March 2019 On Purpose Woman Magazine

A Force for Good On Purpose Woman March 2019 FREE On Purpose Woman Publisher/Editor Ginny Robertson Creative Director Kathryn Yarborough Contributing Writers: Sherry Cormier Laura DiFranco Claudette Gadsden Sylvia Henderson Andrea Hylen Patricia Iris Kerins Jewell Machlan Beverly Ramsey Ginny Robertson Jerri St. John Kathryn Yarborough Cover Art by Tiana Click here! Subscribe! Get the On Purpose Woman Magazine delivered straight to your inbox! On Purpose Woman Magazine is published monthly online. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Neither the publishing team or the advertisers accept responsibility for errors. Publication and distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement or listing for any reason. To reproduce articles, always credit On Purpose Woman Magazine with the link to the issue. Also, credit the author and leave their bio and contact info intact. Letter from the Publisher Get the On Purpose Woman Magazine delivered to your inbox! Ginny Thank you for opening up this new issue of On Purpose Woman Magazine. I’m delighted that you’re here. After 2-1/2 years of not publishing the print magazine, I am excited that we brought it back online in January. I’m grateful to Kathryn Yarborough for the beautiful job she is doing as Creative Director. I’m grateful to our writers for sharing their expertise, wisdom, and heart with all of you. If an article speaks to you, please reach out and let them know. I’m grateful to our advertisers. They are why you get the magazine for free each month. If you need a product or service, check out our pages of On Purpose Women ready to serve you. And, if you have a product or service that you want to present to a broader audience, check out our advertising rates at www.OnPurposeWomanMagazine.com. Want to write for us? You can get info on that as well. And, if you’re not getting the magazine in your inbox, sign up there, and it will show up on the 1st of each month. If you’re not part of the On Purpose Woman Community and want to be, there are some ways you can participate. Check us out at www.OnPurposeWomanCommunity.com. There are in-person events around Maryland and in Richmond VA, online events eight times a month, and a thriving Facebook group. You can get info on all of that on the website. While I have you here, I want to draw your attention to something that is near and dear to my heart. This is the 9th year for the Boutique Sale to benefit The Light of Truth Center. The Light of Truth Center is a Baltimore-based behavioral health system that aids women in recovering from addiction to drugs and alcohol. My husband and I open our home and sell gently used and new women’s clothing and accessories that we’ve collected throughout the year. How can you get involved? Check out the ad on Page 63. All the details are there. Tell your friends! See you next month! Click Here Subscribe 5 Letter from the Publisher 8 Healing Your Lineage  Andrea Hylen 14 Finding YOUR Power   Jerri St. John 20 The Art of Selfishness = Self-Care   Claudette Gadsden 24 Tools for Healing From Bereavement   Sherry Cormier, PhD 30 Quick Ways to Relieve Back Tension Every Day   Jewell Machlan 35 Apples: The Most Giving and Forgiving Fruit   Beverly Ausmus Ramsey, PhD 40 My Story Tiana   (Our cover artist) 42 Business Directory 48 From Mindfulness to Heartfulness   Patricia Iris Kerins DHP 54 How to Convey Ideas Effectively   Sylvia Henderson 60 Let Your Soul Do the Marketing: 3 Easy Steps  Laura DiFranco 66 Facing Discouragement: Monthly Manifesting Clients Tip   Kathryn Yarborough 72 An On Purpose Woman… Knows What Is Hers to Do  Ginny Robertson Thank You to Our Advertisers Brave Healer Productions * Coach Claudette * Community For Life at Keswick * Earthsave Baltimore * Eclectic–Tala * Inspiration Celebration Spiritual Center * Jewels from Jerri * Julia Mattis Re/Max Advantage * Light of Truth Center * Lisa Diane McCall * Nourishing Journey * Soul-utions Hypnosis * Sue Fitzmaurice * Temple In the Woods * This Is My Brave Inside On Purpose Woman... Have you heard about the tests that are available for finding out about your ancestry? By swabbing the inside of your cheek or spitting into a test tube, there are tests to identify which ancestral tribes you belong to. The key is the word belong. We all want to know who we are and where we belong. Who we become is influenced by our lineage, our culture, ethnicity, and gender. We are influenced by women in our lineage on how we see the world and what we think is possible. By exploring this influence, we have the power to understand and change experiences with power, money, work, relationships and health. An example from my life surfaced after the death of my 2nd husband when I was thrust back into the job market. I had a career until our son was born with a congenital heart defect and when my husband died, I had been out of the job market for fifteen years. I began to do some inner work around my beliefs and fears around money and work. Some of the memories I uncovered: - my mother referring to money as “your father’s money.” (He had a job. She was a full-time homemaker with no salary.) - being told to let the boys win at kickball so they would like me. (Do not compete and don’t show how smart you are.) - the worry of relatives about who was going to support me financially when my first husband and I divorced in 1987. (My husband and I made the same amount of money in our jobs at the time of our divorce. Age 32.) I graduated from college in 1980 when the women’s movement was opening doors for job equality for women. While in college, I knew I wanted a career outside of the home, and I wanted a family. It wasn’t until I was married with two small children and a career as a project manager in epidemiology that I began to understand the path that had not been carved for me. I had a career, and I also had a full-time job as a homemaker. My income was valued and was needed to cover the basic cost of rent, food, car, and student loans. But there was no support at home for career advancement; like when I needed to take classes on Saturday or travel for work. The expectation was that I would “bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan.” I would drop the kids off and pick them up at daycare, then come home and cook and clean. I would do it all: career and a homemaker. There were no role models or mentors. The “beliefs” and expectations were in me and in my husband. I was a parent. He was a babysitter. When I began to look at how my beliefs around money and work were limiting me, I looked at the lineage of women in my family and asked questions. Lineage Questions Did anyone work outside of the home? What limitations were placed on women around money? What opportunities did they have? My mother graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in business in 1954. Her first job was a secretary because it was assumed that she would get married and have children and leave her job. My dad’s job included travel and relocation of the family every few years, so a job outside of the home wasn’t an option for my mom. As I continued to explore my lineage, I discovered that money tied in with a lot of the dynamics of power and patriarchy. The money belonged to men and women had to ask permission to have it. By looking at women’s history and laws regarding money between 1956, the year I was born, and 1980, the year I graduated from college, more answers helped me develop a deeper understanding around the beliefs and conditioning I was experiencing. In 1974, the Equal Opportunity Act was passed. Until then, women had to have a man cosign any credit applications regardless of income. This was one Act that was passed because of the women’s movement and one of many reasons women started to have power with money in the 1970s and 1980s. Prior to that, women had to ask men for permission. Exploring belief and learning about history has helped me to heal judgments of myself, my mother and my grandmother, reclaim my personal power and make different choices. It has helped me to heal my lineage and implement change. The #metoo movement is another example of healing our lineage as women. As we uncover similar stories and experiences, we see how connected we are to one another and why women didn’t and couldn’t report abuse. What are we learning now and how do we heal our lineage and make changes for the future? Here are a few ideas: - Read the history of women. Raise your awareness of rules that governed your mother and grandmothers. Raise your awareness of how they (and women from their generation) lifted the bar and the ceiling for you. Stop judging their limitations. - Celebrate women and appreciate the advancements from the past. - Take action. Challenge yourself to join with women and men to change things in your home and communities. - Mentor younger women and cheer them on. I leave you with a few questions to explore: What years were your grandmother and mother born? What was happening in history during that time? Specifically, what was happening in women’s history and the history of your race and ancestry? Write a list of appreciation for what has changed in your lineage. Begin with “Women have the right to vote.’ What is one step you can take to support change for the next generation? Next month, I will share some ideas on the power of personal awakenings to change your life. Healing Your Lineage By Andrea Hylen Andrea Hylen: Author of Heal My Voice: An Evolutionary Woman’s Journey. Creator of The Writing Incubator, online writing community. www.andreahylen.com Finding YOUR Power by Jerri St. John My platform is jewelry – my message is HOPE, Confidence and LOVE! When we learn to love ourselves, the world changes. But does it really? I believe that what has really changed is my outlook and mindset about life. As someone who was always optimistic, I saw the glass half full – saw the good in people – looked for something positive in every situation. Mental illness pushed that positivity and optimism into the background. I had to learn how to live again…how to feel again…how to experience life rather than simply existing on a day-to-day basis. Daily practices, new habits and a healthy lifestyle that embodies a holistic balance of mind, body and spirit, is where I’ve found MY POWER. Here are the 6 tips that I recommend to get back your MOJO and happiness in life so that you can blossom into the BADASS that you were destined to be! 1. CHANGE YOUR SELF-TALK Changing the way you talk to yourself is a key ingredient in changing your mindset and attitude. When you catch those voices in your head being negative – STOP THEM! QUIET THEM! Change the message until you finally believe your new message instead of those limiting beliefs and old tapes that haunt you. 2. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE Surround yourself with like-minded people who are seeking to grow and better themselves daily. Being the best version of you will take time. When you start feeling better about who you are, you will begin to attract others that are doing the same. Seek out experts or others who have been through what you’re experiencing and have overcome negativity and grown beyond the pain. Set boundaries and take control of the relationships that no longer serve you. It is okay to let go of people and things in your life that create toxicity or negativity. I highly recommend it! 3. USE AFFIRMATIONS What we think about, we bring bout! When you write or speak affirmations, you are changing the message that you’ve had in your head for years. One of my favorites is a 30-day affirmation challenge using “I AM…” Fill in the blank with something positive about YOU every day for 30 days. You will be amazed at the awesome affirmations you develop. Another great way to practice affirmations is to look yourself in the mirror three times a day and say “I love you!” or “You are amazing” You’ll feel really uncomfortable doing this at first, but it definitely helps the mind shift when you do it regularly. You will start believing the messages you’re telling yourself and that’s where the magic happens! 4. PRACTICE SELF-CARE Make sure you are getting 7 – 8 hours of sleep every night. Eat healthy foods. Drink plenty of water. Exercise daily. We’ve been conditioned to believe that caring for ourselves is selfish. It is important to develop a regular daily routine that involves some sort of self-care. Self-care also includes doing something fun for yourself. Have lunch with a friend, read a book, get back to a hobby that you enjoy or get some sort of pampering a couple of times per month. When we take care of ourselves we bring a much better version of ourselves to those we love. 5. PARTICIPATE IN PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Feeding the mind is an important aspect of keeping a healthy mind, body, spirit balance. When we set a morning routine to participate in some sort of personal or professional development each day, we continue to motivate and uplift ourselves to become better. I believe that learning something new every single day is one way to stay youthful and energetic. There is power in knowledge. There are so many terrific books, webinars and motivational speakers throughout Social Media. All you have to do is search Google or YouTube to find them. 6. DEVELOP A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE No matter what your belief system, feeding the soul is equally as important as taking care of the body and the mind. This practice could be meditation, self-hypnosis, prayer, communing with nature or attending a religious service. This practice is unique to each of us. When we acknowledge the spirit and stay connected, we can make choices and decisions for our lives that are intentional and clear. The most important lesson I’ve learned through all of this is that I am not only enough, I am uniquely ME! I am fabulous, brave, strong, and inspiring! I have gifts and talents that are meant to help others. I am changing lives daily by sharing my journey. The really cool thing is that YOU have that power within you as well! It’s in the choices you make, the practices and habits you develop and in treating yourself with grace and kindness. We owe it to ourselves and the world to heal ourselves and do the inner work that will allow us to be the best version of ourselves possible. It is said that you can’t pour from an empty vessel. Fill yourself with joy, love and self-care daily so that you can bring your special gifts and talents to those people that are important in your life! You may not yet have met the person that you are meant to touch – being the best YOU will attract that person to you! If you’ve related to the stories I’ve shared here or I’ve inspired you in any way, please join me at 9:00 a.m. EST on Monday mornings on Facebook Live. I have a regular weekly broadcast called “Finding YOUR Power” for Motivational/Mindset Monday and I would love to have you join me. As a Paparazzi Independent Consultant, Jerri St. John is changing lives and helping others find financial independence. She inspires and empowers women to become the best version of themselves. Join her VIP Group on Facebook: bit.ly/VIPJerri. Website: bit.ly/jewfelsromjerri. The Art of Selfishness = Self-Care by Claudette Gadsden When I mention the word selfish, it’s interesting to see the emotional charge some people get, and that charge is usually negative. I follow this up with the definitions; first of selfish, then the opposite which is selfless. In essence, selfish means regard for self and selfless means regard for everyone except yourself. Take a moment and wrap your head around that. Many women have been taught that it’s more important to think about others than it is to think about themselves. I am grateful that's not what I was taught, but I know too many women who have been affected by this message handed down by mothers, aunties, and grandmothers the world over. Some women think I’m telling them to abandon their responsibilities and run off to Selfish Land where no one ever gets a slot filled on her responsibility schedule. That is not my intention, and there is no place called Selfish Land. What we do have is martyrdom. When we think only of others, eventually we start to feel as if we don’t really exist and that our thoughts and feelings don’t matter. There may be others in your life who think your thoughts and feelings don't matter; don’t join them. For me, being selfish means finding that amazing voice of yours that is buried beneath all the stuff. It means speaking your truth and stepping into your power. I love to cook. I also love deciding what I want to prepare. When I go into the kitchen, I choose what appeals to me based on what’s available. I become one with the ingredients and the process of preparing the meal. As I sprinkle my favorite seasonings in the pots, I add a dash of love. This makes my pots sing. Now imagine that I prepare something only because I think it will please someone else. I go through the same process of becoming one with the ingredients and the process of preparing the meal, even adding that dash of love with my favorite seasonings. This someone walks in and decides they don’t want what I cooked. They like it; they just don't want it today. Or maybe they've already eaten. At that moment, I am not a happy woman. I think “after all I did to prepare this meal and you don’t want it?” My thoughts then take the expressway on a downward spiral, “They should have known I would cook.” Why should they have known? Did I say I would cook? No, I didn't. So in this simplest of examples, when I prepare the meal I desire, I am happy, and the wonderful meal I prepared with a dash of love is there for anyone who might want to eat it. I'm not suggesting you abandon your responsibilities. I am asking you to put yourself at the top of your list. I am asking you to replenish your cup, so you have something to share with others. I am asking you to take every opportunity possible, without apology, to say yes to you. I am asking you to remember being selfish is a part of self-care. Every conversation starts with an inner dialogue. What are you saying to yourself? Claudette Gadsden is the Conversation Coach. She helps amazing women live their dreams by guiding them to create more clear concise conversations. Her signature talk on redefining selfishness helps clients see how being selfish is a major part of self-care. Claudette is an official member of Forbes Coaches Council. You can reach her via website www.CoachClaudette.com or email Claudette@CoachClaudette.com Click here! Subscribe! Get the On Purpose Woman Magazine delivered straight to your inbox! Bereavement is the time in which we heal from grief and sadness associated with a loss. It’s interesting that a synonym for bereavement is deprivation. If there’s anything true about being bereaved, it’s feeling deprived. There are a number of useful tools for healing from bereavement. Some are more applicable in the early stages of mourning, while others are better used in later stages of healing. When the loss is fresh, we are in a state of shock and feel numb. We need to find ways to cope that help us get re-grounded and re-balanced. Finding and maintaining equanimity during the early part of bereavement is especially important. We are likely to be experiencing intense emotional pain, so tools that promote self-care and self-soothing are also necessary. As we move into later phases of bereavement, our healing tools involve community, meaning, and spirituality. Grounding, Self-Care, and Connection Loss shifts everything. Our world as we’ve known it is turned upside down. Our core sense of identity is shaken. One tool to cope with this massive sense of change are activities that connect our bodies with the earth such as walking, tai chi, dance, and yoga. Another tool is to practice self-care and self-soothing activities that help us stay in balance. Recently, someone who lost a dear friend disclosed she grieved so much that she felt shaky on her feet because the unexpected loss left her literally “reeling.” We find balance by getting sufficient sleep, eating nourishing food, and moving our bodies. These self-care practices prevent our stress hormones from soaring. For difficulty sleeping, turn to complementary alternative medicine (CAM) practices such as acupuncture and reiki instead of prescription sleep medicines, which may have adverse side effects. Because grief is isolating and self-absorbing, it’s also important to make connections with other people. Sadness is helped most by ties to others; it’s difficult to heal alone. Our brains are hard-wired to have several close companions in whom we can confide. As Rumi says, “Look as long as you can at the friends that you love.” Loneliness makes our bereavement more intense and creates its own set of issues, as it’s related to poor sleep and physical and emotional complaints. The grief literature identifies several kinds of “grief helpers.” Think of how your friends fit into these roles. One kind of grief helper is a Listener. These are people we can turn to who just listen. If there is no one like this around, finding a professional grief counselor or grief support group can be a useful option. The second kind of helper is called a Doer. Friends who are doers might not be the best listeners, but they are great at getting things accomplished, as often there are many tasks to be done when grief is particularly overwhelming. The third kind of helper is a Distractor. These are people who can temporarily help us forget how awful we feel, either because they make us laugh, provide some sort of respite help, or give us something fun to do. It’s important to have listeners, doers, and distractors in our social circle as we heal from grief and loss. At the same time, be savvy about folks who provide well-meaning but negative advice. One person said to me in the immediate aftermath of losing my beloved, “Sherry, you are strong, and you will be just fine.” I understood her intent: she wanted to be encouraging and yet never having faced this kind of loss, I didn’t know if I would be fine! Her brand of “encouragement” left my painful feelings unacknowledged. Community, Meaning, and Spirituality As the initial shock of a loss wears off, and the sense of being alone with the reality of it increases, it’s important to strengthen community ties. Joining a spiritual group or a church, a yoga or craft class, a book club or neighborhood group are helpful ways to once again feel like we belong to something. Volunteering can be a useful tool because it gives us a way to contribute, and it diminishes the potential self-absorption of enduring grief. Our connections to various groups may also be ways we discover potential meaning of the loss we are enduring. While it’s hard to make sense of loss, it’s often possible to derive meaning and growth from it. As Mary Oliver wrote, “Someone I once loved gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to discover that this too was a gift.” Once we have regained our footing and re-established our balance, we may find that healing from loss creates opportunities for growth and transformation. In many instances, we gain more strength, a new appreciation for life, an increased awareness of the preciousness of life, greater connections to others, and a deepening of our religious and spiritual beliefs as we re-establish our identity and purpose for living. Positive changes that result from a traumatic or adverse event such as a major loss are representative of post-traumatic growth or PTG. Post-traumatic growth is not a universal experience, yet many loss survivors do report positive changes over time as a result of healing from bereavement. Tools for Healing From Bereavement By Sherry Cormier, PhD Sherry Cormier, PhD, is a psychologist, bereavement trauma specialist, and the author of the new book Sweet Sorrow: Finding Enduring Wholeness After Loss and Grief (Rowman/Littlefield). Contact Information: sherrycormier@verizon.net www.sherrycormierauthor.com  FB: sherrycormier@sweetsorrowbook Twitter: sherrycormier@sweetsorrowbook By Jewell Machlan Quick Ways to Relieve Back Tension Every Day In previous articles, I wrote about standing posture and seated posture. But there's one position that we hold for long periods of time and never give it a thought. Where is that? In the car, of course! Driving Yourself Crazy? Many of us on the east coast spend hours commuting to or traveling for work every day. Poor driving posture can result not only in increased back and neck strain, but also in accelerated overall fatigue and increased reaction time. On the other hand, driving with good posture reduces strain on your spine and joints, prevents muscle fatigue and helps maintain alertness. Here are a some guidelines for better driving posture that can help you arrive at your destination relaxed and alert: Sit with your spine straight, and your lower back pressed into the seat back to stabilize your pelvis. Extra lower back support (a rolled up towel or a small, firm pillow) at the back of the waist will help maintain your lumbar curve and keep your pelvis from tilting forward. Lower your steering wheel to the proper height so that you don't have to lift your upper arms to reach it. Your hands should be a little lower than your shoulders. Lower your hands on the steering wheel. Due to new steering technology and the use of airbags, "10 and 2" is no longer recommended. Now traffic officials say that drivers should hold the wheel at a "9 and 3" position or lower. This allows your arms to hang naturally from your shoulders -- vertically down the side of your body. Recline your seat back to a 10 to 15% angle to stabilize your upper body. Adjust your rearview mirror when you are sitting tall -- then if you slouch or slide forward, you'll notice it when you check your mirror. Move your seat slightly forward. Bent knees reduce hamstring tension. Don't drive with your wallet in your back pocket -- it can tilt your pelvis and spine to one side and exert pressure on the sciatic nerve. Adjust your headrest so that your neck is in a straight line with your spine when your head is resting against it. Keep your chin level, not tilted up. Be sure your weight is evenly distributed on both of your buttocks and that you are sitting on your "sitz bones." Don't let yourself lean to the right to rest your arm on an armrest or console that is NOT properly positioned. A firm seat cushion allows the body's weight to rest squarely on the sitz bones, rather than on the tail bone. If your leather or vinyl seats cause your hips to continually slide forward, consider purchasing a fabric seat cushion for better friction. Relax your shoulders, lift your chest and drive carefully. This may seem like a lot to remember, but once your body becomes accustomed to good driving posture, it will seem natural and may even result in a better driving record. Next month: " Make your Workplace Work for You. More ways to relieve back tension.” Click Jewell Machlan's goal is for everyone to enjoy their bodies! She focuses on helping her clients experience freedom of movement and relief from chronic pain or stiffness through the Rolf method. She is a licensed and nationally certified massage therapist with over 1000 hours of training in her specialty and sees clients in Gaithersburg, MD. jewell@atlength.org www.atlength.org Click Click Click for More Info Of all the widely growing and widely consumed fruits, I believe that apples are the most giving and the most forgiving. Apples are the most giving because they are delicious, they are versatile in their use and are so very nutritious. Apples are forgiving because they will store without special measures for long periods, they degrade very slowly and are useful in many foods even post-peak. Apples are valuable components to food security for an individual, family, and community. In looking back over my more than 70 years, I see how much apples have meant in my daily life. In the Smoky Mountains, apples were everywhere. There were crab apples (often locally called common apples). There were what we called “mountain apples,” both green and red, ripening a couple of months apart. While I am sure what we called “mountain apples” were cultivars of the Eurasian apples, they were great, and we often mixed crab apples and mountain apples for drying, for sauces, to bake, fry or for jams. In the narrow valleys, some of the crab apples and the mountain apples bloomed about the same time in mid-April. The resulting fruits were obviously hybrids. They were not as sweet, were tarter and firmer than mountain apples. Fruits from these mixed-apples were larger and sweeter than the typical crab apples and were delicious raw and in tart jams and sauces. Crab apples or common apples and “mountain, commercial or culinary” apples are all members of the Rose (Rosaceae) family. The “Apple Tribe” within the Rose Family also contains pears. Practically every tree we call apple are members of the Genus Malus. How To Identify a Crab Apple Tree: They range in size from 1-40 feet. The leaves are small, simple and alternate on the twigs. The flowers have five petals and are typically red, pink, yellow or white. They form complete (called perfect) flowers and usually have red stamen that produces copious amounts of pollen. Flowering usually occurs 50 to 80 growing days each spring. They are cross-pollinated typically by bees who take both nectar and pollen. Apple trees are self-sterile requiring pollen from other trees carried by the bees and other insects. The fruits are “pomes” fleshy, consisting of an outer thickened fleshy layer and a central core with usually five seeds enclosed in a capsule, typically star-shaped. How can we grow and sustainably consume apples and what from our harvest and apple management do we return to Mother Earth? All apple trees need well-drained, unpolluted, richly biotic soils. Read Roger Yepsen's “Apples” for more information. To minimize the need to fertilize, and to reduce the risk of disease, you need specific beneficial fungi in the soil. If you are in an old homestead with fruit trees around, you probably need to do nothing. However, if you are using lawns or areas that have had row crops, you can buy and apply as you plant the apples. My favorite source is from Fungi Perfecti. Many books illustrate the versatility of the apple from breakfast to dinner, from appetizer to dessert. These include “Apple Recipes: the Ultimate Guide” by Danielle Caples, “The Apple Lovers Cookbook” by Amy Traverso, and “An Apple a Day” by Karen Berman. Pay attention to how beautifully apples combine with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Apples also mix well fresh or dried with raisins, currants, figs, and dates in side dishes or snacks or trail-mix. From A Food Security and Nutrition Standpoint, Apples are Amazing: • Apples have lower sugars than other fruits. • Apples are high in fiber and are mostly pectin, which assists in the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentration and reduces human glycemic responses. • Apples are rich in Vitamin C and E, as well as pro-Vitamin A, carotenes, lutein, potassium and magnesium. • Apples contain a wealth of beneficial phytochemicals. • Apple consumption is heart-healthy. • Apples are anti-inflammatory. • Apples have antioxidant properties (Source) Finally, let’s consider apple cider. There is good evidence that apple cider, especially as a vinegar (natural fermentation product) has benefits that include blood sugar control, weight management, and improved cholesterol levels. There are counterindications, however, including the potential loss of tooth enamel, and skin irritations. (Article) The common proverbs “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” and “Eat an apple upon going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread” speak to the power of the apple and why it is so critical to creating food security. "It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree is connected to that of man.” Henry David Thoreau Apples The Most Giving and Forgiving Fruit By Beverly Ausmus Ramsey, PhD Ecology Tell women across the United States and around the globe about your services or products. Beverly Ramsey, PhD, recently retired from 50 years of scientific research. She remains a professor in Environmental Sciences at APUS. She is sharing with us what she has learned from her traditional Native American rearing and her scientific research. DrBeverlyARamsey@gmail.com or bramsey@eclectic-tala.org Click Here for Information Cover Artist Tiana Ginny Robertson writes: I first learned of Tiana some years ago when Cherry-Lee Ward wrote a series of articles on the chakras for On Purpose Woman Magazine. She used Tiana’s paintings to represent each of the chakras. I’m excited to reconnect and have her beautiful art as our cover this month. It is a commissioned piece for a temple in Portugal. Check out her story on the next page and visit her website www.Tianaarts.com. Advertise Over 35 years ago I embarked on what turned out to be a convoluted journey of spiritual discovery. My aim, I guess, was to figure myself out. I discovered ways of journeying in meditation and working with the light body, and during this period of discovery, I literally woke up in the middle of the night and had to paint. I live in Portsmouth in the UK and am a freelance artist offering bespoke and commissioned artwork. I work in a variety of media including paint, clay, textile and bronze. I am also a teacher and spiritual mentor with 18 years of experience working with students with emotional, behavioral and social difficulties I have a passion for repurposing and using found materials. Teaching on a small school budget has given me the gift of having almost a sixth sense for finding art materials! I make a concerted effort to use eco-friendly materials, products and packaging, as well as supporting other local businesses when sourcing products and services. Therapeutic art, for me, is a marvelous opportunity to provide a comfortable, sensory and inspiring space in which to allow creative expression in its purest sense. I have held creative space for many and learn so much from all the lovely people I meet. Working with special needs children, I fully understand the importance of safeguarding vulnerable children and adults. I have trained in behavior management and first aid. I pride myself on my ability to relate and develop trusting relationships with my clients with their wellbeing the focus of my efforts. My place of inspiration is the beach. I have a family of merfolk; scuba divers, surfers and grandchildren who feel at one with the sea. I have deep gratitude for having the good fortune to live so close to the coast. I regularly attend beach clean ups and events like the ocean film festival. I am also a Reiki master teacher. Reiki opened a whole new world of inspiration and experience for me. Through Reiki practice I channel the energies, healing, and visions I express in my art. My Story by Tiana Business Directory At Length. Jewell Machlan. The Rolf method and therapeutic massage. This method is amazing! Give it a try! www.atlength.org BEMER Distributor. Doria Musaga. BEMER therapy improves blood flow to increase energy. Decreases pain, chronic fatigue, aids recovery from injury. 667-786-1032 http://bmruniversity.com/whatisbemer www.nursedoria.bemergroup.com Blue Lotus Physical Therapy & Wellness. Joyce Fishel DPT. Specializing in Holistic Pain Relief & Therapeutic Movement. 443-650-8886 www.BlueLotusPhysicalTherapy.com BotaniCuisine.com. Nancy Poznak, MS. Plant-Sourced Dining Outreach, Consultation, Marketing, Dining Guides, Plant-Based Info & Coaching. 443-384-7890 Brave Healer Productions. Laura Di Franco, MPT. Have fun with your fear and share your healing message with the world! www.BraveHealer.com 703-915-3653 Cortney Chaite. Protocol for maximized gut-brain health and improved mental wellness. 410-215-6022 cortneychaite@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/cortney.chaite www.GerisePappas.com. Transformational Life Coach & Enneagram Facilitator working with growth-oriented individuals ready to replace fear-based habits with inspired action! Holistic Healer, Life Coach, Money Mentor. Sandy McDougall, helping on purpose women gain clarity, courage, strength, stability, ease. sand@well.com. Hustle with Heart Coaching. Erin Harrigan. Helping "stuck" entrepreneurs rediscover their joy and align results with God's truth. erinharrigan@comcast.net 443-684-3131 Ingrid Dallaire. Realtor Long and Foster. "Service and Results with a Personal Touch" www.IngridDallaire.com Ingrid.Dallaire@LongandFoster.com 301-455-6962 Jewels By Jerri. Jerri St. John. Independent Consultant with Paparazzi. https://www.paparazziaccessories.com/jewelsfromjerri 410-274-3712 Light of Truth Center, Inc. Vaile Leonard. An Innovative Behavioral Health System for women recovering from substance use. www.lightoftruthcenter.org 443-393-2109 vleonard@lightoftruthcenter.org Lilia Shoshanna Rae. Author of The Art of Listening to Angels, Reiki Master, me@lilia.co www.LiliaShoshannaRae.com LNK Creative: End cold calling! Ellen Koronet designs magnetic quizzes and surveys, showcasing brand brilliance and attracting loyal, satisfiable customers! www.LNKCreative.com Love YOUniversity. CortneyAnne Budney. Guiding awakened coaches and healers to spiritually, strategically and collectively uplevel life, purpose and prosperity. www.LoveYOUniversity.net Love YOUniversity. Julia Coplan. Guiding awakened coaches and healers to spiritually, strategically and collectively uplevel life, purpose and prosperity. www.LoveYOUniversity.net Manifesting Clients Academy. Kathryn Yarborough. Where heart-based, on purpose women entrepreneurs attract clients and grow businesses they love. www.ManifestingClientsAcademy.com Music 4 More. Deidra Stevens. Non-profit that repairs and recycles musical instruments into music programs for schools and veterans. www.music4more.org Nourishing Journey Café & Wellness Center. Jennifer Palmer. Healing Bodies ~ Opening Minds ~ Uniting Hearts. Columbia MD. 410-992-3001 www.nourishing-journey.com Open Heart Healing. Karen Tasto. Free your inner goddess and live a life you love through spiritual life coaching, reiki, sacred circles, and retreats. www.karentasto.com Patricia Iris Kerins. Soul retrieval and voice empowerment coach, healer and channel, working with women who are spiritually awakening. www.patriciairiskerins.com Plexus Ambassador. Natalie Gallagher. Natural plant-based health and wellness supplements and skincare, balancing blood sugar, reducing inflammation and healing the gut. https://plexusworldwide.com/nataliegallagher Positive Power Publishing. Stephanie Mensh. Helping people with stroke and disabilities and caregivers live full lives. stephanie@strokesurvivor.com www.strokesurvivor.com Problem Solved. Errands & Organizing. Deidra Stevens. We provide solutions to get your to-do list done! www.linkedin.com/in/deidrastevens/ Soulful Business Coach Dawn Shuler - I work with women business owners to play bigger by focusing on systems. www.SmartBusinessFromYourSoul.com Soul-utions Hypnosis. Beverly Hamilton CHt. Restoring health and vitality through Hypnosis, Reiki and Aromatherapy. FREE self-hypnosis recording: www.Soul-utionsHypnosis.com HypnoAromaBev@gmail.com 410-663-5089. www.TheChrisaGroup.com. Chrisa T.S, Public Speaking Coach. Speak up. Show up and Share your message with presence and influence. The world is waiting for you. Virtually Nat. Natalie Gallagher. Your one-woman web, social media and funnel digital agency, bringing your online vision to life. https://virtuallynat.com List YOUR Business Find out how. Find out how. List YOUR Business! Find out more. Here in Scotland, mindfulness has become a buzzword in the de-stressing sector. Those dedicated to helping others be more in the present moment and aware of what they are doing and being moment-to-moment are more and more in demand in corporates around the country. The results are quantifiable as companies notice that staff mental health is improving and fewer people are off sick with stress. This is good news because stress has become one of the foremost reasons for absenteeism in the workplace. For me, as a soul coach, there is a further step to be taken. To travel some 18 inches from the head and the mind into the heart of the matter and to expand the wonderful feelings of love in the heart for ourselves, for what we are doing and being in our lives and businesses is, in my opinion, a richer experience and the way to move next. Love is at the centre of your heart; it is free, it is shareable, it permeates the air you breathe and the words you speak, indeed every part of your life and the lives you touch. When you harness its intense power, it changes every aspect of your life. I have made it one of my goals for my year of ‘Communication’ to put love back on the agenda for as many clients, students, and businesses as possible. To that end, I am writing articles for two major magazines in the UK and also online magazines such as On Purpose Woman. Put love into the Minutiae Here are some of the ways I put love into the minutiae of my daily heart-based business practice. I hope these ideas help you grow and nurture your beautiful business as has done mine. Meditate Every Day I meditate every morning for at least 20 minutes. I also do a physical cleansing, clearing, and connecting ritual. As I meditate, I go within and take time to express my gratitude to God and Goddess for everything in my life. I give thanks for every client, every potential client and every client I have yet to magnetise into my sphere of influence. I thank them and send them love. I also let them know how much I can guide and assist them on their soul journey. I speak as if it is already happening and I calibrate my energy to feel good about that too so that it is all coming from the right place – the heart. Set Up a Place of Sacred Love Prior to every client session, I set up a place of sacred love, even if I am working online. I light a candle. I clear the space. I offer a prayer of highest good and the best outcome for all from the session. I bless the time we will spend together. I Activate Everything I Sell With LOVE. I sell books and various other products. I activate every single one of them with LOVE, and I send love to those who have purchased. If I am posting the goods out, I also bless that process so that I know all will arrive safe and sound. I Call Upon My Angels I call upon my Angels, my own personal guardian Angel, Mya, and the Angel for my business. I don’t know his or her name as yet, but I know that will come soon. The latter is a recent practice for me although I have always communicated really well with my guardian angel. I have begun to ask questions like, “What is the best way forward for me today to achieve x,y, or z?” Or, “How can I do this better?” Or, “What would you suggest the solution is?” The answer comes only if you listen. If you are constantly thinking, indeed over thinking, you won’t hear this valuable guidance. Remembering to still your mind and being open to receive is key. I Work With the Goddess Isis Working with the Goddess Isis is another powerful key for me. She is the Goddess I associate with the base and 2nd chakras, my solid (base) foundation to life and my creative expression. Both need to flow in harmony so that whatever I am inspired to bring forward for humanity will also be made manifest–landed as it were. That takes Love Power, (the name of my company), Purpose and Passion and Isis instills that in me by the barrow load. I love her positivity, her chutzpah, her, “Hell YES! You can do this!!!” I talk to her most days, and she is an inspiration. Give it a go when next you meditate. Call her forward. If you don’t feel confident in that give me a pm online on Facebook @themagdalenekey. I have programs that deal with this and a myriad of other subjects. We spiritual business people need to remember we are multidimensional beings and so too are our businesses. I believe that whatever we want to do and be we can achieve, and it is this knowing that keeps me going. I can get down when the flow isn’t going the way I want. Frustration and disappointment can set in, and that is when you need the love and support of all the Illumined Beings of Love and Light in the other dimensions, as well as that of friends and family. We also need the love and support of online communities, such as this one. Although some malign social media, I find it to be a Godsend as I can chat and communicate with others globally who won't think I am weird. It is such a joy to hear words that I use being spoken in different ways, each slant having its own unique and wonderful message. Bless you all. Patricia From Mindfulness to Heartfulness By Patricia Iris Kerins DHP I set up a place of sacred love. I go within and take time to express my gratitude. Patricia Iris Kerins, Channel for Mary Magdalene, Goddess Guru, Sound Healer and Spiritual Teacher is a psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EFT and Reiki Master with 30 years experience in the world of personal transformation. To find out more about Patricia’s online programs, books, cards and workshops www.patriciairiskerins.com Facebook: @themagdalenekey How to Convey Ideas Effectively by Sylvia Henderson Your ideas have to make sense in order to make cents. Or dollars. Or millions of dollars! Make sense to make cents? What does THAT mean, speaking of making sense? Well, this is a story of an all-too-typical situation. You’re in a meeting. You have an idea and you bring it up at the meeting. People acknowledge your idea and then continue with the meeting as if you haven’t spoken. A few minutes later someone else brings up an idea that’s suspiciously similar to yours. Meeting participants love the idea and immediately start working out how to implement it. Hey…Wasn’t that YOUR idea to begin with? Why did they decide to take action on the other idea and not yours when you first brought it up? One reason I’ve learned through personal experience, as well as from many of the entrepreneurs and corporate leaders I work with, is that the ideas didn’t “make sense” at first reveal. Then, for various reasons, when the idea was suggested in a different way by a different person, it became clear enough to take action on. So how can YOU communicate your ideas so that they make sense to the people with whom you meet? Here are three pointers that my mentors gave me long ago that I now teach my clients for making their ideas clear to others. 1. First, organize your thoughts before you blurt out your idea. Take a few moments to jot your thoughts on paper. Perform a private “ideastorm”—which is brainstorming to yourself. It doesn’t have to take long. The more you can write down what you’re thinking, the better you can “see your thoughts” and organize them before you say them. 2. Make sure that at least one of your points is your suggested action for implementing your idea. While a private ideastorm may sound like it takes too long and you’ll miss your opportunity to speak up with your idea, an extra few minutes before you speak can appear that you’re being thoughtful and carefully working out your idea…which, by the way, you are! Look for two or three powerful points you can make relevant to the group and the topic being discussed. These will be the points you make to reinforce your idea on the spot. Ideas are great. Solutions for implementation move them to action. 3. Finally, SPEAK UP and share your idea – succinctly and clearly. At an appropriate time in the discussion, or butt-in if you have to, speak confidently and so everyone can hear you. Share your idea in a sentence or two, and then give your supporting points to reinforce your idea. For an additional resource that covers this process more deeply, my book titled Hey, That’s MY Idea: How to Speak Up and Get Recognized for What You Know and Think is available from my web store. You can learn my entire process for getting your ideas heard and getting others to support you by acting on them. Let me help you communicate your ideas more-powerfully & strategically so that you can make sense, to make cents…and much more! BONUS: Watch the video message for “IdeaStorm Blowing Through: How to Convey Ideas Effectively” If you liked this article, connect with me at www.SylviaHenderson.com. Stay up-to-date with my tips and guidance to move your ideas to income…and to impact the world. Let’s start with a conversation to see how I might serve you – or your organization – to implement your ideas and get things done! Sylvia Henderson is known as the Idea Implementation Expert. She is the creator of Idea MindTeam™ group programs for entrepreneurs and organizations to move ideas to action. Connect at SylviaHenderson.com. Ideastorm Click Here! Subscribe! Get the On Purpose Woman Magazine delivered straight to your inbox! Write for us! Articles due on the 10th. Info Let Your Soul Do the Marketing: 3 Easy Steps By Laura DiFranco There’s a powerful way to move words from your heart and soul to your tongue or pen so that when you write and speak about yourself and your business, you do it in a worthy, brave, authentic way. The result is a business built from the vibration of abundance, love, gratitude, and joy, without the feelings of doubt, fear or shame mucking things up. Marketing is tricky. If you’re like me, you went to school for something else and then when you became an entrepreneur you had to teach yourself the how-to of business and marketing. It probably quickly became your least favorite thing to do — possibly even worse than the dentist. Why? Because you were never taught how to talk about yourself without thinking it was bragging or somehow inappropriate. Even after taking courses and learning the skills, that little voice in your head gets the best of you. Tooting your own horn just feels sleazy, you think. Newsflash—if you don’t share yourself and your message, nobody finds out about your life-changing program, your business stagnates, and no awesomeness is poured into the world. Your message matters. So let’s get to sharing it! It’s time to learn how to do this in a way that feels great. It’s time to step into the world in a bigger way and really help the people you were born to serve. So why not let something bigger take over? When your soul does the marketing, you can stand by and smile as the words flow with ease, confidence, and power. When your soul does the writing and speaking the feeling is that something bigger and more badass is doing the expressing. It feels connected, intuitive, and creative. The brave healing and intuitive writing process is the way I teach holistic practitioners to connect to that larger more powerful source when they write, speak and share their messages. This is a combination of body-centered awareness and therapeutic and intuitive writing that is both healing and the foundation for badass, effective copy you can use when you market your business. Here’s a three-step process you can follow the next time you sit to write out things like your bio, sales pages, speeches and blogs or books: 1. Connect with your body and get still 2. Observe and detach from your inner critic thoughts 3. Embody the feeling you want to convey There are a lot of tricks to skillful writing and speaking, but when you’re not practicing those skills from this foundation of awareness, you’re not setting yourself up for the success that’s possible. Meditate First The Brave Healer version of meditation is connecting with your body and stilling the mind. The fastest way to do this is by feeling the breath. Get comfy, close your eyes, relax your body and begin to feel the breath moving in and out. Start your creative sessions (writing especially) by connecting like this first! Watch Your Thoughts Next, you’ll need to put your mind in check by being the observer of your thoughts, especially the unhelpful ones. Notice what you’re thinking about what you’re doing. Notice the extra meaning you’re giving the events of your day. Awareness of the self-sabotaging thoughts is the doorway to changing them. When you realize they are happening you can go about choosing something different and more helpful. Feel Something Good And lastly, begin to choose the feeling you want to convey to your reader or listener. When you feel it, we feel it, whether it’s in your writing, speaking or other expression. So if you’re feeling bored or disinterested, guess what we’ll feel? Use the body awareness meditation to conjure up the feelings of inspiration, joy, love, abundance, or other feelings you’d like your reader to walk away with! When your soul begins to do the marketing, in other words, your expression comes from that soulful, purpose-driven, badass place inside you, it stops feeling like marketing and starts to feel like the simple sharing of the truth you were born to share. That’s badass. If you’re looking for a transformational experience to help you learn the skills of awareness, mindset mastery, intuitive writing, soulful speaking and marketing of your message, please read about a new collaborative Brave Healer event coming to the DMV this Fall: Unleash Your Marketing Warrior! Laura Di Franco, MPT can help you have fun with fear and write, speak and share words that leave the legacy you were born for. Time to be brave! www.BraveHealer.com or email Laura at bewarriorlove@gmail.com A Monthly Manifesting Clients Tip  from Kathryn Yarborough I know what it’s like to feel discouraged. In fact, I’m currently facing that ugly demon called Discouragement one more time and he’s driving me nuts. He makes me want to quit... to just give up. To get off the train! After all, as Discouragement likes to remind me, why try if no one wants what I’m offering? (But he’s lying, some people love my Manifesting Clients Classes, workshops, and private sessions.) Even still, some days he’s hard to ignore. If the path to having all the clients you want is like a train ride, Discouragement is one of the other passengers. And he’s an intrusive one. Instead of leaving me alone, Discouragement likes to urge me to get off the train. He can be very alluring. Discouragement reminds me that, if I leave the train, I won’t have to work so hard. I won’t ever really fail. And he reminds me of all the other things I’d rather be doing than promoting and growing my business. But if I listen to him, the Manifesting Clients Academy (my business) will never become all that I imagine it could be. I’ll never make the difference that I could make. And my potential clients will never have the experiences I can offer them. They may still grow their businesses and attract all the clients they’d love to work with, but it won’t be because of my services. If I do listen to Discouragement and quit, life would be easier in certain ways. I wouldn’t have to deal with the challenges of success. I wouldn’t have to change. I could stay in the comfort of the familiar. Can you relate? If you can, I’ll ask you what I’m asking myself... Is quitting because of Discouragement what you REALLY want? Every successful entrepreneur that I know of has faced Discouragement and his fellow passengers - Failure and Fear – and kept going. Are you going to keep going? There are other passengers on the train that can help. On my train, I see Courage, Commitment, Hope, Good Feelings, Excitement, Gratitude from my Current Clients, Financial Rewards, Encouragement, and Making a Positive Difference... to name a few of the other passengers. And then there’s all the good feelings I’ll likely experience when I make it all the way to the last stop on this train - Having All The Clients I Want. When I imagine getting there and having all the clients I want, I imagine feeling... Proud of myself and my work. Like I’m making a positive difference. Loving towards my clients and grateful they’re in my life. Happy to be doing such fun and useful work. Abundant. How about you? What do you imagine you’ll feel? I invite you take a moment to write a list of those feelings. Keep it close by for when Discouragement is whispering in your ear. You can get off the train if you want. But if you do quit, you will never experience all of those really awesome feelings. So I say, STAY! Keep going! Send Discouragement to the other side of the train and listen to Excitement Encouragement, and Hope instead. Focus on where you’re going and what you want to feel. Then instead of sitting beside you and talking in your ear, Discouragement will be sitting in a different part of the train and you won’t even see or hear him. Facing Discouragement On the Train to Having All the Clients You Want Kathryn Yarborough is the creator and director of the Manifesting Clients Academy. She inspires heart-based entrepreneurs to be the amazing, awesome on purpose entrepreneurs they feel called to be. And she teaches them how to manifest clients by intentionally writing the story they tell themselves. To find out more, go to www.ManifestingClientsAcademy.com The world is full of challenges and opportunities that can seem overwhelming. You hear the call of a world continually challenging you to show up and play. There are bright shiny objects everywhere vying for your attention; and, if you have a business, there are even more options. What’s a heart-centered, caring, compassionate, savvy woman to do? Knowing what is yours to do matters because when you spend time on things that are not yours to do, you’re not spending time on the things that are yours to do; and the things that are yours to do are the ones that spark the most passion and joy. It’s not enough to know what is yours to do and what isn’t. Once you know, it’s imperative to let go of what isn’t yours to do. In this process of letting go, there are some ideas you’ll have to let go of: An Exercise To Do Here’s an exercise to help you get more clear on how this shows up in your life: Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the center. On the left side write “Mine to Do” and on the right side write “Not Mine to Do.” Take a few minutes and write as quickly as you can. Notice how you feel as you write. Don’t judge your answers. When you’re finished, look at your list and pick the one in the Not Mine to Do column that has the most significant impact or emotion. Then choose the one in the Mine to Do column that you love and want to do more of. Remember…every time you say yes to something you’re saying no to something else. Be conscious of your decisions. How can you do more from Column #1 and less from Column #2? I’ll share that in the April On Purpose Woman Magazine. Let go of... “The good opinions of others” as Wayne Dyer has written. The need to “save the day.” The concern that someone will be disappointed. The idea that your worth is connected to how much you do. The notion that making these decisions from a place of “what’s in it for me” is selfish and wrong. At the November 3rd Be On Purpose Day for Women Entrepreneurs, I shared a list of "Traits of an On Purpose Woman." Each month I'll share my perspective on a different trait.  Ginny Robertson is the Founder of the On Purpose Woman Community, a global movement that connects women around the world to their gifts, their purpose and each other. She is also a speaker and the Publisher/Editor of On Purpose Woman Magazine. An On Purpose Woman… Knows What Is Hers to Do by Ginny Robertson On Purpose Woman Magazine is for women and by women. I am proud to be part of it. Our voices matter. Our businesses matter. Our leadership matters. And what we care about matters. Thank you for your part. This magazine exists because of women like you who read it, write for it, advertise in it, contribute in any way to it, and share it with their friends. Kathryn Yarborough, Creative Director Ads are due March 20.