Author Archive

Balancing Focus Check-In by Michelle Morand

Balancing Focus Check-InHey out there in the CEDRIC community. How’s your day going so far? As I write this, it’s beautifully sunny outside and warming up. Yay!! My dear friend Mark is planning to come and visit from a far away warm and sunny place but he won’t come until it’s warm enough to wear shorts!!! Says he doesn’t even own a pair of long pants! Can you believe it!!?? So, I’m hoping the warm weather comes soon. I’ll let you know when he arrives as that’s a sure indicator that summer is here.   Mark is a great spiritual teacher for me and I always learn so much about myself in his presence so no doubt I’ll have lots to share about my own personal process in the next few months. I just wanted to check in with you ladies and gents and see how your inner feedback balancing was going.  Who has taken up the challenge? How are you doing with it? (Don’t have a clue what I’m talking about? Check out this link and start to heal your negative self-talk and all or nothing thinking!) If you haven’t started the exercise even though you read the article ask yourself “what’s creating the procrastination?”. Is it true that you don’t need to enhance your ability to allow authentic feedback on both sides of the equation (positive and “constructive”)?  Is it true you don’t have time today to take 10 minutes to write out things you’re grateful for from your past/present and future?  Is it true that you can’t begin to allow yourself the constructive feedback you feel is true while also offering yourself gentle reminders of what is working in your life? Ask yourself what may be preventing you from taking this next step in your healing of your use of food to cope? Chances are, it’s an all or nothing story that when brought to light is easily debunked! Don’t let those old bogus stories of how you don’t have time or how it won’t work for you. Don’t listen to the Drill Sergeant who says you need so much more help than this little tool can offer so there’s no point in doing anything. Don’t let these initial hazards stop you from taking the next step on your path to healing. It’s the all or nothing thinking that keeps you stuck using food to cope. Don’t let that old harmful mindset be the thing that drives the show and prevents you from moving forward. Remember dear old Einstein said “The same mind that created the problem can not be used to solve it!” And don’t leave it up to your old all or nothing mindset to determine whether there is any point in you using a new tool to help you overcome your restriction or your binging or purging. Let me know how it goes! Love Michelle

Posted in: CEDRIC Centre, Relationship with Others, Relationship with Self, The Law of Attraction, Tips for Natural Eating

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Balancing your focus by Michelle Morand

Balancing your focusToday I’d like to encourage you to step out of the all or nothing thinking and allow yourself to honor and acknowledge the reality of the stresses that you experience in your relationship with yourself and with others and with food while also allowing yourself to identify the things that are working in your life and that you’re grateful for in your past and that you’re looking forward to in the future. Make a quick little list of these three categories (past, present and future things you’re grateful for) and just allow yourself to carry it with you over the next week. Look at it each day and let yourself acknowledge that, even though you have patterns of behaviour (ie. food stress) that are harmful and that you would like to be rid of (and one day soon you will be!) there are things in your life that are positive and that are indicators of your inner beauty and deservedness. Allow yourself to balance your inner feedback. If you’re offering yourself a criticism or a judgement right now, make sure you acknowledge whatever you see as the truth of that judgment (in other words don’t try and talk yourself out of your judgment if it feels true for you) and then offer yourself another truth from the list of things you’re grateful for. Balance that feedback and you’ll begin to see your all or nothing thinking lessening and thus, your use of food to cope diminishing as well. Have a beautiful day, inside and out. Love Michelle

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Overcoming Late Night Promises

Overcoming Late Night Promises  You know how you make those heartfelt, serious, absolutely for certain promises late at night that you’re for sure not going to do “X” tomorrow? You know the promises I mean.

Whether it’s overeat, or restrict, or purge, or yell at the kids, or call that guy, or get to work late, or skip your meditation, or drink coffee, or put something on your credit card that you can’t afford, or shop on eBay, etc. you likely fall prey to the late night promises as a way to try and feel a little more peaceful about the day you’ve just had and a little more hopeful about the day to come.

You are sincere. You absolutely mean it when you make that promise to yourself. But, within a few minutes or a few hours, maybe as soon as you open your peepers, the promise is toast and you’ve assured yourself you’ll start with that particular behavioural change “tomorrow.

Now, this doesn’t exactly reassure you. You’ve heard this from yourself before. You know yourself well and you know that unless some sort of miracle happens you’re going to have a day of seeing yourself compromise your integrity / break your promise and then make the same promise that night followed by another day of diminished self-trust and inner security as the promise is neglected once again. It is this cycle of making commitments and then breaking them with just the slightest provocation that triggers that lovely inner companion, the Drill Sgt., to begin his litany of self-contempt and condemnation.

If you could find a way to do two little things your life would change immeasurably – I promise. And if you’re not ready or able yet to do both, pick one! It will make a world of difference. (more…)

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Procrastination: Perfecting the art of "later"

ProcrastinationYou know, it’s been a long time since I binged. It’s been a long time since I even wanted to. I used to binge many times a day, and think about it constantly.

I was either planning a binge; binging; or feeling guilty for binging and trying to restrict myself, which very quickly led to me planning another binge and so on and so on and so on. This is what we refer to as the “diet-binge-guilt” cycle, and it used to be a 24/7 companion in my mind and in my life. Trying to fight off the urge to binge and trying to numb out to the guilt and shame I felt afterwards was a full time job. I don’t know how I managed to work and smile and look like I had it all together.

My nickname at work during those most horrendously out of control years was, if you can believe it… sunshine! Oh, if only my co-workers knew what went on inside my little noggin. It was exhausting being at work and having to appear happy and together when inside I felt so fat and gross and ugly and my clothes were too tight and I could hardly breathe (I wouldn’t let myself buy anything new because, of course, I was going to lose weight soon don’t you know!!). Not only that but I also had constant thoughts of what I should be eating fighting a serious but losing battle with thoughts of what I craved but “shouldn’t” have. Ah, yes, was it any wonder that by the time I returned home at the end of each day I felt so fatigued and so overwhelmed and so depressed that I binged just to soothe and numb out; damn the consequences of weight gain and certain drill sgt. verbal lashing. I needed food now!!

I’d deal with the consequences of that choice later.

Ah, yes, later. We who need to numb out to various circumstances in our lives love that word. It’s fabulous. Just listen to how it rolls off your tongue, later; lllllllllllater. It’s fantastic. I don’t have to do it; think it; be it; experience it now because, guess what? I can do it….later! Yesssss! But damn if there isn’t something of a major catch in that philosophy! Later never comes. Later never becomes now. We never grow up. We never learn to take responsibility for our now when we’re constantly putting off making honoring choices until later. We never learn how to identify and resolve our problems or stresses when we keep waiting for that elusive later to arrive.

You may not know how to take the steps to make the changes you want to make in your life to your restriction or overeating; your preoccupation with food and body image; your feelings of anxiety and depression. That’s where we at The CEDRIC Centre come in. All you need is a readiness for things to be different. If you’re desirous of change and you’re ready to manifest that change; if you’d like to stop waiting for later and begin to reclaim your life and start living in earnest now it’s definitely time to dig deep and reach out and let us support you to let your food focus go and become all you can be. (more…)

Posted in: CEDRIC Centre, Relationship with Others, Relationship with Self, The Law of Attraction, Tips for Natural Eating

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‘Goal Setting’ ~ an excerpt from Michelle Morand’s book, ‘Food is not the problem – Find out what is!’

Goal SettingA Tidbit from Chapter 16 I need to take you on a little detour. In order for you to be able to fully embrace the concept of self-care, you not only need to be able to offer yourself understanding and compassion, which you now know very well how to do, but you also need to be able to feel safe?even excited?and open to the concept of establishing realistic goals. Let’s begin our exploration of the concept of self-care from the perspective of compassionate goal setting. This is an innovative way of approaching goal setting, and it will help greatly to quell the pressure of the Drill Sgt.’s all-or-nothing thinking and to ease the fear of the Authentic Self in engaging in something new. Some Background on Your Resistance to Goals If there is any part of you which feels resistant to the concept of goal setting, it won’t be your Drill Sgt. He loves setting goals. He loves creating rigid guidelines and ridiculous expectations to “support” you to achieve your needs for security, acceptance and esteem. No, any part of you that feels resistant to fully engaging in this discussion on goal setting would be your Authentic Self. She is deathly afraid of schedules and structure. You see, your Authentic Self is accustomed to the Drill Sgt.’s high-pressure tactics and “motivation through criticism.” She is understandably very reluctant to set herself up for any potential failure which is bound to be the outcome of the old method of goal setting. To your Authentic Self, having a clearly established goal right now is like walking into the lion’s den. It is to be avoided at all costs. Click here to get your own copy of ‘Food is not the problem – Find out what is!’ to read the rest of the story.

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Fun Time

Fun Time

Fun Time – Laughter is Possible

You know, sometimes you just have to take a break from the introspection and self-analysis of the healing journey to have a good laugh. Humor was instrumental in my own healing and if you’re not getting a daily dose of laughs I encourage you to add that to your self-care plan. Perhaps you could allow yourself to replace 5 minutes of Drill Sgt. motivation-through- criticism with 5 minutes of laughter. For a start check out this You Tube video and give yourself the gift of the healing power of laughter. More to come…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuMMfgWhm3g Hugs and happy day! Michelle

Posted in: CEDRIC Centre, Relationship with Others, Relationship with Self

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Thought Vibration: Chapter V

The Law of Attraction In the Thought World

William Walker Atkinson wrote a book in 1906 called “Thought Vibration or The Law of Attraction in the Thought World. He wrote over 100 books in his career and was widely respected as a leader of new thought and spirituality. His writing formed the theoretical basis for the hit movie The Secret and influenced many of its interviewees (Such as Jack Canfield and Joe Vitale). I’d like to share some quotes from each chapter with you over the next few weeks as it’s such an amazing little resource and the language with which he writes is so matter of fact it really appeals to the logical, rational, need the science behind the method part of my brain. I hope you like it. Michelle

Chapter V: The Secret of the Will

“… few realize that the Will may be developed and strengthened by intelligent practice.”

” … Will Power, with all its latent possibilities and mighty powers, may be developed, disciplined, controlled and directed, just as may be any other of Nature’s forces.It does not matter what theory you may entertain about the nature of the Will, you will obtain the results if you practice intelligently.”

“… I think that in the higher regions of the mind of every man is a great store of Will Power awaiting his use. …. Your Will does not need training — but your Mind does.The mind is the instrument and the supply of Will Power is proportionate to the fineness of the instrument through which it manifests.”

“He who has developed his mind so that it will allow the Will Power to manifest through it, has opened up wonderful possibilities for himself.Not only has he found a great power at his command, but he is able to bring into play, and use, faculties, talents and abilities of whose existence he has not dreamed.This secret of the Will is the magic key which opens all doors.”

“Many of us feel that if we would but exert our Will, we might accomplish wonders.”

“We instinctively feel the power of the Will, but we haven’t enough energy to exercise it, and so drift along with the tide, … “

Michelle here, I was thinking about the above statements and it is clear to me that people who use food to cope have tremendous will power; they’re just exercising it in the wrong direction. Their will power is directed towards controlling their food intake and body size. Will power will not be enough to resolve a harmful coping strategy because you must understand the underlying reasonsand triggers for your need for the food and body focus in the first place. That is the place to apply your will. To focus your efforts on relationships or circumstances in your life where you do not respectfully ask for what you need or where you feel unsafe or insecure is the most powerful manifestation of your will power.It states to yourself and to anyone watching that you believe you are worthy of love and respect and that you will only engage in relationships where those things are present. If you are using food to cope you do not believe that you are worthy of dignity and respect from yourself or from others. Place your effort on finding the source of that story and seeing how it manifests in your life today, apart from food, and you will have the key to a life that is completely free from food and body image focus.

You are worthy of respect and dignity in all the areas of your life.

Love Michelle

Posted in: Relationship with Others, Relationship with Self, Tips for Natural Eating, Uncategorized

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Self-forgiveness

Self-forgiveness  Well, hello! Welcome to the CEDRIC Centre blog and on-line community. Today I had an interesting experience on the way in to work. I had just pulled out of my driveway and was making a left turn onto a moderately busy road, had checked both directions and started pulling into traffic. Suddenly this SUV is right in front of me, he must have been speeding to have come upon me that quickly. He slammed on the breaks, rolled down his window and started yelling and swearing – lots of f- this and f-that – how stupid I am, how I have no right to be on the road etc. etc. Now keep in mind that I didn’t hit him. I didn’t even come close as I saw him about 5 feet before I would have pulled into his lane and braked. He didn’t have to swerve to miss me. Keep in mind also that my kids were in the car and that his were too. (more…)

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Thought Vibration: Chapter IV

  The Law of Attraction In the Thought World William Walker Atkinson wrote a book in 1906 called “Thought Vibration or The Law of Attraction in the Thought World. He wrote over 100 books in his career and was widely respected as a leader of new thought and spirituality. His writing formed the theoretical basis for the hit movie The Secret and influenced many of its interviewees (Such as Jack Canfield and Joe Vitale). I’d like to share some quotes from each chapter with you over the next few weeks as it’s such an amazing little resource and the language with which he writes is so matter of fact it really appeals to the logical, rational, need the science behind the method part of my brain. I hope you like it. Michelle Chapter IV “Man can build up his mind and make it what he wills.” (We do this)”either consciously or unconsciously.”

“The ‘I’ is the sovereign of the mind, and what we call WILL is the instrument of the ‘I’.”

“…. the Universal Will is higher than the Will of the Individual,…. and when one conquers the lower self, and asserts the “I”, he becomes in close touch with the Universal Will and partakes largely of its wonderful power. ….. But before he is able to avail himself of the mighty power at his command he must first affect the Mastery of the lower self.”

“Think of a man being the slave of his moods, passions, animal appetites and lower faculties, and at the same time trying to claim the benefits of the Will. Now, I am not preaching asceticism, which seems to me to be a confession of weakness. I am speaking of Self-Mastery — the assertion of the “I” over the subordinate parts of oneself. In the higher view of the subject, this “I” is the only real Self, and the rest is the non-self; ….”

“You have been allowing your rebellious subjects to keep the King from his throne. You have been allowing the mental kingdom to be misgoverned by irresponsible faculties. ….. It is time to re-establish order in the mental kingdom. You are able to assert the mastery over any emotion, appetite, passion or class of thoughts by the assertion of the Will. … Before you march forth to empire, you must establish the proper internal condition — must show your ability to govern your own kingdom. The first battle is the conquest of the lesser self by the Real Self.”

Posted in: Relationship with Self, The Law of Attraction

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Thought Vibration: Chapter III

The Law of Attraction In the Thought World William Walker Atkinson wrote a book in 1906 called “Thought Vibration or The Law of Attraction in the Thought World. He wrote over 100 books in his career and was widely respected as a leader of new thought and spirituality. His writing formed the theoretical basis for the hit movie The Secret and influenced many of its interviewees (Such as Jack Canfield and Joe Vitale). I’d like to share some quotes from each chapter with you over the next few weeks as it’s such an amazing little resource and the language with which he writes is so matter of fact it really appeals to the logical, rational, need the science behind the method part of my brain. I hope you like it. Michelle

Thought Vibration - Chapter III

  "The time of evolutionary development has come when man can help himself. The man who understands the Law can accomplish wonders by means of the development of the powers of the mind. "

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