I know, I know.

This should be simple. I should be able to do this, but I’ll wave the

“I’m a Single, Self-Employed, Homeschooling Mother!!” flag as my excuse.

I’ve been eating too much fat.

I’ve been eating too late and night.

I’ve not been exercising enough and I NEED TO TRY GREEN JUICES!!

So, while I know a lot of people out there wouldn’t necessarily admit it…

…I need help.

*sniff*

I tried sprouts all by myself and felt brave and powerful. But now I’ve got sprouts on my balcony growing 3 feet tall. I have enough seeds to feed a nation of hamsters, but I realized I really don’t like sprouting.

So, juicing is my only uncharted territory. That and regular enemas! *GASP* But Gina sent me some suggestions this morning so… don’t think I won’t get there eventually.

I just want to get the springy summer vibe pulsing through my system and I bet juicing is the way to do it. But I’ve always had a button on wasting all that FIBER! *sigh*

I can feel I’m not my perky self and I know I need a cleanse of some kind.

Can someone hold my hand and walk me through this green juice process, please?

And no! I don’t want to watch any videos.

Just give me a shopping list, some recipes and make me a HAPPY WOMAN!!!

Mmmmmuah!

Love and gratitude,

Tera

Girlfriend, if I get one more email from someone who apologizes for taking up my time, I’m going to… I’m going to write a ranting blog about it!

AH-HA! Voila!

SERIOUSLY, the number of women who email me apologetically for taking up my time is shocking to me. Forgive me, sweet diva, because I come by my red hair honestly so I simply cannot keep quiet about this.

Likely you’ve stumbled upon this site and our girlie resources because you’re looking to improve your life–to feel better in your skin and more hopeful about the possibilities of what your life can be.

And it truly is an honor for us to have you here. I mean that. This isn’t some PR speech, you know. I mean, the real and genuine purpose of what we do here is to see other women embrace their potential, find balance, support, love and community.

Without you, this would be a pathetic waste of our time.

So, if I’m not mistaken and you really are here to lead a more positive and empowered life, then there is something you’ll need to do to make that happen:

TAKE UP SPACE IN THE WORLD!!

YOU are a gorgeous, powerful, clever creature and your time is as valuable as mine or anyone else’s. If you’re apologizing to me (Ms. Cheerfully Positive and Loving Humanitarian of the Year) then who else are you apologizing to for taking up their time? Huuuuuh?

TIME IS TIME! And your time is a gift to any person with whom you choose to share it.

You could be lying in sweet grass sniffing clover.

You could be in the arms of someone you love.

You could be out there on some other woman’s website (GASP!!).

But you’re here, and that really means a lot to us. Wherever you are, BE THERE FULLY and take up the space you deserve.

Go outside to a tall place at night. A balcony, a rooftop, a hill somewhere–get as high as you can then look uuuuup and see the farthest stars you can.

YOU are as big as you can imagine yourself to be. Stretch the limits of you out to the farthest stars and then farther still. OWN THAT SPACE. Be as big as you can and just enjoy all that room to breathe!

Practice the art of knowing that your time is a gift to others, too.

I offer free personal consultations to the women who are a part of our Body Enlightenment System and I am always so sad to learn how many women held back from asking for help because they didn’t want to waste my time!!

Eeek! Your time is a gift to me, and none of us are in this crazy game of life on our own, you know. My exchanges with other courageous women of the world are what inspire, fulfill and empower me to do what I do. I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t willing.

So, today, practice the art of taking up space and take up time, too. Know that you belong here! More than that, you’re a key player in this circle of life and your contributions matter and make the world a better place to be, too!

Love and big, wide, astral hugs,

Tera

p.s.

And if you’re trying to lose those last 10 pounds, when your confidence and “beingness” start taking up more space, your body will be able to stop overcompensating.

Well, as may have become obvious, my little tigers are back from their vacation and time has quickly sucked itself out of my life.

HOLY COW is it ever incredible to think of how bum wiping and dispute resolution consume such an enormous part of my day. That having been said, it’s Monday! The kids finally left for their Dad’s for the night and it’s my time to get juicy.

And, since we’ve made Monday our Making Sense of Men days, I thought I’d share a few of the thoughts that wiggle themselves about in my brain as I drift off to sleep at nights.

Having taken the time recently to evaluate my past relationships I really got to see what worked and what didn’t. I get, now, where I made mistakes and I am observing myself do a complete 180 degree turn in terms of how I handle my relationships and communication.

In my ideal scene before two people decide to embark on the adventure of loving each other, they’d sit down and share their visions for the world. Ask a thousand questions of what they like, what they don’t like. Put sex, money, kids and past relationships out there on the table for both sides to see and THEN decide if the whole package makes sense.

I’ve never liked being a statistic. I didn’t want to be a divorcee. I believe in love and partnership and think that a family, when it functions with love and trust and supportive communication, is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed.

But I do think you can live a perfectly fulfilled and empowered life without having a long term partner.  YES! It’s exciting and fun, and there’s so much to learn, but I’ve seen myself so on fire about life, community and the creative work I do that I’ve questioned whether a relationship is really something I need or want right now.

And you know what, I really don’t think I do.

I’m so excited by the work we do, so busy with kids and so engaged in my studies that I just don’t really WANT to take on more. I feel fulfilled and the first thing I’ve learned in this incredible process for myself has been how much I really like just being ME.

And that’s an awfully good place to start.

Muah!

xo

Tera

That’s what Tim said when he saw the picture of my Dad the other day. I liked that, because it’s somehow accurate in more ways than the obvious. You can get a better sense of that yourself by checking out the interview I did with him last night.

I’ve conducted more interviews in the last year or so than I could comfortably count, but this one was kinda special. I can remember when my Dad was a hot air balloon pilot and he came to visit my class I thought he was the most famous guy in the world. I still think he’s pretty cool.
It was so interesting to hear some of his perspective’s on problems and how to confront them. I believe he called himself a pathological optimist. (I believe I picked up on that gene. ) I loooved the way he spoke about ripping through dark clouds and the thing that impacted him the most when he spent time with Malcolm Forbes in France.

I hope you enjoy this call with him. I learned a lot and have had some really positive feedback from others who heard the call, too. You can check it out here!

He’s a neat guy, and he’s having a big impact on the world with his company while living on Fortune Bay right now, in Newfoundland, where whales go by just outside his window…

Speaking of whales…

…they won’t be able to keep going by unless YOU do something to make sure you’re ensuring their survival! You can do that best by signing up for our Green Smoothie Queen’s 3 Day Challenge.

Today’s Health In High Heels is ready to roll off the presses!

Mmmmuah!

Have an absolutely smashing Thursday, my lovelies!

Tera

Oh MY what a beautiful adventure I had yesterday!

Not too long ago when I had been out venturing to buy my dirt and sprouting supplies at my local health food store, I was standing in line when the person beside me spoke my name.

“Are you Tera?”

“Uhh… yeah,” I said, not so sure myself.

And then this charmingly cheerful guy proceeded to tell me that he recognized my face from some of the work I’ve done in the name of raw food. And as I was wrestling with 10lbs of organic soil, 2 kids and lots of sprouts, we didn’t get the chance to chat much, but exchanged cards with the promise of an adventure in the near future.

And yesterday was my lucky day! We spent about 3 hours walking around the mountain and had a great chat about our raw food adventures. Jimmy’s been raw for about 8 or 9 years, now, and says he feels best on the David Wolfian approach with a bit of coconut oil, more nuts and seeds and oooooh baby… CHOCOLATE!

Jimmy, who will be contributing an article soon on Wild Greens in the urban jungle, also has the black book on organics in Montreal and he showed me his community grocery store! OH MY GOSH I’m shocked I didn’t squeal in public, but I was so impressed, excited and AMAZED at the selection of organic foods at this place for a MUCH better price than I’ve seen anywhere else.

The height of the adventure for me was the fact that Jimmy knows back alley snacks better than anyone. While I had a bit to learn about high risk zones (potential peed on patches) I was eager to nibble and taste the greens that Jimmy showed me popping up in back alleys.

The new discovery for the week which just tickles me pink, and will no doubt be reducing my grocery bill even further, is LAMBSQUARTERS. Yummmmy! And I saw some bunches of grapes that I just know will be ready for foraging in a few weeks. I LOVE SUMMER!!!

So we took these pictures hoping you’d be able to identify some delightful salad or Green Smoothie additions to your meals this summer!

Thanks, Jimmy, for an amazing afternoon adventure. I’m off to shop and fill my stroller with mountains of organic fruits and veggies before my kids get back from vacation tomorrow.

Happy back alley snacking everyone!

mmmuah!

Tera

p.s.

Would you nick the nibblets from your neighbor’s back yard??

p.p.s.

Tonight’s the night I interview the most important man in my life: MY DAD!!

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

And so, it is with megaphones blasting that we intend to celebrate Green Smoothie Day on August 15th!

And you, my dear?

I don’t know yet what I’m going to do, personally, but so far I think I might volunteer myself and go to my favorite Health Food Store and make green smoothies for a few hours–pass out free samples and recipe cards. Do a workshop for free in my community center, and then host a green smoothie party and my house after.

If you haven’t yet checked our cheeky announcement about Green Smoothie Day we’ve taken on the declaration of a new International day of celebration and festivities in the name of raw food and greeeeen lovin and we’d sooo like you to be a part of this with us.

So… here’s the deal:

If you’re doing anything to promote the consumption of Green Smoothies out there, we want to know about it! Just send us a message, because we’ll be featuring Green Smoothie Goddesses, bloggers, girlfriends, you name it! Boys, too! Anyone taking on the Green Smoothie Queen’s 3 Day Challenge and helping to spread the word about Green Smoothies will definitely get a big raspberry kiss of approval from us!

Like these super divas!

We have a special new product we’re unveiling on this day, too! We’ve been trying to put it together for ages, and finally we’ve made it happen. We have some special guests coming to celebrate this event with us, and we’ll definitely let you in on that as we get closer to the date.

Anyway, get the eco streamers out and blow up your green balloons, cuz we want to CELEBRATE and we’d love you to do it with us.

For those of you who are not yet signed up for our Diamonds for Diva affiliate program, you can do that here, and we’ll reveal to you our big plans for this special celebration!

So tell me!! What are you doing for Green Smoothie Day?

Let’s start with a little Green Loving from one of my favorite green icons in the world!

Green hugs and kisses,

MMMUAH!

Well, I can’t believe I just wrote that blog headline, but what the heck and here we go…

…another session of throwing myself out there on the examining table with the hopes that my stumbling about might inspire other women to walk a bit more gracefully than I have in this area of my life. Amy and I have been giggling behind the scenes lately and keeping up good spirits about my repeatedly disappointing adventures with…

MEN!

Don’t get me wrong. This is not a rant. I adore, admire and have total and complete affinity for men. I think they’re incredibly delicious creatures and one day, when I figure out a bit more about myself in relationship to them, perhaps I’ll find one to create a powerful and passionate life with. I have to admit that I must have a lot to learn in this area of life because until now a truly empowering, loving and passionate relationship has not manifested itself despite my best intentions and attempts to make it happen.

I believe the only things we cannot control are the things we don’t fully understand and since I’ve never been very good at victimizing myself in relationship to others, I have no choice. I need to roll up my sleeves and take responsibility for the fact that I have some learning to do here. Where relationships are concerned, you can consider me officially in RESEARCH MODE until further notice.

And my research is starting HERE: www.understandmen.com

I’ve just ordered the book Making Sense of Men

and… the cd set The Amazing Development of Men (Expanded Version –because I really don’t want to miss anything!)

AND… as if that wasn’t enough, I’ve also ordered In Sync With The Opposite Sex.

I’ve only heard great things about this program and am very excited about my little splurge. (All in the name of research and development, of course!) I’ve tried other authors that were fascinating, but too HEAVY and intense. I don’t want orgasmic enlightenment at this stage in my life. I just want some effective communication and long term glue-power to make love work!

And I think one of the most powerful things we can possibly experience is a truly committed and loving relationship built on communication, understanding and a shared vision for life. I really want to fully capture and embrace my power as a woman, then find a man who compliments me and with whom I thrive and feel empowered. I am very, very excited about this process. I can see so many of my relationships have been built on unstable ground. There are so many areas of my life where I feel simply unstoppable, but this one has evaded me. Until now, my lovelies!

By the way, I thought to kick off this Making Sense of Men adventure by inviting the one man who’s life has impacted me more than any other to share a few of this thoughts about love, relationships, and life in general. MY DAD! He’s actually a very inspirational entrepreneur and I think you might just enjoy a few of the things he has to say. Go ahead! Send in your questions. I really think my Dad is a pretty neat guy and I’m excited about having the chance to speak with him like this.

I have to be honest and I’m embarrassed to admit it, but it’s never happened before. I’ve never just stopped and thought to ask my Dad for his thoughts on life, love and relationships like this. (Here’s a cool article I found about him while googleing! It’s pretty old though!) Tim says he looks like me and Bill Gates combined. ha! ha!

I just gotta know…

Could this journey be something helpful to YOU? Would you like to make more sense of men and yourself in relationship to them?

But this time, she struck OUT!

I can’t believe my own pigheadedness about this composting issue of mine. I’ve been sprouting like crazy (though my experiments leave me keenly aware of my serious lack of knowledge in this area). It means I have the most gorgeously nutrient-rich soil imaginable. It’s all beautifully organic, oozing with minerals and my little sprouts just love the soil.

I also insist on buying organic food, and so consume what can feel at times industrial quantities of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. But the fact that I have primo composting material and not a square inch of backyard to compost them in, leaves me perpetually frustrated.

Why can’t I just throw it out? I mean, most people don’t even think about that stuff, but for me the visceral response I get in my body for doing so is more than I can handle. It’s like the pain of piles of compost piling up in my kitchen is far less than the pain of watching this beautiful green, goodness go into a landfill.

*sigh*

I like being conscious and taking responsibility for my choices. I won’t be in this apartment forever. Eventually I’ll find some cozy eco-friendly “home” off the grid where I plant and putter and sip smoothies in the sun. Maybe even find a cute boy to help me turn my compost. But right now I’m here in the urban jungle fighting for a bit of room to let nature do her thing and it’s rough.

I don’t want to be a bitter, hairy-arm-pit eco-warrior. I just want to smile and know that the cycle of life is happy at work, not purifying in some pit of plastic.

*sigh*

So on my back porch right now, I have a BIG ol’ garbage can. You know, the BIG ol’ plastic ones that people put on their balconies.

And I’m terrified of opening it, because inside is a bucket of compostable material that I don’t know what to do with!

Do I creep out in the middle of the night when no one is walking and dump it in the bushes by the train? (The longer it sits there the less I want to open it!)

I could do that, but the thought has me rather nervous. IMAGINE me creeping out at night with buckets of soil and banana peels and melon rinds scattering it in the bushes!!

I think if I do it every day, it might not be so bad. It would take discipline, and that’s never been my forté.

If every day I just took a stylin little shopping bag and sprinkled my eco treats along the trees, it wouldn’t be that bad at all. But what about all the other people out there…

Rather than rant about my composting crisis any further, I will say that I’ve got to start finding some eco-warriors in this city. Maybe the boys at Crudessence will know what to do about this?

I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to cross paths with these guys. I have to give them my kudos because they really are doing such great things right now and getting the raw food message out to Montrealers in a positive way. Last night’s dilly sushi roll that I picked up at my favorite health food store was a real treat. I love that I can now just go somewhere for ready made raw food treats that are a bit more interesting than a banana…

I digress.

Back to the composting.

So, yesterday for the Sisterhood program, I had the pleasure of Interviewing John Roulac, the founder of Nutiva and author of some fine books on Hemp seed aaaaand, BACKYARD COMPOSTING. The guy’s a pioneer–an eco-crusader and has done a lot for the world. (MMmuah! Here’s to you, John!). He said some beautiful things and had so many empowering tips and tricks for people who do have a backyard. I loved his analogy of comparing the crust of the Earth with the peel of an apple, reminding us of the importance of protecting all the valuable minerals and nutrients that are kept on the surface of the Earth!

Now, he had some great advice, and specifically what to do about the flies that seem to adore my composting obsession. I figure if I get frustrated with this situation enough, I will get out there and DO something about it. Write to parliament, or start a protest… I dunno.

For now I think I’ll hang out at some community gardens and see what I can muster up from a few conversations with friendly folks who are trying to live the eco-conscious lifestyle in the urban jungle like me.

Weeeell, the kids are still on vacation and will be until the 17th. That means lots and lots of “me time.” The little lovebuds did call me this morning. They’re so cute. I have this picture as the desktop on my computer. These little eyes that look up at me throughout the day.

I love those muffins.

I don’t really miss them too much, though. That’s the nice thing. I have so much to do for myself that I’m actually watching the days fly by much more quickly than I expect. One of the things I’m trying to do is take advantage of the absence of little sneakers dragging in sand from the parks to clean up the house!

Slowly I’m confronting the clutter and general disorder I’ve been living with. It’s not THAT bad–nothing a few hours wouldn’t handle, but it persists and just seems to be an ongoing annoyance.

Did you ever notice that when you make a shift in your life on some personal level, that suddenly the whole furniture needs arranging! Strange? Perhaps, but Vanessa our Clutter Free Diva doesn’t think so.

You know, while we were doing the last Clutter Busting program in the Spring, Vanessa started to give us some Feng Shui tips! I could SWEAR this woman is a magician, or else there is definitely something fishy going on. She was talking about tricks and tips for attracting a MAN into your life, and silly me, I tried it!

But it worked too fast! And the rest of me wasn’t ready so it flopped.

Now that the kids aren’t here, I’m really getting the chance to put my gloves on, pull up my sleeves and make this place feel the way I need it to feel. And I’m holding off on any of Vanessa’s magic tricks for a while. Just dusting and organization will do the trick for now. ;-)  This round of the BES, we’ve been hearing a lot of people talking about their need to do the same thing. You know, I honestly believe that anyone making major dietary changes is going to have to consider making some changes to their home and environment, too. Vanessa and I decided we would try and hustle our butts and get our “official”30 Day Clutter Busting program together. Sooo, we’ll keep you posted. We did a test run on this program in the Spring and it was AMAZING!! Everyone loved it!

I think it’s really important that when we’re cleaning out our cupboards and fridges of the foods that don’t support us, this clean up needs to really resonate into all elements of our lives. You just can’t kick over one domino without the whole stack falling down. That’s the beauty of life, too, you know.

If you just commit to making positive change in your life–if you just commit to moving forward, then suddendly everything and everyone else around you shifts, too. Oh, changes don’t happen overnight, sweet diva, but they do happen. If you’re not convinced, ask yourself what life was like a year ago. What about 2 years ago?

Commit to learning and growing and your world starts taking on a beautiful new shape. In the same way, we can’t expect or dietary changes to stick, if our lifestyle and living habits don’t also adjust themselves accordingly. Clutter Busting, for me, anyway, is NECESSARY and vital to being well and thriving in your life.

Speaking of which…

…I’ve got to take on a pile of books in the middle of my living room, so I’m outta here. Please keep posted on the blog. We’ve got some amazing new women who are part of our community here, and will be offering a lot more juicy articles and updates through the blog. I’m excited about them. You can start to peek at them here, but you’ll see them popping around on the blog, too.

Oh! Before I go… this is what I’ve been listening to while I write this! If there is a theme song to my life, it’s this one! Check it out! Mango trees and all. And oh PULEEAAASE, Jack, could you MELT me with your eyes and those super delicious lips at 1:30seconds. UGH!

*gush*

Do you have a theme song? Slip me a link and serenade me, Sunshine! I could use a bit of sing-song around here while I’m busting clutter and butt.

Kelpy kisses,

Tera

p.s.

Diana Ross definitely got me through my divorce!!   Thank YOU, Diana!

Healthy Hair Serum

This serum will moisturize your strands with a nourishing oil that will restore luster to your hair and the essential oils will stimulate hair growth and also help to strengthen the capillaries that supply blood to the scalp and hair follicles and improve elasticity.

Jojoba Oil (Cold pressed)
Jojoba oil is a liquid wax produced from a desert plant called Simmondsia Chinensis. It is cold pressed from the seeds of the jojoba plant, a shrub, native to California, Arizona and Mexico. Jojoba oil when applied to the skin has absorption properties similar to sebum (oil) and prevents moisture loss. Jojoba oil conditions your hair and prevents it from being dry, brittle and dull

Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves, flowers and twigs of R. officinalis and the numerous sub varieties. It is a pale yellow to almost colorless mobile liquid with a strong, fresh, woody-herbaceous smell. Rosemary is probably one of the best known and most used of the aromatic herbs. It is a relaxing and revitalizing oil that has the ability to heal wounds and regenerate the skin. The oil is reputed to stimulate hair growth and prevent premature baldness and well as used in the prevention of dandruff.

Beauty Note: This herb should not be used by anyone who is pregnant or suffering from epilepsy. Because rosemary is a stimulant, it should not be used by heart patients.

West Indian Bay Essential Oil
West Indian Bay (Pimenta racemosa) essential oil is steam distilled or water distilled from the leaves of the tree native to West Indies and is cultivated in Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. The oil is recommended as a scalp stimulant and can also be used as a hair rinse for those who suffer with dandruff.

Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile essential oil is distilled from the flowering tops of Anthemis nobilis. It is a native of Western Europe and is now cultivated in England, Belgium, France and Hungary. Using pure chamomile essential oil on the scalp helps to strengthen the capillaries that supply blood to the scalp and hair follicles and improve elasticity.

*Precautions
Chamomile is in the Ragweed family and may react with those who have extreme sensitivities to the Ragweed family.

Recipe
¼ cup jojoba oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
5 drops West Indian bay essential oil
5 drops chamomile essential oil

Combine the jojoba oil with the rosemary essential oil, the West Indian bay essential oil and the chamomile essential oil and store in a darkly tinted glass bottle with a tight fitting lid. Let the mixture sit for 24 hours before using. Apply serum from scalp to the ends of the strands of your hair, cover hair with plastic cap or warm towel for 15 minutes. Shampoo and rinse your hair twice. Dry and style your hair as normal. This treatment can be done once a week for normal to dry hair or once a month for oily hair.

Enjoy!!
By Tracy Neely