“When we are involved in creativity, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life.” Expanding on Csikszentmihalyi’s important observation on the healing quality of art, I believe that the power of creative expression and engagement in the arts can serve as an essential wellness practice for everyone. Our ability to be creative allows us … Read More
Silence Makes Your Brain Smarter
We see how our cities are becoming louder, more distracting, and increasingly cluttered, and it seems more difficult to find quiet places in our day where we can pause and just breathe. And scientific research tells us that getting an adequate dose of silence each day is important to our brains. What Silence does for Your Brain When our brains … Read More
Happy Valentines Day!
“Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us.” —Marianne Williamson We do know that it’s the way we perceive the world that helps us really see what’s there for us. … Read More
Play Music to be Smarter & Healthier
Nowadays, as we’re more focused on being healthy, we can include many things to keep our brains well-tuned, from taking omega-3 supplements to solving memory and brain training games. However, when it comes to brain health, one exercise beats all others – learning to play a musical instrument. Neuroscience research tells us to play music to be smarter and healthier! … Read More
Simple Steps to Calm Anxiety
Did you know that you can use food to calm anxiety, sleep better and improve your mood? Let’s consider these simple steps: Eat breakfast Every Day Make it a nurturing habit to eat breakfast every day and include healthy protein to prevent low blood sugar. If you try to eat within one hour of awakening, your food will energize you … Read More
How To Cultivate Gratitude
Feeling Grateful Is a Skill! It’s true that some people have a naturally grateful disposition. But be assured that feeling grateful is a skill that we can cultivate with practice, and benefit from its rewards along the way. And research also suggests that thinking hard about our own lives makes us more grateful for what we have and sometimes tend … Read More
Gratitude Can Make You Happier
Start 2016 With Life’s Simple Pleasures! As we begin 2016, amidst all the thoughts of New Year’s Resolutions, perhaps we can remind ourselves more often to enjoy life’s simple pleasures — such as laughter. “Laughter is a symptom of spirituality. Laughter is the flow of love coursing through your body. Laughter is the nectar of present moment awareness. Invite more … Read More
The Three Stages of Gratitude
Since we now know that practicing Gratitude can actually improve our health, let’s consider the three stages of gratitude and how we can experience each stage and benefit from its rewards. First – Feeling grateful for the good things in your life; Second – Expressing your gratitude to the people who have made your life better; and Third – Adopting … Read More
Gratitude Can Make You Healthier
Now that we know that gratitude is good for you, it gets added to the list of attitudes and positive emotions, including love and empathy that creates a biochemical shift in the body. Since gratitude is a mental activity, we’ve been able to see through research studies in positive psychology, how a non-physical activity can significantly alter the physical activity … Read More
The Practice of Gratitude
The practice of gratitude goes way beyond the common courtesy of saying “thank you “ – it’s not just something you say for the other person’s benefit. In fact, developing an attitude of gratitude has immense power to affect your emotions and change the way you feel. We’re often instructed to be grateful for the things we have even if … Read More