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Posts tagged ‘mental health’

challenge

I sent one of my gals on assignment yesterday, show us how many ways our readers can stop, sit, relax for a moment.. She travelled to a retreat… found a comfortable chair and … here are some examples of taking an “adult, TIME OUT” you can’t hear it but there is a water fall in the courtyard… it was very picturesque but you can sit anywhere, at any time… You just have to make the time, to STOP for a moment, and SIT …

I know it is hard.. every time I open one of my devices I find some kind of ad/commercial/video about how to get better, feel better, and how their product will be a miracle cure like no other.. All you have to do is send them your information and buy their product. This Time Out is free…it is all Y O U.

I recommend, you close your eyes, take a deep breath in… and tilt your head back, and just let it out with a huge big sigh… and feel how your body responds… as you exhale your shoulders actually crop slightly.. and wow it didn’t hurt at all, it wasn’t hard to do… you survived.. Try it for a few more minutes… I know you can do it… don’t be shy, let the sigh be audible if you like… its YOUR moment… After that hard workout… you can treat yourself to another quiet moment, maybe sip on a coffee, drink some organic tea… after all you took a TIME OUT… you deserve a reward… smile…

The best part is you can do it several times a day if you want… if its too hard, try it three for times a week… see if it helps…you can work up to doing it daily… Putting yourSELF first can at times be challenging .. but. you are worth it !!!

This is a cold hard fact…. no one but YOU can make changes in YOUR life, Things happen that we can’t control, but WE can control how we deal with/accept… the opportunities that come our way.

PL Precept #18 Each moment is a turning Point

PL Precept #19 Begin once your Perceive

Oyashikiri

jeudi

With the lunar new year not far off… I let my thoughts drift to another place and time… in my youth, I dreamed of being able to wander the grounds of a monastery high in the mountains. I knew I would feel at home .. looking out into the distance… hearing the soft chanting of the monks… the sweet smell of incense and sandalwood wafting through the air. I never made it to China but my Mom and sister did… . no their interests were not mine… but they did get to explore and bring home memories of a land that was very different from the world we knew. My time abroad was spent in Japan.. smiles with a soft stirring in my heart as I recall the cherry blossoms… and the rice fields as i wandered and took in life in Japan. I loved it there, but I missed hearing English and French, oui, je suis Canadianne …

We can’t always do all the things we want to… but we can explore and take in the world around us, every day there is something new to discover. We need only look around, and reach out, be open to try something new, something different, try something you have never done before. It’s a thought, think about it.

Once upon a time .. we used an expression, “arm chair traveler” have you heard it? do you know it’s meaning? Now I am an “internet buff” I use different platforms to explore my interests. In person, travel to far distant places is no longer a possibility for me, I’m just not interested in airports, long lines, customs, politics.. I simply want to enjoy life and the pleasures available to me. I am thankful for the experiences I have had, and the many wonderful people I’ve met along the way…. now I make no apologies for making time for ME… my interests, my joy at being able to explore places via the creative efforts of others.. I am learning and appreciating the talent and skills of creative minds that impact my world in a positive way.

I discovered I like being happy. I like sharing that happiness… and if it isn’t what others want who are in my space.. I move on. simply said. life is to be enjoyed.

Always express yourself for the happiness of others as well as yourself.

The happiness of those around you can lead to your own happiness. Cultivate a heart to always wish for the happiness of others.

PL2015.12

Oyashikiri

virtual landscape in SL (Second Life) http://www.secondlife.com

jeudi

Wow… when was the last time you heard someone say that to you!

Are you a person who shares your thoughts when they are positive.. or do you blurt out resentments and unhappy responses easily but find saying, “thank you” or smiling in response to something , something you don’t do often. I was privy to a conversation the other day, not because I was listening in, but because people were chatting around where I was seated, and I was just part of the “moment”… I’d say that almost 3/4 of the conversation by all parties was that of complaints and observations on all that is negative in the world. Parties knew each other socially and it was a total dump on life. I wanted to ask, “has nothing happened recently that made you happy” but… in a” funny ” way, I think they enjoyed being able to gripe and express all the negatives that they perceived around them.

Life is what we make it. ahhh.,.. yes… there I go again… I like being happy… I go out of my way to do and find things to do and people to share time with me that I enjoy. Life is too short to squander time on things /people that upset or leave me feeling “unsettled”.

PL Precept # 5 One’s self is lost by being emotional

PL Precept # 4 Being annoyed limits your expressions.

I like my days to flow, like a babbling brook that meanders slowly and playful over the rocks and pebbles in its path as it journeys along to its destination.

I’m off to have breakfast with the mystery of crows that await my arrival, and then to the Blue Jay Cafe to see if the little rabbit is still waiting for treats. I also got some yummy suet for the nuthatch to enjoy, I’ll butter the bark with it… she shares with the Downy and Hairy that get in line for the treat when it is applied.

Cheers everyone!

Oyashikiri

Hello?

Have you ever found you arrive somewhere and suddenly you know you are somewhere, but realize you don’t know or understand anything that is around you. It happens even when you are on home ground. You wake up and find that ..ok yes… you understand the language, but… the world around you, the voices you hear, even though they are speaking a language you know.. the meaning, the context, the way they see life is unfamiliar to you. Sometimes I feel transported by a Telephone Booth (Dr. Who) or I was highjacked by the Star Ship and I’m on a different galaxy. If I blink will it go away? Maybe Spock will walk around the corner. (fictional character from the Star Trek franchise. If I shake a strangers hand, will I get pregnant?

For awhile I thought, “it is because you are over 50 … you’re having a mid life crises.” But.. time moves on and no.. there is definitely a mis-connect. If on the computer, I would turn it off and do a reboot, or hit restart… But this is 2026… it’s real and I don’t think one can just reboot one’s life. I hear a meow and I look over and the cat is looking at me… I can see it in her eyes… you have to go now.. I’m waiting for you to open the window (she means the television, she wants to see the activity outside, YouTube has cat videos!) When I leave in the morning, my routine is to get ready .. I pull out my coffee (cold from the fridge, YES cold! I even fill it with ice cubes too !!) put it by the door and turn on the telly for them before I leave. They don’t even notice my leaving.

Today, I’m late.. getting organized, spent the night bleeding either awake or dreaming. I DO NOT usually dream… Maybe today I should seek out some ” Vulcan stoicism”. When I see the doctor today, I’ll ask him if he thinks my ears are somewhat pointed. OK everyone, have a good day.. Here is today’s PL message. (PL Perfect Liberty) philosophy from Japan.

Live with firm determination, thinking that “this will turn out for the best”

Everything in this world progresses and develops. Always be positive, knowing that everything will turn out for the best.

PL2010.15

Sunday

Hi everyone. I see I missed yesterday. What an upside down day it was. You have all been aware that I have had this nasty flu virus for the last month plus.. Some days barely able to even try to be social, never mind thinking of getting up and going out. The last week so much improvement, I even (as shown above) went into SL (Second Life) to do some photography using the two dogs I found for posing with. The internet world of Second life ( Second Life is a persistent, 3D virtual world where users, represented by customizable avatars, can socialize, create content, explore diverse virtual environments, and even conduct real-world economic activities, functioning as a vast online platform for entertainment, education, and community beyond a typical game. Launched by Linden Lab in 2003, it allows people to build virtual lives, own property, attend events like concerts, and interact through text or voice chat, offering extensive freedom for self-expression and digital ownership. ) is a wonderful “adult sitter” when we are confined at home dealing with a stubborn virus.

When you re not having fun, could it be because you rare being lazy?

Sometimes you feel blue or can’t seem to find the joy in doing anything. At times like this, just get up and move your body, or work your mind to the fullest extent.

PL2019.10

I went to church today, it was “Day of Appreciation” unfortunately I had to leave early, my body/mind said enough enough, I was getting overtired, it wasn’t even 10:30 a.m. yet. I excused myself and silently slipped away… came home and climbed back in to bed. I felt it was important to say “thank you” to the Universe, because…. even though I’m not 100% yet, I feel so much better.

How are you all doing? How is the year spinning for you so far? Do your best to stay healthy, stay home if you start feeling a cold/flu coming on, stay away from friends/family if they are sick.

Sending positive and healing energy to you …

Oyashikiri

Sunday

It was Q’s rez day yesterday (birthday)… I got the notice and realized that I had totally forgotten. I made time to go in to SL (Second Life) (virtual platform) to spend some time with her. Wow she first appeared in my life in 2007.. She was an adventure into a virtual world, there were a lot of lessons to learn. I had to learn to walk, sit, build, communicate with others. Basically exist in/on a virtual platform… I did it … over the years I have progressed and managed to move around and adjust to the many changes one faces in a virtual environment. Photography of course is one of my greatest loves and challenges. I have over 6000 photos on flickr documenting the many changes over the years. I am definitely someone who has learned to live conducting and using my creativity as an avatar to navigate part of my life. The big buzz these days is Ai … which has filtered into “today” world in/on all platforms.

Listening to my lessons, studies, I am getting to know just how much Ai is out there. My visits to the woodlands are more frequent with the changing of the weather, There is something very humbling about being a human standing alone in the middle of acres of land … where a young moose can wander past, or the a call of a patrolling wolf warning you of his/her presence…. joins the chatter of the critters coming to greet you … looking for the treats you’ve brought for them to enjoy. I am finding a balance… outdoors with nature, and indoors with a computerized world…. both take the need to be “present” as an important factor in balancing one’s waking hours.

You will notice that while Q was out, she saw a lot of Christmas decorations in shops she visited.. So yes, Xmas has arrived in her “personal” space. I noted looking out my window last night, that there was a fully decorated tree, with lovely lights on the balcony across the courtyard. Might be time I changed my fall bouquet (on my patio) to something more Xmasy…I won’t want to be out there trying to do something when the weather changes and we are in a full blown “winter” season.

Today’s calendar

Avoid being careless or overconfident

Even though you may have put your best effort into doing something you still may have made some mistakes, that is why it is important to always work with a prayerful mind.

PL2019.16

Oyashikiri

Q isn’t one who smiles much (like me) but she is happy and content in her world…. (like me) =^_^= contentment is a beautiful state of BEING.

Thursday

“I’ll do it later. No, I’ll do it now”

To make progress do anything while it is still fresh.

PL2921.25

These words of wisdom have a message for me… I am a do it now person, I have always been like that, this morning has found me dragging out my medical books and researching and refreshing my “tired’ gray cells on my actions of the past few days.

I woke to the searing discomfort of the neuropathy symptoms all clamoring to express and shout their discontent at having to share my limbs with each other. Nerves screamed, and went into an unwelcome screaming fit. I could barely manage to balance as I made my way to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I will not bore you with medical terms, the long and short of it was my muscles cramped and toes jerked up in protest… I have learned to quiet the mind and try to still the mounting urgency to rectify the physical reaction that happens when the the tendons and other fellow body parts go into their trauma mode.

I had a small amount of success with calming the body by using a cream infused with magnesium. I had done it faithfully for weeks, and I was having night after night with no symptoms… I got lazy, or forgetful, and took to reclaiming activities/tasks that needed to be done. but I did it all at once, I threw out my support pillow (for under the legs) and then didn’t follow through and get to the store to replace it. That meant I had to use a substitute knee pillow that was not the same angle/depth and composition of what my legs were used to.. I went out the next day and got the correct pillow, but meanwhile, the legs started to grumble…

AND that didn’t trigger or jog my gray cells to remind me to use the magnesium cream after my shower. I allowed myself to be distracted and and and.. I didn’t do it when the thought came to mind, I put it off and of course, it got lost.. I didn’t do it at all.

This morning my body told me in no uncertain terms… “it was not happy” and I had to deal with the fall out.

No its not just the magnesium, there are of course other factors.. but all could have been better planned and executed. … “do it now” when you can, if something comes to mind, and it is something that has shown to be helpful, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING…or not doing… and act accordingly.

Our bodies are our life long companions… we should not take them for granted.

Have a good day everyone…

Oyashikiri

just because – I bought an exercise stretch band ( the idea was a good one) , help with exercising the arms/shoulders… a good stretch… did I use it.. no it hangs on the back of the door. because I searched it out, found it, brought it home.. if I don’t use it… it is not helping me… right? Right !!!!

Just because – I studied and researched .. gathered info. sought solutions.. if I don’t apply them .. I am not being proactive to my well being… right? right!!!!

exercise

Easy movements, slow, mind focused on how your body is able to move easily into the different stances. then taking the time to sit and reflect on how we are coping with the day to day opportunities that come our way. That is a personal activity that one should do daily. The world around us is busy, constantly moving, so often, we move into the day and adjust our energy to merge in and out of the constant ebb and flow of what is happening around us, Not taking into consideration the affect the jarring and the noise will have on our own peace of mind, The effects are not always positive. In making time to take 10 – 15 min. in the day to meditate, contemplate you can give yourself an energizing lift. Even 3 – 5 minutes of silence with your elbows propped on a desk.. and your chin, cupped in your hands can produce a quiet calm that gives you an energizing lift, the body/mind relaxation during a busy day can increase productivity and do wonders for YOU, YOU matter.

With a prayerful mind, put your heart into everything you do,

Even when you’ve put in your best effort, you may have overlooked something . With a humble mind, take a second look to check for mistakes or oversights.

PL2014.7

We work better and we are more efficient and effective when our energy is balanced. We feel better and are able to get a better night’s sleep when we are happy with ourselves. There is an expression, “Misery loves company” ….. ….. personally, I’m happy to let the miserable enjoy their chosen way of life.. I prefer to be happy and live with kindness and goodness in my life. it is so much more freeing.. and it all begins with a genuine smile.

Oyashikiri

sequindo

I recall a trip we took years ago.. we drove to Montana, (my previous time to go there I had flown in, and never did I want to do that again).. So my husband the planner said, “let’s drive there” he planned out the route we would take from here in Ontario (Canada) and on a lovely September day, we took off with the two dogs for Montana. The only States I had visited before this was NY, Vermont, NH, Florida, and California. We drove down into NY State and from there he took us through as many of the middle states towards Montana.. What a diverse geography the landscapes were at times “mind blowing” especially as we got closer to Montana itself. I got to see Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wyoming, Idaho and then into Montana, It was many years ago now and my husband is no longer here to tell me if I’ve missed any of the States we drove through. He promised we’d go back, I had wanted to see Arizona and spend more time exploring, but we had limited time and our goal was my friend in Montana.

What brings the trip back is stories I have been listening to that take place in the “old west” life in the 1800’s and the fact that Brian always wanted to take me away during my birthday month. His birthday gift to me was to take me to places he wanted me to experience.(He had been a journalist and media personality, his work had taken him to all four corners of the globe. I used to love listening to his adventures.. ) Now of course I have to plan and decide my own “birthday month”.. After the years of having adventures planned out for me, I confess I was spoiled.. it is an adjustment.. I find myself, part of me anyway, wanting to pack the car and take off to explore… etc… however… another part of me says, “you’ve done that… and… blah blah blah)

In PL we say ” PL Precept # 1 Life is Art ” every day is a new beginning.. a new canvas.. At the moment I have a new living space to adapt to and make my own… a new “lifestyle” ….

The Excitement of life comes from expressing your individuality

In PL we say it is important to live each moment of your life expressing your true self with Makoto (sincerity) when we can do this we will experience the true joy of self expression.” Learn to live respecting one another and working for each other’s happiness.” a lesson we are reminded of daily when we recite the PL Prayer.

After mulling about what I want to do, and simply not getting anywhere, I opened my calendar to today’s reading…and et voila…

The picture for those who are unfamiliar with the Teepe or Tipi as it is traditionally know.. is a conical dwelling many Native American Plains tribes used as dwellings.

Whatever your day brings, enjoy .. smile.. be happy.

Oyashikiri

Why do teepees have 13 poles?

According to these teachings, the poles of the tipi represent the nations of people living upon Mother Earth and form the circle of life. Each one of the 13 poles also represents a trait to be honoured, starting with the three anchor poles that signify respect, obedience and humility. (wiki)

sexta-feira

It seems easy … just sit back, relax…. let the moments come and go.

I watched a short clip today, where there is a moving ball, starts at one side of the frame, moves slowly to the top (centre) of the frame pauses and then slowly slides to the other side of the frame. The caption and voice, asks that you watch taking a slow breath, then hold when the ball pauses, then release as it slowly drops down to the other side. Lovely reminder to pause during your day, to take a moment to just stop relax for a moment before hurrying on with whatever you are doing.

So often we live our lives on automatic pilot, When I was out yesterday driving to the conservation area I frequent, I thought about how often I had done this over this years.. and how the car just seemed to know where it was going. Ottawa is surrounded by green spaces. We are very lucky that way. I found myself asking the empty space around me (in the car) why I always went to the same locations. Why with hundreds of options, did I always go where it was familiar. (didn’t get an answer)(working on it)

When finally home, I settled down for a wee nap, and turned my iPad on to listen to one of my lessons, but instead of a podcast on male *health/ psychology, a story came up about a woman pilot.. a woman who had military training … now no longer in the military she was on a commercial flight when there was an incident that required quick thinking and the skills she had acquired while in the military,

This was not something usually on my radar.. but I was tired, comfortable, my eyes closed… so I let the story unfold. I woke to a story about a woman living in the wilderness of Nevada back in the 1800 when the land was wild, and civilization sparse ,… She tended a trading post on her own, in the middle of nowhere… stepping outside when she heard movement, she found an injured wolf… the story was about how she took responsibility for the injured animal.. and the consequences of her actions. (women did not have it easy!)

Both stories were nothing I would ever have searched out, but there they were.. … both told of courage, of kindness, of persons who put the safety and what was morally right first. Made me wonder what other “stories” were being offered. Interestingly I found that there are human interest stories .. that speak of kindness and helping others in all walks of life. There are consequences in life, and we are often the creators of our own “destiny”.

Have a great day everyone.. try something different. But keep smiling.

*this is a field of its own, men do have issues and problems specific to their gender.

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