The holiday season is winding down, with New Years Eve just a few days away.  The frantic whirlwind shopping, cooking, visiting and celebrating often takes it’s toll and many of us are exhausted even before the new year begins.

No matter what the past weeks have done to compromise your health and well being, beginning each day with a promise to practice “Excellent Self Care” is a powerful way to renew the commitment to yourself.

Learning to say “No” is a skill that will be beneficial all year long.  The following article gives you some ideas and even sample dialog to help orchestrate the limits which will help you have less stress in your life.

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/keep-holiday-stress-minimum-learn-say-no

Be good to yourself!  Set up the limits and priorities which will support your efforts to live a life filled with joy, peace, harmony, ease, prosperity and a heck of a lot of fun.

Happy New Year!

p.s.  Watch for my course at Heartsong Yoga

Meditation for Beginners

http://www.heartsongyoga.com/events/coursesforming/

‘Tis the SEASON for making  lists and checking them twice?  This time of year has always been stressful for anyone attempting to balance work, home, family, holiday parties and the approaching new year celebration.

Stretch your mind for a moment and try to imagine that the lists are complete and now you can sit for an afternoon and simply enjoy the season, spend time with loved ones and honor a well deserved rest.   Nice idea, don’t you thing?

Even if all your chores and holiday tasks are still waiting to be done, you can adopt a unique and creative attitude in order to approach this holiday season with less stress and exhaustion.

Since everything happens in the mind, your willingness to train your thinking can produce great dividends.

Begin by saying to yourself…..”There is nothing that I HAVE to do!”   Say it over and over a few times in your mind and then actually out loud, then, to yourself in the mirror and perhaps to someone you know.

In truth, the only thing you HAVE to do is BREATHE and perhaps pay taxes!

Give yourself permission to change the inner dialog, especially when you are stressed out, hysterical and feeling pressure to “get it all done” on time.     Replace the statements with thoughts that will bring a sense of personal power, peace,  and ease to your days.

Here are some examples:

Instead of…… “I have to mail the cards before Friday”    Say to yourself…..

“Since there is nothing I HAVE to do, if I choose to get the cards out by Friday, I just might make that happen”

Instead of…….”I have to finish that project before the holidays”   Say to yourself….

“Since there is nothing I HAVE to do, I just might find the time to finish the project and if not, it will be there waiting, because it won’t get done without me, unless I give it away”.

Instead of …….”There will never be enough time to get it all done”.  Say to yourself…….

“Since there is nothing I HAVE to do, I get to decide what I will do and what can wait, my welfare comes first!”

And my all time personal favorite, no matter what is happening:

“My timing is perfect for my welfare and my prosperity”

Check out the ART OF DOING NOTHING  at:

http://zenhabits.net/the-art-of-doing-nothing/

Have a delicious holiday…practice “Excellent Self Care”   and may there be peace, ease and joy in the New Year!

Capture the next moment and don’t linger too long, you might become thirsty, parched or hardened.   Your well being will not wait, you must act now.  Take a deep breath and remind yourself to breathe as often as possible.

In the attached article  “How to Get Smarter….One Breath at a Time”,  the evidence for brain growth is encouraging.  Find out more about why BREATHING is a powerful New Year’s resolution!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1147167-1,00.html

Perhaps you can make a commitment to yourself as you practice “Excellent Self Care”.

Gently and compassionately remember to simply “BREATHE”.

Be well and stay that way!

Teaching is one of the most stressful and difficult professions on the planet.  These blogs have been designed to offer you ideas and tips on how to take care of yourself while you are making a difference in the lives of children.

The information has been simple, easy to implement and effective in helping you to reduce stress and realize your own personal power.  You can see the past blogs under TEACHERS at   lysscentral.com

Over 60 years ago, Dr Edward Bach, recognized the need for an emergency treatment to help people cope with such everyday stressful situations and created Rescue Remedy.

http://www.rescueremedy.com/

Taken from the website:  RESCUE

If you feel like you’ve “had enough”, follow these simple tips to restore focus and regain inner calm wherever you are:

Relax – Take 10 deep breaths. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.

Exercise - Learn some basic yoga techniques or just take a 10 minute walk.

Smile - Think of a happy time. It is near impossible to keep frowning while smiling and laughter stimulates the production of mood enhancing endorphins.

Calm – Let your imagination take you to a calm and tranquil place that exudes peace, serenity and beauty.

Use Your Lunchbreak – Take time out for yourself. A walk in the park, especially if it is sunny, can do wonders for your mood. It will help you work more efficiently in the afternoon too.

Escape – If you are able to, walk away. Removing yourself from a stressful situation can give you time to restore some perspective.

Know that you are one of the most significant people in the lives of the children you teach.

Practice “Excellent Self Care” …for your sake and for theirs!

http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2010/11/24/the-myth-of-the-turkey-crash-tryptophan-and-thanksgiving-dinner/

Napping is definitely an activity  to consider as you practice ” Excellent Self Care”!   There is new research and evidence which supports the fact that as human beings we were meant to have a mid-afternoon nap.  I remember as a youngster having to “put my head down on my desk” in school,  not as a punishment, but just to rest.  Maybe we knew more back then and we should do more of what worked.

Here are  five  good reasons to nap!

1.  Increases alertness and productivity!

2.  Less stress!

3.  Improves memory and learning!

4. Increases cognitive functions!

5.  Better health!

Check out the article and click on the “power nap”  for more ideas!

http://ririanproject.com/2006/09/12/5-reasons-to-take-naps/

Pretty Dreams!

the cabinet or pantry and threw away the less

than crispy crackers, cobwebby rice, rubbery chips,

tasteless cereal or moth-eaten cookies?

Yuck!

Unless your perishables are packed in air tight

containers, they go stale.

Let’s consider the stale air you carry around

in your lungs.  The air that never gets recycled

because you don’t consciously do anything about it.

Here is an exercise to practice everyday that will

help keep your lungs and your breathing in

top notch condition.

In a relaxed state of mind, and remembering to

expand your belly, breathe in as much oxygen as

you possibly can.  Sip in the last few breaths and

hold it at the top of the “in breathe”.

Grasp the “in breath” for  five seconds (one thousand

and one, one thousand and two…etc.).

Now, slowly blow the air out of your mouth

as you exhale.  Push as much of the air out as

you can and force a big exhale at the very end.

Hold the “out breath”  of your unoccupied

lungs, empty longer than you did when you held

your “in breathe”.

Just before you turn blue, gradually, gingerly, and

ever so slowly, allow the air to enter with grace and

gratitude. Your lungs will fill with the fresh amazingly

sweet life force of breathe.

You can return to normal and natural breathing

and congratulate yourself for practicing “Excellent Self Care.”

Check out the Free Report for Self Care

loveyoursignificantself.com/

Where the day meets your spirit and your enthusiasm for living has the priviledge of being present.

The challenge is to cultivate a sense of mindfulness.

Jon Kabatt-Kinn says that “Mindfulness  means paying attention in

a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”.

Living mindfully will give you a different frame to view life.

Activity slows down and you will begin to hear and feel the messages available to you.

Allow your intuition to speak through the sensations you  begin to notice

throughout your body.  Trust the process of coming to know the wisdom always

available from your inner core of being.

The sight of a well groomed yard is
delightful and easy on the eyes.  When
there are bushes and shrubs, flowers and
trees to frame the picture, it becomes
clear that someone was paying attention
to the details.

How about your thoughts?  Do they get
overgrown with weeds of negativity,
doubt and discouragement?

Keep a close eye on the details of your mind.
Mow those negative thoughts down on a regular
basis. Notice when it is time to groom your
thinking in order to keep your attitude positive.

You can let positive thinking happen or make
positive thinking happen. When you choose to
Love yourself, you are tending to details.

You are in charge of the tractor or the mower.
Don’t make excuses, just get rid of the thinking
that does not support your success.

Love Your Slim Self and keep your mind
well groomed, looking good and working
for you.

For a FREE REPORT  http://www.loveyourslimself.com