Expensive But Worth It
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Have you ever tried using aromatherapy oils when you are feeling either depleted and tired or too wound up? Certain oils, for example, lavender, chamomile, basil and rosewood, can be wonderful to reduce stress.
You can even buy specialty blends with names like Relax, De-Stress and Sleep Well. I find that blends like Energize or Concentrate are great alternatives to caffeine or energy drinks.
There are many way to use essential oils. You might want to try roll-on bottles, room sprays, in a bath, in an aromatherapy lamp, or simply wearing them.
Do make sure that you use pure oils from a reputable company and not a cheaper imitation or fragrance. High grade essential oils can be expensive, but are worth it.
Just Breathe
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Stop right now and notice your breathing? Are you taking nice full, deep breaths? If you are like most of us, the answer will be no.
Simple deep breathing is a great way to still an overactive mind and calm you down, or uplift and energize you.
And yet most of us tend to breathe on the shallow side. And when under stress we often hold our breath without even realizing that we’re doing it.
So here’s a great exercise to help bring your awareness to your breathing.
- Put one hand on your belly and one hand one your solar plexus.
- Take a nice long inhale through your nose, and as you exhale through your mouth, imagine you are cooling a hot bowl of soup.
- As you inhale, feel the belly gently expand into your hand, and as you exhale feel it soften. Also, with each breath, feel the solar plexus relax.
- With each breath make the inhale and exhale a little longer.
- If you are feeling tired or sluggish and want to energize your body and your brain, focus on the inhale and make it twice as long as the exhale.
- If, on the other hand, you want to calm and relax your body and mind, focus on the exhale and make it twice as long as the inhale.
If you need regular reminders to breathe, simply text the word “breathe” to 313131. You’ll get the occasional text message reminding you to take a few deep breaths. Or you can find out more by visiting www.breathetext.com
In dance our core muscles are the deep muscles at the center of our being. By engaging them, everything else can be fluid and relaxed. You can hold a balance, or move with great speed when you are connected to your core.
What’s your core?
I believe it’s the essence of who you are. It’s the part of you that is always steady, even in a raging storm.
It’s that quiet place deep within where you are fully integrated with your values in every area of your life. And you are alive with a sense of purpose. Where you listen to your heart first and head second, and you allow your authentic brilliance to shine.
When you connect to that core, it’s easier to keep your balance, no matter how turbulent life gets.
So the core muscles of a balanced life are your purpose, your values and your natural gifts. That’s your true powerhouse, and just like the muscles of our body, they are all connected. When you base your on life these things… that is the ultimate secret to success.
Core Brilliance and Joy
By · CommentsWhen you live life connected to your Core Brilliance you experience tremendous joy.
I believe that’s because joy IS the essence of who we are. It’s our natural state.
People often think that joy is a feeling, an emotion. But I believe it is a state of being. And that you can experience a state of joy no matter what external circumstances you find yourself in.
I was once dancing on a cruise ship, in a very wild storm, and there were two talent scouts in the audience from a national television show looking for dancers. It was the most important performance of my career, but all I could think about was how on earth I was going to keep my balance and not fall flat on my face. Talk about stress!
But then I remembered that all I had to do was breathe, and stay connected to my core and I’d be fine.
And I didn’t just mean my physical muscles, although that was important too. I also had to connect to my sense of purpose, my passion for dance, the things I valued (in this case being the very best that I could be, no matter what) and expressing my gift of dance in order to make the world a better place.
When I connected to that core, balance was no longer even an issue. And I danced magnificently despite the circumstances.
What challenging circumstances do you face in your life? And what could you do to connect more to your core to keep your balance?
When you fully manifest your Core Brilliance in your life you will be amazed that not only will you keep your balance, but you will experience joy and enthusiasm no matter what external circumstances you find yourself in.
Not All Exercise is Created Equally
By · CommentsNo matter how turbulent life gets and no matter what situation you find yourself in, you’ve a lot more control than you think. It begins by letting go of the things you have no control over, and by putting your attention on the things that you can control.
Because every day you’re faced with choices. If your life feels out of balance, you’re feeling stressed out, or you’re running on adrenaline you can choose to incorporate activities into your day that will break that cycle.
For example, without a doubt some form of physical exercise is one of the best ways to break the stress cycle. Exercise pumps up your endorphins (feel-good hormones) and decreases your stress hormones.
It also reduces chronic muscle tension, helps you sleep better, and decreases anxiety. Exercise is also a natural way to increase your energy level, alertness and concentration, so you can cut back on the coffee and energy drinks.
But in addition to simply increasing blood flow, and hence oxygen to the brain, did you know that physical activity actually helps create new brain cells or neurons, and helps them connect better with each other!
But not all exercise is created equally. When it comes to super charging your brain, the best forms of physical exercise are the ones that also involve focus and concentration. So learning a new sport, for example, is a fantastic way to take care of your stress levels for the short-term as well as boost your brain for long-term health. Try it!
Multitasking: Yes or No?
By · CommentsI’ve always prided myself on my ability to multitask, but now I’m thinking it might be a bit overrated. It seems that in some situations the more my attention is divided, the more stress it creates, and the less I get done.
Now that may not be true for you, but I would suggest that you pay attention the next time you are multitasking and honestly ask yourself if you’d get the work done faster if you just did each task with full attention.
You also might just find it less stressful like I did.
Manly Men Do Dance!
By · CommentsDid you know that dance is one of the best things you can do for the health of your body and your brain?
And not just repeating the same old moves.
When you learn new steps, which is both physically and mentally challenging, you are recharging your brain as well as your body.
In fact many schools back in my homeland (in the U.K.) now teach ballroom and Latin dance because of the positive effect on the kids’ learning abilities and behavior.
And if you guys that think that manly men don’t dance…. according to a recent issue of Psychologies magazine, Dr. Peter Lovett, a psychologist specializing in performance at the University of Hertfordshire, in England, recently examined how women respond to men’s dance moves at nightclubs.
You might be surprised to hear that he discovered that shufflers, (you know… who shuffle from foot to foot without barely lifting either off the floor), were rated lowest in terms of masculinity and attractiveness. Meanwhile men who incorporated the occasional unexpected movement were eye-catching (I wonder why) and appeared more in control.
So who says manly men don’t dance.
You’ve More Control Than You Think
By · CommentsUntil fairly recently, scientists considered that the brain was fixed after early childhood. In other words, whatever you’ve got is what you’re stuck with.
Not so! New breakthroughs in the science of neuroplasticity tell us that far from being fixed, the brain can in fact not only grow new cells, but it has amazing capabilities of changing its very structure.
But what does that mean to you? Now that we know that our actions and even our thoughts can actually change the physical structure of our brain, that means you can improve things like your IQ, your ability to focus and concentrate, or be creative, even your memory– at any age.
It means that we have a lot more control over our mental and emotional states than was ever though possible. WOW!
The Power of Joy
By · CommentsRecently my husband I and stopped at a small restaurant in our home town of Annapolis. The atmosphere was very cheery, and we couldn’t help but notice that the three women who were working there all seemed to be having such a good time. Even although the work was somewhat mundane they all had so much enthusiasm and joy.
Since then we have not only returned ourselves, but have told many people about it. And not because the food was so special (although it was quite good) but because it’s the kind of place you really enjoy going to.
Joy has that affect on you!
Sometimes I think that all those customer service trainings are missing the boat. If they just taught people about joy they’d probably save companies a lot of money and be much more effective.
We often think that joy is a feeling, and is conditioned by the situations that we find ourselves in. Yet I’m sure that we can all think of someone who seems to radiate joy, even when in the most trying of circumstances.
I believe that is because joy is not a feeling but a flow of energy that emerges from your inner Core. And even although people, situations, objects or events may evoke joy, they are not the source.
As a great teacher, Torkom Saraydarian said,
Joy is a state of beingness in which your consciousness is not conditioned by the environment or by the thoughts, emotions, and activities going on in your environment.
He went on to say that..
Joy brings vitality not only to your body but also to your thoughts, emotions, actions, expressions. You become full of vitality; you become a source of vitality in your environment.
These three women certain brought vitality to their environment.
So the next time you exprerience joy, stop and take the time to really feel it flow through your whole body. Drink it in. And remember, joy is not just a feeling, but a very magnetic state of being that you can access no matter what is going on around you.
Why Here, Why Now?
By · CommentsI believe that every single person has unique gifts and talents, and a unique way of expressing them that is unlike anyone else. There is something that you offer that is different from anyone else.
And somewhere on this planet there are people with needs that exactly match your talents. They can’t get it from anyone else but you. What might that be?
For every talent there is a need. That’s why it feels so good when you express your unique gifts. It fills you with joy and enthusiasm. And when you don’t express them, you feel out of balance, irritated, restless… like something is missing in your life.
So, if you are feeling out of balance, a good place to start might be to ask yourself what in you wants to express itself?
Why are you here, on this earth, at this particular time?
Food for thought…..
