From the Mighty Newsletter February 2013
By Aja Uranga-Foster, Certified Holistic Lifestyle Coach
Want to feel more love and peace in life? Don't we all?
But daily life, duties, and inter-personal relationships can get so complicated and stressful at times. Thus, it goes without saying that we all feel overwhelmed at times... sometimes a lot of the time! The last thing that comes to mind when we are stressed and upset is love. So how do we get more of it, this elusive love?
Here's how:
Step 1: connect to this moment in gratitude.
Step 2: balance the mind, body, and emotions.
Step 3: repeat daily, even multiple times per day.
Step 4: enjoy the well of love and peace you will find!
"What?! But how do I do those 4 steps?" Well, there are many ways people try to accomplish these. But there are 2 notable methods that will help you accomplish all the steps above at once:
Meditation
and
Mindfulness.
You can search online for health benefits of meditation and mindfulness to read the latest research for yourself. An example can be found here for your reference to get you started.
Meditation is an ancient practice designed to help you turn on and amp up the love in yourself for life all around you. By slowing the mind down for a small period of time, you can assist the body to regain perspective, and gain/regain the ability to not sweat the small stuff.
Mindfulness is similar to mediation in terms of design, but it is simpler and requires less training than meditation. While the effects of mindfulness may not be as profound as the effects of mediation, much benefit to your wellness can still be gained. Many people who are not comfortable mediating find mindfulness exercises to be very helpful.
Here is a basic but effective mindfulness exercise you can do at home:
1) Bring your conscious awareness to what you eat and when. Allow your awareness to linger for 5-10 seconds.
2) Bring your conscious awareness to what you say, how you say it, and to whom. Allow your awareness to linger for 5-10 seconds.
3) Bring your conscious awareness to your movements throughout the day. For example, have you stretched? How is your posture? Allow your awareness to linger for 5-10 seconds.
4) Bring conscious awareness to this moment. What are you thankful for? Allow your awareness to linger for 5-10 seconds.
5) Repeat ANY of steps 1 through 4 at least 6 times per day for 30 days. But be sure to do step 4 at least once per day. Write down the steps if that will help you to remember!
At the end of 30 days, feel the power of increased peacefulness and loving appreciation for the "little things" in life. And surprise! You will have formed a good habit. Carry it through beyond the 30 days with ease.
Enjoy and tell your friends!
