Tag Archives: Well-being

Finding My Way Home

18 Monday Mar 2013

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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

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What Are You Looking Forward To?

18 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by in Family Fun, Healthy Mind

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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 in Healthy Eating

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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

The Mind Doesn’t Know The Difference

26 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by in Healthy Mind

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The mind doesn’t know if you actually did something or just thought about it. Research has shown that without a stressful event actually happening, we can create anxiety along with the chemical release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, just by thinking about such an event. These hormones provide the “fight or flight” response, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure.

The converse is true.  When we have pleasant, calm or happy thoughts, the biochemical production and release of serotonin and dopamine occurs.

How you think has a direct correlation to how you feel. Since our thoughts create a cascade of chemical releases, and we know our thoughts can produce healthy or unhealthy hormones, we do have some control over our well-being.

Here are some ways to shift to calmer, happier thinking:

Focus on gratitude, being thankful, looking for the happiest moment of the day, or meditating. Ease up on perfectionism, laugh and play more. Remind yourself throughout the day to check in with your thoughts.  You could do this each time you reach for the phone, stop at a red light, just before you eat, or when you wake up and just before you go to sleep.

If you are feeling stressed, it may be time to look more closely at your thinking and choose to look at situations differently.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Get It Done Now – It’s Good For Your Health!

17 Monday Sep 2012

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Are you a “get it done now or get it done later” person? Did you know that it takes more energy to not do something than to just do it, especially if you are going to do it anyway.

We rarely, if ever, think about the amount of energy we use to ward off not doing something we need to do.  Some people may call this procrastination or laziness. It doesn’t matter what you label it. Putting off doing what you need to do can negatively affect your health and well-being.

When we put off doing what needs to get done, by avoiding it and doing other, non-important things, internally we may be building increased levels of stress, worry, anger, resentment, and fear that we won’t get it done or feelings of inadequacy.

What would it be like if you just did the task or made that decision? What if you jumped in and got started on that project and avoided all of the associated stress? Or, what if you stopped all of the ways you keep “busy” doing other things and not feeling, while avoiding what you really need to do?

Try it today. Do something you’ve been putting off NOW!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Play Isn’t Just For Kids

16 Monday Jul 2012

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Think You're Too Old To Play?New research from the University of Houston shows a direct correlation between play and how much joy and fulfillment people experience in their lives.

Play deprivation, like sleep deprivation, negatively effects our well-being, happiness, relationships and creativity.

So what is play? Play is doing something for the pure enjoyment of it, not to win or for any result.  Play often puts you in a state of flow, increasing relaxation, decreasing stress and elevating mood. Other benefits include increasing your imagination and bonding with others. Play can be done alone or with others.

If you are like me, brought up with the motto, “Work before play,” It can be hard to take the time to play, since work never ends and there is always something on the to-do list. You may also be self-conscious about letting loose and playing.

Find things you like to do, it could be playing a game of cards, Scrabble, tennis, or bowling.  Video games, Wii Fit or word searches count as play.  Or you can play games on your smart phone, either by yourself or with others, like Words with Friends or Draw Free. Play can be tossing a ball at the park, or singing or dancing at home alone or with others at karaoke or a party. It can be taking a class, painting or coloring with crayons or charcoal.  Play can be anything you have fun doing for the pure enjoyment of doing it!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Families That Laugh Together… Are Healthier & Happier

06 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by in Family Fun, Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

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Children are great at spontaneous laughter, laughing hundreds of times a day, while the average adult laughs about 20 times a day.

Laughter is great for our well-being, it has been shown to reduce stress,strengthen our immune system and even relieve some physical pain. You may remember hearing about Norman Cousins, who developed a recovery program incorporating megadoses of Vitamin C, along with a positive attitude, love, faith, hope, and laughter induced by Marx Brothers films. “I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he reported.

Here are some family friendly suggestions for adding more laughter:

1. Watch funny movies, television shows, or videos.  Find old comedies, sitcoms or cartoons that you grew up with. Some classics include, “I Love Lucy” and “The Carol Burnett Show.” There’s also, “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Search the web and YouTube for funny animal/pet videos. **Parents, it is advised that you find and preview for appropriateness, movies, videos and photos, without your children.

2. Find funny family photos or take some new ones wearing costumes or themed clothing, or using your expressions or acting silly.

3. When watching television together, watch the commercials and see if you can find something to laugh about.

4. Read the comics together, looking closely at the pictures and expressions of the people and animals.

5. Go to the library or a book store and look for joke books for kids.

6. Post something funny to look at on the refrigerator.

7. Have each family member seek out something funny to look at each day, it could be a photo, a comic strip, a greeting card, a drawing or a figurine.  Keep it by your bedside or in the bathroom where you can see it first thing in the morning and just before you go to sleep.  Just don’t try brushing your teeth while you are laughing, that could make a mess, although it may make for a great photo!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Moment by Moment

18 Monday Jun 2012

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Moment by Moment“I have everything I need in this very moment.”  This is one my favorite statements I say to myself when I’m feeling overwhelmed, worrying about the future, or caught up about something in the past.  That doesn’t mean I don’t make plans, set goals and make “To-Do” lists.

When you think about it, what do you really need?  Saying, “I have everything I need in this very moment,” at a core level, is true.  It’s a mind-set that can produce a sense of well-being by lowering stress, anxiety, fear, anger and resentment. You may need to pay a bill next week, deal with a difficult person at work or at a social gathering soon, or are worried about retiring in 20 years. Yet, today in this very moment, you are okay and have enough for right now.

As long as your basic needs are met each day, you truly have everything you need in this moment. Many of us are fortunate to have much more than our basic needs.  We may have a computer or smart phone to access knowledge, a job to earn money, a car to get around, good friends or family who love you or a pet you are fond of.  You may also have a body that functions well most days, allowing you to do all that you do in a day.

Have you noticed that over the course of your life, that most things work out? How many meals have you missed or nights have you not had a place to sleep?  Take a moment to feel, that in this very moment, you have everything you need and you are okay.  Have faith and trust that everything you need will show up. I’ve noticed that the more I live from the place of “all is well in this moment,” the more all is well in every moment.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Movement and Focus

12 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Healthy Body

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Movement and focus are two aspects, that when paired together can provide the benefits of calming your body’s nervous system, leaving you relaxed and centered.  The use of movement and focus, takes us from over thinking or being on auto-pilot, to a new awareness as we are mindful about how we are positioning or moving our body.  This can have a profound calming affect on your body’s nervous system, decreasing stress and anxiety, and increasing your feeling of well-being.

In yoga the focus is on holding positions and breathing. I have tried yoga a handful of times and have had difficulties with the positions, yet loved the focus on the breathing.  The alternative I found almost 10 years ago is The Feldenkrais Method, created by Moshe Feldenkrais in the 1950’s. With Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement classes, the focus is on the movement and sensing the movements, this can also include sensing your breathing. There are Feldenkrais practitioners teaching this method throughout the U.S., Canada and around the world.  If you don’t find a class or practitioner in your area you can visit the online bookstore for books, CDs and DVDs.  I highly recommend the book Running With the Whole Body, by Jack Heggie. The lessons in it are great for anyone who walks, jogs or runs. 

Both yoga and the Feldenkrais Method provide additional benefits such as, better movement, posture, flexibility, coordination, athletic ability, and in many cases reduced pain. 

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis