Menu
Announcement: Wish you could change your past? Take a 5-minute quiz to feel better about life!

Category “healthy habits”

Wish Upon a Star

5 Ways to Push Through Discomfort to Make Positive Change

By

“Don’t let today’s disappointments cast a shadow on tomorrow’s dreams.” ~Unknown

One of the most difficult parts of reaching your goals or making positive change is pushing through discomfort.

This is where a lot of people give up—when the process inspires all kinds of challenging feelings.

If you’ve quit your day job to pursue your passion, and after six months you need to sell your car to keep going, a cubicle may appeal to your need for security.… Read More

Feeling

Feel. Focus. Flow.

By

“This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival” – Rumi

Not more than half an hour ago, I was, in a very typical fashion, struggling and getting frustrated trying to gather my thoughts for this post. I could even feel the tension in my shoulders clawing its way up to my neck (over a blog?).… Read More

Stress Relief

Well, Then: Ways to Reduce Stress and Be Well

By

Since I’ve written a lot about letting go in the past, I’m always excited to find new resources for living mindfully and peacefully. With that in mind, I was very excited to be part of the well, then relaunch.

Well, then is a community-based website where people can share tips about wellness in a number of categories, including:

  • Connecting with Family
  • Healthy Eating
  • Exercise
  • Giving Back
  • Living with Illnesses
  • Managing Your Weight
  • Sleeping
  • Working Smart
  • Reducing Stress

    • Full disclosure: Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare, the not-for-profit health plan that sponsored this initiative, compensated me to contribute content for the re-launch.… Read More

    Stretching

    5 Simple Yet Powerful Ways to Take Care of Your Body

    By

    “Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” ~Buddha

    Our bodies are not indestructible, and there is only so far we can push them before they start to fail. I should know.

    Roughly three years have passed since my body became unwell for whatever reasons.… Read More

    Think Positive

    Why Positive Thinking Didn’t Work for Me

    By

    “See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort.” ~Dalai Lama

    For a long time, nothing stressed me out as much as positivity.

    I was a perfectionist growing up, always trying to bang my flawed round-shaped self into a perfect square hole that couldn’t possibly contain me.

    Around 22, I decided to focus on personal development–a positive thing, I assumed.… Read More

    60 Things to Be Grateful For In Life

    By

    “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” ~Cynthia Ozick

    How often do you pause to appreciate what you have in life?

    When I was young, I sort of took things for granted. I believe many other kids did so, too. After all, we were young and we didn’t know what life could be like on the other side.… Read More

    Writing Your Story

    Writing Your Story: 5 Ways to Discover Your World

    By

    “The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.” ~Pema Chodron

    This past year has been one of tremendous self-discovery. One day, I suddenly realized after 9 years of a very straight finance paved path that I no longer wanted to be a corporate banker.

    Instead, I wanted to wake up each morning with a bigger purpose—a brand of who I was, and what I stood for outside of this corporate lifestyle.… Read More

    How to Wake up Every Morning on Top of The World

    By

    “You get peace of mind not by thinking about it or imagining it, but by quietening and relaxing the restless mind.” -Remez Sasson

    What’s the first thought that goes through your head when you wake up in the morning? Is it deliberate or is it the default “Oh shi#$, it’s 6am!”?… Read More

    4 Tips to Get in Touch with Your Feelings Instead of Burying Them

    By

    “Hope is the feeling that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.” ~Jean Kerr

    I’ve just given up smoking. Again. It’s a bad habit that I can’t seem to shake because I’m likely to relapse when I’m stressed.

    I try to rationalize my destructive behavior—I don’t smoke heavily; I don’t smoke that much since I stick to rolling tobacco which makes thinner cigarettes; it’s fifteen minutes to myself where nobody will question why I’m taking time to do and think about nothing.… Read More

    Mindful Money: How to Erase Credit Card Debt & Spend Consciously

    By

    “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” ~Lao Tzu

    If you’d asked me about money five years ago, I would’ve said “Oh I’m never going to have money.” On the surface this sentiment didn’t bother me. I have a job I love and a great marriage, so who needs money?… Read More

    Mindfulness in Everyday Tasks: 5 Ways Chores Can Make You Happier

    By

    “Smile, breathe and go slowly.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

    Last night I did something I rarely do. Drum roll please…

    …last night I cooked.

    OK, to be fair, I more prepped than cooked. But my willingness to participate in this domestic ritual with my boyfriend at the helm was certainly not the norm.… Read More

    How to Have More Fun in Life: Keep Your Thoughts from Pulling You Down

    By

    “If it’s not fun, you’re not doing it right.” ~Bob Basso

    A couple weeks back, my boyfriend and I went to our local county fair. I love—love—fairs.

    Forget for a minute that adult-me now gets vertigo just looking at a roller coaster; and that my 30-year old digestive track nearly explodes when I catch a whiff of carnie food.… Read More

    How to Find Peace of Mind in Under 500 Words

    By

    “All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” ~Proverb

    Practice and patience are like inseparable twins that have the capacity to bring us great joy when in harmony—and great angst when they are not.

    Consider the phrase: “Practice and all is coming….”

    I didn’t realize the depth of this statement when I first read it in my Ashtanga yoga manual several years ago.… Read More

    10 Tips to Overcome Negative Thoughts: Positive Thinking Made Easy

    By

    Even though I’m a yoga teacher, I still find it’s easy to fall prey to negative thinking. Having negative thoughts play out like a movie can only bring you pain, something that I’ve experienced many times throughout my life.

    Negative thoughts drain you of energy and keep you from being in the present moment.… Read More

    5 Simple Ways to Show Compassion to Animals and the Planet

    By

    “Compassion and happiness are not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.” ~Dalai Lama

    Showing compassion is one of the best ways to make the world a better place.

    It isn’t always easy to have compassion for people—if they’ve hurt you, don’t see things the way you do, or seem to cause many of their own problems.… Read More

    How to Correct Your Mind to Get Out of a Funk

    By

    “If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.” -Lao Tzu

    You’re stuck.

    We’ve all been there. Even the things that normally make you happy begin to bring you down. Worst of all, you can’t seem to understand why.

    So you give it time, let it take its course, and just when you think you’ve escaped the funk, something drags you back in.… Read More

    9 Ways to Get Better Sleep and Prevent Exhaustion

    By

    “A good rest is half the work.” ~Proverb

    I don’t always do everything I know I should do.

    I know I can only do so much, yet I often feel compelled to say yes to every exciting project that comes my way–even if it means working more than is ideal.

    I know I shouldn’t over-stimulate my mind at night, yet I frequently postpone shut-eye for just a little more writing time.… Read More

    How to Connect with Your Body to Feel Balanced: 10 Grounding Techniques

    By

    “Get yourself grounded and you can navigate even the stormiest roads in peace.” ~Steve Goodier

    Sometimes my head is in the clouds on a massive scale.

    This isn’t always a bad thing for me. When I am blissfully ignorant of reality, it can feel beautiful and exhilarating—shiny, I call it. It can be a welcome respite from the days when life feels dark and painfully uncertain.… Read More

    Stop Comparing Yourself to Others: An Alternative to Competing with People

    By

    “Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you.” ~Unknown

    We all do it or have done it at some point in our lives: we compare ourselves to others and gauge where we are based on what we observe them to be doing.… Read More

    10 Tips to Let Go of the Past So It Won’t Anchor You Down

    By

    “A bend in the road is not the end of the road…unless you fail to make the turn.” ~Unknown

    Let’s face it: we all dwell on the past from time to time. That’s okay—we’re human beings with emotions. As we live life and experience it to its fullest, it’s only natural that we sometimes cling onto what once was.… Read More

    Page 4 of 512345