1. Become aware of where you are stuck…your old patterns and limitations.  You can’t change what you don’t see.
2. Start small, Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Choose one belief pattern  you want to change and focus your attention on that.  
3. Make it attainable, something you know you can do if you set your mind to it.
4. Put it into action. Do one thing today that you wouldn’t have done yesterday to break the old cycle.
5. Be gentle with yourself.  If things don’t work out as you expected, don’t give up.

Let us know how it works for you.

Are You Tired Of Broken Resolutions?

When you are frustrated and ready to give up on your New Year’s Resolutions, changing your perspective can make a big difference.  We set our intentions and follow through on them all day long, we just don’t think about it.  The simple act of preparing a meal for the family involves many intentions.  Going to the grocery store and buying the items we need for the recipe, creating the dish and then serving it.  When it comes to taking care of the needs of others our commitment never waivers.  Why would you not take care of your own needs? 

First let’s explore what we view as our needs.  The need to nourish your body and soul is a necessity for growth and happiness. The need for recognition and attention are needs of the ego.  They impede our growth and keep us rooted in the past and future.  Next let’s look at the word “Selfish”.  It has a negative connotation in our society.  But should it?  Is putting yourself first such a bad thing?   If it means my needs are more important than your needs then no it is not what one strives for.  However, if it means that in order to be a better person and serve those around you, you need time to take care of yourself, it is not a bad word at all.  Even on the airlines, they tell you to put the oxygen mask on yourself first before your child.  This is because you are no good to your child if you pass out. 

Taking care of yourself can change your attitude and leave you more rested and available to everyone around you.  It goes back to quantity versus quality.  You can spend most of your day taking care of others and feel tired and worn out and trust me everyone notices.  The alternative is spending less time but with an attitude of joy.  Which one would your family prefer?  There are only so many hours in a day and we have to budget them wisely.  Put your needs on the calender as you would your child’s carpool and follow through with it.  If you do one more thing for yourself today than you did yesterday then you and everyone around you will be better for it.

Did you know that a regular breathing practice can give you many of the same benefits as an aerobic workout? A vigorous workout will trigger you to take deeper fuller breaths, clearing stale air out of your lungs and supplying your body with lots of oxygen.
Most of us take shallow irregular breaths, expanding our ribcage only. The lungs are made up of lots of tiny balloons, called alveoli. There is a lot of stagnant air in these alveoli when we breathe shallowly. Doing a breathing practice consisting of taking deeper, fuller more regular breaths expanding the belly as well as the ribcage just twice a day will clear the old air out of your lungs as well as supply your body with more oxygen.
Doing a consistent breathing practice of just five minutes twice a day over a period of time will change your breathing pattern throughout the day because your body will automatically take deeper fuller breaths even when you aren’t thinking about it.
You can start by becoming more aware of your breathing. When you are sitting in traffic or watching TV, bring your attention to your breath and take ten long slow deep breaths. This is also a great calming centering technique when you are under a lot of stress.
Here a five reasons to do a breathing practice:
1. It’s free!
2. Anyone can do it……as long as you can breathe.
3. It requires no expensive equipment, just your nose and mouth.
4. It’s portable; you can do it anywhere, anytime.
5. It’s socially acceptable; no one will even know that you are doing it.

Halloween has come and gone, the time of year when candy sales peak. Most of us increase our sugar consumption and it continues through the New Year. There is lots of candy at home and the overflow goes to the office. Thanksgiving is a time for baking cookies and pies and that trend goes on till Christmas. Most offices have cookies and chocolate readily available. When we eat sugar we get a rapid increase followed by an equally fast drop in blood glucose. This leaves us feeling shaky, sluggish both mentally and physically, and craving more sugar…. a vicious cycle. Eating protein and fiber will maintain a healthy blood sugar, reducing cravings and leaving you feeling satisfied and energized and focused. The fiber in fruit slows the absorption of the sugar.

We are approaching the time of the year that comes with great joy as well as a lot of stress for most of us…THE HOLIDAYS! The increased financial burden, crowded malls, traffic jams and the time we have to spend with relatives who know how to push our buttons. We can easily get lost in the frantic pace of our lives at any time, so during the holidays the added stress can push us over the edge. It is essential to find a way back to center, that place of peace that is constant regardless of what is raging on around us. The key is the more regularly you access this place the easier it becomes to return there. For some of us it is yoga, breathing and or meditation. Other people jog, garden, paint or listen to calming music. One or any combination will work; it’s not as important how you get there than that you have a reliable way that works for you. This will not only clear your head, it will lower your heart rate and blood pressure too.
Make sure to take time each dayto to find your center. A little goes a long way. What works for you?