Holiday Survival Toolkit Part 2 – Stop Saying Thank You

Hey everyone! Welcome to the Holiday Survival Toolkit video series. Last week, we shared a tool to build positive relationships with your family that can help you experience the holidays in a more intentional way. This tool of intention is a quick way to nurture and build your family instead of stress you out! Today…

Read More

Holiday Survival Toolkit Part 1 – Set Your Holiday Intention

Many of you look forward to the holidays and it’s one of our favorite times of the year. But let’s be honest – no matter how connected your family is, the holiday season brings with it increased tension and stress. There’s no getting around it: Holidays + Family = Stress! The Problems: Unreasonable Expectations (usually…

Read More

Happy Mother’s Day

There are a lot of things we think of on Mother’s Day. Sometime’s it’s sacrifice – Mom’s give of their time, their hearts, their bodies, and their sanity to help their little ones come into, and find their places in the world. Other times, we think of gratitude and generosity, trying to find some way…

Read More

Falling Awake: Mindfulness in 5 Minutes or Less

This is the time of year we talk about Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men (and Women!) But for most people, this holiday is anything but peaceful! We already lead stressful lives that are jam-packed, and now we need to find time to bake, decorate, plan a party, and shop for presents. According to a national survey released by the American Psychological Association (APA), nearly half of all women in the United States experience heightened stress during the holidays at great risk to the health of their minds and bodies. Several years ago a major news network released a poll that said that 45% of Americans wished they could just cancel Christmas because of the associated stress that came with it. Sad, right? Despite repeated warnings about the effect of stress on physical and mental health, surveys show that people are engaging in unhealthy behaviors to manage stress more than ever before – especially during the holidays!

Read More

The Science of Hope

In many churches this past Sunday, they lit the Candle of Hope to signify the beginning of Advent. If you are a person of the Christian faith, hope is what Christmas is all about…But hope isn’t reserved for religious circles. It seems that people have always felt that hope is an antidote to the evils of the world. And now that science is on the side of hope, you might be surprised at what two decades of research has found out about this four letter word.

Read More

Grateful for Gratitude

One thing I love about Thanksgiving is seeing people sharing what they are most thankful for. This year, I think what I am most thankful for is…gratitude. That may sound weird, but practicing gratitude has changed my life! Scientific research has conclusively shown that practicing gratitude can boost your immune system, lower your blood pressure, decrease anxiety, make you more creative, productive, likable, and happy! Practicing gratitude doesn’t cost anything, can be done anywhere, and takes just a few minutes.

Read More