The Goddess Next Door

Have you ever wondered why some relationships bring out the best of us while others do the exact opposite? Why you sometimes experience a relationship as a tug-o-war? And have you noticed playing hard to get is not only exhausting you find it only works to attract the wrong kind of guy?

If you’ve struggled sorting through all of the conflicting relationship advice out there you will appreciate the book ATTACHED. The New Science of Adult Attachment and How it Can Help You Find – and Keep – Love. In this book psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Amir Levine and social organizational psychologist Rachel Heller offer answers to why we crave long-term bonds and never truly give up on finding a meaningful connection as well as answers to those earlier questions.

Levine and Heller illustrate in ATTACHED, how our biology and our “attachment style” have an enormous impact on how and why we form the relationships we do. We all have an attachment style (i.e., a particular way of behaving in relationships) that falls into one of three categories: Secure, Anxious or Avoidant.

Some of the eye-opening conclusions Levine and Heller outline include:

  • Having someone with whom to share our lives is “part of our genetic makeup and has nothing to do with how much we love ourselves or how fulfilled we feel on our own.” We are hard-wired to be dependent. (I wish I knew this in my last relationship!)
  • “Secure” attachment is essential not just for our emotional well-being but for our physical well-being.
  • Playing hard to get is the easiest way to land Mr. Wrong (i.e., Mr. Avoidant)

When I began reading ATTACHED, I was thinking to myself, this is just a book talking about typical relationship behaviors gone awry. That everyone goes through the various stages of secure, anxious or avoidant within their relationships depending upon how much they are interested and invested in their partner.

As I continued reading and got to the deeper levels of the concept I was drawn in. I could see my own attachment style being revealed. It was fascinating to answer the questionnaires which shed light on not only my own attachment style but the attachment style of my most recent partner.

I would recommend checking out this book. Levine and Heller not only provide many great clarifying examples, they give you many coping skills to deal with your current style and bridge the gap between your attachment style and your partners…and if you’re single, you will learn exactly what to look for to find yourself a secure man. This could potentially save you a lot of heartache!

If you’d like to check this book out and gain insight into your relationships, past and current here is a handy link Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find and Keep Love.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Angela, The Goddess Next Door

I recently returned from an amazing trip to Portland, Oregon where not only did I reconnect with family, friends and the city at large, I also ran a workshop – Transforming Your Body From the Inside Out. There was a great turnout and I enjoyed sharing information about emotional eating, eating more alkaline vs. acidic, juicing and making more conscious healthful choices.

Since my return I got a juicer and thought I’d give juicing a whirl. I had never previously juiced so it was exciting buying all of my fruits and veggies, getting them home, washed and prepared and then making my first juice. That was four days ago.

Since my workshop in Portland and here in New Jersey, I’ve had many people talk to me about getting started juicing. I thought, well it’s more fun and easy to do things with others support and encouragement so why don’t I find out who wants to go on a juice cleanse with me?

Here are my thoughts, I want this experience to be simple and easy to commit. Most of the people who I’ve talked to have never juiced before. I’m new to juicing myself and I know how hard and daunting it can be to add something extra to do in your already packed day. My goal is to create the opportunity for those who want to join me, at whatever level feels right, and be able to check in with their experience along the way. So this is how we’ll do it, aka ‘The Guidelines’…

Official Start Date: February 20th

You decide what level of commitment you’d like to join me at:

  1. Add at least 1 glass of freshly made juice (veggie/fruit)
  2. A Juice Cleanse – Get yourself a copy of Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark, and Live Like You Mean It!
  3. A Juice Fast – To be inspired watch Fat Sick & Nearly Dead
  4. And if you need a juicer I recommend the Breville BJE820XL Dual Disc Juice Processor

Let’s see how we do over 30 days, March 21st will be our official end date.

Here is my commitment:

1 week juice fast, and then at least 1 juice a day.

I want you to try your best to stick to your commitment and if you get off track, the important key is getting going again. I want you to focus on your success of moving towards living more healthful for yourself and your loved ones…and another benefit you’ll gain is a more sexy, streamlined body. Not only will you let go and rid yourself of physical toxins, you will be letting go of old emotional toxicity (I’ll save that for a later post) and gaining more energy. How could you go wrong with that?
To get started:
  1. Leave a comment below telling us a bit about yourself and what you are committing to. Make sure to leave us your name.
  2. Share with us your daily progress, challenges, and thoughts. The more you share the more you will get out of your experience.
  3. If you find or create a delicious juice, share it in the comment section.
  4. If you have suggestions you think others could benefit from, leave a tip.
  5. Make sure to visit back to see how others are doing, what tips and suggestions have been shared and just be part of the fun!

Let’s all give and receive support to each other in taking small steps to greater wellness. Ready? If so, you don’t have to wait to start posting comments. Let’s make this a fun experiment!

xoxo
Angela, The Goddess Next Door

In my earlier post – 8 Ways to Connect With Your Inner Guidance, one of the ways I talked about was surrounding yourself with inspiring resources.

By introducing fresh and inspiring material into your awareness you develop new, deeper connections within yourself. With this new awareness you begin viewing your life and experiences differently. Have you noticed this before?

Have you ever picked up a book you previously weren’t interested in and found it to be perfect for what you were going through? Sometimes we aren’t ready for new information. Timing is key. Notice what and when you are drawn to new information to find out what you may need to be paying more attention to. The more you practice this, the more you will strengthen your intuitive sense.

If you need a new perspective around a matter, pick up something inspiring. I’d like to share with you some of my favorite books I have on my bookshelf.

Inspired Living
Ask and It Is Given- Esther & Jerry Hicks
Creative Visualization- Shakti Gawain
The Four Agreements- Don Miguel Ruiz
Natural-Born Intuition- Lauren Thibodeau, Ph.D.
The Power of Now- Eckhart Tolle

Relationship Books
Creating a Spiritual Relationship - Paul Ferrini
Resurrecting Sex- David Schnarch, Ph.D.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Love- Richard Carlson, Ph.D.

Health
You Can Heal Your Life- Louise Hay
A Course in Weight Loss- Marianne Williamson
Naturally Thin- Bethenny Frankel

Business Books
Think and Grow Rich- Napoleon Hill
E-Myth Mastery- Michael Gerber

If you know other inspirational books, please share in the comment section below. You never know when you’ll impact the life of someone else in a positive way!

Enjoy!

xoxo

Angela, The Goddess Next Door