Recently in State of mind Category

For the last few weeks, Joseph Geliebter, PhD, CEO of Comprehensive Network® Inc., a leading healthcare and educational services company, has been encouraging his staff to take an hour to unplug and reconnect and experience the things in life that are most meaningful to them.

"In this digital age, we need to unplug from our technology-laden, multitasking selves, and reconnect with our inner selves and the people around us," said Dr. Geliebter, a clinical psychologist. "Our physical and mental health and social skills are negatively affected by this technological invasion that is bordering on a 'social virus'."

Following the exceedingly positive feedback from the staff, Comprehensive Network® is now inviting their thousands of affiliated professionals and the general public to partake in an exciting challenge.

The Challenge:

Unplug for a minimum of one hour from all of your technology devices, including your computers, cell phones, smart phones, TV, iPods, gaming consoles, GPSs, etc.

Reconnect with friends and family in person, meditate, take a walk, focus on the natural beauty around you, tune into the sounds and sights you usually ignore such as birds singing and leaves rustling, read a book you haven't found time for, take a candlelit bath, or practice yoga.

As an additional incentive to the benefits of the challenge itself, all who participate will be entered into a raffle for a SpaFinder gift certificate and other prizes! To find out more, visit www.comprehensivenet.com/25.php.

On June 22, 2010, Flavorpill and JetBlue's TrueBlue will host the world's largest yoga event ever as 10,000 people of all backgrounds, sizes, and skill levels will simultaneously practice on the Great Lawn in Central Park, NYC.


Since the inception of Flavorpill nearly a decade ago we have celebrated all aspects of local arts and culture, promoting the efforts of the creative community and encouraging us all to participate in the sharing of good ideas. We believe that yoga can make the world a better place through its tremendous health benefits and as a conduit for greater self awareness. Inspired by our collaborations with The Junior Associates of the Museum of Modern Art on the YoGA at MoMA series, we're extremely excited to offer a yoga class to a much larger community. Additionally, with the nurturing, inspirational style of renowned yoga teacher, Elena Brower, yogis of all levels will be able to participate.

In collaboration with JetBlue, smartwater®, The Standard, New York, and Gaiam, Yoga at the Great Lawn is free for all, our gift to New York and those around the world who come in to join us on the first full day of summer. We hope this shared cultural event will serve as an inspiration for us all.

Entrance to Yoga at the Great Lawn opens at 5:30pm. From 5:30pm to 7:15pm, participants will be entertained by the comedic and musical stylings of our host, Reggie Watts, live performances by poetry slam extraordinaire, Buddy Wakefield, Grammy nominee singer DALIEN, aka 13 Hands, and singer, Wah!. At 7:15pm, Elena Brower will take the stage, accompanied by bassist, Garth Stevenson, and begin yoga class, guiding the 10,000 participants through their downward dogs, warrior ones, and chair poses. Following class, participants are invited to enjoy live drumming by O'Nkosi Rhythms.

Samuel Gladding is no Scrooge, but he is on a mission to redefine what it means to be "happy" during the holidays. As a licensed professional counselor with a specialty in family counseling and chair of the Department of Counseling at Wake Forest University, Gladding says research shows that it is the pressure to be happy that often leads to sadness and even depression during the holidays.

That's why he's challenging the traditional view of happy holidays by pointing out that the higher our expectations, the less likely we are to actually be happy. He shares five tips for more realistic holiday expectations, and a redefinition of what it means to have a happy holiday season.

* Don't idealize the holidays. We see the Norman Rockwell painting of all the people gathered round the table, and the turkeys just perfect and everyone's smiling. But in real life, that doesn't happen nearly as often as imperfection does. It's paradoxical that the more you try to live up to that kind of expectation, the more frustrated, disappointed and unhappy you are likely to be with yourself and others. Remember, people can't read your mind and know what you want. So don't put too much pressure on yourself to make everything just right.

* Accept people for who they are. Just as we idealize the holidays, we also have an ideal of how we think people should behave, from their table manners to the way they dress. But unless they're doing something totally unacceptable, it's better to enjoy people for who they are instead of who you want them to be.

* Tell stories: Talking about good times and good memories with others is inspiring and gives us a great feeling, whether the people we talk about are with us anymore or not. Certain memories may make us more melancholy, but more thankful as well.

* Take unilateral action: It's always hard to stop family feuds once they have started, but the holidays are a perfect time to call a truce. Just as nations take unilateral action during conflicts, sometimes we as individuals have to take unilateral action as well. We can tell ourselves that no matter what someone says, we're not going to react. We can also decide to have peace on earth or at least in our house -- or with these particular people -- for a few hours.

* Don't stew in your own juices: Your holiday meal is the only thing that should be stewing this holiday season. So if you find yourself at home and depressed, think of ways to help someone else. There's always a need for volunteers at homeless shelters this time of year or other opportunities to give back to the community. If your family is far away or you don't have much family, remember that family is who you decide to make family and reaching out to others is one of the keys to real happiness.

SOURCE Wake Forest University

As the economy crisis continues, many individuals may feel more stress and anxiety during the upcoming holidays.

"The holidays can be a wonderful time for many people, but they can also bring about pressure, stress and anxiety," said Dena Cabrera, PsyD, staff psychologist at Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders. "Many news outlets have reported the recession is over, but people across the country may not be feeling the reprieve. They hear one thing, but their bank account says something different."

Because many people are struggling with lay offs and financial loss, they may have trouble enjoying pleasurable activities, particularly during the holidays. This can bring about lots of stress, and for some, anxiety.

"When stress is poorly managed, it can interfere with functioning," adds Cabrera. "Excess stress can manifest itself in a variety of emotional, behavioral and physical symptoms."

People with stress can experience sleep disturbances, headaches, muscle tension, stomach problems and fatigue. Additionally, people who experience anxiety can experience excessive worrying, to the point where it interferes with daily life. They may also engage in unhealthy behaviors such as substance abuse, overeating and mood changes.

Cabrera offers the following tips to help enjoy the holidays:

• Set realistic expectations. Holiday excitement also brings demands. Between shopping, baking, feasting, crafting, parties and entertaining, it can get quite overwhelming. By setting realistic expectations, we don't set ourselves up to become stressed because we overextended ourselves.
• Stay balanced. As we become busy with holiday tasks, activities and demands, we can lose ourselves. Sleep, eating and exercise can become compromised. Stay consistent and don't neglect healthy living.
• Find meaning in the season. The holidays can be difficult and challenging for many people. Many emotions can come into play. For those who struggle with the holidays, they should reach out for support and recreate meaning in the holiday season that's comfortable for them. Prepare to take care of yourself emotionally and physically.
• Prepare ahead. Time goes fast. Make a list and check it twice. Don't wait until the last minute, this only creates more stress.
• Learn how to deal with stress. Learn to talk to yourself with positive thoughts such as, "It's temporary, I've been through things like this before, etc."
• Seek help when things are stressful. Just talking about it with someone you trust helps.
  

Remuda Ranch offers Christian inpatient and residential programs for individuals of all faiths suffering from eating or anxiety disorders. Each patient is treated by a multi-disciplinary team including a Psychiatric and a Primary Care Provider, Registered Dietitian, Masters Level therapist, Psychologist and Registered Nurse. The professional staff equips each patient with the right tools to live a healthy, productive life.

SOURCE Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders

People with chronic low-back problems who do yoga also do better at overcoming pain and depression than people treated conventionally for back pain, a West Virginia University study funded by the National Institutes of Health shows.

The three-year, $400,000 study, published in the September issue of the journal Spine, showed lifted mood, less pain and improved function in the group that did yoga postures compared with a control group who received standard medical therapy.

"The yoga group had less pain, less functional disability and less depression compared with the control group," said Kimberly Williams, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Community Medicine. "These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention."

The 90 study subjects, who experienced mild to moderate functional disability, were randomly assigned to the yoga group or the group that received conventional medical therapy. Yoga participants took 90-minute classes twice a week for 24 weeks, doing postures targeted to relieve chronic low-back pain. Follow up continued for six months after the end of classes or therapy.

"Proponents of yoga have long described its benefits in reducing back pain," Williams said. "But not everybody was convinced. This is a much bigger, much more rigorous evaluation than had been done before."

The classes were taught by certified Iyengar yoga instructors. A popular form of yoga in the United States, Iyengar yoga emphasizes postures that encourage strength, flexibility and balance.

In the United States, low-back pain represents the largest category of medical reimbursements, with $34 billion in direct medical costs reported annually, Williams said.

For an abstract of the study see

http://journals.lww.com/spinejournal/Abstract/2009/09010/Evaluation_of_the_Effectiveness_and_Efficacy_of.18.aspx.

SOURCE West Virginia University Health Sciences Center

Dr. Kevin Polk, a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience in stress management is offering a new web program and DVD for stress management. The program is based on Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT). It emphasizes decreasing struggling with stress and increasing valued living. Dr. Polk points out that while traditional stress management techniques such as deep breathing and thinking differently about stress can be effective, in times like these, high stress can occur with the best stress management in place; sometimes it's better to 'Surf the Stress.'

The 'Surfing Your Stress' program consists of three main components:

1) Carefully noticing what is going on in the body, mind and world in the present moment,

2) Identifying the ways you struggle stress, and

3) Identifying valued life directions that you want to take action toward.

For example, a person might learn that he or she struggles with high workplace stress by avoiding coworkers, but the person has also recognized that work is a valued activity. The person also realizes that the whole company is under high stress and relaxation only goes so far. By realizing work is of very high value the person can choose to have the stress (surf it) and go ahead and interact with coworkers.

Dr. Polk points out that his 'Surfing Your Stress' program can take a bit of practice, but his experience with over one thousand people has been that they have fun with the process. As Dr. Polk says, "Stress is no longer the enemy. It's just a natural part of us that we all take along for the ride anyway. By making it into something to 'surf', it frees us up and allows us to be more flexible as we go from choice to choice."

Research has shown ACT to be an effective workplace stress intervention. ACT focuses on people accepting internal things like stress rather than struggling with them. This frees up mental resources that can be focused on valued activities to move in the direction of family, intimate relationships, friends, work, education, recreation, spirituality, physical health and other values; one chooses between struggling with stress and moving toward values.

Here are some healthy living tips from Equinox Fitness.

In these changing times, make a renewed commitment to yourself to lead a healthy life. Here are some tips to help you find balance, stay focused and gain perspective. IT'S THE MIND OF THE TIMES.

1.	Exercise When you exercise you are present in the moment and not focused on worries and concerns. Studies show that cardiovascular and resistance training can help reduce stress and boost endorphins. Try a minimum of 30 minutes of vigorous exercise most days of the week.
2.	Get enough sleep Insufficient sleep can make it more difficult to cope with the normal challenges of daily life. Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep to function optimally.
3.	Eat well A balanced diet high in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins can help reduce stress by stabilizing blood sugar levels. Combine carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats at each meal to fuel and energize your body.
4.	Pay it forward Studies show that people who approach life with a positive attitude are less stressed. Begin and end every day by making a mental list of the things for which you are grateful.
5.	Live in the moment Accept that some things are out of your control. Rather than worrying about what will happen next week, next month or next year, focus on making decisions that will lead you in the direction of your goals.
6.	Get organized Being disorganized can add to your stress level. Knowing where things are and reducing clutter lets you focus on the important things.
7.	Meditate Studies show that people who meditate regularly have more activity in their left frontal cortex and less activity in the amygdala - both of which are associated with calmer emotional states. There are many ways to meditate. Practice yoga, take a walk in nature, sit quietly, spend time with your pet or take a bubble bath.
8.	Say no when necessary Avoid taking on more than you can accomplish. Do not feel guilty saying "no" to unnecessary obligations and responsibilities.
9.	Hydrate Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water regulates body temperature, aids in the absorption of vitamins and nutrients and detoxifies the liver and kidneys.
10.	Lean on your support system People who have a strong social network of family and friends typically report less stress and a better ability to cope. Don't be afraid to ask for support from close friends and family during these times.

Source: Equinox Fitness Clubs

Two summers ago, I couldn't see the floor in my living room (or elsewhere in my apartment, for that matter). My one-bedroom apartment in New York City was littered with months-old newspapers, half-empty purses, photos, office supplies, unopened mail, coffee mugs, blankets--even pizza crusts. I couldn't remember the last time I didn't have to kick away or push aside something to go to the kitchen, bathroom, orthe front door. Every Saturday, I vowed to "clean up." But on Monday, I awoke to more of the same chaos.

What was wrong with me? I thought. Was I lazy? Incompetent? Was I reverting back to the days when a messy room was a path of teenage resistance against my mother's neat-freak tyranny? Maybe. Or more likely, I simply didn't know how or where to start eliminating my mess. I was unequivocally and indiscernibly overwhelmed. So week after week for as many as six months, the piles of clothes, stacks of dishes, pieces of garbage, et al continued to amass.

I told myself that the mess didn't bother me. (No one else was around but me to see it, after all.) Then one evening, I walked into my apartment after work, took a look around, and decided that something had to give. I couldn't keep denying that I wanted a neat and peaceful home--not one that looked as if it were whipped into a state of perpetual frenzy and confusion. I needed help.

Believing that my messiness wasn't a matter of dirt as much as it was disorder, I skipped the cleaning-lady route and called a professional organizer. During my first session with Ronit Zweig, PsyD, who calls herself "the organizing doc," I cried. I was so grateful to have someone patiently, and without judgment, guide me through the steps of digging myself out of chaos. Who knew that the first step, walking around my apartment and bagging every piece of trash, would eliminate 30 percent of the problem--and uncover my entire sofa?

Though I tapped my wallet after three not-so-cheap $80 sessions with Zweig, I didn't run out of motivation. I spent several months intermittently throwing away, picking up, and putting away, and my little rented haven had never been so orderly.

OK, so it wasn't as easy as it sounds. My apartment is still not completely clutter-free--but it's not the roving mess it once was. While I've somewhat successfully straightened up my act, I still feel like I'm not organized enough. One look under my bed or inside my closets, dresser drawers, file cabinet, or even my purse reveals some unresolved issues. The orderly-ever-after eludes me--and perhaps, as it turns out, a lot of other people.
It's estimated that Americans will spend $8.6 billion to organize their homes in 2011, compared to $6.9 billion in 2006. Decluttering is a pursuit I share with everyone else who's ever cast their hopes on a plastic container, shelving system, or self-help book to bring beloved order to their chaotic lives. But what gives? Control, explains organizing guru Peter Walsh, author of the best-selling book It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life With Less Stuff (Free Press, 2006). "People are chasing some degree of comfort," says Walsh. "If they get their closets or garage organized, they feel they have some control over their little corner of the world."

But Walsh suggests we should think twice before hedging our happiness bets on having a mess-free home. "Someone will say to me, 'Help me get organized.' I'm sorry, but that's not my job. My job is to help you identify the gap between your real life and your ideal life, and to help you stop breaching it." So for those pragmatists who think clutter is simply the sum of our stuff (the tangible, material, and storable), he offers this philosophical definition: "Clutter is anything that gets between you and the life you'd like to be living." Which means getting rid of it isn't strictly a job for bins and shelves. The task begins, says Walsh, with figuring out what we want from our lives (authenticity, joy, serenity), not the stuff we want for our lives (a new wardrobe, a flat-screen TV, a new car).

This concept was also a hallmark of my work with Zweig. Instead of imposing an organizing system on my lifestyle, she asked me about my routine. How often did I get the mail? (Every day.) Where did I put it? (On the floor.) When she saw so many pieces of paper strewn about my living room, she wondered about its function: Did I want the space to be a place to kick back or to work? (But I already had a home office.) And certainly it wasn't easy to get a good night's sleep in the one corner of my bed that wasn't covered with towels and clothes. The lesson: The purpose of a room should determine what's in it. Zweig and other organization experts agree that when a room's purpose is obscured (when you can't eat at your dining table or allow guests into the guest room)--well, that's when you know you have a problem.

Remembering the months I spent stepping over piles of old magazines and Goodwill-bound clothes in my apartment, I wondered how I had gotten myself into such a mess (literally) in the first place. Katherine D. Anderson, president of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD), says one cause of the growth of my and others' clutter is "more pressure being put on everyone to be more productive." Our lives are one long to-do list, leaving countless remnants of our day-to-day tasks to show up in email in-boxes, computer desktops, wallets, refrigerators, you name it. The NSGCD has developed a distinct five-level measuring system for clutteredness. By their account, when I sought help two years ago, I was at the second-to-worst rank, a Level 4 (the household "needs the help of a professional organizer" to function; "psychological or financial hardships" may be the clutter culprits). I suppose now I'm hovering somewhere between Level 2 ("still requires professional help") or Level 1 ("standard"). (Take the "How Cluttered Is Your Home?" quiz below to find out where you stand.)

But perhaps more important than the origin and scale of our clutter is its implication in our lives. There are the more obvious health threats: More stuff around the house means more surfaces to collect dust (which could lead to respiratory conditions like asthma), and more things to trip over or bang into (which could lead to injury and falls). Some experts even think that clutter might also affect our weight. Pamela Peeke, MD, author of Fit to Live (Rodale Books, 2007), says that we are less likely to be active when we're cluttered. "You can have the best intentions--you can go out and buy sneakers and healthy food--but if you can't find them in your mess of a house, then what good are they doing you?" And in his new book, Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? (Free Press, 2008), Walsh asserts that it's impossible to be your best and healthiest self in a cluttered space. "You work all day, you get home at 7 p.m., you open the front door, and you need to eat something," he says. "Your default will be to go for what's easy rather than what's good." And if your kitchen's a mess, odds are you'll choose the unhealthier fast or convenient food. Why? "In an overstuffed home, eating can easily become overeating," says Walsh. Clutter can alienate us from our environment and, in turn, make it difficult to practice an important principle that prevents us from overeating: mindfulness. In the midst of a mess, we lose our ability to focus on what we're doing. The thing that clutter and weight have in common then? Out-of-control consumption. "The stuff in our homes becomes too overwhelming to deal with, but we keep shopping for more," says Walsh. "Similarly, the increasing weight of our bodies becomes more than we are able to handle, but we keep indulging."

Many people unwittingly succumb to an accumulation addiction when looking to material things--more stuff or food--to fill an emotional void. Walsh says we do this when letting our emotions, be it depression, exhaustion, anger, or joy, make decisions for us. And when we're stuck in this emotional decision-making mode, the pounds can creep on just as stealthily as the stuff piles up. Case in point: The many nights I ordered pizza, watched TV, and slept on the couch because I was "depressed," and for days, weeks, or months afterward, the unfolded blanket and the empty pizza box (yes, I ate the entire pie by myself) littered the living room. That's two bad decisions (eating poorly, contributing to my clutter) tied to one icky-feeling emotion.

Hence, the matter of clutter's effect on our mental health. Does clutter make us depressed, or does depression make us cluttered? Both, says David Tolin, PhD, director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Institute of Living. "Depression contributes to clutter by causing fatigue, giving one less energy and motivation, and impairing ability to focus," he says. Furthermore, Tolin's research suggests a connection between clutter and anxiety. "Having a lot of clutter leads people to feel ashamed and socially anxious," he says. "Or it could also be that people who are socially anxious to begin with surround themselves with clutter to feel more comfortable." Lack of focus and energy, anxiety--this was well-treaded territory for me. In my more cluttered days, I experienced all manner of psychological roadblocks, especially procrastination and perfectionism. Although a reformed clutterbug, I still fear a regression is quite possible, if not entirely imminent--a fear Tolin's research confirms. A person's untidiness, he suggests, may indeed be partially a matter a genetic predisposition.

Great, so add neatness to the list of good genes, runner's legs, and flat stomach I didn't get. For anyone who, like me, feels a twinge of self-defeat before they even lift a finger to start decluttering, Peeke says the best way to get past this is to, well, just do it. "Stop overthinking it," she says. Instead of ruminating about the disadvantages that you think are keeping you from a "perfect" home, Peeke suggests taking that energy and applying it to a get-it-done-already strategy. Think: Little changes equal a big difference. And remember, decluttering is a marathon, not a sprint. "A clean, organized home means constant maintenance," says Peeke, who warns against "wellness binges"--where you wake up one day and clean your entire house but let it go for weeks after that. This kind of impulsive, crisis-mode decluttering is less likely to stick and bring about real change.

I've found, however, that no matter how consistent, determined, or inspired my decluttering efforts, I am often disappointed by my results. Peeke attributes my lack of gratification to the proverbial tug-of-war between perfection and progress. She recommends an 80-percent rule that says, "To strive for 100 percent all the time is pointless. Give yourself at least 20 percent for humanity and the days you wake up and want to hide under the covers. Sometimes 50 percent is all you've got; other days you give 150. The point is to average out around 80." The key, she says, is to look at your home and your life and think, It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn good.

And that much seems doable--and even better, inspiring--to me.

-Penny Wrenn


Quiz: How cluttered Is Your home?

1. When it comes to spending time in your home, you ...
a) Use all of the rooms. Aside from the occasional mess, your house is comfortable, and you enjoy being there.
b) Use most of the rooms with the exception of a few you either can't get to because the entrance is blocked or you don't like hanging out in because of how much stuff is there.
c) Use only a few rooms. Overall, you don't really like spending time at home, and in many rooms, there's too much stuff to move around safely.

2. On a scale of one to 10, how would you rate the cleanliness of your home?
a) 8 to 10. It's pretty clean most of the time; a friend could come over unexpectedly and wouldn't be shocked at the mess.
b) 5 to 7. It's in a constant state of needing a good cleaning, with garbage cans often overflowing, some mildew in the bathroom or kitchen, and tolerable--but not pleasant--odors.
c) 0 to 4. There's excessive dust, consistently dirty kitchen and bathroom counters, laundry throughout the house, and a constant unpleasant odor.

3. A "good cleaning" means . . .
a) Going through boxes, bags, and piles of stuff that are in my way, tossing what I don't need, and putting what I want to hold on to in its designated space.
b) Rounding up boxes, bags, and piles of stuff that are in my way, and shoving everything into a designated "junk" room, which I always promise to tackle soon.
c) My house needs much more than a good cleaning, so I just do the bare minimum, like changing my sheets every so often and wiping down the kitchen counters.

4. On a scale of one to 10, how would you rate your ability to get rid of stuff you don't use anymore?
a) 8 to 10. It feels good to ditch or donate items that I don't need.
b) 5 to 7. I have a hard time letting go of most things. My attitude: "You never know when you'll need it again."
c) 0 to 4. I won't get rid of my stuff. I'd rather hold on to something for years than let it go, even if it's just going to collect dust in the basement.

5. The stuff in my home . . .
a) Serves a purpose (for the most part, anyway). Each room in my house has a function, and I use most of the things I own.
b) Needs major organization. I often can't find things when I need them because I have too much stuff, much of which I don't use.
c) Creates a constant source of stress and anxiety for me. I've got so much stuff that I can't use or find most of it when I need it, and it's affecting my health and the way I interact with people.

If you answered mostly as . . .
Your household is considered standard when it comes to clutter. Sure, your home gets messy every now and then, but it never gets so out of control that you need help getting a handle on it.

If you answered mostly bs . . .
Your household likely requires the help of professional organizers. You might be able to tackle your clutter issues on your own, but professional help could give you the jump-start you need. Your clutter is keeping you from being your happiest, healthiest self--but simple steps can help you get on a better track.

If you answered mostly cs . . .
Your household may require more than a professional organizer. Seeking help, including a professional organizer as well as a psychologist, is probably necessary. Psychological, medical, or financial issues are likely involved in your clutteredness, and tackling larger issues that clue you in to why you have so much stuff will give you the skills and knowledge you need to do something about it.

Adapted from the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization. For more information, visit nsgcd.org.


Decluttering 101
5 steps to get started from "organizing doc" Ronit Zweig, PsyD

1. Toss the trash. Do a walk-through of your entire home, and throw out all of the garbage, even if you do no other cleaning. You'll be amazed how much that can help.
2. Tackle what you can see first. Don't worry about organizing closets and drawers right away; focus on countertops, desks, and chairs.
3. Figure out what you need and use. Do another walk-through, and gather items you haven't used in six months or more. Toss what's broken or donate what still works. If you can't quite bring yourself to do that yet, put the items in a box and store the box somewhere of the way but not completely out of sight. "This way, it'll remain just annoying enough for a rainy-day activity," says Zweig.
4. Set up organizing systems. For example, if the area near your front door is a dumping ground, create a "station" with baskets for various items, such as shoes and mail. If your "stuff" is organized by category, it'll be easier to bring some order to it later.
5. Take baby steps. You might not be able to see a huge change in the way your home looks right away, so remind yourself that every little bit counts. It'll help you keep a positive attitude.

By Penny Wrenn. Source: Natural Solutions: Vibrant Health, Balanced Living/Alternative Medicine/InnoVision Health Media.

Most of us are curious to know what the future holds in store for us. We might be highly educated and doing extremely well in our careers and personal life but there is an increased insecurity about what will happen to us tomorrow. Growing fear among people about the future takes them close to the sun, moon, and stars that will give them mental peace and happiness.
This quest for the stars comes to an end here.

Pic courtesy darkpatator on www.flickr.com

Oh no! You are lost again and don't know where to go, and what to do. I know you are trying hard to hold on to yourself and the child within you, as it is slipping from your hands with each passing day. Yes you are lost in the whirlpool of adulthood, its responsibilities, tensions and worries.

But it is never too late you can still catch up and get connected to your inner self and the child in you. All you have to do is take some time off and take a peek in your heart and mind, see where you were at the age of 4 or 5 and what your life was then.
See yourself interacting with the family members and the fun you had at school, the pranks you played with your friends, the bond with your teachers and elders, and all the fun and excitement you experienced at play time.

.
If you are able to connect to yourself and remember the happy and cherished moments of your life you have been successful in finding the inner child. The next important thing to be done is to nurture the innocent and playful child which was wandering haywire. Learn to enjoy the small things in life, remember good things in life always come in small packages. Share your feelings and thoughts, and try to be playful without worrying about your public image, play foe the sheer pleasure pf it.

If you try whole heartedly your inner child will soon be more visible and active giving a new momentum to your life.

Pic courtesy steve heath on www.flickr.com

Lifestyle means the style in which we lead our lives, and holistic lifestyle is the type of life that makes us feel like a complete person.
A person feels complete when he is happy, contended, and experiences total freedom to grow. However this feeling may differ, from person to person as every individual has his own perceptions about life.
Most of us want to improve in certain key areas such as health both mental and physical, social and financial status and our creative abilities. All this is possible if there is peace of mind and physical fitness. However, how does one attain peace of mind is a secret to be unveiled. With each sunrise comes a new learning experience, and to tell ourselves that we can do anything and everything and we are aware of everything around us.
Self-power, self-healing, self-consciousness should be at the top of our priority list, always believe in oneself. We must learn to admire the smallest of things and express our creativity. Believe in our happiness; learn to forgive and forget, carve our own destiny and not to rely on woman luck. Try to go with the flow of life and not go against it, believe in the power of knowledge and the most important thing love ourselves so that we can love others. Shun away all the apprehensions and march ahead in our journey of life confidently, remember if there are no obstacles, our journey of life is not worth living.
Create your holistic lifestyle by recharging the batteries of life.

Pic courtesy imagination on www.flickr.com

It stalks all of us at some point in our lives. A fairly common malady, the uncontrolled expression of anger is quite destructive. One of the easiest emotions to express, anger sometimes puts us in embarrassing situations and most often leaves us feeling that we could have avoided losing our temper if only to save us from having to say sorry.

Our embarrassment apart, anger destroys relationships, gets you into trouble and is proven to considerably harm your health. Anger is the detonator of road rage, violence at school and domestic abuse and causes health problems like high blood pressure, stress, chronic pain, headaches, depression and can even lead to suicide. All this can be avoided quite simply, by making a conscious choice to calm yourself down and forgive whoever or whatever has provoked you. Sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Far from it. Anger is such an instinctive reaction that often we blindly react to a provocation without a second thought. It’s that primitive urge in us that we have to attempt to tame.
How do we go about doing this? The first step is to identify the way you express your anger and the next step is to admit that you need help to manage your anger. To find out more about the different ways anger is expressed and about how to begin understanding the triggers that provoke your anger, click here.
Dealing with anger constructively is essential in the times we live in. From the perpetrators of the Columbine massacre and the unchecked rage of Cho Seung Hui to the tantrums of Naomi Campbell and the recent murder suicide of the LA family, anger takes many forms. The high stress lives we live in lower our tolerance for discomfort, until everything makes us feel cornered and unhappy. Anger seems to be the only recourse, the only defence when in such a situation. What we need to understand is that we always have a choice. We can decide our next step if we only understand ourselves better.
Spend time on introspection, meditate. What makes you angry, why? When the time arises, try and express your anger constructively, in a way that helps you build relationships. React to other people’s anger against you by attempting to diffuse it instead of lashing out at them. Try and see the positive side to every situation. You can turn every situation, from your boss’s irrational diatribe to you partner’s cold shoulder into a moment of clarity that deepens your relationship with them. After all, the expression of anger is a weakness as it gives people an idea about your personality.

How many sunny thoughts can we produce each day? The answer should be countless billion ones. But the truth is unfortunately different for many of us. The mind settles down into familiar, defeatist or defeated patterns, and we keep thinking along those tracks. How much such negative thinking is pushing us into disease has been well documented in recent times, but now, a definite thought and emotion pattern in a certain personality type has been identified as a major contributor to heart disease, strokes and a whole host of illnesses. Learn more about the type D personality and why you should take care not to be like this kind of person.

Its all very well to know that we should not get into the trap negative thinking, or should manage our emotions better. But what are some of the things that could be standing in our way? Well, addiction to some of the commonest substances like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and sugar could be producing changed patterns in our brain that in turn affect out thinking. Or, we could be reaching out more for such substances when we are anxious or depressed, and reinforce the cycle of depressed thinking. Dr. Daniel G. Amen's book, aimed at helping people overcome anxiety and depression, shows startling images of people's brains taken using SPECT or single photon emission computerized tomography. With this, it is possible to perceive that prolonged drug use, alcohol abuse and high caffeine intake can actually produce changes in brain structure that are like major damage, or literally a 'hole in the head'. When this happens, is it any wonder if people's thoughts and emotions turn upside down?

The war against negative thinking can only be won by complete freedom from substance abuse.   

Is it really surprising that the humongous work by which the French writer Marcel Proust is most remembered, 'Remembrance of Things Past', (now called In Search of Lost Time) begins with a memory triggered by an olfactory stimulus? What begins with the nose goes on to seven volumes, and led to Proust being called the 'greatest novelist of the 20th century' by Graham Greene.

To most of us, the frangrance associated with a particular memory brings much of the original sensation come flooding back, whether it's grandmother's pecan pie we are re-experiencing, or the cologne worn by our first crush in high school. There are other, more universal scents that can be enjoyed by nearly everybody, like the smell of parched earth after a shower, or buttered popcorn. Its because the scent of things is so important in our experience of reality that we lose our enjoyment of food when we have a bad cold that temporarily takes away our sense of smell. Food doesn't taste the same when it doesn't smell the same. 

Aromatherapy relies on just this powerful connection between our brain and the olfactory nerve hidden in our noses. Using 40 essential oils derived from vegetables, fruits, flowers and other organic sources, this method of healing helps to balance feelings, restore a sense of well-being, and strengthen the body's immune system.

 

How aromatherapy works to nurture and revive the spirit, and bring us to a state of emotional well-being has been the subject of study, but more than research or analysis, it can be best understood by direct experience.

After all, even if you have never tried aromatherapy before, you will probably vouch for the wonderful feeling of a warm bath in which you soaked for close to an hour in wonderful smelling bath salts. In fact, a lot of aromatherapy is through tactile applications of healing 'essential oils' in the medium of 'carrier oils' directly on the skin. While the pure aromas of essential oils are also inhaled through nebulizers, or diffused in a room over a flame, or smelt through handkerchiefs, the touch of oil on skin has its own potency.

Find out more about how to make aromatherapy work for you and what oils to buy for your own route to relaxation and relief from stress.

In fact, after discovering the benefits of aromatherapy, you may just develop a little more respect for all the scents that surround you - and the moods they seem to bring on.

His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi founded the Transcendental Meditation program. This page on the TM website succinctly describes its program:

“The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural, effortless procedure practiced for 15-20 minutes in the morning and afternoon while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. During this technique the individual's awareness settles down and experiences the simplest form of human awareness -- Transcendental Consciousness --where consciousness is open to itself.

Transcendental Consciousness has been found by physiological research to be a fourth major state of consciousness, a state of restful alertness, distinct from the commonly experienced states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep.”

Further, the site indicates that, over 500 studies have been completed on the physiological, psychological, and sociological effects of the Maharishi Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs, making it perhaps the most intensively studied technology in the field of human development. These studies have been conducted at 210 different universities and research institutions in 27 countries, and articles have now appeared in more than 100 scientific journals.

For a summary of research on the Transcendental Meditation Program, refer this page.

If you’d like to learn TM, use this link to find a nearby teacher.

In the last line of my previous post, I mentioned that when we are stressed out, or feel we cannot cope, we often switch off our minds and dose our bodies. But what about our spirit? Well, we are frequently so tuned out that many of us do not even consider the well-being of our spirit. Or perhaps it would be more apt to say that we are not aware of or practically conscious of our spiritual being.

Why should we be conscious of our spirit? In our daily lives, we see and use our body. Our mind commands our body to perform. Where then does our spirit fit in?

This ignorance spells a major part of our problem.