ManifestingWellBeing.com

"the blessing of beauty"

With the rocky economy it can be difficult at times to feel grateful instead of grumbling about what isn’t right with the world. However, by taking time to be grateful even during difficult times and at challenging moments, exceptional personal growth can take place. I read an excellent article by Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul, on Gratitude and Appreciation. You can read the full article here:

http://jackcanfield.com/files/newsletter_archive/112008.htm

I began to reflect on moments that I have made a conscious effort to focus on gratitude and appreciation. A few weeks ago I experienced a very challenging moment when I discovered that one of my car tires was very flat. This was particularly inconvenient as I was 40 miles from home. As I was given the news by a very sweet woman in a restaurant where I was having lunch, I realized that I had a choice about how I was going to react to my flat tire. I could have certainly become “justifiably” upset, or I could calmly face the situation and focus on the blessings around me at that moment. The blessings I chose to focus on included the fact that I was not alone as I decided what to do. My aunt and cousin were with me and offered tremendous support. It was a brilliantly sunny day and neither pouring rain or snowing. I did have a spare tire in my trunk if I needed it, and calling AAA was always an option.

As I focused on these blessings I remained very calm and at ease. The flat tire no longer seemed to be such a big deal. With a few stops along the way at gasoline station air pumps, I made it safely home, and found a tire service station that could work on my car right way. (It was even a Sunday!). While I waited for my car I read a wonderful book and actually enjoyed the extra time to relax. Once my tire situation was evaluated I was informed that I actually needed two new tires. Fortunately, I was later told by a family member that I had received a great deal on the tires!

So as you go throughout your holiday season look for people, circumstances and events to appreciate. The more you appreciate the more grateful you will feel and the more beautiful life will become. You can have a lovely holiday season despite what they may be saying on the news!

Deborah Barnett, Ph.D.

ManifestingWellBeing.com

“Manifesting Well-Being for Health and Success”

The holiday season can often bring up Norman Rockwell images in our minds of what the “perfect holiday” season should look like. This can often leave us feeling frustrated, disappointed, or sad if our holiday doesn’t match the images in our minds.

What could you do to make your holiday experience this year more fun, easy and relaxing? Really think outside of the box and let your imagination run. What could you do to make your holiday celebration more enjoyable? You might hear a little voice in your head say, “Well I couldn’t do THAT!” Really? Why not? What would be the worse thing that could happen if you did? Would someone criticize you? Are you worried that someone would be disappointed?

I had client recently who came into my office very upset. She was trying to decide whether to go home to Montana to see her parents (which felt uncomfortable) or to stay home and celebrate the holidays with her daughter in their own way. At first neither option sounded good. She worried about feeling guilty if she didn’t go to see her parents. At the same time, she believed that she might be uncomfortable and/or resentful about being dragged around to parties she didn’t feel like attending if she did go. She finally decided that she would stay home for Christmas and then go to see her parents for a few days after Christmas. She left my office feeling relieved at finding a solution that felt good.

For Thanksgiving this year I made a decision that was very “out of the box” from what I normally do. I was invited to go to New England to spend Thanksgiving with my cousins from my mother’s side of the family. This didn’t feel like a good idea because I already had plans to fly to New England for Christmas. Another option was that I could go to see my cousins who live about 1 ½ hours from me, but this didn’t feel quite like what I wanted to do either. I decided that what I really wanted to do was to have a Thanksgiving potluck at my house and invite friends over to join me. This is what I did and it was a lot of fun and a huge success.

What would make the holidays a little more relaxing and fun for you this year? Would it be to NOT work for 2 days straight cooking in the kitchen so that you are so tired you can’t even enjoy the food when it is time for the big meal? Would asking for help with the holiday shopping make things easier? How about scheduling more quite time for yourself? Dare to think outside of the box. A few new choices can increase your sense of well-being and make your holiday season more pleasant and enjoyable.

Deborah Barnett, Ph.D.

www.ManifestingWellBeing.com

Manifesting Well-Being for Health and Success  

I nearly jumped as she gently pressed into the arch of my foot. “Ouch, that’s so tender!” I exclaimed. This was my experience during a Jin Shin Jitsu bodywork session that I received from a friend this evening. My friend looked at me kindly and said, “That point on your foot that is about balance.” Jin Shin Jitsu is a Japanese form of acupressure. Different points on the body correspond to various physical and emotional aspects of ourselves.* I knew from past sessions that when a point is tender, it is an indication that more attention is needed to the area in one’s life that the particular point represents. I was aware that I had been doing a lot recently and not taking enough self-care time. Based on the extreme tenderness of that point on my foot, my body confirmed this!

I often ask my clients about how much self-care they are practicing in their lives. Often I am met with an eye-roll or blank look. I then explain that self-care is not selfish, it is essential. If you are a person who tends to give, and give and give to others, and you run around fulfilling a lot of responsibilities during your day, sometimes self-care can be put on the “back burner” or neglected all together. The analogy I use is one of a well. If you are a “well” and people around you are taking, taking, taking, all the time, and you do not replenish yourself and thus give yourself time and fill back up, eventually you will run dry. This is sometimes referred to as “care-giver burnout.”

The holidays can be an especially difficult time to remember to take time for self-care. It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and forget to take time to replenish oneself. When this happens the holidays are stressful and the fun and joy disappears. Why not make this holiday season different? Take some time to schedule in some self-care time. This might be taking time to get a bodywork session, or going for a peaceful walk, taking a bath, curling up with a good book, or going to lunch with a friend. A little bit of self-care can do wonders. It will refresh you and in doing so refill your “well.” Self-care is a gift that you can give to yourself this holiday season and it can help the holidays be more joyful instead of stressful.

*For more information about Jin Shin Jitsu, I recommend Pat Gallager’s blog. It is very informative: http://blog.patagallagher.com/

Deborah Barnett, Ph.D.

www.ManifestingWellBeing.com

Manifesting Well Being for Health and Success