Personal Development - The Life Uncommon by Nacie Carson - Personal Development for a New Generation » Diet and Exercise

The Clean Program – Day 8

Nacie Carson — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:55:28 +0000

Last week, I launched a new kind of journey here at The Life Uncommon – I started reviewing a 21 day detox by our friend, Dr. Alejandro Junger. His program, known as “Clean,” is a revolutionary approach to cleansing the mind, body and soul.

The plan: 2 shakes per day from the kit sent to me by The Clean Team (thanks guys!) plus one “regular” meal…only this meal can’t contain any of the following items: dairy, beef, pork, tomatoes, sugar, gluten, most starches, and caffeine.

So this means I am going without some of my most favorite foods (ice cream, cheese, coffee, steak, and french fries) for three – count ‘em! – three weeks. Why I am doing this to myself?! If you are just tuning into this little review for the first time, check out why I started the program here.

Today I want to update you on my progress – I finished the first week and am now moving full speed ahead through my second. Here are some initial impressions:

I can’t believe I’m not hungry…I thought “detox” was synonymous with “starvation”…
The shakes taste pretty good, in spite of being “diet” shakes
I have lost 5 pounds (probably all water weight though) and a few inches off my abdomen
I just can’t believe I’m not hungry…wait, I said that already…

The first few days were pretty intense. I was passed out for 20 hours plus each day going through what the good people in the Clean support communities told me was the initial detox. Whatever it was, I felt like I had been hit by a bus with a monster flu back hand. Ugh.

Then, miraculously, on the fourth day, I woke up feeling clear headed, energetic, and ready to take on the world. Huh.

Now, days later, I am still running strong. The nuances and limitations of program have begun to feel like second nature, and it is easy to forget about some of the most delectable delights like pizza, chocolate, and wine.

Bottom line: feeling great, feeling strong, and not missing “real” food too much. Have felt a lift in creativity and thinking, so that’s good too.

Stay tuned as I continue through this interesting journey!

7 Spring Cleaning Tips for Uncommoners

Nacie Carson — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:08:23 +0000

Take a deep breath in – can you smell it? Spring is just around the corner!

With less than one month to go until we officially enter the spring season (and only several weeks before we set the clocks forward here in the USA), it is time to begin to think about one of my favorite activities of the year: spring cleaning.

The past few days the weather here in Boston has been bright, sunny, and hinting that warmer weather and green sprouts are not as far as away as we think. And in this environment, my mind has turned away from hibernating to throwing open the windows and cleaning out the grime – physically and emotionally.

When you live an Uncommon Life, spring cleaning means more than just dusting the tables and washing the floors; it means refreshing the mind, body, and soul in preparation for a super productive and successful summer and fall. It is a whole-self event, that entails sprucing up both your physical space and your emotional one.

So for all those other Uncommoners out there who are itching for the promise of spring as much as I am, I present to you the 7 spring cleaning tips every Uncommoner should know (and use) – what would you add to this list?

Clear Out Clutter – Clutter can build up around us slowly over time, steadily compromising our ability to concentrate, be creative, and get down to business. Re-evaluate the clutter in your home: is it at a manageable level or is it getting in your way? Does it interfere with your ability to relax, to sleep, or to work? Start to reduce your clutter and see how much better you will feel mentally – you will be surprised. Read more about de-cluttering clutter here.
Dust Away I Can’ts - How often do you think about quitting your job, starting that project, or sitting down to write that novel and find yourself saying “I Can’t”? I Can’t is the death knell of any uncommon adventure – just remember what Henry Ford say, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” Next time you hear yourself starting to say “I can’t,” just try replacing with with “I can try.” Before you know it, you will be writing that 2 weeks notice letter, getting funding in place, or putting pen to paper!
Air Out Your Uncommon Vocation – As the new season starts, consider where you are going with your Uncommon Vocation. Is it a well defined goal, or is it still a nebulous kernel of an idea? Air out the fog around your Uncommon Vocation and take time to really figure out what you want to do. Clarity is the first step to accomplishment!
Vacuum Up Procrastination – If you have been reading this website for months and keep thinking, “I’ll sit down and start doing those exercises/think about those things later,” I have just one question for you: what are you waiting for! There is no room for procrastination in an Uncommon Life – time is a gift that we have that should not be squandered. If you find yourself procrastinating doing any of the things you have been meaning to do, whether it is start your Uncommon Vocation, get in shape, or repair that relationship, stop waiting and start doing!
Fix-Up Your Health – Everyone things that January is the time to start a new weight loss program or join a gym, but really the best time to join is March or April when meetings and gyms are less crowded (all the fairweather new year’s resolutions having been given up). Spring is a time of new beginning and new life, why not breath some new energy and health into your body by taking better vitamins, getting more exercise, or eating better? A healthy body yields a healthy (and productive) mind!
Rearrange Your Routine – If you are feeling bored by your daily winter routine, consider shaking things up a bit this spring to revitalize your energy levels and bring new excitement to your daily activities. Get up a few hours earlier to go to the gym, join a new social group, or take a dance class. Adding in some new activities and changing your routine can help keep your mind alert and your energy high.
Cleanse Your Spirit – Consider adding in some meditation, yoga, or other calming exercise into your life to help you cleanse your spirit and let go of negativity. Winter is always a time of padding insulation (of the physical or emotional kind) around ourselves; this spring, open your mind and your spirit with some type of soulful activity.

And of course the most important tip for spring cleaning: remember to smile – spring is coming, after all!

Here’s to your Uncommon Life,

*Don’t forget to sign up for the new and improved – and free! – TLU newsletter by clicking here or enrolling below:

Is Self-Sabotage Hindering Your Uncommon Life?

Nacie Carson — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:56:29 +0000

Are you your own worst enemy?

Self-sabotage is a nasty thing, and the worst part is most of the time people don’t even realizing they are doing it.

Yesterday, I had to come face to face with self-sabotage in a way that I didn’t expect: my health.

For years I have been struggling with the after effects of having my thyroid removed due to autoimmune thyroid disease. Post-operation, I have found myself desperate to reclaim the energy, mental clarity, mood, and physical health that I had before the gland was removed.

These past six years have certainly been a journey, where I’ve gone through good periods and bad periods of functioning. Sometimes I feel almost normal, other times I feel like a train that has totally run out of steam.

So in my continuing efforts to improve my condition, I visited a natural health store to pick up some vitamins I’d read are important for my condition. There, I ended up spending over an hour discussing therapies with a natural health practitioner (who happened to be the store manager), that not only helped me get different (and supposedly better) vitamins, but also exposed many of the daily habits I have that self-sabotage my efforts to get well.

Under the advice of the naturopath (hey, I’ve got nothing to lose!), I am removing caffeine and dairy from my diet for a few weeks to see if that improves my constant fatigue, sluggishness, and mood. While I am not convinced the answer is this simple, I am willing to try this approach since what I’ve been doing hasn’t been working.

Yet this morning as I planned out my meals for the day, I realized just exactly how much caffeine and dairy I eat on a daily basis. Lots of coffee, chocolate, diet soda, milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. I must eat a dairy product at every meal!

As I realized how much of a dietary transformation this would require, I simultaneously realized the extent of self-sabotaging I have been doing over the years in terms of healing myself. While my search for supplements and habits that would improve my condition occurred on a daily basis, so did my unknowing sabotage of those same efforts.

Many of us self-sabotage in some way or another. I think that people who are endeavoring to live Uncommonly have a higher tendency to self-sabotage because on a subconscious level there is a fear of success and a guilt for living better than those around us.

The ways we sabotage ourselves and our Uncommon Efforts may be subconscious or completely ignorant. Did I know that dairy and caffeine were disrupting my medicine and aggravating the things I was trying to heal? No, I honestly didn’t. But I was still acting on them on a daily basis and causing my success to be hindered, which to me is the definition of sabotage.

The moral of my story: for six years I’ve been trying to find success at a certain thing, and that success has been elusive. If what you are doing continues to not achieve your goal, step back, ask for help or advice from others, and get an outside opinion about what you might be doing that is hindering you from reaching your goal. Then, be willing to try a new approach.

Part of living an Uncommon Life is to continue to strive for not only reaching your goals, but learning and growing as much as you can while reaching them. Don’t let self-sabotage, whether it is unconscious or ignorant, hinder your Uncommon Life!

Here’s to your Uncommon Life,

*Don’t forget to sign up for the new and improved – and free! – TLU newsletter by clicking here or enrolling below:

Getting Back on Track

Nacie Carson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:42:14 +0000

Good morning, friends and Uncommoners! I hope you’ll excuse my absence over the past few weeks. While I had the urge to post something often, it has just been too crazy until this morning to sit down and put something coherent together. With the Thanksgiving holiday, deadlines on other projects, and a variety of small “I need your attention now” projects that needed addressing I’ve been go-go-go and totally off my normal routine. I’m happy to report that all this craziness has been good, positive craziness, and in fact I think November has provided a very powerful lesson in routines, productivity, and the art and science of getting back on track. Which, as you can probably guess, is what we’ll be exploring today.

Check out Nacie’s new post at Making the Most of Things: The Secrets of Budget Giving: 3 Great Gifts Under $30!

As many of you know, one of my main focuses for 2009 has been the study and implementation of productivity measures in my own life. Since July, I’ve been making it a point to get up early, make daily to-do lists, and develop a general routine to accomplish the work and personal goals I’ve set for myself. The way I figure it is there are only so many hours in a day, and if I want to make progress toward my financial goals, work goals, and fitness goals – not to mention spend some time having fun – I’ve got to be a better steward of my time, which to me means get in a routine.

Over the past few months I’ve been performing routine trials to see what combination or sequence of events yields the most productivity toward all my goals on a daily and weekly basis. Some of the routines I tried made me feel like I was busy all day without actually accomplishing anything (no good), and some were too disjointed and left a lot of wasted time between tasks (also no good).

It wasn’t until the beginning of November, after we had moved into a bigger place where I could have my own office instead of just a corner of the living room that I finally struck upon a routine that made sense for my life. The routine was carefully crafted to be based in the morning so that I could start my day in a consistent day and be free after lunch for where the day would take me. It looks something like this:

6am: Wake Up
6-645am: Use light box, check and respond to email, review Social media info from previous day
645-7:30am: Breakfast, Coffee (lots of coffee) and catch up on world news
730-11am: Client work and meetings
11-12pm: lunch

Afternoons were left pretty open, with space for more client work or errand running, personal project work, and time for exercise. This has been (and will be again) a very productive routine for me most days of the week, and thanks to its success I’ve made significant progress toward my 2009 goals in November – at least the first few weeks.

Around the 15th of November things started to get crazy. Loved ones needed help with their projects, the holiday came on fast and furious, and one of my side projects needed immediate completion. The result? I was working when I could, all hours of the night, going to bed and waking up at odd times, catching naps to make up for lost sleep, sidelining several client projects, and ignoring the gym completely.

Was it worth it? Sure – sometimes life throws craziness at you and you have be prepared to catch the craziness, not be knocked over by it. Besides, it is good to shake things up every once and a while. A routine, after all, is a tool, not a prison and shouldn’t become so entrenched that its disruption ruins your life.

However, I know myself, and I know I need a routine. It is my opinion that everyone who works from home or dictates their own schedule needs to be conscious of creating structure. And some negative effects of my routine being thrown off included poor use of my light box and feeling sluggish and generally yucky due to a combination of no exercise, holiday food, and that comforting but deadly on the go “i’m too stressed to cook” food.

Last night when I was setting my alarm, an internal war was waging: what time do I set it for? The routine angel on my shoulder said “6am!” an the other one said “you’ve had a crazy few weeks…you shouldn’t set your alarm for tomorrow!” Ahh, it was so tempting not too! But Tuesdays are the official start of the Nacie week, and I knew if I didn’t get up at 6am today my hopes of getting back on track for the rest of week would be dashed. So I sucked it up, set it for 6am, and found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I had accomplished by 10am. I knew I got up this early for a reason!

I’m sure that the holiday season presents a major routine challenge for you, too, whether your routine involves when you get your exercise in or when you have a moment to yourself to work toward your Uncommon Vocation. The thing that we all need to understand is that sometimes our routines will be thrown off, and that’s OK as long as we can get back onto them in an efficient and timely manner. Issues don’t arise when something disrupts our flow, they arise when we allow those disruptions to affect our flow long after their over. You need to take the first opportunity you have to get back on track, because if you don’t there will always be something to keep you off kilter and prevent you from getting back into the groove.

So as we face this holiday season together, let’s forgive life’s unexpected and expected interruptions and face them with a smile…and a firm resolve to stay focused on achieving our goals and maintaining the routines that are most productive to us. Remember, there are only have 30 days left in 2009 to check things off your list of yearly goals before we need to start thinking ahead to 2010!

Here’s to your Uncommon Life,

The Development Cha-Cha: or, What I Learned from Ice Cream

Nacie Carson — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:29:35 +0000

As I near my one year anniversary of being totally free from the rat race – how time flies! – I’ve been thinking a lot about the overall development process, and how it isn’t a straight line at all, but more of a development cha-cha.

This whole train of thought really started the other day when I was sitting in the mall eating a huge peanut butter and chocolate sauce sundae. As some of you know, one of the first things I did when I left my corporate job was to go on Weight Watchers. During my tenure in the financial software world, I indulged in a little too much of the good stuff and had packed on a few extra pounds. Well, too much of the good stuff and also I like to eat my feelings, and as you know well there were a lot of feelings to eat at that job.

So to physically show my liberation from an inauthentic lifestyle, I joined Weight Watchers and lost quite a bit of weight (around 30 Ibs) in a little over four months. I felt better, I felt more in control, and I was proud of my accomplishment. It was a real step in the right direction.

But over the past few months, I’ve taken a step back from good eating habits and have been indulging once again in the food that is a little too delicious…and gained a few pounds back. After four months of real intensive dietary study, I just needed a break from the program.

Yet now I’m ready to get back on, and officially started counting point again this morning. Needless to say, I had to say a good farewell to those deliciously decadent foods I love so much, so this past weekend has been full of all my favorite but fatty foods.

And as I was enjoying another sinfully delicious scoop of sundae, I realized that my journey with dieting over the past year wasn’t a failure, or something to be ashamed of inspite of gaining a little back. It was how it should be: the natural cycle of development and growth.

The human mind most often perceives the journey between point A and point B as a straight line. We think of how to accomplish it sequentially, and project we will get to that next goal by following steps 1, 2, and 3 in order. When we get stuck on Step 2 for longer than we anticipated, step back to revisit step 1 again, or find ourselves totally off the sequential path doing things we never saw as part of that straight line, we get down on ourselves, we feel embarrassed, we consider it a failure.

Yet this winding, curvaceous, and tangential route is the only real way to develop totally. What lessons can we really learn if we just paint by numbers? What strength can we really build, if we do not experience picking ourselves back up again and getting back on track? Taking the long way between point A and point B is not a failure by any standards, but the surest path to success you can think of.

If you are standing at point A and are trying to get to point B, you only have a limited vision of what point B really looks like and what the terrain between you and point B is really made of. However, once you start on your journey, you get a better understanding of the lay of the land, the challenges and skills needed to traverse it, and the worthiness of point B for your goal. Once you’re out there, some other point off in the distance or to the left or right might present itself as a better destination…but you can’t know that until you’re out there.

Uncommoners, I beg to apply this philosophy to all your developmental challenges. Whether you, like me, are working to make yourself as healthy as possible, or are searching for your Uncommon Vocation, or are trying to get your Uncommon Life to the next level. The journey is a cha-cha, one step forward, two steps back, one step the side. It is a winding road that will take you places you never thought you’d go, but are so glad you did.

So remember what I learned from peanut butter and chocolate ice cream: as long as you keep the goal of bettering yourself and growing into a better person in mind, then the straightness of your path is really inconsequential. The only failure in personal development is when you stop caring about developing.

Now, on to find a lunch that is within my points range for the day…

How to Get Up Early

Nacie Carson — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:00:36 +0000

Sometimes it seems that for an Uncommoner, there is never enough time in the day. Whether you are transitioning into your uncommon vocation or working on developing a new aspect of your Uncommon Life, there is always something you can’t wait to do, but usually have to put off because your day is already full.

Or, if you make your own schedule, you may find that you are getting into a habit of rising later than you would like. No matter what your concern, if you feel like you just need a few more hours in your day, then getting up early may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

If you’re like me, you just rolled your eyes at that last sentence and muttered, “yeah, right.” I can tell you that getting up early is not something I’m naturally good at. However, I can also tell you that getting up early on a regular basis has not only increased my productivity, but also my mood, energy, and creativity levels.

I remember the first month after I left my corporate job to start life as a writer, I slept until at least 11am every day. I chalked that up to recuperation after of getting up and commuting at 6am every morning to drag myself to a job I hated. But after a few more months went by with me rarely being out of bed by 10am, I realized that something had to change.

I wanted to quit my old job to do all the things I didn’t get a chance to do while working a strict schedule, and while sleep surely was one of those things it wasn’t the only thing. Continually sleeping late meant that I didn’t get going until early afternoon, and due to the distractions of family, friends, and my boyfriend, many days I would find that by 8pm I still hadn’t made a dent in what I wanted to do for the day.

I knew there were so many things I wanted to incorporate into my day, like exercise and pleasure reading, yet never had the chance because I was always behind the ball with work. And I needed to work to pay my bills, or else I would be forced back into 9-5. So with that sinister threat in mind I made up my mind to start getting up early on a daily basis.

My first attempted was reasonable: I went to bed at 9pm with the intent of getting up around 5:30am, and when my alarm went off I snoozed until 10am. Perplexed, I tried this method a few more times with no improvement.

Then I decided that maybe I was a night owl, and was better fit to work at night and sleep late. The first night I tried that, I failed miserably by passing out around 10pm, and didn’t have much better luck the following nights.

Was I just lazy? Was it my low thyroid function? I had no idea what I was doing wrong and was about to throw the whole idea out the window until I realized how foolish I was being. When you need advice on how to do something new, what do you do? You ask the experts. If you want to fix your car you don’t just get under the hood and start pulling at random wires, you take it to a mechanic to hear what they have to say. So I decided to get a few expert opinions.

Using Peter Shankman’s fabulous Help a Report Out (HARO) query system, I had the chance to interview over 50 entrepreneurs who get up early on a daily basis to get the most out of their days. I’ve been following these tips and tricks and can say it has tremendously changed not only my wake up time but also the amount of things I’m able to accomplish in the day.

So Here is the best advice from people who know to help you squeeze a little more productivity, success, and peace out of your Uncommon days!

Have a Routine

Establishing a routine for your bedtime and initial morning tasks is a key tip that many habitual early risers shared with me. Ellen Delap, owner of Professional-Organizer.com said, “To get up early, I set a regular bedtime of 10:30 so I get 8 hours of sleep. I credit having a great routine as a way to promote productivity in the morning if it is not natural to you. Get up, get going and get on to your task to maximize the time and effort.”

Daniel Keller, writer and media producer at Get It In Writing, Inc is also a fan of a morning routine:

My morning…typically includes a quiet cup of coffee, followed by a swim or other aerobic routine. I find that there few minutes for myself before the rest of my family are awake, before the phone starts to ring and the emails come pouring in make all the difference in my accomplishments for the rest of the day. When I’m up early, I typically notice around 10 or 11am that I’ve already gotten quite a bit done.

A key aspect of routine is coffee – don’t underestimate the power of caffeine! Sara Dobie, the Public Relations Coordinator for Sylvan Dell Publishing owns two coffee pots and an express machine. She suggests buying a pot with an alarm so you will smell coffee brewing when you first wake up. “As soon as that smell hits your nose,” she said, “Voila!”

Pretend the “Snooze” Feature Doesn’t Exist

A common piece of advice that most of the interviewees shared was to never ever allow yourself to hit snooze. Sarah Gordon, a Public Relations specialist in NYC told me, “I think the only reason I am able to get out of bed so early is because I don’t allow myself to even consider pressing snooze.”

Joshua Steimle, the CEO of the internet marketing firm MWI also ignores the snooze button: “For getting up early, I’ve only found one rule that works – when the alarm goes off, get up. The snooze button must go unused, and turning the alarm off is not an option unless I’m already up.”

The best thing you can do to avoid hitting the snooze in the morning is to not allow yourself to make decisions at that time. Professional Photographer Chris Corradino says, “I won’t allow myself to make decisions in the morning, because if I did, I would likely rationalize why I should go back to bed. The only thought I allow is “feet on the floor, out of bed.”

Exercise Creates Inertia

As Elizabeth Brown, Registered Dietitian and Certified Holistic Chef notes, early morning exercise helps create inertia for the rest of your day. “I find that by getting up early to exercise, I get more done each day. I relate it to inertia: a body in motion stays in motion. It also helps me sleep more soundly: a body a rest remains at rest.”

Steimle of MWI also cites early morning exercise as key to his success:

Getting up early and exercising for 2-3 hours gets me off to a good start in the morning, and it seems like I have a lot more energy throughout the day. Because of this extra time commitment every morning I seem to manage my time better during the day, because I know I can’t work late or else I won’t get to bed early, and then I’ll be tired during my workout the next morning. Is it just coincidence that over the past two years as I’ve been getting up earlier and exercising I’ve also seen my business finally become profitable? You can make your own conclusions, but I know my daily schedule has made a huge difference.

Most other people I asked also associated a good workout in the morning with higher energy levels throughout the day. Mischell Brookins, president of Elite Wellness, says that early morning exercise has scientific support for why it helps you throughout the day. “One of my biggest tips is to exercise to get the blood flowing. This increases blood to the frontal lobe of the brain and can increase your ability to pay attention.”

However, Alan Rider, a Publisher for Xtrordinary Media notes that with increased exercise you may need a little pick me up later on in the day. “I find exercise helps a lot with my schedule; a good intense workout every morning give me energy to keep going all day long. Yet I’m a big fan of napping; if I can squeeze even a quick nap in before dinner I find I’m much more available to my wife and child after dinner.”

Be Authentic To You

The truth is, like everything in an Uncommon Life, you need to find what is really authentic to you and the lifestyle you desire. As Kelly McMenamin of PixiesDidIt.com says, “My advice to clients is that you should build your life around who you are. If you have more energy in the morning than you do in the evening, carve out that time for your priorities. But, if you are more energized in the evenings, carve out that time for your priorities and get or create a job that [meets that schedule].”

I couldn’t have said it better! Thanks to all the great entrepreneurs who shared their advice with me, and happy rising to all you Uncommoners out there!

Here’s to your Uncommon Life,

*Don’t forget to sign up for the new and improved – and free! – TLU newsletter by clicking here or enrolling below:

On Diet and Wake Up Times

Nacie Carson — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:02:54 +0000

I’m sad to say that my creative storm has come to an end. But as you can see from my list of “things to research” from last week, I certainly have enough to keep my hands full until the next wave of innovation. I’m pretty psyched about the dent I’ve already made in the list, tackling the mammoth topic of SEO last week. One topic down, twelve more to go!

The two major themes that have been spiraling around in my mind the past few days is diet and wake up times. Ever since my post a few weeks ago on Hypothyroidism and Temporal Organics, I’ve really been focused on analysing my nutritional habits, exercise habits, and how those relate/don’t relate to my productivity, creativity, and overall mood.

For me, both nutrition and exercise are challenges – nutrition because of the requirements of my thyroid medications and exercise because, well, I’m a little lazy. In an attempt to recommit to taking my medication properly, I reread the pharmacist’s instructions and noticed several caveats that makes things interesting: 1) I can’t eat anything for an hour after taking meds (on an empty stomach), and 2) I can’t eat anything with iron, calcium, or dietary fiber for at least 4 hours after taking meds. That’s right, 4.

So that eliminates almost all breakfast foods – toast (fiber/iron), yogurt (calcium), scrambled eggs with cheese (calcium), and even milk in my coffee…sweet.

After puzzling over the situation for several days, I decided that the best thing to do would be to wake up early (I’m talking 5am early) to go to the gym and then have something to eat after I’m home and have showered (perhaps around 9am). Not only will this get me up and help with the meds/food situation, but it will also help tackle the whole exercising issue. This seems like a brilliant plan, except for one thing: waking up at 5am consistently.

This past week I did manage to do it – once. And it was absolutely glorious. There is something really special about seeing the world that early, a brightness and a possibility that you don’t get at any other time of day. Also, it was so cool to start work at 9am and really start it, as opposed to the normal routine of sitting at my computer and surfing the net until sleep finally wears off.

So now I am on a quest to figure out exactly how I can integrate waking up earlier into my life.

Also, I’m really interested right now in the role of chemicals in our foods and what an optimal diet really is. Not a diet with the intent of losing weight, but a diet that is a sustainable effort to fuel my body with the best nutrients and resources to help me be my best both physically and mentally.

I am currently working through Paul McKenna’s 25 minute mind programming audio file from his book, I Can Make You Thin. While I’m not so much interested in the making me thin part, I am interested in the four golden rules he outlines:

Only eat when you’re hungry
Eat what you want, not what you think you should have
Eat slowly and consciously
When you think you are full stop eating.

These principles are totally simple and kinda “duh,” but to be honest I truly believe that many of us forget these basic ideas because of all the crazy diet, weight loss, and nutritional information that gets thrown at us all the time. Been listening to the program daily for a week and am noticing that my awareness of hungry versus emotionally hungry is increasing. Sweet.

I’m also going to be hitting the book store to check out Dr. Junger’s Clean. This cleansing program came out in May ‘09 and has had some pretty positive reviews. And while I’m not into the whole cleansing thing, I’ve heard that the text has some good info on food that contains toxins, harmful chemicals, etc, which is something I’m interested in learning about.

So the two focuses for research and testing right now are early rising/exercising, and optimizing my diet.

Hey, if I can optimize my website search results, I can optimize my health too, right?

Temporal Organics

Nacie Carson — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:24:17 +0000

For those of you who don’t know, I have hypothyroidism, also known as low thyroid function. Hypothyroidism itself is very common in the slight degree – over time, it is typical for thyroid function to decrease making a person’s thyroid hormone levels dip into the technically “hypo” range, which shows itself as a bit of sluggishness, a little weight gain, and some depressed mood. Most people are right as rain with a little synthetic hormone to help the thyroid do its job.

However, I enjoy the condition in a bit of an extreme as my thyroid gland was totally removed in 2003 due to Graves Disease. This means that if my medication isn’t exactly calibrated, I get to experience such wonderful symptoms as constant fatigue, muscle aches, lack of energy, depression, and decreased motivation. The kicker is that my meds will never really be exactly calibrated, due to the constant shift of other factors in the body like hormones and dietary intake.

I have come to understand, as many other “hypos” have before me, that I can’t rely on my synthetic hormones to make me feel normal. While the medication will help get me part of the way, the rest of the responsibility lies on me to make sure I am eating the right foods, drinking the right liquids, and exercising appropriately to help my body out in every way I can to be at peak performance. Unlike you lucky ducks out there who have normal thyroid function, I need to be consistently disciplined with these things because my body won’t fill in the blanks.

But of course I haven’t been, because I am a 20-something woman who loves french fries and sugary foods. And I’ve paid the price – over the past few months I’ve felt my energy seep away, my motivation dissipate, and a desire to sleep 14+ hours a day slowly take hold.

The Organic Realization

So this past week I took some time away from my other obligations and pursuits to really educate myself not only on healthy eating, but on the type of diet and exercise program that someone with hypothyroidism needs to maintain. I’ll spare you the details, but water, fiber, whole grains, vitamins and veggies are in, along with 60+ minutes of cardio/strength training daily, while sugary and processed foods are out.

Yet from all my research I have also taken in an increased awareness of the importance of organic. Not only in terms of food, but also in terms of life balance.

Organic is a term that I don’t use too often when talking about The Life Uncommon, but it is really an integral theme to all aspects of our uncommon journeys. Living authentically is in effect living organically. It means living a life that is natural, or organic, to you. It means instead of allowing a pre-made and impersonal structure to be imposed upon your life, you are striving to live in a way that feels right and natural to you.

Organics and the Uncommon Life

I think one of the most quantifiable areas that the concept of being organic can be applied in our uncommon lives is time structuring.

As you know, I’ve been working with various time management techniques the past few months trying to find a structure that makes sense for my goals, lifestyle, and other pursuits. What I’ve really been doing is working to find a time structure that is organic for me – because I believe when you are doing something that is natural you will be able to sustain it.

What I’ve learned about time management styles is that in most cases, these techniques are short term fixes that are challenging to sustain over months and years. Also, they typically don’t take into consideration the unique aspects of individuals or prepare you for the long run. Some major things that vary from person to person include:

how much sleep you need a night
if you need all you sleep in one sitting, or you benefit from spreading it out in long naps throughout the day
when you work best (early morning, mid-morning, afternoon, late afternoon, evening, late night)
when you are most creative
how long your productive/creative episodes last
what non-work activities help recharge you to reach your peak productivity
how many productive/creative periods you have in a 24 hour day
what external factors, such as sunlight, diet, exercise, etc, help you maximize your productive episodes

Shifting the focus away from a premade time management technique toward a personalized and organic structure means that you take all of these factors into account by first listening to your body and then analyzing affective factors and deciding how to handle them.

For example, yesterday my body told me at 2pm that I needed some sleep. I acknowledged this message from my body, and then analyzed the contributing factors that could have made my body send that message. Some things that I accounted for were:

the fact that I’ve been feeling more hypo lately than usual, so I was hormonally sluggish/fatigued
it has been raining here for 2 weeks straight, so that can make you tired
I hadn’t had much caffeine thus far during the day, so I was understimulated

In the end, I opted for a nap because I felt like fighting against my hormonal imbalance with caffeine would be futile. When I woke up, four hours later, I felt a little better and more alert though upset that I had lost all that time not being productive. The next time I receive a similar message from my body I will refer back to this experience and take it into account as I analyze how to handle the situation.

The point is that using this listen/analyze technique in reference to taking care of business, both personal and work related, may be the key to identifying and crafting a truly effective, personalized, and organic time structure that help you work at peak levels, be properly rested, and the most productive. Sure, there are some loop holes (laziness, for one!), but I think this is worth pursuing. I plan on testing this method out and seeing what fruit it can bear. After all, the point is to live your design…

Would love to hear your thoughts on this theory, Uncommoners – do you think it is better to structure time organically, or utilize more imposing techniques to get things accomplished?

Seasonal Depression and The Uncommon Life

Nacie Carson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:40:53 +0000

Everyone has hn, eard of the “winter blues,” and probably many of you have experienced them at some point in your life. Feelings of being a little down when the light changes in the late fall, losing some energy and wanting to stay cozy under the covers longer in the morning are all common shifts that occur during the darker, colder months of the winter. However, for many individuals this shift is much more pronounced and interferes with their life. This is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD – an appropriate name, right?), and it is a type of mild to moderate depression.

I want to talk to you, my Uncommon friends, today about SAD, because this past winter I have experienced it myself first hand. It was hard for me to admit it, and even harder for me to say it out loud – how could I possibly be depressed, I’m living the life of my dreams! – but SAD is actually exceptionally common and many people suffer without acknowledging it or seeking treatment. It is not a reflection on you, what you are doing in your life, or your worth as a person – SAD is a chemical imbalance that occurs due to increased melatonin production in the brain, nothing more.

And yet it affects our abilities to chase our Uncommon lives and make them real. It saps our energy, sabatoges our motivation, and allows unwarranted feelings of hopelessness creep into our minds, which is why it is important we address it here today. If you identify with any of the feelings described in this post, I encourage you to speak to a psychological profession and seek treatment. Furthermore, if you are experiencing any thoughts of self harm or suicide, please stop reading right now and reach out for help from your health care providers.

Onset and Symptoms

I first started to feel low in November. I was having trouble getting out of bed in the morning, craving more carbohydrates and sweets, and experiencing a general phase of melancholy. These signs were small enough that I was able to explain them away to myself and when the glitz and glamour of the holiday season rolled around I found myself happily distracted from those feelings.

However, starting in the middle of January, the symptoms returned and in stronger force. This time they brought with them severely decreased energy, irritability, and a nonsensical feeling of hopelessness and guilt. It became harder and harder for me to work, and when I did get myself to work I was distracted and lackluster. I started to gain a little weight and sleep 12 hours a day. I didn’t put it together that I felt worse on the darker, drearier days, and I began to fantasize about moving to Miami or Brazil for the simple reason of it was really sunny there.

A few weeks ago I mentioned the way I was feeling to a friend of mine who is a renowned psychologist. She immediately recognized the cluster of symptoms and sent me to a few websites, including the Center for Environmental Therapy and The Mayo Clinic’s SAD page, and talked to me about light boxes, helpful vitamins, and SAD reducing activities. I took her advice and now am feeling much better and more like myself.

Treatment

The nice thing about treating SAD is that it can be done very effectively without using antidepressants. The cornerstone in SAD treatment is light therapy, where an individual sits for 30 minutes in front of a special fullspectrum light device that mimics sunlight. One of the contributors to SAD is the disruption of our internal circadian rhythm, however this can be corrected through daily light box use. Trust me, it is quick and painful.

There are also several vitamin supplements that can be incoporated into your diet to help combat SAD, including St. John’s Wort, a B-Complex, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Mild to moderat daily physical exercise is also encouraged.

What It Means For Your Uncommon Life

If suspect you are suffering from SAD, you are seriously selling yourself short in the Uncommon life department. There are so many things out there daunting you from achieving your best life, why add something else to the list, especially something you can fix easily? Not only does SAD get in the way of your ability to enjoy your daily life, it also makes it hard for you to see any possibility of improvement in the future. In a way it makes you your own worst enemy, and pushes back against your intentions to learn about your uncommon vocation, save appropraitely, and prepare your life for a transition into a more authentic and meaningful place. It can make you lose sight of your goals and give up completely.

Don’t let SAD ruin your winter months – when you are preparing for an Uncommon life, every moment is a worthwhile opportunity to move closer to your goals. I hope that my sharing this story will encourage those of you out there feeling “out of sorts,” “a little blue,” “kinda down,” and “not really myself” go out and get the support you need to start feeling “fabulous!” “Ready to tackle the world!” “Psyched for my Uncommon future!” and “Motivated beyond belief!”

You are your essential asset in your Uncommon life – remember to keep you healthy, happy, and functioning at your best.

Disclaimer: This post is in no way meant to give medical advice, it is simply the author’s experience with the condition. If you feel like you need treatment for SAD or depression, please contact your health care professional. Do not begin using a light box, taking additional supplements, or start an exercise plan without first consulting your doctor. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide please contact your health care professional immediately.

The Return of Blonde Ambition

Nacie Carson — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:44:11 +0000

c When I was younger I had bright blonde hair that over time faded into a medium brown, and I hated it so have been blondifying my locks since I was about 14. I feel my most me when I’m blonde, so like it or not me and perioxide seem to be linked for life.

I first dyed my hair back to its “natural” color (as if I actually knew what that exactly was) when I was 19 in response to the end of an emotionally abusive relationship. I had finally broken up with the guy, but the damage he had done on my self esteem, and even my sense of self was long lasting and is one of those dark and lost periods of my life. As soon as I had worked out my inner demons I wanted to go blonde again and flourished in with blonde ambition until the March of this year when – as you all know by now – I hit another really low and lost point in my life. For some reason going dark brunette just fit; the shiny bright blonde seemed like a lie against what I was feeling inside.

Since I left my other job I have felt more and more like myself every single day – it hasn’t been like one day I woke up and all was good, but it has been an almost imperceptible movement back to center. A few weeks ago I caught my reflection in the mirror and kind of froze for a second – it was the first time I could really recognized something of myself in the glass. After a few days, I knew it was time…

So I give you the return of blonde ambition, an old look for a new chapter in my life. It’s amazing how a little bit of bleach seems like it can erase all the grit and grime of the past year…

Do you have any physical indications of mood and life chapter?

Also, check out some new writing and featured articles about The Life Uncommon below!

Budget-Friendly Christmas Gifts for Writers at Associate Content

The Life Uncommon Featured at Flexible Working Life