I don’t know about you, but I need to slow down, my mind is a jumble with all I think I should be doing. When I was younger, I had a problem with being overwhelmed by newspapers and magazines. There was always so much in print to read. I am realizing now with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Blogs, word games, the news, and social media in general, I can get so easily trapped in so much input it begins to play…..
What Comforts You? This is a question that I like to ask because it elicits so many different responses and they all are relevant. I hear prayer a lot, and interestingly so, my pets. Think about it? It is important that we find comfort because comfort means a sense of well being, being relaxed, and feeling lessened mental and or physical pain. And often having a feeling of freedom from worry, stress, or disappointment. It would be wonderful if we…..
If we are confident about ourselves there is freedom from doubt, a certainty and self-assurance in not only our abilities, but who we are. This is where authenticity comes in. Being authentic is when we are honest about who we are and what is happening in our lives. We feel confident to share our hurts, reveal our feelings, disclose our doubts, admit our fears, and acknowledge our weaknesses. We do not need to wear a mask and behave as if…..
Thought is the process of our minds to consider something, or the product of that process which is an idea. We have thoughts and ideas all the time. They drive the way we go about our days and nights. The act of thinking about something can become obsessive, and actually come alive. And we may well suffer with it. So, can we change our thoughts? In The Book of Lane on page 16, I address this very subject. It takes…..
Emotional stress is pressure or tension when one is faced with a situation that is unpleasant or threatening. To suffer stress is to be worried or agitated. Stress has physical symptoms such as back pain; emotional stress such as forgetfulness; and, behavioral stress such as difficulty concentrating. It is a type of mental strain that over time can harm our physical and mental health and poor health can lead to more stress. I address stress in two chapters of my…..
Practicing mindfulness helps you: to be fully present, here and now (look for future blog on this) to experience unpleasant thoughts and feelings safely to become aware of what you are avoiding to become more connected to yourself, to others, and to the world around you to increase self-awareness (see blog of 11/24, 2016) to become less disturbed by and less reactive to unpleasant experiences to learn the distinction between you and your thoughts (see blog of 5/11/2017) to have…..
What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is increasingly recognized as an effective way to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, enhance emotional intelligence and effectively handle painful thoughts and feelings. Although mindfulness has only recently been embraced by Western psychology, it is an ancient practice found in Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Yoga. Mindfulness involves consciously bringing awareness to your here and now experiences with openness, interest, and receptiveness. Mindfulness is about connecting with ourselves, and appreciating the fullness of each moment…..
Ultimately if “Our Emotions Don’t Rule Us,” page 17 of The Book of Lane, and emotions are expressed feelings, what does rule us? That would have to be the mind, and the mind produces thoughts. So if we want to be in control (who is we and what do we control?) we have to start with our thoughts. At this point in writing this blog, I referred to a book my dad gave me dated 10/21/70. It is “As a…..
When I posted my excerpt on “Bloom Where You Are Planted” on Facebook, the word authenticity was brought up by one of the members of the group. It reminded me of the piece I did on “Being Authentic” on page five. Authentic people are genuine. The real thing. But in being real they are also vulnerable because they don’t wear masks or pretend they are something they are not. It takes courage to be uniquely you. Authenticity is like transparency…..
It doesn’t matter if we are living in the present, or thinking about the past or the future, there may come a time when we just want to move forward. Do you feel this way sometimes? That you just want to get out from under where you are? What does move forward mean? I think it means to let go of the thoughts we are thinking and/or the behavior we are exerting and change. In my book in the chapter…..