change

15 posts

Forgiveness

change Divine Grace Forgiveness fulfillment Happiness Inner Value Joy Kindness Mind-Body Healing mindfulness possibilites Serenity True Self truth

Forgiveness.  We know it matters, but golly it can be hard to do. Most religious traditions focus on forgiveness as an essential part of the spiritual path, but it matters for our personal health, too.  Beyond the obvious discomfort we experience from an inner roiling diatribe, it is literally hard on the heart.  “Held-in hostility” has been linked to heart attacks, and difficulty healing if we have one.

The challenge, of course, is that though we may be willing to forgive, we can’t will it to happen.  There are things that can help: realizing we are only hurting ourselves can help shift the inner tide. Turning the whole mess over to a Higher Power to deal with justly (and letting go of our idea of what justice should be) helps.  Finding ways in our own lives we have been less than perfect along similar lines as the offender is a good thought process.

I created a CD with a guided imagery to help this process. In the name of contributing to a positive spin in the world right now, I am giving these away free of charge. (I do ask, please for postage).  If you or someone you know could benefit from this, please do take one – and pass it on.

Free CDs

I am sincerely hoping this may contribute to good.  And chime in on the comments if you have added thoughts, suggestions, helpful advice for us all.

Mindful Eating Talk

change Mind-Body Healing Mindful Eating mindfulness possibilites

Many of you who read my blogs have taken Mindful Eating classes from me.  We recently posted a talk I did on Mindful Eating on You-Tube, having edited out the sections in which individuals shared personal information.  You might enjoy this as a boost in your process!

More talks, including recent interviews with Coach Gordon and Dr. Iyer can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/user/DocMAWallace

I will continue periodically sharing “Fireside Interviews by Coach Gordon with Dr Iyer”, and would love if you joined us by signing up to receive You-Tubes from me as they are posted.

Joy in Spring, and the opening of daffodils!

4 Steps to Changing Habits

change Mind-Body Healing MindBody Medicine mindfulness

Mindbody Medicine recognizes that the choices we make in life are dependent on what is going on in our minds.  But are there specific things we can do to help change maladaptive habits? Here are a few suggestions to get started:

  1. Recognize when a behavior is a bad habit. We may have, over time, conned ourselves into believing that an extra glass or two of wine (beyond the recommended one for women and two for men) every night is harmless; or the “few” hours a day we spend surfing social media no big deal. But when we look at the facts of our lives as facts – perhaps as a neutral third person (or maybe even better, as our meddling Aunt Matilda) – we can see a behavior or two that, if changed, would lead to better health. Remember that better health includes mental health.
  • Choose one small, specific behavior change. Rather than saying, “I want to spend less time on social media”, say “I will limit my social media time each day to ‘x’.” instead of “I need to move my body more”, try “I will walk every day for 15, 20, 30 (you choose) minutes.”
  • Turn it into a commitment with specific anchors. When you get on social media, set a timer. Call a friend to walk with you or put it in your Outlook as a scheduled item. Choose a smaller plate for your evening meal and fill it 2/3 full.
  • Reward yourself in healthy, feel-good ways. The accomplishment, itself, will be and feel like a major reward, and that may be enough. But you could add the extra treat of a new pair of pants when you achieve a desired weight; or a dinner at a special restaurant when you hit 40 minutes of walking daily for 3 consecutive weeks.

According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes 18 or more days for a person to develop a new habit. And it can take up to two months for a new habit to become an established part of your life.1

You can do this.

1https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-habit#base-figure