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Four PillarsFour Pillars

San Marco Plaza, Lakewood Ranch

8209 Natures Way, Suite 221

Bradenton FL 34202

(941) 373-3955

Reflexology Fusion Offered at Four Pillars Spa

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reflexology fusion four pillars massage

 

 

Reflexology is a technique of appropriate pressure to specific points and areas to the hands and feet that correspond with different organs and systems in the body. This treatment is deeply relaxing, helps to relieve stress, improves circulation and is an excellent method to promote overall good health.

 

The Reflexology Fusion Treatment includes:

  • the feet
  • hands
  • and ears as well as points on the neck.

Enjoy a 60-minute specialty treatment to address these specific meridian points to relieve stress and unblock energy pathways. Throughout April, introductory sessions are available for this new treatment. Normally $80, the introductory rate is $59. Call to schedule an appointment.

 

Location: Four Pillars, San Marco Plaza, 8209 Natures Way, Suite 221, Lakewood Ranch Call 941-373-3955 Email: info@fourpillarsflorida.com or visit fourpillarsflorida.com

 

 

7 Ways to Fall in Love With Yourself

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honoryourselfblog

 

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

– Oscar Wilde

 

 

How is your relationship with yourself? Do you see qualities about yourself or do you only think about your faults? Are you proud of your life or you do you compare your life with others and feel inferior? How do you feel when you look in the mirror?

Loving yourself is one of the most important things one can do for a happy life. Building a good self-esteem can provide a huge change in how you feel and live. When you begin to enjoy being who you are, life becomes lighter, beautiful and full of opportunities to be explored.

But wait, do not despair if today you looked in the mirror and felt horrible, we all have days when we are upset with pimples, PMS or something we did wrong. The problem is when you feel it every day, all the time, and can never feel happy with who you are.

Building self-esteem is entirely inner work. It is you who has to decide who will change the relationship with yourself and need to find your own way and your own answers. But these positive attitudes can help you a lot in this process:

  1. Be thankful for your qualities

If you already have the habit of being thankful for the things you have and for everything good that happens in your life, start including the “you and yourself” in the practice of gratitude. Think about your qualities and be grateful for them. Thanks for being such a strong person, dedicated and capable. Thanks for being good, honest and polite. Thanks for being responsible for your own life and seek the best for yourself. Thanks for being determined and courageous. Think of all the good things that you are and be grateful to have become one with many positive features.

  1. Do something that makes you realize you’re growing and learning.

Evolution is good for anyone. Looking back to see how much you’ve grown as a person is very good –  and realize that you still, like many, have so much to learn. Do more things that make you feel good and at the same time, add knowledge, wisdom, skills, and happiness. When you realize how much you have grown, a mixture of pride in yourself and motivation lights within you.

  1. Laugh at yourself.

Being able to laugh at yourself – instead of shame – is a proof of love. Everyone goes through awkward situations, say nonsense, and commits gaffes. What makes the difference is how you react with any of these situations. You can die of shame and feel bad or just laugh at yourself and take the lightest form of the situation. The next time it happens, instead of hating yourself for what you did and want to hide, join those who are around you and laugh at yourself. Make it a good time!

  1. Find out what makes you feel good and keep doing it.

What makes you feel good about yourself? Being fashionable? Taking care of appearance? Discovering new things? Building something? Helping people? Making others laugh? Having it all together? Or other things? Find out what things you do that make you enjoy being who you are, like your skills and talents and make much more of it. I can even quote some of my choices: I feel very happy with myself when I help someone that is going through a hard time in life and later I receive a very positive feedback from them. I also feel proud of myself when I take certain steps towards my dreams.

  1. Treat yourself with kindness.

Be kind to yourself, take care of yourself inside and out with all the love you can, always seeking the best for you. Take care of your thoughts when you think about yourself. And take care when anger, disappointments or failures happen. When this happens, remember that you are a human being who makes mistakes like everyone else. Support yourself with kind words just as you would a friend. Be your own best friend!

  1. Believe that you deserve all the more  and that you are amazing

If you watched the movie or read the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower, you know the phrase: “We accept the love we think we deserve.” Think about it: what do you believe you deserve? Good stuff? More things or less? Or incredibly extraordinary things? Your answer will tell you exactly what you will get in life. And that goes for everything: love, friendship, work, dreams, etc. What prevents you from believing that you deserve the best? Probably the only thing that is preventing you from receiving amazing things is yourself, by your own thoughts. Work on it. If you feel that you can’t change your beliefs about yourself, hire a life coach to help you.

  1. Pay attention to your needs.

Listen to your heart. Watch for signs that your body and your mind give you, they are always pointing in which direction you need to care about, but we insist on ignoring them. When you feel you need rest, rest. When you realize you miss pampering yourself, get the time to do it. When you feel that your life is a mess, do not let things continue as they are, start immediately to put things in place. Make your needs a priority.

 

Love yourself and honor yourself for that lifelong romance you deserve!

 

 

 

Celebrate Love

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celebrate-love-1024x684A blog about love for Valentine’s Week? Really? How cliché?

No, it’s not because it’s Valentine’s Day week. It’s because there are two basic motivating forces in life: fear or love. And this is an important time to remind ourselves this basic premise. When we are afraid, we pull back, put up walls, make poor choices and guard ourselves from life and living. When we act out of love, we are open to all that life has to offer, we are energized, feel purpose, passion, and are energized for our living.

 

This is such a basic principle, love or fear, but as we get caught up

in everyday living sometimes we get off track.

How do we speak to ourselves? Do we say positive words or are we self-criticizing. How are we taking care of our needs? Are we exercising, eating well, getting out and breathing in nature, taking care of our mind, body, and spirit. When we self-care, and are self-aware (not selfish), we have enough love filled within us that it pours out of us to others.

How do we speak to others? Are we speaking their love language? Dr. Gary Chapman teaches the 5 languages of love and how it is important that we learn to speak their language if we want that person to feel loved. The 5 Languages are: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch.

Love is an emotion with an actual energy. Everything in this Universe, including you is vibrating at a frequency. This is because you and everything around you is energy. Love has an actual measureable frequency. 528 Hz-the love frequency. The energy of the Earth is 528Hz frequency which is the same frequency as love. Raise your energy with LOVE.

 

Did you know the essential oil with the highest frequency is rose oil?

From roses, hmmm… the flower associated with LOVE.

 

Thoughts become things. Are we thinking loving thoughts about life? Self, others, our earth, our job, our living, etc

There are only two emotions we can express and those two emotions are FEAR and LOVE. All the other emotions stem from these categories.

Choose LOVE. Celebrate LOVE!

 

 

 

What is Life Coaching?

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by Tatiana Valadares
life-coaching-new-oldCoaching is all about getting you from the situation you are stuck in to where you want to be – faster. First, we identify what you’ve tried and what isn’t working for you. We ask the questions that bring awareness to the surface. Then we use self-discovery techniques to visualize a place where your life looks and feels better. Together we discover the options and prioritize solutions to the obstacle at hand and determine a plan of action. We identity your resources and how they can help you. Whether its Career, Relationships, Health, Finances, Happiness or Spirituality, together we’ll unravel the stubborn threads that are keeping you stuck and move toward a more authentic and joyful place.

 

Why would I need Life Coaching?

Anyone can benefit from coaching. Usually people seek help when they have an obstacle in their life that they can’t overcome. We all, at some point in our lives, come across obstacles that prevent us from moving forward. We get stuck. This may occur because of fear, lack of confidence in our own abilities, lack of motivation, poor communication, etc. Coaching helps bring motivation, planning, and new ideas or approaches to your life. These provide just what is needed to get you over the hurdle and back on track.

 

Situations that Four Pillars Life Coaching can help with:

  • Grief or loss
  • Illness recovery
  • Lack of confidence, motivation, or life planning
  • Post traumatic event recovery
  • Relocation
  • Stress and time management
  • Discovering your life purpose or career
  • Communication and relationship issues
  • Spiritualty or inspirational guidance

 

What is the difference between Life Coaching and Therapy?

Psychotherapy works with the client who seeks relief from psychological or physical symptoms. The client wants emotional healing and relief of mental suffering. Therapy deals with diagnosing and healing the mental health of the client. Coaching deals with the client’s mental growth. The reason for the client seeking therapy is usually to get rid of some pain or discomfort, rather than wanting to move towards desired goals, which is the greater role of coaching. Coaching means taking an inventory of your current situation and determining how to get to the desired place quickly and satisfactorily, but without addressing the reasons that led the individual to stagnation. Therefore, one practice does not replace the other, but rather they are complimentary and work well together.

 

How long is an average Life Coaching Process?

Coaching sessions are typically held weekly and each session lasts on average one to two hours, all set in common agreement between the coach and clients. To be a completely flexible process, the coaching can be applied in the way the client feels more comfortable depending on the urgency of your goals. Some special programs suggest a certain number of sessions but the client is who decides the number of sessions they would like to do. The average varies between 5 and 12 sessions.

 

Do we have to see each other in person for the sessions?

Just as other forms of counseling, coaching sessions can be conducted in person, by phone, via internet (skype or facetime) as well as email, it all depends on the client’s preference and location. If the client choses to have our session by phone, the calls are made by us, at no cost to the client. The positive side of remote sessions is that you can be anywhere to attend the sessions, including the comfort of your own sofa. The forms and exercises are sent by email.

 

Is the information we share during our sessions confidential?

Four Pillars follows the ICF (International Coach Federation) code of ethics, so any information exchanged remains confidential unless the client authorizes in writing, a third party information or access to the sessions. There are, however, two extremely rare exceptions: one, if the client, by my estimation, becomes a danger to themselves or to another individual, or, if a court of law directly orders the coach to divulge such information to the court. As a Coach, we do not judge your situation, your plans or your feelings. We will not guide you to do what we or anyone else judges to be more correct or necessary. We simply bring forth your options and your choices are ultimately up to you.

 

 

Winter Skin Care Tips

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By: Four Pillar’s Nancy Brown, Spa Director/Lead Aesthetician

Nancy

Winter is an excellent time to spend some extra attention on your skin. With cooler temperatures and less time in the sun, it’s a great time to work on specific skin issues and enhance your glow.

 

Exfoliation and Peels:

This time of year the skin can appear dull, dry, and lifeless. Deep exfoliation removes the dull and dead layer of skin. This can be done with Microdermabrasion, Dermaplaning, or a series of Peels. These procedures are quick and effective at removing the superficial dead layer of skin. Exfoliation helps to improve the overall texture of the skin, minimize fine lines, minimize pore size, and even out the skin tone. At home exfoliation will pick up where professional treatments leave off. Use of a gentle scrub or a rotating facial brush no more than twice a week will keep the skin clear and healthy. Just be mindful to not over exfoliate, which can cause irritation or dry the skin out.

 

Correct Sun Damage:

Winter is the best time of year to correct all those dark spots that haunt our skin from the sun. The best way to treat sun damage is through a combination of exfoliating facials or peels along with lightening products that contain ingredients like hydroquinone, kojic acid, or hexarestorsinol. These product ingredients work by penetrating into the skin to slow the production of pigment deep in the skin. These products usually take a few weeks to work, and often the spots may appear slightly darker before they lighten. This is caused by the pigment lifting out. It is important to remember to use SPF when using a lightening product to ensure its effectiveness.

 

Change your products:

The cool, dry, winter air offers a great opportunity to switch things up with your products. This is the time of year to really keep things gentle. Look for a cleanser that will be effective but won’t strip the natural oils your skin needs. It’s also a great time to add a richer, night-time moisturizer. Winter is a great opportunity to use Retinol products to repair the skin along Hyaluronic Acid to keep the skin hydrated.

 

Facials:

Facials are recommended every 4-6 weeks. In addition to the relaxation and stress relief benefits, the improvement in your overall skin health is priceless. Facials help to keep the skin clear, properly balanced and hydrated, improves circulation which helps to promote healthy cell growth. The anti aging benefits of regular facials will keep your skin firm, healthy, and glowing.

 

Your skin is the largest organ of the human body. Take care of your skin and love the skin you’re in!

 

6 Time Management Tips for the Holidays

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By Tatiana Valadares – Life Coach
time managementHere we are at the most beautiful time of the year – a week before Christmas, and like it or not, the busiest time as well. Many of us find ourselves rushing around with too much to do and the beautiful season becomes exhausting.

 

I know exactly how December feels. My personal relationship with this month is quite stressful. I have 6 birthday celebrations in my family, I have to manage personal business as the fiscal year comes to a close both here and in my home country of Brazil, I share a home with three teenagers and one amazing man who deserves all my time and love. In addition, we celebrate Christmas twice – once in the Brazilian style and second time with American traditions. As a woman, I’m traditionally responsible for all of the shopping.

 

In order to not only survive but also enjoy the holiday season, I put together a few time management techniques for all of us to maintain our wellness and improve our productivity during this time of the year. Some apply to work, others to our personal lives, but all are applicable to lowering overall stress levels and promoting accountability.

 

1 – Prioritize – First, you can have a good talk with yourself and decide, based on your own limits and taking into consideration your lifestyle, your goals for the season. Decide what you need to accomplish and how much time you have available. Being mindful of the days remaining on the calendar, list all your tasks and remove the ones that do not qualify as a priority. Being aware of what is important to you and what is not is fundamental, not only for the holidays, but for life.

 

2 – Set Healthy Boundaries and learn how to say ‘no’ – As the famed investor Warren Buffet says – “The biggest difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people know how to say no.”

You are the one in control of your life and you know what is best for you. If you don’t, I suggest that you explore this territory within yourself a little bit more. Include reviewing your priorities and limits on your 2016 to-do-list, because the more you know yourself, the easier it becomes to set boundaries. Especially this time of the year when events and requests of your time increases dramatically. When something doesn’t feel like a priority to you, don’t feel guilty, don’t over explain yourself, just simply decline.

 

3 – Schedule –Place your priority items from your to-do-list on your calendar. If it’s scheduled, it’s done – that’s the rule. With the advances of technology today, we have a range of options for calendars and reminders that work like a miracle for every type of personality or tech-ability ”.

 

4 – Expect Delays and Downtime – Here is a great opportunity for you to practice compassion, patience and forgiveness. Learn that not everyone masters the art of managing time, so you will probably find yourself waiting extra minutes in your doctor’s office, lines at stores might be longer, and people in general will be running late. Take this extra time to exercise stillness and forgive, after all, this is what Christmas is all about. Have compassion and know that people are doing their best, even if their best isn’t very great.

 

5 – Don’t Catch the Multitask Train – Too much multitasking harms your ability to focus on the big picture and it can lower your productivity by up to 40%, says Peter Bregman, a blog writer for Harvard Business Review.

Sticking to your schedule and accomplishing your to-do list one-by-one will not only prevent stress but also accidents. How many of us had to go back to the store the day before Christmas during the rush hour of last minute shoppers to exchange something purchased by mistake due to being distracted and “talking on the phone while shopping”?

Being mindful about your activities and present in your tasks save a lot of anxiety and time.

 

6 – Take time to yourself – Last but not least, is to schedule (yes, schedule, to make sure it will be done!) a break. We all need to unplug for a while to be able to function better. Make time for a massage, for a skin care treatment or even some time alone at home for “Me-time” in a salt bath or on the couch reading a good book. Resting is very important to maintain your health and your cheerful mood.

 

Remember that these suggestions are not limited to the holidays, they also work all year long so you don’t need to put them away along with your Christmas Tree. If you find it difficult to manage your time and maintain healthy stress levels, I invite you to come with me in a Stress and Time Management Coaching Program at Four Pillars.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Tatiana

 

 

 

11/11 New Beginnings

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new beginnings

Today is a special and meaningful day. 11/11 marks new beginnings for Four Pillars.

We are working in our first location at San Marco Plaza and preparing for a 12/12 Grand Opening. We are so excited to bring new services to the Lakewood Ranch area.  In addition, we are laying all the groundwork for our future location in Corporate Park with wellness services, educational experiences, and social activities that foster the four pillars of health.

 

What is the significance of the numbers 11/11? What is their meaning?

In Numerology, the 11 is a Master Number.  So what does that mean?  Master numbers are repeated numbers (11, 22, 33, and so on).  Master numbers contain what we’d call a higher spiritual vibration, for lack of a better term.

First of all, the number 1 is all about new beginnings, independence, initiative, achievement, individuation, self-confidence, and innovative creativity.

Many say that when you see the repeating number 11:11 – when you look at the clock, for example – it’s a message from The Universe (or God, Angels, or whatever you believe in the spiritual realms).

When you see this number, it’s the Universe tapping you on the shoulder and giving you a solid “thumbs up!”

As for the date 11/11, this can also be seen as an opening, as a doorway so to speak.  This also applies to the 11:11.  If you look at the numbers, you can see this visual representation – each 11 looks like a door.  

So today has a very special meaning to us at Four Pillars! Sign up for our newsletter so we can share our Grand Opening details with you!

Synchronicity

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“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” – Paulo Coehlo

 

When you truly focus on a goal, the universe is there to help you achieve it. Pieces fall into place, relationships develop and synchronicity happens. Aristotle, one of our greatest philosophers, believed that there is always a reason for everything that happens. Your experiences are designed to shape you, define you, and hopefully grow you into your highest potential possible.

In June 2015 that’s exactly what happened in Chicago for Four Pillars. We attended the Celebrate Your Life conference to connect with national speakers for the sole purpose of bringing them to Four Pillars and the Lakewood Ranch/Sarasota area. Celebrate Your Life conferences are produced by Mishka Productions, led by Liz Dawn for almost 20 years. They attract people from all over the world and feature workshops and presentations from internationally renowned inspirational speakers and NY Times Best Selling Authors who have appeared on thousands of television shows and radio programs.

Just some of the featured speakers included:

  • James Redfield, Author of The Celestine Prophecy
  • Neale Donald Walsch, Author of Conversations with God (NYTimes Best Seller, 2 years)
  • Panache Desai, Author and International Speaker
  • Dr. Joe Dispenza, Author of You Are the Placebo
  • Andy Dooley, Vibration Activation and Law of Attraction Expert
  • Arielle Ford, Author of The Soulmate Secret 
  • and more

Synchronicities started for Four Pillars upon registration for the event. Changes to flight schedules, changes to attendees and more all happened for a reason. One of our goals was to have one on one time with speakers to tell them about Four Pillars and peak their interest in bringing their phenomenal messages and presentations to Lakewood Ranch.

After traveling on a Friday to the event, we settled into the hotel to regroup for a full evening of the opening celebration. While regrouping in the hotel room, we talked about some of the goals for the weekend. One was to talk with Dr. Joe Dispenza about being a speaker at Four Pillars. To prepare, we developed and practiced an “elevator speech”—the 30-second pitch you give someone to tell them about your company’s mission. Shortly after practicing our elevator speech in the hotel room, we stepped onto the elevator and who do you think entered with us? Yes! Dr. Joe Dispenza. Talk about synchronicity and serendipity. And, yes, after giving our elevator speech, he agreed it was destiny! He also later laughed at the “elevator speech” story!

There were many other coincidental conversations at just the right time during the weekend. We even learned that Andy Dooley (a Law of Attraction expert and the most energetic Vibration Activation coach) went to Ringling College of Art and Design right in our own backyard. He is thrilled to come back to his stomping grounds and bring his messages to Lakewood Ranch.

After the conclusion of the conference, Cheri was standing in the lobby thinking if there was anyone else she wished she had connected with.  And Ariel Ford came to mind.  Sure enough, Ariel was the next person that walked by, and the “elevator speech” came in handy one final time.

Look for synchronicities in your life.  They are a sign that you are on the right path!  Follow us for more to come on these awesome speakers and exactly when they will be coming to Four Pillars!

 

james redfield and cheri

Cheri explaining the story of Four Pillars to James Redfield, Author of The Celestine Prophecy.

 

10 Year Celebration

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Four Pillars Press-10 years of celebration

10 years is such a significant event!

Turning 10 is double digits as kids say. It’s exciting to reach that milestone. It means you are growing and getting big.

To those that read numbers and understand their meaning, it represents the end of a cycle and the beginning of another.

Four Pillars recently attended the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance 10 Year Anniversary, the Silver Soiree. The event was about networking, celebrating, and creating relationships for business; what the LWRBA is all about for the Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota, Manatee area.

We can’t help but hope and dream what we will look like in 10 years for the Lakewood Ranch area. We want to foster the mind, body, spirit and social connections through wellness services, educational experiences and social activities. We hope in 10 years this is what we will look like:

  • People working on their novels in our garden/meditation area
  • Friends gathering to listen to live music around our fire pit
  • Clubs and organizations having their monthly/weekly meetings on our nature preserve enjoying the atmosphere and connecting with each other
  • Photography clubs using the nature preserve for class and inspiration
  • People pampering their bodies with spa services to enhance their well-being and feel energized
  • National speakers bringing their messages and energy to the Lakewood Ranch area
  • A place people come to relax, unwind, and meet friends
  • Couples and friends meeting for a healthy lunch
  • Intimate weddings beside our beautiful lake filled with lotus flowers
  • Yoga classes on our deck for a tranquil environment
  • Art clubs using nature for inspiration
  • People picking up something special from our gift shop for a 10 year anniversary surprise
  • People stopping by for a peaceful walk in our meditation garden and a healthy smoothie
  • People walking away with a renewed sense of purpose or direction after a session with one of our life coaches
  • Bachelorette parties getting facials, massages and getting ready for the big day
  • Aerial yoga and aerial silks clubs on our deck
  • Bossa Nova music flowing through beautiful sunset skies in the early evening

We met many new friends at our debut during the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance 10 year anniversary celebration. We hope to grow with them and see them in another 10 years with many memories and stories to share!

“For Cheri Christiansen, the event was a debut. A newly recruited alliance member, the life coach will soon begin building a venue in the commerce park to offer yoga and meditation classes by day and a social wine lounge at night. “We break ground in a month and a half,” she said.”

Click here to read the full article at BradentonHerald.com!