Showing posts with the tag “Inner Selfdefense”

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• July 3, 2018
  3Jul2018

  The Freedom to Choose This Moment

  

  Each year around the fourth of July, I become more thoughtful about freedom -- external, internal, mental, emotional, and psychological -- the freedoms I often overlook in the normal everyday "stuff" of life. For example, two earlier stories from my July 4 ruminations...

  Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -- about choosing and practicing happiness, even when there seems to be no reason to.

  -and-

  Inner Freedom: Celebrating the Freedoms We Take For Granted -- about the freedoms we have to laugh, smile, breathe, and choose our attitude, even when we can't choose our circumstances.

  How free are you right now? ...

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• November 11, 2014
  11Nov2014

  Attitude Adjustment: Inconvenience or Adventure?

  

  "No bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." So says Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, author, and motivational speaker. This simple mantra has applications in all aspects of life. Things happen. The attitude we bring to those happenings either gives us power or robs us of it.

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• October 28, 2014
  28Oct2014

  Happier: Thoughts and Practices on Centering and Mindfulness (Part 4)

  

  It's important to have fun with centering and mindfulness practices, and to know that you may not see a difference today or even tomorrow. Keep practicing, and look back in a year or two. You'll see what's changed.

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• October 14, 2014
  14Oct2014

  Happier: Thoughts and Practices on Centering and Mindfulness (Part 3)

  

  
  I snapped at my husband: "We're going to do it." (Subtext: whether you want to or not.) He snapped back, escalating conversation into confrontation--a common occurrence in uncentered conflict.

  I don't snap that often, so I had to take a look at my reaction. To do that I had to center myself. As Tracie Shroyer put it in her recent post that began this series on Centering and Mindfulness: "Something about intentionally taking a deep breath slows everything down. It brings perspective, quietness and calmness to a crazy situation."

  • How do you get centered, become grounded, mindful and present in life's difficult moments?
  • How do you know when you're centered?
  • What makes you lose it?
  • How can you catch yourself and re-center sooner?

  Today's post is about the connection between centering and emotions. Sometimes our emotional energy is strong enough to hijack our best intentions and damage important relationships. When emotions are high, it's like being in a car that's out of control.

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• September 30, 2014
  30Sep2014

  Happier: Thoughts and Practices on Centering and Mindfulness (Part 2)

  

  One of the questions I'm most often asked is: How do you center yourself, especially in a difficult moment? 

  I found Doug Silsbee's core body practice on centering thoughtful, practical, and easy to understand. As Doug suggests, you center yourself in difficult moments by practicing an excercise like this one over and over again until it becomes your default under pressure. Centering is not automatic. A strong center is similar to any strong muscle. It is developed through practice.

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• September 17, 2013
  17Sep2013

  Taking Time for You: Strategies for Making Your Well-Being A Priority

  

  My yoga teacher said: “Thank yourself for making your mind, body and spirit a priority in your life today.” And I did. I knew the rest of my day would be better for having spent 90 minutes stretching, perspiring, and caring for my health.

  I don’t do 90 minutes of yoga every day, although I know many who do. But I do something that builds mind, body, or spirit — and usually all three. You, too, can thank yourself for making your mind, body and spirit a priority , if you find time each day for some of these healthy activities.

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• October 16, 2012
  16Oct2012

  Being the Mountain - Reprise

  

  I had the opportunity to return to the Colorado Rockies this month. Whenever I experience the Rocky Mountains — because that’s what happens when I’m in the Rockies; I don’t just see them — something visceral happens. I stand in awe. And I change.

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