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Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

Creating a Healthy  Lifestyle

Tag Archives: Mental health

You Can Only Offer An Opportunity

22 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Behaviors, Boundaries, Choices, Compromising, Consequences, Decisions, Decisions about Self, Decisions at Work, Decisions in Relationships, Disappointment, Effects of Choices, Expectations, Freewill, Healthy Mind, Mental health, Opportunities, Rewards, Saying No, Saying Not in That Way, Saying Not Now, Saying Yes, Self-serving Choices, Self-serving decisions, Threats

You Can Only Offer An Opportunity

We can make an opportunity attractive to another person (adult or child) with a reward or with a threat, but ultimately it’s the other persons’ choice to decide what they will do.

When we want someone to do something they don’t want to do, rather than getting disappointed or angry at them, think about the times when you use your freewill to decline an opportunity from someone else.

We always have the choice of saying “yes or no,”  or “not now or not in that way.”  Every decision we make, whether it’s deciding to do or not do something, for ourselves or another person, has a consequence and an effect on ourselves and others.

Today, think about what you are expecting of others and what others are expecting of you. Before you answer, ask yourself if what you are being asked to do is something you want to do, don’t mind doing, or actually enjoy doing. We often choose to do things we would rather not do because they are self-serving, such as tasks at work, compromising to maintain relationships, and exercising or going to bed early to take care of our bodies.

Remember, you can never get anyone to do anything. You can only give them the opportunity to choose, and the choice is always theirs.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Release Your Stress

21 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

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Calm Your Nervous System, Handling Stress, Healthy Body, letting go of stress, Mental health, Release Your Stress, Shake It Out, Stress, Stress Management, Wellness

Release Your StressA baby’s way of handling stress is to cry, a toddler’s way is to have a tantrum, and then as we get a bit older, we are taught that it’s not socially acceptable to use these behaviors, especially in public. A dog’s way of letting go of stress is to shake it out. Sometimes it’s just their head, and other times it’s with their full body.

Take some time today to use your body to release stress, shake it out; shake out your hands, arms and legs, you might also try bouncing in place, like young kids often do.

Have fun with it, even if you choose to do it privately!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Finding My Way Home

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Creating a Happier Experience, Doing it Differently, Frustration, Happiness, heading in the right direction, Health, Healthy Mind, Honoring Yourself, Love, Mental health, Robert Holden, second guessing, Self-Love, Stress, Uncertainty, Well-being

Finding My Way HomeLast night I was leaving San Jose where I had just heard Robert Holden, the author of Happiness Now speak. I was feeling happy, peaceful and filled with love. I got in my car and expected to be home in just over an hour.

I had confidence in being able to follow the freeway signs and navigate my way home. After 15 minutes I realized I wasn’t traveling on the same freeway I took to get there. I followed signs to San Francisco, knowing I was heading in the right direction, yet 30 minutes later I still was second guessing if I was on a route that was going to get me home to the East Bay.

Then, I had an epiphany. Recognizing that my feeling of happiness was being gradually taken over by stress, frustration and uncertainty, and wanting to get back to feeling happy, I had I asked myself, “What could I have done differently that would have been loving to myself?”

The answer was clear. The most loving thing I could do for myself when unfamiliar with an area would be to get out a map or turn on the navigation in my car or on my phone BEFORE driving.

I eventually made it home, as I always do, and I’m looking forward to creating a different experience for myself next time. What’s one area of your life where you could be more loving towards yourself?

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Ask For What You Want

25 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Anger, Asking, Asking For What You Want, Beating Around The Bush, Being Direct, Complaining, Disappointment, Emotion, Getting Your Needs Met, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Mind, Mental health, Rejection, Relationships, resentment, Suffering in Silence

Ask For What You WantHow often do we complain, blame and criticize when it would be so much easier to just ask for what we want? Why is it so difficult to be direct rather than beating around the bush or expecting that people should know what we want?  We often wait, focusing on what we don’t have, and suffering in silence while building anger and resentment.

What would it be like to simply ask for what we want? That would require us taking responsibility to get our own needs met, and to be open to the possibility that if we ask, we may not get what we want.  Which is worse, feeling the disappointment or rejection of asking and not getting, or not asking in the first place?

No one person can provide all of our needs.  We may have to rely on friends or other support to help us. If we don’t ask for what we want and seek ways of attaining what is important to us, we most likely will not get it.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Don’t Cut Things Too Close

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Allowing Extra Time, Allowing Space, Arriving Calm, Creating a Healthy Lifestyle, Extra Time, Health, Healthy Body, healthy-living, Little Changes, Managing Stress, Mental health, New Habits, Running Late, Rushing and Stress, Self care, Stress, stress level

Don't Cut Things Too CloseHave you noticed that when you are rushing around, barely making it where you need to be on time, that your body feels stressed? Making a mad dash or sprinting to get to work, class or an appointment on time takes a toll on our bodies. A big part of creating a healthy lifestyle and healthy body is learning to manage your stress level.

Little changes, like getting in the habit of leaving 5-10 minutes earlier than usual can make a big difference in arriving to your destination relaxed. You may also find enjoyment on your way there, feeling more at ease, noticing your surroundings and leaving more space between cars if you are driving, even if there is traffic. Leaving a bit earlier also gives you more time to find parking, again decreasing your stress level.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Your Body Is Talking, Are You Listening?

12 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

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Aches and Pains, Being vs. Doing, Body Signals, Change in Mood, Creating a Healthy Lifestyle, Doing vs Being, first signs, Health, Healthy Body, Listen to your body, Major Crisis, Mental health, Messages From Our Bodies, Results Before Feelings, Signs of Stress, Stress, Your Relationship With Your Body

Your Body Is Talking, Are You ListeningHow closely do you listen to your body? Do you notice the first signs of stress, discomfort, minor aches and pains or a change in mood? If so, do you brush it off and press on?

Our culture has been more focused on “doing” rather than “being,” “results before feelings.” Sometimes it takes a major crisis to get us to slow down or stop and really look at how we are living our lives. We have miraculous bodies that, if we tune into them, can give us guidance and messages if only we take the time to listen.

To tune into your body’s signals try this:

1. Stop for a moment.

2. Scan your body for discomfort.

3. Tune in to how you feel.

4. Ask yourself what you need.

Often times by acknowledging the signal it will reduce the symptom and you may even get some insight into a better way of doing, being or living.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Inspiration in The Shower

05 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Creativity, Flow, Healthy Mind, Ideas in she shower, Inspiration, Inspiration in the shower, Mental health, Water

Inspiration in The ShowerHave you ever noticed that your best ideas come to you when you are in the shower or if you are a guy, while shaving? You may get a solution to a problem you have been dealing with or a burst of creativity.

No one really knows why we get inspiring messages around water.  It may have something to do with the flow of water leading to the flow of ideas, or it could be that showering puts us in the state of flow, similar to meditation, allowing us to connect to our intuition. During this time we are open to receiving information while not distracted by electronics, other people or multi-tasking.

Let the ideas flow!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Reclaim The Space In Your Head

28 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Anger, DIY, Forgiveness, Forgiveness Ceremony, Forgiveness Process, Happiness, Healthy Mind, Letter Writing, Mental health, Pain, Peace, Peace Through Forgiveness, Reclaim The Space In Your Head, Reclaim Your Thoughts, resentment, Sadness

Reclaim The Space In Your HeadIt may be time to reclaim the space in your head taken up by thoughts of people who have hurt you. How often do you think about someone you resent? If you are harboring anger and resentment towards someone it may be time to clear out those thoughts.

Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace. It’s not about them.  It’s not about forgetting what they have done.  It’s not about agreeing with them.  It’s about you coming to terms with what happened, letting it go, and reclaiming the space they take up in your head.

The following is a process that you can do privately or with support of a trusted friend or mental health professional.  This process does not include any interaction with the person you have resentment towards.

1. Decide that you want peace around this person or event.

2. Write down all of the hurtful things you experienced.

3. Write (but don’t send) a letter to the person expressing your feelings of anger, resentment, hurt, pain, sadness, etc.

4. Next, write to the person what you needed and didn’t get, how you would have liked it to be.

5. Look over all of your writings.  Fully experience what ever feelings come up.

6. When you are ready, declare your forgiveness. If you desire, you can symbolize your forgiveness by safely burning your writings, shredding them or burying them.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

What Are You Looking Forward To?

18 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Family Fun, Healthy Mind

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Day Dream, Family Fun, Fun, Happiness, Increased Productivity, kindness, Looking Forward to Something, Meditation, Mental health, Positive Psychology, Smiling, Special, special occasion, Tolerant, Well-being

What Are You Looking Forward ToNo matter what your age, having something to look forward to that’s fun, special or different can help us get through our day-to-day routine.

Anticipating an upcoming event, outing or get-together, builds excitement and may even cause us to daydream about it, similar to being in meditation.

When have something to look forward to we may experience ourselves smiling more, being more kind to others and ourselves, and more tolerant of things that normally annoy us. In other words, having something to look forward may have a positive affect on our happiness, well-being, and even our productivity.

What are you looking forward to?

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Another Reason to Eat Healthy

17 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Eating

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Afternoon Snack, Depression, Eat Healthier Be Happy, Fruit and Vegetable, Happiness, Healthy Eating, Mental health, Moods, morning snack, Salad, Servings of Fruit and Vegetables, Seven Servings of Fruit and Vegetables, Social Indicators Research, Well-being

Another Reason to Eat HealthyWould you eat healthier if you were told it would make you feel happier? A recent study in the journal of Social Indicators Research, found that people who eat seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day have the highest mental well-being and are the happiest.

So what could seven servings of fruit and vegetables look like?

Breakfast could include one or two servings: a banana, 1/2 grapefruit, an orange, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, melon, or cantaloupe.

A mid-morning snack could include one serving: an apple, pear, grapes, carrots, celery, or red bell peppers.

Lunch could include two or more servings: a green salad with raw or cooked vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, red bell peppers, celery, or cucumber. Or vegetable soup, coleslaw, kale salad, beet salad, broccoli cranberry salad, or cauliflower salad.

An afternoon snack could include one serving: same as mid-morning snack.

Dinner could include two or more servings: vegetable soup, a salad, cooked greens, roasted vegetables, mixed vegetables, steamed broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots. spinach, zucchini, bok choy, or string beans.

It’s easy to add fruit and vegetable servings to what you already eat when you plan ahead!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

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