Women's Wellness - Get Inspired to Act

Have you thought about doing something to improve your life in the past week? Anything? If you could have whatever you want, what would it be?

Is your life so busy you had to really stop and think about it? For many women life is a series of scheduled appointments, deadlines, and caring for family. When and how do you take a break? If you're like most of the women I talk to you don't. Most women either don't feel they deserve it or are so attached to the "to do" list they can't let go. I can relate. At home there is always "stuff" you gotta do. To really relax, sleep in and chill I go away. Plus I get revived from the change of scenery.

But most of us can't afford to go away regularly either because of finances, kid duty or commitments to work. (And those that travel regularly for work would kill to stay home!)

This is part of the problem. So many women aren't really happy with their life. Are you? Maybe you get a good day here and there and when the weather is really nice it boosts your mood. But - at the core are you really happy? Do you know what it would take to make you happy?

Far too many women are in unhappy relationships, or wishing they had one. Miserable in their jobs or wishing they had one. Unhappy with their bodies, but feel they have no control over their diet or have tried every diet out there and haven't found success. I rarely meet women that are truly happy. That is so sad!

This is your life! This is it! If you're living through years of misery and unhappiness you don't get another chance. So why don't you fix it, why not do something to make your life better, happier? For most women it's because the fear of stepping out of their comfort zone is more than they are willing to risk.

Comfortable is hard to break. That's why women continually turn to comfort food, alcohol or relationships that may not be good for them. Because they are comfortable..aka it's what they're used to. Even though they may not like the way they're treated. We often seek out relationships that mirror the way we were brought up. Why do they call it a "comfort zone" anyway? Moving outside the box we were raised in or are used to involves change. And for many women change equates to very real and intense fear. Fear of being alone, fear of finding another relationship, fear of what other people will think. Fear of...the unknown.

I've got great news. Moving out of your comfort zone to explore new relationships. new situations, jobs and experiences is very rewarding. Even Sheryl Crow's says, "A Change Will Do You Good."

It's springtime, the time has changed, the days are getting longer. What better time to take a step out of your comfort zone to do something new and make a positive change in your life? Making positive mprovements in your life will also improve your health.

Speaking of women's wellness I'll be speaking at several women's events in the next couple of weeks. These will be informative, fun, inspirational and even include free gifts! Here's the schedule:

Saturday, March 21st
Ventura Library, LifeForward Series (Balanced Nutrition on a Budget) 10:30 am -12:30 pm
Casa de las Amigas, Women's Wellness Seminar (Learning to Let Go) 2:00-5:00 pm

Saturday, April 4th
LaVerne Country Club, A Toast to You, Women's Retreat (Hey Superwoman! Trading Stress and Dis-ease for Peace and Balance) 8:30am -12:00pm

For more details and and to RSVP for these events, click here.

Check out my new Weekly Webbies posted on YouTube every Wednesday!

To your health!

www.Learn2Balance.com

Author of Bulimia Book Scores with Kids - Wins Mom's Choice Award

February 2009, VALENCIA, CA—Lori Hanson suffered from bulimia for 34 years until she took treatment decisions into her own hands and turned her life around. Now her book and workshops are getting the attention of a tough crowd: young people. She recently won the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award® (www.MomsChoiceAwards.com) for her efforts and is busier than ever talking to high school and college students, parents and community groups.

Her book, It Started with Pop-Tarts: An Alternative Approach to Winning the Battle of Bulimia, is part memoir, part detailed how-to. It can help turn around the most troubling eating disorders, says Hanson, who bases her holistic “Pop-Tart Principles” on finding balance, peace and freedom.

In her talks, Hanson candidly describes the path she took over the years (this is where the Pop-Tarts come in). She admits she went through years of trial and error with traditional treatments. Her alternative recipe for healing also costs less than conventional medical therapies, she points out.

Hanson is founder and president of Learn2Balance, a company focused on improving the lives of others, and Shewolf Press. A media favorite, she has appeared on many radio and TV shows to create awareness about the epidemic of eating disorders. Her goal is to help young people find help and healing at a much earlier stage in life than she did.

A dynamic and humorous speaker who also write song lyrics, Hanson covers self-esteem, body image, reducing stress, improving diet and quality of life, and other coping skills that position teens and young adults for success in life. She also consults with individuals on eating disorders, weight and stress issues. Clients learn the five strategies for self-healing through a series of structured sessions, support and referrals to holistic practitioners.

To learn more about Lori Hanson’s services or to order a copy of It Started with Pop-Tarts (Shewolf Press, 2008) go to http://www.lori-hanson.com/.

It Started With Pop-Tarts Author Tour Update

Tina Meyer, Lori Hanson, Anne Rojo

Wellness Brunch Presentation Team

With the start of the New Year we kicked off a new publicity tour for It Started With Pop-Tarts...An Alternative Approach to Winning the Battle of Bulimia, I've just returned from events in Denver, CO, Prescott and Phoenix, AZ.

Thursday morning (Jan 22nd) I was a guest on Colorado & Company with Denise Plante and Mark MacIntosch on KUSA-TV, 9News in Denver. (The video of this segment should be available very soon.) I'm pictured here with the hosts Denise and Mark.

Then it was off to tape a one hour radio show Tune Into Love with Margaret McCraw. (This show will air on April 1st on http://www.HealthyLife.net/) Dr McCraw trains individuals to be Law of Attraction Coaches. Her book, Tune Into Love is about finding love though the Law of Attraction. This was a great show because the Law of Attraction was a key factor in my recovery from bulimia. A positive mindset, embracing the power of the subconscious, and reprogramming our negative thoughts and behaviors can make a huge difference in the outcomes we get in life.

On Thursday I was notified that It Started With Pop-Tarts was awarded the 2009 Silver - Mind, Body & Spirit award by Mom's Choice Awards! (http://www.momschoiceawards.com/)

Friday after pulling together all the donated gift certificates for the wellness brunches and picking up last minute goodies for the gift bags it was off to my book signing at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference at the Denver Convention Center. This was the first night the exhibit hall was open and I was the only one signing and giving away books. We had a great turnout and I was able to share my books with 42 conference attendees.

Saturday morning was my first Wellness Brunch at the Consulate Healing Center in Denver. We had $5 raffle tickets which attendees purchased to win all kinds of wellness giveaways. These included massage, acupuncture and neuro-emotional technique sessions from Dr. Keppel's Natural Family Health Care; Energy sessions with Michele Miller and Tina Meyer of Inbodyment, and a gift certificate toward any services offered by the Healing Light Center.

The brunch menu included my home made raspberry and spinach/tofu vegan pop-tarts! (A huge hit.) Tofu scramble and potatoes from Watercourse, Denver's premier vegetarian restaurant, fresh fruit, hummus and pita chips, tea and chocolate balls donated by raw food chef Loreal Hannon of the Healing Light Center for desert.

Our program included three speeches, an auction to benefit P.H.A.M.A.L.Y. (Physically Handicapped Actors and Musicians League), and raffle prizes. After I spoke briefly about eating disorders, my road to recovery and why I wrote my book, Anne Rojo, my Hellerwork practitioner spoke and led the group in a few breathing awareness and body movement exercises. Tina Meyer whom I worked with to restore energy movement followed and shared interesting concepts about how we respond to energy in our day to day lives (push, pull, stop and allowing energy movement).

Donna Smith filled the group in on the work of P.H.A.M.A.L.Y and we held our auction. A package deal that included a soft copy of It Started With Pop-Tarts, an audio Pop-Tarts book and a one hour Yoga of the Mind session with David Stevens. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to PHAMALY. Guests purchased books, audio books and loved my newly designed Personal Power necklaces. (See them on http://www.lori-hanson.com/)

After brunch, I headed over to For Heaven's Sake where I was a guest speaker and shared information about how to get a quantum jump on your health and fitness goals for '09. We had a great discussion and shared a jolt of inspiration.

Sunday I held a second Wellness Brunch at my parents home in Castle Rock. The group was primarily friends, previous clients and co-workers and some new faces who attended after seeing me on Colorado & Company.

The brunch program was the same, but included healing sessions and readings donated by Rev. Chris Lemmon along with energy sessions from the team at Inbodyment, sessions from the Healing Light Center and the auction package included a massage from Debbie Milkes of Creekside Massage with the Pop-Tarts book and audio book. Anne Rojo offered a free 30 minute consultation to all attendees.

Following brunch Sunday I flew to Phoenix and drove up to Prescott, AZ for a guest appearance on AM Arizona KAZT-TV 13 with Tonya Mock and Lew Rees Monday morning. Then on to my book signing at The Worm bookstore on Whiskey Row in Prescott. When it started snowing in Prescott I was happy to head south again to Phoenix! Tuesday morning I was a guest on Good Morning Arizona KTVK-TV 3 with Tara Hitchcock. View video of this short segment Click here: http://www.azfamily.com/video/byowebcast-index.html?nvid=325804&shu=1

Wednesday afternoon was the final book signing on this leg of the tour at A Peace of the Universe bookstore in Scottsdale. Following this book signing I hopped a plane back to LA for a few days before the San Francisco leg of the tour starting on the 5th. We're off to a great start and looking for continued momentum heading into National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, February 22-28. Stay tuned for more updates and information!

Visit http://www.lori-hanson.com/ for more pictures and information on It Started with Pop-Tarts books, audio books, MP3's Personal Power necklaces, consultations and upcoming workshops and events.

In peace, balance and health!

Lori Hanson