Weekly Living Light MRP Q & A [Feb 16, 2024]

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome, welcome. Happy Friday. How's everyone doing today? Hi, Cheryl. Hi, Farhana. Hi, Colleen. Great to see you all today. As we're waiting for a few more people to join us, we can type in the chat what are you grateful for today? Go ahead and type that in the chat. And as you do that, I am just going to send a quick reminder that we've started our Q and A. Okay, for those of you are just joining us, go ahead and type in the chat what you're grateful for today. Cheryl says we have some sunshine again. Yes, sunshine always makes a huge difference, doesn't it? Hey. Alice says grateful for music and dance. Far. Hannah says grateful for my children. Awesome. Beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. And if you're able to, we'd love if you could turn on your camera so we could see your beautiful face. Quay says grateful for my meeting with Deepa this morning. Hi, Quay. Nice to see you. So what we're going to do today is a pretty interesting exercise that I think you'll all find valuable. And I know some of you have heard me talk about this before, but we're going to go into it in a little more depth today. And what we're going to do today is we're to going. We are going to rewrite our identities. So I know for some of you who have come to one of my master classes, you've heard me talk about identity and paradigm. And the reason why we talk about that is because for true change to occur, we really have to assess what our current identity and paradigm is. And the nice thing about identity and paradigm is that it can change, right? We don't have to stay stuck in our current paradigm and identity, okay? So just to give you some definitions, your paradigm is the lens through, through which you look at the world, okay? So some people have a paradigm in which they believe that as they get older, they're supposed to get disease, right? They're supposed to get high blood pressure, they're supposed to get gain weight, for example, or they're supposed to go through menopause, you know, with hot flashes and having a difficult transition.

Okay?

But it doesn't have to be that way, right? And then our identity is the internal dialogue and language that we have with ourselves, okay? Whether we vocalize that or whether we internalize that. It's that internal chatter that we have, right? Or that way that we define ourselves. So an example is someone who's vegetarian. If you're vegetarian, then of course that's your identity. And making decisions becomes really easy, because you're not going to eat animal proteins, Right? So like I said, our identity and our paradigm are both things that we can change. Okay? So today we're going to focus on primarily health. Right? And in this workbook that I'm going to share with you, there are, you know, other areas in which you can rewrite your identity, whether it comes to your relationships, your finances, your mental health. But because of our time here today, we'll focus primarily on health. So if you have a pen and a piece of paper handy, I want you to just take a moment to reflect on what your paradigm is when it comes to your health. And oftentimes our paradigm around our health is shaped by what we witnessed growing up. Okay? So from the ages of 0 to 8 is when a lot of these belief systems get installed, and they're installed in us based on what we saw with our caregivers. So whether that was your mom or your dad, if they talked a lot about, you know, health being, you know, or disease being something that just happens as we age, then that's a belief system or a paradigm that you may have adopted. Okay? So try to, of course, you know, I don't expect you to do this in just five minutes, but try to reflect on maybe what some of those conversations are that were taking place in the home around your health, around health in general. Right. Was it something that gets, I guess, the responsibility gets shifted to the doctor, Right. You go to the doctor's office once a year, they tell you everything's fine, so you go and do what you are usually doing. Right. Or was there more of a conversation around personal responsibility where you have choice and you have the empowerment to make a difference in your health. So what were some of those conversations that were taking place? And I'll give you a few moments just to reflect on that. Right. What time? When it comes to. Another thing to reflect on is when it comes to illness, right. If you ever got sick, how did your parents treat you when you were sick? Did they give you more attention? Right. How? Like when my son gets sick, we try to give him the same level of attention. We don't try to draw too much attention to it. Not that we're neglectful, but we try to, you know, as he's. He's 13 now, but when he was little, we would talk to him about how his body is so powerful and how his body can heal himself and how the next morning he's going to feel amazing and how there's so many supportive tools that he can Utilize to help him heal. Right. If he drinks some ginger and lemon tea, that can really help support his immune system. So what were some of those conversations that took place? Did your parents perhaps give you Tylenol? Right. Was it more of a pill for an ill type of mentality? And you can take a little bit more time this weekend to reflect on this. And then another thing I want you to reflect on is your identity. What is your identity when it comes to health? Is it someone who's gonna go through life and as you age you're gonna get dis. What is your wake time currently? How is your sleep? What's your exercise routine? How much time do you spend in nature? Okay, so really think about some of these things when it comes to your current identity. Right. Do you. Are you someone who is an early riser or are you someone who likes to sleep in? Right. What's that identity that you've written for yourself when it comes to your sleep? Are you someone who has a difficult time sleeping or identified as someone who does? Are you someone who likes to exercise, likes to be out in nature? What is that identity when it comes to your health currently? Okay, So just a few things to think about now. What I'm going to do in the chat is I'm going to share this document with you. Give me a moment, let me know if you can access the document that I've put the link in the chat. If you can't, just let me know and I'll modify it. Give me a thumbs up if you can access the document. Yep. Okay, good. So this document is going to help you with creating your new identity. Okay. And there is a video that explains the exercise. But for now, these are some areas that you want to consider when it comes to creating your new identity. Okay? So this is important because if we identify with being a bad sleeper or being someone who has a hard time waking up in the morning, or someone who has a hard time getting to bed on time, that's your current identity. Right? And when you come out of this program, if you maintain that current identity, then that same, you know, pattern of whether it's your sleep or your food choices is going to continue. But if we rewrite a new identity coming out of this program, then it becomes a lot more easier for us to maintain some of the lifestyle and nutrition changes that we've implemented coming out of this program. So for those of you, some of you have just started the program, some of you are a few weeks in, some of you have completed it, and it doesn't really matter where you're at because like I said, this is something that you can change at any time. But I want you to kind of go through, you know, specifically that physical health section and think about what time do you want to wake up at? Right? If you feel like you have, if you have struggle waking up and you're a late riser, what time would your.

New.

Identity wake up at? Right? Your new identity. How are you sleeping? Are you someone who's going to wake up feeling refreshed and be a sound sleeper? Are you someone who's going to make wise food choices that serve your body at the highest level? Are you someone who spends time in nature? Right. There's an interesting article that my husband Satchin shared with me yesterday and I'll talk a little bit about it. And basically the research has shown that I'm just going to pull it up here that we should implement something called the 25, 3 rule to really help us determine how much time we should actually spend out outdoors in nature. So this 25 rule, I'll expand on it a little bit more, basically suggests that we should spend 20 minutes in outdoors three times a week, five hours outdoors once a month, and three days outdoors once a year. Okay? So maybe that's going to be part of your new identity. Identity is that you're going to implement the 25, 3 rule.

Let the judgments and opinions of the mind be judgments and opinions of the mind. And you exist behind that.

So as you go through the document, you know, there is a short exercise there that you can do on your own time. But what you're going to do is you're going to write down the way your alter ego identity would show up in each area of your life listed above. And you can add more to this, right? So if you want to add more to the health section, to the relationship section, you can always add more right now. And there is an example there. My husband did this exercise with his coaching group and he wrote out his alter ego ego there. So there's an example of what you might write, right? Or if you're not sure about what to write, you could take a look at what he's written here for his alter ego. Okay. He calls his alter ego Super Sachin. Super Sachin wakes up at 6am every day, even when I don't feel like it. We did that today. It was like our alarm went off at 6am and we're like, should we go to the gym? Should we not? We're like, okay, we're going To So we got up, went to the gym and you know, every day is not going to be perfect, of course, but, you know, these are things that we strive to do on a daily basis. Okay. So you can have a read through his and then I would take a few moments this weekend and write out your alter ego. You can see it's pretty detailed and these are things that are important to him. Right. So of course yours might look a little different and some of it might be similar. And once you write this out, I would encourage you to print it out or write it out in a journal and keep it somewhere visible, Whether it's on your fridge or your bathroom mirror.

That which is the source of the.

Light behind all, so that you have a reminder of what your new identity looks like. And Cheryl, you have a question. Okay. Can go ahead and unmute.

Yes. I'm on an iPad and I'm having trouble. I did find the document. I tried to save it as a bookmark. I don't know where it went. Every time I go out, I lose you. I can still hear you, but I can't find the pictures. I have to sign in again. Is there any way you can put that link in the group?

Yep.

I'll share it because it's too complicated for me to figure out how to do it here.

Yeah, absolutely. I'll share it in the Facebook group and then I'll share it in the group chat as well.

So glad I came today. This is part of a lot of what I've been working on personally through other groups as well too. So it's all meant to be. Thank you.

You're welcome. It's always perfect timing, right?

Good.

Awesome. So obviously, like I said, I don't expect you to have this done. This is just to kind of plant the seed to give you some ideas and I, like I said, highly, highly encourage you to write some things down on paper. Right. Doesn't have to perhaps be as in depth as Sachin's here, but write a few things down. Right. It only takes about five to 10 minutes. So write a few things down this weekend. I know for Canadians here it's a long weekend. I think in the US it might be a long weekend as well. So take some time this weekend to do this exercise because it is important. Right. Especially as you complete the program. It is important for you to decide how you want to show up in the world and how you want to incorporate all the wonderful changes and upgrades that you've made throughout this program into your long term maintenance and Day to day life.

Only thing that's important.

Okay, so we'll do a quick breakout room session. I'll break you out into partners and we'll have you share one thing in terms of your new identity when it comes to your health. Okay. Is it someone who makes wise choices with their meals? Is it someone who perhaps goes to yoga twice a week? Whatever it is for you, just share one thing with your partner. Okay, so I'll break you out into groups of two, and we'll kind of give one to two minutes per person, and then we'll come back to the main room and we'll do some Q and A. I obviously want to answer any questions that you may have, so we'll do some Q and A. So give me one moment as I break you out. Might be you might have three participants in your group. So if you do, then, you know, just take turns. We'll have the person with the shortest hair go first. Okay. And try to keep it to about one minute per person. Okay. So, okay, I'm gonna break you all out, so you're welcome to join. When you see join on the screen, just hit that and you'll be put into your room. And then we'll come back to the main room once we're done. Okay. And if you don't have a partner or someone doesn't join the breakout room, just come back to the main room and we'll share here.

Okay.

Welcome back, everyone. Okay, so we'll take one to two shares. If anyone wants to share, you can just raise your hand and I can unmute you. Does anyone want to share what their one sentence, what their new identity is? Anyone? Okay, Rosalynn can go ahead and unmute.

Hi.

Hi. How are you today?

I'm doing good, thank you.

Yep.

I was really inspired by this 25, 3 rule. So that's my. That's the, you know, the crux of my new identity is that even in the winter, I'm going to go out and I'm going to spend that time outside. And I didn't get to say this to Quay, but I think that's going to help me with my sleep. Yeah, I've learned a lot about it. So. And that's the other thing.

Yep, absolutely. Yeah. So many benefits to getting outside in nature and even when it's cold outside. Right. Like, what I found find is that I actually find it very refreshing to be outside in the winter, which wasn't my identity, like even just two years ago. But this year, I don't know, I'm really enjoying the cool, crisp air. Maybe it's because we haven't really had a super harsh winter. Maybe you can ask me when it's -20. I don't know if I'll say the same thing. But just being outside in the cool, fresh air, and I find that when I go for a walk, like, by the time I come back, I'm actually, like, sweating. So, you know, it kind of kills two birds with one stone. Right. I get my exercise in, I get fresh air. Not even two birds, like 10 birds. Right. I get my dose of vitamin D. My cortisol, you know, comes down, helps with my sleep. Just so many benefits to getting outside. And I was really inspired by that too. And I. I don't even remember the last time I've spent three days outside in nature consecutively. I don't. I think it's probably in my childhood when I did that last. Right. Probably a school camping trip, I think probably with Melissa. Camp Tawingo. Melissa and I know each other from middle school, so, yeah, it's been a long time. And, you know, it's something that I am inspired to do as well. So thank you for sharing.

Thank you.

Hey, anyone else want to share?

Alice.

Okay, go ahead and unmute.

Thank you. Something that I've definitely wrestled with in the past, and I do hear a lot of it come up as well with many people, is entering maintenance and, you know, being like, I'm scared. Scared to add new food back in. I'm worried about, you know, my progress. Like, I'm scared to. To enter this new phase. And while I completely get that, I felt kind of the same way too. It was almost like I find comedic relief in it now because it's not like there's a bear in the maintenance phase waiting to jump you or food is just suddenly gonna, like, appear in your mouth. And through that sentiment, it taught me this new identity and one I continue to learn in practice of. I'm in control of my food. My food is not in control of me. And that's the new identity that I'm leaning into and have been leaning into for a little while. And it's something that I think everybody, you know, needs to feel empowered in that you have control over this. There's nothing to fear because you are in control here and you're safe, and you know what you what to do, and we can help guide you through it as well. So it's. It's that identity. I'm, like, calcifying into myself constantly.

Yeah. Thank you for sharing I think that's very powerful, especially as people move into the maintenance phase. Right. Is control. And we have choice, right? We always have choice. Even sometimes when, you know, we may feel like our choice is limited. Right. Like, I myself, I'm vegetarian and gluten free. And when we travel, like, sometimes there's only one thing that I can choose on the menu. But that's one thing, right?

It's.

It's a choice, right? So. And that's all you need. You only need one thing that fits your identity or your dietary preferences. Right? So we always have choice and we always have control. I think those are very powerful statements to add to your identity playbook. Anyone else want to share? Okay, so with that. Oh, Cheryl, did you want to share? You can go ahead and unmute.

Yeah, I need to go to one of those programs where you stand up and say, I am a food addict. I Not to that place where I have control yet, and I don't know how to get there. I'm working on it. I never used to be like this. I don't know when it happened. It just seemed to be gradual. I think it happened after menopause. For some unknown reason. All of a sudden, I just decided I wanted to eat. And I've never eaten sweets. Never. It was just never my thing. And now I just. So I'm working on it. But I'm very pleased with my weight. I've only. I had gone down to 138, and I'm now varying between 140 and 142. So that's good. That's. Yes, I'm very pleased with that. And I don't know how that's happening with what I've been eating. So I. I really need to get control before all of a sudden the weight starts going up. But.

Well, I think that this exercise was very timely for you, Right. Because I think that, you know, just with what you shared, you can rewrite a lot of that, right. And have it somewhere where it's visible. Right. And I think that doing these types of exercises just increases our awareness and also helps us to perhaps take that pause, right. When you do want to eat whatever that chocolate bar or whatever it is, like, take that pause and think about what you wrote down, Right? Because ultimately, at the end of the day, you know you're cheating yourself, right? People will say, oh, I'm allowed one cheat day. It's like, oh, my coach says, you know, I have. I can have a cheat day. It's like, you're not cheating your Coach, you're cheating yourself. Right. So just basically, I think spending some time this week to do this exercise this weekend will be really helpful for you.

Thank you.

Welcome. Okay, so thank you so much for sharing. I hope you all found that exercise helpful and powerful. And I guess we'll move on to any questions that anyone might have. You can type them in the chat or you can raise your hand, whatever works best for you. And I do have to wrap up a little bit early because I do have another Q and a at 1 and I haven't had a break since 9:30, so I just need like a 5 minute breather. But yeah, happy to answer whatever questions are coming up for people. Rosalynn, you can go ahead and unmute.

Thank you.

I had.

Hopefully this is quick, but I'm. Yeah, I listened to the digestion module, I think it was last weekend, and I've been having some trouble trying to balance my water intake within the guidelines that I understood, which was one hour before meals and you know, one to two hours after meals. And I found that I've been drinking less. Um, and I guess what is, you know, should we, should we always at least in the release phase be striving for 8 to 108 ounce glasses per day?

Yeah, at least. Minimum, I would say, you know, it is unique for each person. But on the release phase, typically we recommend 80 to 100 ounces. But I, you know, at a minimum, I would say to get half your body weight in ounces.

Mm. And is it okay to really like, I know the, the drops, there's, you know, on the kind of schedule of meals and everything, it says to do the drops first thing in the morning. But I've been waking up pretty early and I've actually been. And 7 o' clock is like an hour and a half away. So if I get some water in before the drops, that that's okay, right?

Yeah, it should be fine as long as like the drops. Ideally we want you to have it on an empty stomach. Oh, that's ideal.

But well, with, with is water considered an empty stomach or. Oh, okay. All right. And then that actually, so then I, I've had like four glasses of water in the morning before the drops and I didn't realize it was an empty stomach. So how long after meals for the drops?

So you know, usually like typically people will, let's say, have their lunch at noonish, so at least if there's 30 minutes. But I know for some people, like if it's getting close, then I rather them just take the drops rather than miss the meal. So ideally, you want to have like a 30 minute gap from your meal to your drops. Yeah.

And lunch is the challenging one. Yeah. Okay, good to know. Thank you so much. You're very welcome.

I know Way was asking in the chat about tea, so. Yes, teas are allowed as long as, you know herbal teas, black teas, green tea, as long as you don't put any sugar in them or creamer. Some herbal tea blends, you just have to read the back because sometimes they have like added sugars. So as long as it's like a clean tea with no added sugar, then you're totally okay to have that. And that, as Alice has mentioned, the herbal teas are included as a part of your daily water intake. And stevia is okay to add to both tea or coffee. What other questions do you all have? Cheryl, go ahead and unmute.

I, I used the stevia when I was on the program, and now that I am not, I've transitioned back to a little bit of honey. So I have tea two to three times a day with about a half a teaspoon of honey. And if I have yogurt, I put a smidgen of maple syrup in it. What, what's ideal? Like, to me, stevia is like, I try to eat as natural and as good as I can, but I also don't want to be overdoing my sugars and stuff either. Should I maybe be doing some stevia and some honey or is that, is that too much what I told you I was taking? Or I don't eat any sweets other than like, if occasionally. Yes, but I. We don't have stuff in the house generally.

Okay. Yeah. So some people just don't like the taste of stevia because it does have a, I feel like more unique taste.

It didn't. Didn't bother me.

Okay. So I think if you're doing like a little bit of honey once a day, like half a teaspoon to a teaspoon, like, honey does have a lot of other beneficial properties. Right? It's Right. Especially if you're buying unpasteurized honey.

Yes.

So, you know, those benefits are, are great. So half a teaspoon to a teaspoon. So if you're having more than that, then you could sub it out with like the stevia, for example.

Yeah, if I have extra tea, then put stevia in it and do honey for some of it. Okay.

Exactly.

Yeah. Okay. Okay.

And then I know Rosalyn was asking about xylitol, so xylitol is okay as well. It's zero calorie. It is a sugar alcohol. So for some people, it does cause digestive upset like blo. So it just depends on the person and whether they feel that it impacts them in a negative way. If it doesn't, then that's okay. Yep. What other questions or comments?

Anything else from anyone?

Okay. Well, in that case, I'll let you all enjoy the rest of your day. I know it's a long weekend, so enjoy your long weekend. Spend time with loved ones and family and make sure you get some of that outdoor time right. Even if it's just 20 minutes, it's goes by quick and you'll feel. I don't think anyone has ever said, oh, man, I feel terrible after that walk. Most people feel really good after they go for a walk in nature. So spend some time in nature. That's my challenge for you all. 20 minutes. Okay, have a great weekend, everyone, and we'll see you all next Friday. Bye.