A Lesson in Loving-Kindness

I decided to sit in my bedroom with the lights dim at the start. I imagined my boy, as we are to imagine someone we love. The sound of the waves made me sleepy, as it does every underway until I get used to the rocking.

As I shifted to the thoughts and feelings I noticed, I was more stressed out than I realized this week. I tried to focus on the stillness and push the thoughts out, and as the exercise stated, let love in. As I move on to the next piece, I follow the thought of loving myself, and appreciating who I am. As I think about a loved one who is suffering, I try to move myself to breath out the health and happiness to him, and mindfully pushing positive thoughts. It is not the first time I have tried to take the pain and suffering from him; he is so innocent. It is difficult to see the group of enemies and think the same thing, and that will take some work.

The benefits of the exercise are there, if one opens themselves up to it. It was not difficult, only in the choosing of whom to envision.  I would recommend it, especially to someone who is struggling to find their place.

A mental workout can encompass a variety of things, to include physical activities and meditation exercises. There are studies that prove a mental workout can keep you sharp. The mind is able to continually adapt and rewire itself, and grow new neurons (The Franklin Institute, 2004). It is just like any muscle in the body, our mental state needs to be stimulated or we will lose the ability to function.

Implementing mental exercise throughout the day can help keep one sharp. Starting in the morning upon rising by thinking about moving your body, challenging your body to do things it is not used to (such as eating with your non-dominating hand), to taking a different route to work can be ways to stay sharp and focused (The Franklin Institute, 2004).

References:

The Franklin Institute. (2004). The Human Brain. Retrieved from Resources for Science Learning: http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html

Warm Regards,
Jenn

A Reflection: Colors

The meditation exercise was very relaxing, even though there was dialogue. Since I enjoy art (both making and viewing it), the explanations of feelings and relation to body parts through colors intrigued me. Positive emotions were present throughout the session, and the moving of awareness physically was something I had not experienced before. I never would have imagined aqua blue in my throat as a sense of willpower and creativity. The one statement I struggled with was being surrounded by bright, white light, and yet I was told to be calm. To me, brightness represents energy and excitement, not necessarily calmness.

A Reflection on Physical, Spiritual, and Psychological Well-Being

There are so many aspects to our existence, and our well-being depends on all three. On a scale of one to ten, I would have to say my physical well-being is around a seven, as I still suffer from migraines (although not as much). I am working to find the natural way to prevent them, or treat if necessary, without the use of medicinals. Other than that I have the typical aches but continue to ensure physical fitness and a healthy diet.
For my psychological well-being, I am at a ten. I have a great life, and the things that are not so great, I make the best of. I work out the stressors through physical means. My spiritual side is ten as well; I think my creator every day for what he has given me and feel fulfilled with all I am and have. I am always in high spirits, and when something goes wrong I try to find the positive side of it. Everything happens for a reason.

One of my physical goals is either completing a full marathon or sprint triathlon. I am working towards it, but I feel when I finally make the decision to do it, I can accomplish it. It will take a lot of psychological strength, just as treating a migraine. I would like to be able to perform psychological exercises to thwart my next occurrence of a headache. A goal for my spiritual side would be to attend more church services, and learn more about the faith that keeps me going. I have always found an interest in the history of my religion, and it would be something I would like to expand on.

Finding a good training plan and making time to train for my physical goals would be at the top of the activity list. I also have friends that accomplished those same goals, so I can pick their brain for tips that I can incorporate from real-world experience. By dedicating myself psychologically to the training and physical goal, it will increase my confidence and strengthen my psychological state. Attending other denominations in Christianity can open my horizons to different aspects of what I believe in, and I think I can learn more about Catholicism.

Warm Regards,
Jenn

The Journey: Quiet Time

The exercise was to listen to a calming, relaxing track that was supposed to elevate awareness to your inner peace. As I follow the gentleman's directions and listened to the soft music playing, I found myself with quiet time I am not accustomed to; however, his voice was a distraction. I listed to the whole track, and allowed myself to find peace, which set me up for a good night's sleep. I think I prefer just gentle sounds like that in the background for total relaxation.

Warm Regards,
Jenn

A Busy-day Reflection...
In today's busy society, it is difficult to wind down and turn off. Our stressors are far above what they were as a child. As my sister and I were riding home from the grocery store today, I turned to her (after discussing how we were going to complete all of our "to-do" list for today, and how proud we were of ourselves on getting in and out of the store in around 30 minutes) and asked if, as a child, she ever thought we would be this busy as adults. She felt the same way I did; no way.

We did, however, manage to sit down this morning to a great breakfast. Breakfast at home, of course, because we could not find a place to eat (where we could sit outside with our dogs) that did not have a long wait.

Welcome to Finding Happiness and Healing Through Diet!

I created this blog to share information and experiences on managing a diet that will be beneficial not just in the physical sense, but emotional and mental as well. I was an obese teenager, and have struggled in my relationship with food my entire life. As I became older and more educated, I have found a happy balance. I would like to use my experiences (and hopefully the experiences of others) to help you find your happy balance, share successful recipes and food secrets, and learn to love eating while being healthy!