Are You Practicing Your Mindfulness?

Understanding and practicing the art of mindfulness is key to a successful and peaceful life. Without it, our minds are left to our own unconscious thinking which can sabotage healthy thinking.



I have written so many blogs on mindfulness, and choosing how to think, react, and feel. In January 2nd's blog I discuss how you can take charge of your own mind chatter. Please take a moment and re-read any blogs that I list here for you today about mindfulness. It is important to hear these lessons over and over to really get them.



On February 10th, I wrote a blog on "What you focus on you will create". This is also a topic that falls under the category of mindfulness. We choose every thought that we have, about 60,000 per day, but most of them are choices that we are doing unconsciously. If we were to choose the thoughts that will help us to be happier, more productive, and more positive, things in our life would be sure to have a more successful outcome to what we want.



March 31st, I wrote a blog on "Consequential behavior". Again, this has to do with mindfulness. Its is understanding that your actions have consequences. Without being mindful of your actions, you may be dealing with consequences that are not beneficial to you. Thinking about your actions and behavior in a conscious manner, may save you from negative consequences that can be a detriment to you.



On April 21st, I wrote a blog titled "Choose, choose, choose". Another blog that talks about mindfulness and choosing your thoughts, actions, and emotions. We are making choices all day long, many of them mundane and uneventful, but others may be life changing. It is up to us to be mindful of our choices so that we can better control the outcome of any situation.




May 12th there is yet another mindfulness blog titled, "Let's talk about mindfulness again". I am giving more tips and understanding of the process of mindfulness.



June 23rd, I wrote a blog called "Remembering to be grateful". This takes a conscious effort of making a point to think about what you are grateful of. Many of us focus much of our thinking on what is wrong and lacking in our lives. Being grateful will change your mood for the better, and help you to be in a positive frame of mind. It takes being mindful to practice being grateful.




On July 27th the blog is titled, "Do you spend a lot of time worrying?" We need to understand that thoughts of worry, fear, anger, and such are thoughts that we are in control of having or not having. Thoughts of worry have never helped me, and I have spent a great deal of my life worrying about one thing or another. All it ever did was to stress me out and make things worse. It takes being mindful to switch those worry thoughts to more positive ones.



August 19th's blog is called "Its all about belief". This is another way we can practice our mindfulness. What we believe is in our control with how we think. If we believe that we won't succeed, or that we will never have what will make us happy, we won't. Belief is another thing that is about mindfulness.




Mindfulness is all about being in the moment, taking charge of how you are thinking, feeling, and reacting. This is where you can become powerful. Mindfulness can help you with everything that you do. It is the key to inner peace and a successful, happy, life, no matter what is going on around you.


Hopefully you have been practicing your mindfulness. These are just of few of my blogs that relate to this topic. There are many more peppered in the many blogs that I have written. Take time to go back and read them again, it will help you on your path of total health of body, mind, and spirit.



Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

Staying in Your Power

Have you ever heard of the saying, "Stay in your power"? It is something that has been said with more frequency in the past decade. What exactly does this mean?




I have come to understand what this means by having experienced being "out of my power" many times in my life. When I have given up my power, I allowed someone, or something else to have power over me.




For instance; in my past whenever I thought that I was not good enough, or thought that I could not accomplish something I wanted to do, I gave up my power to the low self esteem that resided inside me from my childhood experience.




Instead of not believing what was said to me, or not caring about what was not said to me growing up, I chose to believe that I was not good enough. That was giving my power over to something that really did not exist. My low self worth was a lie that I chose to believe. Had I had a better understanding of that, I would not have believed it and had a better feeling about myself, therefore I would have felt more powerful, and not given it over to low self worth.





I have also given my power up in relationships. Particularly when it was an intimate one. I always wanted to please my boyfriend and make sure he was happy. In that process I gave up my power for their needs.




When we give up our morals and values, we are also giving up our power. It is important to have values and morals, even though our entertainment in the form of movies and television does not reflect much of that. Much of the T.V. reality shows are showing the lowest, most degrading, sides of the people who are on them. These people are not in their power. They are selling their souls for fifteen minutes of fame. That is not power, but more like stupidity and arrogance.





Good morals and values are something to stand for. Having manners and being respectful, give you power. It is about being a person that is not willing to sink to low points to get something, or be with someone, for the sake of superficial gain. Staying in your power is about being yourself and not allowing anyone else take that from you. It is being who you really are, no matter what goes on around you.



When we believe the lies that people might tell us like, "you are stupid", or "you are worthless", we lose our power. When someone is attacking us verbally and we chose to not believe them, that is staying in your power.




A dear friend of mine sent me an e-mail today with a quote about power that I wanted to share with you. It is very true.





"Power comes from persistent and repeated effort. When you can do something better than anybody else, you are acquiring power; and if you can do this easily and pleasantly, that is your calling."




Remember that someone can do horrible things to you, but you can still maintain your power. Just like when Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 28 years, he never gave up his power. Many of us would have cracked under the time and pressure of his sentence, but Mr. Mandela never gave up his power or his spirit. He stood by his beliefs and forgave his captors with grace and dignity. He was in full power.




So remember when you compromise yourself in anyway, you are relinquishing your power. Staying in your power will help you to live a life that truly belongs to you. You will be able to succeed and flourish when you stay in your power. It is the only way to find true happiness.



Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

Its Back to School Already

I can't believe that it is back to school time already. This summer went by like a bullet, and homework is now a reality. I know that many of you are not happy that school is back in session, but it is a good time to make a commitment to doing your best.


Your future has much to do with your education if you are at all interested in having a career, or creating a life that has financial security. Without a good education in your resume, you will find it difficult to land the job or experience that you want. It used to be that having a high school diploma was enough to get a job and work your way up the ladder. Now it is necessary to have a bachelors degree to even get close to getting a job worth while.



There are thousands of college graduates that are waiting tables in restaurants, or bagging groceries at a store, who in this difficult economic time were not able to land a job with their degree. Yet it is still imperative to get an education that will open doors for you in your future.



Even if you are not interested in a standard four year college, there are trade schools, art colleges, culinary schools, and other colleges that offer alternative educations from your standard university's and standard college experience. Any college will take a look at how you did in high school, and that will be your criteria on getting into a college or school of your choice.



That is why it is important to take your schooling seriously. Even though your school work may seem like a drag to you, or you may not be interested in the subject, do your best at it so that you will have choices when you graduate.




Take time to study, make sure your homework is done, read your assignments, and focus while you are in class. School is not always fun, but that is not its purpose. It is where you learn, grow, and prepare for your adult life. If you blow it off and do poorly, I promise you, you will regret it later.





There is no time like the present to get committed about your future. I wish I could do a "do over" in my school years. I was busy with boys, party's, and what I was going to be doing after school, instead of focusing on my school work. Even though I got good grades, because school was easy for me, I did not apply myself like I could of. I do regret that. I could have done much more, and it might have changed my life for the better.




So commit yourself to your school work. Get your homework done. Study for your tests, and become a good student. You will always be better off for it. After all, it is about your future, and you want to be the best you can be. Focusing on your education will help you get that!




I will be back on the 7th of September. I am involved with another writing project that will be taking my time this week. See you next Tuesday. Till then, be healthy of body, mind, and spirit!




Till Tuesday
Queenie

Stressful Times

We are living in a very stressful time. Along with a bad economy, high unemployment, and no sign of anything changing, people's negative energy is hard to get away from. Every where I go, I hear peoples stories of financial ruin, or joblessness. If you watch the news, there is nothing but the negative being reported.





In these kind of times, it is even more important to be getting your exercise and eating healthy. Those are two of the things that you can do for yourself that will help you get through tough times. If you choose to treat yourself badly during already stressful times, you will only magnify your negative experience.




Just going out for a walk will alleviate stress and worry. When we engage in exercise we will release those sedative like endorphins that will help us to feel better and deal with life in a healthier way. Exercise can change your sad, worried, mood, into a more positive one. It will always help you to feel better mentally, and help your body to be healthier.






Eating healthy will also help your body deal with difficult times. Remember "we are what we eat", so healthy food will help us to deal with all that life has in store for us in a better way. Nutrition feeds our body and our mind. A healthy mind will help us to navigate through tough times much better than a mind that is fogged by junk and processed foods.





Of course one of the most important things to practice is our mindfulness. Choosing our thoughts, feelings, and reactions, can make all the difference in the world in how we deal with our circumstance. Choosing to feel optimistic, over being pessimistic, is a choice we always have. When we feel hopeful, positive, and optimistic, we can create that existence. When we feel negative, cynical, and pessimistic, we will create more of that.





So if you are effected by the negative energy that is so prevalent in our world today, try taking care of yourself with exercise, healthy eating, and practicing your mindfulness. No matter what goes on around you, you will feel better and be more able to deal with all of the stress if you practice these things.





Till Monday,
Queenie

Making Your Health the Number One Priority

In all of the years that I have been working with individuals with their fitness needs, I have heard it all when it comes to the reasons, or excuses, why someone does not have the time to get their exercise done.




Its not that I don't understand that many people have a full plate, and the stresses and demands on most of us do not leave us with much time at all. I do understand, but I also know that if you do not have your health, you can't attend to all of those things that are on that plate.



I was having a conversation with my daughter just the other day about this subject. My daughter has a very full plate, she has a two hour a day commute to get to her job and back, a house to take care of, two puppies that need to be walked and require quite a bit of attention, and she has a relationship that also requires a lot of attention. This does not leave her much time to attend to herself.




At only 31 years old she is experiencing aches, pains, and some health issues. If she does not take care of her health by getting some exercise, and good nutrition, these issues will only escalate and new ones will appear. If she becomes unhealthy from all that she has to get done, and the stress that she has to deal with, she will not be able to do all of the things that she is responsible for doing.




Exercise and good nutrition will help her feel more energy, allow her to get leaner, sleep better, handle her job and commute better, and have overall better health. If she does not focus on taking care of herself first, everything else will eventually suffer. Without good health, you have nothing, no matter what your lifestyle is.





I know it is difficult, but women especially put their needs on the back burner while they make sure everyone else it taken care of. This is wrong. Take care of your health first and foremost, then you will be able to take care of everything else with more energy and vigor.





When you are not exercising your energy levels drop, your fat percentage goes up, and this can cause a down ward spiral into couch potato land. Then you will have no energy to attempt a work out, but that is the catch. You must begin the process into exercise no matter how tired and wore out you are, so that you can get the energy to keep doing it. Eventually you will get that energy back and feel so much better, you will want to keep doing it.





Even if you only begin with thirty minutes a day, that is a start. It will help you to get into shape and add more to your exercise time when you can. Choose to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and stay away from processed, fast food, and junk food.



So make your health your number one priority if you want the rest of you life to go well. If you put yourself last on the list of things to do....you will lose. Know that you are as important as anyone else, and you need to take care of yourself if you ever want to have that full plate.



Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

Life Quotes

If you have been following my blog, you know that I love to share quotes from others who have left their mark on this world. There is so much to gain from so little said. I love these quotes, hope you do too.




"Its only when we truly know and understand that we have limited time on earth---and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up---that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kubler-Ross




"Life is meaningless only if we allow it to be. Each of us has the power to give life meaning, to make our time and our bodies and our words into instruments of love and hope." Tom Head




"There has been much tragedy in my life; at least half of it actually happened." Mark Twain



"The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination, and the energy to get started." Norman Cousins





"Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meaning can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart." Martin Luther King Jr.



"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John F. Kennedy




"Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give." Eleanor Roosevelt




"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." Mark Twain




"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. 1966" Martin Luther King Jr.




"There are only two ways to live life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein




"Life is what you make it. Always has been, always will be." Grandma Moses




"Each person should live their life as a model for others." Rosa Parks




I hope you enjoyed these wonderful, thought provoking, truthful, and wise quotes, from a group of amazing people. We can all learn a great deal from them!




Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

Be Cautious About the Heat

I live in Santa Ynez Valley, which is beautiful and magical most of the year. Our summers tend to get into the temperatures in the 90's and 100's. This year we have had the most delicious summer in that our temperatures have averaged high seventies and eighties.... until yesterday.




As I drove back from Santa Barbara today, my car temperature gauge read 107'. Our heat has arrived! We can't complain since it is already the end of August and we are just now getting the heat, while the rest of the country has been dealing with high temperatures and storms all summer. Now that the heat has come, I wanted to touch on some of the important things to keep you healthy and sunstroke free!






Dehydration is a typical thing that can happen in these kind of temperatures. It is so important to drink a lot of clear water while you are out in it. You should be drinking around 64 ounces a day if you are following the guidelines of the health industry. When you are out in heat, you need to drink at least that, and more if you are out and active. It is recommended that you have an extra 8 oz of clear water for every fifteen minutes you are moving around in the heat.





Another thing that you should be cautious of is not being too active in this kind of heat. It is not the best time to run, bike ride, or engage in any cardiovascular activity, except for swimming, when temperatures are in the high nineties and up into the hundreds. Even when you are young, you can be effected negatively from getting over heated while exercising.





When it gets this hot, I either exercise outdoors early in the morning, or early in the evening, when the temperature is a bit cooler. I have never been able to handle the heat from the time I was very young. I have had heatstroke twice, and I can tell you it is not fun. If you suffer from heatstroke you will feel lethargic, tired, weak, dizzy, pale, head achy, and nauseous. It is important to get water and find a cool place to cool yourself down if you are feeling these symptoms. Severe cases require going to the hospital.





Don't forget to apply your sunscreen when you are out in this intense sun. Many times it is smart to re-apply several times during the day if you are spending some time outside. This kind of heat makes it too hard to lay in the sun, if you are still a sun bather, best to wait until it is cooler, again in the early morning or late afternoon.




So enjoy what is left of the summer, but be wise about the heat. It can be very dangerous to your health if you are not taking the right precautions. I find it more comfortable inside my air conditioned home....can't take the heat!




Till Tomorrow,
Queenie