WHAT THOUGHTS BELONG TO YOU?
Here is one of my favorite passages in “Whatever the F*ck It Takes” by Barbra Gilman:
In our world, fitting in is the numero-uno thing to do. We’ve been trained very well to fit in, and fitting in here means to be right! So, we give ourselves up in order to validate everyone else’s point of view, and we get to be right at the same time.
And boy-oh-boy, when we fit in and are accepted and still get to be right, it’s like a triple-header Yankees game and the annual Macy’s Thankgiving Day Parade rolled into one!
Most people’s lives are trauma, drama, and struggle. What is the value of that? Well, the value is when you have these, you get to fit in. You get to be like everyone else. You don’t have to be inconceivable because you’re part of the herd. You don’t have to worry about standing out or getting kicked out. That’s the value of fitting in. And if you fit in, you also get to share. We love that concept. Unfortunately, when you share you have to bring yourself down to the lowest common denominator of what the person you’re sharing with can receive. They can only receive 1 percent of what you’re saying, so you have to bring yourself down to 1 percent of you. Talk about giving you up!
Unless, of course, you stand outside the insane asylum and look at the notion of “fitting in.” Now from that vantage point, you can see that those who want to fit in are actually choosing against themselves, and never get to be who they truly could be. If they were choosing for themselves, that would actually change everything and give them a life of ease, joy, and glory®! Oh, well, no significance here and no making anyone wrong.
They can always come back and try it again! What have I made so vital, valuable, and real about giving me up to validate everyone else’s point of view? Everything that is, I now destroy and uncreate. POD POC.
ACTION TOOL: Who Does This Belong To? Return to Sender
This is the tool you’ll probably use the most. Because you’re constantly taking on others’ energy, feelings, expectations, fear, worries, and day-to-day thoughts. Though they’re not your own, you take them on as your own. This tool is incredibly potent. For every thought, feeling, emotion you have, ask yourself:
“Who does this belong to?”
Would you believe (I hope you do after you read this!) that 90 percent of everything you think and feel is not yours? Yes, you read that correctly! I know this can sound preposterous the first time you hear it.
However, it’s true. And the good news here is that once you start playing with the Return to Sender tool, not only will you believe me, you’ll also get the added bonus of getting rid of most of the trauma and drama and unwanted feelings you think are yours.
Think about it this way: Would you sneak into a neighbor’s hamper and put on their dirty underwear?? No? Well, guess what? That’s exactly what you do. And in doing all this, in closing the back door, returning to sender, and removing most of the escape routes I used to have—my life and awareness have changed in ways I could never have imagined.
Remember there is no destination; what we’re looking for is More-Better-Greater-Different. I know there is so much more ahead. I KNOW I don’t want to leave this planet feeling like I never became the most POTENT version of me, or at least gave it my best shot. And I am sure you don’t want to, either.
LAUGHTER IS HEALING!
Here is one of my favorite passages in “Write For Life” by David Tabatsky:
“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”
– E. E. Cummings
For people living with cancer, it may seem strange or even distasteful to consider humor when facing such serious issues. Yet, laughter can be helpful in ways you might not have realized or imagined. Laughter can help you feel better about yourself and the world around you.
Have you looked at the world lately? It’s pretty funny. Then again, it’s pretty sad, and we need comic relief. Laughter is a natural diversion.
When you laugh, no other thought comes to mind. Laughing can also induce physical changes in the body. After laughing for just a few minutes, you may feel better for hours. When used to supplement conventional cancer treatments, laughter therapy may help in the overall healing process. According to some studies, laughter therapy may provide physical benefits, such as boosting the immune system and circulatory system; enhancing oxygen intake; stimulating the heart and lungs; relaxing muscles throughout the body; triggering the release of endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers); easing digestion/soothes stomachaches, relieving pain; balancing blood pressure; and improving mental functions (i.e., alertness, memory, creativity).
Man, this makes me want to stop writing about laughter and look in the mirror — always good for a laugh. Try it. It can’t just be my mirror, can it? Laughter therapy may also improve overall attitude, reduce stress and tension, promote relaxation, aid sleep, enhance quality of life, strengthen social bonds and relationships, and produce a general sense of well being.
The Mind-Body Medicine department at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) offers supportive alternatives, including laughter therapy, to help patients cope while receiving conventional cancer treatments. Dr. Katherine Puckett, national director of Mind-Body Medicine at CTCA, first introduced laughter therapy to Midwestern Regional Medical Center upon a patient’s request. CTCA now offers humor therapy sessions, also known as Laughter Clubs or humor groups, to help cancer patients and their families use and enjoy laughter as a tool for healing.
Laughter Club is not based on humor or jokes, but on laughter as physical exercise. One exercise involves patients standing in a circle and putting their fingertips on their cheekbones, chest, or lower abdomen. They make “ha ha” or “hee hee” sounds until they felt vibrations through their bodies.
Dr. Puckett says that during these exercises, it’s hard for people not to join in because laughter is so contagious. According to Dr. Puckett, at the end of a session, patients have said things like “I didn’t even think about cancer during Laughter Club” and “That felt great! Things have been so hard that we haven’t laughed in months.” An eight-year-old daughter of a CTCA patient who had been struggling with her parent’s cancer had a revelation while attending Laughter Club.
“I never thought about laughing every day, but now I realize I can. Like even when I don’t feel happy, I can still laugh and feel better.” Sounds like just what the doctor ordered — or should be. On the next page, you’ll find a prescription for fun and laughter. Enjoy it because you must!...
What Makes You Laugh?
Email David with your answer: dtabatsky@gmail.com
HOW TO BETTER MANAGE YOUR STRESS
Do you know anyone like this?
“Stress level: extreme. It's like she was a jar with the lid screwed on too tight, and inside the jar were pickles, angry pickles, and they were fermenting, and about to explode.” --Fiona Wood
It's a great visual. My brothers and I used to come home from school on hot, August afternoons when Mother was canning bread and butter pickles. They were angry pickles. The acrid odor of vinegar engulfed the entire kitchen and we'd sprint, eyes watering and throats tightening to keep from gagging, out the back door in pursuit of a breath of fresh air. The thought of being around a jar of fermented pickles ready to explode today is enough to send me running.
Imagine your stress-induced emotions as acetous pickle juice just waiting to explode from a pressure-filled jar. Maybe it's how you're feeling right now...as if you're on the brink of detonating into an eruption of anger, or find yourself jetting quickly toward an emotional melt-down. Prolonged stress can do that to the best of us. And while stress most likely won't be going away any time soon, we can learn to make choices which will help us better manage it.
The Negative Impacts of Stress
Stress is a normal part of everyday life, but if we don't learn to get a handle on it, it can wreak havoc on our mental and physical health. Based upon results of a stress study done by the American Psychological Association, 66% of people regularly experience physical symptoms of stress, and 63% experience psychological symptoms. Because our natural stress response is not designed to be continually engaged, we must find ways to shut it off. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, discovered that prolonged stress disrupts the balance in the brain, throwing off the normal cadence of brain cell communication. (https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-stress-affects-mental-health/) A study done by Columbia University Medical Center researchers found that negative impact of stress could be likened to smoking more than five cigarettes a day! (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2250106/Stress-bad-heart-smoking-cigarettes-day.html).
"Learn how to cope, sweet friend. There will always be dark days."
-- Kris Carr
Your Stress Triggers
Developing awareness around your stress triggers is a good place to start. Grab a journal, ask yourself these three questions, and note your responses:
Which situations occur on a regular basis which cause you to feel stressed?
Which people in your life could you name as sources of your stress?
Which circumstances turn routine situations into stressful situations? (For example, do you feel more stressed when you haven't eaten, or when you've overeaten? How does sleep (and a lack of) affect your stress levels? When you let your worries run rampant, do you find you're feeling more stressed?, etc.).
If you can become aware of your triggers, there's a good chance that you can avoid escalations, shifting behaviors before they turn toxic.
What are you feeling?
Do you recognize what stress feels like in your body? Those who have strong stress management skills are able to detect rising stress before it reaches a dangerous level. Physically, you may experience headaches, fatigue, or shoulder pain. Other common symptoms are stomach aches, excessive sweating, back pain, and a racing heart. Behavior-wise, you may find you are taking a habit to an extreme, like overeating or excessive smoking. You may find you're short-tempered, grinding your teeth, or driving too fast. Emotionally, you may find you are bothered by unimportant issues, getting the cry-feeling more often, or feeling depressed and dejected. Cognitively, you may have trouble thinking clearly, or struggle to translate your thoughts into clear words. You may find it hard to concentrate or find yourself more forgetful than normal.
Learning to recognize how stress rears its ugly head in your body is something you want to tune into. Next time a stressful situation arises, take a moment to notice what you're feeling and write it down.
"Everyone has the ability to increase resilience to stress. It requires hard work and dedication, but over time, you can equip yourself to handle whatever life throws your way without adverse effects to your health. Training your brain to manage stress won't just affect the quality of your life, but perhaps even the length of it." --Amy Morin
Stress Reduction Techniques
Though you may not be able to make the stressful situation or person go away, you can learn how to control your own responses. Here are some techniques you can try to reduce the feeling of stress. Which of these could you undertake, in the moments when stress arises?
Practice gratitude.
Take long, deep breaths.
Exercise.
Get some extra zzzz's.
Remind yourself that this too, shall pass.
Rediscover your sense of humor and laugh.
Listen to relaxing music.
Spend some time in nature.
Meditate.
Become a realistic optimist and focus on positive outcomes of the current situation.
Have a good cry.
Forgive...yourself and others.
Eat healthy food and resist junk food/stress eating.
Do something you find to be fun.
Slow down.
Practice boundaries (learn to say no when needed)
Forgive others' poor behavior.
Refuse to let irrational ideas and thoughts swim around in your head.
Visualize yourself in a peaceful place.
Pray or other spiritual practices.
Quit procrastinating and tackle some items on your to-do list.
Call a friend who is able to put you at ease.
Fill in the blank (what works for you?)
Create an Action Plan
Now that you're aware of your triggers, understand what you're feeling, and have a few techniques to use, it's time to create a plan. Grab a journal and write about these prompts:
1-The stress symptoms I need to notice and pay attention to are:
2-My current stress triggers, including both situations, people, and circumstances, are:
3-How do I currently deal with these stressors?
4-What's a better way I could respond to these stressors?
5-What is one technique I can incorporate to remind myself to engage in stress management, as I begin to recognize my symptoms?
6-When do I anticipate the next stressful situation to happen?
7-What will I do when it occurs?
If you're struggling with creating an action plan, consider teaming up with a social + emotional intelligence coach to walk alongside you.
I get it--changes are hard--but remember the jar of pickles. Who wants to be splattered by pungent negativity every time you lose control of your emotions? Sure, it's tough to adjust how we respond to the stresses of life, but well worth the effort to learn to open that lid slowly and carefully so can enjoy its contents.
“You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” --Steve Maraboli
Written by Amy Sargent.
http://the-iseiblog.com/contributing-authors/amy-sargent/
SELF ESTEEM AND YOUR UNIQUE STYLE OF FIT
Humans are masses of energy that vibrate and radiate the thoughts they are thinking all day long.
Utilize the Power of Your Story to Build Self- Esteem through Creativity, Script Writing and Confidence Boosting Affirmations
Writer R. Buckminister Fuller states, “Never change things by fighting the existing reality to change something. Instead, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
I am not asking you to make a drastic change in your life. I am asking you to become flexible, curious and open to trying new things in finding your style of fit to lose weight. Are you willing to learn creativity? Are you willing to try intermittent fasting? Are you willing to learn about meditation and visualization?
· Creativity helps you see something that’s better than the future.
· Creativity helps you find your gift.
· Men and Women who desire a better world explore their creativity through meditation, imagination, and the power of story.
Click here for some amazing ideas on how to relax while using your creative mind and heart!!!
Facilitate Change:
1) Create an image of what you want
2) Say positive affirmations to bring life to your image
3) Look into the future with your imagination to bring clarity to your image
4) Get emotionally involved with the image
5) Repeat for 21 -30 days
A magnetic personality is a person or thing that has a powerful attraction. Your attitude is more powerful than your gifts and talents. You see, attitude is the powerful force that attracts others toward you or moves them away from you. Many gifted and talented people never taste the rewards of their skills because their attitude makes them undesirable to be near.
Stories assume certain patterns of logic in understanding states of the brain. By default, your brain is in constant flux…racing after the moment that has just past, trying to understand it, control it and attach meaning to it. Stories allows the brain to reveal the mystery behind the buried message of happiness, pain, conflict, fear and sadness.
Contact Dr. Audrey Pullman:
Please call (703-400-7321) or email (audreypullman@gmail.com) for individual, couple, or group workshop sessions.
www.audreygriefexpressionist.com
INVEST IN YOURSELF
Here is one of my favorite passages in “The Freedom to Eat” by Jackie Trottmann:
— Knowing who you are and loving your life is presented inwardly through your thoughts and feelings. You listen to the still, small voice inside of you that leads you and guides you. It is a strong and confident voice that knows the truth. You are no longer condemning yourself but are nurturing yourself. Wholeness means taking care of your mind, body, and spirit. It means investing in resources and activities to help you be the best that you can be and to live life to the fullest.
Outwardly, you express how you care for yourself. Through your outward appearance, you project your true essence to the world. Caring for your appearance does not meet the requirements communicated by the media. It is an honorable, clean, and respectful appearance of who you are.
So you’re not at the ideal place you want to be with your weight. Don’t let that keep you from looking good and feeling good. Buy some new clothes that look great on you right now. This means, the right fit, the right colors, the right style that defines your authentic self. There are many retailers with bargain deals, so there is no need to spend a lot of money while your shape changes. Remember, change doesn’t happen overnight.
This may seem a little silly to bring up, but you’ll be surprised how much better you will feel if you wear underwear that provides the support needed in all areas of the body. Some stores may offer bras and panties that look great, but don’t have the fit that will make you feel comfortable all day. If you find yourself tugging and pulling on your clothes all day, that certainly doesn’t look good or feel good! As your guide, remember, if it makes you feel good, then go for it; otherwise, focus on buying something that gives the right support and makes you feel better. There are many pretty and practical choices available on the market.
If your hair is one of your best features, invest in a great hairstyle, and cut that represents your authentic you. If wearing makeup makes you feel good, pick products that will enhance your features and skin tone. For some, this may mean natural, clean skin. Others may enjoy facials or hair coloring. What’s important is to feel good and to let your inward light shine outward for the world to see. Notice I said to let it shine. You don’t have to make it shine.
Don’t allow negative talk! Keep reminding yourself that you are loved unconditionally. Each day you are discovering what it means to feel connected to your Creator and in this process; you are experiencing love, joy, peace, power, and wholeness.
Time is our most precious commodity. Be careful how you invest your time. Practicing the first secret of awareness will help you to be conscious of how you spend your time and how participating in activities that are not serving you will cause you to feel bad. Invest your time in activities that will nourish and feed your mind, body, and soul and not deplete you.
Find positive lifestyle types of media to give you new ideas and enhance your new authentic style. The same goes for camping out on social media, watching certain television programs or movies. I found the more I saturated myself with images that I couldn’t attain (I will never be 5’11” except in five-inch heels) and material possessions that were not practical or true priorities like yachts or thirty-room mansions (not a heart’s desire or a need for); it would still make me feel less worthy. Don’t allow that to happen. Change your focus from lack to abundance by feeding your mind, body, and spirit with positive books, friends, entertainment choices, and activities.
Also, Watch The Inspirational Book Passage Video:
AFFIRMING THOUGHTS
What do you spend your time thinking about? Does your mind wander and fall into self-defeating thought patterns or do you choose liberating and empowering thoughts? Emotions are as transient as the weather, but we have the ability to choose our thoughts. We do this by paying attention to our thoughts and replacing those that don’t serve us well with affirmations.
Affirmations are clear, short statements of who we are and who we want to be. Don’t waste any time or energy thinking about your shortcomings or what you need to do to change. Instead, accept yourself exactly as you are. Be kind to yourself. Use affirmations.
I first heard about affirmations 20 years ago through a friend who was suffering from severe depression. Her therapist suggested she try affirmations, but really didn’t explain to my friend how to write powerful affirmations or how to use them effectively. It wasn’t until I became a parent that I began to study how affirmations work and how to use them effectively.
I realized as a new parent that I would be no better at disciplining my child than I was at disciplining myself. That’s when I decided to develop my own parenting affirmations. I posted them on my bathroom wall and began saying them every morning and every night: I am a loving, nurturing parent. I practice proactive discipline. I respond calmly to all situations. I explore and discover the world with my child. I wrote ten parenting affirmations in all that are still posted by my bathroom mirror.
Whatever it is you need, whatever it is you want, put it in the form of an affirmation. Pay attention to your thoughts throughout the day. Whenever you find yourself feeling worried or afraid, repeat your affirmations. Whenever a negative thought comes to mind, acknowledge and release it. Then think instead of a positive affirmation: I am safe. I am healthy. I am prosperous. I am loved. By directing your thoughts to positive things, you will create positive experiences in your life.
The most effective affirmations are the ones that you choose and create for yourself. Whatever it is that you’d like to change or improve, put it into affirming words.Tape your affirmations to your bathroom mirror and repeat them frequently throughout the day.
Make sure your affirmations are completely positive. If you say, “I am debt-free,” you are continuing to affirm debt whether you mean to or not. Take out all negative words (no, not, stop, refrain) and negative ideas (debt, need, fear, want). Write your affirmations in the present tense: “I am strong.” If you write your affirmation in the future tense, “I will be strong,” that keeps the strength you want out in the future instead of accepting it into your present being.
I put my favorite affirmations into a short poem that I’ve used every day for years:
I am grateful. I am kind.
I create what’s on my mind.
Perfect health.... Prosperity....
My world reflects the change in me.
Written by Laurie A. Gray, JD
http://www.socraticparenting.com/
TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SELF-LOVE
Self-love -it's all about having an awareness of one's own happiness and has even been described as a human necessity. It is as important as maintaining physical health, and by performing little acts of self-love, you will see a massive improvement in your mental wellbeing. These small steps will look different for every person. Still, the concept is incredibly popular on social media in current years, seeing more people stepping back from their busy day-to-day life to factor in more time for themselves. For example, a reduction in testosterone is typical as men age, but could see a decrease in their self-esteem, if this applies to you, consider finding out ‘how much does testosterone therapy cost?’
Become Mindful
People with an increased sense of self-love are more aware of what they think, feel, and want. They are more conscious of who they are and more able to act upon this, rather than focusing on what others want of them.
Create a Ritual
When applying your daily moisturizer (and if you don't, make sure to factor this in), don't rush this process. Work from the bottom of your feet up to your face with an actual thought process; thank your feet for getting you where you need to go, all the way up to your thanking your face for portraying emotions and vocalizing your thoughts. Take this time to stop taking your body for granted and showing gratitude to your body.
Your Body is a Vessel
By treating your body with love throughout the day, it will boost your self-love and your energy. Pay more attention to what you're putting into your body, not just to look good, but it also feels good! Feeding nutrient-rich foods to your body will have you oozing positivity.
Stop the Comparisons
It is inevitable in the current social media age to compare yourself to someone on your screen. Comparing your life to that of celebrities could see a decrease in your self-esteem. However, it is essential to remember these incredible snapshots are just that, snapshots, and do not reflect that person's entire life as we all have good and bad days.
Hobbies
Doing something you're good at or finding a new creative outlet is the ultimate self-esteem booster. By spending more time on what you're good at, you will increase endorphins and feel more positive towards yourself. Whether its cooking, yoga, art, stitching, or going for a run, factor in more time during your day to do what you love.
Needs over Wants
Act on what you need rather than what you want; by staying focused on what makes you strong and centered, you can quickly turn away from desires and temptations that could cause more harm than good.
Practice Self-care
A good basis of nutrition, sufficient sleep, exercise, healthy social interactions, and intimacy is an essential way of nourishing your body throughout the day and providing little elements of self-love by taking care of your basic needs.
Written by Julia Evans
YOUR UNIQUE STYLE OF FIT
Your unique style of fit is a self-empowerment that allows you to explore your inner-most secrets and discover how you can design a life you will really love. You will see life in shades of colors and not just in black or white. Optimism leads to motivation which activates parts of the brain and your subconscious mind will reveal and provide you with different options and strengthen your problem-solving skills.
Life limits itself with a negative mindset, but with a higher level of thinking it brings clarity to our perception and increases our awareness of the unlimited power potential of the mind.
We are biological, unique, and we must tailor our weight loss program as the creator of our own experience. The Uniqueness of You is finding the creative fingerprint that puts you in an optimal state of mind to provide a creative flow to a pure consciousness and optimal mental state where you feel and perform your best.
Successful people:
· Regulate their emotional state
· Create and sustain interest and commitment
· Remain flexible: the person most flexible masters the situation
· Ignore the Weight Loss Experts! No measuring tapes! No Scale!
· Shift Your Focus from Food Cravings to Creativity
Focus is anything that consumes your time energy, attention. The only reason human beings fail is because of broken focus. Our minds work by consciously selecting the one focus that we want to register at any moment. By holding this one thing in conscious awareness, we give relative inattention to everything else.
Do you always eat healthy? List your favorite foods and understand which are healthy and which are not. Focus on eating healthy whenever possible.
You are confident, powerful and disciplined. Once you identify who you are… your life will change in amazing ways.
Written by Dr. Audrey Pullman:
www.audreygriefexpressionist.com
Please call (703-400-7321) or email (audreypullman@gmail.com) for individual, couple, or group workshop sessions.
A PERMANENT CURE FOR POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
If you are suffering from PTSD then the very first thing you are looking for is ‘safety’. One of the biggest problems about suffering from PTSD is that you feel as if people do not understand you, what you are going through, or what you have been through. Most often, they do not! How could they? What you have been through is something that most people in the world could not conceive of. People can debate it, study it, talk about it, but unless they have been through it, they have no idea what someone who suffers from PTSD is going through.
So the very first thing you need is to feel safe, understood, and appreciated for what you have been through. You need to know that there is reverence for you, appreciation for something that may not be understood, yet still appreciated (this is reverence). Most therapists are textbook-driven, which means that they do not have an integral understanding of what real trauma is or feels like. The problem is that they cannot understand you and do not have the tools to bridge the gap between where you are and where they are. In fact, it’s more like a chasm in that it is just too broad of a gap for them to span consciously.
A therapist, who has spent his or her life studying textbooks and accumulating credentials, working with average every-day people, is not a good match for you. If you are a war veteran, rape victim, or refugee from a third world atrocity then there are precious few people who are going to understand and have the necessary reverence for what you have been through. In fact, more likely than not, only around 7% of therapists will actually be able to relate to you in a way that makes you feel appreciated for the sheer gravity of what you’ve been through. This is due to the fact that most therapists have not been exposed to any sort of extreme adversity within their own lives. In other words, it’s virtually impossible for them to relate to what you have been through from within the confines of an ‘atypical lifestyle’.
So you need to know that you are appreciated and respected for your ability to simply survive what you’ve been through. Instead of feeling isolated due to the sheer gap between what you and the average person have experienced in life, you need a safe place to be able to open and up express yourself. Without that feeling of safety then you may never be able to fully open up. This would seem to be obvious, yet most therapists are not quite there yet.
Emotional Integration on PTSD
The essence of pain and suffering is due to the suppression of painful emotions by your psyche. The psyche, in its inability to deal with extremely emotionally painful situations that arise, will attempt to protect you from this massive amount of pain by suppressing the emotions created from the experience. When this happens you are temporarily protected from the emotion of the experience and thus able to maintain your societal functionality. However, due to the fact that these painful emotions are suppressed in your psyche, they are not gone, but still present. Now, instead of being at the surface of your awareness where you can access them and know where the pain is coming from, they are deeply buried within your own subconscious. Here they will start to manifest adversity for you in the form of unconscious reactivity (which means to begin to feel badly and not know why, but further, to physically act out on this in ways that are attempts for you to not feel pain; drinking alcohol, taking drugs, and/or depression/violence/suicidal tendencies).
One of the trickiest aspects of deeply suppressed emotional charges is that they are suppressed because your psyche is trying to protect itself.
In other words, there is a part of you that feels as if it needs to keep you from ‘re-experiencing’ this trauma from the past. Further, that if you do not keep it repressed within your subconscious, you will be doomed to relive this trauma over and over again. So, in essence, your psyche does not want to let these suppressed emotional charges come up to the surface for fear of having to relive the event/s.
Emotional Integration is one of the first forms of therapy to cut straight through to the source of the problem; which is your deeply suppressed emotional charges from the traumatic experiences. Additionally, Emotional Integration is one of the first forms of therapy to recognize how the psyche operates and use this operational foundation as a vehicle for permanent healing. In other words, Emotional Integration respects the psyche’s right to protect itself and through honoring it, allows the psyche to actually heal itself. The technique offers an unprecedented breakthrough in healing due to the fact that it addresses healing at the actual source. The source of all pain and suffering comes from your suppressed emotional charges. Once this has been healed you are free to live a normal, happy, and productive life again.
You need no longer remain imprisoned within your own mind.
Emotional Integration has one aim and one aim only: to access and release (integrate) your suppressed emotional charges. When you can access, in a safe place, your deeply suppressed emotional charges and allow them (in a safe place) to fully surface, magic can and will happen. This magic is the integration of one of your deeply suppressed emotional charges. The result is also an integration (bringing back into one) of the part of your psyche associated with this emotional aspect of yourself. When this occurs, you will not only feel more at peace within yourself and less emotionally reactive, but you will also experience a greater sense of ‘self’. This means that a part of your personality has been ‘freed up’ and can now bring additional intelligence back into your psyche.
Emotional Integration is powerful in that, quite often, you may experience complete healing in only one session. Often, total healing can be accomplished in as little as 6 sessions. This is because Emotional Integration bypasses the ‘why’ which would enable your ego to continue to create ‘phantom reasons’ for your pain and suffering. The ego loves statistics, reasons, logic, and rationale due to the fact that it can prolong its life and bolster its sense of ‘self importance’ in this way. Emotional Integration does not care ‘why’ you suffer, but focuses on the actual healing instead.
An important question to ask yourself is: ‘Do I want to know why or do I want to be healed?’
The ego wants to know why. The Soul wants to be healed.
Emotional Integration offers the fast track to reclaiming your emotional freedom and reclaiming your life. It is never too late to take your life back and to feel fully alive again.
To learn more you can join us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmotionalIntegration
Written by Christopher Pinckley
I WANT MY BODY BACK
Humans have their own uniqueness and genetic makeup so to lose weight isn’t one size fit all. Explore the inner workings of your mind to find your true authentic self in order to lose the weight you want.
It takes a certain amount of focus and determination to lose weight, so your mental attitude and self-confidence is imperative in finding your unique style of fitness.
Fasting and Spirituality will provide you with the consistency, determination, and the foundation you need to lose weight
· We need to feel that we were born for a reason.
· We want to feel value, a sense of importance.
· We want to live a life full of meaning and fulfillment with a sense of personal power.
· We have a need for success.
· And, we need to love.
Therapy of Thought helps one lose weight because the man or woman who is successful is thinking creatively, intuitively and above all optimistically.
In order to think creatively, intuitively, and optimistically, we need passion, energy, emotion, and focus.
Affirmations are a powerful way to establish a new guided attention for your life. Positive words and phrases will be absorbed in your subconscious mind when you read them daily. Your thoughts will become your reality.
I AM – I Love and Accept my body the way it is and work to make it better
I AM – Wonderful. I AM Brilliant. I have the Power to realize my goal
I AM – Strong! I Create My Reality. Power is in my Thoughts
I AM – The Master of My Life
I AM – Excited about the person I am about to become
I AM – Getting healthier and healthier
I AM – Pain free and my body is full of energy. I Love Myself
I AM – A unique person. I approve of myself
I AM – I Love Myself the way I AM
I AM – My Unique Style of Fit because I am Healthy and Happy
I AM – Free to Create my own Style of Fitness
I AM – Successful in All Areas of my life
I AM – Creative with Self- Empowerment because I radiate good health
By Dr. Audrey Pullman
www.audreygriefexpressionist.com
Please call (703-400-7321) or email (audreypullman@gmail.com) for individual, couple, or group workshop sessions.
JOY
JOY
It didn’t come
swiftly, and certainly not expediently.
It didn’t come
racing in as if it were trying to beat the clock.
It didn’t come
in a reckless manner,
wildly demanding space for a home here.
At times, it peppered my days,
my life, though with never enough
substance, clout, or influence to sustain.
At times, it came
in waves, pensive, with hesitation
as if it was suspicious of this container’s,
this body’s capacity to hold its’ value.
But one day, it came
unceremoniously,
to liberate.
It came with a grace
that was almost
startling.
It announced boldly
“I am JOY, and I will live HERE.”
Written by Mary Tinucci
GRIEF AS A NORMAL PART OF LIFE
Coping with any loss may be one of the hardest challenges we face in life. It is a fact of life whether we admit or not. Let us be honest it scares us. When we lose a spouse, sibling, parent, friend, a favorite item, a house or anything that you think is of a value, that grief can be particularly intense. Loss is understood as a natural part of life, but we can still be overcome by shock, confusion, anxiety and fear, leading to prolonged periods of sadness, the blues or gray days, loss of interests, irritability, withdrawal The sadness typically diminishes in intensity as time passes, but grieving is an important process in order to overcome the feelings and emotions so to embrace the time you had with your loved one.
Everyone reacts to loss differently and employs various personal coping skills for grief and loss. An example is: Henry, a close friend of my father’s. I met him when my father asked for help with a memorial. It was for Henry’s Rose who had passed away from metastasized cancer. My Father was a Chaplain, Henry ask him to do the memorial. Well Henry always felt depressed, from the loss of his wife. So he change from reading daily to her, to reading to the resident of the care center daily and he continued that until he passed away himself. When we talked together at my dd’s home, he told me that going up to the center, help him living and close to his wife. Yes, he was lonely, yet this made his life have meaning and he felt it honored his wife’s love and memory. Did he grieve, yes daily. Thought it also gave him strength.
People and families do recover from loss in their own way through the passage of time when they have positive social/family/employments supports and healthy habits. It can take months or years to accept a/the loss. There is no “normal” time period for someone to grieve or to feel the sense of loss. Don’t expect to just pass through any phases of grief or in a linear way. Many people can be all over the map. It is ok it is normal. It will take some time and thought before you are able to look back on the and loss.
Human beings are naturally resilient, we have the capability to endure what we do not believe we can. People do continue on with our own lives yet there are some that hold on so tight and choose not to heal and grow. There are some people that struggle so much with grief and loss for long periods of time and feel unable to carry out their daily activities. People that suffer severe grief and loss or complicated grief could benefit from further intervention from family, co-workers, peers, or a professional counselor and grief support groups. We all need support and assistance through this time. It is a fact that we cannot do it alone.
Moving On With Life
Many have talked about ”Mourning”, some cultures have specific times for “Mourning” because it is understood that people do better when they can move on even with having feeling of the grief and loss. During this time there can also be a renewed sense of meaning to life that offers purpose and direction to life.
Grieving individuals may find it helpful to use some of the following strategies to help them process and come to terms with loss. The following is an incomplete list of ways to care for yourself when you have Grief and loss. It is not an exhaustive list and not everyone will experience grief and loss in the same way.
1) Talk about the death of your loved one with friends or colleagues in order to help you understand what happened and remember your friend or family member.
2) Avoidance can lead to isolation and will disrupt the healing process with your support systems.
3) Accept your feelings. You may experience a wide range of emotions from sadness, anger or even exhaustion.
4) All of these feelings are normal and it’s important to recognize when you are feeling this way.
5) If you feel stuck or overwhelmed by these emotions, ask for help a friend, a coworker, use the Employee Assistance Program at work (confidential) a community support group.
6) Take care of yourself and your family. Eating healthy foods, exercising and getting plenty of sleep can help your physical and emotional health. The grieving process can take a toll on one’s Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual self and life.
7) Make sure you check in with your loved ones and that they are taking the necessary healthy steps to maintain their health.
8) Reach out and help others dealing with the loss.
9) Spending time with loved ones they can be great support and you may be a good support for them. You can be good support for each other together. Whether it’s sharing stories or listening to your loved one’s favorite music, these small efforts can make a big difference to some.
10) Helping others can the added benefit of making you feel better as well. Remember and celebrate the lives of your loved ones.
11) Anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, or other events can be a difficult time for everyone, though it can also be a time for remembrance and honoring them.
12) Things that you can are: collect donations to a favorite charity in the family name, plant a tree or a community garden, donate a park bench, in another word when you are ready to celebrate life.
13) What you choose is up to you, as long it allows you to honor life and others that feel right to you. When the timing is right for you.
Grief and loss is a fact of life, I will not say it is not. It is painful, yet there is Healing, Growth and Recovery when you allow yourself to feel, have emotions, and feel those emotions, by taking care of yourself and your life.
Written by Marc Baisden
FIVE LIFE AGREEMENTS FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE
AGREEMENT 1: BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD
When you stand by and follow your word (not promises) you build Integrity, creditability, and more important BELIEVABILITY.
Remember that your word (s) and action(s)/inaction(s), have:
1) Power- A) Internal B) External
2) Influence- A) Internal B) External
What you do or do not do/ say or do not say not only affects you, yet also the people, places and things around you. Even what you don’t see. It is the ripple effect.
AGREEMENT 2: DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY
Everything is not about you. It is more than likely about the way you are acting, or something another person is trying to project onto you.
People react or respond to your behavior, not who you as a person.
When you take things personally you assume responsibility that is not yours. “Your Heart Is known by the path you walk.”
AGREEMENT 3: DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
Making assumptions set’s yourself and others up for conflict and chaos. This is no different than an expectation.
Assumptions are nothing more that faulty perception and beliefs. That you generally act on and create conflict and chaos.
AGREEMENT 4: ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST
Your best is first for yourself not others, they are the honored recipients of you doing your best.
Your best will change from situation to situation, as you learn from each experience,
Your best will change over time.
By doing your best you do not give power or control of yourself to others.
AGREEMENT 5: BE SKEPTICAL, BUT LEARN TO LISTEN
Don’t believe yourself or others until you have listened. Most of our knowledge is based on faulty information, beliefs, and or perceptions. Question yourself, ask for more information. Even the decision you made has a little doubt (what is called second-guessing).
Reasonable doubt used in our Courts is a good way to be skeptical without closing off others or being rude.
Do not just listen to the words, but listen to the intent behind the words. Do the actions or behavior match the words and situations?
All information has a kernel of truth and insight, yet from there, anything can happen to it.
“Life (external) only intrudes, as long as we allow it”.
~ Eugene Cummunings
Written by Marc Baisden
Common Workplace Diseases - Are You At Risk?
My first experience with workplace diseases came in my teens. I landed a job in an office staffed mostly by workers approaching retirement age, and I was told that one person wasn’t in very much anymore because of a workplace disease that made typing painful. I was astounded. Apparently, you could develop a “disease” simply by sitting at a desk and using a laptop. Everybody really is facing a behind the scenes battle that isn’t always obvious. This made me think about the other types of work-related diseases out there. I’d also heard about asbestos in the workplace, and I began to ask related questions like white lung cancer, what is it? Let’s take a look at what else I found out.
Occupational hearing loss
This type of workplace injury is the most common workplace injury reported in the United States. Any workplace can leave workers susceptible to hearing loss where the noise level exceeds 70 dB. This can include workers employed in busy restaurants or bars, factory workers, flight crew, and staff working in the entertainment industry. Noises above 120 dB can cause instant issues with hearing. Always wear the appropriate protection to protect your ears from prolonged exposure to heightened noise levels.
Allergies - irritant dermatitis
Occupational skin disease is the second most reported type of work-related injury in the workplace throughout the USA. Symptoms range from hives on the skin soon after contact with an irritant to much more serious complaints involving contact with harmful chemicals. Workers involved in the cleaning industry are generally at a higher risk, as well as workers involved in the use of pesticides in the workplace. Always wear - or request - the proper personal protective equipment required to carry out tasks safely.
Lower-back disorders
This one is huge - almost one third of all non-fatal workplace injuries (resulting in days away from work) in the United States are linked to lower back issues. Whilst many people are affected due to poor posture whilst seated at a desk in an office (essentially seated in a stress position), there is also an issue with a lack of mechanical lifting devices in workplaces where heavy lifting is common. Workers also need to be aware that they should speak to their line manager where the guidelines - in terms of time - for the use of lifting devices do not reflect the amount of time required to complete the task.
Written by Julia Evans
5 Simple Lifestyle Changes You Can Make For a Happier You
Many of us start off every new year with grand promises—whether it's to live a little healthier, or to learn a new skill. Sadly, not everybody successfully follows through as the days go by—but it’s not because these resolutions are impossible to achieve. Rather, a guide on A Life of Productivity notes that the best way to achieve your goals is to start small. While it sounds a bit counterproductive, you aren't actually downgrading your dreams—you're simply breaking them into more doable, actionable steps.
Though we might be approaching the halfway mark of the year, it doesn't mean you have to throw in the towel already. After all, it's never too late to start building a better life for yourself. With that being said, here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make for a happier you.
Pick up a new hobby
It's tempting to bury ourselves in social media, mindlessly scrolling through our feeds for hours in a day. To break this cycle and make room for something more productive, why not try your hand at a new hobby? Whether it's reading books or learning how to cook, such activities are sure to give your mind and body a refreshing reset. To this end, Tips Make introduces the 20-minute strategy, which basically entails devoting 20 minutes on something everyday for a month to make it into a habit. Remember to start small and make your steps concrete! For instance, aim to read a certain number of pages or commit to sampling a new, quick recipe everyday.
Never skip breakfast
This tip might sound a bit menial, but hear us out, as it actually can make a huge difference to your quality of life. As it turns out, they don't call breakfast "the most important meal of the day" for nothing. Research on The Ladders reveals that breakfast is a great way to spark your productivity. Right after you have your fill, your alertness and energy immediately spike up. Thus, you'd be surprised how such a small change can make the difference between a lethargic, slow day and a happy, productive one. It doesn’t always have to be an elaborate breakfast buffet—a slice of bread, your favorite fruit, and a glass of water are more than enough to start your mornings on the right foot.
Listen to your body
Most of us live very fast-paced lifestyles, but our bodies can only keep up to a certain extent. Attending social gatherings and meeting up with friends, for instance, is important for our mental and social health—but it doesn’t mean you have to say yes to every invitation and max out your energy all the time. True enough, an article on Economic Times India warns that regular weekend partying can leave you feeling fatigued, which can lead to even more problems like irregular sleep and a ruined diet.
This isn't to say that you should stop going out altogether. Instead, put more purpose into it and be sure to be responsible. If you find you’ve had too much to drink, make it a point to rest more and replenish. Lifestyle site PrettyMe recommends WrecOver pills as a way to help you curb the hangovers and headaches. Plus, the nutrients work to help detoxify your body. Of course, listening to your body applies to so many other aspects too—like keeping yourself from overworking even if you think you've got more productivity left in you.
Integrate exercise into your daily habits
Not everybody can just get up and start pushing heavy weights, especially if you're new to it. But if you do want to get fit sustainably, start by integrating it into your daily life. Simple things like standing while working, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and cleaning your house from top to bottom are great ways to sneak in that physical activity. If you think you’re ready for a real workout, our writer Michelle Schacherer finds that downloading fitness apps can guide beginners through the process.
Get the right amount of sleep
Being deprived of quality rest is no joke. Not only will you feel exhausted, but it throws off your mood, too. However, it isn't always easy to just drift off to dreamland. If you're having trouble, perhaps try making a few tweaks to your bedding situation—like changing your pillows. This Layla pillow, for instance, boasts memory foam and allows for more airflow. On the other hand, maybe all you need is a few moments before bedtime to get into the right mental state for rest. Guiding Tech suggests apps like Headspace and Calm, which feature guided meditation programs to clear your mind and set you up for relaxation. Even newbies can follow the steps, as every course can be customized to your needs and lifestyle.
All in all, changing your life for the better doesn't have to be complicated. Just like the age-old adage goes, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." So start with this simple list of lifestyle changes, and you'll be well on your way to the best version of yourself that you can be.
Written by Leah Cameron
HEALTHY LIVING AWARENESS: THE POISONS YOU CAN AVOID
My mother poisoned me as a teenager. She didn’t mean to; but she did. I’m sure your mothers didn’t mean to poison you growing up either... But they probably did.
I still remember it being one of my favorite holiday presents ever - a box full of makeup! I was thirteen years old and felt as though I had won the lottery! Eyeshadows, lip glosses, eye liners, blushes, mascaras, a whole box full . . . of toxins.
Had I been living in Europe, these products might have been safe to use. However, I grew up in New Jersey and what my mother didn’t realize is that the makeup she had bought me, along with the soap, shampoo, body lotions, etc. that she provided for our household, were laced with toxic ingredients.
When my daughter turned thirteen and started wearing makeup, I knew better.
You see, ten years ago I started a business with a global Health and Wellness Company and what I learned was shocking . . . and scary. I was also poisoning my children! Our bathroom products were full of carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and other toxic ingredients.
Horrified, I quickly grabbed a garbage bag and dumped every product containing substances with the suffix ‘paraben’ or ‘phthalate’. Products containing mineral oil (a by-product of gasoline), lead, formaldehyde, and tallow were also trashed. Just Google “animal renderings” and you’ll be amazed to discover one of the cosmetic industry’s dirty little secrets.
What I quickly learned is that the European Union (EU) bans over 1400 ingredients from their personal care products. I wondered how many are banned in the USA…
Like my mother did before me, I try to protect my kids and keep them healthy. They eat well and get plenty of exercise. But what I didn’t realize was that it’s not just what goes in our bodies that’s important, but goes on them as well. Our skin is our largest organ and it only takes 26 seconds for an element to be absorbed into our bloodstream.
While I was feeding my children healthy foods and snacks, and sending them outside to play for healthy exercise, I was conversely bathing and lotioning them in toxins - on a daily basis! More shockingly, these toxins were building up in their system which could potentially make them sick.
Easy solution - I simply replaced all the harmful products we used with safe ones.
Of course, as much as we might like to, we can’t keep our kids in a bubble. They are, after all, going to walk outside and inhale fumes from cars. Despite this, we know better than our mothers did and should do better. We can choose not to consciously poison them.
Please, read your labels. The ingredient policy for my family’s personal care products goes above and beyond the EU’s strict standards and FDA approved ingredients, banning over 2,000 harmful substances. Start using products that are safe and nontoxic, and stop using products that are approved by the FDA.
After all, the FDA bans only eleven ingredients...and haven’t updated their laws regulating cosmetics and personal care products since 1938.
By Jill Kay
Arbonne Independent Consultant & Executive Regional Vice President
jillkay.arbonne.com
CAN CBD IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL WELLBEING?
Let's take a brief look at how CBD could improve your mental health and overall wellbeing.
Managing your mental health is just as important as maintaining your physical health, yet for plenty of people, this can often be far easier said than done. With over 285 million people currently living with some form of mental health disorder, many often wonder if there is anything that can aid them outside the realm of purely prescription options.
CBD has been garnering a massive buzz over the last year for a variety of potential benefits improving the lives of people the world over. From facials to lattes, CBD seems to be everywhere and in everything in recent days.
With all this talk and the massive proliferation of CBD-infused products on the marketplace, is there any basis for all the hype? Thankfully for you, there is a useful new tool compiling the available research on CBD along with experience generated by users all over the world. Many of these user-reviews discuss the impact CBD has had on their health and lives, including whether or not it helped treat and manage a variety of mental health symptoms.
DidCBDWork.com is a crowd-sourced research platform that combines the current data on CBD for a wide variety of conditions with user-submitted testimonials about the effect CBD has had on helping on them personally. With plenty of half-truths and misinformation spread online, DidCBDWork.com aims to be a primary informational authority on CBD by combining academic and anecdotal evidence in a user-friendly way.
https://verifiedcbd.com/ and https://www.cbd-boxes.com
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids are a group of closely related chemical compounds that interact with cannabinoid receptors in the body; this is known as the endocannabinoid system. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the most common of these cannabinoids and is most often associated with cannabis for its notable and potent psychoactive effect.
A critical distinction between the two is that CBD and THC bind with different endocannabinoid receptors in varying ways, ultimately producing different effects on the body. As CBD is non-psychoactive, users don't face the potential risk of intoxication or failing a drug screening.
CBD and CBD-based preparations have been repeatedly demonstrated to provide relief for a variety of symptoms and conditions. Both preclinical and clinical trials have shown the efficacy of CBD therapy in treating conditions ranging all the way from anxiety to PTSD.
Can CBD Help Mental Health?
Along with anecdotal evidence from patients all over the world highlighting the impact CBD therapy has had on improving their lives, they've also compiled available academic research noting the efficacy of CBD in treating and managing such conditions. One such study, from the University of Mississippi, found that high doses of CBD provide significant antidepressant-like effects. Their evidence suggests that larger doses, around 200mg, yield symptom management similar to that of traditional pharmaceutical antidepressants.
Not only has CBD been demonstrated to have efficacious antidepressant-like effects, but it has been shown to have notable anxiolytic properties. A double-blind, randomized controlled experiment from the University of Sao Paulo found that CBD not only dramatically improves mood but also reduces cognitive impairment and discomfort in anxiety-triggering situations.
Evidence shows that CBD is also useful in helping to treat and mitigate symptoms arising from post-traumatic stress disorder. Research from New York University found that mitigating CB1 receptor disruption using CBD treatment not only improves fear extinction, but pretreatment may help reduce the retention of traumatic events as well.
A comprehensive review of the currently available academic and scientific evidence surrounding CBD by The Rockefeller University notes the remarkable efficacy of CBD in treating a variety of mental health and mood disorders. Their research found that not only can endocannabinoid deficiencies play a role in depressive responses, but that exogenous cannabinoid supplementation offers significant antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects.
Does CBD Work?
As demonstrated above, there is a wealth of peer-reviewed academic research highlighting the promise that CBD can provide those struggling. Mental health and other healthcare professionals across all disciplines have been advocating the use of a supervised CBD therapeutic regimen to help treat and manage a wide variety of psychological symptoms and conditions.
As with beginning any therapeutic regimen, consult with your healthcare provider to ensure there aren't any conflicts with any other current treatments or medications. Furthermore, your healthcare provider could answer any additional questions you may have, helping you create an effective treatment plan to help manage your specific symptoms and conditions.
Have you or someone you know used CBD to help improve their mental health? DidCBDWork.com is currently gathering experiences from millions of people, just like you, who have used CBD to help manage their overall mental wellbeing. No matter if CBD worked for you or not, they would love to hear from you about your experience; these stories help those suffering see that there may be a solution out there for them.
Author: John Alois
