The signs of stress are all too familiar: the quickening heartbeat, tense muscles and explosive reaction to something small. Avoiding situations that test your patience may be impossible, but it is possible to reduce stress accompanying these unpleasant events. The secret, say the experts, lies in one crucial art: finding the humor. Adapting this mindset…
This world is but a canvas for our imagination -Henry David Thoreau When we are children, we could care less if we got dirt on our clothes during a good tree climb, or if our hair looked just right before going up to play with a new classmate. We were quick to say exactly what…
I grew up dancing for hours a day with a strict ballet background. The strong discipline that is needed to practice such long hours each day created a high thresh hold for pain. No matter how tired, over worked, or injured I was, I was always taught to fight or work through my pain and…
Toxic people defy logic. Some are blissfully unaware of the negative impact that they have on those around them, and others seem to derive satisfaction from creating chaos and pushing other people’s buttons. Either way, they create unnecessary complexity, strife, and, worst of all, stress. Studies have long shown that stress can have a lasting,…
Holistic has many definitions, some call it who-ha, others spiritual, others educated. I like to think of a holistic life as a wise life, you live a life that you know will be better by looking at the ‘big-picture’, living life as whole. What we think, do, say, eat, practice, believe in and our impact on others and the planet are all…
Buddha preached giving up everything to reach awakening, Jesus said “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” The path to self realization is paved with shedding things but what does it really mean? The ascetics tried giving up everything but Buddha saw that giving…
Lost your job? Going through a breakup? Moving to a new place where you don’t know anyone?Change can be pretty traumatic if you let it get to you! However, there are a lot of reasons to embrace change. Good or bad, pretty or ugly, change has the ability to enhance your life for the better…
Living like a solitary hermit can be unhealthy if you’re doing it for the wrong reasons —but newly-published research shows that not all forms of societal withdrawal are equal. In fact, the findings published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences by a University of Buffalo psychologist suggest that one form of social withdrawal, referred to as unsociability,…
“God, what a beautiful beach. Calm. Nice translucent turquoise water. I should really go back to Thailand. I wonder what time it is in Thailand. But… why is there a mangy German Shepherd on my beach? Orange collar. That makes no sense. Kind of looks like John’s dog. Actually, I owe John a call. Did…
It is now a known fact the changing your mind can change your brain. Neuroscience has made amazing progress in this area by using powerful equipment such as the Functional MRI. Studies of meditators confirm this same conclusion. Over the December holidays, my husband went on a 10-day silent meditation retreat. Not my idea of fun, but…