Gratitude journals have been around for a long time, perhaps getting a boost a few years back with books like “The Secret”. The same is true for vision boards and affirmations. And, although these ideas might have seemed trendy for a while, both have become part of me and my life since.
If you are thinking about creating a journal, now might be just the time to pick up a pen and start writing. Read the rest of this entry
Just when you think time can’t more any faster it seems to me it can. Is the rule the older you get the shorter the minutes, days and years seem and time just flies by at a pace that’s super impossible to keep up with?
I realized recently that my current thinking toward time passing me by was resulting in a feeling of being completely out of control….never a comforting feeling. So in an effort to slow the clock down and gain some of my power back, I decided I must change my thinking and a few of my habits.
As with any problem, a good place to start is my current beliefs or perceptions of what the problem is.
Perceived Problem: Time is passing me by (way too quickly).
Perceived Result: Feeling completely out of control (and a bit depressed / scared… you name it…I was feeling it). Read the rest of this entry
Are you a type A personality living a workaholic lifestyle? Most of us to some degree are burning the candle at both ends, which certainly increases our odds that our lifestyle includes unhealthy habits. But the research is in and the message is clear. It’s time to add a healthy and fun habit to your daily routine – meditation.
Eastern philosophies have recognized the health benefits of meditation for thousands of years. Meditation lowers blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and delivers an overall improvement in your ability to concentrate. And the best part about meditation, is you don’t need to be a Buddhist monk to experience the many health benefits of meditation.
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Step 1: Choose a quiet place where you won’t be distracted or disturbed. Often when you are new to meditation, it is easy to get distracted, so consider putting ear plugs in your ears or even your iPod ear buds in your ears…but forgo playing your Hit List for now.
Step 2: Sit on the floor or in a chair. If you choose to sit on the floor, you may want to put a blanket under you for some extra padding. Once you have some meditation time under your belt, you might want to consider purchasing a zafu and/or a zabuton. A zafu is a round traditional mediation cushion, measuring about 35cm and stuffed with buckwheat hull. A zafu is positioned under a person practicing meditation in a cross legged seated position for extra comfort. A zabaton is a cushion traditionally used in Japanese homes for seating. When meditating, a zabuton or yoga blanket is often set on the floor and then a zafu is placed on top of the zabaton or yoga blanket for added comfort. Using a zabuton, yoga blanket and/or zafu when meditating is more comfortable than sitting directly on the floor. The zafu also helps to maintain proper posture for the health and comfort of your back. These meditation accessories can help define that special place you have created for meditation.
I am a self-admitted, self-help and diet/nutrition book junkie. At times I am reading 2 or more books and the acquisition of my Kindle seems to have fueled my addiction.
For years I have thought this addiction was not such a bad thing…in the scheme of things…well it’s at best educational. This week, however, I have started to rethink this. I am reading two books on dieting that totally contradict each other and well it has almost made me want to give up on my educational habit and maybe just start reading Harlequin Romance novels… well maybe not…
So this week I decided to move one of my yoga mats right next to my bed so that it is the first thing I touch when getting out of bed in the morning and the last feeling I have before I retire for the night.
This change has inspired me to do several sun salutations right when I wake up or before bed when time permits and even if I don’t have the time to practice yoga upon waking or before sleeping, I stop on my yoga mat and center myself. I pause for a moment or two and think about all that I have to be grateful for in my life and I’m now in the habit of taking a few deep breaths just before I take that final leap into bed and remind myself who I am and what I stand for.