Come and join us June 28 & 29, 2013 for our event Touch The Sky!
A multi-day conference featuring New York Times best-selling authors, national and local experts, and highly-acclaimed musicians, designed to equip Rochester and beyond with tools of self-empowerment, self-awareness and self-care. Check out our line-up at LightHeart.com/touchthesky.
Last night, we had another powerful session. As the weeks go by, each participant is becoming more aware of their body’s needs and wants. When healthful, nutritious eating is combined with mindful meditation techniques, the body begins its journey back to homeostasis. For example, one of the participants mentioned that he didn’t feel well after eating a cheese pastry over the Easter holiday. 
Another mentioned that he went camping and that the barbecued chicken did not sit well with him. This opened up the discussion to hidden ingredients, such as high fructose corn syrup, gluten, etc., that are often in our food and cause inflammation of the GI tract and other parts of the body. Additionally, it made us aware of how much more we are tuning into our bodies as a result of the group.
Sholem Asch once said, “An illness is like a journey into a far country; it sifts all one’s experience and removes it to a point so remote that it appears like a vision.”
After we discussed our food logs and observations, our facilitator Lisa, brought something to our attention. Lisa asked how many group members have either struggled with addiction or know someone who has. During last week’s session, a participant’s story regarding sugar binges, highlighted the connection between an addiction, daily intake of protein and cravings. A craving is a sign that the body, the GI tract and neurotransmitters are “out of balance.”
In order to bring the body back in balance, many of us in the group need to increase our protein intake. Protein shakes are very helpful in accomplishing this.
At the age of 30, Scott DiGiammari took what many believed to be, an impossible job.
He accepted a position as sales manager for the struggling Mid-Atlantic region of American Express Financial Advisor Network. His new region ranked 173rd out of 176. His had his work cut out for him!
As a former high school football coach, he loved spending time with people – developing, challenging and nurturing them. He knew he wanted to create a work culture in which his team would make principle-based decisions even when the boss wasn’t looking. That would take some training.
His goal was to empower his employees and bring out their best.
During the first month of his new position he reviewed the performance appraisals of each of his 36-member team. Those who had sub-standard performances or those who carried a negative attitude and were unlikely to change, he fired! When all was said and done he let fifty percent of his team go. Those remaining he began to train on the value of full honesty and transparency. Integrity, he believed, would always pay off. On one occasion when an employee acted poorly regarding transparency, he called all 36 members into his office for an hour-long meeting to discuss the value of trust. The message was loud and clear – nothing less than complete integrity would do.
He found a way to connect with his team that was spread across a large geographical area, and inspired them on a daily basis. A movie buff at heart, he sent out Hollywood movie clips to demonstrate lessons he wanted them to learn. One morning he played an excerpt from Robin William’s masterpiece Dead Poets Society. At one point in the movie all the students stood on top of their desks and pledged support for their professor. He followed it up by asking, “What are you doing today that would inspire your staff to stand on top of their desks for you?
Within one year his Mid-Atlantic region jumped from 173rd to first place! The following year, with Scott often reminding them that it was one thing to win first place, and another to keep it, they won first place again. For the next 13 out of 15 years Scott’s team maintained the number one position in the company. During this time he maintained a 97% retention rate… virtually unheard of in the industry. By the time of his 15th year of success he decided to leave Amex and start his own company.
A short time later, American Express wanted to know the secret to his success. Naturally they wanted to duplicate his methodology and spread it across their nationwide offices. To determine his winning formula they hired internationally renown management consultants McKinsey and Co. to provide a thorough investigation. Using several metrics including Scott’s management philosophy, his incentive system, his office structure and the attitude of his employees, survey data from customers and partners, they completed their comprehensive analysis.
Their conclusion?
The reason Scott was able to achieve such success was due to his ability to train others to care about the results they delivered. His team was fully engaged. In turn, they grew a great sense of pride at being able to be a part of the team. As one author cites, “To this day his track record of success in building a successful team of financial advisors has been unmatched.”
Eat. Heal. Thrive.
Good Morning!
Come and join us for a our FREE presentation on our Food as Medicine Support group this evening from 5:15 – 6:30 pm.
21 Prince Street
Rochester, New York 14607
Pre-Registration is required.
To pre-register, email: Wanda@LightHeart.com or call 585.288.6160
We hope to see you then!
“For many of us, the waters of our daily life are anything but calm because we don’t create conscious space for intentional breathing or silence as part of our daily experience. . . . When we pause and breathe consciously, we open the portal to the Presence and enter a sacred silence where the waters are always calm.”
— Excerpt from “The Art of Uncertainty: How to Live in the Mystery of Life and Love It”
In Native American tradition, visiting a power spot is a sacred ritual. It is a special place in nature that holds all consciousness – a place of stillness and silence. A power spot can also be found deep within us all. The session started off with a twenty minute mind-body-spirit centering technique; where each participant closed their eyes and solely focused on their breathing, paying attention to incoming thoughts and images. In our power spots we are able to connect with a deeper sense of self and allow our bodies to heal.
After the moment of meditation, we shared the feeling of the experience in words. Our facilitator, Lisa, then proceeded to introduce us to the “Heart Chart”. The “Heart Chart” is a 21-day chart in the shape of a heart in which participants can fill each day as they complete another day of lifestyle improvement. For the purpose of the Royal Flush, participants will get to “fill” a day in when they complete a day and fully stick to the food program. With Valentine’s day right around the corner, it was the perfect way to introduce habit change/formation and create an emphasis on the importance of making a commitment to self-improvement. It was brought to the group’s attention that by changing a habit every 21 days, an individual can change 56 habits in 3 years!
Many times, sticking to a gluten-free food program 100% of the time can be challenging and thus many can “cheat”. Lisa encouraged each and every one of the participants to try their best, to complete the heart. Cheats happen, it’s okay. Once a cheat occurs, one has to recognize it, be compassionate with oneself and say something along the lines of, “You strayed off the diet plan. This does not mean you have failed. You’ll be right on track within the hour. Let’s keep moving.” As was mentioned, making a habit change takes 21 days. Not only does it take 21 days, but it also requires some self-discipline and self-understanding.