Mindfulness of Sound
/Feeling disconnected or not in-tune? Sometimes our five senses are the best grounding techniques!
Try this out:
Enjoy!
A couple natural quotes :)
/Charles Darwin wrote: "All sentient beings developed through natural selection in such a way that pleasant sensations serves as their guide, and especially the pleasure from sociability and from loving our families".
A Native American elder stated: "In my heart, there are two wolves: a wolf of love and a wolf of hate. It all depends on which one I feed each day".
These quotes demonstrate the complex biological nature we all derive from, and the sometimes simplistic psychological nature we all possess. What nature will your attempt to nurture today?
Buddha has some insight...
/This is an intriguing Buddha quote, "Easy to do are things that are bad and harmful to oneself. But exceedingly difficult to do are things that are good and beneficial".
With our psychotherapy, we talk about how creating change can be difficult AND we try to emphasize that working hard at something can be what brings about the change desired.
So, taking some insight from Buddha, what can you do today that may feel challenging AND might be a step toward feeling better?
How about a little acceptance in your life?
/It is no understatement to say that we believe in the power of acceptance in our therapy at A Purposeful Path... AND we know acceptance is not just a psychological, therapeutic, self-growth topic.
Do you believe in the ability to create your own inner reality? Henry James discussed this being helpful in determining if we view the universe as friendly or hostile... James stated, "Be willing to have it so," he urged, because "Acceptance of what has happened is the first step in overcoming the consequences of any misfortune."
What can you work to accept in your life today?
If your'e struggling with this topic, feel free to let us know in your next session!
Summertime Fun
/Summer is in full swing now... school is out (for most people), vacations are booked, and bbqs and get-to-gether's are planned. So, what else is there? While summer is known as the time to have fun, it is also sometimes noted as the time for growth and contentment. If you find yourself struggling to have fun, focusing on growth and contentment might help! Visit some of the following websites to gain some inspiration for what things you could do to promote your growth and contentment:
http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/entertainment/summer-activities-00100000082747/index.html
http://ruthtamari.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/summertime-is-the-perfect-time-for-personal-growth/
Happy summer to you all!
Stress: A different approach
/A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience with a raised glass of water. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'... She fooled them all .... "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.
She replied , "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden -holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up tomorrow.
What have you done to try to lighten your stress load lately? Some good lessons on stress include: * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on. * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue! * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
Women in the Workforce
/We are all about gender equality, and especially enjoy working with individuals, couples and families trying to advance in their career. Therefore, we were interested in an article that revealed a recent study reporting: in four out of 10 households with children, women are the "breadwinners" ... see http://kdvr.com/2013/05/29/study-moms-are-breadwinners-in-record-4-out-of-10-households/
The interesting point that was made was whether or not this is a good thing... what do you think?
Memorial Day 2013
/Memorial Day is a national holiday to honor the lost lives of women and men who served in the Armed Forces. One does not have to have lost a loved one to feel connected to this holiday. Memorial Day can be a wonderful time to celebrate, reflect, and restore.
- Celebrate: The lives and memories of lost loved ones
- Reflect: On the lessons learned, knowledge gained, and the benefit of having had time with these lost loved ones
- Restore: Oneself, and/or any relationships in life that may need some additional attention
What ever plans you have for this holiday weekend, we hope you can take a moment to be memorable of whatever/whomever needs that special attention in your life.
Happy Memorial Day!
Love sometimes isn't always enough...
/Even though it is widely known that meaningful relationships take work, that work can be overwhelming at times. Have you ever had one of those days where it feels like your significant other is causing you more emotional discomfort than good? If so, this article may help!!
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200903/youre-driving-me-crazy
Hopefully this article can be a quick refresher course on what to do when you're having one of those days!
Lovingkindness Meditation
/Lovingkindness is something we ALL could strive to achieve... but what exactly is it?
"Loving-kindness is a meditation practice, which brings about positive attitudinal changes as it systematically develops the quality of 'loving-acceptance'. It acts, as it were, as a form of self-psychotherapy, a way of healing the troubled mind to free it from its pain and confusion. Of all Buddhist meditations, loving-kindness has the immediate benefit of sweetening and changing old habituated negative patterns of mind" (http://www.buddhanet.net/metta_in.htm).
Try this guided meditation to see if you can move toward lovingkindness today... http://vimeo.com/59766897
Inner Beauty
/Have you ever wondered what YOU see in yourself versus what others see in YOU?
Check out this video to be reminded of your inner beauty... http://youtu.be/XpaOjMXyJGk
Pay attention to those around you, and try to be mindful of pointing out any positive features (personality, looks, optimism, smile, ect). You never know how much a kind phrase may really help another persons' self-image.
Try to have a Little Fun!
/We recently had our first Wilderness Therapy Session at A Purposeful Path, and rather than focusing on the mud, melting snow, wind, and sun... we decided to have a little fun! Check out our snow angles!!
How can you try to get out and have some fun?
When Terror Strikes...
/Our hearts go out to the city of Boston, amidst the aftermath of the bombing at the Patriot Day Boston Marathon. Our supportive thoughts go out to all of those affected by this tragedy, and we hope for speed in the investigation efforts for this event. We want to list some suggestions for opening discussions about this unfortunate event... all we can do is keep healthy discussions going to ensure that we as a country know how to respond when terror strikes.
How to talk to your kids: Let your kiddos know it's okay to ask about this type of event, and thank them for asking. Be honest; let your children know the objective facts about the event. Try to prevent over-thinking these types of events, and remind your children that they are safe.
How to talk to other adults: Be open to discussions regarding emotional reactions to this type of event. Acts of terror have happened over the decades, and it needs to be safe for adults to correspond about their personal connection to other tragic events. Try to use this type of event to build sense of community, and country-wide awareness as we seek to support one another in moving through these types of experiences.
Anywhere in the world, terror can strike at any point. Let's not use this as a reason to be overly fearful all the time. It's been great to hear about the overwhelming courage and support of the first responders in Boston (volunteers, police and firefighters, medical professionals, and helping bystanders). If we can choose to focus on this as a country, it feels pretty good to be American.
----- Hannah & Ginger
The Present Moment
/“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it” ― Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
What can you do to increase your awareness in the present moment?
The Power of Choice, Just for Today
/"Ultimately, happiness comes down to choosing between the discomfort of becoming aware of your mental afflictions and the discomfort of being ruled by them" -- Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.
There is no doubt that things in life can create discomfort in a variety of ways (mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, within relationships, at work, ect). It is common to ignore our individual ability to choose how to manage these discomforts. Just for today, try to pay attention to your discomforts, and attempt to manage them in a healthy way!
The Joys of Parenting
/No April Fools' Day joke here...For some people, deciding to have children is not difficult; yet, parenting can definitely be difficult, challenging and trying at times. We'd like to share some potentially helpful websites and blogs regarding parenting that may inspire each of you to be reminded of the excitement, joyfulness, and humor of parenting:
http://momastery.com/blog/
http://www.howtobeadad.com
Mindfulness of Breathing
/We all breathe, all the time... but have you ever attempted to use your breathe to assist in reaching a calmer state of mind? If you add mindfulness to your breathing, it may become a meditative practice! This practice works mainly through us withdrawing our attention from distracting thoughts and redirecting our attention to the physical sensations of the breath. By doing so, we are putting less energy into the emotional states of restlessness, anxiety, craving, ill will, etc that drive those thoughts. Over time the mind becomes calmer and our emotional states become more balanced and positive, and our experience becomes more positive.
Want to know more? Visit this website for additional information: http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness
TGIF = abundance in life
/Thank Goodness it's Friday! Spring is in the air, as winter comes to a close... Try to find some inspiration from the transitioning of the seasons. Look for inspiration for finding abundance in life! Ideas: think about planting a garden, visit the Zoo, try a new recipe, redecorate a room in your home, listen to some new or different music, visit a "tourist-y" spot in our area, go bird-watching, go to the mountains!
"The source of all abundance is not outside you. It is part of who you are….The acknowledgment of that abundance that is all around you awakens the dormant abundance within", Eckhart Tolle, 2009.
How Emotionally Intelligent are You?
/Emotional intelligence can mean so many things, yet for parenting, this refers to "emotional coaching". Dr. John Gottman has identified a five element method for emotional coaching within parenting...
1. Be aware of a child's emotions
2. Recognize emotional expression as an opportunity for intimacy and teaching
3. Listen empathetically and validate a child's feelings
4. Label emotions in words a child can understand
5. Help a child come up with an appropriate way to solve a problem or deal with an upsetting issue or situation
Utilize these elements to assist in developing your child's emotional intelligence. To learn more, visit: http://www.gottman.com/48995/Parenting--BBH.html
http://www.gottman.com/SubPage.aspx?spdt_id=2&sp_id=100750&spt_id=1
St. Patrick's Day isn't just for the Irish!
/One doesn't have to be Irish to take something from St. Patrick's Day... The Irish are known for many things; one of them being wisdom. Here are some quotes to help us all find a little luck and clarity this St. Patty's Day weekend.
"Continual cheerfulness is a sign of wisdom."
"You'll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind."
"A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures."
For more visit
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/17/irish-sayings-25-irish-qu_n_502515.html
Don't forget to wear green!!