it happen. You are worth every moment of compassion that you give. You are never alone. Start where you are, live in the present and take the first steps in living a life filled with compassion.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
I Ride With MS
This year, the MS Bike Ride Fund Raiser will be doing something a bit different. They have reached out to those of us that are "Riding with MS" to be ambassadors for the ride. We each get a jersey that states "I Ride With MS". This is to help those that are both riding and watching be aware that not only are they riding to help those with MS, those with MS are riding to help others that aren't able to ride YET!
I don't know that my story is unique, but it is amazing. When I was first diagnosed I was given a grim outlook. It seemed at the rate that the disease was traveling, I would be in a wheelchair within five years. This was in 1991. This thought didn't appeal to me very much. I couldn't walk without holding on to something as my balance was non-existent. I had optical neuritis in my left eye and was unable to see. I was numb from the waist down.
My Doctor and I tackled the MS very aggressively. I've had more Prednisone than I care to think about. I've had Solu-medrol (what I call Prednisone on steroids) via IV on a regular basis. I've taken Beta Seron, Avonex, and finally Copaxone as injectables to help my body rebuild itself.
I developed an immunity to interferon, that meant Beta Seron and Avonex no longer worked for me. Copaxone has a different make up and rather than working on the myelin sheath, it worked on the lesions in my brain, keeping them contained so that they were no longer interfering with the nervous system in the body.
In 2001 my right knee began to lock up and I was unable to move it. It's funny how excited I tend to get when I discover that I have a "real" problem and not something caused by MS. I had part of my thigh bone fall out due to the large amount of steriods that I had taken and the small bone chips were floating around under my knee cap. When they positioned themselves in a certain place, my knee locked up. I had knee surgery to remove the bone chips. My Orthopedic gave me the chips in a small vial and I still have them today.
My Orthopedic also gave me some very good advice, he said to start lifting weights to build my bone strength. He also said, "use it or lose it." I didn't want to lose it. So began a huge transformation in my life. I started lifting weights. I began to walk and then I began to run. My balance improved as my determination got stronger.
My husband decided to put me on a bike and to my surprise, I didn't fall over or run into a ditch! I WAS getting better! I began taking better care of my physical self and I moved it all the time and not only was I not "losing it", I was gaining it back.
I became a Reiki Master and added energy work to my team and I continued to improve.
I had an appointment with my Neurologist on December 17, 2012 and I had already decided to discuss with him the possibility of doing a trial run without drugs. In my Reiki practice I never advocate ceasing to use anything that has been prescribed by a physician unless my client has discussed it with their physician. I would do no less in my own life.
He agreed to a trial run with one condition, that I take 4000 units of Vitamin D daily. I agreed and the trial run began. In March, 2013, I went on prescription Vitamin D as I was still at a level that was too low.
In July of this year, I went back for a recheck. He has watched this "trial run" carefully. My Vitamin D level was up to 77! Perfect. My physical check up was the best one that I've ever had. For the first time ever, I could close my eyes and touch my nose with my finger. It might not sound like much to some, but it is a milestone of how far I've come. It's been eight months now that I've taken nothing but Vitamin D and I have had the best physical exam that I have ever had.
So, yes, this year I "Ride with MS" and I hope that those who see me can get inspired. I want those with MS to gain hope and know that bodies change. This is a disease that is constantly changing, those changes don't always have to be for the worse.
I am asking for donations for the ride and to help others with this diagnosis. Things have come so far and with continued research in both science and holistic practices, things are changing rapidly. Funds are needed to continue the process. Please donate through my website http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/DebbieNaillon so that others may "Ride with MS" as well. In some cases, so that they may walk with MS.
Thank you.
Debbie
I don't know that my story is unique, but it is amazing. When I was first diagnosed I was given a grim outlook. It seemed at the rate that the disease was traveling, I would be in a wheelchair within five years. This was in 1991. This thought didn't appeal to me very much. I couldn't walk without holding on to something as my balance was non-existent. I had optical neuritis in my left eye and was unable to see. I was numb from the waist down.
My Doctor and I tackled the MS very aggressively. I've had more Prednisone than I care to think about. I've had Solu-medrol (what I call Prednisone on steroids) via IV on a regular basis. I've taken Beta Seron, Avonex, and finally Copaxone as injectables to help my body rebuild itself.
I developed an immunity to interferon, that meant Beta Seron and Avonex no longer worked for me. Copaxone has a different make up and rather than working on the myelin sheath, it worked on the lesions in my brain, keeping them contained so that they were no longer interfering with the nervous system in the body.
In 2001 my right knee began to lock up and I was unable to move it. It's funny how excited I tend to get when I discover that I have a "real" problem and not something caused by MS. I had part of my thigh bone fall out due to the large amount of steriods that I had taken and the small bone chips were floating around under my knee cap. When they positioned themselves in a certain place, my knee locked up. I had knee surgery to remove the bone chips. My Orthopedic gave me the chips in a small vial and I still have them today.
My Orthopedic also gave me some very good advice, he said to start lifting weights to build my bone strength. He also said, "use it or lose it." I didn't want to lose it. So began a huge transformation in my life. I started lifting weights. I began to walk and then I began to run. My balance improved as my determination got stronger.
My husband decided to put me on a bike and to my surprise, I didn't fall over or run into a ditch! I WAS getting better! I began taking better care of my physical self and I moved it all the time and not only was I not "losing it", I was gaining it back.
I became a Reiki Master and added energy work to my team and I continued to improve.
I had an appointment with my Neurologist on December 17, 2012 and I had already decided to discuss with him the possibility of doing a trial run without drugs. In my Reiki practice I never advocate ceasing to use anything that has been prescribed by a physician unless my client has discussed it with their physician. I would do no less in my own life.
He agreed to a trial run with one condition, that I take 4000 units of Vitamin D daily. I agreed and the trial run began. In March, 2013, I went on prescription Vitamin D as I was still at a level that was too low.
In July of this year, I went back for a recheck. He has watched this "trial run" carefully. My Vitamin D level was up to 77! Perfect. My physical check up was the best one that I've ever had. For the first time ever, I could close my eyes and touch my nose with my finger. It might not sound like much to some, but it is a milestone of how far I've come. It's been eight months now that I've taken nothing but Vitamin D and I have had the best physical exam that I have ever had.
So, yes, this year I "Ride with MS" and I hope that those who see me can get inspired. I want those with MS to gain hope and know that bodies change. This is a disease that is constantly changing, those changes don't always have to be for the worse.
I am asking for donations for the ride and to help others with this diagnosis. Things have come so far and with continued research in both science and holistic practices, things are changing rapidly. Funds are needed to continue the process. Please donate through my website http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/DebbieNaillon so that others may "Ride with MS" as well. In some cases, so that they may walk with MS.
Thank you.
Debbie
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Tools to Help De-Stress Your Life
There are so many things that I love to do and one of them is helping people to make their lives a bit less stress filled. In our busy world of today our everyday lives are filled with stress that we now consider a "normal" part of our day. No wonder we don't feel up to our potential!
I took the courses through HeartMath for this very reason and I'm happy to see the changes that occur when people learn new ways to manage their stress. Stress is a perception, but if you percieve a situation to be stressful using the tools in your tool box to relieve that stress is invaluable.
With that in mind I would like to remind everyone that I am certified to help you with your stress.
I took the courses through HeartMath for this very reason and I'm happy to see the changes that occur when people learn new ways to manage their stress. Stress is a perception, but if you percieve a situation to be stressful using the tools in your tool box to relieve that stress is invaluable.
With that in mind I would like to remind everyone that I am certified to help you with your stress.
HeartMath® Tele-course
Personalized
instruction of the HeartMath® System in the comfort of your home or office.
In today’s fast-paced world it can be hard to find time
to attend seminars or classes in order to receive instruction. More and more
people are now turning to viable alternatives like tele-courses. HeartMath has
taken this type of instruction a step further in an enjoyable and effective
personalized course that teaches you the HeartMath System in a coaching style.
It’s an easy way to receive meaningful information with a personal touch and
reach new levels in your personal and professional growth.
Goal of the
program – To learn specific techniques and tools, in concept and practice,
and how to apply them directly to your life and the challenges you are working
with right now.
Materials – I will
guide you through one of three workbooks: Voyage
to Heart Intelligence (for self-improvement); Personal Journey to Health (For people with health issues); or Strategies for Peak Performance (for
business and workplace applications). These workbooks are only available as
part of this tele-course. Supplementary book and music CD complete the
materials package. Cost for materials is included in the price of the 4-session
course.
Format – Once you’re
registered, you and I will mutually arrange session times. Most find a specific
appointment time, at the same time, on the same day, for 4 consecutive weeks
works best. The unique benefit of this program is that your experience is
personal and confidential, tailored just for YOU, and offers convenience,
privacy and a certain ease of personal expression.
Content – Each
session, and the way the course as a whole progresses, is based on your
specific needs, goals, and intended applications. Some people only want to
focus on isolated portions of the course content while other want the full
spectrum of tools and applications.
Weekly Sessions
Session 1 – Discuss your personal and/or professional goal(s).
Explore your core values – the heart of who you are and what’s important to you
– and assess the interplay of your values in your everyday life. Uncover the
source of your stress. Experience how your stress is largely a function of how
you are perceiving life and your mental and emotional reactions.
Session 2 – Learn the science underpinning HeartMath
tools and techniques and how they are different from traditional approaches to
stress reduction. Simply presented, with graphic support, the science is made
clear and easy to understand. Receive in-depth instruction and guidance in
doing the Freeze-Frame® technique and quickly feel the shift in your
physiology.
Session 3 – Learn the Heart Lock-In® technique and how it
differs from the Freeze-Frame tool. Discuss applications and potential benefits
relative to your particular goals. Explore the use of positive emotions,
systematically applied, and see how they change everything. Learn the Intuitive
Listening technique and get guidelines for best practice.
Session 4 – Practice a process-oriented tool for
incorporating the qualities of the heart – more care for self and others – with
Heart Mapping®, a project planning tool. Review your experience me and gain
further insight into your use of the tools. Develop a plan for practical
application to achieve your goals. Move into life with leveraged intelligence.
To register for this course: Contact Debbie Naillon, Licensed
1:1 HeartMath Provider, Ethereal_Touch@hotmail.com
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Looking in a Mirror
Today I looked into a mirror. It wasn't a real mirror, it was a real person. A new Client ... I knew nothing about her as I hadn't made the appointment, but I was excited to meet her. I didn't know prior to her arrival that she would be my mirror image of about 20 years ago.
A young mother with Multiple Sclerosis, me 20 years ago. She also reminded me of myself in her beliefs, her faith, and her spirit. Looking at her, I realized just how far I've really come. It is amazing. Seeing her looking at me, I realized that she was seeing how far she can go as well.
She believes in me, she believes in herself. Together with her physician we can make her quality of life the best it can be. She told me that somewhere in the back of her mind she imagined coming in to see me today and then walking out without her walker, cured ... a miracle. I smiled and told her that wasn't going to happen, not today. We work on the quality of life and it improves. The miracle is the positive attitude and the smiles, even when life is scary and you don't know where or how this is going to go.
It was humbling for me. I know though, this is why I had Multiple Sclerosis. I can talk with her, I understand, I've been there. She is a gentle soul and she trusts me.
Today I looked into a mirror and saw the self of yesterday. We all have roads to travel and our journeys are never the same. To be reminded at times just how far I've come is a blessing to me. I forget how blessed I really am. She is blessed as well, she has such a positive attitude and a beautiful smile. I will help her to continue her healing ... she is my blessing for today.
A young mother with Multiple Sclerosis, me 20 years ago. She also reminded me of myself in her beliefs, her faith, and her spirit. Looking at her, I realized just how far I've really come. It is amazing. Seeing her looking at me, I realized that she was seeing how far she can go as well.
She believes in me, she believes in herself. Together with her physician we can make her quality of life the best it can be. She told me that somewhere in the back of her mind she imagined coming in to see me today and then walking out without her walker, cured ... a miracle. I smiled and told her that wasn't going to happen, not today. We work on the quality of life and it improves. The miracle is the positive attitude and the smiles, even when life is scary and you don't know where or how this is going to go.
It was humbling for me. I know though, this is why I had Multiple Sclerosis. I can talk with her, I understand, I've been there. She is a gentle soul and she trusts me.
Today I looked into a mirror and saw the self of yesterday. We all have roads to travel and our journeys are never the same. To be reminded at times just how far I've come is a blessing to me. I forget how blessed I really am. She is blessed as well, she has such a positive attitude and a beautiful smile. I will help her to continue her healing ... she is my blessing for today.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Being the "Observer"
There are so many things in this world that are acted upon based on the personal perspective of the person involved. It leads to strife and turmoil, when the reality of the situation is that there are different ways of looking at things and a refusal to see the situation from a different perspective.
Last week I led an exercise using this thought process, the thought of being the observer and taking the time to understand both sides of a situation. It isn't an easy thing to do, especially if one of the players in the situation is yourself. We imagined that we were observing a play, we took a neutral position in observing this play, setting aside our own personal perspectives.
Standing in the middle of the situation we observed both sides. We went over the details and looked a bit deeper. We looked into the reasons behind why each participant in our play made the choices that they did. We were striving for unbiased understanding.
One of my students said she had not realized how hard that was and how much her ego didn't like having to acknowledge that she might have done things differently. Taking the observers stance, when you are one of the participants being observed, isn't an easy thing. It's that long hard look in the mirror that is so hard to do for most of us. We wish it to be the other person's fault, societies fault, anyone's fault other than our own.
Looking at both sides of a situation can help put into perspective what has happened. You still don't have to agree with what happened, you only have to understand. With understanding you can come from a place in your heart and stay the observer and send love to all the participants (including yourself) in the situation.
You might come to realize what you first thought was an attack on your beliefs was actually the other persons own fears of change. Accepting your beliefs might mean accepting that things are changing, so it boils down to fear. You help those with fear with loving understanding, not coming back in a defensive mode.
Take the time to look beyond face value. Spiritual understanding is a powerful tool moving forward. I am not perfect, no one is, but I am trying to be more understanding and come from a place of the observer. I encourage everyone to at least make the attempt to try this, if just once.
Last week I led an exercise using this thought process, the thought of being the observer and taking the time to understand both sides of a situation. It isn't an easy thing to do, especially if one of the players in the situation is yourself. We imagined that we were observing a play, we took a neutral position in observing this play, setting aside our own personal perspectives.
Standing in the middle of the situation we observed both sides. We went over the details and looked a bit deeper. We looked into the reasons behind why each participant in our play made the choices that they did. We were striving for unbiased understanding.
One of my students said she had not realized how hard that was and how much her ego didn't like having to acknowledge that she might have done things differently. Taking the observers stance, when you are one of the participants being observed, isn't an easy thing. It's that long hard look in the mirror that is so hard to do for most of us. We wish it to be the other person's fault, societies fault, anyone's fault other than our own.
Looking at both sides of a situation can help put into perspective what has happened. You still don't have to agree with what happened, you only have to understand. With understanding you can come from a place in your heart and stay the observer and send love to all the participants (including yourself) in the situation.
You might come to realize what you first thought was an attack on your beliefs was actually the other persons own fears of change. Accepting your beliefs might mean accepting that things are changing, so it boils down to fear. You help those with fear with loving understanding, not coming back in a defensive mode.
Take the time to look beyond face value. Spiritual understanding is a powerful tool moving forward. I am not perfect, no one is, but I am trying to be more understanding and come from a place of the observer. I encourage everyone to at least make the attempt to try this, if just once.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Do You Judge Others Based Upon Yourself?
Sitting here this morning I've been contemplating the way people judge what another person would do in any given situation. It has occurred to me that they place their judgements on what they, themselves would do if they were in the same situation. The contemplation was because of some recent events that at first confused me, then I pieced together the motivation behind the move.
It still confused me as to why it was thought that there was a need to do anything at all. I don't need to go into the details of what happened, but it finally hit me that they responded in the way that they did because they were responding to what would have been going on had they been in the other persons situation.
Interesting. I believe that we all do that at some level. I know that I have a very hard time believing that people do some of the things that they do because it would never have entered my mind to do such a thing. Does that make me naive? Maybe. I guess that I would like to see the world revolving around the standard that I live my life on. I have been told that it is a fairytale land and that it doesn't exist.
I think that it does exist, this world that I see and believe in. It isn't wide spread, but I've met so many people that think like I do and it is a refreshing thought. I have a client that struggles with people not liking her, "why? I'm a nice person" she tells me ... I can relate to those thoughts. Then I realized that there are people that you believe know who and what you are, who and what you believe in and you realize that they never knew you at all. When it comes down to the wire, they react based upon what they would have done in the same situation.
All I ask of everyone, including myself, is to keep an open mind in this world. Don't base your judgements on what you would do in any given situation. Take a step back, take a deep breath, and look to your heart for the truth of the situation. Your heart will give you the correct answer in all instances.
It still confused me as to why it was thought that there was a need to do anything at all. I don't need to go into the details of what happened, but it finally hit me that they responded in the way that they did because they were responding to what would have been going on had they been in the other persons situation.
Interesting. I believe that we all do that at some level. I know that I have a very hard time believing that people do some of the things that they do because it would never have entered my mind to do such a thing. Does that make me naive? Maybe. I guess that I would like to see the world revolving around the standard that I live my life on. I have been told that it is a fairytale land and that it doesn't exist.
I think that it does exist, this world that I see and believe in. It isn't wide spread, but I've met so many people that think like I do and it is a refreshing thought. I have a client that struggles with people not liking her, "why? I'm a nice person" she tells me ... I can relate to those thoughts. Then I realized that there are people that you believe know who and what you are, who and what you believe in and you realize that they never knew you at all. When it comes down to the wire, they react based upon what they would have done in the same situation.
All I ask of everyone, including myself, is to keep an open mind in this world. Don't base your judgements on what you would do in any given situation. Take a step back, take a deep breath, and look to your heart for the truth of the situation. Your heart will give you the correct answer in all instances.
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