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Enlightenment

What’s on my mind… The Pandemic that Changed Everything (a.k.a. The 11th plague of Passover)

March 26, 2020 by bappelbaum Leave a Comment

As I sit down to write this post, I am struggling to find words; words of comfort, words of positivity, words that will make a difference. We are living through unprecedented times fighting a war against an unfamiliar enemy. Everyone has their own opinion, and no one knows anything for sure except the situation is real and it is dire.

Experts are predicting that 70% of the world’s population will contract coronavirus. That is a staggering number of people. Although most cases are expected to have only minor symptoms, the global economy and entire healthcare system will be tested beyond measure. The best you can do is try to limit your exposure, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often, do NOT touch your face, and remain calm. Life will be drastically different for a while and probably “normal” will be redefined moving forward. That’s okay. This too shall pass and we will be stronger for it.

I’m not going to use this platform to tell you what to do or how to live. You’re smart, pay attention and know the basics as well as anyone else. What I will suggest is to try to keep some sense of normalcy and/or routine as much as possible. (Special reminder for those with pierced ears – remember to wear earrings occasionally. You don’t want your holes to close!) And, try to focus on others, not just on yourself. Helping others makes you feel more hopeful because you’re being part of the solution, not the problem.

In the meantime, here is a list of shows on Netflix my mother and I have been binging to pass the time. Maybe you’ll enjoy them?!

  • Grace and Frankie
  • The Kominsky Method
  • The Crown
  • Schitt’s Creek
  • Self-Made, the Life of Madame C.J. Walker
  • Virgin River
  • The Royal House of Windsor

Please let me know if you have other suggestions…we’re running out of ideas without having to sign up for another service like Hulu, which I’d rather not. We also have Amazon Prime which I will start perusing next.

Hopefully toward the end of April things will quiet down a bit and life will resume some sense of normalcy. In the meantime, there is a wonderful quote from Hillel, the preeminent Jewish sage of the 1st century to keep in mind:

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?”

Be Present | Be Purposeful | Be Well

Filed Under: Holistic Health, Uncategorized, Wellness Tagged With: Be Grateful, Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well, Be Your Own Superhero, Enlightenment, Mindfulness, prevention, stress

What is your extraordinary destiny?

February 20, 2020 by bappelbaum Leave a Comment

March is MS Awareness month. For those of you who don’t know, multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and other basic body functions. MS affects each person uniquely which is why finding the cause and cure is so challenging.

Whether it is MS or another disease, chances are you or someone you love fights a daily battle. After all, everybody’s got something, especially if they are over the age of 50. Arthritis, asthma, cancer, mental illness, and diabetes are just a few common chronic diseases. Many of these are invisible or silent so people may not always realize when you or someone else is coping with a formidable challenge.

One of my favorite quotes is, “You don’t know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.” In my opinion, I believe we underestimate ourselves much of the time and don’t recognize our strength until tested. Perhaps that’s the point of when bad things happen. It’s a test, per say, in order to reveal our inner strengths to ourselves. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying a person gets sick to prove they’re strong. I am saying that if a person finds themselves facing a chronic diagnosis or challenging situation they will, most likely, discover their inner strengths over time. As C.S. Lewis said so eloquently, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”

To start today’s meaningful conversation, I ask you to consider what is your extraordinary destiny? What responsibility has life placed in your hands for you to discover? In the past 10+ years of my life I have come to fully embrace that my career is not my destiny or purpose in life, although I fully respect that many define themselves by their job and/or size of paycheck. My purpose is best defined by how I help others when they are struggling in order to make their life a little easier. My purpose fills me (and others) with kindness, empathy, hope, faith and love. When I’m no longer in existence, I hope my epitaph will read “She made a difference for the better.” I strongly believe that each of us has many purposes throughout our lifetime, you just have to pause and notice them. Please join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comment section of my blog post.

I also invite you to help me Create a World Free of MS by donating to WalkMS. Together we are stronger!

Filed Under: Health, Wellness Tagged With: Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well, Enlightenment, Healthy Aging, how to be healthy, Live in Wellness Now, Mindfulness, Multiple Sclerosis

The Power of Silence

August 10, 2018 by bappelbaum Leave a Comment

The Jewish High Holy Days are next month. These are considered the Days of Awe. Awe is a sense of reverence and inspiration. In our chaotic, loud world it is sometimes challenging to find awe. Too much stimulus surrounds us, influencing our thinking and feeling, usually for the negative. It’s a wonder that we don’t collapse under the stress of everyday life, especially if you listen to the news much of the time. What the High Holy Days remind me is to look inward; to find my true self within the silence of contemplative thought. And since I believe that when you discover your true self you discover God, you can find God within the silence.

“God is never what you think…if you can think it, then it’s only a fraction or a reference. God is an experience, a feeling deeper than things and more than words. It is the shining light we can see anywhere and everywhere! The moment we say God is Energy, Consciousness, Love, or even Life, we apply a conceptual limit to something that is beyond words, beyond limits. That is why silence is a great place to find God.”

Jonathan Ellerby, PhD

God is energy or spirit or anything else you choose. Personally, I believe it is the energy of the universe that is within us as well as outside of us. It is everywhere, has no beginning or end, and is the force within life. The most powerful place to connect with God (or your inner life force/energy) is within silence. Silence is peaceful and still. It is where you can hear your heartbeat and notice your breath ties into the rhythm of the earth.

Imagine standing at the edge of an ocean, mesmerized by the ebb and flow of the waves. Some gently lap against the rocks; others come in more forcefully. Regardless of strength, the waves come in and then roll back out to sea. Countless living organisms ride this continuous cycle along with your body as if the energy of the earth is in sync with your breath by means of the motion of the water. As you watch the waves and witness the vast strength of the water, you are in awe. Awe is an emotion combining dread, reverence and wonder that is inspired by the sacred or magnificent. As you stand at the water’s edge soaking in this magnificence, you innately understand there must be a power greater than you, whether you call it God, Spirit, Energy or something else.

As you become present to the moment, you trust in your higher power and imagine casting the negative thoughts and feelings that weigh you down into the sea. Recognize that you are but one small component in this infinite universe. Open yourself up to receive positive energy, helping you focus on your breath, nourishing your body, mind and spirit.

In order to be, one must do. I believe a person’s life is about being the change they want to see in the world. It is about walking your talk every day through helping and truly listening to others with a nonjudgmental approach. It is about being kind and expressing gratitude. This, in turn, reflects in your overall wellness. Life teaches you to be the cause of your existence, not the effect, and that only you can shift your way of thinking to transform your feelings and behavior. This is the purpose of your superhero journey.

Be Present | Be Purposeful | Be Well

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well, Be Your Own Superhero, Enlightenment, Healing

The Road Less Traveled

April 27, 2018 by bappelbaum Leave a Comment

Today is the 12th anniversary of my receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In honor of that blessed day I want to share a small portion of my new book, Be Your Own Superhero: A Road Map to Resilience when Faced with Chronic Dis-ease in the hope that it will bring comfort and inspiration to others who may be suffering from chronic stress or illness as well as encourage you to read/share my book. I promise it will be life-changing for the positive!

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny – C.S. Lewis

My Message to MS After Diagnosis

You entered my life out of the blue in 2006, like a freight train derailing at top speed, and changed everything. You put me on the road less traveled; one that I would have ignored otherwise. As much as I tried to stay the course of my normal existence, you pushed me in the direction of another – the one truly meant for me even though I didn’t recognize it at the time.

As I navigated this new life path, you tried with all your might to knock me down, but I refused to fall. Through your challenging lessons you have shown me that I am not weak but strong; not hopeless but determined; and not diseased but healthy for me. You have become an integral part of me and although I occasionally stumble, I always pick myself up, dust myself off and start anew. You may always be the proverbial “elephant in the room” but I have learned to look past your oversized body and see everything else for the blessings they are.

When you first came into my life many people asked me, “Why you?” and my reply was simple: “Because I can handle it.” I find your entering my life to be the greatest gift I ever received. You awakened within me a strength I didn’t realize I had and taught me to live the life I want, not the one others think I should. You taught me a greater empathy for others who live their lives in constant suffering and gave me the tools to pass on my knowledge to help them be their own best advocates in order to live well. You also taught me what I have known all along even though I didn’t consciously realize it: when chaos arrives at my front door I do not panic. I respond with resilience.

Learning to overcome adversity is truly one of life’s gifts. When faced with a challenge there is always an opportunity that lies within that can be discovered by Getting clear, Increasing understanding, Focusing and Taking action (G.I.F.T.). You offered me an opportunity, and through it I discovered my purpose of being and am able to live my best, healthiest life. Thanks to you I have come into my own. And although it is a long road to accepting and coming to terms with your existence, I know I have the courage and faith necessary to thrive.

Through my story I will teach others how to navigate their life’s journey to their best ability by sharing how I traverse each step, each stumble and each giant leap, walking together down the path of life, taking that road less traveled.

Be Present | Be Purposeful | Be Well

Filed Under: Wellness Tagged With: Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well, Be Your Own Superhero, Blessings, Enlightenment, Healing, Health, Mindfulness, Multiple Sclerosis

The Contest Results Are In

December 17, 2016 by bappelbaum Leave a Comment

Drum roll….and the winner(s) of the Hay House Writer’s Workshop contest are…not me. Life did not turn out as I had hoped.  My story is not unique enough to warrant a formal publishing contract from this contest.  Sadly, my book proposal did not even garner one of the runner-up self-publishing offers. The manuscripts that did win were also health-based yet with a more interesting approach to wellness than mine; at least in the perspective of Hay House…BIG sigh; DEEP breath….

sometimes-life-lets-you-downAm I disappointed? Yes. Had I really hoped I’d win, for once? Yes. Is this the end of my writing? Absolutely not. I have a message that wants to be heard so as to help others navigate their way through chronic dis-ease. I will continue writing and I’ll just have to figure out another way to publish it.  I’m proud of what I accomplished with my book proposal and am even prouder of the actual book that’s almost complete. For my memoir writing class this week the topic was, “What most influenced you during this past year? Did it take you one step closer to fulfilling your Tikkun Olam?”  I want to share what I wrote with you because it skims the surface of lessons I learned from this experience that motivate me to keep moving forward and I hope they do the same for you.

As 2016 began, I gave my all to everyone else and then by a twist of fate mid-way through, I found myself believing it was finally ‘my time.’ Yet after months of forward movement, I stumbled as my bubble of hope burst; my courage dashed by the often spoken words of loved ones, “don’t get your hopes up so you don’t get hurt when it doesn’t happen.”  Sadly I tend to mirror the expectations and preconceived notions of how others see me; still visualizing the insecure child I was instead of the confident woman I’ve become (and sometimes struggle to be). This year I have chosen to focus on constantly reminding myself of my inner resilience; attempting to overcome obstacles I allow to be placed before me. Whenever I look into the mirror and give my reflection a pep-talk, I remind myself that I alone hold the power to my happiness and success; it’s just a matter of perspective and faith in myself.

So this year I continued my role as devoted daughter, loyal friend, fierce advocate for the underdog, and champion of striving to be something more and/or matter more. “When life calls you, you have to answer,” was basically my motto. A synopsis of the year includes several weeks of caring for my father (and mother) when needed; accumulating the necessary hours and passing the required exam to increase my coaching credential to the next professional level (PCP); attending a Hay House Writer’s Workshop and gaining clarity of my next book; learning to play mahjong and making 6 new friends in the process; beating my previous year’s fundraising effort for Walk MS; and saying goodbye to a few family and friends as they either moved or died. I’m sure there were many other influential events this past year but my mind has trivialized them to the back-burner of my memory. Granted, not everything was easy or wonderful yet it all felt like it had a purpose. Sometimes that purpose was buried underneath a bunch of stress, pain, and suffering; but it was there nonetheless. I had this deep-seated sense that I was where I was meant to be, doing what I was meant to do.

With that said, life has never seemed to turn out as planned. My father always had me write down a 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year plan. Somewhere in my 40s I realized these plans only set me up to feel like a failure because I never recognized what I had accomplished; only what I had not. So I stopped planning for a while. Much of my life I have also been a world-class worrier. No matter how hard I try, I simply cannot let certain thoughts lie still in my brain and as I age and our world becomes less stable, it just gets worse. This past year my worry got so out of control that I had to tune out much of what I call nonsense while constantly reminding myself to “let go” when stressful thoughts about my future bubble to the surface. Reminding myself of the Serenity prayer – awareness of what I can and cannot control and knowing the difference – has become a daily activity. Somehow, life in 2016 feels as if it’s gotten out of control in so many ways, yet when I stop, take a deep breath, and reflect honestly, I still find myself feeling as if I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

In March I attended Hay House Publishing’s Writer’s Workshop and at the end of the workshop we were asked to complete a writing exercise that began with the prompt, “Believe in….”  I wrote: Believe in yourself, you are the change you wish to see in this world. With it you help others navigate through pain or dis-ease to wellness. You make other people’s lives easier, you matter. You make a difference. Just breathe – trust in the process of your journey. All is as it’s meant to be. God said to me, “I choose you because you can handle it. Now teach others. Remember, I AM.” Not only is this the theme of my next book, Be Your Own Superhero: A Coach-Approach to Living Well with Chronic Dis-ease, it has bubbled up to be the theme of my year (and perhaps next year too, who knows?).  It certainly has prompted me to begin planning again, although this time setting intentions of who I want to be and how I want to show up in my life instead of realizing specific goals that may or may not be possible or achievable for me.

And although I live with a constant nagging sense of inadequacy and futility that I continually battle to overcome, I have extrapolated a few nuggets of helpful wisdom that are the foundation of what I teach.  My story needs to be greater than me and empathize with other peoples’ pain to help alleviate it; I need to continue developing my skills as an escort into the human soul; and I have to always be courageous – willing to be uncomfortable to truly share my vision. I need to fully feel the energy in and around me whether positive or negative; having faith that I am where I am meant to be right now without worry.  This year has been another giant step toward connecting me to my soul’s true journey; my true Tikkun Olam. Hopefully, I am one step closer to releasing fear, worry, and self-doubt so that I can let my light shine brightly for others and for myself.  I need to continually work at practicing what I preach; standing strong and resilient in the face of chronic dis-ease so I can help others do the same.

Be Present | Be Purposeful | Be Well

Filed Under: Health, Holistic Health, Uncategorized, Wellness Tagged With: Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Thankful, Be Well, Be Your Own Superhero, Blessings, don't panic, Enlightenment, Hay House Writer's Contest

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