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Mindfulness
It is snowing in my neighborhood! As I watched the snow fall this morning while eating breakfast, I shifted from a frenetic mind to a peaceful mind. And I thought 'ahhh now is the time to write about mindfulness'. Mindfulness was awakened when I became mesmerized by falling snow, as plans were canceled, and while noticing the cheerfulness and quietude that accompanies snow. Compassion
A recent trend in therapeutic interventions is the use of compassion to improve mental health. It's warranted, don't get me wrong, it's just the big buzz word, which usually means people think they "should" do it but don't always know how. Kristen Neff's research shed a lot of light on the importance of having compassion for yourself. And neuroscientists have shown that when we have compassion, shame is reduced and we are more likely to make changes. So it's a very Resilient
Our nervous system is one of the most powerful resources available to us to improve our well-being. On the other hand, the nervous system can trap us in difficult mindsets, and be one of our biggest barriers to wellness. Rick Hanson, Ph.D. believes that we can access “durable inner strengths” that are “hardwired into our nervous system”. His book Resilient walks us through how Playfulness
I was raised celebrating Christmas and I still do celebrate. However, as an adult the holiday has felt significantly different. As I consider what is different for me, I think about the joy felt as a young child when every holiday activity was charged with anticipation and bliss. Over the years, my family |