Displaying items by tag: gratitude

Here's 10 tips for helping to look after the mind - your mental health:

1. Get adequate sleep. Every hour before midnight is the equivalent to two hours after, aim for eight hours per night.
2. Smile more: it is scientifically proven to improve your mood. The average adult smiles seven times a day and one is usually fake. Kids smile around 400 times a day. Find your inner child and smile more!
3. Eat clean, natural, real food: it has a direct correlation to your mood. Think about it: 90% of your serotonin receptors are in your gut. 
4. Drink more water. One sign of dehydration is a cranky mood and frontal headache.
5. Be around people who love you for who you are but inspire you to be more. 
6. Be out in nature: let the biophilia magic rub off on you.
7. Set goals and make them happen. A sense of fulfilment makes humans feel like they are thriving.
8. Make a gratitude list of the things in life you are most grateful for.
9. Say "I love you" to yourself.
10. Be kind. When you give, you always get back.

Life is too short not to be doing what you love and experiencing the amazing things that the universe has to offer. Look after your mental health to really shine. There's so much waiting for you.

Thanks Lola Berry, author of The Happy Cookbook.

COVID-19 Update: My usual classes have been adapted to work with the current constrictions we have in place.  I am doing regular Zoom YogAlign sessions for my clients, click on YogAlign in Homepage Menu, then click on Booking to see times and contact details. 

If you would like a private session please message, phone or email me, so we can work out a time and day that suits you best.

While we are doing sessions via Zoom, we need to be creative and use whatever gear you have available, if you have a yoga mat that would be ideal. Other props you can use are a shoebox instead of blocks, a strap, belt or scarf, pillows or bolsters and maybe a hand towel to cover eyes for shavasana (these are not essential items), and some drinking water handy. Once you have confirmed your booking, I shall email you a Zoom link just prior to the class. Just click on link to join me and I shall click my end, to l let you in.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.  

In Health & Happiness

Love Leonie x

What can I do to support & love my body?

Breathe work - breathe is key & free! A negative thought or belief will have an effect on your physical body.  With this awareness, focus on the following. 

Place your hands on your heart and take 3 deep breathes, this will help calm your sympathetic nervous system & bring you into the present moment. 

Count to 4 while you inhale through your nose

Hold your breath while counting to 7

Count to 8 as you slowly exhale through your mouth

This helps you to release any fear, anxiety, tension, or energy that’s not serving you.

Repeat at least 2 more rounds, tuning into your body.

Carry on, for a few more deep breathes, if you feel you need too, your body will thank you for it.

Be gentle on yourself.  If breathe work is new to you, start off slowly.

Try doing this once a day either first thing when you rise or before you to to bed.

It's the little daily gifts to yourself, that create big shifts in your wellness.

Mahalo 

Let’s unite with an open heart for a global peace meditation today
at 2.45pm NZST Sunday 5th April 2020
www.globalpeacemeditation.com 

It is our innate nature to want to survive, alleviate the stress & thrive.  We need to honor our bodies through our everyday, healthy choices, and find some deeper sense of peace.

We need to find acceptance of our current situation rather than resist it. 

Over the last several days I have been feeling rather distracted and scattered with my hyperactive mind. I have tried to collate information from my own experiences, and so many others, to share, and to help empower you to take an active role in your wellness. This way you are able to take some practical steps to give yourself a greater sense of ease.

This list of symptoms is taken from Gregg Braden’s You Tube video Truth and Fiction Coronavirus, which I would highly recommend, to give you some clarity around the global pandemic and what actions to take.

I would also like to express thanks to all those who have imparted science, ancient wisdom and generous support and love, of whom there are many.

“The natural healing force within each of us is the greatest force in getting well.” Hippocrates

Some tips to help you support & maintain your optimal wellness

Set your intention to gain & maintain your optimal wellness.

Common Sense

.        wash and dry your hands after touching surfaces 

.           cover for a cough or sneeze 

.           if you are sick stay at home

.           social distancing NOT social isolation – call people especially the elderly 

Your Natural Defenses

Your body knows what to do! When we support our body for what it is designed to do. Honor your body.

.           strengthen your immune system

.           relieve stress

.           good sleep habits

.           movement and exercise

.           nutrition & supplements

.           communication, collaboration & community

Tools – What can I do to support & love my body?

Breathe work - breathe is key & free! A negative thought or belief will have an effect on your physical body.  With this awareness try the following: (there are many more examples of breathe work):

To help calm the sympathetic nervous system place your hands on your heart and take 3 deep breathes:

Count to 4 while you inhale

Hold your breathe while counting to 7

Count to 8 as you slowly exhale, helping to release any fear & anxiety, or energy that’s not serving you.

Repeat at least 2 more rounds, tuning into your body, and carry on for as long as you feel you need to.

Movement, exercise, dance, sing, play – do what ever brings you joy! Crank up the music.

Nature Heals – get into the outdoors as often as you are able.

Nutrition – stay hydrated & eat as many wholefoods as you can – local, seasonal, unprocessed, living, nutrient dense, high fibre, organic/spray free/GM free when possible.  Stimulate your sense of smell & taste, & support your well-being with herbs and spices.  Plant a garden, even if you only have room for a few pots.

Ask your health practitioner regarding health supplements to support your optimal wellness & boost your immunity ie vitamin C, Zinc, anti-viral preparations.

“If there is only one thing you can do to have a healthier body is to have a healthier gut.  There is nothing more powerful to protect you than to have a healthy micro biome, or there is nothing more powerful than to have a healthier micro biome, to have a healthier brain function.” Dr Mark Hyman

“We are the health of all our cells. “ Dr Libby Weaver

Surrender & self-love practices like yoga, meditation, try to be patient and present (being mindful), express gratitude for what you do have. Listen to your intuition, your innate self, where the true wisdom lies. Emotional Freedom Technique – tapping on meridian points on the body, derived from acupuncture, can release energy blockages that can cause negative emotions.  There are lots of great sites and videos offering you various yoga, breathing, tapping & meditation practices. 

Social connection – have clear boundaries, beware of the conversations you have, choose carefully who you spend your free time with, & avoid too much media.  Show compassion and kindness to yourself, family, friends and the wider community.  “Community builds Immunity” Dr LeRoy.  Connect with people and share.

Be gentle on yourself – it’s OK to feel anxious, angry, afraid or unsafe. Allow yourself to express your feelings, and then practice some self-love.  Try to minimize or remove triggers that stress you. Take control of your mind, adjust your thoughts & perspective of your experiences – what’s the benefits in this I’m not seeing? Ensure you have daily expressions of gratitude.

Create a bedtime ritual – try to clear your mind prior to going to bed ie turn off IT by 7pm – phone, computer, TV.  Try journaling, reading, a bath in Epsom salts & essential oils, a foot soak in a bucket if you don’t have a bath, self massage or offer to give a massage, listen to your circadian rhythm, eat at regular times, & rise with the sun, & sleep as soon after sunset as your routine allows.  These sorts of practices will help you slip into the parasympathetic nervous system with more ease, enabling your body to rest, digest, reproduce & rejuvenate.

Tweak you personal hygiene habits including cleaning – door handles, key boards, phones, steering wheels, kitchen benches, bathrooms, etc.  Wash hand towels, tea towels, towels, clothes, etc, regularly. Use antiseptic solutions – you can make your own with essential oils – recipes on the internet. 

More words from Gregg Braden

What can we expect? It depends on our response – individually & collectively.  We are now beyond the containment window. 

Mitigation phase – defined: The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.

When we are self-isolating ourselves we are giving a gift to ourselves and others, to reflect, find peace, heal and express gratitude.

A New Normal:

.           shifts in society

.           shifts in economies (sharing of vital resources)

.           shifts in lifestyle – more localized.

An awakening of Consciousness – supported by so many beautiful beings. 

This is an opportunity to love more, serve, and support.  

Keep shining your own unique and bright light.

In health & happiness Leonie Main