Everyone has a shadow side to them, a darkness. It’s usually destructive, to both ourselves and others. But what if it wasn’t all bad? What if we, instead of fighting it, made friends with it?

I love this idea because it’s about totally loving and accepting ourselves as human beings, both our light and dark sides. This means that while we strive to allow our spirit sides (light) outshine our shadow (dark), we transcend the concept that one is right and the other is wrong.

Based on Debbie Ford‘s book, The Shadow Effect, the movie features gurus like: Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson and Mark Victor Hansen. It seems absolutely fascinating and enlightening! Here, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbvnyrsL_CE

For all you readers out there, here’s the movie description:

Be uplifted by the power that is hidden beneath the surface of your conscious mind. Take this emotionally gripping, visually compelling journey into your mysterious shadow self—the hiding place for your most disliked thoughts, emotions, and impulses—and discover how by embracing your worst fears, you can step into your greatest self.

Be transformed by Debbie Ford, the #1 New York Times best-selling author and internationally acclaimed expert on the human shadow, as well as some of the most brilliant and evolutionary thinkers of the 21st century. Be inspired to uncover the wisdom in your wounds, the blessings in your misfortunes, and the gifts that are waiting to be claimed where you may least expect them . . . in the dark.

In this groundbreaking and revolutionary interactive movie experience, be guided through eight transformational exercises to uncover, own, and embrace what has been hidden in the dark—keeping you from stepping into your greatest dream. If shadows could talk, they would tell you that there is gold to be mined in every experience.

Do you beat yourself up when your dark side comes out to play? Are you tired of judging yourself? Tell me about it in a comment.

Is happiness elusive and fleeting for you? Do small things happen during the day that seem big and steal your happiness? Here’s an interview between Múkami of MukamiTV and Lucy Danziger, Editor-in-Chief of SELF magazine and co-author of The Nine Rooms of Happiness.

Much of this interview reminded me of The Art of Flourishing, the book I just reviewed on Thursday. It appears that both books have similar messages: the secret to accessing and maintaining happiness is developing a healthy relationship with yourself so you can have healthy, fulfilling relationships with others.

Find out more about The Nine Rooms of Happiness (written specifically for women) in this fabulous interview:

I’m excited to pick up this book! Have you read it yet?

As a great follow up post to Thursday’s Tips to Boost Your Motivation, here’s a great exercise that’s challenging and convenient because it only requires your body weight to help you get fitter. And it’s got a fun name.

I’ve got a personal trainer now, James from G Force Home Training, and I’m learning a lot about nutrition and exercise. Recently, he told me about high impact exercises and we added them to my workout routine. High impact exercises are those where both of your feet leave the ground.

One example, which James has been having me do, is the burpee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MGljX4bbps

There are many benefits to high impact exercises, not only can you do them anywhere (unless your shy) but also because they use gravitational force as well as your own body weight to increase your fitness.

To learn more about high impact exercises, along with some of their cons and who they’re best suited for, read this SparkPeople’s article, “Low Impact vs. High Impact Exercises: Which One is Right for You?”

In our last workout, James had me do a variation of the burpee. (Update: actually, he just corrected me that these are jump squats, oops!) I went into a squat position and used both my arms (in a swinging motion) and legs to propel me forward in a jump. I landed on both feet, bending my knees to absorb the impact. I did about 10 of these in a line, one right after the other. Two sets. Man, my legs were burning!

Ok, so burpees are a bit tough at first, but they really do a lot as they get your heart rate up as well as working a ton of muscles. The more I do them, the more fun they become!

Have you tried burpees? What are you waiting for? Stop reading this, get off your butt and try them!

You’ve seen the movie The Matrix but have you met Moofius and the freedom fighters in The Meatrix? They’re revealing the truth about where our eggs, milk and meat come from, and gathering troops (consumers) like us to make a difference. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out in this post!

The Meatrix is the fantasy world we live in where we believe our food comes from old fashioned family farms. Take the blue pill with Leo and discover The Meatrix:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEkc70ztOrc

We’ve blogged about the importance of consuming quality food and the negative impact factory farming as on our health and the earth in several posts here before on Live Lighter:

• Is Sickness a Choice?
• I Vote For Nutritious Food!
• Government Control Through Food
• Real Food Crusader Inspires Change
• Local Food vs. Imported Food

Although all of these posts (and video clips) differ, the message is the same: YOU choose what food you eat and which food supply sources you support. Visit themeatrix.com for more info. And a BIG thank you to reader and friend, Leigh, for passing this on to me – now we have a more fun way to spread the word!

Tell us what you think of The Meatrix in the comments below. Will you be passing it on to your circle?

Your digestive health (now and in the future) is a vital topic. Here’s a cute 2 minute video to remind you of the importance of taking care of your colon!

Presented by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and backed by Health Canada, this fun video starts the conversation off about a subject that is often too embarrassing for most people to talk about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vazmWhlUins

Colon Cancer is often referred to as a silent killer and can be caused by a number of factors including lack of exercise or poor dietary choices. Prevention as well as screening play a huge role in combating this highly preventable disease.

If you or your loved ones need more info on colon health and early colon cancer screening, check out www.colonversation.ca.

Do you know what to do if someone has a heart attack? It’s easier than you might think! This groovy, hilarious video shows us that we don’t need a CPR training course to save a life.

In this new Hands-Only CPR video from the American Heart Association, comedian Ken Jeong uses his medical training and the disco hit “Stayin’ Alive” to help average Joes and Josephines like us remember what to do in a sudden cardiac arrest:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Before we learn more about this fun video, you might like to know about the giveaway contest being held in conjunction with it’s release!

Donate & Win!

The American Heart Association is working with Crowdrise.com, an innovative social fundraising website founded by actor Edward Norton, to raise money to support the association’s lifesaving research and educational programs.

For four weeks beginning June 15, visitors to crowdrise.com/HandsOnlyCPR can win prizes for raising money for the American Heart Association, including:

• Two tickets to “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno
• Two tickets to “Ellen”
• “Hunger Games” hardcover books signed by Jennifer Lawrence (star of upcoming “Hunger Games” films)
• “Glee: Journey to Regionals” CD signed by Chris Colfer

About the video

“I may play insanely crazy and comedic characters on screen, but as an internal medicine physician in real life, I want people to know that sudden cardiac arrest is a serious matter,” said Jeong, star of The Hangover, The Hangover Part 2, and the NBC series Community, returning for its 3rd season this fall. “Immediate action can be the difference between life and death. Everyone needs to know it’s in their hands to help save a life.”

It was directed by filmmaker Jesse Dylan, the creative force behind will.i.am’s “Yes, We can” video and Bono’s “RED” campaign.

Who came up with combining “Stayin’ Alive” & chest compressions?

Alson Inaba, M.D., an American Heart Association CPR instructor and associate professor at the University of Hawaii, is credited with first using “Stayin’ Alive” to teach students the correct rate of chest compressions. Studies show that when CPR training uses the song to teach the technique, people are more likely to remember the correct rhythm and feel more confident performing CPR.

Hands-Only CPR

Hands-Only CPR – or CPR without using breaths – involves two simple steps to help an adult cardiac arrest victim: 1. Call 9-1-1 and 2. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest until an AED arrives and is ready for use or healthcare providers take over.

Sudden cardiac arrest

Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart abruptly stops functioning. It’s a leading cause of death in the U.S. with nearly 300,000 out-of-hospital cases reported annually. About 80 percent of victims collapse at home, as the victim’s family, friends or loved ones often stand by because they don’t know what to do. Providing CPR immediately is crucial – chances of survival more than double with immediate and effective CPR.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org. Learn more about the American Heart Association’s CPR and First Aid courses at www.heart.org/cpr.

About Crowdrise.com

Crowdrise is a website dedicated to online fundraising, event fundraising, volunteering, and having the most fun in the world while doing it. In 2009, Edward Norton, Shauna Robertson and Robert and Jeff Wolfe created Crowdrise after an experiment with what turned out to be super unique and successful campaign to raise money for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust during the New York City Marathon. They raised $1.2 million in less than 8 weeks, much of it from small donors who gave more than once, making it one of the top fundraising success stories of the marathon. Crowdrise takes that experiment to a whole new level: an innovative web platform where millions of individuals use the best tools and technology to raise money for over a million different charities, while competing in fun and quirky challenges with unique incentives and prizes.  Thousands of charitable organizations make Crowdrise their home for starting events, team fundraisers, and turning their base of grassroots supporters into a base of grassroots fundraisers.

A few of my friends have excited told me how they’re drinking VitaminWater. My gut said these `enhanced’ waters aren’t as healthy as we’re lead to believe. I’ll let you make up your own mind but here’s what Dr. Mercola recently shared for you to consider.

According to this investigative report by 20/20, sugar is just one ingredient we need to be on the lookout when choosing healthy beverages:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4913610210981229675&hl=en#

Dr. Joseph Mercola shared this video recently in weekend newsletter, Perhaps the Most Toxic “Health” Drinks of the Century. (Note: you may have to sign up for the newsletter to get access to the article but I assure you he’s got fascinating info!)

For those of you short on time, Doc Mercola lists 4 major groups of chemicals found in these enhanced waters. Actually, he provides a chart of some of the more popular “health” drinks on the market today, like VitaminWater and Aquafina, identifying the major offending ingredients in each.

Being his usually helpful self, Dr. Mercola shares the 3 relatively safe, flavoured waters offered on shelves AND tips to spruce up your filtered tap water, like adding lemons, frozen berries, sliced cucumbers and fresh mint from the garden. Also on his list was a recommendation we’ve blogged about before in Nuts About Coconut Water.

What do you think, Readers, will you resist purchasing bottled water? Or are you happy knowing you’re choosing a healthier option when convenience is important to you?

If you’ve ever struggled with your finances like me, you probably have some conflicted feelings about money. Today we discuss how important financial health is to healthy living, and I share with you a clip of a great TV show that’s been teaching me how to manage money better!

Ever since I came to Toronto for university I’ve been in debt. I accepted it as part and parcel of getting an education but borrowing that money made it seem ok to be in debt. So when the banks gave me credit… well, let’s just say I’ve been living more for the moment rather than considering my future.

Food is like money in so many ways. When we pack on the pounds, it’s not the food’s fault. It’s how we view food and what we use it for that gets us into trouble. For health nuts, food is fuel that builds a strong body so quality is important and they tend to choose nutrient-rich foods. People who eat for pure pleasure, either for taste and instant gratification or to control their emotions, tend to be overweight or skinny-fat.

Although some people believe money is the root to all evil, I’ve come to believe it’s how you view it and how you manage it that makes all the difference. Smart money managers respect and value money, and choose to make wise investments. They are willing to sacrifice some pleasure today in order to reap even greater benefits later.

Did you know that money is the #1 reason most couples break up? Til Debt Do Us Part is a Canadian TV show on the Slice network starring financial wiz, Gail Vaz-Oxlade, who’s been helping couples overcome their financial (and marital) issues for at least 8 seasons:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iUQKs9GESI

I love Gail – she gives real tough love when it comes to managing money and even better, she teaches couples about money and forms a plan of action so they can get out of debt and build hefty retirement funds.

Watch full episodes here and check out the “where are they now” follow up episodes.

As a viewer, I’ve watched enough episodes of Til Debt Do Us Part that I’ve learned a ton about money management, debt repayment and what it means to be in a strong, healthy life partnership. For the first time in my life I am confident that I can finally clean up and take control of my finances!

Do you believe healthy finances are a part of healthy living? Why? And what do you think of Til Debt Do Us Part?

Cleaning up the food supply isn’t going to be easy, but thankfully, Robyn O’Brien, is already leading the way! Thank you to brilliant and thoughtful Live Lighter reader, Heather, for passing on this informative and inspiring video of Robyn sharing her story and passion.

A business analyst from Austin, Texas, Robyn says herself she was an unlikely candidate for leading a crusade on clean food. Then one of her four children had an allergic reaction to a “typical” family breakfast: Eggo waffles, blue yogurt and scrambled eggs.

This frightening episode lead Robyn on a quest to discover just how children get allergies and why it’s so prevalent these days while it was rare only a few decades ago. That’s when she found out the shocking truth about the tainted U.S. food supply and how the country makes it almost impossible for the organic food supply to survive.

But this story is better told by food’s Erin Brockovitch herself, so please take 19 minutes of your day to hear her speak at a recent TEDx conference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA

About Robyn O’Brien

Robyn authored “The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It.” A former Wall Street food industry analyst, Robyn brings insight, compassion and detailed analysis to her research into the impact that the global food system is having on the health of our children.

She founded allergykidsfoundation.org and was named by Forbes as one of “20 Inspiring Women to Follow on Twitter.” The New York Times has passionately described her as “Food’s Erin Brockovich.”

http://allergykidsfoundation.org
http://twitter.com/unhealthytruth

The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick – And What We Can Do About It

A Live Lighter reader reminded me that part of “living lighter” is taking life a little less seriously than we often do. We can get so caught up in personal development that we forget to laugh! So take a moment for a giggle with this funny video of a human ventriloquist and his dummy.

There’s some really great stand up comedy out there to be discovered and Paul Zerdin is one of my latest finds (thanks to my honey for sending me the video). Here he is in a clip from one of his gigs at the Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford (the best is the volunteer human dummy – he knows how to get into role!):

Now how’s that for letting someone else pull the strings for awhile? Sometimes we just have to step back from our challenges, see where the Universe is directing us, let it take the lead for a bit and remember to have a little fun.

Question: When was the last time you let loose and allowed the Universe to guide your actions?