Yesterday was the best birthday I’ve ever had…
I’ll tell you why in this episode. 
I also talk about how you can deal with large or small health or personal issues. I think a large number of health experts and teachers don’t even touch on what I mention in this episode.
Take a look…
Your question of the day: What have you gone through and how have you handled it?
Click here, scroll down to the bottom of the page and leave your comment now!
Here are two videos that were sent to me as gifts! First is from Rob:
And second is from Kyle Battis, a good friend and my personal business coach!
Live Awesome!
Kev
7:33 pm on December 8th, 2008
What have I gone through and how have I handled it?
Morbid obesity and chest pains/lack of breathing/IBS/chronic fatigue. Handled that by going raw and getting out of my own way.
Autism diagnosis for my middle child. Handled that by getting informed, fighting like the Mama-Bear I am, and most importantly, following my gut and what I KNOW in my heart and soul to be true.
Most recently, scoliosis diagnosis for my other two kiddos. Handled that by researching out the ying-yang again, gathering support, and being surrounded by people who love and want to help them. Incorporated chiropractic care for them, Essential Oils (Raindrop Technique, which someone very kindly gifted us), Yoga and Massage Therapy.
I think the most important things when facing big challenges are to not panic, have faith, and where necessary, arm yourself with the best information possible pertaining to your particular situation.
Hope this week is a wonderful one for both you Kevin, and for Annmarie as well!
8:25 pm on December 8th, 2008
I got a few…Divorce, bankruptcy, going back to school at 40 y.o. ( I am still in school with a PhD in an attempt to add my research to the voice of those who look at ADHD ( attention deficit disorder) as a social-cultural construction as opposed to a brain disorder/mental health issue.The last 8 years were and still are proving for me as I had started to have health issues and still have some. I am new to the rawfood not in terms of knowledge (as I first tried it about 13y ago in Romania when my husband who was in Canada at the time was diagnosed with cancer) and tried couple more times in the last 5 years …i guess I had few things that helped me. back then in Romania I was still a church goer so I prayed and had faith ( which I still have)I also did yoga for about 9 months (that helped me stop smoking and also dealing with the stressful). Here once I went back to school I looked for support and saw counselors, therapists, read, acquired more knowledge.One of the things I do is that I always look around to others and see that other people have it worse than me and try to be grateful…but you know like you the fears come and go being courageous is to feel the fear. When I am really anxious I listen to cds with meditations or relaxations etc…I am sure others have other ways…I will stop here now so others have a chance to write too
Ruxandra
8:40 pm on December 8th, 2008
My biggest challenge to date, is my transition
(MTF) which will be with me for the rest of my life. It’s a journey I’ve only just begun.
I’ve made a number of life-style changes this year, I moved to vegan food, and now raw food (after discovering your show). This has been one of the best decisions I’ve made this year. A key change, although not the biggest, was to remove any caffeine drinks or products from my diet. This alone made such a huge difference to my well being.
I’m still re-discovering & re-defining my life, currently in the form of re-framing material possessions, getting out of the hording mindset and removing anything that I have no use for.
Have a great week
H xx
9:17 pm on December 8th, 2008
I handled poverty and poor health as a result of a bad divorce, resulting in being a single mother by positive thinking (doing the mantras), by not limiting myself with negative comments from outside influences i.e.- family, friends) and trusting in God to guide me and take care of my needs. I stayed vigilant be putting in the daily work and trying to better myself along the way.
I was lucky enough to have someone in my life give me Advocare supplements to help me through my health issues, and then I went Ovo-Vegetarian and progressed through to transitioning to Raw. This helped me deal with many health issues as well as did colon hydrotherapy. (I became a hydrotherpist and director of a digestive health and wellness spa in the end). Staying in tune with my body and having a positive outlook on life is what helped me through and also the support of a few loved ones that didn’t judge me along the way.
9:55 pm on December 8th, 2008
Hi Kevin!
I’m glad to hear that you had a great b-day:)
My experience is really just minor compared to what others have been through, but I’ll share anyway…
Three and a half years ago shortly after put on birth control and anti-biotics (at age 15) for my acne I developed a thyroid problem. At first it was hyperthyroid, but then turned turned into a hypothyroid issue;
I became increasing tired all the time; I started having consipation problems which I had never had before;I gained weight which was very frustrationg because I was an active tennis player and a runner; My apetite went away and I became depressed.
It was so annoying because I had never had any health problems before; My diet was healthy, I didn’t eat junk food, I had always been slim…this really pissed me off because my friends were constantly eating crap. Anyway the doctors told me I had to be on medication for the rest of my life;
This didn’t help me mentally or emotionally at all… At my worst I was crying every single day, laying in bed all day, having maybe one bowel movement every three to four days, barely eating and still gainging weight. I literally felt like I was digging myself deeper into a hole and that I would never come out. I didn’t feel like me anymore and I didn’t feel like a carefree teenager enjoying life.
Through his work, my dad met a naturopathic doctor… He made an appointment for me, but I was hesitant since I had lost all hope.
However I ended up going and I took a bio-something feedback test; I felt a little overwhelmed, but finally everything started to make sense… He put me on a detox cleanse which I did for four months (partly cuz I didn’t want to get off;))and I got off all my medication. Even after just a few days of detoxing I felt infinently better; I felt as if a huge weight had been taken off me. My experience literally changed my life and sparked a passion in me for alternative health. To this day I’m so so thankful that I had this experience
9:55 pm on December 8th, 2008
I’ve been through many major (and often traumatic) things in my life. I never really tried to figure out how I made it through, or how I handled each thing. I guess each thing was handled differently, but at the heart of it all I knew that I was strong and could find happiness. My mother instilled in me the will to keep trying something new until there is a desired result. So, I am thankful for that.
If this upcoming project of ours isn’t successful (we’re having similar thoughts/feelings as you are expressing in this video–wonder why?! LOL), or if we lose our financial security because of it (because, let’s face it–this is a huge gamble!), I know we’re smart enough to survive and find a way to get the ultimate desired result (which is to help others while also thriving and living in a warmer/sunnier climate).
I’m so happy that you had a wonderful birthday, Kevin. It’s nice to see you share your feelings. Let’s see if you’ll feel like sharing even more on Friday!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
9:57 pm on December 8th, 2008
Sorry about the typos and grammar, I accidently pressed enter before I had a chance to re-read, whoops:)
9:59 pm on December 8th, 2008
i always tell my clients if you insist on saying “what if….(insert negative thought)” then you also have to say “what if….(insert POSITIVE thought)!
what have i gone through personally…..? waaaay too much and i don’t want to feed any energy into the past. i trust i’m in the right place and the present moment is going nicely, so i just enjoy it.
10:04 pm on December 8th, 2008
Wow Kevin, I think I really needed to hear that today. I was just thinking yesterday, ” What if I go raw and it doesn’t work and I don’t lose any weight?” Thank you for easing my worry! I’ve been through many challenges in my life, the biggest being the sudden death of my father when I was a child. I think that something good comes out of everything bad if you let it; I have used that challenge to help others in the same situation. Thanks again for all you do.
10:10 pm on December 8th, 2008
I had a severe crush injury to my left wrist and forearm back in ’86. After two surgeries, I was told that I was lucky to have my left arm and hand but that I couldn’t expect to have much use of the thumb or hand, generally. What I did? I refused to believe their prognosis. I took it as a challenge to prove them wrong, and it worked! So, I guess I would say when confronted with negative news, bad prognoses, don’t believe and turn it into a challenge to make it not true.
10:30 pm on December 8th, 2008
Was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 27 and was given ‘gold’ shots for several years and steroids as it progressed..BUT out of that I was in remission when I became pregnant with my son..and that was my joy! The doctors told me I would be disabled and in a wheelchair within the year…and here I am 20 yrs later working a full time joy and another part time job..AND enjoying LIFE! That was all because I believe GOD has a reason for my LIFE..AMEN! Yes…I am POSITIVE from the moment my feet hit the floor..and say GOOD MORNING..and THANK YOU LORD for THE NEW DAY!
I lost my job 10 yrs ago…then lost my home and everything I owned. Had to start over with the resumes and the interview process at age 47 with the 20 yr olds….BUT..AGAIN..with prayer..and the ability to GET ER DONE…I have a great job..and I love it!!
THEN…cancer was the culprit …..I had three physican consults…and did what I had to do with the treatments…..and the cancer is GONE! The docs said the ATTITUDE and FAITH that I projected….was the difference. PRAISE!
ok ok….and…I FOUND YOU and ANNMARIE! I am so so thankful because my youngest son is a vegan..and I while I was surfing trying to find recipes to fix him..I came across you. I love to watch you…it helps me ever so much..in so many ways.
Thank you.
The fireplace was a nice view for your humble thanks to your friends.
peace
10:33 pm on December 8th, 2008
Kevin, I really enjoyed that, thank you for sharing. What a cozy fireside chat!
I am tremendously grateful for how comparatively little I have gone through in my life. I am richly blessed with a loving close family and friends.
About 6-7 years ago I had some health issues which were quickly becoming serious, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, digestive issues, cystic acne to name a few. And food allergies, which I am grateful led me to the raw diet eventually. I spent 5 years on a 100% raw diet and saw HUGE changes in my health and in my life. This last year I have begun adding back in some cooked veggies, just because I wanted to, and didn’t want to become religious about the raw diet and so strict about that 100%. I am really proud of myself for sticking to it and continuing to stick to health-because it is a lifelong journey!
About 2 years ago my husband of almost 11 years and I were divorced, which was the hardest thing I have ever experienced. I went about getting my soul and spirit healed the same way I went about getting my body healed-with tenacity, and 100%! I am really amazed today to find that I am not the broken person I was through all those years of pain and heartbreak. I plunged myself so completely into receiving healing from God that…well He did it! I just abandoned myself to Him-which may sound really strange to you- but I trust Him. He is completely good, all the time, and I am safe in His hands, just as you said too. Even the hurtful memories, most of them, have been healed, which is miraculous in itself.:)
Everyone says I even look completely different. I’ve got my joy back! I am so grateful!
Life is good.
Thanks again for sharing Kevin!
Heaps upon heaps of blessings to you and Annmarie!
10:34 pm on December 8th, 2008
Last year during cross country season, before i went raw, I would be in a constant cycle of just wearing my body down from overtraining and would eventually get sick. I believe I got strep throat and 2 colds in 1 month due to my stressful training and racing schedule. Now I have taken out much of the stress in my life and have revised my training program. Since then I am about 50% raw and haven’t gotten sick in about a year. I don’t feel just plain tired all day but kind of rejuvinated after I run, and my times have improved.
I do have a question though,
does it do any good to soak pastuerized almonds? (and I guess any other pastuerized nut) I am working on getting debt free and really don’t feel like paying for the raw almonds. And anyway I believe in the long run it is more healthful to be debt free than have the weight of it on your shoulders.
10:39 pm on December 8th, 2008
oh, and I forgot something,
Are all of the almonds out of California still pasteurized?
10:56 pm on December 8th, 2008
My strong advice, not that anyone asked for it, that when you have lemons, make lemonade. Out of the difficult times of our lives, we gain strength, confidence, faith, and wisdom. The gift for me is looking to see how I can take from my life’s challenges and give back.
I have an 18 year old son who was born with a brain anomaly…a golf-ball size fistula in the center of his brain. At three weeks of age he presented with congestive heart failure. Being a tree hugging vegetarian, I birthed my kids at home, and this was nothing I was prepared for….well, yes, I was!
When my son was diagnosed at New York Hospital, I somberly went over to his crib. What he had was bigger than me, nothing I had any ability to make a difference with. As I gazed at my three week old attached to every monitor conceivable, he telepathically communicated to me, “Don’t worry mom. I’m going to be all right.” I felt chills course through my body, I felt lighter than air, and blissed out. I knew, deeply in my soul, whatever the journey, my son would arrive a champion. Over the next year and a half, we encountered surgeons, healers, charismatics, pentecostals, and I had spiritual experiences that is rare for people except sometimes for those people having committed meditation practices.
I published “Child of Light” over a year ago. Anyone who wants to network, needs a shoulder, whatever, feel free to e-mail me.
Lori
Well Aaron is 18 years old now. He is my guru. And it is from what I have learned through advocating for his special education issues, and where I see education falling short, that I wish to make a difference. Hence a professional mentoring program for special ed teens called “Employment Connection” for which I am currently writing the business plan.
By the way, I saw a couple of comments about special needs kids/adults. The brain is incredibly “plastic”…go on line and check out “The Brain that Changes Itself.” My son’s doctor recently told me that my son is the highest functioning kid with a “Vein of Galen abnormality” that he’s ever seen.
11:17 pm on December 8th, 2008
Have a bone disease and arthristis. Did my research and the arthristis is fine and it has
caused the tumor in my leg to shrink. I found your site while I was doing research.
Thank you for everything you do for so many.
12:05 am on December 9th, 2008
Hey Kevin,
A belated Happy Birthday to you!! Really enjoyed your gift to me! Thanks so very much. Susan was awesome!!
My biggest challenge was relationship-related. Daughter-in-law decided she and her husband (our son) and their children would seperate themselves from our family and we were not to attempt to communicate with them. I was heart-broken!! After a couple of months of feeling so sorry for myself, I decided I had to “let go and let God” take care of the situation. I learned to be grateful for everything I had, and to thank God every day, sometimes many times a day, for the Mighty Work He was doing in our family members’ lives. Now after 2 1/2 years of estrangement, the relationship has been restored. Praise God!!
I really appreciate your daily videos and all the information you pass on. My raw journey is fairly new – 4-5 months but I love it! I feel so much better and minor health issues I’ve had are already much improved. My energy is unbelievable.
Keep up the great work! I can hardly wait till you tell us your secret!!
Abundant blessings,
Elaine
1:03 am on December 9th, 2008
I have been hugely afraid of spiders since childhood. I couldn’t even look at one on tv. About ten years ago, I decided to try to desensitize myself, and started reading and learning all about tarantulas. I eventually was able to go to a great place in Berkeley, the East Bay Vivarium, and they let me hold a mexican red kness. I can still remember the adrenaline whipping through my body while I kept perfectly still, so I wouldn’t drop the little guy. I even eventually kept a few as pets, and that was a huge accomplishment for me. (I wouldn’t now, I don’t think it benefits tarantulas to be kept, unless they cannot live in the wild for some reason.) Sadly, I am still afraid of small spiders, but not tarantulas.
1:27 am on December 9th, 2008
Hello Kevin, I was asked to post this note that I sent on Sunday to the e-address from your newsletter. Have a great week.
Happy Birthday!
I really enjoyed your note this morning and smiled when you said the clock was 10:10. My “magic” number is 11:11 and I have met several other people who have the same “vibration” for that set of numbers. It is truly interesting.
Yes, I feel you are on the right path and you are helping others to find their way as well. This in itself is a special gift. Do your best to keep stress to a minimum in your life. People born on this day have a sensitive nervous system and need to relax and “destress” more often. Get out for a walk and enjoy playing with children. This will give you a fresh view of the world and chase those worries away. This is great if the kids belong to someone else and you get to enjoy quality time without all of the responsibilities!
Have a wonderful and blessed Sunday that sets the tone for this Holiday season.
Thank you for all of your research and for sharing it with all of your on-line community.
Hugs, Lisa
–
Lisa Berger
Dance Consultant
dance007@bellsouth.net
http://www.localdanceevents.com
1:33 am on December 9th, 2008
Kevin –
My biggest health challenge was 12 years ago when I fell about 25 ft. and awoke 3 days later, having had brain surgery. (I still do not remember those 3 days.) Through lots of hard work and physical therapy I got most of my short term memory back and learned to walk again. I still suffer from neck & back pains and have some permenant hearing loss in one ear. The biggest challenge is that at that time I had no health insurance and am still paying off medical bill loans from this. The accident unfortunately happened at the church where I was a member and volunteer for more than 16 years. They refused to help me pay for any of my medical bills and this really made me question “organized” religions. In fact, I was made to feel very unwelcome there after this incident. I still have faith in God, but it is very different now and find it difficult to committ or become involved in any type of religious activity. I feel like I was shunned by my “family” and lost all of my friends. To be able to pay off my bills while still continuing my physical therapy today, all I do is work all the time. I was told that if I had not been exercising and working out before the accident, I probably would not have survived the fall at all, so I am very greatful for that. Since I could not afford many of the doctors, I have learned much about what vitamins and herbs are available to help improbe my cognitive memory and relieve the arthritis I’ve developed from the fall. Your show has also been very informative and I look forward to each episode. Please don’t stop making them.
3:20 am on December 9th, 2008
Hi Kevin,
I think the biggest challenge in my life was making a decision to leave a job as a Clinical Lab Scientist in a hospital where I had worked for 14 yrs. The pay and benefits were fantastic, but the hours and stress were killing me (literally- I developed an irregular heart beat and then breast cancer!) Plus the management appeared to be incredibly dysfunctional.
(Half of the lab was on anti depressants and the other half quit!)
I just didn’t think quitting was an option as no other job could ever match the pay I was making and I live in California which is very expensive.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I just felt it was hugely because of the stress and my unhappiness with the job. I decided that the universe was trying to tell me something. (like don’t ever, ever do something that makes you so unhappy and be in a place that is not nurturing to your soul, regardless of how much it pays!)
Well, you know what? It worked out. I took a 4 year break from lab work and got to rest a bit and do other, more joyful things, like baby sitting, walking in nature and day trading! Plus, I learned all about raw food and how to help my body to heal. I deepened my relationship to God by meditating and finding a wonderful metaphysical church to nourish my soul. All my bills got paid and I found out that there is life outside of the job I had. I am now working in a lab at a medical group. The pay and benefits are not as good, but the hours are great and the people are wonderful!
I think the key is just to always bring yourself back to the truth which is that everything in your life is working for good, despite outside appearances. The Universe (God) is always looking out for you and wants the best for you. Just trust your instincts, trust God and let go. Let Spirit take care of the rest.
I know you will succeed in anything you set your intention on. Always come from the heart and you will always find your way.
Warmly,
Mary
4:05 am on December 9th, 2008
Hi Kevin!
I am very happy to know that you had The Best Birthday EVER!
Wow the question you asked comes at an amazing time for me. Sat I was rear-ended & after being shaken up at the scene, I thought I would be OK… I ended up in my mechanics shop and had a difficult time getting up out of the chair. I am not a quitter…..I do not like to give up…..I arranged for all the necessary things to be done to my car, towing, rental car, and met with my mechanic before I ended up in the hospital C-spined and taped to a back board for about 7 hours.
I prayed at the scene of the accident. The man that hit me was not paying attention. I remember everything. I could snap my fingers in the time that it took for me to look in my rear view mirror see his car coming head on…. Then I could see my body looking down on myself from the side just to the left rear & I saw myself go flinging forward and my head arching all the way back and bang the clips in the back of my head dug into my skull and I was back sitting in my seat shaking all over. Now snap your fingers cuz that is all the time it took for that to happen………It’s very emotional for me to write this and yet very serendipitous.
The man that hit me put a badge on around his neck and started making phone calls from the other side of his car I could see him as IU rested my head on the steering wheel just out side towards the back right side of the car…he was on the farthest side of his car. I was shaking so hard I could not do anything for a bit. He did not come to check on me once. I instinctively locked the car doors and once I found my phone I called 911 and waited. Not once did he come near me or ask if I was ok even as I lay with my head resting on the steering wheel. I felt all over my body trying to think if I was ok and afraid to get out of my car, as we were all alone. If I had been seriously hurt and could have not called for help he would have let me……I don’t know. What ever had happen to him he looked as if he had a hard life so far and as it turned out the police arrested him for things they would not disclose to me…
When they taped me down and secured me to the backboard at the hospital I did “ha breathing” in sets of four and recited the Mantra that I did at the scene. My Mantra “I am safe in the arms of the universe. I am never alone. God and his angles are with me and Lord Jesus please make everything alright.”
This after noon I was coming over a hill into the city at sunset and I looked across a magnificent sky and saw heaven in all the colors of beauty and the amazing realization that there is so much heaven right here on earth and that I am blessed to be alive, and healing myself so that I am better than before.
I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to look upon the face of another human being and into their eyes and say Hi and to welcome and accept them no matter what they wear or who they are or what they have as I like them am a child of the universe and am here to share the unconditional love and acceptance that the universe gives to all of us. To be transparent to the world and feel loved and accepted and to know I am not perfect but strive to live life more fully. I felt a great sadness for the man who was so detached from life that he could not feel the compassion to help or see if another needed help because my life had no value to him. The comfort to know that I was not alone and verbalizing it so I could hear was of great help to me.
I have survived many challenges as I grew up in a dysfunctional home with a raging and violent alcoholic for a father and a raging codependent for a mother. I stayed away from home and was embarrassed to be dropped off by a girl scout leader who one day just drove on by my house and took me to her home when the police paddy wagon along with other patrol cars were parked out in front of my home as they were once again arresting my father for firing his gun. I worked hard at school and over achieved and donated my time. I became a first class girl scout, was the class historian, received multiple awards, did thousands of hours of volunteer time as a candy striper, and designed, sewed, and wrote many a poem. I lived in a dream world to get away from mine so creative visualization and goal setting became the norm. My parents were obvious to my accomplishments and my life in general because they were too wrapped up in their chaos they lived each day creating. They divorced and remarried, I slept many a night in the family car that my mother would load me up in and drive away to park somewhere on a side street until my father had slept off his drunken anger and then would go to school the next day.
I was not allowed to be transparent even though everyone knew what kind of life I lived to a degree, no one talked about it they just helped our silently and graciously. I have been blessed by many a silent hero through out my life. If it were not for them, I might have been on the street doing drugs, alcohol, and prostitution. I do not know why I went the other way but I am a survivor and it doesn’t matter what people say about you, I was my mother’s daughter but I am not my mother and I was my father’s daughter but I am not my father. It matter’s how you act what your actions are, what you choose to be. I did not have mantras that I can remember just much solitude and time spent in peaceful solitude away from my homes in the homes of sweet silent hero’s that had more loving families than I. I yearned for transparency….. it is not ok to abuse another in any way shape or form and it does not take a big heart to have compassion for another human being. If I were to have another Mantra, it would be to teach respect for all things on the earth and for our mother earth.
Years of counseling, attending adult children of alcoholics, getting divorced and out of emotionally detached relationships, going through bankruptcy, multiple litigation with yearly custody battles, and finally becoming very ill with a super bug infection in my sinuses and pneumonia, I turned to organic vegan lifestyle, cut out all toxic people in my life, started setting big time boundaries and loving myself. I love myself and respect myself…..FLY Finally Love Yourself. I am my number one priority cuz I need to take good care of myself so I can take care of others.
Currently I am de-cluttering again, getting rid of stuff, purchasing only what I need, re-gifting and donating anything I can, and simplifying by learning how to maximize my technology and use what I currently have to its’ true potential. I am re prioritizing so I can get off the grid and live the way I want to with the goal to be debt free. I am working with a life coach continuing to do creative visualization for what I will feel, touch, see, taste, hear, …….all then senses when I am financially secure and of the grid.
I seek balance through the use of raw vegan foods, small amounts of vegan cooked dishes, learning raw food prep, using and selling super foods, doing yoga and hoping to make a difference in the lives of all I touch by offering positive energies & words, showing compassion and sharing knowledge to help them to live healthier.
I am a survivor and a super hero. I seek to live my life to love and show compassion for those are the greatest gifts of all. The challenges that I had are those things that continue to show me what great gifts I have been given by so many and what great gifts I have to give to others.
Happy Happy Birthday Kevin.
Love to Annmarie and You.
Cheryl Cilantro Cacao : )
4:13 am on December 9th, 2008
Hi Kevin,
There have been 2 sayings that I have come across in life that I would like to share in your question for today.
1/ “Every challenge is another opportunity to succeed”.
2/ After completing any task a friend used to slap a table and make a banging noise and say loudly:- “That is another good job done”.
Most people have similar things to deal with in life but whatever the issue what gets you through both good and bad is each persons individual approach to life. Being positive, self-assured and confident empowers the individual.
Glad that you had a great birthday with those who are closest to your heart and your team winning is certainly a bonus.
Reg
4:15 am on December 9th, 2008
Hi Kev…
Sent you an email for your birthday but didn’t get through..so better and belated luck this time!
Just wanted to thank you for all your inspiring emails ..find them really energising and as a relatvively new and frequently lapsing addition to the raw food family is great to get an encouraging nudge from you every now and them pointing me in the right direction!
Hope your birthday was jam-packed full of merriness and celebration
4:18 am on December 9th, 2008
There are a few typos above….. : )
7:03 am on December 9th, 2008
Hi Kevin & Annemarie
The bad and hard experiences I have gone through have made me a better and stronger person but not hardened. I would not change them even if I could. I did not like the life lessons going through them but here’s the point, you always get through them, you just have to decide HOW. I am grateful for all that I have in my life, now. I am loved. I am respected. I am cared for in so many small and so many huge ways.
The only failure is not to try. Disregard the fearful voice that says “what if…?”
You guys are great and have the best intentions. That will get you through life’s challenges.
Have a great time. Love Janet
7:35 am on December 9th, 2008
Hey Kevin -
Happy Birthday!!! I am glad you were born, and I certain there are so many others who feel the same way.
Thanks for who you are, for everything you do. I personally have been blessed by your efforts…I don’t know if I could have survived being raw if I hadn’t been fortunate enough to have found the Rawkathon a few weeks ago.
I was really going through the challenges and listening to the emails gave me much-needed support. Also, the emails and other offers you have on your website are very helpful.
So…though I sure you know this already, let me say you are AWESOME, and may you have the most wonderful of days.
Tarjia
7:48 am on December 9th, 2008
I lost my father 4,5 years ago at the age of 19. It was an accident out of the blue. Taken that hit exposed my low self-esteem and my life crumbled into depression and severe anxiety. I’ve been working on rebuilding myself since. I’ve seen several psychologists, read books and educated myself in other ways to find out what was going on and how to get over it. I use walks to wind down and clear my head. The most powerful tool that I’ve found is GTD (Getting Things Done by David Allen). Pretty much all other tools that I’ve been introduced to and tried has been top-down, which just hasn’t worked. When I’m down I just won’t do stuff like that. GTD however is bottom-up, and if I’ve layed the ground when I’m up I can actually do something when I’m down. I truly wish that someone else will be able to get helped by this tip! Since it’s not really presented in these kinds of context, for me I was a revelatin when I saw what it could and did do for me. Other things that I do is practicing yoga and capoeira. I’m also using cognitive behavioural therapy to manage my irrational thoughts and my feelings and perceptions of myself. A great book that I’ve found is Overcoming low self-esteem by Melanie Fennel. Despite all that my greatest advice to people in a similar situation, or probably any other, is to never give up and let it take time. I used to want to get better over night, but at some point you have to realise that it is a process that takes time.
Cheers
Angel
9:08 am on December 9th, 2008
Hey Kevin,
I am glad to hear that you had a great birthday buddy.
The upcoming year will be amazing for you and holds some really awesome opportunities (wait till you see what Kevin has planned for you guys!)
Overcoming obstacles is always there and I have had my share and have one that I am working to overcome now.
I am thankful to have ability, friends, and boundless resources with which to tackle this obstacle head on and make the best of it.
Thanks for doing what you do Kevin,
Kyle Battis
http://www.FatLossLunchBreak.com
9:33 am on December 9th, 2008
thanx 4 sharing that birthday song, it was the best i have ever heard.
9:33 am on December 9th, 2008
Annmarie,
Kind of neat….I too am turning 30 Sunday and am currently in Ft. Bragg
studying with Dr. Rick and Dr. Karin.
So there are two vibrant living men hwo are thirty, enjoying life on
December 7th- or Pearl Harbour Day as my mother alsways refers to it!!
Wish him a great day for me and perhaps we will meet in the future. I
appreciate all your efforts.
Derek McWilliam
11:01 am on December 9th, 2008
I’ve overcome many obstacles in my life and still feel OK about them. Severe depression and anxiety was just one of them. They were things I had to go through to be who I am today. Right now I am faced with a marriage that’s been lonely and troubled for over 12 years, $50K in debt and no money in the bank for any retirement. I’m 47 and am finally going back to work after 7 years of staying home to raise my 2 children. I’m glad I did!No money in the world could make me choose between my kids or debt. My plan is to make enough to get out of this marriage and start saving for my future. Maybe I’ll meet someone who has something in common with me. My raw adventure has helped enormously to clear my brain and I also no longer can tolerate any wine. I loved wine! Thank you Kev and AnnMarie. Your show helps keep me on track. The show is better than any email I have tried for support!
2:25 pm on December 9th, 2008
I totally agree with you on the subject of meditation. I personally have overcome, as anyone else i am sure, plenty of obstacles in my 67 years on this earth. In the past l5 years i have begun to meditate in the Christian tradition with the mantra “Maranatha” meaning Come Lord in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke while on earth. It is also called “prayer of the heart”. I meditate twice daily, 20 minutes and it has been transforming and healing from the inside out. If i can influence l person to start meditating i have given the best of myself. Great sharing and Kevin may you continue your wonderful work with Annemarie.
2:28 pm on December 9th, 2008
What I went through?
Anxiety, depression, auto-immune thyroid disease, adrenal fatigue, and vicarious PTSD due to a very stressful job in a Level 1 Trauma center. Giving away my power. Repressing years of emotions. In other words….slow death.
How have I handled it?
Well, not so well for a long time. Then I woke up and realized I needed to SAVE MY OWN LIFE. This became my mantra.
Quite said stressful job. Took a huge pay cut. Only work part-time now. Claimed my health and life back. Hooked up with a wise health practitioner and therapist who helped me find my puzzle pieces and put them back in place. Took the necessary medications. Changed my supplement routine. Made yoga a spirital practice. Started to live from my higher self. Embraced my divine feminine nature and wisdom. Cut out many obligations and the energy drains (people, places, things). Journaling. Tears. Retreats. GOOD SELFISHNESS. More raw food. Became a wellness coach. Started a blog. Keep asking myself “What do I need?” More good selfishness. Let other people own their ‘stuff’ and focus only on owning mine. I am taking back my power and co-creating the kind of life I want to live
Thanks for asking!
3:05 pm on December 9th, 2008
Hi Kev: DRD here! Once again happy birthday and all the best with your new endeavors. Please forgive the rather lengthy response but after listening to the issues you shared and reading some of the responses, I thought it important for everyone to understand some importatnt facts:
1) These are perfectly normal feelings, emotions, fears, doubts and thoughts associated with impending change.
2) There is a reason that this occurs.
3) There are some very easy ways to deal with them.
So, here goes! The fundamental mechanism for overcoming mental inertia and creating the life you really want to experience lies in the nature and quality of thoughts you entertain and the frequency with which you entertain them. Remember the 60,000 thoughts we entertain per day? Herein lies part of the problem.
Once again, most of us are entertaining the same 60,000 thoughts every day and wondering why we are having the same experiences or not experiencing a different outcome. How can you open your hands to grasp the miracle of your dreams if your arms are full of the past?
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, we can all start from today and make a brand new ending.” ~Carl Bard~
To reiterate (remember it can take hearing something up to 50 times before it settles in), according to the classical body-mind-spirit model, everything in the tangible universe is a manifestation of energy and information. Energy and information are the key components of the virtual realm. This means that everything that is thought, done, felt, said, and experienced has its origin in the quantum field (virtual realm).
This also means that anything is possible, but it becomes more probable if it is given attention. The more attention something is given, the more likely it will exist as part of the reality we create for ourselves.
Subsequently, without the consciousness of the virtual realm to initiate observation, every thought exists only as a potential event. In Physics, you’ll recall that these are called probability amplitudes.
You must transform yourself into the person for whom the probability of great things happening increases. And this transformation starts at the level of your thoughts.
Thoughts give meaning to events. We take action by responding to our thoughts. And for every action, there is a memory, which is an interpretation of our perception of the event.
Meaning, experience, interpretation, memory, desire—all of these are very closely connected in the quantum field and can be accessed intentionally to create change. Now remember earlier I said that we are exposed to 400 billion bits of information per second but extract a mere 2,000 that are consistent with our existing paradigm?
Well, those 2,000 bits are extracted based upon what we believe to be true and consistent with our comfort zone. So, the question becomes – how do we change the 2,000 bits of information we’re receiving per second to coincide with our new desires and vision?
THE RETICULAR ACTIVATION SYSTEM One of the most important brain functions you can learn to operate is called the reticular activation system, or RAS.
If you could look straight through your eyes to the back of your head, you’d see a network-like group of cells. This is the RAS, a group of cells that work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, sorting through all the sensory information your brain receives. The RAS sorts through those 400 billion bits of information per second to determine what’s important to its owner (You).
If the information is not important, meaning it’s not something you absolutely want or something that will save your life, the reticular activation system won’t make you aware of it. It will just drop the information from your field of consciousness.
If you’re worried about something, the RAS will find it for you. For example, if you’re worried about not having enough money, being overweight, your relationships, bringing in enough business, or being sick, your RAS will bring forth any information about that subject and make you aware of it.
Let’s say you’re thinking about buying a certain kind of car. Have you ever noticed how you suddenly start seeing that make and model everywhere you look? That’s the RAS at work.
Another example might be when you’re looking for a parking space. Your RAS scans the entire parking lot for clues that will help you find a spot: somebody walking out of the mall, someone getting into or out of a car, exhaust coming from a tailpipe.
Your reticular activation system works around the clock at lightning speed to find everything you want and everything you don’t want. Once you take information from your conscious mind and impress it into your non-conscious mind, you activate the RAS and it starts finding things you never noticed before.
It’s no different from when you have your keys on the table and you can’t see them, as if you were wearing blinders. Right now, if you’re not conditioned for the successful changes you want to achieve, it could be immersed in the 400 billion bits of information that you’re not currently considering. More times than not, it will be right in front of you.
Once you activate this pathway you’ll be wondering where it’s been hiding all this time. Once we decide to act on the vague concept of a thought, it becomes a reality.
Repeatedly entertaining the same thought produces the habitual behavior of thinking the same thoughts and attracting the same results. This process subsequently produces a tangible outcome in our physical experience of reality.
So our lives are made real by acting on the infinite number of possible choices available, thus creating a memory of that experience and the potential for repeating it.
If it produced a pleasurable result, the desire to experience it again is produced. Thus, patterns of behavior emerge, and the choices we make most frequently determine how we got where we are at any one point. This repeated action of thinking the same thoughts increases the probability that these thoughts and behaviors will occur again.
Your expectation points are already set, based upon all of your past conditioning. Unless you rewire the program you’ll regress back to where you were before.
As we discussed previously, using willpower and persistence will not work. But, this is where neuroplasticity really comes in handy! You have to take the old brain, the old thermostat, and rewire it. You have to reset your thermostat before you can start seeing and behaving differently.
THE AMYGDALA Another powerful player in the hardware of your operating system is the amygdala. Amygdala is a Latin or Greek word that means “almond” and is named for its almond shape. Your amygdala interacts directly with your perceptions and actions.
The amygdala senses potential and real stress and orders the release of neurotransmitters in response, causing you to feel doubt, fear, and anxiety.
When you are growing or moving to the next level of success in any area of your life, doubt, fear, and anxiety are absolutely normal. They’re caused by the release of a chemical in your brain.
When you understand why it’s happening, you can recognize it as normal and realize that your brain is doing what it’s supposed to do: it’s sending you signals so you can make decisions, not trying to stop you in your tracks.
Everyone has the exact same feelings when they’re on the verge of a change. We all feel the same feelings of fear, doubt, and anxiety that everyone else feels. It’s what we do about them that make us different. When you come up against a failure or something that doesn’t work, do not take it personally. Consider it feedback and try something different – move on.
The Amygdala is closely aligned to the mechanism we described previously called the Psycho-cybernetic mechanism. As you’ll remember, this is basically the pre-set thermostat for maintaining the status quo and keeping you safe.
Together, the RAS, Psycho-cybernetic mechanism and the Amygdala do a great job of helping you to maintain a sort or equilibrium, based upon your paradigm. Herein lays the problem and the solution.
So, the challenge to successfully changing becomes how to adjust this mechanism to seek out, receive, and integrate new information consistent with the change we want to experience. Remember last session we spent some time discussing resonant frequencies?
We also talked about how important it is to align ourselves energetically with that which we want to achieve, acquire or experience.
Once we decide to act on the vague concept of a thought, it becomes a reality. Repeatedly entertaining the same thought produces the habitual behavior of thinking the same thoughts and attracting the same results. This process subsequently produces a tangible outcome in our physical experience of reality.
So our lives are made real by acting on the infinite number of possible choices available, thus creating a memory of that experience and the potential for repeating it. If it produced a pleasurable result, the desire to experience it again is produced.
Thus, patterns of behavior emerge, and the choices we make most frequently determine how we got where we are at any one point. This repeated action of thinking the same thoughts increases the probability that these thoughts and behaviors will occur again.
We get used to a certain way of doing things and continue that pattern out of habit, simply because it is comfortable and presumed safe. In order to change your life, you must allow a different influence to interrupt the familiar pattern by choosing a different intended outcome.
For more information about how to access and activate this process in your own life, log onto:
http://www.matrixtransformation.com/sosprogram.html.
To your best life,
DRD
3:18 pm on December 9th, 2008
I’ve overcome drug addiction, anxiety, depression, chronic sinus problems, and a few other health ailments. I started with one small step at a time and read a lot of self help books too.
I learned to take action and trust in a higher power (whatever you believe in) to guide me towards my calling. I’ve never felt better in my life and feel like I’m finally living on purpose and enjoy being able to help others as well. I look to one day reach as many people as you do.
Thanks for everything Kevin, you inspire and push me to do better each day. I see that it is possible… I admire all that you and Annmarie do. Much love.
3:35 pm on December 9th, 2008
Kevin…I have gone through stuff.FIRST I wanted to comment on some little insert you said….”sharing my feelings and I dont usually do that much.Annmarie will probably laugh at me when she sees this”.
This takes me back to little bit ago when you two were in that accident and realized how,in the blink of an eye,it could all be over. Thats why I tell people my feelings all the time.The people in my world know exactly how I feel about them and other stuff.No guessing.Why wait to carve it on a stone or eulogize….then its kind of too late and too sad.
On the what Ive been through thing.ALOT…a really lot.However,it is not what happens to us that matters,its what we do with, and how we feel about,what happens to us.You see one person with a ton of “stuff” and they are the happiest person you know.You see a person with a truly wonderful life and they grumble.
Its all perspective and GRATITUDE every step of the way.”If we are grateful for,we will get more”.
I shall spare you my “story”.I view it all with a ton of gratitude.I accept the blessings and the challenges as lessons that have value. And life is very very good for me.
3:45 pm on December 9th, 2008
Dear Kevin…I wanted to wish you a happy 30th. You inspire me everyday and
frankly are only one of 2 people in the Raw food industry that I really
think is honest and real. You work so hard to help the rest of us and I want
you to know, I appreciate it. I’m 25 years older than you and can say that
if you think you have learned things up till now…just wait. You are going
to be a force to be reckoned with. Thank you and have a great 31st year
ahead. Hi to Anne Marie and don’t you hate it when people say they will show
up to look at your house and then don’t. lolol
Marilyn berg
4:07 pm on December 9th, 2008
Hey Kevin,
We would have come and watched the Steelers with you on your birthday if we had lived closer.. not that I know anything about football. I commented to my husband the other day.. I thought the Pittsburgh team was called the Penquins.. so he had to explain it to me.
But we would have come anyway.. and we would have brought raw snacks with us. 
Challenges.. well, in September 2007, my mom passed away on my 50th birthday and I had just received notice that I would be laid off of a job I had been doing for 15 years because they were ending the program and closing the department for financial reasons.
How did I handle it.. I had a great husband who told me my mom picked my birthday so I would think of her on that day every year.. wishing me a happy birthday. That made me feel really good about the fact that she had decided to share that day with me. So.. I think perspective has a lot to do with coping as well as having a great support system and that includes surrounding yourself with positive and like-minded people.
I also supply taught for a place in town for a while but was in the company of a few very negative and misdirected people who made it unpleasant to go to work each day. I decided not to go back and my husband was behind my decision.. so I am looking at other options for work these days. My favorite thing to say to myself in circumstances like this, is.. “They know not what they do” ..because it is so true that when people are more interested in sabotaging your efforts than supporting them, they don’t realize just how unhealthy they are and how happy and healthy they could be if they could only start enjoying who they are and what they have in their life and turn their perspective around.
I really wish you luck on your new endevour Kevin.. I know it will be awesome and I can hardly wait to find out what it is.
PS.. My magic numbers are 4:44
4:13 pm on December 9th, 2008
Health Challenges! I am one of the lucky to have created many miracles in my life!
Born with a hole in my heart, I had open heart surgery to patch it up when I was 5 1/2 years old. Later, when I was in my late teens I was diagnosed with the first stage of cervical cancer. Drank a lot of wheat grass and reversed the cancerous cells within a few months and never a problem since. 2 years later when I was 21 and in my last semester of university I was diagnosed with a rare bone disease in my hip, Osteonecrosis. I was told by a bone surgeon that i would be lucky to get a hip replacement, but the bone damage could get so bad that i could possibly not walk again. They even told me that the best solution would be to put me in a body cast for a year and see what happens!!! That option ofcourse is just way too inhumane and instead I was told not to walk for a year and if I needed to move around I could use crutches. I have to say this was a big wake up call in my life– too much drama and too many crazy health problems that I took a different route into changing this health karma. I meditated hours a day, ever day, not only to reverse this condition in my hip, but also to cultivate an unbreakable positive attitude. I stayed in university to finish my degree and concentrated on the outcome I wanted. 2 months later i met with a surgeon that wanted to do experimental surgery. He was a butcher, but sent me to get a second set of MRIs. I didn’t want the surgery, but I did get the another set of x-rays and MRIs done. The bone disease was gone!!!!!!! I could walk again!! I have to say, its been over ten years since I went through that experience and there still isn’t a day that I don’t thank the universe and myself for being able to walk again.
Now, I’m 32 and I have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome that I’m trying to reverse. I’ve had this condition for a couple of years and have made great improvements over time, including bringing my hormones to a balance and getting rid of adult acne that came with the condition. Over the years I’ve been doing everything under the sun to get my reproductive and endochrine system working again, especially getting my fertility back, I only ovulate and have a period maybe once a year or two. I’m 100% raw, doing homeopathy, acupuncture, meditation, exercise, and even a zapper!! I am convinced my body is coming into balance, and infact i am convince I will be better than I have ever been and soon! Next April I have an appointment schedule for a ultrasound of my ovaries– I am sooooooo determined to go there and have the ultrasound done and that it will show that my ovaries are completely cleared of all the cysts that had previosly cover them!!!! So determined!!!!!
So thats been my health issue experiences– I hope this can encourage maybe just one person to never give up. Anything can happen.
Every set back is an opportunity to create a Golden Memory.
5:41 pm on December 9th, 2008
Happy Belated Birthday!
I usually don’t let too many vendors into my email, but I
look forward to yours. You wear your heart on your sleeve, admit your human
foiables and are completely humorous. So keep up the good work. You are
perfect the way you are . . . in this moment and the next moment and the
next…. Katya
7:36 am on December 10th, 2008
(Original Message sent dec 7 2008 10:20 am –
see support #75083)
Dear Kevin,
Just want to say Happy Birthday! I’ve been watching since the rawkathon and this is my
first communication. Just want to let you know that I’m enjoying all the wonderful information on your website. I regularly refer to my “Ängel Numbers 101″ written by
Doreen Virtue. I keep the book in the kitchen so when I see a number on the CD clock if I feel inspired I look it up. I’ve been interested in raw foods since the 70′s. I do enjoy all the great raw food cook books. Sorry, to hear about agave syrup not being ideal. It’s best to know the truth and that’s why your show is very important. Since
this computer I’m on is used primarily for other purposes, I may not be writing very often, but just want to inform you that I’m
supportive of your mission.
Thanks for being there!
Sincerely,
Sarajane
9:06 am on December 10th, 2008
Kevin, Thank you for sharing that ‘mantra’. I have used it for the last few days and it has a very calming effect. I sometimes change the first part to ‘The universe is a friendly place’ or ‘The universe is an abundant place’ or ‘The abundance and energy of the universe flows within me’ followed by ‘and I am safe’.
One of my biggest challenges was mentally letting go of security (read corporate stress and lack of complete fulfillment) and setting out in search of my bliss as a fitness/health/wellness coach. Although a stressful transition, I have realized this is a healthy one that is unfolding exactly the way it should, testing my commitment to what is really important. I keep coming back to a simple concept that I attribute to Jim Rohm (www.jimrohn.com) … “If you don’t like the view, change it. You are not a tree.’ Knowing we have choices and the quality of our choices directly affects the quality of our life was a big concept to ‘get’.
2:17 pm on December 10th, 2008
Hi Kevin! Kinda new at this computer stuff, so Sunday when I got your message and you said it was your Birthday…I just pushed what I know on my e-mail “reply” and sent you a message to the wrong place,so with a little guidance from the nice lady who got it…here goes again! Happy Birthday Kevin! I hope all your wishes and dreams come true! Also, Merry Christmas to you and your family! Sincerely, Elizabeth Deedrick P.S. Thank You for your kindness in sending me your info. all the time!
6:42 pm on December 10th, 2008
I may be going through it right now, because my daughter is having an awful time with her asthma–and I’m worried she might die. She spent the last year on round after round of antibiotics for a cold or something that never quite went away. I believe it was constantly and consistently MIS-diagnosed, but hubby kept taking her to clinics and getting the drugs. In the last few weeks she has been having a hard time breathing, especially at night, and I insisted we take her to a naturopath to fix whatever the antibiotics did, rather than go get more drugs. We’ve taken her to emergency three times since September, and all they want to do is give her more drugs. My battle is to keep my husband from getting more drugs for her and to get her to eat healthier so she can get better! She’s 17 and able to buy her own junk food and to refuse to eat the healthy stuff I’ve been learning to make, so it’s no surprise that everything’s been going downhill for her this year. She’s been living on white pasta with ketchup, pop, and buns with processed meat. Even stopped eating raw broccoli, which she used to eat often! Fortunately she will eat salad when I make it, but she only wants Creamy Caesar dressing on it. I’ve been trying out various recipes hoping to find something healthier that she’ll like–so far no luck. Everything I’ve tried has been too lemony/vinegary and hasn’t been creamy enough. If anyone’s got a great substitute for Creamy Caesar dressing I’d love to hear about it!
Anyway, I’m glad I’ve been watching you and learning about raw food during this past year, because now I need to APPLY it. I am doing pretty good for myself–you should see what I’m eating right now, lol. Steamed sweet potatoes and mung bean sprouts with one of those “creamy caesar” dressings and some green olives. For supper. Wow! Never woulda done that last year!
Thanks, Kevin and Annemarie. You are doing a great job!
Connie
6:50 pm on December 10th, 2008
Kevin:
Just want you to know how much I enjoy your daily shot in the arm for someone trying to break the habits of bad diet. Very inspiring,I look forward to your emails. Thank you for info on agave, gave it up immediately, went back to good old honey.
Chris
8:43 pm on December 12th, 2008
Happy Birthday Kevin! You are a true inspiration to everyone, including a young couple just starting out and struggling to hop onto a better path.
By watching your video tonight, it saved me from watching another Madonna video on You Tube!
Really, the the things you are doing can really save the world!
3:06 pm on December 28th, 2008
Belated Happy Birthday to you. My Mom died on Dec. 5th and I am slowly getting through my e-mails. I have been handling it slowly and remembering that my friend’s prayers get me through each day.