It’s the fall where I live and the trees are bright with color, the air is crisp and feels delightfully cool. Too bad I’ve been too busy to really notice it.
Luckily I came across a quote from Ferris Bueller. He says, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Not only did that become the reading and theme for yoga class, it inspired me to take the afternoon off and enjoy the fall beauty.
Here’s a quote from Nathaniel Hawthorne who said “I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”
How about you? Have you been buzzing through life and missing out on what’s important? It will do you some real good to take some time out. It doesn’t even have to take much time. Remember, even a 5 minute break really helps.
Here’s a mini-meditation from my Mind-Body Mastery eBook that can be done anytime and anywhere. Your awareness will increase and it will settle your mind down and clear your head.
Stop – Look – Listen Mini-Meditation
- Stop – Notice your posture . . . breath . . . energy level . . . mood . . . mental activity.
- Look – Blink your eyes several times. Look at something far away and discover the details in what you see. Blink again.
Look at something close up. Discover the details. - Listen – Listen to sounds come and go. Simply observe without judging. No resistance. No clinging. Simply listen.
- Smile.
Get the Mind-Body Mastery eBook here if you like mini-meditations and quick and easy relaxation exercises.
for your central nervous system to function normally. Without enough, your nerves become frayed. If you consistently eat well-balanced meals, you can fortify your system giving you the nourishment to guard against the harmful effects of stress.
of how you respond to tension and stress in your life and begin to make adjustments. Are you responding appropriately? Could you be over-reacting? Is it possible to avoid or change a situation that causes you anxiety? By improving your awareness and improving how you react to stress, it might be possible to avoid some of your headaches, stomachaches and other problems. Try laughing. Laughter is like internal jogging. It aids digestion and improves alertness and productivity by sending blood and oxygen to your brain and increases the production of the body’s catecholamines.
tennis, watching a movie) true relaxation is different. It involves giving yourself an honest break from activity and excess stimulation. Breathing deeply, smoothly, slowly and from the diaphragm is relaxing since it too sends a fresh supply of blood to the brain and throughout the body. It oxygenates your system and even slows down the heartbeat.
EXERCISE: When under stress, there is an increase of adrenalin in the system as part of the flight or fight response, which can drain you of energy if not effectively released. Exercise regularly to work stresses off positively. This can improve your productivity and increase your energy. Be sure to choose physical activity that you enjoy.
