Summer Abundance

I am inspired by summer abundance. If you have issues with abundance then this is the season to really look at your beliefs around abundance. This is the time the universe overflows with nature's abundance. Right now on the kitchen counter I have 10 pounds of beautiful organic blueberries waiting for me to put by for a time when blueberries aren't available.

Everywhere you go the roadside stands and farmers markets are spilling over with this season's crop of cherries! They have been divine this year! There are fresh peas in a pod. This is the first time in years these have been available in my area. There is nothing like peas fresh out from a pod! Peaches are starting to show up...I am talking local produce here...not the hard as walnut ones that come from Chile and other places out of season. Corn! Fresh corn is arriving...green beans, basil in big hearty bunches, blackberries, new bell peppers, the first apple crop...which I used to make a wonderful pie: All the stuff that makes the Mediterranean diet of eating in season seem so logical.

All this should be making you feel like you are over flowing. The reason I mention this is: I heard on an audio tape I was listening to, someone say...you can't really give back...or serve others until your own cup is overflowing; that the part you share with others is the overflow. If your cup isn't full and overflowing you still have a scarcity mentality and you will find it difficult to give generously because you are depleting your own abundance, rather than sharing the overflow. It made huge sense to me. It's on the same principle of loving yourself... you need to learn to love yourself first before you can truly love another. You need to overflow with abundance before you can help someone else increase their abundance.

Keep in mind you might be abundant in one area and not another... so flow out from the area you are all ready abundant in and this will help you fill up your cup in other areas.

I know I still have work to do on abundance. But I also know I can learn from abundance around me as well. It is easier to feel abundant and to change scarcity thinking when all around you the abundant harvest flows.

One of the key financial messages is to put aside some of your abundance now...to see you through a time when for some reason abundance has deserted you...that save 10% of everything you earn! We do that naturally with the harvest, it is part of our genetics from a time when we were still hunter-gatherers and we needed to dry, and preserve in the seasons of abundance to get us through the long winters.

Here is an abundance exercise for you to try.

You need your trusty journal for this.

1. Write down all the things you have in your home in abundance. If your home is anything like mind it is overflowing with stuff you are abundant in. Walk around if you have to and take notes. Really really, look around you.

2. Review your list and write down things that you could afford to give away. For instance, every month I give away a bag of cloths I no longer wear. I have been doing this for quite some time, and I am amazed that I never seem to run out of stuff to put in that bag. I don't buy that many cloths but it seems I always have more than I need and I am more than willing to share this with others. It's a great exercise in abundance.

3. Once you have a list of things you can afford to give away...give them away. This does two things. If you are attached to items you really don't need, then you learn to get past that attachment...your possessiveness, and learn to let go. Internally we have a lot of baggage to let go off...so doing it on a physical level will help you on a more spiritual level. Clearing out what you don't need makes room for more things to flow into your life...that's the second thing. Abundance s a flow moving in across and out. People sometimes try to dam up the flow afraid all the water will disappear. But damming up the flow stops it, just like a dam stops or reduces the flow down stream.

Have fun with this!

Nick Grimshawe has written hundreds of articles ranging from food and wine to self development and spirituality. He is the editor and publisher of http://beautifulsummermorning.com and the Beautiful Summer Morning Newsletter. You can subscribe for free here: http://beautifulsummermorning.com/subscribe-today He is currently at work on his first book and an e-book about his experiences getting off diabetic medication. He is also developing a course on how to find your purpose.

Stay Healthy In The Heat This Summer

With summer just around the corner and the thermometer rising you’re going to be spending a lot more time outdoors – this is good. However with all that time in the sun there are a few important tips you should remember for staying in peak health throughout the coming months…
Eating Healthy
Heat slows the body’s metabolism so you need fewer calories in summer than you do in winter because your body doesn’t have to create as much heat on its own. To avoid gaining excess weight during the summer remember to follow these three steps:
Eat low calorie, nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. They supply a great source of water and potassium, which are lost in sweat.Try to get protein mainly from vegetarian sources like soy and lentils, as well as limited amounts from fish.Limit your intake of foods that are nutrient-poor. These include anything found in a package, rich in fats and carbohydrates, and lacking in essential nutrients.
Drinking Enough Water
During the summer months, your body will lose more water through perspiration than it will during the winter. Depending upon the amount of perspiration you generate water lost through the skin can increase dramatically. Here is a simple guide to staying hydrated during the hot summer:
Drink four or more cups of water per dayDrink six or more non-caloric drinks (homemade ice-tea and lemonade are great).Eat fruits and vegetables that contain 35-50% water (i.e. tomatoes, watermelon, citrus fruits).Make sure to add a little salt when cooking (salt is lost in sweat and it must be replaced or your body can’t retain enough water).
Exercising Properly
It’s doubly important to stay active during the summer months and be extra careful to avoid sun poisoning, sun damage and heat exhaustion.? Remember these tips:
Don’t overdo it in the heat, stay hydrated and rest more often.Remember to always wear sunscreen when outdoors.Consider modifying your routines, for example: swimming instead of jogging or working out in the gym instead of outdoors.
Remember, your body is the fist level in the Pyramid of Mastery. You must take care of it and nurture it so it supports you in a life of passion and excellence!
What are your best summer workout tips?
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