Pay It Forward

I was doing a little Christmas shopping today and stopped at the Yankee Candle store. I have searched everywhere for pillar candles, the kind that stand on their own and are not in glass jars. I thought for sure that I could find them there. But, they don't carry them. Apparently people have sued Yankee Candle when they bought those candles, had a house fire! So, their candles are safely in jars.

However, my experience there was a wonderful one. The Christmas candles I love (the ones in jars) were on sale! I love a good sale for something that I want. The man who was checking out ahead of me had a case of candles, gifts and bags and decided to buy my 2 candles as well! I protested, as he didn't even know me. He still insisted. I told him I would make sure to pay it forward and do something nice for a stranger as he just did. 

This gesture warmed my heart today. The news these days is mostly about wrongdoing, crisis, war, etc. It's easy to forget that the majority of people are kind, considerate and generous.

If you have the chance, do something for someone else and enjoy the feeling it gives you.

Wonderment

 

wonderment /wŭn′dər-mənt/

noun

     1. Astonishment, awe, or puzzlement.

     2. Something that produces wonder; a marvel.

     3. Surprise; astonishment. 

I love watching our grandson - age 7 now - awestruck by almost anything. He's the definition of wonderment. A few months ago he wanted to be a helicopter pilot and had so many questions about getting his license and what it would be like to fly the copter. This week he wants to be a coder for video games. He's just as excited by that prospect as he was flying. His favorite gift at Christmas 2 years ago was electrical tape. Yes, you read that right. The tape meant that he and Grampy would be inventing airplanes and rocket ships in the basement! 

 

As Socrates said: "Wonder is the beginning of wisdom." Would you like a little more of that?

 

One Thing at a Time

Do one thing at a time. Phew! That's a hard one for me. I juggle many things at once and guess what ... I can never find where I left my phone because I wasn't paying attention. Then, I use up so much time trying to find what I lost. Crazy, huh?

The flower essence from Australia that is my constitutional remedy is Black-eyed Susan. You may have many of those flowers growing and blooming in the Fall. 

This flower essence is for those who are impatient, fast-moving, quick-thinking, constantly striving, always "on the go" and may also suffer from indigestion, headaches, muscle tension and adrenal stress. Black-eyed Susan is the remedy for stress.

Taking 7 drops, twice a day for 2 weeks of the remedy may allow you to turn inward and be still, slow down and find a sense of inner peace.

Ian White, creator of the Australian Bush Flower Essences - ABFE, offers two affirmations for Black-Eyed Susan:

"I am now able to achieve all that is necessary in a calm and peaceful manner."

"I am divinely guided to my Inner Self and I discover my own rhythm."

Visit the ABFE website - www.ausflowers.com.au 

I have studied with Ian on many occasions and have the Australian Bush flower essences which I have used for 30+ years. Reach out if you have any questions or wish to purchase an essence: optionstohealth@comcast.net  

 

52 Weeks to a Healthy, Happy, Calmer You!

January 2022 I wrote an eBook entitled, 52 Weeks to a Healthy, Happy, Calmer You. I wanted to encourage a reset of perception of the future.

Since change is not always easy, especially with unrealistic goals, my suggestion was to choose a new goal, change, self-care ritual, a habit to break, etc. each week. At the end of the week an assessment could determine if a new pattern was ready to be added. By building expectation and confidence slowly, the chance of success is realistic.

Here are suggestions for week 1 and week 2 of 2024. And, you don't have to wait until then!

WEEK 1

Take a 10 minute break, 3 times a day and just BREATHE. Notice your muscles relaxing, your brain clearing and your productivity increasing.

WEEK 2

Start a journal for the year: an aha journal for all of those unexpected moments, a food journal, a daily thoughts journal, a joy journal or anything that works for you.

 

Feel/Want/Willing Exercise

The Feel/Want/Willing exercise is a great tool for goal-setting, focusing and
clarifying your intention. Once you have taken the time to work with this exercise, it will become easier to think through the process whenever you feel stuck.

Give yourself about 15 minutes to do the following:

What’s pressuring me most right now?

• Take 3 minutes to write down everything that comes to mind, whether “reasonable” or not.
• Take 1 minute to review your list. You may want to edit, add or change, but
don’t delete anything.
• Take 1 minute more to pick your top 3 stressors. List them according to your priority.

Ask: (starting with your top priority stressor)

 • How do I FEEL when thinking about this?

• What do I WANT?

• What am I WILLING to do to have what I want (not what you want others to do)

 

Willingness accepts the premise that “I Can.” It puts you in a position of power. You are more willing to be MORE, do MORE (or do differently) in order to have MORE for yourself.

Beware the Tag Police

 "Under penalty of law this tag not to be removed except by the consumer."

Have you ever dared to remove the tag on a pillow or any product that you bought? I know you are chuckling to yourself thinking about it. On some level you believe that the tag has to stay on the pillow or product forever! What would happen if you actually went against the instruction, despite being the consumer?

How many times have you wanted to do or say something but felt that it went against what you were brought up to believe? Or, if you break tradition there would be repercussions.

Are you following the path that is best for you or are you doing what is expected? Is your movement forward going smoothly or is the road a little bumpy?

The following 10 questions are good ones to ask yourself and they may allow you to feel more empowered. Some are touch but necessary to ask. There is no "tag police" that will be monitoring your answers! Use these questions to step into your power and write the next chapter of your life.

1. Will there be any negative repercussions from following this advice, guidance, information?
2. Is this something that I should participate in?
3. Am I asking myself the right question? Do I need to ask anything else?
4. Am I making the best choice for my life purpose and direction?
5. Is this reasonable and in alignment with my morals and values?
6. Is there an easier way of doing this?
7. Do I need a second opinion or advice?
8. Is this something that I could let go of?
9. Is this best for me to be involved with?
10.  Am I staying true to myself?
    

Reduce Anxiety with 5-4-3-2-1

Everyone experiences anxiety differently. My clients report many distinct
symptoms that may be exclusive to them. Most would agree that the struggle is overwhelming, scary, uncomfortable, daunting or frustrating. 

During the two years of covid, clients and friends called me for guidance and self-help tools for the debilitating effects of feeling anxious.

This exercise is one opportunity that may reduce the feeling of anxiety as well as experiences of anger, pain, stress, writer's block, ADD and more.

 

Reducing Anxiety with 5-4-3-2-1:

 

Look for FIVE (5) things that you can SEE  

What are FOUR (4) things you can TOUCH that are near you

 

What are THREE (3) things you can HEAR

 

What are TWO (2) scents that you can SMELL

 

What is ONE (1) flavor you can TASTE 

 

 

Have You Laughed Today?

 

For 7 years I traveled 3 hours each way to Cape Cod to see my elderly parents who were in a nursing home. To make the trip more pleasant, I decided to buy a subscription to Sirius satellite radio. I have quite an eclectic list of programs from Motown music, Broadway, talk radio, Howard Stern and I find that one of  my favorite stations was Laugh USA, which highlights the great comedians (like Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, George Carlin) I also listened to the Joel Osteen show, which features positive messages! Both are full of laughs and inspirational stories.

In one show Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church, spoke about the power of laughter and the healing power that laughing brought to one of his friends who suffered from fibromyalgia. It reminded me of the wonderful workshops that I took in the 1980s with Dr. Bernie Siegal, author of the book, A Book of Miracles - Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude and Love. He, too, spoke of patients who turned their cancer death sentences around by changing their perspective, looking for joy each day and living life to its fullest.

I'm not suggesting that laughter "cures" and I'm not denying it either. In 1978, Norman Cousins, who has been considered the modern father of laughter therapy, wrote Anatomy of an Illness as Described by the Patient. He recounts his experience of watching comedy movies to recover from prolonged pain from a serious illness.

We can't overlook the 1998 movie Patch Adams about Dr. Hunter Campbell who decided at age 18, after three hospitalizations and a challenging life to never have a bad day. I can't do justice to his incredible spirit and life mission. Learn more by going to http://www.patchadams.org

So why do we need laughter? According to some studies, laughter may help physically to:

• Boost the immune and circulatory system
• Improve Blood Pressure readings
• Ease digestion
• Relax the physical body
• Increase endorphins (the body's natural painkillers)
• Improve memory  

Laughter is also the best medicine for:

• Reducing stress
• Improving sleep
• Attitude adjusting
• Enhancing quality of life

"From there to here and here to there, funny things are everywhere."

Dr. Seuss

How do you bring laughter into your life when it seems like nothing is funny?

• 
  Watch funny movies or TV shows
• Spend time with a friend or family member who always make you laugh
• Get a pet
• Watch Too Cute on Animal Planet or find laughable videos on You Tube
• Look for humor everywhere you go
  
• Initiate a laugh by making someone else laugh
• Have a pillow fight with a child - they will love you for it
• Do something that made you laugh when you were young
• Find a Laughter Yoga class
• Most of all... give yourself permission to laugh, no matter what!

"Humor is mankind's greatest blessing."

Mark Twain