Nothing quite like an unexpected paycheck in my account. Grateful.

No one knows what it's like to live without the love of their life until it's their life... so just leave me be.

In the angry stage of this deployment.

"Part of self love is self trust."

"Tea and oatmeal in love bowl and inspiration mug. The affirmations help with digestion :)"

Everything is okay.

Reminding me why to be healthy and take care of myself the way that I do.

Learning more about myself

I have been learning more about myself.
Last night I realized what a defensive and exclusive air I can give off.
I saw a taste of that attitude, and I took out my bad mood wrongly on a friend.
He has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself, I'm just understanding why this happened.
And I think it's cuz sometimes I just want to be alone and can't be so I get feisty at the people I can't avoid.
That's not fair. Especially when this person took me in.

SO,
I resolve to be mindful of my defensive spirit to be more open, soft, and kind even when I don't want to be.

In love and learning,
Jess!

don't waste my time. just speak your mind

2/25/13

First grad school admittance letter today. Celebrating that and a good friend's birthday!



PS. I also got a hair cut today

"Inspired by one, powered by many."

Simply, slowing down bettered and transformed myself and thus, my life.

A new study suggests that your brain reacts the same way to meditation as it does to sex. Both dissolve our sense of self-awareness, separating ourselves from our ego.

The lead researcher, Gemma O'Brien found that people meditating and having an orgasm both experience "diminution of self-awareness" and "alterations in bodily perception."

When you meditate, the left side of your brain lights up and when you have sex, the right side of your brain lights up -- both experiences leading to a stoppage of mental chatter in your brain and helping you lose physical and mental boundaries.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-2821/Meditation-Sex-Are-Same-to-Your-Brain.html

Escaping continual self-observation.

Tips for Managing Wandering Mind

"Examination is the first step: becoming alert to what passes through your mind. And there is constant traffic -- so many thoughts, so many desires, so many dreams are passing by. You have to be watchful; you have to examine each and everything that passes through the mind. Not a single thought should pass unawares, because that means you were asleep. Become more and more observant." -- An excerpt from Osho’s teachings. He was and is a very wise man. Here are some helpful tips on how to be “the watchful observer” of your very own mind.

1. You are not your mind. You know that, right? The mind is a mere tool, an instrument to the functioning of the entire system of the body. Humans have about 65,000 thoughts a day, 90% of which thoughts of yesterday, repeat today. That’s a lot of clutter and noise to navigate through! Especially if they’re negative thought loops or patterns that just repeat- over and over and over again. You are a human being with thoughts, with the capacity to think, BUT you are not your mind. You are the thinker, but not which is being thunk.

2. Start to notice your patterns. So you’ve become aware of the fact that you’re not your mind—great. Now, check out the inner monologue your mind is having with itself. What are the things you think about most? Are they from the past? Are they worried on the future? What’s the noise in there that is preoccupying you from being fully present in the moment? Start to watch the stories your mind creates and WHY they even get created in the first place. Crack the code to your subconscious and unconscious thought patterns!

3. What are you thinking when you’re in conversation? This is the best way to tell how present you are with the person in front of you. Are you actually taking in what they’re saying—really listening? Or is your mind too busy conjuring up what to say as soon as this person in front of you closes their mouth? Is your mind spacing out and not receiving information that is being given right in front of you? Do you repeat the same story over and over again? Are you mindfully relaying of the language coming out of your mouth when you speak? Is your mind in conscious connection with your throat, tongue and lips? Or is your mouth enslaved to the inner workings of your mind? If your mind your dictating master or your humble servant?

4. Meditation. The ultimate technique on becoming friends with your mind and coaxing it to work with and for you versus against you is via meditation. Your mind can either be your greatest enemy or your greatest companion. It might be scary at first -- acknowledging the noise in your brain. It’s okay. Everyone goes through it. We all have to start somewhere. Find a teacher to show you how to do it properly. Yes you can learn how to do it on your own, DIY, I’m a huge fan and firm believer in creating your own experiences BUT there are some things you might miss out on that someone who has had experience and does it for a living. They might be able to teach you a thing or two. But remember, the #1 Guru is YOU.

5. Read up on it. Check out this link on the brain. It’s fascinating.

6. Honor and Respect. Your mind does so much for you. Take care of it. Wash it, clean in, purge it of all damaging and hurtful thoughts. Feed it nutritious food, water its soil, give your mind sunlight, love, care, attention and care. The more you respect your mind, the more it will serve you to it’s highest degree and potential. Your brain, along with your spine facilitate for the workings of you entire body. Your brain and nervous system communicate with one another so you can do things like read, walk, talk, listen to music, eat food, sleep, wake up, function, etc etc. Treat your mind with honor and respect.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3987/6-Tips-to-Manage-Your-Wandering-Mind.html

Top 10 Foods For Detoxing

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7748/top-10-foods-for-detoxing.html

15 Must-Have Grocery Items for a Happy Belly

1. Yams: Nutritious and easier to digest than the regular white potato. While most people don’t differentiate between sweet potatoes and yams, according to John Immel from joyfulbelly.com, yams are more moist, orange colored, and very belly-friendly. Sweet potatoes have a more dry, astringent quality and are lighter in color. Sweet potatoes are best minimized when you experience irregularity or bloating.

2. Red and Yellow Lentils: Warming, grounding, and fiber-rich small lentils are easier on your digestion than larger beans. Soak them overnight and cook until soft with some coconut oil or ghee. Add cumin, coriander, and black pepper.

3. Seaweed: Rich in minerals, vitamins, and easily-digestible protein, seaweed is almost a perfect food. It tastes good in salads or sauteed.

4. Avocado: Soft, nourishing, and rich, this fruit is surprisingly rich in protein and fiber. While quite heavy in texture, it is gentle on your stomach. According to Ayurveda, avocados help to build strength and a healthy immune system. If avocados are too difficult to digest, add lime, pinch of salt, and cilantro.

5. Squash and Zucchini: Easy on your digestion, especially when lightly steamed or blended into a soup.

6. Spinach: Soft and so nutritious, spinach is one of the milder dark greens. When kale is a bit too rough for a sensitive stomach, spinach is a safer choice.

7. Almonds: Ayurveda recommends 10 soaked and peeled almonds a day to build strength and immunity. Make sure that almonds are soaked for at least 8 hours (up to 36) and that you peel off their dark skin. If even peeled soaked almonds are too heavy for you, blend a handful with water, 1 date, and a piece of fresh ginger to make a nourishing light smoothie.

8. Coconut Oil: Perfect for high heat cooking and baking, coconut oil is a must-have in any healthy kitchen. You can use it as a moisturizer, as well.

9. Blueberries: Many of us have an elevated amount of yeast in the body due to stress and poor diet. Sugars even when they come from fruit can create bloating in people with high yeast. Blueberries because of their low sugar levels compared to other fruit are less likely to upset your stomach even in someone recovering from yeast or candida.

10. Fennel: Soothing, and quite tasty, this fiber-rich veggie goes great in soups, stir-fries, and salads. It can also reduce bloating.

11. Aloe Vera Juice: It is a thousand-year-old healing herb, which is well known for its laxative and anti-inflammatory qualities both for GI and skin. Gel is more concentrated than juice. Try adding 1-2tbs in water and drink it throughout the day.

12. Unsweetened Applesauce: A perfectly belly-friendly sweet treat or quick snack. Natural applesauce is also a good source of vitamin C. If you’d like to slightly increase the fiber, stir in a tablespoon of ground up flax seeds. Ayurveda recommends having apple sauce with a little bit of ghee and powdered ginger and serving it warm.

13. Quinoa: It is a great source of complete protein in an easy to digest form. It is great for most people, even the ones who have hard time digesting other grains. It’s fluffy and softer than most grains, which makes it easier on the stomach.

14. Raw Sheep or Goat Milk Cheese: Unpasteurized goat and sheep's milk cheese is easier on our digestive system than regular cow milk cheeses. Look for organic, grass-fed varieties.

15. Eggs: Assuming that you are not allergic to eggs and consume animal protein, eggs is an easier to digest form of protein than meat. Keep in mind that it is still a very high-protein food and protein is one of the harder-to-digest items.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6184/15-MustHave-Grocery-Items-for-a-Happy-Belly.html

good in theory

http://myscienceacademy.org/2013/01/07/16-reasons-to-have-daily-sex/

Are You Playing The Long Game?

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7528/are-you-playing-the-long-game.html

Thick Thighs, Wide Hips & Large Breasts: How I Learned To Love My Museum-Worthy Body

Our attempts to achieve unrealistic goals often fail, or we achieve them at a great expense. We’re left with lower self-esteem than when we started.

I can remember a time when I’ve been heavier, as well as a time when I’ve weighed less than my current weight. I know what it takes for me to go in either direction, but the truth is that my current weight is natural for me. Most importantly, I know that I'm healthy.

So when I sometimes hear my nasty inner critic start to judge my body when I see photos or videos of myself, I take a deep breath and smile.

I’m proud to put an image into the public eye that can act as a counter to what we normally see. Yes, it can be hard at times to compete against the slew of petite teachers who look more like the “ideal” images I see on magazine covers, but I have to remember that it’s not a competition between me and these other women. The real battle is me against the self-hate that comes as a result of seeing modern media.

So, when I look in the mirror and compliment my curvy shape, I’ve won.

When I practice yoga and smile at the strength of my thick thighs, I’ve won.

And when I get in front of the camera, wearing tight yoga clothes with nothing to hide behind, again, I’ve won.

Hopefully, sooner than later, women will be valued more for their self-worth rather than their size.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7797/thick-thighs-wide-hips-large-breasts-how-i-learned-to-love-my-museum-worthy-b.html

Making Life Good!

Surely you remember the good old days – those fun-loving pastimes when the whole world seemed a bit brighter. Let’s travel back in time. Shall we?

Here’s how to get back to good…

1. Accept reality so you can change it.
To move forward in life you must first accept the reality of what it is. This acceptance provides you with an important starting point from which you can move in any direction you choose. To deny this reality or to fight against the past will merely waste your time and energy. To wish that things were different, or to pretend that they are, gets you nowhere.

Instead, visualize the possibilities and the path forward with a calm, collected mind. Then determine the next logical step that will take you in the direction of your vision and step forward. Read The Road Less Traveled.

2. Tap into the abundant resources around you.
When you adopt an attitude that life owes you something you set yourself up for frustration and unhappiness. Realize instead that life has already provided you with a world filled with abundance, and that creating meaningful value out of this abundance is up to you.

No matter who you are, where you’re from, or what your socioeconomic status is, a life of fulfillment requires commitment and effort from you. It is through positive, productive choices that you line up life’s abundance in ways that uniquely express your personal dreams and values.

3. Guard your dreams and go after them.
You need space to try things and create things. It takes a long time to recalibrate if you let people pull at you all the time. A lot of stress comes from reacting to stuff. You have to keep a certain guard up against these negative influences.

Build an emotional barrier and allow yourself to dream and explore the passions that speak to the essence of who you are. Then let those dreams and passions pull you steadily through the practical, hands-on work of bringing them to life. Work through each day with diligence and persistence, doing what’s required. And as you do, stay close to the dreamer that always lives within you.

4. Loosen your grip.
Sometimes you can hold so tightly to what you know that you deny yourself the opportunity to learn and experience great new things. And in the back of your mind you know this and it bothers you. You become so worried about losing comfort that you cease to be comfortable.

When you’re willing to let go a little, you can actually discover and enjoy a lot more. Because when your energy is not consumed by possessiveness and fear, you have more energy available to experience life.

Instead of striving to hold tightly to everything, let it come, let it go, and let the next moment bring its own unique wonder. Read The Untethered Soul.

5. Think about the possibilities.
Each new day greets you with no rules except the ones you place on it. So greet it with open arms and positive thoughts. Let the possibilities inspire you and keep you going. Others may call you an idealist or naive or some other belittling title, ignore them.

Life is not about what you could do, it’s about what you will do. Write this down: “My life has unlimited possibilities.” Choose to find these possibilities in everything that comes your way, and no problem will ever be able to conquer you.

6. Replace “I can’t” with “I can.”
The power of the phrase “I can’t” is frightening. It makes strong people weak, happy people sad, blinds those who can see, turns the brave into cowards, robs the brilliance of every genius, causes the rich to think poorly, and limits the potential of that highly capable brain inside your head.

Replace “I can’t” with “I can” and then try again. When you experience a negative circumstance in your life, do not dwell on it. Be proactive – direct your attention to the possible action steps that will bring you to a positive result.

7. Help others feel better about themselves.
There’s nothing more rewarding than helping someone realize their own self-worth. Your life will not likely be measured by a single great achievement; it will be measured by thousands of small ones that all compound on top of one another. Each time you perform an act of kindness or bring a smile to someone’s face it gives your life more meaning.

So act like what you do makes a difference – it does.

8. Save some love and respect for yourself.
You can be the most beautiful person on the inside and out in the whole wide world, and everybody who sees you is awestruck, but if you yourself don’t see and feel it, none of it matters.

Every moment you spend doubting your self-worth – every moment you spend negatively judging yourself – is a tragic moment, for it is a moment of your life that you chose to throw away. Don’t do this. You only have so many moments.

The love you seek is seeking you at this very moment, you just have to open up to it.

9. Purge unnecessary headaches.
As Albert Einstein once said, “Excessive possessions, seeking outward success, extreme publicity, luxuries – to me these have always been contemptible. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best for both the body and the mind.”

In other words, in thinking, be down to earth. In necessitates, keep to the essential. In conflicts, be fair. In leading others, guide instead of controlling. In work, tap into your passion. In relationships, be completely genuine and present. Keep it all straightforward and simple. Read The Power of Less.

10. Indulge in life’s priceless little pleasures.
The foundation of a good life is all around you. Experience the joy in life’s universal elements…

To find the fresh air and a light breeze exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening stroll; to be thrilled by the sun’s warmth and the flickering stars at night; to be elated over the sound of a rain shower or a wildflower in the Springtime. Etc.

These are some of the greatest rewards of a truly good life.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/01/11/10-ways-to-make-life-good-again/

8 Places Happy People Find Peace

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
–Buddha

Somewhere between the love in your heart and thoughts in your mind is a happy, peaceful place. You will find it promptly when you look in the following places:

1. The Foundation of Acceptance
Life is a series of continuous natural events and changes. Don’t resist them; doing so only creates unnecessary stress. Let the reality of these events and changes take place. Let them flow. Or as Henry Wadsworth once said, “For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.”

Acceptance is letting go and allowing things to be the way they truly are. It doesn’t mean you don’t care about improving the realities of life; it’s just realizing that the only thing you really have control over is yourself. This simple understanding is the foundation of acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be peace and growth.

2. A Sincere Inner Space
You have your own way. For you, this way of living is the absolute right way. Honor it.

One of the most influential sources of peace is simply being comfortable with who you really are. Not trading your reality for a role, or your truth for an act. Not giving up your freedom of thought. Not putting on a mask.

There cannot be peace in your external life until you are at peace within yourself, being yourself. It won’t always be easy, but no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning your inner spirit. Read The Untethered Soul.

3. The Mindset of Forgiveness
When someone has hurt you, it’s hard to be peaceful. But you do it anyway because you know peace is the only battle worth waging. Peace is beautiful; it is the manifestation of your love, and the best resolution for a brighter future.

Being peaceful is hard sometimes; much harder than being angry and vengeful. It requires you to stay calm and let go of the pain. It requires you to forgive and move on. Of course, you don’t do these things just for the person who has hurt you, but for your own wellbeing.

4. The Land of Appreciation
If you believe you would finally be happy if you had twice the amount of the things you already have – time, money, friends, cars, snazzy dress shoes, etc. – you would be sadly mistaken. Because if you aren’t happy with what you have, you won’t be any happier when what you have is doubled.

As Socrates once said, “Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.” Do not waste all your happiness by overlooking everything you have for everything you wish you had. If you do, you will never have enough. Instead, appreciate the goodness that is already yours, and you will instantly find a lot more to smile about. Read The Happiness Project:.

5. Moments of Purposeful Solitude
You need to pause at least once a day and spend a few moments breathing silently. Use these moments to think and consciously separate the past from the present and future. Responsibilities, obligations, unfinished business, family and friends can all survive without you while you take these moments for yourself.

You deserve this time away. You deserve to think peacefully, free from external pressure. No problems to solve, hands to shake, or people to please. Sometimes you need to make time for yourself, away from the busy world you live in that doesn’t make time for you.

6. A Mutually Loving Relationship
When you love someone you understand them. You don’t necessarily understand exactly what they’re thinking, but you understand why. And they understand the same about you. This shared understanding is precious because where human beings are understood they are at ease.

Understanding nourishes emotional comfort and belonging. When those you love truly feel understood, they feel free to release themselves into the trust and shelter of your inner spirit and soul, which is where the real connection is made and true peace is found for the both of you.

7. A Passionate Endeavor
Passion is powerful. It rests deep within you and passively drives your feelings, choices, and courses of actions. It can’t be ignored, and it shouldn’t be ignored.

Your passion will become the sole source of your greatest achievements and your finest moments. The fevering excitement of love. The joy of work that moves you. The clarity of your purpose. The ecstasy of letting go and being one with the present moment. This is what passion does to you. Without it there is no peace of mind, just a hollow existence of unfulfilled dreams – a lifetime left unlived. Read 1,000 Little Things.

8. The Muscle of Positive Action
In life, you get what you put in. Every moment of your life is dynamic, responding exclusively to your inputs. When you put a positive, productive effort into it you will receive a useful outcome from it. This is the greatest power you possess – the power you have over your own choices and actions. Instead of attempting to gain power over others and external situations, exercise the unlimited power you already have over yourself.

Forget about the past, the future, and where others are in their journey. Put your mind at ease. Put the worrying and complaining to rest. Focus on your living, breathing, present self. What can you do right now to make a difference? Get positive, get productive, and get busy putting the possibilities of this moment to the test.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/02/22/8-places-happy-people-find-peace/

Whitening Teeth Naturally

When done daily this practice is incredibly effective for:
Brightening & whitening teeth
Healthier gums
Removal of mucus
Boosting the immune system
Preventing bad breath
Increasing energy
Having a clearer mind
Decreasing headaches
Clearing the sinuses
Alleviating allergies
Better sleep
More clearer skin
Regulating menstrual cycles
Decreasing inflammation
Improving the lymphatic system
Improving PMS symptoms

How to oil pull:
Drink 1 cup of water on an empty stomach.
Melt 1-3 tsp. of organic, cold-pressed vegetable oil (I like coconut oil the best) in your mouth or over very low heat in a double boiler.

Swish through your mouth for 20 minutes while you’re busy doing something else. The first few times my gag reflexes reared themselves and it was a little difficult keeping the oil in my mouth, but I persisted and by the third day it was fine. If you have this problem too, I recommend sticking with it.

Spit into trash, compost or outside in the grass (just not in the sink - we don’t want to clog the pipes).
Swish water through your mouth to rinse.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4896/The-Single-Most-Effective-Ayurvedic-Practice-for-Your-Mouth.html

8 Things You Must Give Up to Find Peace

“Peace cannot be kept by force;
it can only be achieved by understanding.”
–Albert Einstein

Peace of mind transpires and thrives when you let go of the things that limit your growth and happiness.

You work for this peace every time you give up…

1. Old regrets and excuses.
You can’t always choose what happens to you, but you can always choose how you feel about it and what you do about it. You don’t have to be defined by the things you did or didn’t do in the past. Don’t let yourself be controlled by regret. Maybe there’s something you could have done differently, or maybe not. Either way, it’s merely something that has already happened.

Be done with these old regrets; they’re just an excuse for people who have failed, and failing only happens if you learn nothing and give up. Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making these empty excuses.

Think about it, you rarely fail for the things you do. You fail for the things you don’t do, the business you leave unfinished, the things you make excuses about for the rest of your life. Read Awaken the Giant Within.

2. The burning desire to have all the answers.
Accept the feeling of not knowing exactly where you are going, and train yourself to love and appreciate this sensation of freedom. Because it is only when you are suspended in the air, with no destination in sight, that you force your wings to open fully so you can fly. And as you soar around you still may not know where you’re traveling to. But that’s not what’s important.

What’s important is the opening of your wings. You may not know where you’re going, but you know that so long as your wings are spread, the winds will carry you forward.

3. The false hope of a pain-free life.
Pain is a part of life, and life’s pains have many shapes and sizes.

There’s the cold feet pain of moving on ‒ graduating, taking the next step, walking away from the familiar and into the unknown. There’s the sharp growing pains of trial and error, of failing as you learn the best way forward. There’s the immense, dizzying pain of life slapping you in the face when everything you thought you knew wasn’t true, or everything you had planned for falls through.

There are the more ambiguous aches and pains of successes, when you actually get what you had hoped for, but then realize that it’s not quite what you had envisioned. And then, from time to time, there are the warm, tingling pains you feel when you realize that you are standing in a moment of sweet perfection, a priceless instant of achievement or happiness which you know cannot possibly last ‒ and yet will remain with you forever.

Even though so many folks forget, pain is actually a good thing. It means you’re breathing, and trying, and interacting with the endless possibilities in this world. Pain is for the living only; it’s worth fully accepting and dealing with while you still have a chance. Read Radical Acceptance.

4. Ties to insensitive people.
People are extremely difficult to change.

Throughout your lifetime people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Don’t consume yourself with trying to change them or win their approval. And don’t make any space in your heart to hate them. Simply walk away and let karma deal with the things they do, because any bit of time you spend on them will be wasted, and any bit of hate in your heart will only hurt you.

5. Obsessing yourself with negative news.
For every prominent newscaster who howls about how bleak and unjust life is, there are thousands of other people behind the scenes working tirelessly to make a positive difference in the world. For every disheartening crisis that is breathlessly reported, there are thousands of real, meaningful success stories that don’t get the attention they deserve, but that have an enormous positive ripple effect on humanity.

Try not to obsess over the negative news; learn from it and use your knowledge to work your way eagerly toward a brighter tomorrow. Life does get better and better when you choose to make it so.

6. The belief that fulfillment resides in the end result.
Fulfillment is not a matter of achieving a specific goal. It is a matter of mindfully enjoying the process required to achieve that goal. Fulfillment flows from focusing your life around specific and authentically held intentions – ideas and activities that genuinely speak to your purpose. When these intentions are clear, consistent and meaningful, you have sufficient means to bring fulfillment and joy to your life, whether you ever fully achieve your intended goal or not.

In other words, the right journey is the destination.

7. Measuring your success by material wealth.
We’re bombarded with images of stuff, with the implication that this stuff somehow elevates personal value and success. So I encourage you to think about how much of your self-worth is connected to owning, giving, and getting STUFF. Because truthfully, success, happiness, and peace of mind have little to do with STUFF.

So what does help create these things?

To laugh often and love genuinely. To respect others and judge less. To win the affection and sincere smiles of children. To earn the regard of honest peers and endure the betrayal of fake friends.

To appreciate the beauty surrounding you wherever, whenever you are. To find the good in people and situations. To give what you can and leave the world a little better than you found it. To have explored ideas and passions and sung at the top of your lungs with jubilation. To know that at least one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is what makes a life successful. This is how happiness and peace of mind are attained. Read The Untethered Soul.

8. The need to keep everything the same.
Things change. People and circumstances come and go. Life doesn’t stop for anybody.

Life moves very fast. It rushes from calm to chaos in a matter of seconds. It happens like this to people every day. It’s happening to someone right now.

Sometimes the shortest split second in time changes the direction of our lives; a seemingly innocuous decision rattles our whole world like a meteorite striking Earth. Entire lives have been swiveled and flipped upside down, for better or worse, on the strength of an unpredictable event.

Most of the time these changes come when you’re not asking for them and not expecting them, but they happen. So are we helpless? Are we puppets? No. These changes are going to come; you can’t help that. But it’s what you do afterwards that counts. That’s when you grow; that’s when you find out who you truly are.

So when you find yourself standing on a threshold, the crossing of which will seemingly change everything, don’t fight it. Begin the next chapter in your life.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/12/28/8-things-you-must-give-up-to-find-peace/

ways to get your best body

1. Get more sleep.

Aim for at least eight hours every night. You should also try to schedule time for rest or solitude, even if it's just five minutes a day. It will maximize your quality of life and cement a good relationship between you and your body.

2. Hydrate -- water, water, water -- whenever you can!

Limit caffeine to once daily (before lunch) MAX. If you are feeling anxious or you can't sleep well, cut it completely for a week or two and see the difference!

3. Start your day with a good breakfast.

Your breakfast should be rich in protein and good fats. A smoothie is the ultimate breakfast in my eyes, since it keeps blood sugars stable and allows for easy absorption of vitamins and minerals.

4. NEVER consume artificial sweeteners or diet sodas.

5. Cut back on the consumption of gluten-containing foods.

One great way to reduce your gluten intake is to choose gluten-free complex carbs like brown rice, quinoa, legumes, pumpkin, and beans.

6. Reduce your stress.

Find a technique that works best for you and practice a stress reliever daily. Some examples of good stress relievers include meditation, deep breathing, yoga, chi gong, walking, barefoot walking, tea, and reading. Choose anything! This will keep your adrenal glands healthy and your hormones balanced.

7. Try to exercise four to five times per week, 30 to 45 minutes each session.

Keep your body moving in your favorite way. I am very against boot camp and pushing the body to any kind of extreme (sorry, guys). I love interval training, weight training, Pilates, yoga, and a 30-minute jog, and I walk on the weekends (whenever I can, really) because I love the fresh air and it clears my mind.

On this note: Change your mentality. Stop exercising because "you will lose weight if you do." Stop putting pressure on yourself. Exercise because it is a mood booster, mind clearer, and is healthy for your heart!

8. Learn to love your veggies.

Eat them with every meal. Aim to have five servings of mixed veggies every day. Get those B vitamins! I try to have at least two vegetarian meals per week, as I feel my body does well with the occasional break from animal protein.

9. Eat through the rainbow.

Variety! I know how easy it can be to get stuck on a particular food and repeat it for months, but please change it up -- especially your breakfast.

10. Chew your food.

Stop inhaling it. Practice mindful eating. I am committed to sitting down and eating my meals in a calm state for optimal digestion and absorption.

11. Put technology to bed.

Switch off your electronic devices by 9pm and put your phone on airplane mode away from your head. Please!

12. Wake up with a delicious ritual.

Here's a good example: Open eyes, stretch, smile, give thanks, drink your lemon water, refresh. Then you can check your phone and emails. This will set a good tone for your day.

13. Get organized on a Sunday!

Or whichever day suits you best. Stock your fridge and pantry as best as you can for the week. This really keeps me on track and supports my healthy eating.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7783/13-easy-ways-to-get-your-best-body.html

depression and drugs - the power's inside you!

Don’t put your health in the hands of others, put it in your own.

Don’t let others grab a hold of you and try to increase your dependency on something that isn’t good for you, in this case medication.

Depression as a condition and the drugs to treat them have been severely over hyped and many negative effects have been suppressed. Many people believe they are depressed, and many medical practitioners believe in their diagnoses of depression not knowing that they have been subject to a very intelligent form of manipulation.

Depression is not a result of situations in your life in the external environment, it’s a result of you and your internal world and how you perceive your reality.

It seems as if the powers that be have grabbed a hold of human feelings, defined them to be of such a problematic nature that it requires chemical tweaking of the brain. Sure, depression might very well be the result of chemical deficits in the brain, but chemical deficits in the brain are caused by the being within the human body. Everything you feel is a result of your own creation, your brain shapes itself based on how you perceive reality, this is a scientific fact. It is you that changes your brain, don’t allow harmful medication to do it for you while ruining your mental health. I am not saying that depression doesn’t exist, but it is simple to see that medication is not required, does not help, and is extremely detrimental to our physical and mental well being. Any type of medication to treat depression should be highly questioned, research should go beyond science and medicine and into the corporations responsible for their manufacturing and the people behind the corporations.

Mainstream science is also starting to clue in as it begins to see the fraud with regards to the information we are told and what we are made to believe. It seems as if the powers that be have grabbed a hold of human feelings, defined them to be of such a problematic nature that it requires chemical tweaking of the brain. Sure, depression might very well be the result of chemical deficits in the brain, but chemical deficits in the brain are caused by the being within the human body. Everything you feel is a result of your own creation, your brain shapes itself based on how you perceive reality, this is a scientific fact. It is you that changes your brain, don’t allow harmful medication to do it for you while ruining your mental health. I am not saying that depression doesn’t exist, but it is simple to see that medication is not required, does not help, and is extremely detrimental to our physical and mental well being. Any type of medication to treat depression should be highly questioned, research should go beyond science and medicine and into the corporations responsible for their manufacturing and the people behind the corporations.

Prior to taking medication, the human brain and the chemical flows within it were naturally determined by the human being. Given our mood, our daily activities, what we think and how we perceive the environment around us, our brains and their chemical flows are determined by us. How medical practitioners are convinced of anti-depressant medication and their effectiveness is beyond me (along with vaccinations and a list of many other things). Given what the medical field knows about our brain, and how our thoughts and emotions can effect it, souls who feel depressed usually just need to let certain concepts and belief systems go. It’s like holding onto weights while the water is rising around you, you can choose to let them go and float, or hang on to them and drown.


http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/01/29/depression-and-the-harmful-drugs-that-go-with-it/

'

Essential oils are non water-based phytochemicals made up of volatile organic compounds. Although they are fat soluble, they do not include fatty lipids or acids found in vegetable and animal oils. Essential oils are very clean, almost crisp, to the touch and are immediately absorbed by the skin. Pure, unadulterated essential oils are translucent and range in color from crystal clear to deep blue.

I love these words...

INDICATED GROWTH

I love the way you feel... one of the most genuine pleasures. As poignant as a cold hand to a soft, warm face.

Taking pain and turning it into something powerful


http://www.upworthy.com/bullies-called-him-pork-chop-he-took-that-pain-with-him-and-then-cooked-it-into

Mel Schwartz - A Shift of Mind

Try to choose your relationships from a grounded place of being selective as opposed to feeling needy. When we NEED to be in a relationship, it will cause us to settle and accept qualities in the other which over time will come back to haunt us. When we do so, we ignore the red flags that we should be paying attention to.

On the other had, if you work on developing your own sense of wholeness, you can be far more selective in choosing your relations, which will serve you far better.Don't complete yourself through the relationship, complete yourself first and then select the appropriate partner.

New York City . . . I love you

"Give what you can. Take what you need."

From a friend... H.W.

"The New Colossus" is a sonnet by Emma Lazarus (1849–87), written in 1883 and, in 1903, engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the lower level of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.


Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

Deep breathing

http://psychservices.ucsd.edu/Downloads/iRelax/5Words.mp3

10 Powerful Phrases of Wisdom From Gandhi

1. Be the change you wish to see in the world

2. What you think, you become

3. Where there is love, there is life

4. Learn as if you’ll live forever

5. Your health is your true wealth

6. Have a sense of humor

7. Your life is your message

8. Action expresses priorities

9. Our greatness is being able to remake ourselves

10. Find yourself in the service of others

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/01/09/10-powerful-phrases-of-wisdom-from-gandhi/

Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius

Someone's comment:
" I recognize pain as the essential part of my creative being. I see through It, I can taste it and use it, so I know how the grandiosity of joy feels like. Because you will never understand sweetness of the morning dew without tasting the bitterness of the vespertine rain"

Been learning:

the importance of sleep and good meals. Can't beat the need for them.

The Space Between Self-Esteem and Self Compassion

Self-esteem
-Global judgment of self-esteem: Am I good person or a bad person?
If you hate yourself, you're going to be depressed and hate yourself, will have anxiety and psychological problems
To have high self-esteem, you have to feel special and above average
To all feel above average, we have to put ourselves up and put others down to feel better by comparison
--Epidemic of narcissism in this culture
--Epidemic of bullying by kids who are forming their sense of self-esteem to feel stronger and more powerful
--People are prejudice in order to enhance their own self-esteem by feeling their group is better
--Will only feel good about oneself when one succeeds and will feel lousy and like a failure when fails
--Women invest in their self-esteem in how attractive they are

Self-compassion not about judging ourselves kindly but about relating to ourselves kindly.

Self-compassion has three core components:
1. Treating ourselves with kindness instead of harsh self-judgment: Patience, kindness, gentleness, compassion
2. Common humanity: How am I the same as others (instead of asking how we are different). To be human means to be imperfect as people and in our lives - that is the shared human experience. When we struggle in lives, we can feel abnormal and that we shouldn't be failing. The feeling of abnormality that is so psychologically damaging.
3. Mindfulness: Being with what is in the present moment. turn toward, validate, and accept that we are suffering in order to give ourselves self-compassion.

Treat ourselves with the same kindness, care, and concern we treat our friends
Intentionally try to be more compassionate to myself - it will make an immediate difference
Self-compassion offers a lot of benefits other people don't
Making ourselves feel isolated makes things so much worse when in reality that is what connects us to others.
When we criticize ourselves, we tap into threat defense system - our bodies prepare for the fight or flight response, releasing cortisol and adrenaline.
Threat not to our actual selves, but to our perception.
We feel threatened by problem so we attack ourselves - we are attacker and attacked.
If you are a constant self-critic, you will have constantly have high levels of stress and for the body to protect itself, it will shut down and become depressed to deal with all the stress.
We can think we need to criticize ourselves to be motivated but the opposite has found to be true.

TO FEEL SAFE:
Tap into mammalian care-giving system: oxytocin and opiates
Our bodies are programmed to respond to warmth, gentle touch, and soft vocalizations
When we give ourselves compassion, we actually reduce our cortisol levels and release oxytocin and opiates
When we feel safe and comfortable, we are in our optimal state to do our best

Self-compassion strongly related to mental health, life satisfaction, connectedness with others (interpersonal relationships), better lifestyle choices
Self-compassion offers benefits of self-esteem without the pitfalls - not associated with narcissism or constant social comparison
When self-esteem deserts you, self-compassion steps in and gives you a sense of being valuable because you are a human being worthy of love in that moment - Be a friend to yourself in that moment

Practicing self-compassion will open your heart to be compassionate to others

Mindful Self Compassion

How do you typically react to difficulties in life—work stress, feeling rejected, physical problems, or financial hardship? As human beings, most of us instinctively fight negative experiences and find fault in ourselves when things go wrong: “This shouldn’t be happening!” “What’s the matter with me!?” Unfortunately, this tendency just adds stress to our lives and the critical self-talk defeats us before we know what’s happening. For example, the more we struggle to fall asleep, the harder it is to sleep; fighting with anxiety makes us feel worried all the time; and blaming ourselves for feeling bad just makes us depressed. But what would happen if, instead, you took a moment to calm and comfort yourself when you felt bad, just because you felt bad—much like you’d do for others? In other words, what if you learned the art of mindful self-compassion?

Self-compassion is a skill that can be learned by anyone, even those who didn’t receive enough affection in childhood or who find it embarrassing to be kind to themselves. Self-compassion is actually a courageous mental attitude that stands up to harm—the harm that we inflict on ourselves every day by overworking, overeating, overanalyzing, and overreacting. With mindful self-compassion, we’re better able to recognize when we’re under stress and face what’s happening in our lives (mindfulness) and to take a kinder and more sustainable approach to life’s challenges. Self-compassion gives emotional strength and resilience, allowing us to recover more quickly from bruised egos to admit our shortcomings, forgive ourselves, and respond to ourselves and others with care and respect. After all, making mistakes is part of being human. Self-compassion also provides the support and inspiration required to make necessary changes in our lives and reach our full potential.

Research has shown that self-compassion greatly enhances emotional well-being. It boosts happiness, reduces anxiety and depression, and can even help you stick to your diet and exercise routine. And it’s easier than you think. Most of us feel compassion when a close friend is struggling. What would it be like to receive the same caring attention whenever you needed it most? All that’s required is shift in the direction of our attention—recognizing that as a human being, you, too, are a worthy recipient of compassion.

mindfulness

Cultivating a different relationship with stressful things

MINDFULNESS:
1. Moment to moment non-judgmental awareness
2. Cultivating a more comfortable way of relating with stressful things

Can create struggle over things we can't change
We have these human brains that can think about the past and the future and prevent us from being in this present moment
This very moment, here and now, is what we have
We can add insult to injury if we judge ourselves to be a failure because we add pain
Is my judgment serving me well? Can add to discomfort and stress
Only we can change things is if we are aware: Our habits, thoughts, sensation, emotions
There is a benefit of being aware of experiences moment-by-moment
Cancer itself is not stressful - It's how people deal with it
The stress arises out of how a person RELATES to something
How we relate is the source of struggle and suffering

We have pain and then we add this bad feeling about it
Just allow experience to happen - don't judge it
AWARENESS is the foundation
Not about just having stressors in life, but about how we relate to them
Cannot control what happens - it's here - where we create stress is about how we relate to the reality of the situation - the struggle over the actuality of the experience

Amazing... Mindfulness

Mindfulness is defined as cultivating exquisite attention to the present moment—with openness and without judgment.

Since mindfulness first was studied over 30 years ago, it has become increasingly recognized as a therapeutic remedy to stress and anxiety, and studies have shown many mental and physical health benefits, including chronic pain relief, increased learning potential, greater compassion and happiness. Mindfulness brings about mental clarity, concentration and calmness.

And the practice of mindfulness allows us to become fully alive. Here’s how:

By paying attention to the smallest of detail in our existence, we learn to stay with our experiences, positive or negative, without attachment or struggle. And by staying with our experiences, we find peace, as we release ourselves from the need to control how we experience life.

By engaging fully with the present moment, we deeply experience life – its love, joy, contentment, even the pain and sadness. Our awareness evolves and softens, and we learn to enjoy the entire experience of being alive. Not lost in the past, or in the future, but truly alive in this moment.

By recognizing our thoughts and emotions, we see their transient nature. We realize we do not have to be captive to thoughts and emotions, that we simply can hold an awareness of them. The inner landscape becomes peaceful, allowing us to access our inherent wisdom and intuition.

While the world around us is constantly changing, mindfulness gives us the opportunity to be present with ourselves just as we are. We find stillness, no matter what is going on inside or outside of us. We let go of judgments, and we find wisdom, compassion and equanimity that result from letting go of emotional reactivity.

You can begin to experience mindfulness right now in this moment. Read through the following paragraph and try this simple exercise:

Close your eyes for a few minutes. Bring awareness to your breath. Observe the breath and the body. When the mind wanders, bring it back again to the breath, without judgment. Enjoy the spaciousness of resting in this place of awareness with your breath, and enjoy the stillness of the mind.

Notice what is happening in the moment: any sounds, smells or sensations, and let the breath be the anchor of your attention. Just breathe and be for a few minutes.

When you open your eyes, notice the calmness of body and mind, and note any shift in perception of the things around you.

With practice, mindfulness truly will change your experience of life.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7735/why-mindfulness-will-change-your-life.html

Relaxation for anxiety in the stomach

http://www.innerhealthstudio.com/anxiety-in-the-stomach.html

symptoms

Looking at your Anxiety Diagnosis, Jessica, it’s easy to see that your physical symptoms are actually caused by the Fear-Adrenaline-Fear Loop. You see, when you constantly live in a high anxiety state, your adrenaline gland can go haywire. So from time to time it just dumps adrenaline into your bloodstream. And when it does, your bowels feel like they may let “go” at any time, you feel sick, your stomach hurts.

I don’t need to tell you how scary these symptoms are. But the very same moment you get scared of them, even more adrenaline is released ... your organs are stimulated to produce even more intense sensations ... which further continue to scare you.
The good news here is that actions of adrenaline are always predictable. They are restricted to the same organs, always following the same pattern. So there’ll be no more surprises in store for you. Other than the symptoms you already experience, no new ones can or will arise. But now, let’s take a look what we can do about the ones you already have…

Diarrhea and Frequent urination
Frequent urination and diarrhea are very common among people who suffer from anxiety. When adrenaline is released into your bloodstream a process called “fight-or-flight” is started. Fight-or-Flight commands your body to get rid of all the waste products in it, so you can run faster away from danger. Our bodies don’t differentiate between the type of imaginary fear where there is nothing to run from and the type of fear you would experience if a huge tiger was hunting you. Trust me, there’s nothing wrong with your kidney … though always wondering if you will make it to the next bathroom can be crazily annoying.

Two things you can start doing right away to calm down your emotions...
We all seem to suffer from the delusion that emotions are entirely out of our control, that they’re just something that spontaneously occur in the reaction to the events of our lives. Often we dread emotions as if they were viruses that zero in on us and attack when we’re most vulnerable. In essence, there’s this misconception that we have no control over these mysterious things called emotions.

But if you want to make your life really work, you must make your emotions work for you. You can’t run away from them. You can’t tune them out. You can’t trivialize them or delude yourself about what they mean. Nor can you just allow them to run your life. Emotions you experience are merely a call to action. In fact, instead of calling them negative emotions, from now on, let’s call them Action Signals.

And once you’re familiar with each signal and its message, your emotions become not your enemy but your ally. So now, let's take a look at what is the message of your Action Signals...

Watching for signs of danger
One way to overcome your habit of “catastrophizing” (and many other negative emotions) is by learning to manipulate your face. University of California conducted an experiment where a group of severe anxiety sufferers were daily asked to change their facial expressions and smile. Not one of them was able to stay in an anxious state of mind while smiling. In fact, some of them began to manage themselves by smiling for twenty minutes at a time for no reason. Soon they began to feel great. In fact, 47% of them completely recovered within the first three month just by learning to manipulate their facial expressions.

Feelings of apprehension or dread
One of the ways you can reduce feelings of dread is to control your diet. And I’m not going to teach you health fundamentals here, although I’ll do it in your complimentary newsletter. I do want to say this to you: most of us in life do not pay attention to what we’re putting in our body. And what you’re putting in affects deeply how you feel emotionally. Blood sugar, for example, alone, makes a radical shift on how you feel emotionally. So if you aren’t paying attention to what or how you’re eating, and you’re just throwing anything you possibly can in your body, without looking at the consequences, you’re going to pay an emotional price.


“What to focus on?”
The first decision is what to focus on. You're making it right now, as you read this. It's your number one decision and it alone is responsible for the most of your physical symptoms. We feel whatever we focus on. Where your focus goes your energy flows. Focus on your physical symptoms (beating heart, rapid breathing, dizziness) and you'll get exactly that.


“What am I going to do?”
If we want to shift our lives and end anxiety, we've got to learn how to shift what we focus on consistently, the meanings we give it and the actions we take. Are you going to pull back or move forward? Are you going to give up or break through? Are you going to call 911 every time your heart beats faster ... or are you going to find a permanent solution to your anxiety? It's all a decision ... your decision.

uhhh....

I get all of these. at once.

Anxiety symptoms - Stomach upset, gas, belching, stomach distress

You may experience:
• nausea
• bloating
• burning sensation in the stomach or pit of the stomach
• gas, or being gaseous
• belching, burping, excessive belching
• feeling like there is a lump or knot in your stomach
• stomach discomfort or distress
• an uncomfortable fullness in your stomach
• feeling like you have butterflies in your stomach
• a tightness in your stomach
• an “anxiety” stomach
• an excess of acidity
• a “heavy” stomach
• a "rumbling" after you eat sensation
• an uneasiness in your stomach
• acid reflux
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• loose stool
• constipation
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• chronic stomach problems

To name a few.

Stomach distress may also cause erratic and sharp pains to radiate throughout the chest, neck, throat, and shoulder blades.

A person may have one, two, or all of the symptoms. They can come and go erratically, or persist indefinitely. All are common when anxiety is present.

This is perfect for my condition

http://www.angelfire.com/sc2/lupiebeth/queasy.html

Takes time to understand how I process the world.

The music was playing all along, I just had it on mute.

Happy Valentine's Day to Me!

I love myself :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

to the city and borough that I love. I am grateful for my deep love for you!

Play! It’s Not as Serious as You Think

Whether it’s life choices, relationships, friends, work, family, sports, or everyday events, know that it’s just an experience! We can spend our whole lives always caught up in the drama and intensity of each moment only to realize we missed out on the entire journey of it because we were caught up in the mind. We perpetuate our so called “suffering” when we make things serious and make them a big deal, when really we can see it for what it is and allow it to be. This is called finding true peace. I’m not talking about simply accepting things and saying “well get over it” or “that’s how it is so deal with it” No. I’m talking about truly seeing things for what they are. Seeing why we color something in a particular way. Seeing the belief system behind why something is good or bad or right or wrong or even why its serious! I promise you, behind every strong emotion, every serious situation, there is a belief system that makes it that way. One that is held in the mind and made real by the mind. But the mind is not YOU! See the story! Let it go and just play! You will find much peace and joy in flowing through your experience in this way.


http://www.collective-evolution.com/2011/09/13/play-its-not-as-serious-as-you-think/

When you set out to release a habit, first be kind to yourself and thank your subconscious for creating the protective mechanism. It did its best to help, but its way of going about it was not useful. Acknowledge the cause of the need for this protection and decide how you could replace the protection in a more constructive way.


http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7673/are-you-your-own-worst-enemy-how-to-stop-sabotaging-yourself.html

Smile! 5 Reasons It Will Make You Happy

Smile first = be happy later!

Here are 5 reasons to smile:

1. Smiling reduces stress.

Psychological Science, one of the top 10 psychology journals worldwide, recently printed a study out of the University of Kansas showing that smiling, even under stress, actually reduces stress and helps us feel better.

“Peace begins with a smile.” — Mother Teresa

2. Smiling improves how you feel.

Ron Gutman, author of Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act writes, “Lots of smiling can actually make you healthier. Smiling can help reduce the level of stress-enhancing hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, and dopamine; increase the level of mood-enhancing hormones like endorphin; and reduce overall blood pressure.”

“Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life. And when you feel better about life, your life is better.” —Art Linkletter

3. Smiling spreads joy, it is socially contagious.

The smile contagion has been studied since the 1980s and has been proven a number of times. A 1984 article in the journal Science showed that people mimic emotional expressions. We often read about the negative impact of social contagions but here is an easy way to make a positive difference.

Smiling at others inspires them to mimic your behavior and smile back at you. Try it at the grocery store. And remember, as Shinichi Suzuki explains, “Children learn to smile from their parents.” We have a responsibility to teach smiling first and foremost in our homes.

“The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower…, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises.” — Leo Buscaglia

4. Smiling increases likability.

Psychologist Albert Mehrabian’s likability formula includes this fun fact: “Body language contributes more than 50 percent to our overall likability.” Your facial expression while talking is actually more important than the words you speak. At the very least, the two should be in alignment.

As Maya Angelous puts it, “People will forget what you said but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Guy Kawasaki’s book Enchantment relates that smiling is the very first thing you can do to get people to like you. In relationships and in business, people want to spend time with those they like. Smiling makes us more likable.

“If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.” —Thich Nhat Hanh

5. Smiling builds relationships.

Smiling connects us with others. Our humanness interprets smiling as a gesture of trustworthiness and friendliness. Science tells us it makes us more approachable.

"Too often, we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." — Leo F. Buscaglia

Sometimes, the answers are easy. Smiling is one of those simple things you can do to impact your quality of life and the lives of those around you. Why not make things better for one another? And according to research in Psychological Science, even reading this article today with words like smile, grin, laugh can improve the way we feel, because it activates our facial muscles.

Are you smiling right now?

Try it for a week: smile even if you don’t have a reason.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7693/smile-5-reasons-it-will-make-you-happy.html

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7231/4-ways-i-stop-my-anxiety-and-live-in-the-moment.html

We all feel an impulse to self-medicate from time to time. The desire to escape is part of the human experience. We try different methods and we use them to different degrees. But we all use them.

There's another way! It's about not relying on an outside source to feel good on the inside. You have to start cultivating your own happiness from within. You are your own key--not him or anyone or anything else!

I hope you are jumping for joy right now!

Why?

Because this means that you are in the driver's seat! Your joy is in your hands and no one else's. You have complete control. (And I know how stoked you are to be in control!)

Find your "Soul Full" place

Here's the deal: there is a place inside all of us that knows we are 100% complete as we are. I call this place soul. We spend such a small amount of time living in our souls that we forget they actually exist.

But your soul does exist, and all it needs is a little attention from you. See if you can find it right now. It's the place in you that knows you're meant for greatness. It's the place in you that wants to make a difference. It's the place in you that is dying to live a fuller life.

Practicing living "Soul Fully" does not mean giving up feeling giddy or joyful or in love with him or anything else. You still get those doses of real love and joy, in fact, you're going to get more of them.

What it does mean, though, is you will not feel dependent on him for happiness. When he leaves you (literally or figuratively), you'll remain connected to your wholeness. You aren't going to loose your s#*t!

If you practice being guided by your soul, you are always going to know, on the deepest level, that you are more than OK; and then you'll really understand what it means to find true love.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6375/How-to-Stop-Medicating-with-Men.html

dreams this morn

I usually keep my dreams to myself because they are largely personal, but I want to share these ones to have for my own records on this blog.

Last night I dreamed I was walking around Detroit (which I haven't walked around in in real life yet BTW), and I was FEELING that place in my dream - I was feeling threat every second, feeling unsafe, and I walked into a parking lot that was the back of a store. I attempted to go through that door and the girl who was going before me was taken by a man with a butcher knife and he put it on her neck. This dream was cool because I was paying attention to my emotions and thoughts, and even in my dreams, was criticizing myself. When that girl was taken, I felt relieved it wasn't me, but then I thought, "that's selfish of me!" I guess I realized there might have not been anything I could do. Anyway, when I woke up, I felt a little scared. The dream woke me up, I couldn't bear watching her throat get cut, but it really sensitized me to what a privilege it is to live in "sheltered" and "safe" areas. To not think of your walking existence with every step on the street that you take. To just feel "safe." What a true gift. And I think in places like the ghetto for an outsider, that will be one in a million to experience. The dream was cool because it showed me how much I am thinking about Detroit, and it prepares me more each time I have a dream like that. I had a dream before I was walking the streets of Detroit, my mind made up what it would look like. So I got really interested and pushed me to take some self defense classes, to take away some of the fear of being attacked. I don't like having fears, but I know I have them! And one of those is being shot. I am grateful for how my dreams PUSH me!

Thankful,
Jess

To read

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2012/11/01/can-we-truly-hurt-each-others-feelings/


http://www.collective-evolution.com/2012/08/03/the-story-of-positive-thinking/

Why Do We Expect Something Out Of Relationships?

Why do we expect something out of relationships? Why do we tend to associate love with expectations, ideals, conditions, attachments and needs? An even better question is: What aspect of ourselves are we trying to protect and maintain through another? It all comes down to our imaginary "separate self", our ego trying to get something (ideal) for itself to compensate for a deep insecurity and lack.

Through self-observation, we will notice that behind conditions lies a belief, and behind the belief lies a fear of something, which is most likely a fear of revealing and activating the Pain Body (emotional baggage).

One of my biggest realizations was that attaching myself to someone or something is the subconscious act of "investing" my pain body in something/someone else to protect and not have to deal with it. When that person or scenario you are attached to leaves, you then blame the pain on what left for a while, until you realize that the sudden change simply threw your own pain body back at you so that you can face it, feel it and release it. Blessing in disguise.

It is more important to ask ourselves WHY we expect, want and need, instead of trying to apply the philosophy of "letting go of expectations, wants and needs" without LOOKING deeply within. This allows us to release, but most importantly ACKNOWLEDGE the unresolved fears/pain body within us, which is the first step to moving beyond them (It can seem scary but it is a beautiful freeing process).

Long story short; as we face our fears and release all inner-constrictions, a new and infinitely lighter dimension of consciousness aligns with our being, one in which Love is simply to be enjoyed with the knowing that it IS who we already are. Imagine pure love without fear, without making it into "a big deal". Imagine living life in a state of openness, without fearing future outcomes or referring to the past. Imagine living in the Now. This is our natural state ♥

Happiness is not a goal...it's a by-product of a life well lived.

If you wouldn't write it and sign it, don't say it.

-Earl Wilson

Recognize the source of some pain.

I have found my places in life.

How truly grateful I am that I have these places.

But I can't trick the gratefulness to overtake my deep deep deep desire to be in those places.

And I can't trick my desire to pretend I wouldn't rather be in those places.

Those places are in New York City,
and with Tyler.


This is really weird... this whole post was written with deja vu. Have I written this same thing before?

-Jess

what you don't know can hurt you

Missing home and your lover simultaneously can't be healthy ...

Metaphysically bold.

To rekindle is to feel pain.

"My stimuli is provided by my endorphins"

-W.A.R., Pharoahe Monche

Amen. Painless story-telling proves the progress of healing.

RENEWED mind

We were all married to states of mind we divorced.

-Clock with no hands, The roots

Don't let your mind stay the same.

Clearing out files at work...

How quickly we forget the very thing that gave us life.

fear not of man because man must die.

-fear not of man, mos def

16 Things to Keep in Mind When Starting Over

1. It will feel odd.

2. If it doesn’t feel odd, you haven’t started a new life.

3. You will be frightened… your breath will make you powerful again.

4. If you are reading this, you have more resources than you are thinking you do.

5. You did it before, you can do it again.

6. People are generally the same everywhere; what you find is what you bring.

7. When you feel really unsure, do something familiar… but don’t shave.

8. You left some things behind… don’t pick them back up again.

9. Don’t second guess yourself; keep all your energy centered and focused in front of you.

10. Be gentle with yourself… you are a new sprout in a new life.

11. Keep your heart open; it will be worth it always.

12. Be proud of yourself.

13. Recall your successes.

14. Laugh about something.

15. Connect with the air around you, the water in your cells, the space between things and any small piece of nature. The stillness and innocence will give you silent strength.

16. Not many people have the courage to start a new life with eagerness; walk gently ahead with lightness in your heart.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5465/16-Things-to-Keep-in-Mind-When-Starting-Over.html

“No magic potions, no fairy dust. No one to push you. No one to do it for you. just one determined foot in front of the other.” – Unknown

"The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you." - Bob Harris, 'Lost in Translation'