Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.
When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions,
the gates of the soul open.

-- B.K.S. Iyengar

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If you are patient in one moment of anger,
you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
-- Chinese Epigram

Staying Positive!

The short daylight hours during Winter have been known to affect peoples sense of physical well-being, and scientific studies are indicating that more and more people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Although, Depression and SAD can be considered as more of a mental disorder there is now scientific evidence that the root cause is physical in nature. As the daylight hours shorten, people start to feel down and may even feel close to suicidal. SAD has now been scientifically acknowledged and is known to affect close to ten million people per year. The theory is that SAD occurs because the shortening of daylight affects a person’s personal rhythm - this rhythm between waking and sleeping is particularly disrupted when the body is forced to wake up when it’s still dark in the early morning. The lack of light is said to be the main cause of SAD. Light activates the body’s pineal gland to stop secreting a hormone called melatonin which helps the body sleep. If there is insufficient natural light the gland continues to secrete melatonin, keeping the body feeling tired. The rigidity of modern working society dictates that we wake with an alarm clock, rather than following the natural rhythm of Winter by sleeping late in the morning. The affects of SAD or Winter depression can be eased and even alleviated by making some adjustments to your lifestyle and some changes to your Winter eating habits and diet. [ Read More ]

So, if you much prefer Spring and the warm Summer months, it’s especially important to stay positive during the time of Winter. One of the most beneficial and easiest ways to maintain a positive state of mind is affirming consistently with positive affirmations. There are many ways you can use positive affirmations, and finding a way that works for you is important.

I had a friend who wore a rubber band around her wrist. Each time she caught herself thinking a negative thought or thinking negatively about herself, she would pull the rubber band and snap it against her wrist as a reminder to stay positive - it worked well for her!

For me, that seems like trying to evoke a positive thought or state of mind through enduring pain - and basically defects the purpose! Her rubber band did however create a situation for her at work, where her colleagues and bosses asked her what she was doing? When she explained that she felt her work environment was affecting her negatively, and she had devised that wearing the rubber band was a way to constantly remind herself to stay positive, some of her work colleagues joined in the ‘rubber band’ practice. Her bosses invited her to form and facilitate a committee to focus on ‘Why’ their work environment was degenerating, and ways to change, uplift and reward employees for their efforts. After a couple of months her work environment had so changed for the positive she no longer felt the need to continue wearing the rubber band.

During the course of sharing her experience with me, she asked me if I knew of a less painful way to use as a reminder. Fortunately at the time we came up with a long list of ideas and had some fun during the experience. Here are a few that you can use in your home or work environment.

• Each time you think a negative thought, tap the centre of your forehead with your index finger three times, and repeat a positive affirmation like ‘I am the purest love”, three times. (It’s much more effective than using a rubber band and certainly less painful ;o).
   
• Photographs or pictures hung on the wall with inspiring quotes or positive affirmations - each time you walk past the picture, stop and read the quote or affirmation out aloud.
   
• Affirmation Cards - you can buy them or make your own. Simply choose one card to use a day or for an entire week. Keep the card on your desk, by the phone, on your PC monitor, or where you will see it often. Each time your eyes glance over the Affirmation Card, repeat the Affirmation at least three times.
   
• Play music that uplifts your mood and encourages you. The constant background playing of ‘Talk Radio’ especially if the subjects are more negative than positive, can have an influence on your mood without you being aware of it, and 30 minute updates of negative news can also cause a depressive state - if you have a radio station playing in the background constantly, try playing only music that pleases you for two weeks, and monitor how different you feel, you might just be amazed at the difference.
  
  Play CDs with positive affirmations or even motivational talks every now and again - there is a huge variety of motivational and subliminal audio programs available on the market today. You can have them play in the background while your work or sleep, or there are guided visualisation and headphones programs available.
   
• Take a break! If you have a strong work ethic, you may find it difficult to take a break. However, taking regular and frequent break periods during work, allows you to work more effectively and productively.
  
  Rest periods, a day off and holidays, allow us to break the routine that can dull our senses. Too long periods of long hour days can cause work to become boring and mundane, and stagnate our creative energy and ability to enjoy ourselves. Relaxation and Rest between work periods allow us to shift our thinking from habitual stuck patterns, and create the space we need to revitalise ourselves and start the creative flow.
  
  Time off also allows us to reflect so we can look at our lives and work from a different perspective. If we are feeling negative or depressed, there is usually a valid reason, reflecting on what we are doing, and how we are doing things, often will help us to see why we feel the way we do, giving us the opportunity to make changes and effect more positive benefits.
  
  "I still need more healthy rest in order to work at my best. My health is the main capital I have and I want to administer it intelligently." -- Ernest Hemingway
   
• Get more sleep!
   
• Clear the Clutter from your Life! [ Read More ]

Being able to stay positive also requires finding the balance between ‘Doing and Being’.

When we work for hours at a time without a break or enough rest and relaxation we shift the balance of our health. All work with little relaxation and no fun and enjoyment, ensures that we lose our balanced perspective of All things. Our Body’s and our Mind’s need sufficient rest for recuperation and rejuvenation, especially to ease the level of stress we encounter.

When we work for too long a period without a day off, week-end reprieve or holiday, our stress levels can create toxins in our Body’s and endanger our health. We can easily become negative in our thoughts and naturally lose our ability to stay positive. We also lose our ability to listen to our inner wisdom.

"The body has its own way of knowing, a knowing that has little to do with logic, and much to do with truth, little to do with control, and much to do with acceptance, little to do with division and analysis, and much to do with union." -- Marilyn Sewell

Our Body’s have a natural wisdom. Which we can readily access at anytime, as long as we are in good health and find our natural balance between ‘Doing and Being’ - both being equally important. Our Body actually knows us better than our Mind does, and if you have a decision to make you can ‘test’ the theory.

One of the major causes of negative thought and conflict is struggling to make a decision and being unable to choose what we want to do, or which of the choices available to us is the right one for us in those circumstances.

So if you have a decision to make, reflect on your options and pay attention to your Body. Are you tense or relaxed? Are you breathing naturally, normally or deeply.... or barely at all. Is your energy flowing, or do you feel heavy and stagnant?

Your Body knows when it is comfortable and relaxed, and what it likes. If you hate public speaking and you have to make a presentation - what reaction do you experience? Tense muscles, sweating, shallow breathing, racing pulse, clenched fists? Or if you love public speaking and enjoy making presentations.... is the opposite equally true? Relaxed muscles, even breathing, enthusiastic tone of voice with modulated speech patterns.

Your Body is the source of your energy and vitality, your motivation and productivity. Your Body knows what it likes and when it is happy. Your Body holds the core of your inspiration and creativity and is the source to your intuition.

Finding the balance between ‘Doing and Being’ in your life is essential, and listening to your Body’s wisdom is essential to staying positive!

Wishing you health in Body, peace in Mind, happiness in Heart and miracles in your Life!
Love and Laughter to You and Yours!
Mands

[ EMAIL ]

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside,
somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.
Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.”

-- Anne Frank

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Failure Is Only Feedback....
by Jerry Clark

To start we need to review The 5 Step Success Formula that Never Fails... In a nutshell, here are the five steps...

1. Know the Results You Seek: There is much Power in Clarity.
     
2. Get Busy: This means Take Action. 
    
3. Have Awareness: This means being aware of what is working and what is not working.
    
4. Be Flexible: This means that you want to stay focused on the results you desire; however, be willing to change your approach if necessary. 
    
5. Keep Charging: This means Go, Go, Go!!!

The reason I bring this up now – is because I've noticed how some people take the time to know their outcome and they may even start to take some action and then they miss the boat during the third phase... Having awareness of what is working and what is not working...

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