Some of the categories from which I shop at Puritan's Pride are:
- Amino Acids
- Antioxidants
- Calcium
- Cardiovascular Health
- Digestive Health
- Fish Oils
- Memory Support
- Minerals
- Multivitamins
- Protein
- Sports Nutrition
- Whole Food Concentrates
- Women's Heath
Life is an exciting journey, full of challenges. Enjoy every moment, but take nothing for granted.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Puritan's Pride (Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements)
I am a firm believer in vitamins ans supplements. I use them for my overall well-being and for prevention.
Some of the categories from which I shop at Puritan's Pride are:
Some of the categories from which I shop at Puritan's Pride are:
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Self-Discovery Questions
What sort of creative ideas do you have? I think I have creative ideas about how to expand my business. I just don't know quite how to implement those ideas.
What do you believe in? I believe in justice, fairness, hard work, and loving-oneself.
What are your values? Honesty, loyalty, intergrity, commitment.
How would you describe your personality? Introverted in social settings, determined, driven, problem-solving, somewhat selfish, loving towards those close to me, analytical, logical, moderately non-emotional.
Why do you feel the way you feel? That's a hard question to answer; I have a tendency to THINK, rather than feel.
What are your interests and talents? I can write (short stories, etc.). I read people very well. I have a connection with animals, especially cats.
What sort of career do you think you’d like to do if you were not already in one? If I were not a therapist, I would do something artistic like write. I would also like to do something where I could travel. Finally, I've even considered doing some type of online dating/match-making thing since I already do a lot of couples counseling (hahaha).
Have you made any goals? What are they? I have daily, weekly, and long-term goals. My long term-goals include finihing my PhD within the next 4 years, developing my business into a success, creating more of an online business, teaching at UTSA, doing more mentoring and supervision/teaching.
Ms. Erin
Great books for introspection/self-discovery:
What do you believe in? I believe in justice, fairness, hard work, and loving-oneself.
What are your values? Honesty, loyalty, intergrity, commitment.
How would you describe your personality? Introverted in social settings, determined, driven, problem-solving, somewhat selfish, loving towards those close to me, analytical, logical, moderately non-emotional.
Why do you feel the way you feel? That's a hard question to answer; I have a tendency to THINK, rather than feel.
What are your interests and talents? I can write (short stories, etc.). I read people very well. I have a connection with animals, especially cats.
What sort of career do you think you’d like to do if you were not already in one? If I were not a therapist, I would do something artistic like write. I would also like to do something where I could travel. Finally, I've even considered doing some type of online dating/match-making thing since I already do a lot of couples counseling (hahaha).
Have you made any goals? What are they? I have daily, weekly, and long-term goals. My long term-goals include finihing my PhD within the next 4 years, developing my business into a success, creating more of an online business, teaching at UTSA, doing more mentoring and supervision/teaching.
Ms. Erin
Great books for introspection/self-discovery:
Womens Health | Healthy Women Provides Top Women's Health Information
I've made a promise to myself to become a healthier person! It's a challenge but I look forward to it. Join me in the challenge and let's encourage each other! Ms. Erin
Womens Health Healthy Women Provides Top Women's Health Information
Womens Health Healthy Women Provides Top Women's Health Information
Why Men Have Fun Working Out
As her husband headed off to the gym with a great big grin on his face, my neighbor shook her head in amazement—and frustration. "He really gets a kick out of exercising. But to me, it’s just one more chore," she admitted.
This discrepancy in attitude doesn’t surprise me. Many men find physical activity fun (as my boss says, men are boys—and boys like to play)... whereas women tend to see a workout as work (because we’re all about getting things done). After reading a recent report on how gender affects exercise habits, published in the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, I called the lead author, Ro Di Brezzo, PhD, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Arkansas. She outlined several reasons why women get less pleasure from getting physical—and suggested ways to find the fun.
Why there is an enjoyment gender gap...
Men tend to feel more confident. Fun depends a lot on how confident and capable you feel. Older women in particular—many of whom did not grow up playing sports or lifting weights—may worry about injury or find it hard to relax when exercising. Women who are out of shape also may lack self-assurance. "Many gyms cater to people who are already fit, and this can be intimidating to women who are just beginning an exercise program," Dr. Di Brezzo noted.
Men are more competitive. Guys love to best their buddies and earn bragging rights by lifting heftier weights or scoring more points. But this notion is foreign to many women.
Women fill their minds with harsh self-talk. They chide themselves inwardly for being fat or weak or tell themselves that they’ll never master a certain skill. "Such negative thoughts sap motivation along with any possibility of enjoyment," Dr. Di Brezzo said.
Women often set unrealistic goals. Then when they fall short, they feel frustrated and stressed out, which diminishes their fun and makes them more likely to give up.
Dr. Di Brezzo’s suggestions for pumping up the pleasure...
Get a workout buddy. Women tend to be sociable, so take advantage of this trait. Make plans to meet a friend at the gym or on the tennis court. Not only will you enjoy yourself more, you’ll also be more likely to stick with it—because even if you would be tempted to renege on your own exercise plans, you wouldn’t let down a friend.
Find a fitness facility that fits you. Is your gym a singles scene for buff 20-year-olds? "No woman who is 50 or 60 wants to walk into a gym and feel like she’s on The Dating Game," Dr. Di Brezzo noted. You’ll feel more comfortable surrounded by patrons who are similar to you in age, appearance and exercise ability.
Choose an activity that suits your personal sense of fun. Do you love the outdoors? Try walking, hiking or golf. If you like to socialize, sign up for a bowling league or softball team. For a contemplative workout, consider yoga, tai chi or swimming laps. If you did ballet or another type of dance in your youth, now is the time to try Zumba or ballroom dancing. If you enjoy exploring new trends, look into Pickle-ball. This racquet sport, which is gaining in popularity, combines elements of badminton, tennis and ping-pong.
Hire a trainer or instructor. An expert can show you how to use unfamiliar equipment, teach you to perform exercises properly, help you improve your skills at your chosen activity and familiarize you with sport-specific lingo. Once you know what you’re doing, you’ll have more fun, make swifter progress and be safer, Dr. Di Brezzo noted. You don’t need to work with the trainer or instructor forever—just learn the basics, then check in every now and again to advance your skills.
End each session on a high note. Hate squats? Get them over with early in your workout... and save your favorite moves for last, so you take away a pleasurable memory.
Keep records on your progress over time—how many push-ups you can do, how much weight you can lift, how far you walk each day. It will give you a satisfying sense of accomplishment to see how far you’ve come... and make you look forward to the workouts to come.
Source: Ro Di Brezzo, PhD, is a professor of kinesiology and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Over her 35-year career, she has coauthored more than 50 journal articles and received many awards, including the Research Award from the Southern Academy of Women in Physical Activity, Sport and Health.
HealthyWoman from Bottom Line.
Add our address, HealthyWomanfromBottomLine@news.bottomlinepublishing.com
This discrepancy in attitude doesn’t surprise me. Many men find physical activity fun (as my boss says, men are boys—and boys like to play)... whereas women tend to see a workout as work (because we’re all about getting things done). After reading a recent report on how gender affects exercise habits, published in the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, I called the lead author, Ro Di Brezzo, PhD, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Arkansas. She outlined several reasons why women get less pleasure from getting physical—and suggested ways to find the fun.
Why there is an enjoyment gender gap...
Men tend to feel more confident. Fun depends a lot on how confident and capable you feel. Older women in particular—many of whom did not grow up playing sports or lifting weights—may worry about injury or find it hard to relax when exercising. Women who are out of shape also may lack self-assurance. "Many gyms cater to people who are already fit, and this can be intimidating to women who are just beginning an exercise program," Dr. Di Brezzo noted.
Men are more competitive. Guys love to best their buddies and earn bragging rights by lifting heftier weights or scoring more points. But this notion is foreign to many women.
Women fill their minds with harsh self-talk. They chide themselves inwardly for being fat or weak or tell themselves that they’ll never master a certain skill. "Such negative thoughts sap motivation along with any possibility of enjoyment," Dr. Di Brezzo said.
Women often set unrealistic goals. Then when they fall short, they feel frustrated and stressed out, which diminishes their fun and makes them more likely to give up.
Dr. Di Brezzo’s suggestions for pumping up the pleasure...
Get a workout buddy. Women tend to be sociable, so take advantage of this trait. Make plans to meet a friend at the gym or on the tennis court. Not only will you enjoy yourself more, you’ll also be more likely to stick with it—because even if you would be tempted to renege on your own exercise plans, you wouldn’t let down a friend.
Find a fitness facility that fits you. Is your gym a singles scene for buff 20-year-olds? "No woman who is 50 or 60 wants to walk into a gym and feel like she’s on The Dating Game," Dr. Di Brezzo noted. You’ll feel more comfortable surrounded by patrons who are similar to you in age, appearance and exercise ability.
Choose an activity that suits your personal sense of fun. Do you love the outdoors? Try walking, hiking or golf. If you like to socialize, sign up for a bowling league or softball team. For a contemplative workout, consider yoga, tai chi or swimming laps. If you did ballet or another type of dance in your youth, now is the time to try Zumba or ballroom dancing. If you enjoy exploring new trends, look into Pickle-ball. This racquet sport, which is gaining in popularity, combines elements of badminton, tennis and ping-pong.
Hire a trainer or instructor. An expert can show you how to use unfamiliar equipment, teach you to perform exercises properly, help you improve your skills at your chosen activity and familiarize you with sport-specific lingo. Once you know what you’re doing, you’ll have more fun, make swifter progress and be safer, Dr. Di Brezzo noted. You don’t need to work with the trainer or instructor forever—just learn the basics, then check in every now and again to advance your skills.
End each session on a high note. Hate squats? Get them over with early in your workout... and save your favorite moves for last, so you take away a pleasurable memory.
Keep records on your progress over time—how many push-ups you can do, how much weight you can lift, how far you walk each day. It will give you a satisfying sense of accomplishment to see how far you’ve come... and make you look forward to the workouts to come.
Source: Ro Di Brezzo, PhD, is a professor of kinesiology and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Over her 35-year career, she has coauthored more than 50 journal articles and received many awards, including the Research Award from the Southern Academy of Women in Physical Activity, Sport and Health.
HealthyWoman from Bottom Line.
Add our address, HealthyWomanfromBottomLine@news.bottomlinepublishing.com
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Nikken - Discover it. Live it.
Nikken - Discover it. Live it.
This looks very interesting! I'm all about taking care of myself now. Check out these MAGNETIC products.
This looks very interesting! I'm all about taking care of myself now. Check out these MAGNETIC products.
Bottom Line Secrets (Being a Good Friend)
How I Saved a Friend's Life
Martin Edelston
When I learned that the husband of a business associate had pancreatic cancer, I did more than express my concern. I contacted a company that compiled up-to-date research from medical journals and other authoritative sources, and requested its report on pancreatic cancer. I forwarded the report to my associate and her husband, and they called me from The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore a few days later. Based on information in the report, they had chosen a doctor at Johns Hopkins who specialized in a particular surgical procedure for pancreatic cancer. The husband’s surgery was successful, and he lived a rich, full cancer-free life for nearly 20 more years.
Commissioning and paying for that report was a simple thing for me to do, but it made a profound difference to someone else. Not every offer of help is potentially lifesaving, but I believe that when you see a person in need, a small effort can have dramatic results. It makes you, the giver, feel good as well.
Many people have the urge to help but do not take action. They don’t know what to do, or they are busy, or they think that they have to make a grand gesture. Once you start looking around, you will see countless simple ways to be of assistance. Here, help that most of us easily can provide...
ENCOURAGEMENT
The young son of an acquaintance had severe attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He had trouble controlling his reactions and outbursts, and both he and his family often were frustrated and upset. For more than five years, I sent the boy a little present every day -- an eraser, a pencil, a windup toy. I would enclose a note with each gift that said, "Marty loves you" or "Do well. Love, Marty."
His father told me that the gifts and notes cheered up the whole family -- they all looked forward to seeing what surprise was in the package each day. Over time, this young man learned to manage his condition. He did very well in high school and went on to attend one of the most exclusive colleges in the country. He has shown a gift for filmmaking and travels the country encouraging young people to vote. I can’t take credit for his achievements, but I like to think that my caring and encouragement contributed to his success.
IDEAS
I am always impressed by how many good ideas employees have if you just ask them. So I developed the I-Power system with the help of management consultant Peter Drucker. I-Power is a simple way for companies to keep improving by drawing on employee suggestions. I have given my book, I-Power, to many colleagues, friends and acquaintances. One of these people was executive director of a large, influential nonprofit that provides social services. He started using the system. Every staff member was asked to give two suggestions for improvement at a special idea meeting held every other month. When an idea was implemented, the employee who contributed the idea got $50. The executive credits I-Power for more than 100 successful ideas that his nonprofit put into practice -- from ways to increase cooperation between departments to expanding the organization’s mentoring role in the community.
You don’t have to be a business executive to use I-Power. Any time you have a problem at home or at work, you can invite suggestions from others -- and be open to giving those suggestions a try.
HONESTY
Sometimes the way to make a difference is to be completely honest about a person’s shortcomings -- and then soften the blow by offering a suggestion on how to improve. A speech therapist I know happened to mention that her boyfriend had become boring. After some thought, I told her, "He’s not boring -- you are. To change that, go through the newspaper every day, and tear out ads and articles about things you would like to do on the weekend. Give those to your boyfriend, and ask him to buy two tickets to each event." It quickly turned the relationship around. They began living together and now are married.
PURPOSE
A distinguished, longtime contributor to our publications told me that his daughter -- a bright young woman -- had a chronic illness that left her too weak to leave the house and go to work. She had a strong interest in the medical world and a talent for writing, so I assigned her some short articles for Boardroom publications. I didn’t have to change a word of what she submitted, and she became one of our valued contributors.
At lunch with her, I learned that the assignments meant even more than I realized -- they had helped give her a sense of purpose and self-esteem during a difficult time in her life. "It’s important that when people ask me what I do, I can tell them, 'I am a writer for Bottom Line/Personal,'" she said. She now is in remission, married and has four wonderful children.
You may not be able to offer writing assignments, but if you know someone who needs a self-esteem boost, you could remind him/her of his successes or possibly offer to pay him for help you need that you know he could do well.
Examples: Sell items for you on eBay, or put in a vegetable garden for you.
CONNECTIONS
For many years, I have hosted dinners for experts in a variety of areas, offering them the chance to network and exchange ideas with leading thinkers in other fields. I started these events because I love attending dinner parties, but I wasn’t getting invited to very many. I decided to host the kind of party that I would like to attend, and the first Boardroom dinner took place in my office with a dozen guests.
The tradition has grown into a series of monthly dinners at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City. I send invitations at the beginning of each year to several thousand people, asking them to choose the date that they would like to attend. At the dinners, I greet each guest personally and seat him/her near someone I think he will find especially interesting. After the meal, a microphone is passed around so that everyone at the table can share a unique perspective on his activities.
As a result of these dinners, people have formed business partnerships, found clients, discovered speakers for events, learned about trends in business, health care and the arts, and made friends. You can have these types of dinners in your home by inviting interesting people who don’t know one another.
FINANCIAL HELP
I learned from some old friends that a mutual acquaintance was in emotional and financial distress. Life had thrown some painful circumstances her way, and now her landlord was about to raise her rent by $200 a month, an amount she could not afford. The $200 that loomed so large in her life was an amount that I could spare. I told her that I would take care of it. I sent the amount of the increase directly to the landlord, every month for several years, until my friend’s financial situation changed. I still send her notes and magazine subscriptions because I want her to know that she can count on me for emotional support even if she no longer needs financial help.
I understand that helping someone pay rent is not something everyone can do. If a friend is in a difficult financial situation, maybe you can offer to pick up the check at dinner or invite him/her to your home for an evening.
LOGISTICS
One of my former employees, a single mother, was being treated for cancer. After sending flowers and putting her in touch with the right experts, I mailed her a card that included a list of three things I thought she might need help with -- food, child care and transportation. Each possibility had a box next to it. I asked her to check the box that would help her the most and to send the card back to me.
She checked transportation, so I hired a car service to drive her to chemotherapy treatments, grocery shopping and anywhere else she needed to go. Because I wanted the experience to be effortless for her, I made arrangements directly with the service. She didn’t have to handle payment or fill out vouchers or give an account number -- she just called the company whenever she needed a car, and a driver would pick her up, wait for her during the appointment and take her home. She is in great health now and still remembers how my help made life much easier and tolerable for her.
You don’t need to hire a car service. Just driving a friend to a doctor’s appointment or picking up groceries for him/her can make life much easier.
Martin Edelston is founder and chairman of Boardroom Inc., which publishes Bottom Line/Personal, Bottom Line/Health, Bottom Line Natural Healing and numerous books, including The World’s Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets, Stamford, Connecticut. http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/. He is author of I-Power: The Secrets of Great Business in Bad Times (Boardroom Inc., 800-678-5835).
Additional related resources
Martin Edelston
When I learned that the husband of a business associate had pancreatic cancer, I did more than express my concern. I contacted a company that compiled up-to-date research from medical journals and other authoritative sources, and requested its report on pancreatic cancer. I forwarded the report to my associate and her husband, and they called me from The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore a few days later. Based on information in the report, they had chosen a doctor at Johns Hopkins who specialized in a particular surgical procedure for pancreatic cancer. The husband’s surgery was successful, and he lived a rich, full cancer-free life for nearly 20 more years.
Commissioning and paying for that report was a simple thing for me to do, but it made a profound difference to someone else. Not every offer of help is potentially lifesaving, but I believe that when you see a person in need, a small effort can have dramatic results. It makes you, the giver, feel good as well.
Many people have the urge to help but do not take action. They don’t know what to do, or they are busy, or they think that they have to make a grand gesture. Once you start looking around, you will see countless simple ways to be of assistance. Here, help that most of us easily can provide...
ENCOURAGEMENT
The young son of an acquaintance had severe attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He had trouble controlling his reactions and outbursts, and both he and his family often were frustrated and upset. For more than five years, I sent the boy a little present every day -- an eraser, a pencil, a windup toy. I would enclose a note with each gift that said, "Marty loves you" or "Do well. Love, Marty."
His father told me that the gifts and notes cheered up the whole family -- they all looked forward to seeing what surprise was in the package each day. Over time, this young man learned to manage his condition. He did very well in high school and went on to attend one of the most exclusive colleges in the country. He has shown a gift for filmmaking and travels the country encouraging young people to vote. I can’t take credit for his achievements, but I like to think that my caring and encouragement contributed to his success.
IDEAS
I am always impressed by how many good ideas employees have if you just ask them. So I developed the I-Power system with the help of management consultant Peter Drucker. I-Power is a simple way for companies to keep improving by drawing on employee suggestions. I have given my book, I-Power, to many colleagues, friends and acquaintances. One of these people was executive director of a large, influential nonprofit that provides social services. He started using the system. Every staff member was asked to give two suggestions for improvement at a special idea meeting held every other month. When an idea was implemented, the employee who contributed the idea got $50. The executive credits I-Power for more than 100 successful ideas that his nonprofit put into practice -- from ways to increase cooperation between departments to expanding the organization’s mentoring role in the community.
You don’t have to be a business executive to use I-Power. Any time you have a problem at home or at work, you can invite suggestions from others -- and be open to giving those suggestions a try.
HONESTY
Sometimes the way to make a difference is to be completely honest about a person’s shortcomings -- and then soften the blow by offering a suggestion on how to improve. A speech therapist I know happened to mention that her boyfriend had become boring. After some thought, I told her, "He’s not boring -- you are. To change that, go through the newspaper every day, and tear out ads and articles about things you would like to do on the weekend. Give those to your boyfriend, and ask him to buy two tickets to each event." It quickly turned the relationship around. They began living together and now are married.
PURPOSE
A distinguished, longtime contributor to our publications told me that his daughter -- a bright young woman -- had a chronic illness that left her too weak to leave the house and go to work. She had a strong interest in the medical world and a talent for writing, so I assigned her some short articles for Boardroom publications. I didn’t have to change a word of what she submitted, and she became one of our valued contributors.
At lunch with her, I learned that the assignments meant even more than I realized -- they had helped give her a sense of purpose and self-esteem during a difficult time in her life. "It’s important that when people ask me what I do, I can tell them, 'I am a writer for Bottom Line/Personal,'" she said. She now is in remission, married and has four wonderful children.
You may not be able to offer writing assignments, but if you know someone who needs a self-esteem boost, you could remind him/her of his successes or possibly offer to pay him for help you need that you know he could do well.
Examples: Sell items for you on eBay, or put in a vegetable garden for you.
CONNECTIONS
For many years, I have hosted dinners for experts in a variety of areas, offering them the chance to network and exchange ideas with leading thinkers in other fields. I started these events because I love attending dinner parties, but I wasn’t getting invited to very many. I decided to host the kind of party that I would like to attend, and the first Boardroom dinner took place in my office with a dozen guests.
The tradition has grown into a series of monthly dinners at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City. I send invitations at the beginning of each year to several thousand people, asking them to choose the date that they would like to attend. At the dinners, I greet each guest personally and seat him/her near someone I think he will find especially interesting. After the meal, a microphone is passed around so that everyone at the table can share a unique perspective on his activities.
As a result of these dinners, people have formed business partnerships, found clients, discovered speakers for events, learned about trends in business, health care and the arts, and made friends. You can have these types of dinners in your home by inviting interesting people who don’t know one another.
FINANCIAL HELP
I learned from some old friends that a mutual acquaintance was in emotional and financial distress. Life had thrown some painful circumstances her way, and now her landlord was about to raise her rent by $200 a month, an amount she could not afford. The $200 that loomed so large in her life was an amount that I could spare. I told her that I would take care of it. I sent the amount of the increase directly to the landlord, every month for several years, until my friend’s financial situation changed. I still send her notes and magazine subscriptions because I want her to know that she can count on me for emotional support even if she no longer needs financial help.
I understand that helping someone pay rent is not something everyone can do. If a friend is in a difficult financial situation, maybe you can offer to pick up the check at dinner or invite him/her to your home for an evening.
LOGISTICS
One of my former employees, a single mother, was being treated for cancer. After sending flowers and putting her in touch with the right experts, I mailed her a card that included a list of three things I thought she might need help with -- food, child care and transportation. Each possibility had a box next to it. I asked her to check the box that would help her the most and to send the card back to me.
She checked transportation, so I hired a car service to drive her to chemotherapy treatments, grocery shopping and anywhere else she needed to go. Because I wanted the experience to be effortless for her, I made arrangements directly with the service. She didn’t have to handle payment or fill out vouchers or give an account number -- she just called the company whenever she needed a car, and a driver would pick her up, wait for her during the appointment and take her home. She is in great health now and still remembers how my help made life much easier and tolerable for her.
You don’t need to hire a car service. Just driving a friend to a doctor’s appointment or picking up groceries for him/her can make life much easier.
Martin Edelston is founder and chairman of Boardroom Inc., which publishes Bottom Line/Personal, Bottom Line/Health, Bottom Line Natural Healing and numerous books, including The World’s Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets, Stamford, Connecticut. http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/. He is author of I-Power: The Secrets of Great Business in Bad Times (Boardroom Inc., 800-678-5835).
Additional related resources
Healthy Thinking: Using Your Mind To Help Heal Body, Heart & Soul - By Sarah Maria
You probably know what it takes to live a healthy life, right? Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, take vitamins -- maybe add in some fish oil for cardiovascular health. Make sure you get enough protein, carbohydrates, and lean fats. Fortunately for many, healthy eating and exercise have become more and more a way of life. You know the list of do's and don'ts to keep your body strong and fit. What is less well known is how your thoughts influence your physical, emotional, and even spiritual health. Your mind is an extremely powerful instrument that can be either a friend or foe. For most, left to its own devices, the mind is a foe, and can lead to pain, difficulty, and suffering. With a little bit of effort and awareness, however, the mind can become a friend. As a friend, your mind can be used as a powerful asset to help promote your health and well-being on all levels.
Understanding Your Mind -- Friend or Foe
Is your mind your friend or your foe? If you are like most, your mind bombards you with concerns, worry, anxiety, negative self-talk and a barrage of other nonsense. Your mind may harass you about being good enough or healthy enough. It might critique you for making "poor" decisions. Are you being a good enough mother to your children? Are you a loving enough partner? Are you taking good enough care of your physical body?
And then let's not forget gnawing concerns about physical appearance. The mind may lament: "I have too many wrinkles." "How did my butt get so big?" "What should I do about these sun spots?" Does this list sound at all familiar? You can probably write your own -- your unique "flavor" of negative mental messages. These messages range from annoying to downright tyrannical. They are tyrannical because they control your life. What kind of life can you live when your mind harasses you constantly with these types of concerns and worries?
It is my contention that true health is impossible when you live with a tyrannical mind. And most people do. You can eat all the right foods, do all the right exercises, take all the best supplements, and have a wonderful mix of alternative and conventional medical care. Yet if you are a slave to your thoughts, believing every mental message that the mind produces, how can you be truly healthy?
The mind-body connection is by now well-known and documented throughout the scientific literature. If your mind is producing stress, anxiety, and insecurity, whether that is through making you believe that you are not quite good enough the way you are, or that something is wrong with you, or making you worry and stress about situations over which you have no control, this mental turbulence has a very real impact on your physical health and well-being.
The tragedy is that most people live enslaved by their minds -- their thoughts, beliefs, mental patterns and emotions. The triumph is that with a little awareness and effort, you can begin to free yourself from the tyranny of your mind and move toward true health and well-being.
Freeing the Mind -- Breaking Free from the Thoughts and Beliefs that Confine You
So, how do you break free from this ceaseless and controlling mind-chatter? Fortunately, there are some steps you can take that will help you find freedom from a controlling, and even debilitating mind.
Step #1: Become aware of the thoughts that you think
Before you can break free from your negative thoughts, ideas, and beliefs about yourself, your body, and your life, you must first become aware of the thoughts that you think on a regular basis. What thoughts and beliefs are being generated in your mind? Everyone has thoughts, messages, "tapes" if you will, that run through the mind. Without awareness, these thoughts control you and dictate your life. Yet as you become aware of the thoughts you think on a regular basis, you can gradually begin to loosen the control they have over your life.
There is no practice more important or more impactful in breaking free from the thoughts that control you than the practice of meditation. Over time, a regular meditation practice makes you more aware of the thoughts that are being generated by your mind. With meditation, you discover that you are not the thoughts you think. You are not the messages and voices inside your head. Over time, meditation will gradually help lessen the grip and hold that your thoughts have over your life. The amazing thing about meditation is that simply by practicing meditation, you will become more aware of the thoughts you think on a regular basis.
Step #2: Recognize that they are false
Before you become aware of your thoughts, they control you absolutely. As you become aware of them, you can begin to notice that they control you. You can begin to notice how they control you. The next step in breaking free from them is recognizing that they are false. You have to realize that they are simply messages, usually learned in early childhood, and they are false. They are not about you and should not be allowed to control your life.
Step#3: Refuse to believe them
The next step is refusing to believe them. As you begin to see more clearly that these false messages run through your mind, you can make a decision to not believe them. You can recognize that they are false -- false messages running through your mind.As such, they should not be listened to and should be ignored.
It is like music running in the background. You can carry about your business, go about your life, and ignore the negative thoughts and beliefs. Disregard them, don't listen to them -- completely ignore them. As you practice this, gradually over time they will lessen and recede more and more.
In this way, you can use your awareness to free yourself from the negative thoughts that you think. As the mind becomes free from these negative messages and beliefs, it can be used as an ally to promote health. When you are listening to the negative thoughts and beliefs that run through your mind, it promotes dis-ease. As you become free from these voices, the energy of your mind is elevated to help you move toward true wellbeing.
About the Author:
Sarah Maria, author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life, outlines her 5-step process for helping you feel great in and about your body. Her work embraces the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, for true, lasting healing. Visit http://www.breakfreebeauty.com/ to learn more.
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Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Playing the Victim
We all know how children misbehave to get attention. We call that "attention-seeking behavior". I was reading a section in Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, and it reminded me of how often people refuse to take responsibility for themselves and their emotions. Mr. Tolle wrote: "A very common role is the one of victim, and the form of attention it seeks is sympathy or pity or others' interest in MY problems, "me and my story."
"If no one will listen to my sad story, I can tell myself in my head, over and over, and feel sorry for myself, and so have an identity as someone who is being treated unfairly by life or other people, fate or God."
Sounds pathetic, right? But we encounter people like this everyday!
My philosophy is, do what you need to do to be happy. No one has control over that except you. Life may not be fair, but at least you have the potential to make your life what you wat it to be. Ms. Erin
"If no one will listen to my sad story, I can tell myself in my head, over and over, and feel sorry for myself, and so have an identity as someone who is being treated unfairly by life or other people, fate or God."
Sounds pathetic, right? But we encounter people like this everyday!
My philosophy is, do what you need to do to be happy. No one has control over that except you. Life may not be fair, but at least you have the potential to make your life what you wat it to be. Ms. Erin
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Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Week 4 of PhD Program
A few weeks have passed since I started the program. One class is quite boring and tedious, and the other is more interesting (Adult Development and Aging). The one I don't care for is called Epistimology, or the study of how we know what we know. Lots of paper writing and discussions. If anyone has ideas for a dissertation topic, let me know. I must start thinking about subject matter a few years before I actually write it.
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