Mind & Body Connection November Recap The mind and body connection have been our topic for the month of November. Today is our monthly recap post where you can find all the topics we have written about. We feel that helping you to think about and begin to create good habits and practices mind, body and spirit are important for good health and wellbeing. At least that is how we have experienced this in our lives.
Have you given thought to how your mind works in connection with your body? Much of the body seems to run on autopilot. We don’t think about making sure our heart beats, our lungs inflate, and that we exhale every time those lungs fill up. We never think about regenerating our cells or making sure our gut digests the food we eat, right? Nope, most functions of our body seem independent of our mind. The body does many things on its own, but it does rely on the mind to lead the way. Our mind makes a lot of the decisions that directly affect the efficiency, health, and appearance of the body. The body may be responsible for using food for fuel, but the mind decides what food goes into the body. The body may wear the clothes that make the woman, yet the mind chooses the clothing that comes off the hanger. Our minds have a great influence on how we manage stress. Our inner dialogue is the most powerful influence on our mind and body. Let us know any ideas or thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
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Self-Care Mind and Body For the month of November, we have shared several ideas on the mind and body connection in the past few weeks. Today we will dive a bit deeper into the idea of self-care and share the 5 types that will help you connect more with your mind and body Self-care isn’t a new buzzword, and it isn’t selfish to focus on caring for you. In thinking of self-care, your mind might jump to things like taking a bubble bath and making time for yourself. However, did you know there’s actually a lot of different types of self-care you can focus on? If you really want to achieve the many important benefits of self-care for your mind and body, you will want to practice all 5 types of self-care. The question is, what are the different types of self-care and what do they consist of? Here, you’ll discover 5 types of self-care you’ll want to familiarize yourself with. 1. Emotional Your emotional wellbeing has a huge impact on your joy, happiness, and quality of life. So, if you want to improve your wellbeing, you’re going to want to focus on emotional self-care. Emotional self-care helps you to better deal with your emotions. You’ll be able to control the way you feel, rather than letting it control you. You’ll learn to become more aware of your emotions and express them in a healthier way. Emotional self-care can include seeing a therapist, listening to music and keeping a journal. We have found that journaling has been beneficial in the following ways to keep our mind and body connected. The benefits of journaling are many.
2. Physical In order to stay healthy, it’s important to look after the body’s physical needs. That is, making sure you get enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating life-affirming real organic food and exercising regularly. We wrote about Human Movement for your best life here https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/.../to-be-be-better-mind... and Real Life-Affirming Food For Your Real Healthy Body here https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/.../real-life-affirming... When you’re focusing on physical self-care, it includes ensuring you’re not adopting any unhealthy coping mechanisms such as binge eating or missing sleep to binge-watch a series. It means taking time out when you’re sick for rest and recovery, slowing down, breathing, meditating or simply sitting in silence a few minutes each day. 3. Spiritual Spiritual self-care is often associated with religion. However, it’s basically anything that nurtures the spirit. This is just as important as your physical and emotional wellbeing. If you want to lead a truly healthy and happy life, you need to make sure your mind, body and spirit are equally taken care of. Examples of spiritual self-care include surrounding yourself with nature, reading a great book, meditating and taking time out for personal reflection. We wrote about hiking in the great outdoors here https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/.../benefits-to-hiking... 4. Social Your relationships and social skills can play a large role in your happiness. We all need healthy, strong relationships to be truly happy. It’s also important to remember that the people we surround ourselves with make a big difference in how we feel about ourselves and how we act.
Social self-care includes learning to say no if you need to, as well as making time to spend with family and friends. It focuses on strengthening your relationships and doing what you need to do in order to meet your individual social needs. 5. Practical Another type of self-care you’ll want to focus on is practical self-care. This relates to the practical aspects of your life such as your finances, career and organizational skills. By focusing on practical self-care, you’ll potentially avoid stressful situations in the future. Taking care of your finances, for example, will greatly reduce your stress levels and ensure you’re well-equipped to handle any potential future cash flow challenges. Some practical self-care tasks include planning how you will spend and save your money, maybe taking a course to progress in your career and organizing your home and/or closet. If you’re committed to improving your mind and body connections and your quality of life and becoming happier, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking care of all of your needs. However, with so many things to focus on, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. So, it’s a good idea to start by focusing on one or two self-care tasks until they become a regular habit. Then, you can move on to other self-care practices to gradually improve your life. When we began our self-care journey we began with the practices of moving well and eating well. Over time we have added many of these ideas to our daily self-care practice. Share any ideas for self-care in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Allow us to stay in touch with you with our most recent articles, real food recipes, fitness ideas, by signing up for our newsletter here How Nature Heals - The Poweful Effects As we continue to share ideas on the mind/body connection today's topic is one of our favourites, The Powerful Effects of Nature on Your Wellbeing. “Allow nature’s peace to flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.” – John Muir I spent a few hours this weekend out in nature hiking and it got me thinking about nature and my wellbeing. We wrote about hiking in the great outdoors last week and you can find that post here: https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog/benefits-to-hiking-in-the-great-outdoors-mind-body-and-spirit You see it had been an extremely stressful week and what I know for sure is getting out for a long hike has always helped me with stress reduction. This weekend was no different. I left my house stressed and came home feeling like a different person. My heart was filled with joy and gratitude for my time in the forest, walking up and down the hills, breathing in the energy of nature as well as seeing the most spectacular beauty that nature had to offer me at that moment. “Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction.” – EO wilson We understand now more than ever before the positive and lasting influences that nature can have on how we feel. What you see, hear, smell, and sense is continually changing your mood as well as physical responses in your body that regulate hormones, nervous system activity, and much more. And natural elements and spending time outdoors is an excellent way to restore balance to your mind and body, which can enhance your well-being. Here is how. Nature Restores the Balance to your Well-Being There is a significant body of research that supports the claims that nature helps improve psychological health, including depression and anxiety, by calming worries and reducing stress. This allows you to feel more balanced, connected in your mind and body and in control of your life, which helps you focus on what is essential in your life. Spending time in the great outdoors is associated with finding meaning in life, having more vitality and energy, and having an overall positive outlook. “Nature itself is the best physician.” – Hippocrates What I have found is that spending time outside regularly has helped me focus on solutions with a higher level of creativity to problem situations I may have. IF you are stuck on a problem or trying to generate new ideas, go outside for a walk/hike and notice how much better your mind is functioning and how your body feels. Nature therapy is even being incorporated into treatments for disorders such as ADHD because it helps to increase attention span. Nature Can Heal You, Mind, Body and Soul Think about the healing benefits of nature this way for a moment. Imagine when you are outdoors surrounded by nature or even when you are just looking at nature scenes, your body responds with feeling less stressful, angry, or fearful and feeling more positive. At least this is how I feel. By lowing your blood pressure, reducing your heart rate, relaxing tense muscles, and producing fewer stress hormones, your body’s response to being in nature is clear and resounding. “The greener the setting, the more the relief.” – Richard Louv There are even some studies to suggest that those who spend more time outside are more likely to live longer. Adding natural elements, like plants, to indoor spaces, is one way to bring nature closer to your daily life and improve your overall well-being. Nature Can Ease Pain and Discomfort In addition to promoting overall better health, nature and being in green spaces can help you cope with pain and chronic conditions. Our brains are genetically programmed to respond positively to water, plants, trees, and animals in a positive way, and you likely find that you are very engrossed in what is around you when you are surrounded by nature. This effect distracts you from pain and other symptoms, which can make you feel more positive about your condition. This has been my experience at least. “I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order.” – John Burroughs When you are sick or immobile, being able to look at natural scenes, such as trees, can be enough to promote better outcomes, according to some researchers. And being outside in the fresh air and sunshine is always going to improve your outlook. Spending time outdoors is not only fun but also good for your mind, body and spirit. The healing, soothing, and connecting effects of spending time in nature offer lasting benefits to your long-term wellness. What we know for sure is that our health and wellbeing has improved by taking up hiking the trails regularly. How about you? Do you get out in nature? What benefits have there been? Share any thoughts in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you. Subscribe to our newsletter here “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein Hiking Benefits In The Great Outdoors As we continue to discuss the mind and body connection today, we will share the benefits of hiking in the great outdoors mind, body and spirit. Walking and hiking are some of our favourite fitness activities because there are so many advantages to move well outdoors. Getting fit and training well can be done indoors or outdoors, yet there are definite advantages of doing your exercise and movement practice in the great outdoors rather than in a stuffy gym or in your living room. Outdoor activities have added advantages to indoor exercising. Some of these advantages are listed below: 1. Improve Spirituality. When you are exercising outdoors, you can get in touch with your spiritual side. Notice the gifts of nature in the form of the sky, trees, smells, and lakes around you. Meditate on the awe-inspiring beauty of these things and take the time to connect to your spirit as you exercise. This is a good time to relax your mind and express gratitude for the great things you see around you. Practice breathing in the fresh air if on the hiking trails to calm the mind, body and spirit as well as helping you connect to the energy of mother earth. In our opinion, there is nothing better. 2. Get In Touch With Fresh Air. What a concept? Exercising in a stuffy gym can be more than just unpleasant. Many people in the same area huffing and puffing can lead to respiratory diseases. This is also true with using weights or weight machines that have not been wiped down with antiseptics. Many diseases are passed by direct contact with something a sick person has touched and weights/weight machines are no exception. When you exercise outdoors, you breathe in the clean, fresh air and that is important for your overall wellbeing. 3. Take In The Beautiful Scenery. When you can exercise at a park, hiking trail or around a lake where you can lose yourself in the beauty of the physical space you are exercising in. Exercising in awe-inspiring surroundings has been shown to increase the time spent moving well. This is far better than watching the pedometer machine on a treadmill or count the miles you have walked. If you need to know how much you have walked outdoors, buy a pedometer that you clip to your belt. It will measure the number of steps and, the number of miles you have walked. It is guaranteed to be more effective if you are exercising in beautiful scenery rather than a stuffy gym from our experience. 4. A Place For Meditation. It is hard to get in the mind space for meditation if you are exercising around a lot of noise or many people. Even the noise of the treadmill or stair-stepper can be distracting so that you can’t focus on your breath for adequate meditation. When all you have are the sounds of nature and your footfalls to focus on, meditating on your breath can be an easy task. Getting out on the hiking trails can be a perfect place to practice a slow walking meditation. The practice is not only great to enjoy the slow pace of nature, but it also helps you connect easily by breathing in for the count of 4 steps, hold your breath for the count of 4 steps and breathe out for the count of 4 steps. If you are already there exercising, you have a much easier time to allow yourself to get in touch with the pace of nature and enjoy the tremendous feeling of connecting with your breath. 5. Stress Relief. Exercising outdoors is great for stress relief. Away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, exercising outdoors can reduce the level of your stress. Add one of the techniques described above, such as getting in touch with nature and meditation, and you will find even more stress relief. The fresh air and nature are also well known to alleviate stress, both physically and mentally. You don’t have to exercise alone if you are exercising for stress relief. Exercise with a friend or relative and you can talk away your stresses with that other person. Exercising outdoors can be done in any climate, provided you dress for the weather. Outdoor exercise has so many benefits over indoor exercising that it is worth exercising even on a rainy or snowy day. Nature is beautiful, in all its forms. Don’t you agree? Share any thoughts Benefits To Hiking In The Great Outdoors Mind, Body And Spirit in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help. Subscribe to our newsletter here https://mailchi.mp/d44da570a49b/newslettercontent Mind, Body And Soul Habits As we continue to share ideas on the mind and body connection as well as live through this global crisis I have been taking time to consider what habits I can be working on for my mind, body and soul. Today I will share a couple of ideas with you how to connect mind, body and soul with better habits. To nurture and nourish your entire self, you want to focus on your daily habits, practices, and behaviours that make up the majority of your life. These are all choices and can be changed when you find the right purpose. Meaning finding the reason WHY it would be important for you to take the time to create better habits on purpose. I have written about finding your WHY in previous posts. (here) Here are some healthy habits for your body, mind, and soul. Nurture Your Body To start with, you want to nurture your body. This is when your habits help your physical health, such as eating a more balanced life-affirming real organic food diet, exercising and moving well every day, and getting better sleep. Think about what habits will help your physical health. It is going to be different for everyone, but maybe you find that doing exercise like yoga in the morning helps you to feel energized for the rest of the day or getting outside for a morning walk to get some fresh air and sunshine. You might start your day with warm lemon water or promise that you will have fruits and veggies with every meal of the day. You are the only one that can practice improving and nurturing your body. Take the time to intentionally decide what is best for you and allow yourself to practice each day. Nurture Your Mind To nurture your mind, you want to learn more, add in creative activities, read, and focus on avoiding negativity. Think of habits that will improve your mind, both your intellectual mind and your creative mind. Some of these habits might include:
You can start slow, and just think of what is bothering you the most right now. Do you feel like you aren’t using your skills? Are you struggling with a lack of time for reading? This is usually a good place to start. Nurture Your Soul Finally, choose habits that help to nurture your soul. This can be meditation, spiritual growth, digital breaks, or writing in a journal. Me personally I find my soul sings when out in nature. Walking/hiking the trails or simply out walking in my neighbourhood is so enjoyable on any day and especially the beautiful days. Think about habits that are good for your mental health. You might start working more on your spiritual growth with books and community events, or maybe you find that you need the mental break from social media and do digital detoxes on a regular basis. Also, keep in mind many habits fit multiple categories. Yoga is good for your physical health, soul, and mind. Reading can also fit into multiple categories. Walking is one of the simplest and best ways to connect mind, body and soul. Pick and choose a wide range of healthy habits and practices that will nurture your entire self. Share what habits you have found nurture and connect your mind, body and soul in the comments below. Be sure to connect with us if we can help you. Subscribe to our newsletter here Mind & Body With These 3 Powerful Steps As we continue to share ideas on how to reconnect your mind and body today we have 3 powerful steps to consider when thinking of reconnecting mind and body. Not sure if you are like me however when my mind and body are disconnected, it feels a lot like living in someone else’s skin. You know, the skin you’re in feels a bit foreign because your mind frequently drifts away from the here-and-now that your body is living in. I have learned that reconnecting your mind and body starts with intention. A desire to close the gap and align your mind and body once again so that how you feel is in agreement with what you are thinking. Where do you start? Reconnecting your mind and body doesn’t require crazy rituals or a particular starting point. Reconnecting your mind and body can start simply with the smallest awareness that they are connected. Here are three powerful steps to reconnect your mind and body. Step #1: Notice what’s right. So much of the chatter in our minds is focused on what’s wrong. What wrong at home, with the world, in the media, with our bodies, with our co-workers, and more. The first step in reconnecting the mind and body is noticing what’s right. There’s a term called the negative bias. This refers to our tendency to focus on negative things far more than positive. This includes paying more attention to criticism than compliments, as well as dwelling on past negative experiences despite having had past positive experiences. That means it’s human nature to focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right. People with a connected mind and body are intentional about focusing on what’s right with their worlds rather than what’s wrong. Be intentional about what’s right. Journal your thoughts or simply be mindful when you see something that’s right. Be sure to keep your eyes wide open for seeing what’s right everywhere you look. Step #2: Notice what’s beautiful. Being aware of beauty helps with the mind body connection. Seeing beautiful things ignites sparks in your emotions and senses. Noticing the wonders of a beautiful mountain range covered in snow or watching a magnificent sunset on the beach, smelling the salted air and feeling the breeze on your skin, delights your mind and body. Admiring beautiful things helps you better identify things you prefer. From the perfect piece of art for your home to the best hiking trail to be awe inspired by the beauty of nature - finding beautiful things helps you express outwardly what you enjoy inwardly. Step #3: Spend time with yourself. How much time do you spend alone? When you are alone, do you distract yourself with mindlessness? Music, podcasts, television can all distract from quality time with yourself. Spend time alone with your thoughts. Notice how your mind and body connect when you allow your mind to wander and settle in on a topic. Take a long bath or soak in the hot tub and notice how your mind and body experience the solitude. Does your body try to relax while your mind races with thoughts about an unfinished to-do list? Work to stay in the present moment and truly enjoy time relaxing. Reclaiming your mind and body connection will take time if you’ve been unintentional in the past. These simple steps will help you begin to reconnect your mind and body. As you experience first-hand the synchronicity, it becomes easier to recognize it and be intentional as time goes on. And it feels great! It takes practice and be sure to let us know how you are doing with your daily mind and body connection practice. Get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you reconnect mind and body. Subscribe to our newsletter here Move Your Body For That Important Mind And Body Connection We can not do a series on the mind and body connection without taking the time to discuss moving well for your best life. Today we would like to share our ideas on how to clear your mind and move your body for your best life. Last month we spent time discussing fitness here , and we shared ideas on how to workout at home to make it easy to get good movement in your day here and we shared ideas on human movement for your best life here A healthy mind and body definitely work best together when nothing is in the way. Clearing your mind and moving your body is important and a great way to reconnect the energy between the two. There’s something magical and physiologically healing about the way your mind and body connection improves through movement. When our bodies are moving - with heart rates up and lungs working at full capacity - a series of reactions begin that improve our health and spark calm and clarity in the mind. There is no better feeling than moving the body well in our opinion. The act of elevating the heart rate and getting the body warm and active clears the mind. Being intentional about the mind and body connection includes activities that promote health and well-being. No matter what your experience level, there are plenty of ways to get moving and clear your mind. Try one of these good movement activities Yoga - Yoga practices are a low impact way to clear the mind and move the body. From beginner through advanced, yoga focuses on three B’s that connect the mind and body - breath, balance, and body poses. Breathing is focused to hold the yoga pose and to help the body relax which helps clear the mind. Balance is required to achieve poses that are more difficult. The focus of the mind on breathing and balance intertwines the mind and body connection. As the body achieves poses, moving from one to the next, the mind concentrates on breathing and balance in a new way and further connects the mind and body. Cardio - There are as many ways to engage in a cardio workout as you want. From kickboxing, circuit training, HIIT training, Zumba workouts, Pilates, to sprinting or long-distance running, there are unlimited ways to get your heart rate up, blood pumping, and breathing elevated. Cardio clears the mind by helping the brain release serotonin and other feel-good chemicals. Cardio gets the body warm and the effort forces the brain to let go of worries and cares, which frees the space up for dreaming, sorting through things, and having those a-ha moments. Outdoor activities - From sporting events to walking or hiking, being outdoors is one of the best ways to engage in clearing your mind and moving your body. Getting out into nature and having the feeling of awe with the scenery, breathing fresh air, and engaging in a fun activity clears your head and promotes well-being. This is one of our most favourite things to do. Switch things up by trying new fitness activities regularly. Take a hike, play with the kids, ride a bike, play with your pets, there are so many ways to enjoy the outdoors and get your body moving. There are plenty of ways to improve your mind and body connection. Eating right, self-care, journaling and outlets for self-expression - but none beat the benefits of clearing your mind through good movement. Make exercise and moving your body a daily part of your routine. Share any thoughts on the best good movement and fitness activities in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. Subscribe to our newsletter for up to date articles, fitness programs and workouts, real food simple recipes and challenges just for our loyal subscribers. Simple Journaling Ideas - Mind and Body Connection We’ve written much about our experience with journaling many times here on our blog (for example - https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/.../journal-writing-for...). Today we want to share some ideas to help you learn how to kick-start the mind and body with simple journaling ideas. We began writing on a regular basis just after my mother died in 2015. It was a stressful time and writing was a way to reveal the feelings at that time. Over the past almost 6 years my writing has been something I enjoy, and it is a way to dig deep and clear the challenges I have faced. You know when things feel overwhelming and jumbled, sorting things out is good advice. If your mind and body are disconnected and you’re experiencing classic symptoms, it’s important to get to the heart of the matter so you can begin to reconnect the dots between your mind and body. Feelings like: • Isolating from others • Aches and pains • Depression • Disinterest in self-care If you’ve not considered the connection between what your mind is focused on and what your body is experiencing as a result, it’s a good time to do some exploring. In my experience, Journaling can jump-start the mind and body reconnection. Journaling doesn’t have to be a burden If you aren’t a writer or don’t enjoy pouring your heart out onto the page, you can modify your journaling method. There are many ways to journal. Try these options for easy-peasy journal entries: Bullet journals - Bullet journals use snippets of information to express your thoughts, ideas, dreams, goals, tasks, and more. A bullet journal can help you jot down ideas about your mind and body connection. I have found this is a fantastic way to begin and use this on a regular basis in my own journaling. Art journals - Art journals are great for creative people who can express their thoughts and emotions through imagery. The act of drawing, doodling, or sketching can help ideas flow and thoughts to come together. Prompt journals - Prompt journals come in all sorts of genres. Choosing a journal that prompts thoughts about your mind and body connection can be helpful. Answering specific questions that help you peel back the layers and direct your focus can help you if you tend to lack direction with journaling. Prompt journaling is another form of writing that has been super empowering for me. The thing I have found is that it is important not to censor the writing. Allow the thoughts to come without judgement. This might take some practice not to judge any thoughts that come, and you might just be pleasantly surprised. This is where I have found the most powerful and useful learning. Some examples of Journal Prompts Might Be: • What brings you joy? • What is your favourite memory? • Describe your perfect day • What is something you look forward to? • How has your physical health been lately? • How has your mental health been lately? • How can you improve your daily habits? • How will you improve your morning or nighttime routine? • Describe your fall self-care routine. • What are you most grateful for? These examples clearly show that you do not have to go into great depths to discover the disconnection between your mind and body and what steps you want to take to close the gap. Journaling helps you track your long-term progress One of the best things about creating a journaling habit is watching your progress over time. Being able to review your journals over the years will reinforce how far you’ve come and also remind you that your mind and body are connected. Be sure to label your journals and date your entries so you can easily trace backward and revisit your journey. Journaling is a great way to kick-start your mind and body connection. Processing your thoughts and the associated experiences in your body in the privacy of your journal is a safe and positive way to change your thoughts and improve your day-to-day life. It would be great to hear any thoughts and ideas on this post Learn How To Kick-Start The Mind And Body With Simple Journaling Ideas in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you Subscribe to our newsletter here https://mailchi.mp/d44da570a49b/newslettercontent  As we continue to share ideas to help you connect mind and body today our topic is – Better Habits To Help You Connect The Mind And Body. Many years ago, I went to The Millionaire Mind event here in Toronto. This event was developed by T. Harv Eker and was a training designed to help change the mindset for success. A powerful event and it was the first time I ever heard this idea: it is an old Zen saying - “The way a person does one thing is the way they do everything”. This idea was a life changer for me. It helped me realize how important my daily habits and practices are for the quality of my life. I have been working on this ever since to develop good habits and practices each and every day. You see, we learned that people are creatures of habit? Good or Bad. In fact, during the program we learned that research shows that people who develop a “daily” practice are 3 times more likely to stay on their program than those who only participate 6 days a week – and fare 5 times better than those who participate 3, 4 or 5 times a week. So, practice daily to develop the habit you desire. This means to the extent you pay attention to details; you’ll move throughout the day with ease or disconnect. I do believe there is power in how we decide to move through our day. The habits we create, and practice regularly can help keep the mind and body connection strong. To cultivate and nurture your entire self, focus on your daily habits, practices, and actions that make up your life. Starting with making your bed. Why? Making your bed isn’t just a practice or habit of keeping a tidy home, it’s an act that kick-starts your day and sends a subliminal message to your mind that you successfully complete tasks. Making the bed, when added to other habits, creates a chain of events that motivates, inspires, and keep you focused throughout the day to have a series of small WINS. Making your bed ends the sleep cycle and begins the new day. This is an excellent way to start the day with an accomplishment. It’s like checking off the very first to-do item on your list and have the WIN early in your day. From there, you can keep building momentum by finishing other important tasks that help keep the mind and body connection strong. Tasks like: • Eating right • Exercise • Being on time • And more The simple task of making your bed might seem small and insignificant on its own yet coupled with other small tasks, they cumulate together and complete a well-performed day ending with unmaking the bed and beginning the next sleep cycle. There are other daily habits similar to making the bed that helps keep the mind and body connection strong. Habits like: • Brushing teeth before bedtime • Clearing dishes from the sink after a meal • Putting laundry away when it is finished • Returning items back to their proper places These simple practices and the habits they create are valuable in many ways. From increased stamina and follow-through to personal pride for a job well done. Doing what needs to be done rather than ignoring it or putting it off is always a very good thing. Could making your bed be a habit you’d like to master? Would making your bed each morning help you start your day off right and inspire/motivate you to follow through with other tasks? We say yes. This is a small habit that wasn’t included in my daily practice for a long time in my younger life and now I make my bed first thing every morning and it is the thing I accomplish every day no matter what. It feels great. The power of this practice has been a huge WIN for me and how I go through my day. If making your bed isn’t part of your routine, consider adding the task to your daily routine. It might just be worth it. Share any ideas that have helped with this idea of Better Habits To Help You Connect the Mind and Body in the comments below. Get in touch with us if we can help you. Subscribe to our newsletter here Self-Care - A Part Of The Mind/Body Solution As we continue to discuss the mind and body connection today it is important to talk about self-care as the solution for your best life. Yesterday we shared our ideas on Mindful Eating - How To Help You Engage Mind and Body (https://bit.ly/3papZ8P ) Have you heard it said that self-care is the new buzzword? It is important that we learn not to wear yourself into the ground in the name of busy-ness and more valuable to stop the madness and pay attention to your physical and mental health needs. Here’s the thing… Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s what stands between our mind and our body being truly connected. Self-care is part of the solution, not the problem. Self-care isn’t selfishness; it’s vital to our health. Consider this quote - “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” - Buddha Knowing what your mind and your body need to stay connected, refreshed, and recharged helps keep the mind and body connection strong. Being able to plug into what you need each day to maximize your strength, your happiness, your joy and your wellbeing makes it possible to withstand the inevitable setbacks with grace and ease. Self-care doesn’t mean what you think Self-care isn’t all about spa days and a pampered lifestyle. Self-care is knowing yourself well and being in tune with yourself so you can easily fill gaps between your mind and your body. Self-care includes things like…
Self-care isn’t about indulgences as much as it is about homing in on the right thing to fill the right need at the right time. Self-care isn’t always the same thing That means self-care looks different every day. Self-care could be spending quality time with someone you love rather than isolating. Self-care might mean enjoying an amazing home-cooked meal and a glass of red wine and it could mean taking a day off to recharge your over-stimulated mind. Learning to tune into what you need each day means you’ll get the refreshment your mind and body need to keep on being their best. You need to care for yourself every day Self-care isn’t a weekend or a vacation thing. It’s every day. Tapping into a self-care practice must be a daily activity. Your needs shift from day-to-day but the daily need to practice self-care will always be there. From establishing a sleep/wake routine to choosing healthy foods for your fuel, self-care is a bunch of practices and habits built in throughout the day. Create a self-care practice so you can easily tap into what you need when you need it. Some Ideas for Self-Care Keep a Journal An excellent way to start practicing self-care every day is to keep a journal. We have found that using a journal to be one of the best practices we developed for our self-care. This is something you can easily keep with you no matter where you are. Old school writing is a powerful way to connect mind and body, so a journal notebook and pen is highly recommended. With journaling, you can write in it whenever you feel the need to connect to yourself or just to talk about your day. It can be very cathartic for you. Have Alone Time Every Day Make sure you have at least a few minutes each day all to yourself. This can be a daily walk, a fun 15-minute dance party all alone in your room, or just 5 minutes in the morning before everyone else gets up while you enjoy your cup of coffee. It can seem so simple and minimal, but these little stretches of time where you are alone and just doing something for yourself can make all the difference. Get More Exercise Sometimes helping your physical health is also important, so don’t forget about exercise. Moving well is an important part of the mind and body connection. Plus, exercise is good for helping to relieve your stress and the endorphins you get from it can be tremendous for improving your move. You don’t need to go to the gym for an hour every day either. Something as simple as an afternoon walk or doing weightlifting in the morning before your shower is perfect. You can also take advantage of other activities that also include exercise, like taking your dogs for longer walks or taking the kids hiking over the weekend so everybody is exercising more. Getting out in nature is always a great form of self-care. What Getting Better Sleep Might Look Like What might a self-care practice look like for a sleep/wake routine? Consider setting the same time for bed each night. A good time to target to be in bed is 10:30 pm. If you must set an alarm for at least a half hour before to give enough time to wind down and to help create the habit of getting to bed at the same time each night. It is always best to sleep in a dark, cool room. Consider a sleep mask if the room is not dark enough. I have found wearing mask was a sleeping gamechanger for me. Allow yourself to get comfortable in bed and breathe. A few deep breaths allow you to connect mind and body to relax while getting ready for a good night’s sleep. Take a moment before you doze off to sleep to express gratitude. It is important to doze off to sleep or allow sleep to come over you rather than tell yourself you want to “fall” asleep. This saying is harsh, and the mind doesn’t want to fall. Self-care may sound like a unneeded thing but it’s not. Self-care is a necessary part of the mind and body connection. Caring for yourself and making sure your physical and emotional needs are supported should be as natural as the other healthy choices you make. Share a self-care practice that has been beneficial in the comments below Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you. Subscribe to our newsletter here Mindful Eating - Engage Mind and Body This month we are sharing ideas to help you with the mind/body connection for your best life (see more here https://wendybottrell.weebly.com/blog). Diving into how we see and develop our deeper mind/body connection has been what we have committed to working on this year. There have been wonderful things happen and a few challenges. Yet, it has been a great year as we continue to practice growing a strong mind/body connection. Today we want to share some ideas on mindful eating – how to help you engage mind and body. Consider this quote by James Allen: “The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state.” - James Allen, Author of As A Man Thinketh We know the connection between the mind and body is powerful. When the mind and body are fully engaged and working in sync, they support optimal health. While the body uses food as fuel, the mind chooses the foods that the body consumes. Mindful eating is a perfect way to engage the mind and the body and create harmony. “Engaging mindfulness encourages complete engagement with life.”—Gaylon Ferguson Mindful eating is the practice of paying attention to food - engaging with it, consuming it, and experiencing it in a highly mindful way. Mindful eating is less about nutrition and more about the experience the mind and the body have surrounding the entire eating process. Mindful eating comes from the Buddhist concept of mindfulness. Mindful eating can help close the gap between the mind and body by creating an awareness of cues like hunger, fullness, cravings, and how food feels during eating and in the body. One of the practices we have started this year is fasting. We started with intermittent fasting between 12 – 18-hour fasts. This has helped us feel better than we have in a long time. And over the past month, we have done a couple of 24-hours fasts which is something I for one never thought I would be able to do. It has been an interesting experience to become aware of things like how I feel when fasting, the feeling of hunger for example and not giving in to the feeling has been empowering. Fasting has definitely been an important practice in our mind/body connection and the awareness of how we feel with hunger, fullness, cravings for example. Nowadays the world is moving so fast, there is little time to be mindful about eating. Food is served through windows on the go and gobbled down in front of computer screens and television sets. Eating is less about health and more about convenience. Mindful eating can help reconnect the mind and the body with the experience of nourishment for health purposes rather than convenience. A couple of ideas for beginning a mindfulness eating practice Pay attention to hunger signs. There are two types of hunger - physical and emotional. Eating for physical reasons is about fueling our bodies for energy and health, whereas eating for emotional reasons may include poor choices like sugar, junk food, highly processed foods. Pay attention to hunger cues and notice why you feel hungry and what your body is asking for. Sit at the table and pay attention to your senses. Sitting at a designated spot for your meals, away from distractions and designed for mealtime, will make your meals more meaningful. Also, pay close attention to your senses. How does your food look, smell, taste, and feel? The goal is to connect the experience your mind and your body are having with your meal. Notice any effects the food has on your feelings. Some people have associations with food that don’t serve them. Feelings like guilt, shame, and pain go hand-in-hand with eating for them. As you are more mindful, notice the feelings you have about what you are eating and how you are eating. Try not to judge your feelings. Rather, simply notice them. Mindful eating is an excellent way to create a close mind and body connection. Being present with eating and thoroughly connected to the process is a wonderful way to get the mind and body in sync. “Mindfulness means seeing things as they are, without trying to change them. The point is to dissolve our reactions to disturbing emotions, being careful not to reject the emotion itself.” —Tara Bennett-Goleman Share any comments about the idea of Mindful Eating - How To Help Engage Mind and Body that has been positive below. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you. Subscribe to our newsletter here  Today we want to share some ideas on: is what you don't know hurting you? Continuing the dialogue on the mind/body connection. Finally, we will provide you with an idea to look at clarifications to have you thinking about your own mind and body connection and how healthy - or unhealthy - it is. You will then have the opportunity to take a deep dive into the thoughts that drive your actions and result in what you see when you look in the mirror. Our minds and bodies are designed to work in tandem for our optimal health. A healthy mind has a healthy influence on the body and a healthy body helps keep the mind focused and strong. These healthy mind and body connections tend to come from a greater awareness that mindset and the outward expression of your mindset must be intentional. Said differently, your mind and body are best connected when you actively keep the two linked. What you know is likely helping you and what you don’t know could be hurting you. There are three main thieves of the mind and body connection: • Ignorance • Blame • Denial These thieves of joy infiltrate the mind and create a disconnect, or rift, between the mind and body. Before we go on if you are questioning if it is true about the mind/body connection here is an article from Psychology Today that will help you clarify - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-the-face-adversity/201207/thoughts-neurotransmitters-body-mind-connection OK, let’s continue with our three main thieves of the mind and body connection: Ignorance relates to simply not knowing. This falls into many categories when it comes to the mind and body connection. Let’s take a look: Not knowing there is a connection between the mind and body. If you are unaware that there is a direct connection between the mind and body, ignorance is at play. Not realizing that what you think about and how you think about things directly affects your body keeps you operating in the dark. Not knowing there is an issue. Some people are unaware that there are issues. They are unaware that they don’t feel great. They are operating in life as if things are the way they are because they always have been this way. These people are often highly unaware of their impact on others, let alone the impact their minds are having on their bodies. Not knowing what to do. Knowing something is off base and knowing what to do about it are two different things. Some people truly do not know what to do to remedy a situation. Their ignorance about healthy eating, self-care, psychology, or inter-personal relationships is directly disconnecting their minds and bodies. Ignorance isn’t about intelligence. It’s about simply not knowing any better. Maya Angelou is attributed to saying, “Do the best you can with what you know. When you know better - do better.” That’s the power of breaking ignorance. The more you know, the better you can do. Ignorance is one of the factors that contribute to their mind and body disconnection. Being unaware that the mind and bodywork together, that a breakdown is an issue, or what to do to repair the gap, are all examples of ignorance. Awareness is the key to replacing ignorance with knowledge and bridging the gap. Ok, let’s review the three thieves of joy regarding your mind and body connection and start to ponder which may be the culprit. Use this information as a guideline: Ignorance - Not knowing what to do to remedy a gap between your mind and body connection Blame - Putting the responsibility for your outcomes on someone else or using them as the excuse that your body (or your current life experiences) doesn’t reflect your desires. Denial - Unwillingness or inability to accept personal responsibility for doing what you know is in your best interest for your health and wellbeing. Avoiding actions that are beneficial, despite knowing there are consequences. Journal the following: Record your thoughts on which thief is robbing you. Which process have you been using to avoid connecting your mind and body? You can sort through your thoughts by asking yourself questions like these:
Powerful questions that might help you begin to connect mind and body. Asking yourself powerful questions may help you sort out which thief is robbing you of the mind and body connection you deserve. Is What You Don’t Know Hurting You? Share any thoughts in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help. Subscribe to our newsletter here Does Your Mind And Body Match? Today we continue to share ideas on the mind/body connection. The topic today is - Does the outside match the inside or more to the point - Does your powerful body match your positive loving thoughts? Think about this idea from this viewpoint for a minute. When standing in front of the mirror, do your outsides match your insides? Is your outward appearance of a strong powerful body a true reflection of how you see yourself in your mind’s eye? Positive and loving thoughts? If you poll most people, they will tell you they desire to look and feel great. They want to have well-rounded lives with opportunities to express themselves freely - including how they dress, how their homes look, and how they engage with others. They want whatever ideals are in their minds… and yet, not everyone is experiencing the very things they say they want. Why? There is a disconnection between the mind and body. The disconnection between the outward reflection of inward thoughts can be obvious or subtle. Some obvious signs are: • Being overweight • Being underweight • Being out of shape • Lack of personal style These obvious reflections indicate there is a mind and body disconnect between what you want and what you are experiencing in the mirror. Some disconnections between the mind and body can be much more subtle. Some subtle signs are: • Biting nails • Insecurity • Thinning hair • Nervous or repetitive movements • Depression, avoidance, anxiety These signs of disconnect may not be as obvious but they are just as indicative of a mind and body disconnect. Taking an assessment of your outward appearance and matching it up to your inward expectations can help spark change. You can’t change what you won’t acknowledge. This has been one of the practices I have been working on in 2020. Getting a healthy mind, body and spirit. There have been challenges however I feel this is worth the journey. If you notice that your outsides are not matching the inside goals, dreams, hopes, and preferences, it’s time to take a look at closing the gap. Getting to the root of why there is a disconnect and what can be done about it. Here are some ideas to help you start to see the harmony between your outside appearance and your inside thoughts. Start a journal to explore your thoughts- Journaling can help you evaluate what is going on in your mind and reflected outward in your body. I have found this to be a powerful practice in my life. Using the written word to connect my mind and body has been so important. In some cases, my writing has surprised me. That is what I truly enjoy about writing. Letting the mind and body come together through the written word is uplifting and empowering for me because I didn’t know some of those inner thoughts existed. The idea I would share is to be open to writing without correcting the thoughts you are not comfortable with. This is where the power is. Keep going and see what comes up in that session. Get moving- Being physically active is one of the best remedies for clearing the mind and reconnecting the mind and body. Getting your heart rate up releases chemicals in the brain that helps fight depression and help facilitate a healthy mind and body. This is one of our favourite things. Getting out walking outdoors as many days as we can have been a practice that we enjoy. In fact, it has been one of the most important things we have done in the last four or five years for our health, our mind, our body and our life. If you don’t believe me give it a try and see for yourself. Your insides may not match your outsides. That’s ok! The mind and the body are designed to work together. If your outsides don’t match with your internal vision for your body, your surroundings, and your overall life experience, you can take action, connect the dots, and see a truer representation of your inward and outward life. It really is worth the commitment and practice to stick with it. Let us know how we can help you. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can answer any questions or help you. Be sure to share how Your Powerful Body Matches Your Positive Loving Thoughts? Subscribe to our newsletter here The Mind Is Powerful "As we continue to share ideas on the mind/body connection in today’s topic we will share ideas on can your mind be causing you to be unwell?
There is no question that our minds are powerful. They can solve complex problems, help us stay safe from predators, help us dream big dreams… and make us sick or unwell. What?! Yes! Our minds have a great influence on how we manage stress. With the right mindset, stress can come and go without too much impact on the body. Without the right mindset, stress can trigger physical reactions that may seem unconnected to our thoughts but actually are directly related. Some typical physical expressions of stress are:
These symptoms may come before, after, or during stressful times and turn your focus from root causes - thoughts in your mind - to the body. Plenty of doctor’s visits are initiated to look at the symptoms of stress, which are physical and fail to evaluate the cause of stress, which is psychological. In fact, I’ve heard it said that 80% of all doctors’ visits are caused by stress. “Seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints. Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.” (Source: Web MD) Your mind might be contributing to your illness Studies have shown that even chronic illnesses might be contributed to the mind rather than a breakdown in the body. When the mind is depressed, stressed out, or living in a state of anxiety, the body is more prone to illness. Likewise, chronic pain or illness can also affect the mindset. Before you know it, the mind and body are feeding into one another, fostering and prolonging illnesses. If you are experiencing chronic pain or illness, it might be more than a virus. It’s important to go to the physician to explore physical reasons for illness, but don’t forget to include a mental health checkup, too. Connecting with someone who can screen for mindset issues might alert you that there are outside forces contributing to your physical health. Treat your mind and body for optimal health. "What you think about, you bring about" - Rhonda Byrne Your mind is powerful. How you think about things can directly influence your reality. How you think about stress, overwhelming issues, or manage life will directly express itself in your day-to-day living. You might be making yourself ill with your thoughts. If you suffer from frequent bouts of anxiety, digestive issues, painful tension headaches, and other triggered health issues, it could be in your mind. The good news is since what you think about you bring about, you can change your mindset and change how your thinking influences your body. Learning to manage stress and finding outlets for anxiety, fear, and anger can all improve your overall physical and mental health. So, what do you think? Can Your Mind Be Causing You To Be Unwell? Share any thoughts in the comments below. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help. Subscribe to our newsletter here Your Mind Is Your Biggest Influencer “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” ― Lao Tzu A powerful quote, right? As we continue to discuss the mind/body connection for your best life today we will share ideas about your mind being the biggest influencer there is for you. An influencer is a slang term for someone impacting what others see, feel, and emulate based on their influence as an expert or role model. In the social media world, influencers set trends, promote what’s popular, and make an impact on how others behave. In your personal and private world, away from social media and outward influences, you have a bigger influencer impacting your decisions… your mind! Your mind is certainly the biggest influencer you have. Our minds directly impact how our bodies look and feel. In fact, a lot of illnesses are generated in the mind rather than in the body. This can be a challenging idea; I know it was for me many years ago when I first heard it. In fact, it was very upsetting and impacted how I healed at that time. I felt like the practitioner was blaming me for my health issues. This was not the case. Think about this idea this way, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “You are what you think all day long.” I was living with so much stress from my job, family, relationship, eating poor quality foods, no exercise, and it all came in the way I was thinking. And my health and wellbeing paid the price. Something had to change and that was me. When you look in the mirror, much of what you see is based on your mind’s influence. Here are a few outward expressions of your innermost thoughts: • Your weight • Your hairstyle • Your clothing choices • Even your home décor You may not have considered that your mind plays a big role in these factors, but it certainly does. Your mind influences your body and your choices. In the same way, your body functions 24/7, your mind is working non-stop. “50,000 THOUGHTS A DAY - Our brains produce as many as 50,000 thoughts per day (National Science Foundation). Ninety-five percent of these thoughts are repeated daily and reflect the mindset or beliefs we hold that lead to those 50,000 thoughts. Your mindset in turn governs your actions, which leads to your results in life. In short, if you have a mindset that limits your potential, then you will likely accept limited results in your life.” (source https://subliminalpro.com/thoughts/) Your mind takes in information and is influenced by: • People • Culture • Experiences • Preferences • And more Then, your mind influences your body one way or another. Here’s how: People - The people in your life affect your thoughts and influence your behaviour. If you live amongst toxic people, it can negatively impact your mind and body connection. It’s hard to be your best when you are managing difficult people. Likewise, living among motivated and positive people influences the mind in positive ways that express themselves outward. The result… healthy bodies, healthy self-expression, and healthy environments. Culture - Your culture influences your mind. A culture can be as dynamic as the ethnic culture of where you live, the morals and values of your culture, or the vibe or culture of the city or neighbourhood you live in. This culture has a direct influence on your mind and how you express yourself. Experiences - Your experiences make a direct impact on your mind. The more positive experiences you have, the more positive your body reacts. In the same way, having too many stressful or negative experiences will influence your mind. Chronic stress is often an outward symptom of inner thoughts of anxiety and fear. This is generally caused by experiences. Preferences - What you love - and what you don’t - influences your decisions. From knowing you prefer sweet to salty - or both - to knowing you love high fashion rather than casual wear, your preferences in life influence your outward expressions. In a society of expert influencers, your mind is the biggest one you have. Making sure what you are thinking and how your thoughts impact your body is vital to ensure your body is living its best life, so to speak. Make sure how you are influencing your body comes from a healthy mind. What I have found is getting out for a walk helps me stay on track with my mind/body connection. It gives me time alone outdoors to check in with my thoughts and how I am feeling. If my body is being challenged in some way I have the practice to immediately look at what my mind is thinking. This helps to reconnect and if need be I come home and journal on the thoughts I have had that day. Going deeper if need to be work on this. Share your thoughts on how you are making sure what you are thinking and how your thoughts impact your body to ensure your body is living its best life? Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help Subscribe to our newsletter here The Body And Mind Are Created To Work In Sync We are living in a crazy world these days with so much stress everywhere we turn it seems we’ve forgotten that the mind and body are designed to be in sync. In times of tremendous stress like we are living through right now in our world we would like to share our ideas this month on the mind and body connection. When was the last time that you gave a thought to how your mind works in connection with your body? We forget that much of the body seems to run on autopilot. You don’t think about making sure your heart beats, your lungs inflate, and that you exhale every time those lungs fill up. You never think about regenerating your cells or making sure your gut digests the food you eat. Not for one minute because most functions of your body seem independent of your mind. The body does many things on its own, but it does rely on the mind to lead the way. Your mind makes a lot of the decisions that directly affect the efficiency, health, and appearance of the body. The body may be responsible for using food for fuel, but the mind decides what food goes into the body. The body may wear the clothes that make the person, but the mind chooses the clothing each and every time. Your mind and body are meant to be aligned Your mind and body are designed to be in sync. The mind influences the body and the body influences the mind. This give-and-take should be a harmonious expression. For example, when you feel tired, your body exhibits the aches and pains that come from lack of sleep - signalling the mind it’s time for a break. When the mind senses danger, it alerts the nervous system and creates the fight or flight reflex, getting you to safety as fast as possible. Sometimes your mind and body are disconnected Sometimes there is a disconnect between the mind and the body. What you see outside doesn’t truly reflect how you feel inside. There’s something missing - a gap of sorts - between your mind and what you are thinking and the body and what you are experiencing. This disconnect tends to be unconscious, leaving you oblivious to the fact that one is profoundly influencing the other - whether negatively or positively. I experience this in my life when I get disconnected. This is why I get outside for a walk most days of the week to practice connecting my mind and my body through the awareness I feel when walking. Or when I sit quietly breathing in my meditation time. Here is why it is important to have a mind/body connection. The key to reconnecting the mind and body is awareness. Becoming conscious that what you are thinking about could be sabotaging what your body is experiencing can result in:
Closing the gap between your mind and body reconnects the synchronicity and gets things back on track with a healthy mind and body connection. Your mind and body have separate functions that are designed to be in harmony and work in sync with one another. When your mind and body are consciously connected, your inward thoughts easily manifest in your outward expression and fully represent the best of what you are thinking in your mind and seeing in the mirror! Over the next 30 days, we are going to share ideas for you begin to connect the mind and body in a way that will help you live your best life. It would be great to hear your thoughts on the mind and body connection. Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you. Subscribe to our newsletter here |
Wendy BottrellWe have outsourced our lifestyle for way too long! 
 
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