Tip of the Day

5 Minute Coffee Break

Stop whatever you are doing, and get up to make some coffee or get yourself a drink. Keep focused on your task and don’t think about anything else. Sit down close your eyes and take a deep breath inhaling the aroma. Now take a sip, taste it enjoy it a keep your focus on it. If you start to think of something else let the thought go and return to your coffee. Avoid any distractions if possible, co workers, and telephone, whatever. Do this until you finish your coffee. When you have finished take just another minute and notice how you are feeling. Enjoy all your breaks this way!

Healthy body Healthy Mind

We are all connected, body and mind. Keeping ourselves happy, healthy, and well, requires us to take care of both. We need to keep our bodies in shape, fed properly, and find time to rest and relax. Our minds need the exact same things. The good news is what we do for one can positively affect the other.

EXAMPLE; you are overworked, mentally stressed from your job, that mental stress can cause physical illness. Even though there is nothing outside, physically affecting your health, your overworked mind is causing stress to take its toll on your body. The good news is regular physical exercise cam calm your overworked mind reduces stress and keeps you well.

Now we flip it around. You are physically exhausted, you have been running all day heavy lifting, you name it your body is ready for rest but your mind is racing. If you want sleep for your tired body you will have to relax your mind. Meditation, relaxation exercises, visualization, or guided imagery can help calm your mind and allow the body to relax.

We need a healthy balance in our lives to keep us well. Regular practices to relax and energize our bodies and minds can help you to create that balance. Find physical activities and exercises that allow you to let go of everything else while engaging in them. Keeping you mind on what you are physically doing keeps you connected in the present moment, allowing all the stress and strain to dissolve away for the time being. Making time to be quiet and still, turning your focus inward creates time, space and calm feelings.

Whatever you decide to do, pay attention stay focused and get the full experience, make the most of your time by tuning in, to all you do. 

Tip of the Day

Relax your body and calm your mind with this simple mantra meditation.

1.       Find a quiet place to sit comfortably with good back support.

2.        Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, and let you body relax.

3.       Our mantra for this exercise will be the word, RELAX. You can choose any word or phrase that has meaning for you.

4.       Breaths through your nose if you are able, and repeat the word relax quietly, to yourself.( Don’t worry if you get distracted and your mind starts to wander, when this happens simply refocus and begin repeating relax to yourself again)

5.       Keep going for 5 minutes or more if you can, slowly start to move your hands and feet then slowly open your eyes. Take a few deep breaths then go about your day feeling relaxed and refreshed, repeat daily.

Tip of the Day

Tip of the Day

 

Relaxation Exercise

 

It’s the end of the year, holiday time, Time to run around and get it all done. Run from here to there from one thing to the next. We tend to push ourselves and get all wound up, so what happens when you need rest, it can be difficult to wind down. Here is a relaxation exercise to calm your body and mind and maybe even help you drift off to sleep.

Start by finding a comfortable position either sitting or laying down, it’s up to you. Take 2 or three deep breaths and turn your attention to your body, look for areas that seem tight or tense, don’t do anything just take notice.Now focus on your toes. How do they feel, are the muscles tight or tense, or are they soft and relaxed? If the muscles are tense think about relaxing them hold your focus and let the tension go. It may take some time for this to work for you so if it’s not working move on and then come back to it. The more you practice the easier it will become to let go. Once you are finished with our toes move on to the feet, focus your attention and let your muscles relax. If your mind starts to wander don’t be concerned jus gently bring it back to your feet. Next is the ankles, then the calves, knees and thighs. Slowly work your way up the bodies to the shoulders from there go down the arm to your fingertips. Start working your way back up the arms to the neck the head and the face , hit every area you can think of including such areas as ,the eyebrows, cheeks, jaw ,throat, and eyes. Once you have finished do a scan over your whole body look for any muscles the may still feel tight and go back to them one by one. Start from where you left off and work your way back down the body to the feet. The more you do it the easier it gets and the muscles tend to let go a bit faster. Don’t expect anything, each time you practice may bring a different experience, enjoy it.

·      There is a good possibility that will drift off or fall asleep while doing this exercise, so doing it before bed may be a god idea for you.

 

However you choose to do it, give yourself enough time to relax and remain that way for as long as possible.

Enjoy and be well.