Do you control your breath or does it control you? The answer is: both. Breath is a unique biological function in that it occurs involuntarily, but can be manipulated through conscious effort. As part of my decade-long pursuit of greater peace of mind, I have engaged in mindfulness meditation exercises focusing on the breath. This … Continue reading The Secret to Peace of Mind: The Breath
Tag: mindfulness
Being Present: Activating Your Right Brain
I recently had a conversation with a relative of mine about why some people try to finish other people's sentences when being told a story, while other people sit and listen and simply take in the story. This morning I had the following insight: A few years back I bought the book Drawing on the … Continue reading Being Present: Activating Your Right Brain
What is a Yogini?
For years I, like most others I know, have associated yoga with doing impressive yoga poses. But every time I strive for this goal, I get hurt. This is because, as a fellow health professional and I were recently discussing, yoga in the Western world focuses on the physical aspects of yoga while leaving out … Continue reading What is a Yogini?
Positive Affirmations—Where Were They When I Was Growing Up?
I am currently entering round 17 of embarking on greater self-compassion. I've studied it, practiced it, but for some other reason or another—boredom with the practice, lacking time to commit, or caring for my toddler daughter—I have not sustained it long term. The greatest break was when I incurred a back injury in 2011, and … Continue reading Positive Affirmations—Where Were They When I Was Growing Up?
Tearing a Paper, Tearing a Heart
I agonized for hours over tearing open that package of wipes. The Jewish holiday of Sukkot started Sunday night, and until Tuesday night, those who observe the holiday more stringently are careful not to tear. (Along with some other practices they refrain from: going to work, driving a car, using electricity—the list goes on...) Then … Continue reading Tearing a Paper, Tearing a Heart
Patience IS a Virtue: Professional Development and Personal Growth
I recently started working on a new nutrition website and Instagram page with my friend who has training in coding and digital marketing. She wants to plan Instagram posts ahead of time; organize photos based on themes, etc—something I have always wanted to do, just didn't have the time or resources available. I also didn't … Continue reading Patience IS a Virtue: Professional Development and Personal Growth
Less Self-Conscious About Being Self-Conscious
When I took my Pilates certification course, I was 20 years old. I was the second youngest of the 30 women there, but that had little to do with my anxiety when I got assessed. I was always a self-conscious person. Constantly second-guessing myself, an incessant voice in my head telling me what I was … Continue reading Less Self-Conscious About Being Self-Conscious
Self-Acceptance: Seeing Yourself in a Realistic Light
Continuing thoughts from last Friday's post, another reason why I'm not great with constructive criticism is that I always feel like I am getting graded. I was always concerned about my grades in school. I wasn't the best in all the subjects, but I had straight As in math/science/Jewish classes which upped my GPA from … Continue reading Self-Acceptance: Seeing Yourself in a Realistic Light
Creative Writing Is My Jam
One of the things I like about working in a preschool is being able to use my communication and writings skills. In particular, I enjoy writing a weekly synopsis for the parents of what we did each week. Today, it was suggested that I look over another teacher's weekly summary. I took this very personally. … Continue reading Creative Writing Is My Jam
Stress Management Tips
Stress needs to be managed moment to moment, as well as daily, so it doesn't build up to the point of lashing out. Practicing healthy coping mechanisms for stress throughout the day (e.g. breathing, light stretching, positive affirmations) helps diffuse the stress so it doesn't build up. Doing a mindfulness practice for a few minutes … Continue reading Stress Management Tips
