Dharlene Marie Fahl - TEA Expert, Afternoon Tea Keynote Speaker, Inspirational Author, Publisher

My passion over the last three years has been to bring tea into our Senior Communities. Those that are known as our GREATEST GENERATION have become a FORGOTTEN GENERATION -- but not by me! I bring them tea!

My setup is fancy and each has their own small teacup and saucer. I spoil them, entertain them, educate them, and have a whole lot of fun doing what I love -- talk tea, teach tea, and serve tea!

One third of our nation's kids are overweight. 75% of these kids will be overweight or obese adults. Type-two diabetes in children has hit an all-time high, obesity continues to rise in 48 of our states and with the down-turn of the economy obesity is predicted to continue to rise at a rapid pace.

I say, "Blah, blah, blah," to statistics.

And I say, "Rha, rha, rha," to addressing the real issue.

It is not about removing a chip and soda machine here and there. It is about removing limiting beliefs. Yes, replacing soda machines with water machines is a start, but more so, is replacing the negative programming.

These kids are not dumb kids - they are numb kids.

They are numb from the T.V. and advertising brainwashing their Baby Booming parents and grandparents have created. You Gen X'ers are not without blame either.

Pointing the finger is not a solution either - this is not my intention.  Heck, both of my kids at the age of ten were significantly overweight, also. It was more about what I didn't do TO them, than what I did FOR them, that they are both now at a healthy weight range for their age and height.

I did not do what was done to me. It has taken me over 40 years to replace the programming of my youth. And this is why reaching our youth is so vital right now.

Teen and tweens are priceless and perfect and when we tap into this - we have struck gold. Yah, I know what you are thinking - this moody, dramatic, emotional, hormonal, still-throwing-temper-tantrums group of beings are perfect just the way they are. They are this way because they have not yet discovered their souls. It's our job to help them find the treasure within themselves. I am starting this but I am going to need help.

"As a teenager I was so insecure. I was the type of guy that never fitted in because he never dared to choose. I was convinced I had absolutely no talent at all. For nothing. And that thought took away all my ambition too." ~ Johnny Depp

Why are we fat?

We are eating to fill a hole, to stuff a void and to comfort aches. We are eating in a trance, eating out of revenge, eating in frustration and eating in anger. We are eating to cure a hunger so ravenous that it almost defies explanation.

Most of us don't have a clue as to why we are overeating and why we are unfulfilled and why we are sedating ourselves with food.

There is a longing inside every one of us and when it surfaces we don't know how to satisfy it - so we feed it - among other things.

That longing is the soul - awaiting love, for this is all it knows. And instead of loving ourselves we feed ourselves and then hate ourselves and then sabotage the love given to us by others - who couldn't possibly love us because look at us - we are fat.

You can reach me directly by email at dharlenemarie@gmail.com

Let's start there.

You can also find me at www.dharlenemariefahl.com