Wow.  Just wow.  I can't believe we've already completed eight weeks of this program.  Where does the time go?   I'm still amazed at how much can happen in a relatively short period of time.  In these eight weeks I've been through the entire gamut of emotions, made progress, backslid, made more progress, changed some old habits, learned some new habits, and basically just learned a lot about myself.  That's pretty darned good, if you ask me.  Well, even if you don't ask me, there it is.

We're now well into September and the town has come back alive again.  The place quite literally shuts down during the month of August, which is when most Italians go on their holidays. Obviously some places stay open, but staffing is reduced, operating days and times can be different, and the streets are empty enough to make you wonder if the end of the world came and nobody told you. Not that I can blame anyone for that - it's un-Godly hot in August - temperatures in the 40's (100's, for my U.S. readers), high humidity, and relentless sun. For we fortunate few who have air conditioning it's a time of hibernation, of which I took full advantage.  But now our friends are back, social activities are restarting, and the weather has become blissfully tolerable. Pleasant, even.

Last week I mentioned I would be starting up my running habit again, but I'm sorry to report that it didn't happen. Don't judge me too harshly, though, as it was another strange week. I found myself unable to get up and moving on several mornings, but didn't really know why. So I found some Tapping/EFT "scripts" to use and managed to pull myself out of it. I realized that due to making some serious changes in my life, I had begun avoiding normal routines and social situations, and had actually been isolating myself to make sure I could comfortably practice my new habits and practices without outside interference.  It wasn't a conscious choice, of course, but something I only realized after a couple days of trying to figure out what the heck was wrong with me, and why I was avoiding doing the things that I really like doing.  In retrospect, it's a behavior I have resorted to many times in my life when facing things that were difficult or uncomfortable.  But hey, we all do strange things in order to "protect" ourselves, usually without even realizing it.  So now I can address it.  People who know me well are probably thinking, "Well, duh!  I could have told you that!"  To which I would respond, "Well why didn't you then?"  The truth is, we all have to figure it out for ourselves.  

So, on with this week's Top Ten:

1. Isolation, even for introverts (yes I am), is not healthy.  Social interaction is important and brings good energy.
2. It's important to get out of your own head now and then.
3. Finding joy in simple things, like cooking a healthy, colorful meal, or just visiting a lovely fresh food market, can go a long way to bringing peace.
4. Driving in the city and visiting a big shopping mall during busy hours is a good way to destroy your peace of mind.
5. A nice glass of wine, while probably not the healthiest option, can help with #4.
6. Even after 4 weeks of practice, eating to 80% full is still difficult.
7. Seeing someone you haven't seen in a while can make for a very positive experience, particularly when they tell you that it looks like you've lost a lot of weight.
8. Some days, not eating breakfast is perfectly fine - especially when you aren't hungry.
9. Drinking enough water every day makes a very big difference in your appetite, flexibility, skin tone, and general feeling of well-being.
10. Talking to yourself is not the best habit to get into, especially when you forget that you're out in public while doing it.

And just an update, since I know you were worried.  My foam roller and I weren't on speaking terms this week - we decided to take a break.  But I have to admit that I miss it, so I think we'll be starting up again tomorrow.  I really hope it is more forgiving than I think it will be.

Have a health of a day!

Juli