4. June 2010 by admin.

I am always on the lookout for new modalities of bringing fun and relaxation into my life.  Recently I had the opportunity to try out Laughter Yoga.  I was intrigued.  The class starts with some light stretching, then goes into the so-called “fake” laughter.  Prompted by the teacher we begin laughing for no apparent reason. The more you look at the other participants and see them laugh, the more you feel “real” laughter coming out.  There is clapping laughter, cell-phone laughter, bow and arrow laughter, party laughter. When the class was done, I felt happy and relaxed “for no reason”.  Check out laughteryoga.org for laughter clubs in your area.

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5. May 2010 by admin.

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19. March 2010 by admin.

Spring is the time we wake up from the winter slumber with renewed energy. We open the windows and let the fresh air come in. We take out the patio set and clean the deck. We redecorate. We clean up the garden of the dried plants to make place for new ones. We clean up our closets, getting rid of unwanted clothes. Isn’t it a good time to let go of unwanted things in other areas of our lives - for example in our work life, personal life or relationships? What can you let go of today in order to make more time and space in your life? I am letting go of unrealistic and narrow expectations that tell me it is only one way to do something in order to be accepted/good.

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19. March 2010 by admin.

Many people talk about balance - work life balance. What about the balance between your inner and outer life, between the time you spend alone, meditating, journaling and otherwise connecting to your inner self, versus the time you spend in the outside world, working, socializing, participating in activities. How do you stay in touch with yourself? I find it useful when I feel overwhelmed or too busy, to stop, even for a few minutes, and breathe, meditate, pray or ask my intuition what do I need most right now.

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27. December 2009 by admin.

Holidays can be a time of joy and cheer or a time of overwhelm and disappointment.  I made some time this holiday season to reflect on what the holiday season really means to me.  I realized that I want to do what makes me happy, rather then following blindly what I have done in the previous years. Personally, I like to spend time outdoors, read a good book, be with close friends, sing, spend time in silence and quietude to get in touch with my true self.  If you feel overwhelmed, unmotivated or angry, chances are you are not doing what makes you happy. You either do things because you “have to” or because you run on automatic pilot. What about what you “want to”? What about creating a ritual/celebration that works for you this year? What about looking at each day as a clean slate, a white canvas? You are the artist, the painter - you decide what goes on the page and what colors to use.  Whether it is a new year or a new day, you have the freedom to create your own work of art. If you don’t like something you worked on, you can modify it or toss it away.

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12. November 2009 by admin.

Unconditional Self-Acceptance by Cheri Huber

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9. November 2009 by admin.

We all feel some apprehension before dealing with a challenging situation or a difficult person. When the moment arrives, we get involved into whatever we are doing and once the event is gone we feel relaxed, relieved and more confident. We proved ourselves once again that we can go out of our comfort zone,  handle a difficult situation and be successful.How can we minimize the apprehension before a new challenge? One belief that fuels this is our expectation of being and doing perfect, of pleasing everyone all the time. This puts great pressure on us. How about setting more realistic expectations based on knowing and respecting our limits, our boundaries? How about giving ourselves permission to disappoint people once in while? Have you tried saying no to something or someone when you felt there is too much on your plate? Can you tell when something you are working on is good enough? Can you stick to your values in life, your integrity, no matter how much pressure you have from the people around you? Can you express your truth and what you really feel in a polite but firm manner? The more we respect ourselves by creating an environment in which we can thrive, the more relaxed and confident we become.Sometimes when we set boundaries, other people might get upset. We may feel guilty or afraid. They may feel out of control and angry that they are not getting what they want when they want. In time, they will either appreciate your relationship and respect your values and boundaries, or they will slowly go out of your life.Can you think of an area in your life where you feel the most frustration, unease, out of balance? How can you set some healthy boundaries around it?

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6. October 2009 by admin.

Are you being too significant about something in your life? Is it all you think about? Do you tie your happiness to accomplishing that goal? Do you focus so much on one goal, one area of your life that you ignore the other aspects? Maybe you are looking for a new job, make more money, looking for a relationship, trying to have a baby or changing one aspect of yourself. We can get so caught up in our thoughts and feelings, we forget about other things that bring us happiness.How can you lighten up? How can you create a game around the situation? How can you enjoy going after your goal without letting it consume all your energy?

Posted in joyful living, Self care, Handle uncertainty | 1 Comment »

7. January 2008 by admin.

I spent a few days together with some friends, watching their 2 and 3 year olds. All the kids want to do is to have fun! Whether is food, toys or conversation, they will try to play. If it’s no fun, they become resistant and cranky.As we grow old, we start to become responsible and serious, concerned about what others think of us. We try to get status, money, job, house - and become unsatisfied. Why? Because we don’t have fun anymore, we don’t enjoy life anymore. Instead, we worry about it and try to control it. Even when we have fun, it has to be planned and organized to the teeth, it has to follow strict rules.Real fun is spontaneous, unorganized enjoyment. For example, skiing on an inclined driveway after a big dump of snow, playing Pictionary but, instead of drawing, act out the words. Let yourself go, take off your mask and enjoy life like a child. Be creative in your play and don’t worry about behaving “appropriate” for your age.

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