Be Still, Metabolism Black Bean Soup

"Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts."
-- Arnold Bennett, Novelist

I love today’ quote. Sometimes we expect everything to be easy and the minute it gets hard we give up. We don’t want to sacrifice, sweat, push the limits, get past the discomfort or go even beyond our comfort zone. Fortitude and discipline are two of the things that separate success from failure. Some times you are closer to success than you realize, but you give up. I know patterns can be hard to break. They become so engrained and well, that’s why they are called habits, but you can create new ones. Ones that are productive, healthful and life producing. Every single day billions of your cells break down and build back up. After the age of 20, they rebuild, but not as strong as they were – but it does nto have to be that way. You can rebuild your cells to be stronger than they were the day before based on your choices. Your body is so incredible. I’ve been reading a book on longevity and metabolism backed by volumnes of research. You’ll be happy to know that of all of the things that you can do to stay young, exercise is the number one. Yes, I know I have been saying it all along, but exercise is your key to the fountain of youth more than what you eat, how much you sleep, your stress, supplement routine and so on.

Today’s Re-Powering Information – what I did want to talk about today is solitude. Yesterday morning (my chance to sleep in) I found myself lying in bed. I started out giving thanks for all of the things I was thankful for and within a minute my mind shifted to . . you should e-mail the boot camp ladies, don’t’ forget to send that contract to the TV show, e-mail the invoice to the client, contact personal trainers for new tele-seminar, call co-author to schedule Friday meeting for new Woman’s Adventure Boot, don’t forget to call Melina’s coach, did you finsh those food logs?, write check for property taxes, confirm flights, write grocery list for Yoshie, etc. Next thing you know it’s 5:30 am on a Sunday morning and I’m furiously working at my desk. I was looking for a sign to “BE STILL” and to break my constant “noise” mode. I got to church and the message was about “Being Still” and listening. When was the last time you drove in silence? Didn’t turn the TV on for a day, stopped checking e-mail for an afternoon, didn’t pick up the phone the moment you had a moment without something to do?

Our minds are constantly going and I am the BIGGEST perpertrator. I am NEVER STILL, but I am working on that. It’s always a work in progress. If you get a chance, read the book Eat, Pray, Love. The writer is so funny as she fights to be still during the Pray chapter of the book. I think we can all relate to how hard it is to be still. It’s something I am going to work on and I inivite you to do the same. Start out with 5 minutes and then build from there until you get to 30 minutes. It will have such far reaching effects on your being at peace with yourself and being clear on what you want and giving yourself a chance to listen to the messages you may be too busy to even see or hear.

When I got home from church, this message was in my in=-box from Brian Tracy so I felt complelled to address the topic today.

Also read on for a black bean soup recipe. Today is a perfect day for one.

The Magic of Solitude

By: Brian Tracy

The greatest men and women of all ages have practiced solitude regularly. They learned how to use silence to still their minds and tap into their superconscious powers for answers to their questions.

In this newsletter, you learn how you can apply this wonderful technique immediately to improve the quality of your inner and outer life.

The Magic of Solitude
Your feelings, your emotions, are the access point to your inner powers of mind. The most important part in the process of getting in touch with your feelings is to begin to practice solitude on a regular basis. Solitude is the most powerful activity in which you can engage. Men and women who practice it correctly and on a regular basis never fail to be amazed at the difference it makes in their lives.

Most people have never practiced solitude. Most people have never sat down quietly by themselves for any period of time in their entire lives. Most people are so busy being busy, doing something-even watching television-that it's highly unusual for them to simply sit, deliberately, and do nothing. But as Catherine Ponder points out, "Men and women begin to become great when they begin to take time quietly by themselves, when they begin to practice solitude." And here's the method you can use.
To get the full benefit of your periods of solitude, you must sit quietly for at least 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If you haven't done it before, it will take the first 25 minutes or so for you to stop fidgeting and moving around. You'll almost have to hold yourself physically in your seat. You'll have an almost irresistible desire to get up and do something. But you must persist.

Solitude requires that you sit quietly, perfectly still, back and head erect, eyes open, without cigarettes, candy, writing materials, music or any interruptions whatsoever for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.

Become completely relaxed, and breathe deeply. Just let your mind flow. Don't deliberately try to think about anything. The harder you "don't try," the more powerfully it works. After 20 or 25 minutes, you'll begin to feel deeply relaxed. You'll begin to experience a flow of energy coming into your mind and body.

You'll have a tremendous sense of well-being. At this point, you'll be ready to get the full benefit of these moments of contemplation.

The River of Ideas
The incredible thing about solitude is that if it is done correctly, it works just about 100 percent of the time. While you're sitting there, a stream, a river, of ideas will flow through your mind. You'll think about countless subjects in an uncontrolled stream of consciousness. Your job is just to relax and listen to your inner voice.

At a certain stage during your period of solitude, the answers to the most pressing difficulties facing you will emerge quietly and clearly, like a boat putting gently to the side of a lake. The answer that you seek will come to you so clearly and it will feel so perfect that you'll experience a deep sense of gratitude and contentment.

Trusting Yourself
When you emerge from this period of quiet, you must do exactly what has come to you. It may involve dealing with a human situation. It may involve starting something or quitting something. Whatever it is, when you follow the guidance that you received in solitude, it will turn out to be exactly the right thing to do. Everything will be OK. And it will usually work out far better than you could have imagined. Just try it and see.

You must learn to trust yourself. You must develop the habit of listening to yourself and then acting on the guidance you receive.

Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, select a specific time and place to sit quietly and practice one full hour of solitude. Don't put it off.

Second, take small periods of silence and solitude during the day, especially when you feel overwhelmed with problems or responsibilities.

Third, take action immediately on the ideas and insights you receive while in solitude. One good idea can save you months and years of hard work. The key is trust.
End
Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

This is one of the easiest soups I've ever made and it's delicious and very satisfying. I usually make a double recipe and freeze some of it to use during a hectic week.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups water
½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder or regular chile powder
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8-ounce) bottle salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Cooking Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.
2. Stir in water, chipotle powder, beans, and salsa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute.
3. Place 3 cups of black bean mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender right in the pan to partially blend the soup.
4. Stir in lime juice; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.
End
Have a bright day!