I am practicing something I’d like to share with you. It’s been so effective for me!
Eckhart Tolle advises that you do this in order to stop letting things and people bother you.
When faced with a comment, a gesture, or an event that upsets you, imagine yourself transparent and imagine this offending element going through you. It just goes through you. You don’t resist it, you don’t react, just let it go through you.
Let me know if this works for you.
Let’s say your life is a small house made of brick. Each day is one brick. Is any day really more important than another? How would you feel if you realized, at the end of construction, that most of those bricks were spent worry, hurrying, or wishing for the one Vacation Day brick…or the Promotion Day brick? Pretty silly, eh?
Conversely, what kind of house – life – would you have if each day (brick) was spent in full presence? What if you placed each brick carefully, lovingly and enjoyed the process?
Each brick is important, but the most important one is the one you’re laying down right now.
You can do it if you believe you can.
Do you believe you can? Yes. Great!
Go for it!
What could possibly happen?
Endorphins are your body’s natural painkillers. These chemicals reduce pain and diminish the effects of stress. Good news, one of the things you can do to increase endorphin activity is to eat chocolate!
Dopamine is one of your body’s most important neurotransmitters. According to Livestrong.com, “Dopamine has the enormous job of regulating mood, behavior, sleep and cognition. It also is associated with motivation and reward.”
Caffeine can actually increase dopamine levels. This explains why I feel better after a cup of coffee! However, too much caffeine can disrupt the levels of serotonin (another chemical in your body) which will affect your mood.
Good things in moderation is the key.
Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.
John Muir
I live in a sprawling suburb outside of Phoenix. We need to get in the car in order to go shopping. I wish I could walk to a farmer’s market, but suburbs weren’t made for walking.
Once in awhile, my family goes out to the protected county park adjacent to our neighborhood. We hike the trails and talk and laugh. The outing is relaxing and refreshing both physically and mentally.
My favorite places to be out:
Where do you go?
Sometimes, the best teachers are not our favorites.
The best teachers in my life have been bad bosses, miserable jobs, serious illnesses and cruel “friends.”
Where there’s pain, there’s a lesson.
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
Leonard da Vinci
Do not confuse simplicity with ease.
Achieving extraordinary things is simple, but not easy.
It takes a lot of work and a lot of time. That’s why it’s newsworthy when someone does it.
The page waits.
The coyotes get much louder and yip-yip-yip over each other. They’ve made a kill, probably a rabbit.
When I was a young adult, I used to love New Year’s Eve. One of my favorite things to do was to sit on the couch with a pen and my journal and write down my resolutions for the year. It was exciting! A clean slate! A fresh start! I got really excited about the possibilities.
I’d usually actualize half of my resolutions.
In time, I learned that achieving life-changing dreams did not simply hinge on writing them down – although that is an important step. I realized the secret to success: My desires had to be matched by my commitment.
The most important day for your resolutions is not December 31st or January 1st. It’s Jan. 2, 3, 4, 5, and all the days after.
Dream Big. Write It Down. And then work your tail off.
Opal was a rescue from a shelter.
People say, “Wow, she’s lucky you found her.” She’s a pitbull mix and there are many where she came from. Her breed is supposedly unpredictable. Mean. Violent. She’s lucky to have found a home!
But really, we are the lucky ones.
She makes her rounds all night, checking on each daughter and then on us.
She rarely barks, saving her growls for trespassers outside our door. She’s so protective!
Petting her releases endorphins and dopamine, chemicals that keep anxiety at bay.
She looks at us with those beautiful eyes and persuades us to go for a walk, even if it’s cold outside.
Her mere presence cheers us up after a rough day at work or school.
She reminds us to revel in the present moment, to breathe in the fresh air, and to spot rabbits in the bushes.
What makes her happy? Food. A warm bed. Loved ones nearby. She teaches us that it doesn’t take much to be blissful.
