Our eBook Is Complete!

Hi and welcome.

I'm excited to say, "Ta Da!" (with a musical tone to it) today!

After much anticipation, Richard and I are pleased to announce that our "Becoming the BEST YOU... Tools for Work and Life Balance" eBook is finally complete. A labour of love, this has been an eight month journey of working diligently at the computer each day.

By far, the hardest part of writing this eBook has been how to condense down 26 and 30 years of counselling and teaching experience into a publication without it becoming 500 pages long! We initially aimed to produce a 75 - 100 page book, but it quickly expanded to a now 111-pages. This is largely the reason the completion has taken MUCH longer than originally intended (and promised). We're sure that you'll agree, it will have been worth the wait.

So, what do we hope our readers (hopefully including you) will get out of this BEST YOU eBook?

The goal of this eBook is to help you remember how possible and powerful it is to choose to live in natural expression of your true potential, to embrace your personal abilities and find greater balance by embracing the flow of life. Aspiring to be and do your best to balance the urgent need for material success and security opens the freedom to explore the richness in love, play, creative expression and new depths of intimacy in your relationships. Improve your personal life first and the quality of your work life will improve, too!

Working with this eBook will lead you on an adventure to remember your true nature, helping you to remember the important difference between balancing the many extremes of DOINGS needed in your daily life with the essence and inspiration of your BEING… in order to experience the BEST YOU in a healthy, balanced way of living and working.

Over the years, we’ve seen how the application of specific self-care practices can make a difference to the quality of life that individuals live… simple tools, with transformational results.

What is Work Life Balance?

We teach that balance is a dynamic process… not a destination. Balance is a verb, rather than a noun… active and ever-changing. Much like a tight-rope walker naturally wavers to keep his balance; life is naturally like this, too… dealing with life’s challenges in the best way possible.

The task of the average working person is to maximize every opportunity in their home and work environments to optimize being as “balanced on the wire” as possible. How? By implementing simple practices that address every aspect of the human experience… which means looking after oneself well physically, emotionally, mentally, in relationships, in their work space and in spirit, too. We have much to offer here!

We know that when individuals take exceptional care of balancing their personal lives, they then bring a much better balance into their work experience. Their outlook is brighter and more optimistic. They tend to have better concentration and focus, they don’t have as many things pulling them in a million directions… overall, they have less stress and overwhelm. Yes, balance ends up expressed a little different for every person depending on what challenges and opportunities are going on in their lives, but the road to balance consists of pretty much the same ingredients… exceptional self-care in every aspect of life.

I'm not kidding when I say that this eBook is busting at the seams with information! Every page is absolutely full. Tastefully infused with graphics and even a few of my favourite photographs, too, it is visually appealing... or at least, that's the feedback so far.

The next phase of this eBook introduction is to now prepare our website to be able to deliver this downloadable file (along with it's companion two bonus chapters AND Relaxation Guided Meditation MP3!) in a seamless way.

Assuming this next step proceeds as smoothly as I hope it will, our "Becoming the BEST YOU Possible" eBook will be available very shortly! Thankfully, I'll have the valuable help of my friend, Sheila Martin to make this so. I may even have an exact launch date for you within the next few days... I'll certainly keep you alerted.

Warmly, Carolyn

Inner Fitness(R) Programs

www.innerfitness.ca

www.a-balanced-life.com

Return To Affordable, Homemade Gift Giving

Six days to Christmas... wow!

If you are still not clear on what to gift your loved ones, consider avoiding the usual hype of commercialism and assemble or craft a few homemade gifts and give them instead of store-bought gifts, knowing that they will be happily received... because you took the time and energy to make them yourself.

You might be thinking, “What kinds of gifts could I possibly make before Christmas?”

Well, here are a few ideas for you to have fun with!

- make a batch of jam, dressing each of the jars up with ribbon
- make a few dozen cookies, fancying up each plate or tin with holly or nice paper
- frame a lovely photograph of yourself and give it to your loved one
- visit your local dollar store for token gifts, such as a perfectly shaped coffee mug, then fill it with a biscotti or two to dip
- buy a magnetized notepad & attach a pen for someone’s fridge door
(include a happy message on the notepad!)
- calligraphy out your favorite quotation or poem and frame it
- bake your most delicious banana bread and “pretty it up”
- make loaves of homemade bread and give it with one of your jams
- dry some nice flowers and make an arrangement, tied with ribbon
- write a heartfelt letter to someone you have been out of touch with
- or make a handmade Christmas tree ornament!

These are a few token gifts that we have had fun making and giving over the years. Undoubtedly, you have created special little gifts, too…
let me know about some of them, I’d love to hear from you!

If your budget is such that it will allow you to give a little more substantially and you are looking for something unique, here are a few more suggestions to consider;

- a subscription to a health magazine
- an appointment for a massage or pedicure
- a self-help book, audio book or video
- a beautiful houseplant
- a gift basket filled with tasty food items
- aromatherapy bath and massage oils, soaps
- a gift certificate for a house cleaning service
- tickets to a play, concert, comedy show or opera
- a garden ornament or accessory
- a yoga mat and video
- exercise equipment
- or a donation to a favorite charity... or another idea is...

• Our guided meditation CDs are available online through CD Baby at http://cdbaby.com/cd/crclarke4 They make GREAT gifts.

A few years ago, Richard and I had the inspiration to make up “Sensuality Baskets,” filling them with taste, sound, smell and touch treats…a great CD, scrumptious cheeses and crackers, the very best chocolates, candles, bath essential oils, incense, etc. They were quite affordable to put together and were received with tremendous thanks.

So, there you are... a few ideas to give original and affordable gifts.

Make it a great holiday!

Warmly, Carolyn
Inner Fitness(R) Programs
www.innerfitness.ca
http://cdbaby.com/cd/crclarke4

Even the Weary Christmas Traveler Can Relax & Sleep Like A Baby

Thanks for visiting.

Sleep… the all-important elixir of life! Though the average adult typically needs eight hours of sleep each night studies show that our hectic North American lifestyle is actually contributing to a deficit in most people’s sleep time. In any given year at least one-third of the adult US population reports a sleep disturbance.

Sleep is a vital function, not a luxury!

Many people are shortening the amount of time they allot for their sleep in order to accommodate all the other things that need to be fit into their busy lives, even at the risk of their health. I, personally, don’t do well to short change myself of adequate sleep and I do all that I can to protect my regular sleep schedule for that all-important and loved replenishment.

Humans need two types of sleep: Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep (non-REM sleep) and Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM sleep). Our bodies and brain slow down during NREM sleep, the time of our deepest physical rejuvenation. REM sleep, on the other hand, is the time with fast eye movements and very active brainwave patterns and is accompanied by dreaming. This is the time when we are most rejuvenated mentally and physiologically. Most of our deep NREM sleep occurs in the first third of our sleep period, while REM periods are longer and occur on a more regular basis in the second half of our sleep period, though this pattern changes over the course of the night. Without this quality sleep, a sleep debt grows and we begin to suffer the consequences.

Sleep for travellers can be challenging, many averaging only six hours of sleep a night (rather than the necessary eight) and therefore accumulate a nightly sleep debt of two hours, which only adds up with each night of sleep loss. Thankfully, two consecutive nights of sleeping eight hours each can recover this deprivation.

On top of less sleep, changing time zones, disrupting the internal body clock, interruption to our familiar food and exercise patterns, as well as irregular exposure to light can all result in disrupted or reduced sleep and even sleep debt.

I recall eastward bound travel I’ve made and admit I definitely found it harder than flying west! Why? Though we live on a 24-hour day, the internal body clock prefers to run longer. When flying west, our day is 'extended' and going in the natural direction of our internal clock, whereas, when flying east, we lose time and ‘shrink’ our day in opposition to our internal clock's natural tendency.

When travelling to a different time zone, our internal (circadian) clock needs time to adjust. Our body's internal systems all adjust at different rates, the sleep and wake cycle at one rate, while our temperature rhythm changes at a different pace. This is what creates jet lag. Due to time zone changes, we may be wide awake on “home time”, while the place we visit is sound asleep, and visa versa. I will never forget looking over at Richard and finding him sound asleep beside me as we toured around Paris… why?... it was night time back at home!

18 tips to promote relaxation and sleeping like a baby…even away from home!

□ Take along familiar home items that might encourage you to feel “home away from home,” such as a family photo, candles, relaxing aroma therapy bath products, etc.

□ Supplement your reduced sleep with a short nap(s) because any sleep is better than no sleep.

□ Ask for a room away from noisy area, such as elevators, ventilation systems, stairwells and lounges.

□ If travelling for only a few days, it may be most beneficial to keep your internal body clock on your own 'home time'. This includes sleeping times as well as meal times, too, because even our stomachs have to adjust during travel.

□ Be smart around the use of stimulants, such as coffee, to keep you awake. Time your consumption of them to when you need a lift, but not too close to when you need to unwind. Though many people lean towards having a few drinks to “wind down,” alcohol consumed within 3-4 hours of bedtime can actually disrupt sleep quality and quantity. Have that alcoholic drink earlier than later and, towards bedtime drink a camomile tea or steamed milk for the relaxing, sleepy effect these bring on.

□ Avoid eating a big meal before you want to sleep or your body will get busy to digest, rather than slow down to replenish! If you really must eat something, eat sparingly and smartly, foods that will not produce stimulating effects.

□ Be smart with your evening activities, plan gentle things that will induce sleep (so avoid upsetting evening news, etc.).

□ Though exercise close to bedtime is thought to tire us out, in fact, it can serve to stimulate us awake instead. A gentle, quiet, restful session of relaxation stretches or yoga poses, however, will likely do the job of mellowing the body and mind for sleep.

□ If sleep is eluding you and you’re tempted to take a pharmaceutical in order to sleep, make sure you know the side effects of any medication and have talked to your family doctor first. If you insist on taking something, a natural remedy to promote drowsiness is Valerian, or the more benign anti-nausea travel pill called Gravol, now more widely dispensed in hospitals instead of sleeping pills.

□ Bring along an aroma therapy pillow spray infused with lavender or mint… the scents will play their wonderful effect on your mood and lull you into relaxation.

□ Draw yourself a bath infused with essence of lavender and languish in it as a good sleep-induction.

□ Set your environment to maximize getting to sleep… close the draperies, turn the temperature down to cool rather than warm, place the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the hotel doorknob, and have the hotel hold all phone calls.

□ This might sound funny, but try wearing cozy, soft, loose-fitting cotton socks to bed for a snugly effect…I sleep better this way!

□ Since the lighting conditions might be different in your travel location than at home, consider using an eye mask.

□ Travel with a portable CD player and a Relaxation meditation or calming music to listen to in order to wind down and tuck in! Shop around for the perfect travel “sleep enticing” music or meditation, such as our Inner Fitness® “Relaxation” CD, for a great night’s sleep!

□ Earplugs are a blessing to mask unfamiliar hotel sounds and snoring!

□ If a busy mind keeps you awake, speeding along at 100mph making it so that your body can’t go to sleep, interrupt it as though you are boss and say, “No, this is not the time to sort things out, this is my time to sleep to rest and replenish! I’ll work with you tomorrow to sort these things out after I am rested and able to think clearly.” Stand your ground, it might take a little practice!

□ If you find yourself tossing and turning for more than 20 or 30 minutes, you’re better to get up and do something that promotes rest. Listen to your relaxation CD, watch TV or read until you feel drowsy, get back into bed and try again.

There you have it… a long list of relaxing sleep-care ideas to experiment with to sleep like a baby while you’re traveling at Christmas!

Warmly, Carolyn Clarke
Inner Fitness® Programs
Phone (604) 885-8885
Email: info@innerfitness.ca

Carolyn J. Clarke – her experience as a certified Natural Health Consultant, Healing Touch Practitioner, as well as her self-hypnosis, journal work and Inner Fitness® Breathwork Therapy serve in working with individuals, couples and corporate groups. With husband, Richard Clarke, they’ve guided thousands through their private counselling practice and Inner Fitness® seminars in life and relationships skills, human relations training and personal development. They are the creators of the Inner Fitness® series of guided meditation CDs.