The BlissEscape app has let listeners enjoy unique BlissEscape relaxation travelogues for the last 18 months. Now all listeners can enjoy the same audio relaxation files via BlissEscape.com or SoundCloud's app. The BlissEscape app will be retired from the AppStore.
Our BlissEscape team (Jijesh and I) have enjoyed the adventure of creating and delivering unique audio experiences for your relaxation pleasure. We have tested SoundCloud for several months and are happy with its performance and are sure you will enjoy the quality of it's service to bring you BlissEscape travelogues and a wide range of other audio experiences.
Finally, thank you to the extended BlissEscape family of supporters. So many kind souls have assisted and supported Jijesh and me through the development and launch of BlissEscape. We appreciate you!
Using fMRI scans we can now see what meditation does to the brain. The author suggests it can lead to a happier more productive and creative life. And...
Meditation has its perks- even when you practice just two minutes per day. More creativity, less stress and improved memory are just some of the benefits I crave. Now I am ready to get back into the habit of daily practice!
Irregular Bed Times Are Bad for Kids' Brain Development
I have long been a believer in regular bed times. I know it is what makes me feel most refreshed and productive. After having my son almost five years ago, I could tell that keeping him on a schedule made everyone happier and more relaxed.
There is new research from University College London that supports the importance of regular bed times for kids. Regardless of when the bedtime was, keeping regular weeknight bedtimes "always" or "usually" corresponded to higher test results. Tests included basic number skills, reading word cards, and construction puzzles.
Scientists have proven before that sleep improves brain plasticity. This studie's authors suggest that irregular bedtimes decrease the brain's ability to store and learn information, particularly between the ages of three and seven years old.
Though it may be a struggle to set and diligently keep to a bed time, science supports our need to do just that- for the health of our kids- and ourselves.
WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU ARE IN A BAD MOOD?
Hi tumblrbot,
When I am in a bad mood I need to take some time to be mindful. I either take a walk by myself (walking meditation) or I practice mindfulness/meditation for at least 5 min.
My website is BlissEscape.com and I use elements of mindfulness in my guided relaxations which I deliver through my app.
If you are interested in learning more about mindfulness I recommend this video of Jon Kabat-Zinn presenting at Google in 2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc
If you are a beginner and want some basic information, this is a great site too: http://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-practice
As the name suggests, paying attention is the core issue for many adults and kids suffering from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder). Though they may struggle with focus, attention training is possible and can help relieve many of the most challenging symptoms of this affliction. Mindfulness has been found to be one effective way of attention training.
The crux of mindfulness is paying attention, with no judgement, to your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. By creating this deeper awareness of what is happening with your body and mind, feelings of wellness, connectedness and psychological well-being are experienced. Relaxation response inducing techniques like mindfulness training have been proven to lower blood pressure and even to manage chronic pain, anxiety and depression.
A worthwhile challenge
When you find yourself lost in thought, it is important to label this as "thinking". Then by refocussing on your breath, you are able to continue your mindfulness experience. By ever re-shifting your attention you are able to train your brain, over time, not to wander so much. This is very beneficial to someone with AD/HD according to psychiatrist Lidia Zylowska, M.D., who heads the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA.
Mindfulness practice doesn't only happen during your focussed sessions which can start at just five minutes long. As you get more comfortable with the technique, you can integrate mindfulness into your day. If you are driving, you can practice mindfulness. At that time you only focus only on driving, not on your plans for the evening or other concerns.
It's not for everyone
Though attention training has been found to be affective for many people with AD/HD, it is not perfect everyone. From anecdotal accounts, those who feel keen on the possibility of applying their attention and learning this new skill are most likely to find success. Those who see it as impossible or totally undesirable to trying for refocus on their breath for a whole five minute session, are unlikely to be well served by the practice.
The benefits are empowering
In a recent study done at UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, one teenager said, "Now, whenever I feel my mind wandering, I'm able to realize that it's wandering. I can let go of the feeling and stop giving in to distractions." This ability for people with ADD and AD/HD to be able to focus on paying attention when they want to has been found to be a tremendous success.
Thriving with ADD/ADHD is a struggle for many, kids and adults alike. Mindfulness offers benefits that many are grateful for. After participating in UCLA's recent study several adults said things like, "I feel that I better understand what goes on in my head, and I'm less critical of myself, less reactive, and more forgiving of myself."
Increased self acceptance and understanding are great rewards to reap from a simple practice starting at five minutes per day.
Being a parent is an awesome job as we get to help our little ones learn and understand what really matters.
What does standardized testing really test? A small sliver of academic subjects and ...... no character development.
from Montessori Madmen on Facebook:
Testing disclaimer
Dear Parents,
Enclosed are the results of your child’s standardized test scores. This is a nationally normed test used by private, public, and charter schools across the country. We want to point out that these results represent only a snapshot of your child’s development. It is important to realize that tests do NOT include an assessment of the following skills and character developments:
Leadership
Curiosity
Self-direction
Responsibility
Caring
Respect
Resourcefulness
Empathy
Imagination
Artistry
Perspective
Concentration
Grit
Honesty
Flexibility
Humor
Sacrifice
Attention
Self-discipline
Grace
Inquisitiveness
Courtesy
Playfulness
Honor
Altruism
Perseverance
Planning
Spirituality
Awareness
Athleticism
Charity
Bravery
Integrity
A love of reading, calculating, discovering, sharing, teaching, listening, and an appreciation for the miracle of life.
In fact, the tests don’t measure much of importance. To make it easier to grade the tests by computer, we have focused only on small slivers of those subjects for which questions can be manipulated into a multiple-choice format.
Continue racing to the top!
Administrator
Why To Never Ask "How Was School Today?": How Parents REALLY Help Kids Succeed In School
In a review of over thirty years of research from Canada, US, and England researchers now understand what kinds of parental involvement makes the biggest difference to their kids' success in school.
It used to be understood that the most important parent involvement in kids' education was volunteering at school or centered around monitoring homework or limiting how much time kids are watching TV, using cell phones/devices or playing video games. But this is not so.
Unequivocal evidence shows us the four things that have the most positive influence on children's education:
Letting your child know you have high expectations for him or her
Talking with your child about school
Focusing on students’ attitudes, more than their marks
Reading to and/or with your child
When grade 3 students were asked if these types of interactions were happening with their parents, less than half said that they talk to their parent or guardian about school activities "every day or almost every day". Now that we know what really impacts kid's success, we can put our focus there.
Even though talking about school activities sounds easy in theory, many of us know that this subject is hard. We get trapped in the same questions that we were asked as kids. We gave the same, disappointing, one-word answers. "How was school?" "Fine." Not an enriching exchange.
Catherine Wakelin, professional moderator, when interviewed on TVO Parents shared that much better questions include "What was the best thing that happened at school today" and "What was the worst thing that happened at school today?" She also suggests that asking specifically about one of the child's friends or a current activity at school is much more likely to lead to a real answer and a meaningful conversation.
Starting more productive conversations about your kids' school experiences will open the door to help you accomplish the other most impactful to-dos on the list including helping your child have a positive attitude about school and helping them know you have high expectations for them.
It is not easy to consistently have great conversations with your children about school, but these new study findings from People For Education help us know where to put our effort.
And it's nice to know that reading to our kids is much more impactful than nagging about homework.
Adrenaline. We know the effects on our bodies when this hormone surges through our veins. It makes our hearts pump and helps us fight or take flight from a threatening situation. What you might not know is that when we are not in danger adrenaline can still stick around in our systems and can actually cause harm.
When people feel continuously stressed or under pressure their bodies don't flush out adrenaline and cortisol from our systems. The constant lingering of these chemicals has been proven to cause high blood pressure and sleep problems, among many other complications.
So how can we take charge of our well being and cleanse our bodies of adrenaline and cortisol? One great way to do this is to relax our bodies using the power of our mind. This turns off our Fight or Flight Response and turns on our Relaxation Response.
The more we practice how to relax our systems, the more quickly we can enjoy relaxation's benefits each time we try. Regular practices of deep breathing, progressive relaxation, meditation or physical activity like a workout or yoga we can relax our muscles and any tension we feel. The hidden benefit is the cleansing of harmful hormones and that makes us even healthier.
Teens Benefit from Mindfulness: New Research Shows Reduction in Depression Symptoms
We can all pay attention- at least for a while. But how well we pay attention and what we give our attention to can vary substantially from person to person and from age to age.
Mindfulness can be defined as “Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally.” This is how Jon Kabt-Zinn, a world renowned mindfulness expert helps us to understand this approachable form of meditation.
One recent study in Belgium looked at a group of 408 students between the ages of 13 and 20. All students answered a questionnaire which could discern which students had symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. While the test group followed an in-class mindfulness training program, the control group received no training. The instruction for the test cohort included mindful breathing and body scan exercises, sharing experiences of these exercises, group reflection, inspiring stories, and education on stress, depression and self-care. The same questionnaire was filled out again after the training sessions and once more, six months later.
The test students who adhered to the mindfulness program showed decreased symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression both immediately and six months after the program.
Though this is the first study to examine the effects of mindfulness on depression among adolescents in the class room, there is substantial evidence to show that adults who practice mindfulness have improved wellbeing and the ability to think clearly.
Mindfulness Benefits Are Clear For Adults & Promising For Kids
A Brown University study found that those who practice mindfulness gain more control over their brain's processing and filtering of emotions including pain and depressive memories.
Other benefits found by adult mindfulness practitioners include the ability to feel in control, to make meaningful relationships, to accept experience without denying the facts, to manage difficult feelings, to be calm, resilient, compassionate and empathetic. Mindfulness has also been shown to have positive effects on intellectual skills, improving sustained attention, visual-spatial memory, working memory and concentration.
So with this plethora of benefits it feels like time to start teaching mindfulness to even our youngest children. They will be well served by simple, regular mindfulness practices. I plan to start practicing with my four-year-old tonight!
How Relaxation Improves Childbirth: My First Experiences With Hypnobirthing
I first became aware of Hypnobirthing when friends and neighbors shared that they had used it to have natural childbirth experiences. I had thought I would go natural for my son's birth 4 years ago.... but I was unprepared for the intensity of the whole experience. Now as I get ready for my second baby, I am ready to do research and work to create the birth experience I really want for my child.
Hypnobirthing is the use of self hypnosis to achieve a more peaceful, low-pain birth. That sounds great but even so, I had always associated hypnosis with stage tricks so I needed to dig a bit further: Hypnosis is a form of psychotherapy that creates an unconscious change in the patient which creates new responses, thoughts, attitudes, behaviors and/or feelings. The patient has heightened suggestibility and responsiveness.
It turns out that pregnant women are naturally even more suggestible than others. If I regularly practice relaxation techniques I can put myself into a hypnotic state even when the contractions are coming on strong.
Mongan Method
Marie Mongan is the mother of Hypnobirthing. Her book, Hypnobirthing, The Mongan Method, is a great resource. (Make sure you buy the one with the CD!) The Mongan Method creates new attitudes, behaviors, responses and even vocabulary for the whole birthing experience. It is very positive and confidence building. This approach feels good and increases my trust that our birthing experience can be positive, healthy and fulfilling.
One of the main tennants of the Mongan Method is that pain in childbirth stems from fear. The belief is that the fear-tension-pain cycle can be disrupted if the mother practices relaxation, meditation and visualizations of a calm and pain-free birth.
Why Hypnobirthing?
The research is not overwhelmingly supportive of all elements of Hypnobirthing but there have been studies confirming the claims that, compared to general population figures, hypnosis and self-hypnosis during childbirth leads to
decreased average length of labour
lower cesarean section rates
decreased use of pain relief medication such as gas and epidurals
increased ease and comfort of labour and birth (self-reported and observed)
emotional satisfaction of having their birthing partners informed, involved and supportive.
In addition to this, the majority of women experiencing hypnosis during childbirth in their second or subsequent births report feeling more in control, confident, relaxed and focused, and less fearful, than during their other birthing experiences.
Benefits
Through my one month of experience practicing the exercises and reading the book so far, the biggest benefits are 1) how to involve your husband/birth partner in the process and 2) the mental, self-prepareation for labouring. The birth specific visualizations, relaxations and meditations bring me to a place of peace and calm that I can harken back to when labour is progressing. There are affirmations read by your birth partner to be read before and during labor to help you both feel happy and confident about the process and the end result of your healthy baby.
Since my goal is to feel confident and excited about not only our new baby but the labor and birth process, hypnobirthing is a heaven sent so far. The book is positive, informative and interesteing. The associated audio files for practicing put me into a place of peace, calm and confidence. I highly suggest the book (with CD) to anyone interested in building their confidence and pain handling skills for their upcoming birth.
Now, for the remaining two months of my pregnancy, I need to keep practicing the breathing and visualization exercises. With the powerful tool of self-hypnosis, I feel confident I can have the positive birth experience I am looking forward to.
HEALTHY & HAPPY KIDS: SickKids Campaign Raises Awareness Yet Doesn't Tell The Whole Story
Bravo to SickKids Hospital in Toronto for their excellent campaign to help raise awareness of child and youth mental health issues.
Despite the great focus and approach, SickKids' approach to treatment is totally clinical. I feel even more families could be helped by developing parent and child resiliancy skills and understanding alternative, non-clinical treatments backed by research.
This major campaign includes TV and print coverage as well as a fabulous site with a quiz, info sheets, tons of information. Most importantly the focus and tone is helping kids be happy and healthy as the goal of dealing with and getting help for mental illness.
Breaking through a tough subject
In our society we are still learning about mental health. It is still a difficult topic to discuss, though 20% of Canadians will personally experience mental illness in their lifetime. This campaign hits the right balance of upbeat tone and real, useful information.
We know that 5 to 10% of children suffer from anxiety, making it the #1 health issue for kids. ADHD (Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder) affects 5% of kids. Oftentimes these two disorders affect the same children. One percent of kids have an autism spectrum disorder.
Information is the way to start
HealthyAndHappy.com offers a number of great info sheets that help parents, family members and anyone interested in learning more about a range of mental health disorders. Importantly there is very helpful information shared on how parents and caregivers can offer support to the kids affected.
Healing outside the clinic
A common criticism from parents of special needs children who visit SickKids and other clinics in Toronto, is that SickKids' focus is only on the clinical, scientifically measurable healing of children. These parents share that their children's emotional well being is of secondary importance. Sometimes the children being treated are not seen enough as individuals, but more like "that one"- a test subject.
While clinical treatments are necessary in severe cases of mental illness, less severe cases can often find great relief from non-clinical treatments that can be done by or with parents and often times at home.
Surprisingly there was relatively little mention of these types of healthy-lifestyle type treatments in the SickKids literature shared on their site. There are tips about modeling positive thinking and positive behaviors, though, which are very valuable.
Relaxation exercises, for example, were not mentioned. These are great for families since they can be easily done together to help children struggling with anxiety or ADHD. There has been very significant research done on the effect of these exercises on adults suffering from these conditions. Less research has been done on the benefits of relaxation for kids. The benefits for kids are still very significant and have been documented in studies from US, Canada, UK and Australia.
Raising awareness to the issue of children's mental health is a very worthwhile venture and Sick Kid's is doing a great service for the kids and families affected. I hope that the families affected not only become aware of mental health conditions and clinical help available but also the family friendly, non-clinical exercises and practices. Dealing with challenges like anxiety and ADHD is tough but rewarding. We can all feel great when we get closer to helping all kids feel healthy and happy.
Two Questions To ID An Anxious Child & Mindfulness and Relaxation Tools to Help Kids with Anxiety
Anxiety is the most common mental health concern for adults and children. Still, I was shocked to learn that approximately 10% of kindergarten children suffer from anxiety.
Is your child more shy or anxious than other children his or her age?
Is your child more worried than other children his or her age?
A ‘yes’ answer to either question predicts that a child will develop an anxiety disorder if they don’t get help dealing with their emotions in a productive way.
Most clinicians first suggest CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for at least three months before drugs will be prescribed to kids. The goal of this therapy is to help kids understand and manage their feelings so they don’t get in the way of their day-to-day lives.
When kids can manage their worry and anxiousness they can enjoy more of the joys of childhood like birthday parties, sleepovers and field trips with self-assuredness and independence.
CBT still sounds scary to many of us parents of small kids. This is still a clinical, psychotherapeutic approach. The good thing is that many of the elements of CBT can be taught and used by parents to aid both their kids and their own response to stress and anxiety weather they have a disorder or not.
Tools to Manage Stress and Worry
We parents sometimes downplay the massive scope of impact we have on our kids. Many subtle tendencies may be passed on without our knowing. The opposite is also true, that our positive approaches to life and problem solving may not be realized if we don’t overtly teach them to our children.
At the root of the effectiveness of CBT I find a reminder to myself and other parents that we need to help our children create positive thoughts and deal with stressors productively. The lessons we can teach our kids include how to
Take a positive, optimistic approach to solving problems
Take an open, mindful and aware posture toward challenges
Be realistic and generate effective thoughts
These countermeasures are very effective against the behavior and thought patterns associated with anxiety which include
Overgeneralizing
Magnifying negatives
Minimizing positives
Catastrophizing
Through crafting and teaching a positive, adaptive approach kids can learn to cope and thrive in challenging situations. This is a real challenge since usually the “teachable moments” are not only high stress to your child, but also to you. But it is a great opportunity to take a step back, take a deep breath and talk out a difficulty. Often times just identifying the feelings and scripting out responses or ways to think through the situation are a big help.
Role-playing is a simple and empowering way to help a child face a similar, future situation. It also resolves the troublesome situation they experienced. When challenging incidents remain unresolved, worry and magnifying negatives feel like good options and that can starts an unproductive thought cycle.
Easy Techniques to Ease Anxiety
My favorite techniques for managing stress and anxiety are relaxation therapy and mindfulness. CBT psychologists often use these, among many other tools.
Mindfulness is great for people feeling anxious since it teaches us to interrupt our automatic reaction to stimuli and instead observe and accept the present moment without judgment. The reflection that comes with this practice allows for distance from unproductive emotional reactions. A benefit is increased enjoyment of regular activities.
Relaxation Therapy is any method that helps a person to relax or attain a state of increased calmness. The resulting reduced levels of stress and anxiety are largely due to the dissipation of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. The “feel good” hormone dopamine and endorphins flood your body when you feel relaxed.
There are several ways to achieve this delicious state of relaxation including deep breathing, mind-body relaxation, visualization, yoga, meditation and many more. The easiest are guided and easy to learn, like the visualization, deep breathing and mind-body relaxation used in BlissEscape. The fond feeling of being on vacation enhances the experience and helps you slip easily into relaxation.
There are so many great options to help teach our kids positive ways of dealing with challenges and anxious emotions. Thankfully polishing our mindfulness and positive problem solving skills helps us and our kids lead happier, more relaxed and mindful lives.
Why does Gratitude Matter? It's the secret to a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life.
Feeling grateful feels good. Appreciating the good in the people, events and thoughts in our lives makes us feel connected and actually spurs the formation of dopamine, the feel-good, "reward" neurotransmitter.
When this deliciously powerful brain chemical is produced and floods the brain it actually gives you an incentive to do more of whatever caused you to feel that way in the first place.
Psychology studies that can actually help us lead more emotionally fulfilling lives? Now I am getting excited.
The goal of Positive psychologists is to seek " to find and nurture genius and talent " and "to make normal life more fulfilling", rather than merely treating mental illness. This is what I have been waiting for!
"People who are grateful about specific things in their past, who dwell on the sweet triumphs instead of the bitter disappointments, tend to be more satisfied about the present." shared Martin Seligman one of the founders of this new branch of psychology.
Real Life Effects
Amazingly, optimism has been proven to be strongly correlated to protection from cardio vascular disease. For example, a study from the Netherlands proved that optimists had only 23% the rate of CVD (Cardio Vascular Disease) deaths of the pessimists. This effect has been proven to be optimism which is a future-oriented cognition. Present-oriented mood states like frequent "happy laughter" and often being in a good mood did not predict mortality.
This effect has been repeatedly found in many other cases including ones done with all women. An 8-year study started in 1994 studying Canadian nurses found the same effect. The trend was that (the top 1/4 of) optimists had 30% fewer coronary deaths than the (the bottom 1/4 of the scale's) pessimists.
These findings still hold true when risk factors including depressive symptoms are ruled out. This proves that even if someone suffers from depression, keeping an attitude of optimism can protect them and their health.
The Mechanics of Gratitude
But how does Gratitude actually effect health so dramatically? The International Positive Psychology Association has found three broad categories that explain the effect:
1. Optimists take positive action and have healthier lives
2. Optimists build stronger social support networks
3. Biology is positively influenced by optimism
Gratitude Becomes Optimism
We can all improve our level of optimism by practicing gratitude. Some of the effective ways to practice gratitude include keeping a gratitude journal or list, doing a daily self-guided gratitude exercise, and communicating your gratitude to others regularly.
Not only have levels of optimism improved with such activities but practitioners have more positive attitudes, are more likely to accomplish their goals and report higher levels of determination, attentiveness and energy.
So why does gratitude matter? It feels good. It makes you healthier and live a longer more fulfilled life.
It is such a typical story for so many of us with working mommy woes: constantly rushing, grumpy, stressed, tired. Kids are whiney. No idea what to make for dinner and everybody is already starving. Finally we can breathe after the kids are in bed. We curl up with the tablet or laptop in bed to relax or at least distract ourselves from our stressed-out lifestyle. Then we wonder why we still don't get to sleep on time!
No surprise to most of us, a 2010 General Social Survey found that 27% of Canadian workers are stressed. Most days these people say their lives are ‘quite a bit’ or ‘extremely’ stressful. An additional 46% of Canadians report being ‘a bit’ stressed.
These high levels of stress are dangerous since numerous studies link chronic stress to anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue and substance abuse. Chronic stress also changes the brain’s structure and functioning and increases a person’s susceptibility to depression and chronic physical diseases like heart disease, arthritis, ulcers and migraine.
Getting Our ZZZ's
Another important stressor that plays a big role in our lives and is still not talked about enough is sleep deprivation. The CBC called lack of sleep a “global epidemic” (March 2011) and it hits Canadians hard.
60% of Canada’s adult population feels tired most of the time and gets an average of 6.9 hours of sleep per night while experts recommend eight hours.
Women are more likely to have difficulty falling asleep (35% vs. 25% of men) and that often affects their ability to get a full nights sleep.
Other populations that struggle to get their zzz’s are shift workers, people with a long commute and also children.
Dr. Reut Gruber of Montreal’s Douglas Mental Health University Institute shared that up to 40% of our Canadian kids aren’t getting enough sleep. This is a worrisome issue since when children don’t get enough sleep their ability to function properly is impaired and it also hurts their ability to learn.
Smartphone Love
One of the reasons that we don't get enough sleep? Digital bedfellows. Yes, 39% of Canadians sleep within arm’s reach of their smart device.
Even though experts have shared that watching or reading something on a smartphone, laptop or tablet before bed leads to delayed and lower quality sleep, many Canadians still do it.
I am often a proud member of this 40% but I have found the downside: delayed bedtimes. For this reason I now prefer to start the melatonin flowing a few minutes before I want to get some shut-eye either by reading an actual book (yes, made of paper) or by just listening to a BlissEscape or relaxing audio piece before bed so my eyes can adjust and my body can relax.
With this new strategy now made into a habit I can proudly say I am (at least until my baby is born) no longer stressed nor sleepless in Toronto.
Empowerment Through Connection: Women In Biz Conference 2013
Connection is the most important feeling in life. It gives us meaning. It makes us feel like we belong and therefore we can accomplish anything that needs to be done. Connection is the first feeling we experience-even before we are born. And, we hope, it is our last feeling before we die.
Maybe we are not feeling the love from our work and we can go for days without making an authentic connection with any of our coworkers or clients. Maybe we get on a different wavelength from our loved ones and stay that way for a while. Maybe we let the busy flow of life and obligations get in the way from making the connections we need to fuel us.
I feel so grateful for the opportunity to connect with dozens of open, inspiring women at the Women In Biz Network conference over the last two days. I made so many amazing connections with authentic, beautiful, motivated women.
We all were motivated challenging and inspiring speakers. Speakers who asked us profound questions about how we want to feel and connect with our lives. Speakers who gave us the keys to unlock what is in the deepest reaches of our existence. Only through the hard work of soul searching will we be able to tap that precious reserve of knowledge of what really fuels us.
What are your core desired feelings? What are those feelings that will fulfill you through the arduous process and the accomplishment of your goals? How can you let your enthusiasm shine through your speech so you can be your most radiant self? How can you come to peace with vulnerability so it can help you make connections with those you wish to serve?
Now that the conference is over answering so many essential questions could be daunting homework. Luckily the positive energy I found through the connections with so many outstanding women is fueling me through today and this week. This is the time I have given myself to do my soul searching. I will make good friends with my journal. I will answer these challenging questions to the best of my ability.
These answers will empower me to make the right decisions about my business and how to live my best life moving forward. I can't wait!
As the Great Lakes Region is so reluctant to fully embrace spring this year I have found my energy levels variable like the weather. On bright spring-like days I have found my energy high and my motivation at full-throttle. On the grey and rainy days I have found lack of focus. On these days I finish my work with a feeling of not having accomplished enough.
The first step, of course, is realizing this is an issue. I am not alone in feeling this way but I am singularly responsible for breaking this phase.
My first breakthrough came from an unexpected place: my husband's busy travel schedule. Having to create a new routine for two weeks without him has given me the opportunity to create the habits that I Want- not just those we have fallen into.
Where had you Gone, Old Habits?
For more than five years I did 10 minutes of yoga every weekday morning. I loved this ritual. I thrived with it. With the birth of my first child I let it slip. Now as I have another on the way I have decided I will not only keep up with it through this last trimester but also for the long run.
Starting the day off intentionally is incredibly important. Forming a habit makes it actually happen every day. My quick morning yoga is more about stretching, deep breathing and mindfulness than the other spiritual connections that can come from yoga, but it is a great start for my path.
Recharging to Stay In Charge
My other rediscovery is meditation. Yes, I had gotten out of habit with practicing and am now remembering how great it feels to slip into that hippocampus activating relaxation zone.
I use a variety of methods. Occasionally I do the Art Of Living method for reaching a meditative state through a series of breath exercises. Good form is to perform this seated on the floor and then laying down at the end. I do love guided relaxations since they are the easiest to use (and it is research for my business). With a guided narration I love to experience the space that the creator has wanted to share.
Escaping to Bliss
As I reflect back, as a woman and as a mom I am in search of moments of bliss. Life is so full of details and to-dos and could-dos. As adults we have to be aware of these opportunities but not stuck in their grips. We have to look for the bright side.
Some call it flow, when work and activities are working out just as well as could be hoped for. Some call it a moment of zen when mindfulness works and we embrace each singular moment in time.
I call it bliss. Both the busy flow moments, mindful anytime moments, sweet microsecond kisses and long leisurely baths all fit my bliss. So does a long chat with my sister or reminiscing through a vacation photo album.
This photo reminded me of my bliss. That glorious feeling of unexpected beauty. Bright flowers and greenery sprouting from dry rocky soil. Finding such an oasis is a moment of bliss.
