Nancy Mramor-Kajuth's Blog, page 3
July 28, 2020
The power of EMDR to heal pain and past trauma
Originally from at Dr. Nancy’s Podcast at LESS STRESSED LIFE with Christa Biegler
What if the pain of past traumas could be reprocessed so that they no longer have a traumatic effect on you every time you recall them? Sound like magic? Actually, it’s based in brain research on how we store our memories, both the painful traumatizing ones and the happy unforgettable ones! When you think of an old unhappy memory, it’s like taking a file out of a file drawer in the brain, then reading it and getting upset again before putting it right back where it was. But if you choose to think about it using the techniques of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, it can be but a minor memory that may not make you happy to reconsider, but certainly won’t retraumatize you. It may even change your thoughts about the memory to much healthier ones!
What is EMDR? The letters stand for Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing, a highly therapeutic treatment for trauma. After witnessing life-changing therapy sessions using EMDR for over 20 years, I was invited by Christa Biegler, author of the Less Stressed Life Podcast to talk about it! I couldn’t help but notice that the history of EMDR is reminiscent of the discoveries of Albert Einstein and Sir Issac Newton, which occurred through inspiration and observation.
Originally, a compassionate and talented therapist by the name of Dr. Francine Shapiro noticed that when people were powerfully processing difficult memories that their eyes would shift from left to right as they were recalling and successfully healing past trauma. Her astute observations led to further study and research on how the alternating eye movements created access to the whole brain. With such whole brain stimulation, memories were not simply being recalled, which can retraumatize, but were actually being healed. She developed the original process of EMDR using left to right tracking of the eyes. Later, it was found that using alternating tapping sounds in the ears, or hand tappers that alternately tapped left and right in the hands produced the same effect. The bilateral stimulation allowed for deep reprocessing with the goal of lifting the heavy emotional charge of past traumatic memories from the brain. After many research studies, some that I participated in at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Department of Integrative Medicine, the American Psychological Association approved the treatment, allowing for thousands of people to be unbound from past trauma that was previously running their lives. Why was this so important? For people like you, but especially useful for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, those with COVID trauma or racial incidents that left scars. Now is a very good time for EMDR.
If you had a single trauma, it may be treatable in a single session, often a session that is longer than the traditional one hour of therapy. For more long-term trauma, you can take an EMDR “Intensive” in which you work with a therapist daily until the trauma is resolved or can use EMDR in individual therapy until the trauma feels released. The protocol for treatment will get you there! Now, EMDR is even being used with tapping therapies, for additional impact. You can learn more at the podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/less-stressed-life-upleveling-life-health-happiness/id1259689715?mt=2
To find an EMDR therapist in your area, contact EMDRIA at www.emdria.org
March 30, 2020
19 WAYS TO BE WELL DURING COVID-19
If you feel isolated or thrown off your normal routine, remember that most of us have had major life changes during the health challenge. Finding ways to navigate uncharted territory and sudden change takes a supportive team and we can all work together to find old and new ways to support one another. You deserve it and your sense of well-being is more important now than ever. In addition to the good advice of social distancing and hand washing, here are some for you to try to help you have the best experience possible while taking care of yourself and others.
As you have more time to live consciously, slowing down to become more mindful, many more ideas may come to mind. Someone may tell you about other wellness resources or you may receive more newsletters like this one in your mailboxes. We are all inventing the wheel and you can be a part of it! Send me other creative ideas of ways you have resourcefully managed the changes in your life during the global health crisis and we can keep the support going! So let’s start with 19 ways to be well and safe. Be sure to read till the end; the last part of the newsletter has suggestions to help you use all the ways to wellness!
1 BE KIND. Maybe one thing we can all expand is our conscious dispensing of kindness, as it is one of the few acts of charity left for us to exercise while we can’t volunteer, care for family or provide service through productive work. Remember those who are especially isolated.
2 MAKE JUST ONE PERSON HAPPY TODAY. I initiated the One Email Campaign last year encouraging people to send one positive email or post a day to someone to appreciate something about them or something they did. Invite them to do the same for someone else. Start the Butterfly Effect. If you want to jump start this one, just tell someone you love them.
3 USE APPS TO REBOOT when you need a lift or as a part of a daily health regimen. You can use inspiring music which is highly therapeutic, deep relaxation apps which are conducive to reducing the physical and mental stress of change or relaxation audio exercises from someone you know and trust.
4 SMILE. When you smile the brain reacts in a positive way that helps to make “happy” chemicals. And if others see you smile, even from a social distance, it can make them happier, too. Maybe you can activate this one by just thinking of someone whose smile you enjoy, and you may smile in response.
5 GET SOME PHYSICAL NOURISHMENT. Hug those who are healthy in your immediate home environment, share massages, foot rubs, take a hot bath, stretch, sit with pets, or massage your hands, wear fuzzy slippers, watch nature shows.
6 STAY CONNECTED ONLINE. Have a plan to connect with those you care about on a regular basis through Facetime, Skype or another live platform. You may even forgo the hairstyling and relax into being yourself.
7 READ. Anything inspiring works such as books in a pile just waiting for you, articles that call to you or recommendations from friends. You could even join an online book group.
8 KNOW WHEN TO STOP SOCIAL MEDIA. The Information Systems Journal researched hundreds of Facebook users in the European Union and found two good strategies for disengaging. The first was to simply go to another activity and the second was to switch to more other activities within social media sites or checking feeds on other topics.
9 EXPAND YOUR FRIENDSHIPS through random acts of kindness. A Journal of Personality study of people around the world found that both men and women preferred kindness as an important trait, increasing the likelihood that others would want to choose to spend time with you, personally or virtually.
10 STAY POSITIVE. The National Academy of Sciences found that optimistic people live 15% longer. It also improves immune function, which is so important right now. And it creates a positive expectation, enhancing feelings of hope.
11 IF YOU ARE SEEKING A PARTNER, CONTINUE. Person-to-person meetings have been suspended but know that in time you are likely to find someone. Research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that by 2017 39% of couples met online, while 38% met through friends and others met socially.
12 LEARN. Learn something new, expand your knowledge of favorite topics, listen to podcasts on topics of interest to you. Nourish your mind. Stretch your brain.
13 MEDITATE. Feed your soul and deepen your connection to the Divine, however you desire based on your personal beliefs, and practices. Become quiet and focus on your breath until it naturally slows. Then see if you can slow and deepen it more.
14 REDUCE THE STRESS OF CHANGE. An exercise called Hookups is a mind-blowing way to interrupt a stress response to change or any other life stressor, especially with kids. See the list below for a link to a video explaining the technique.
15 CLEAN. Clean out drawers, closets, old attitudes and beliefs that no longer serve you. Even clean up the robo calls. Clean old or unhealthy food out of the pantry, people who are toxic, old habits and even your DVR.
16 EAT WELL. All of the reasons for not having time to cook in ways that nourish yourself may seem unimportant now. Try new things, experiment with ways to feel well.
17 GO OUTSIDE. The increase in Vitamin D will help you to avoid getting down in the dumps as times are changing, and connecting with nature has unlimited benefits.
18 JOURNAL. Especially if you are experiencing new moods and habits, write down how it is going during the day. Notice what made you feel or act that way. Brainstorm new ways to address the changing time.
19 CREATE A BEAUTIFUL WORK AND HOME ENVIRONMENT. If you are working from home, remember to make your space one where you want to spend time. Set up a desk near a window to let in light, move some beautiful or meaningful things into your work space, or just rearrange an existing space to make it more inviting. Make a beautiful place to watch movies or TV shows while you have time to indulge.
BONUS! WRITE YOUR OWN! What would work for you? What comes to your mind as you are reading, and your thoughts are moving to all of the many possibilities???
RESOURCE LIST
1 Be Kind. Become a volunteer crisis counselor online Go here.
For those in immediate you can text 741741 from your phone.
2 Make Just One Person Happy Today. Go here to learn more about One Email a Day to make someone’s day!
3 Use Apps to Reboot. I am giving my Meditation and Relaxation for Adults and Children audio link FREE during the Conavirus. Go here.
4 Smile. Famous Harvard study revealed that when you are happy, that people around you are happier too. Go here.
Gina Mazza, book muse, contributed a chapter to my book Top Ten Tips for Lasting Happiness on the topic!
5 Give Yourself Some Physical Nourishment. Here’s a good link to an explanation of how to do a foot reflexology treatment to relieve a number of physical issues.
6 Read. Go to Good Reads for recommendations and check out Spiritual Fitness for a guide to a spiritually healthy life.
7 Know When to Stop Social Media. See Get Reel: Produce Your Own Life for a comprehensive, entertaining and fun guide to sorting out how the media can be good for you unless it’s too much!
8 Expand Your Friendships. You can nourish existing friendships through emails, texts and posts. Find old pictures of you and your friends and post them, use facetime for a closer connection. Send a small gift that can fit in a mailbox, or just pick up the phone. Many options are available on the Apple phones as well as Samsung. Go here.
10 Stay Positive. Whether you are a positive person or not, a book many people resonate with is Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman.
11 IF YOU ARE SEEKING A PARTNER, CONTINUE. Here’s a site that recommends some online apps for young people and some for seniors. Go here.
12 Learn. Many universities offer courses from soup to nuts. Or indulge your interests. It’s never too late to explore your creativity. Go here.
13 Meditate. Many meditations online are high quality but be sure to check them out before using them. I would offer link to the visualization for healing as a special gift from me free of charge. You can also check out MBSR, or Mindfully Based Stress Reduction
14 Hook-ups takes just a few minutes and will revitalize you, relax your whole nervous system, and clear your mental slate. Here is a guide to Hook-ups and a few basic Brain Gym exercises.
15 Clean. The most popular recent book on the topic that is sweeping the world is by Marie Kondo. She offers the Japanese Art of Tidying Up in book or audio form. You can check it out on Amazon here.
16 Eat Well. One of the best resources for general overall eating well that is not dedicated to just one type of eating is the magazine Eating Well. They offer researched based articles and recipes that are high quality and support a healthy diet. Go here to subscribe or give as a gift at here.
17 Go Outside. Sunshine stabilizes blood sugar and blood pressure, enhances liver and kidney function, increases red blood cell production and breaks down toxins and waste that can lead to disease. Go here.
18 Journal. It’s generally a good idea but especially now if you are going through the stress of change. Sarah Ban Breathnach shares ways to make an abundance and gratitude journal, so important while we are counting our blessings. www.Sarahbanbreathbach.com
19 Create a Beautiful Work and Home Environment. As you work more from home or just spend time there, you need appealing surroundings. The art of Feng Shui will help you to arrange, rearrange, and generally make your environment as energetically happy, prosperous and productive as possible. Check out this basic tutorial on Feng Shui.
BONUS A good article for navigating the whole experience is available at Psych Central
Until next time,
Dr.Nancy
The post 19 WAYS TO BE WELL DURING COVID-19 appeared first on Real Conscious Living.
WAYS TO BE HAPPY IN 2021
We are all in this together.
If you feel isolated or thrown off your normal routine, remember that most of us have had major life changes during the health challenge. Finding ways to navigate uncharted territory and sudden change takes a supportive team and we can all work together to find old and new ways to support one another. You deserve it and your sense of well-being is more important now than ever. In addition to the good advice of social distancing and hand washing, here are some for you to try to help you have the best experience possible while taking care of yourself and others.
As you have more time to live consciously, slowing down to become more mindful, many more ideas may come to mind. Someone may tell you about other wellness resources or you may receive more newsletters like this one in your mailboxes. We are all inventing the wheel and you can be a part of it! Send me other creative ideas of ways you have resourcefully managed the changes in your life during the global health crisis and we can keep the support going! So let’s start with 19 ways to be well and safe. Be sure to read till the end; the last part of the newsletter has suggestions to help you use all the ways to wellness!
1 BE KIND. Maybe one thing we can all expand is our conscious dispensing of kindness, as it is one of the few acts of charity left for us to exercise while we can’t volunteer, care for family or provide service through productive work. Remember those who are especially isolated.
2 MAKE JUST ONE PERSON HAPPY TODAY. I initiated the One Email Campaign last year encouraging people to send one positive email or post a day to someone to appreciate something about them or something they did. Invite them to do the same for someone else. Start the Butterfly Effect. If you want to jump start this one, just tell someone you love them.
3 USE APPS TO REBOOT when you need a lift or as a part of a daily health regimen. You can use inspiring music which is highly therapeutic, deep relaxation apps which are conducive to reducing the physical and mental stress of change or relaxation audio exercises from someone you know and trust.
4 SMILE. When you smile the brain reacts in a positive way that helps to make “happy” chemicals. And if others see you smile, even from a social distance, it can make them happier, too. Maybe you can activate this one by just thinking of someone whose smile you enjoy, and you may smile in response.
5 GET SOME PHYSICAL NOURISHMENT. Hug those who are healthy in your immediate home environment, share massages, foot rubs, take a hot bath, stretch, sit with pets, or massage your hands, wear fuzzy slippers, watch nature shows.
6 STAY CONNECTED ONLINE. Have a plan to connect with those you care about on a regular basis through Facetime, Skype or another live platform. You may even forgo the hairstyling and relax into being yourself.
7 READ. Anything inspiring works such as books in a pile just waiting for you, articles that call to you or recommendations from friends. You could even join an online book group.
8 KNOW WHEN TO STOP SOCIAL MEDIA. The Information Systems Journal researched hundreds of Facebook users in the European Union and found two good strategies for disengaging. The first was to simply go to another activity and the second was to switch to more other activities within social media sites or checking feeds on other topics.
9 EXPAND YOUR FRIENDSHIPS through random acts of kindness. A Journal of Personality study of people around the world found that both men and women preferred kindness as an important trait, increasing the likelihood that others would want to choose to spend time with you, personally or virtually.
10 STAY POSITIVE. The National Academy of Sciences found that optimistic people live 15% longer. It also improves immune function, which is so important right now. And it creates a positive expectation, enhancing feelings of hope.
11 IF YOU ARE SEEKING A PARTNER, CONTINUE. Person-to-person meetings have been suspended but know that in time you are likely to find someone. Research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that by 2017 39% of couples met online, while 38% met through friends and others met socially.
12 LEARN. Learn something new, expand your knowledge of favorite topics, listen to podcasts on topics of interest to you. Nourish your mind. Stretch your brain.
13 MEDITATE. Feed your soul and deepen your connection to the Divine, however you desire based on your personal beliefs, and practices. Become quiet and focus on your breath until it naturally slows. Then see if you can slow and deepen it more.
14 REDUCE THE STRESS OF CHANGE. An exercise called Hookups is a mind-blowing way to interrupt a stress response to change or any other life stressor, especially with kids. See the list below for a link to a video explaining the technique.
15 CLEAN. Clean out drawers, closets, old attitudes and beliefs that no longer serve you. Even clean up the robo calls. Clean old or unhealthy food out of the pantry, people who are toxic, old habits and even your DVR.
16 EAT WELL. All of the reasons for not having time to cook in ways that nourish yourself may seem unimportant now. Try new things, experiment with ways to feel well.
17 GO OUTSIDE. The increase in Vitamin D will help you to avoid getting down in the dumps as times are changing, and connecting with nature has unlimited benefits.
18 JOURNAL. Especially if you are experiencing new moods and habits, write down how it is going during the day. Notice what made you feel or act that way. Brainstorm new ways to address the changing times.
19 CREATE A BEAUTIFUL WORK AND HOME ENVIRONMENT. If you are working from home, remember to make your space one where you want to spend time. Set up a desk near a window to let in light, move some beautiful or meaningful things into your work space, or just rearrange an existing space to make it more inviting. Make a beautiful place to watch movies or TV shows while you have time to indulge.
BONUS! WRITE YOUR OWN! What would work for you? What comes to your mind as you are reading, and your thoughts are moving to all of the many possibilities???
1 Be Kind. Become a volunteer crisis counselor online Go here.
For those in immediate you can text 741741 from your phone.
2 Make Just One Person Happy Today. Go here to learn more about One Email a Day to make someone’s day!
3 Use Apps to Reboot. I am giving my Meditation and Relaxation for Adults and Children audio link FREE during the Conavirus. Go here.
4 Smile. Famous Harvard study revealed that when you are happy, that people around you are happier too. Go here. These fact checked positive points about Conavirus cures may make you smile! Go here.
5 Give Yourself Some Physical Nourishment. Here’s a good link to an explanation of how to do a foot reflexology treatment to relieve a number of physical issues.
6 Read. Go to Good Reads for recommendations and check out Spiritual Fitness for a guide to a spiritually healthy life.
7 Know When to Stop Social Media. See Get Reel: Produce Your Own Life for a comprehensive, entertaining and fun guide to sorting out how the media can be good for you unless it’s too much!
8 Expand Your Friendships. You can nourish existing friendships through emails, texts and posts. Find old pictures of you and your friends and post them, use facetime for a closer connection. Send a small gift that can fit in a mailbox, or just pick up the phone. Many options are available on the Apple phones as well as Samsung. Go here.
10 Stay Positive. Whether you are a positive person or not, a book many people resonate with is Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman.
11 IF YOU ARE SEEKING A PARTNER, CONTINUE. Here’s a site that recommends some online apps for young people and some for seniors. Go here.
12 Learn. Many universities offer courses from soup to nuts. Or indulge your interests. It’s never too late to explore your creativity. Go here.
13 Meditate. Many meditations online are high quality but be sure to check them out before using them. I would offer link to the visualization for healing as a special gift from me free of charge. You can also check out MBSR, or Mindfully Based Stress Reduction
14 Hook-ups takes just a few minutes and will revitalize you, relax your whole nervous system, and clear your mental slate. Here is a guide to Hook-ups and a few basic Brain Gym exercises.
15 Clean. The most popular recent book on the topic that is sweeping the world is by Marie Kondo. She offers the Japanese Art of Tidying Up in book or audio form. You can check it out on Amazon here.
16 Eat Well. One of the best resources for general overall eating well that is not dedicated to just one type of eating is the magazine Eating Well. They offer researched based articles and recipes that are high quality and support a healthy diet. Go here to subscribe or give as a gift at here.
17 Go Outside. Sunshine stabilizes blood sugar and blood pressure, enhances liver and kidney function, increases red blood cell production and breaks down toxins and waste that can lead to disease. Go here.
18 Journal. It’s generally a good idea but especially now if you are going through the stress of change. Sarah Ban Breathnach shares ways to make an abundance and gratitude journal, so important while we are counting our blessings. www.Sarahbanbreathbach.com
19 Create a Beautiful Work and Home Environment. As you work more from home or just spend time there, you need appealing surroundings. The art of Feng Shui will help you to arrange, rearrange, and generally make your environment as energetically happy, prosperous and productive as possible. Check out this basic tutorial on Feng Shui.
BONUS A good article for navigating the whole experience is available at Psych Central
None of these recommendations are to be considered medical advice. For up to date medical advice go to the Center for Disease Control.
Until next time,
Dr. Nancy
The post WAYS TO BE HAPPY IN 2021 appeared first on Real Conscious Living.
19 WAYS TO BE WELL DURING COVID-19
We are all in this together.
If you feel isolated or thrown off your normal routine, remember that most of us have had major life changes during the health challenge. Finding ways to navigate uncharted territory and sudden change takes a supportive team and we can all work together to find old and new ways to support one another. You deserve it and your sense of well-being is more important now than ever. In addition to the good advice of social distancing and hand washing, here are some for you to try to help you have the best experience possible while taking care of yourself and others.
As you have more time to live consciously, slowing down to become more mindful, many more ideas may come to mind. Someone may tell you about other wellness resources or you may receive more newsletters like this one in your mailboxes. We are all inventing the wheel and you can be a part of it! Send me other creative ideas of ways you have resourcefully managed the changes in your life during the global health crisis and we can keep the support going! So let’s start with 19 ways to be well and safe. Be sure to read till the end; the last part of the newsletter has suggestions to help you use all the ways to wellness!
1 BE KIND. Maybe one thing we can all expand is our conscious dispensing of kindness, as it is one of the few acts of charity left for us to exercise while we can’t volunteer, care for family or provide service through productive work. Remember those who are especially isolated.
2 MAKE JUST ONE PERSON HAPPY TODAY. I initiated the One Email Campaign last year encouraging people to send one positive email or post a day to someone to appreciate something about them or something they did. Invite them to do the same for someone else. Start the Butterfly Effect. If you want to jump start this one, just tell someone you love them.
3 USE APPS TO REBOOT when you need a lift or as a part of a daily health regimen. You can use inspiring music which is highly therapeutic, deep relaxation apps which are conducive to reducing the physical and mental stress of change or relaxation audio exercises from someone you know and trust.
4 SMILE. When you smile the brain reacts in a positive way that helps to make “happy” chemicals. And if others see you smile, even from a social distance, it can make them happier, too. Maybe you can activate this one by just thinking of someone whose smile you enjoy, and you may smile in response.
5 GET SOME PHYSICAL NOURISHMENT. Hug those who are healthy in your immediate home environment, share massages, foot rubs, take a hot bath, stretch, sit with pets, or massage your hands, wear fuzzy slippers, watch nature shows.
6 STAY CONNECTED ONLINE. Have a plan to connect with those you care about on a regular basis through Facetime, Skype or another live platform. You may even forgo the hairstyling and relax into being yourself.
7 READ. Anything inspiring works such as books in a pile just waiting for you, articles that call to you or recommendations from friends. You could even join an online book group.
8 KNOW WHEN TO STOP SOCIAL MEDIA. The Information Systems Journal researched hundreds of Facebook users in the European Union and found two good strategies for disengaging. The first was to simply go to another activity and the second was to switch to more other activities within social media sites or checking feeds on other topics.
9 EXPAND YOUR FRIENDSHIPS through random acts of kindness. A Journal of Personality study of people around the world found that both men and women preferred kindness as an important trait, increasing the likelihood that others would want to choose to spend time with you, personally or virtually.
10 STAY POSITIVE. The National Academy of Sciences found that optimistic people live 15% longer. It also improves immune function, which is so important right now. And it creates a positive expectation, enhancing feelings of hope.
11 IF YOU ARE SEEKING A PARTNER, CONTINUE. Person-to-person meetings have been suspended but know that in time you are likely to find someone. Research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that by 2017 39% of couples met online, while 38% met through friends and others met socially.
12 LEARN. Learn something new, expand your knowledge of favorite topics, listen to podcasts on topics of interest to you. Nourish your mind. Stretch your brain.
13 MEDITATE. Feed your soul and deepen your connection to the Divine, however you desire based on your personal beliefs, and practices. Become quiet and focus on your breath until it naturally slows. Then see if you can slow and deepen it more.
14 REDUCE THE STRESS OF CHANGE. An exercise called Hookups is a mind-blowing way to interrupt a stress response to change or any other life stressor, especially with kids. See the list below for a link to a video explaining the technique.
15 CLEAN. Clean out drawers, closets, old attitudes and beliefs that no longer serve you. Even clean up the robo calls. Clean old or unhealthy food out of the pantry, people who are toxic, old habits and even your DVR.
16 EAT WELL. All of the reasons for not having time to cook in ways that nourish yourself may seem unimportant now. Try new things, experiment with ways to feel well.
17 GO OUTSIDE. The increase in Vitamin D will help you to avoid getting down in the dumps as times are changing, and connecting with nature has unlimited benefits.
18 JOURNAL. Especially if you are experiencing new moods and habits, write down how it is going during the day. Notice what made you feel or act that way. Brainstorm new ways to address the changing times.
19 CREATE A BEAUTIFUL WORK AND HOME ENVIRONMENT. If you are working from home, remember to make your space one where you want to spend time. Set up a desk near a window to let in light, move some beautiful or meaningful things into your work space, or just rearrange an existing space to make it more inviting. Make a beautiful place to watch movies or TV shows while you have time to indulge.
BONUS! WRITE YOUR OWN! What would work for you? What comes to your mind as you are reading, and your thoughts are moving to all of the many possibilities???
RESOURCE LIST
1 Be Kind. Become a volunteer crisis counselor online Go here.
For those in immediate you can text 741741 from your phone.
2 Make Just One Person Happy Today. Go here to learn more about One Email a Day to make someone’s day!
3 Use Apps to Reboot. I am giving my Meditation and Relaxation for Adults and Children audio link FREE during the Conavirus. Go here.
4 Smile. Famous Harvard study revealed that when you are happy, that people around you are happier too. Go here. These fact checked positive points about Conavirus cures may make you smile! Go here.
5 Give Yourself Some Physical Nourishment. Here’s a good link to an explanation of how to do a foot reflexology treatment to relieve a number of physical issues.
6 Read. Go to Good Reads for recommendations and check out Spiritual Fitness for a guide to a spiritually healthy life.
7 Know When to Stop Social Media. See Get Reel: Produce Your Own Life for a comprehensive, entertaining and fun guide to sorting out how the media can be good for you unless it’s too much!
8 Expand Your Friendships. You can nourish existing friendships through emails, texts and posts. Find old pictures of you and your friends and post them, use facetime for a closer connection. Send a small gift that can fit in a mailbox, or just pick up the phone. Many options are available on the Apple phones as well as Samsung. Go here.
10 Stay Positive. Whether you are a positive person or not, a book many people resonate with is Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman.
11 IF YOU ARE SEEKING A PARTNER, CONTINUE. Here’s a site that recommends some online apps for young people and some for seniors. Go here.
12 Learn. Many universities offer courses from soup to nuts. Or indulge your interests. It’s never too late to explore your creativity. Go here.
13 Meditate. Many meditations online are high quality but be sure to check them out before using them. I would offer link to the visualization for healing as a special gift from me free of charge. You can also check out MBSR, or Mindfully Based Stress Reduction
14 Hook-ups takes just a few minutes and will revitalize you, relax your whole nervous system, and clear your mental slate. Here is a guide to Hook-ups and a few basic Brain Gym exercises.
15 Clean. The most popular recent book on the topic that is sweeping the world is by Marie Kondo. She offers the Japanese Art of Tidying Up in book or audio form. You can check it out on Amazon here.
16 Eat Well. One of the best resources for general overall eating well that is not dedicated to just one type of eating is the magazine Eating Well. They offer researched based articles and recipes that are high quality and support a healthy diet. Go here to subscribe or give as a gift at here.
17 Go Outside. Sunshine stabilizes blood sugar and blood pressure, enhances liver and kidney function, increases red blood cell production and breaks down toxins and waste that can lead to disease. Go here.
18 Journal. It’s generally a good idea but especially now if you are going through the stress of change. Sarah Ban Breathnach shares ways to make an abundance and gratitude journal, so important while we are counting our blessings. www.Sarahbanbreathbach.com
19 Create a Beautiful Work and Home Environment. As you work more from home or just spend time there, you need appealing surroundings. The art of Feng Shui will help you to arrange, rearrange, and generally make your environment as energetically happy, prosperous and productive as possible. Check out this basic tutorial on Feng Shui.
BONUS A good article for navigating the whole experience is available at Psych Central
None of these recommendations are to be considered medical advice. For up to date medical advice go to the Center for Disease Control.
Until next time,
Dr. Nancy
January 16, 2020
Forgiveness: The Key to Unlock Your Future
Inspired by Associated Press interview
Would you like to soar ahead in life unencumbered by emotional baggage? Then ask yourself: Is there anyone that you need to forgive or who needs to forgive you? Holding onto hurts, resentments of grudges takes up a lot of energy, even when you aren’t thinking about it. It’s like carrying a backpack that you have forgotten is there and yet it weighs you down. This is true for any emotional baggage, but especially for people that you carry in the pack that you have not forgiven.
And why is it so hard to forgive or even forget? Because there is an erroneous belief that forgiving someone makes what they did alright. There could not be anything further from the truth. When you forgive, you are not saying that what happened was acceptable, or that it wasn’t hurtful, or even that you think the person who did should be let off the hook. It merely says that you are done carrying the emotional hurt that gives away your personal power.
When you continue to blame someone for what they said, did or didn’t do, you continue to hold hurt, anger, resentment and disappointment. If you think of someone that you need to forgive, ask yourself what feelings go with the memories? Where in your body do you feel the feelings? And how much does it affect you?
Forgiving is letting go of the toxic emotions that get stored in the body and can even lead to illness. It is saying that you are done with the situation and the memories, and can release them so that you are free of the baggage that went with the lack of forgiveness. And remember, it doesn’t mean that what the person did is okay.
How do you begin to forgive?
Ask yourself, in total honesty, if you had any part in what happened. Accepting your part in any loss of friendship or relationship will assure that you don’t make that mistake again. Refusing to see that you had a part in the problem is almost always a surefire guarantee that you will make the same mistake again.
If necessary, apologize for your part, or at least admit it to yourself, acknowledging how you participated in the rift.
See the negative connection between you and the other person dissolve.
Send positive emotions to the place formerly held by the negative connection, such as release, happiness, prosperity, abundance, and wisdom for you both.
See you both moving forward free of the burden of the past.
Give thanks for the lesson learned and accept new ways of being that break old patterns of holding past hurts.
Now notice how you feel. Do you feel lighter, more accepting of yourself and your emotions? If so, sit with the new feelings for a while. Allow yourself to accept your past and look forward to your future. But not until you sit in what you feel now, in the success of your release, in gratitude for the lessons learned and the positive emotions that surround you.
Dr. Nancy is certified in Ho’oponopono forgiveness therapy.
September 1, 2019
What Will Save The World?
Recently, I was noticing that a Women’s March, that had been so united, was now showing signs of fracture, due to some personal agendas, creating racial divides, and the loss of some important sponsorship. I began to wonder about the reasons why even when we have a mutual cause, personal agendas get in the way.
I began to think of the issues with the NFL. I am an independent person, and had not taken a side, seeing the philosophies of both sides and the merit of both. Was it right to use the venue of the NFL to make a statement about race? I knew that the NFL would go on, but what would happen to the Women’s March? Without the sponsorship, they would surely experience growing pains. I wondered if they would recover.
I was considering lately that perhaps the only thing that can potentially unite the world, beyond personal interest, money, or pride is the issue of our natural resources. Are the air, the earth and the water the only things we all have in common, without argument? Do they provide the things that every individual needs, regardless of race, interest in professional sports or financial gain and do they override all other special interests? If they do, we haven’t found this universal truth to be self evident.
The most basic human need is survival. Period. If a child is not fed, or does not live in a safe place where basic human needs are met, an individual is not prepared for the world that they face every day. But wouldn’t it be worse if we didn’t have air to breathe, air that has been compromised in California by wildfires and in Hawaii by volcanoes? Hasn’t the water fallen short of its ability to hydrate when some of the outcomes of breaking into our earth have resulted in contaminated water and even some earthquakes?
Blaming is not the answer. Anyone can say that a problem is created from a different source, other than admitting the real cause, deflecting the source of any difficulty away from themselves. It creates the illusion that ownership of the cause or at least the effect belongs to someone else. So are our needs for natural resources the universal needs that we could all agree upon? And before it is too late?
Being convinced that it was, I was feeling that I may be on to something, but then reflected on the work of Jane Goodall. She found that chimps, for no apparent reason, at times would divide into sides, begin wars, march in formation, carrying weapons and kill one another. Was war an innate activity that is even common in primates? I had carried this question for many years, since attending a program where Jane Goodall spoke about her life and interests, and reading her book, ‘Reason for Hope.’
But an even bigger revelation opened the inevitability of divisiveness even further. I began to read a fascinating New York Times best seller, ‘The Secret Life of Trees,” by Peter Wahlleben. There, in the first 25 pages, I learned that trees of the same variety tend to favor one another over trees of different varieties, leaning away so that similar trees can get sun and water, while being somewhat less inclined to do for other species. Trees? They are highly intelligent and sophisticated life forms with networks, families and independent activity both above and below ground. Still there is a support network that can be exclusive for the purpose of survival, a network that supports a tree “just like me.”
I had heard stories of businesses, law firms and government organizations where there was ethnic, racial and financial bias toward those who weren’t “just like me.” After all, there is evidence that people are more comfortable with those who they deem to be similar to them. But in consideration of the idea that animals and plants showed tendencies for divisiveness, were humans doomed to do the same? Not when animals, plants and humans are so interdependent that we cannot live without one another. Not when we all play a part in the continuation of one another. And not when it’s the only thing we all have in common. Let’s clean up the planet for “all of us.” It feels better than “just like me.”
July 7, 2019
Happy Makes You Healthy
See more at this issue of Inspiring Lives!
Can you recall a day when you felt good inside, in every cell of your being, and with your relationship with every part of your life? Since you tend to experience life through the awareness of your physical body, when you are feeling well, your perception of everything else gets better. And it works both ways: when you feel well physically, you have happier thoughts and when you have happy thoughts, you create a positive feeling in your body. But that is just the beginning!
Today the science of psychoneuroimmunology studies the mind-body interaction, especially the amazing cures that have resulted from the placebo effect. This effect occurs when patients receive healings of physical conditions when they are not even been giving real medication, surgery or treatment. For example, a treatment may be given that is believed to be effective and later it is found that it is not. So why do one-third of those taking the treatment improve? Belief and expectation create a result of the mind and body energies working together. They are intricately connected in such a way that when one is working well, the other can’t help but thrive!
How does it work? Carolyn Myss, Norman Sheely, Dr. Bruce Lipton, Robert Zapolsky, Herb Benson and David Bohm are some of the names to check out if your mind needs some convincing about the connection between the mind and body. Bohm classified the outcome of the mind-body connection as related to energy, either invisible in the mind (“implicate”) or visible in the body (“explicate”). He has reported that mind and body are inextricably connected, an idea held by ancient tribal cultures. What they simply accepted is now being proven by the science that initially rejected the idea.
And there are definite types of thought patterns that make a bigger difference than others. Steven Cole, a professor of medicine and psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles references the two forms of happiness: hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being. “Hedonic well-being is the type of happiness that comes from experiencing lots of positive emotions,” while eudaimonic well-being “is our sense of purpose and direction in life, our involvement in something bigger than ourselves.” The latter is associated with more positive gene activity in immune cells, according to Cole.
That is the good and the bad news. The bad news is that we need to be aware of what both conscious and subconscious thoughts are telling us about health and happiness. Since the subconscious is what is driving the wheel of health, If we are subconsciously programmed to focus on the negative, the painful, what’s lacking in life, then we easily repeat patterns of physical and emotional pain, creating a state of dis-ease, because the false premise repeats itself.
The good news is that we can reprogram old thought patterns and revise them. We can consciously choose to reprogram our subconscious to be responsive and proactive in our lives by changing our focus. If we consider, act upon and think about health, wellness, and energy in positive ways, the mind will gladly communicate our thoughts to the body. Even more exciting is that it can be done simply through meditation, hypnosis, exercise, creative visualization, tapping techniques, biofeedback, and both modern and ancient traditions that naturally create a mind-body balance. The result is a body that is purposely and consciously created and mindfully experienced so that lifelong health is empowered from within!
The post Happy Makes You Healthy appeared first on Real Conscious Living.
May 1, 2019
TEXTING VS. YELLING AT HOME: HOW TO STAY HAPPY
Dr. Nancy was interviewed by USA Today in April 2019 on this topic https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2019/04/03/you-probably-text-each-other-even-at-home/3343620002/
Would you believe that there are some positive benefits to texting at home? Sometimes the most complex and the simplest things are suitable for texting. For example, if you want to approach a difficult topic but want to give the person some lead time to think about it, you could text them in advance, stating what you want to discuss and asking them to get back to you with a time to talk. Or you might just be saying that dinner is ready, or asking if you left an item in another part of the house. It can be practical to send short simple texts to address any of these topics.
But if you are texting rather than talking as if the person is not in the house, then you are risking becoming distant and misunderstood. The same level of connection cannot be maintained electronically that you can have in person, and the message can too easily be misinterpreted. For these types of communications, it is important that you do exist separate from your device and that certain things don’t require electronic devices. Texting too often implies that the sender assumes that you are constantly with one of your devices. And that assumption alone can be dangerous for your social connection to real people in real time.
I explained to USA Today that “What has happened in our society is we don’t exist separate from our devices anymore because we’ve learned to do so many things dependently on our device.” “One of the things that’s happening with technology, which is very unfortunate, is people are responding with brevity as opposed to really talking something through. Social interaction is not learned. Reading of body language is not learned and social skill in navigating a conversation is not learned.”
Yet sometimes difficult topics can be “discussed” through electronic media that might be too difficult to approach face to face. For example, if a child wants to talk about some negative grade or trouble they got into at school, they may want to give the parent advance notice. It can be short, but can give the parent the time to gather their thoughts so they don’t react in anger or impulsively before trying to understand the situation. Couples sometimes use the same method to initiate a topic that needs to be addressed later in person. So if you treat your phone like a communication assistive device rather than the only way to communicate, it can be very useful. Just remember, that real-time face time is healthier for you in the long run!
The post TEXTING VS. YELLING AT HOME: HOW TO STAY HAPPY appeared first on Real Conscious Living.
Fake news and other scary stuff for kids
Some factors get in the way of children feeling safe when they hear news or see things on the Internet that aren’t real. Why?
Children don’t distinguish fantasy from reality. When their big brother tells them that the boogeyman is out to get them, or that there is a tooth fairy, they take it at face value, so exposure to a myth about an image can really take hold in a child’s mind. It is unhealthy for children to be exposed to such frightful ideas that can stay with them for a period of time, challenging their feelings of safety. This phenomenon even occurs with adults who watch way too many crime shows; they feel less safe than those who don’t and may avoid venturing out due to these feelings.
How do children cope?
Children may make up stories of their own, especially about things they don’t understand. Storytelling among children is a part of trying to understanding the world. When they see a frightening image they start to tell themselves things about it to help them make sense of it.
They lack judgment about what is the best and safest social behavior all the way through adolescence. In general, people often report that they did things in their adolescence that they can’t believe they did, either because they were too risky or because they just involved poor judgment. So a teen who sees a hoax on the Internet can expose others to the hoax without understanding the impact or harm that it can do.
What can parents do?
If parents see a change in their child’s behavior, they should begin to examine what is going on at school, with friends and on their technology to get a handle on what they may be experiencing. Symptoms of problems can include an exaggerated startle response suggesting hypervigilance, difficulty sleeping, changes in mood or changing reactions to the use of media.
Prevention involves a GREAT DEAL of oversight and responsibility over what children see on any device. Parents should discuss and set rules before allowing tech use. While kids can’t differentiate reality from fantasy at a young age, parents can and need to do so.
Then the subject of media comes up. First, let me say that credible media is the cornerstone of a good society and that the term “fake news” is misleading because there is so much difficulty with the idea of lumping all news into fake news. It suggests that anything heard on the media should be disregarded which is a fallacy. But the Internet is a place where so much fake news can be spread quickly and broadly and so the media has the same responsibility they have always had, to check their sources, don’t speculate and state fact over opinion. Even facts can be reported selectively around a news story and create an illusion of the impact of events. In my book GET REEL: Produce Your Own Life, I write a chapter about the news and go into detail about this factor.
What’s next?
Parents are increasingly feeling surprised or caught off guard by what is being put in front of their kids. Whether the stories are real or not, parents may or may not know exactly what their kids are absorbing through these stories.
1. So parents must talk to their children about not believing everything they read online. Have an age-appropriate talk and help your kids understand why you might take advantage of parental settings built into many products and services. Most web browsers can block certain sites, restrict what children see and report what sites a child visited. Smartphones and tablets can limit screen time and access to apps. These options are free so there is no need for additional paid services.
2. Another option is to download apps from shows or channels directly rather than going through streaming services. Using YouTube. PBS, Peppa Pig, Nick Jr. and other popular services include pre-screened videos deemed appropriate for kids.
3. And though it may seem contradictory, going online to research news, rumors and hoaxes could also help. Fake news and hoaxes can be debunked fairly quickly after people question it, before spreading it. Jones said. Give weight to fact-checking sites like Snopes.com.
4. View all media consciously by sitting back and observing what is presented.
For more on conscious media viewing available at GET REEL: Produce Your Own Life.
The post Fake news and other scary stuff for kids appeared first on Real Conscious Living.
February 11, 2019
How to Manage Emotions in a Way that Empowers You
Originally from an interview in Chicago Tribune Review
Here’s why people love shows like ‘This Is Us’ — even though they make us cry
Would you like to be able to have, accept and address your feelings? If so, then start by asking yourself what you usually do with your feelings.
When you have feelings that overwhelm you or make you uncomfortable, there are some natural urges to help you stop feeling so badly. One is to stuff them down or push them away in the hope that they will disappear. But it doesn’t work; it only creates a pile of feelings that gets higher and higher each time that you try to ignore them. Another unsuccessful strategy is to tell yourself that you are okay with them, pretending that you can live with something that is really not okay for you. These patterns are usually set in childhood, when you have few choices if you are distressed. You may not have yet been able to identify your feelings or know how to express them. And you may not have had someone around to help you with them.
These patterns persist into adulthood and are equally unsuccessful, as you have likely been storing emotions for a long time, using the unsuccessful patterns. You may have beliefs attached to the feelings that are embedded and are limiting your ability to work, relate to others and feel happiness. This is when many people come to me for therapy in the hope of resolving the feelings that by now may be causing depression and anxiety.
So the first thing to do is to ask yourself what might be a better strategy for managing your feelings One of the best methods is to allow yourself to identify and feel your emotions. In my Four Part Deep Relaxation program http://drnancyonline.com/product/deep... there is an exercise in Part 2 called Emotional Processing. It guides you through using the breath to experience and release feelings, getting and keeping yourself unblocked. You may release memories from earlier times when you had similar reactions. But you could be amazed at how good it feels to let yourself have your emotions, even when they are painful. It detoxes the nervous system of stored blocks that were in your way and were likely to trigger you anytime a similar situation occurred. However, if the memories are especially painful, seek the help of a trained therapist to help you through them rather than trying to resolve them on your own.
Then, going forward, find some time to feel what is going on in the moment so that you don’t create a new pool of unfelt emotions. Accept all of your feelings, feel them and release them with the breath until you feel complete.
For more on how to safely release stored emotions go to: http://drnancyonline.com/product/deep... and
And check out the link on why we love to feel our feelings when we watch the TV drama, This Is Us.
The post How to Manage Emotions in a Way that Empowers You appeared first on Real Conscious Living.
