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A Balanced Perspective Weekly 
on Health and Wellness
July 19, 2006

1. No Regrets?
2. Website Highlight Of The Week - How My Fees Work
3. Cooking Classes 
4. Improve Your Relationship with Food and Your Body
5. Nutrition and Weight Loss Workshop - Sign-up Now!
6. Bi-weekly Healthy Body, Healthy Life Group Starting

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1. No Regrets?

There is one statement that I hear often, but am never
able to believe.  It's "I have no regrets," and is usually
followed by the statement, "because the mistakes I've
made make me the person I am today."  Whenever
someone says this to me I usually end up standing there
thinking, "Am I the only person in the world who wishes I
could take things back, or do things over from my past?" 

Maybe there are some people out there who truly have
no regrets, but for most people I imagine that it's just a
way of dealing with failures and missed opportunities.  I
think it's important to take an honest look at our past
and it's okay to be sorry for poor decisions that we've
made.  Not only does it make you more human and
genuine, but it helps you to relate to others, and to
make better decisions in your future. 

My Regretful Season!

If there was a season in my life where I have the most
regrets, it was certainly my teenage years.  I spent
way too much time trying to act older than I was, and
not enough time playing.  I took too many unnecessary
risks that could've changed my life for the worse!  I
spent too much time with "cool" people who I'll probably
never see again, and not enough time with my real
friends.

Sounds like a normal teenager!  But my point is that I
have really learned from this and I am trying to make
the most of every moment I have now.  I recognize my
youth and am taking as much advantage of it as
possible.  I try to quickly figure out what it is I value
and to waste as little time as possible chasing after
things that won't really matter to me in the end.

What Might You Regret 20 Years From Now?

Think of yourself twenty years from now.  What things
do you think you might regret about your life now?
Something you are doing or something you're not doing?

You have the power now to do your best to make sure
you don't have those regrets.  Here are a couple of
mine:

1. To spend as much time with my parents as possible.
Who knows how much time I will have left with them.

2. To move my body, stretch, and be active.  I know
that exercise will help to keep me limber and strong
when I'm older.  But even if my body breaks down, at
least I will know I used it to its fullest when I could.

3. To take time for people I care about.  At the end
of the day, who cares what I have accomplished if
there is no one to share my life with?

What Can You Change Now?

What about you?  Can you come up with 3 or more
things you want to make sure you do now so that you
don't have regrets in 20 years?  Maybe it's a choice to
get serious about your health.  Maybe it's a choice to
marry or to not marry someone.  Maybe it's a choice
to laugh as much as possible, or get help for
something in your life that's bringing you down like
depression or an eating disorder.

Think about it, sleep on it, and leave a note on your
desk reminding yourself in the morning to write 3 things
down that you need to do to make sure you have no
regrets about these years of your life.

You know I always love to hear your thoughts.  If
you'd like to work on getting your life on the path you
really want to be on.  Give me a call and we can set-
up a time to talk!

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

xoxo

Melissa
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"Counseling with Melissa was so much more than what I'd
expected.  I started out thinking I was just going to be
coached through a diet, but she helped with many other
aspects of my life.  She really took the time to get to know me
and respected my values.  We worked on my self-image and I
have learned to be kinder and more accepting to myself.  She
helped me to develop a budget that was livable, ultimately
leading to less stress in my life.  We worked on how I deal with
personal relationships as well.  I am so much more aware of my
needs and how to express them to those in my life.  I also lost
about 20 pounds during our six months of sessions and have still
maintained that weight loss.  I miss my telephone meetings with
Melissa, but it's still very helpful to get her weekly newsletters.
I would recommend her services to anyone!  She is very
balanced in her approach."