Posts Tagged ‘Mental Health’
Choose Your Own Happy Ending
Have you ever had the evening arrive, exhausted from the day, and you just call it quits? You don’t stop to do anything fun. You don’t go out in a blaze of glory, hear a resounding bang of the office door, or truly feel “off.” Worse, do you find yourself staying up later than “necessary,”…
Read MoreMonday Meditation
Do you ever feel like your brain is in overdrive – thoughts flying around so fast that you can’t catch them? Well, this morning I woke up with a racing mind, excited about a new project I was working on. But unfortunately, my racing mind was accompanied by a racing heart, which is not ideal for my health, or my creativity. So I thought I’d share the mindful meditation I used this morning to combat that overwhelmed feeling. This simple 10 minute meditation is a great way to quiet your mind and open your heart to be able to focus on what’s right with you…beginning with your great brain!
Read MoreFalling 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 MoreThe 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 MoreGrateful 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 MoreThink Pretty
When I was a little girl, my mom used to tell me each morning as I headed off to school: “Think Pretty.” As I became older, I came to understand that she meant that I should think about lovely things: the good – not the bad, the beautiful – not the ugly. That I should look for the “pretty” every day.
Since Mother’s Day was this past Sunday, I have spent a lot of time thinking about my mother and the best way to honor her. This year has been especially difficult, as she was recently diagnosed with dementia, which is the loss of cognitive functioning to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.
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