Thank You So Much for Your Kind Comments About My July 4th Accident

Yesterday, I shared to subscribers of my free Motivating Morsels ezine and to readers of this Sugar Shock Blog about my horribly scary experience on July 4, where I ran head first into a large piece of glass. (I also slashed my hand.)
Although I’m riddled with a FEROCIOUS headache, spaciness, a sore hand and more, I just wanted to take time out to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you, who’ve been kind enough to email me personally or even call me to offer your sympathy.
I’m so very touched by your many kind words, and as I sit here feeling not very good (OK, awful), it means a lot to me that you took time to contact me!
I’ve also heard a few stories that sound uncannily similar to mine where other people smacked right into glass, too. Ouch!
If you don’t know about my frightening close July 4th encounter, read about it here, on this Sugar Shock Blog.
Keep your comments coming, please! They cheer me up. I’d be grateful for additional remarks here on my Sugar Shock Blog, on my Smart Habits Fans page on Facebook or (if we’re already Facebook friends — sorry FB won’t let me make more friends, which is why I’m inviting you to join my fan page).
FYI, I need to lay low and take time off for a few days, because I have to see my acupuncturist, ice my head and face, take naps and find out if I have a concussion. In the meantime, here are some of the many beautiful responses I’ve received. Thank you all so, so, so much!!!
* “Dear Connie, I’m grateful that you’re alive. That was a close call! I shudder just to think of it! Hope you feel better soon, Evelyn”
* “Prayers for quick healing, Connie!!!!!! Sending love. Dorothy.”
* “Connie, Sorry to hear about your accident, it is a wonderful blessing to be above ground…..take care of yourself and thanks for all you do…. Dorothy.” (Another Dorothy)
* “Dear Connie, I am sorry you had to go through that. The same thing happened to me years ago and it was quite traumatic. I am glad you are feeling better and back to work. Independently yours,
Sheila” (Yes, it was traumatic, Sheila!)
* “GOOD GRIEF!! I’m so sorry to hear this, but once again, it is very metaphorical. Feel better soon.
Smiles, Eliz”
* Connie: I am happy that you are OK. You are an inspiration to many people. It is also wonderful that you live in an attitude of gratitude. Your affirmations are certain to excel your healing. Many blessings, Olivia. P.S. I will listen to your radio segment. Thanks for sharing.”
* “Dear Connie, Thank God that you are ok and a positive attitude goes a long way. Take Care,
June”
* “Yikes, happy to hear you are going to recover and be ok after your encounter with that glass!
Take care! Liz”
* “How awful! I’m so glad you’re on the mend. I have the mantra that it’s good to be alive, after 9/11 since I spent over 2 months at the site as an NYPD Sergeant. You have a great attitude and you’ll be back to new in no time! Thank God you’re okay. I am so relieved. Cordially, Deborah”
* “Oh, Connie! How awful, but how wonderful that it wasn’t worse! You were in my thoughts a lot over the weekend, and perhaps I was picking up on your accident. I’m glad you are OK. You are a special person, and this kind of accident happens so quickly! Anyway, pamper yourself, let me know if there is anything I can do for you, and please be careful! Personally, I think the name “After Shock” [for your next book] is the best! And congratulations on being with Hay House. Get that book out ASAP!
Hugs, Jeannie” (Jeannie, a client of mine, then shared that she’s been sugar-free for a couple of months — congrats! — and has lost 15 pounds. “I feel really great! I think the best part is the evenness of temperament, and the lack of heart pounding in the evening.”
* “Dear Connie, I am so glad that you are recovering and I am so grateful for you that it wasn’t worse because it sounds very bad as it is. Speedy recovery and blessings. Sherri”
* “Hope you are feeling better soon. I have done the same thing. Take good care of yourself; your work is an inspiration. Cathie.”
* “CONNIE…PLEASE SLOW DOWN AND TAKE TIME OUT TO HEAL!!! WE NEED YOU!!! LOVE, ROBERTA.”
* “Dear Connie, I am so glad that you are ok. It sounds like you had a very scary experience. You are important to many people. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not grateful to you for what you do and what you have done for me. Thank you again. God Bless You. Dawn” (Dawn was a former client of mine, who I helped to kick sugar about a year ago. She’s still doing great! Yeah!)
* “Grateful you are still with us, Connie. Sending healing light, Ken”
* “Connie, You’re very Blessed and lucky! My son went thru a sliding glass door,years ago and almost bled to death…and had hundreds of pieces of glass taken out of him. Glad you’re all right! Mary. In God We Trust!”
* This next comment made me smile amidst my head throbbing. “WOW! Talk a bout an explosive 4th of July! So glad to hear you are ok. Will pray that God places his healing hands on you! Thank God it wasn’t any worse!! Take good care & heal well! Regards, Billie”
* “Greetings Connie, I’m so glad to hear that you survived that horrific accident. Please take it easy and be very good to yourself. I hope that you will get well soon! Thank you for all that you do. Sincerely,
Leona.”
Thankfully, there were more remarks, but I’m feeling cruddy, and I need to go ice my head and rest.
I look forward to more comments here and on Facebook — either here (if you got in as a friend before I hit the 5K limit) or here, in the Smart Habits Fans on Facebook.
One final thought: Who the heck gets hurt on July 4 of all days? What weird timing! I now declare my independence from any negativity about this hurtful incident!
Because I’m feeling so grateful, look for more Gab with the Gurus radio shows about gratitude and its power. Listen to last week’s (before my accident) here. Stay tuned.

Grateful to be Alive! My July 4th Accident: Jonny Bowden’s Summer Diet Boot Camp

Today, I’m just grateful that I’m alive, writing to you.
That’s because on July 4th, I had a frightening, close encounter with a glass window that I never realized was even there.
I’m lucky to even be here today!
More specifically, without knowing it, I ran headlong into a large piece of glass, because it wasn’t covered with decorative decals.as these, these or these.
Ouch is a major understatement!
Right now, I’m still shaken up, wiped out and hit by a horrific headache, nose ache, etc.
Plus, my hand is still sore — somehow, in the middle of my accident, it got split open. (Thankfully, my cut got glued back together.)
My nose and side of my eye are sore, too. My face demonstrates (thankfully, not too obviously) that I got too friendly with a piece of glass.
But right now, I’m determined to keep an attitude of gratitude.
It could have been much, much, much, much worse!
My accident could have killed me.
Or, I could be in emergency care right now, battling for my life.
Yikes! The glass could have completely shattered, with shards splitting open my face rather than just giving me a few bruises and bang-ups from my sunglasses. My hand could have been cut up way, way worse than it was.
Anyhow, I’m grateful to be alive and relatively intact, even if it’s difficult to type right now.
Now that I’m so glad to be alive, I’d like tell you how grateful to you, dear readers. Thank you for your readership, support and connection.
I do hope that my close encounter with a piece of glass will inspire you to think about how grateful you are, too, for many things.
Stephanie gunning Coincidentally, last week I did a radio show about gratitude. I invite you to listen now to last week’s Gab with the Gurus Radio Show about gratitude with Stephanie Gunning.
====== >>>>>>
http://tinyurl.com/GratitudeGabWithGurusStephanie
It’s time to go to ice my face and head. But before I do that, let me share 2 quick things.
(1) Have you voted yet for the name of my next book (the follow-up to Sugar Shock?)
====== >>>>>>
http://tinyurl.com/NameMyBook-SugarShockFollow-Up
Jonny bowden (2) If you’d like to shed wei*ght this summer, I urge you to join my friend Jonny Bowden’s inspiring Summer Diet Bootcamp Challenge and his other other amazing products. Jonny is a recognized health
and weight loss expert, who has helped thousands of people around the world. Learn more now:
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http://tinyurl.com/SummerDietBootCampJonny-Connie
By the way, I’m a proud affiliate-partner of Jonny’s, and I’m excited to share this information with you. I’ve interviewed Jonny on numerous occasions, and his material is top-notch, and I gladly share this with you. While the link below earns me a little for telling you about this, I only provide it because I believe in it so highly.
====== >>>>>>
http://tinyurl.com/SummerDietBootCampJonny-Connie

Grateful to be Alive! My July 4th Accident

Gratitude I’m so grateful that I’m alive today, writing to you.
That’s because on July 4th, I had a frightening, close encounter with a glass window that I never realized was even there.
More specifically, without knowing it, I ran headlong into a large piece of glass, because it wasn’t covered with a decorative decal such as these, these or these.
Right now, I’m still a bit shaken up.
Plus, my hand is still sore — somehow, in the middle of my accident, it got split open.
And my face demonstrates that I got too friendly with a piece of glass.
But right now, I’m determined to keep an attitude of gratitude.
It could have been much, much worse!
My accident could have killed me. I could be in emergency care right now, battling for my life.
The glass could have shattered, with shards splitting open my face rather than just have a few bruises and bang-ups from my sunglasses. My hand could have been cut up a lot more than it was.
Anyhow, I’m grateful to be alive and relatively intact, even if it’s difficult to type right now.
Also, now that I’m so glad to be alive, I’d like tell you how grateful to you, dear readers. Thank you for your readership, support and connection.
I do hope that my close encounter with a piece of glass will inspire you to think about how grateful you are, too, for many things.
I invite you to listen now to last week’s Gab with the Gurus Radio Show about gratitude with Stephanie Gunning.
Listen to internet radio with Gab With the Gurus on Blog Talk Radio.

7 Simple Steps to a Sweeter You & Sweeter Life (Article)

Friends and followers, here’s an article I wrote that I hope will help you. This piece is designed to inspire all of you — including, of course, sugar addicts (for whom I offer my Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction in 6 Weeks Program) — and those who are immune (or relatively unfazed) by sugary temtpations.
7 Simple Steps to a Sweeter You & Sweeter Life By Connie Bennett, CHHC, CPC
With spring here and summer on the horizon, this is an ideal time to take stock of where you are and where you’d like to go. In other words, it can be invaluable to take a probing look inward and make some moves in the direction of your dreams. Ask yourself:
* Are you the kind of person you’d like to be?
* Are you achieving your heart’s desires?
* How can you be kinder, better and sweeter?
* What traits and skills can you develop or cultivate to get to where you want to go and to be the person you know you can be?
* And how can you have a sweeter life?
Let’s also put it another way: It’s time for some internal spring housecleaning. Since we’re human, each of us can always find something about ourselves to improve.
My clients have found that doing this kind of taking stock, assessing and goal setting helps them to build confidence, achieve inner joy, fall in love with themselves and be endearing to others.
Here are 7 areas to explore that can lead you to personal growth and transformation so you become a person you like, admire and respect — and, of course, a person others find sweet.
1) Take delight. Do you view the glass as half full rather than half empty? Do you feel joy, delight and glee when you view a sunset, when you see trees, when your child looks at you with adoring eyes, when you first bite into an organic apple, when you walk down the street, or when you’re immersed in a project? Make yourself look at the bright side of things. No one wants to be around a killjoy so concentrate on fostering that part of you that’s childish, innocent, sweet and fun. Become the kind of person people (and you would) love to be around.
2) Listen with zeal. Do you pay close attention to other people when they speak? Do you care about their worries, goals and fears? Or are too wrapped up in yourself? There’s nothing more annoying than someone who cuts you off in the middle of saying something. Challenge yourself to really focus on what people are saying. That way others will want to share with you more. Besides, you’ll like yourself better, too.
3) Cultivate gratitude. Lately, thankfully, giving thanks has been given good play—and not just around Thanksgiving. Being appreciative is something we should do on a daily basis. Have you thanked God or the universe lately for your loved ones, your home, your job, your friends, your innate skills and talents, your material possessions, etc.? If not, begin a gratitude journal or take stock on your computer every morning and/or evening.
4) Get enough zzz’s. Lack of sleep seems to be an American hobby, if not an obsession, and I confess, I’m one of the worst offenders. (I’m working on it!) Many of us seem driven by all that we have to do, whether it’s answering e-mails, cleaning the house or catching up with a friend. But recent research suggests that sleep-deprived people may be more likely to be overweight. Not getting enough rest also may make you grumpy, brain foggy and unproductive. Even more frightening, sleep deprivation may increase your risk for heart attacks, strokes, colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
5) Enjoy food that lives. One of the most effective ways to become a healthy, energetic, kind, successful, loving person is to eat superior, nutritive carbs — the kind that grows out of the ground or from trees (vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds) and turn your back on those health-harming culprit carbs. Are you a sugar junkie or a carb craver? Do you grab chocolate, soda or donuts just to get through the day? As my book SUGAR SHOCK!, explains, overeating sugary foods and refined, much-like-sugar carbs (processed breads, pasta, crackers, white rice, etc.) could send you into sugar shock and lead to some 150 ailments, including obesity, depression, heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, mood swings, infertility, low libido, failing memory and premature aging.
6) Get moving. As we all know by now, physical activity can work wonders. If you’re feeling like a zombie—that is sluggish, listless and unmotivated, there’s nothing like getting off your derriere and dancing or just plain walking to energize you. It’s well documented, as the Mayo Clinic points out, that exercise improves your mood, combats chronic diseases and can even put the spark back in your sex life. So put on your sneakers now. (In fact, I’m off for a fun bike ride myself now.)
7) Break free of clutter. The road to self improvement doesn’t always have to be complicated. In fact, just getting rid of your “stuff” can give you a tremendous breakthrough experience. Cutting out clutter is one of those simple, but uplifting projects that can quickly bring you to a better place. It is exhilarating and exciting to discard excess documents, old clothes and undesirable doodads. (Earlier today, I got rid of some excess stuff. Feels darn good, you’ll find.)
Don’t these 7 Steps to a Sweeter & Sweeter Life sound easy? Don’t waste any time—pat yourself on the back because you’ve considered taking such important action. Now, start moving those goal-setting muscles and select one step to concentrate on each day of the week. I’m willing to bet that within three weeks, you’ll already become more happy, content and self-fulfilled. So get going—start building the foundation for a sweeter you and a sweeter life.
Connie Bennett, MSJ, CHHC, CPC is a former sugar addict and author of SUGAR SHOCK! (Penguin Group), which has been praised by Dr. Mehmet Oz, who says it “spills the beans” and bestselling author Dr. Mark Hyman (UltraMetabolism), who said it “could save your life.” Connie is a certified holistic health counselor, a certified life coach, sugar-liberation expert, speaker, frequent TV and radio show guest (“CBS News Sunday Morning,” “Oprah & Friends Radio,” etc.). She maintains her Sugar shock Blog, hosts the weekly Gab with the Gurus Radio Show and holds Sugar-Liberation Secrets seminars and teleseminars such as Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction in 6 Weeks. Connie also is an experienced journalist and columnist, who has been published widely in print and on the Web. To learn how to release your sugar habit, find out about Connie’s Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction in 6 Weeks Program. Copyright © 2010, Connie Bennett, Stop SUGAR SHOCK!, www.SugarShockBlog.com
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Thanksgiving: How Not to Pig Out

People often wonder how to make it through Thanksgiving without pigging out on sweets and quickie carbs and going into sugar shock.
They don’t want to wake up having gained weight, feeling fuzzy-headed and moody.
Just think: Wouldn’t it be nice to feel happy and self assured that you didn’t cave into those candied yams, pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes?
So today’s Tip of the Week will offer you three simple tactics to put into action at your Thanksgiving meal:
1. Imagine What If… Just think about how you’ll feel the day after Thanksgiving if you allowed yourself to have some “treats. Would you feel angry and disappointed at yourself? Would you lose self-respect? Would you feel discouraged that you couldn’t control yourself? My clients say that all of the above emotions would hit them—and hard. So before you put those Thanksgiving “goodies” into your mouth, just “Imagine What If…”