Tips to Living Longer

1. Live Longer By Staying Positive

When you spend quality time with family and friends you can add years to your life almost effortlessly. This is according to research at Cleveland Clinic. "Feeling content about others lowers the production of cortisol, a powerful stress hormone that causes a multitude of illnesses, plus prematurely ages your tissues," reported David Snowdon, Ph.D., professor of Neurology at Sanders-Brown Center on Aging in Kentucky.

2. Live Longer By Moving Your Body Frequently

This small change in lifestyle has the potential for numerous health benefits. A study in the European Heart Journal showed that standing up for as little as two minutes each hour can lower blood pressure levels which have been linked to heart disease. In another study from the University of Tennessee, researchers discovered that just getting up during TV commercials and walking around the house throughout the evening can burn as many calories as walking a mile.

3. Live Longer By Not Smoking

If you smoke and are trying to quit, your body will thank you almost instantly. To help you survive nicotine cravings, it's important to increase the production of happiness hormones and lower overall stress and anxiety. Numerous "quit smoking" programs are available on the internet that offer 24/7 support to increase your success rate. The most popular is Quitnet.com while another is Women.Smokefree.gov, the National Cancer Institute's online support for women.

More Tips to Living Longer

Well known author Dr. Buettner who recently published The Blue Zones: 9 Power Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest, identified nine common traits shared by people who live longer, healthier lives. He calls these traits the "Power of 9:"

1. Move Naturally - "Do your own house and yard work, go up and down your stairs with your laundry, knead your own dough," Buettner advises.

2. Know Your Purpose - "Take time to recognize your values, strengths, talents, passions and gifts."

3. Down Shift - "Relieve chronic stress by finding time each day to nap, meditate and pray."

4. The 50% Rule - "Cut 20% of your daily calories with proven healthy practices: eat a big breakfast, dine with your family and begin each meal by expressing appreciation."

5. Plant Slant - "Eat mostly plant-based foods and small portions of meat no more than twice a week."

6. Wine at 5 - "Drinkers live longer than non-drinkers. But moderation is the key."

7. Family First - "Living in a loving, thriving family can add up to six years to your life. Work on a positive, committed relationship and stay close to your parents and grandparents."

8. Belong - "Those with the most social connectedness tend to live longer," Buetter says. "Be part of a group of healthy-minded, supportive people."

9. Right Tribe - "Good friends have a positive effect on your longevity. Support them and adopt healthy behaviors together."

Regular exercise and a diet of antioxidant-rich food gives us the opportunity to take control over how well we age and keep our bodies free from the diseases that are thought to be worsened by oxidation.

About The Author: Robyn M. Cooke is the editor of Quick-Weight-Loss-Tips-for-Women.com which has everything you will need to reach your weight loss goals, including great advice, great products and the inspiration to succeed! Remember, the best investment you can make is in yourself!

Providing useful self development and improvement articles, hynotherapy and counselling writings and other mind help resources online.

Social Health and Healthy Ageing

You are beautiful at any age: The Bible says, "Even though our outward (wo)man is perishing, the inward (wo)man is being renewed day by day."

When I read it, my personal interpretation was that we are beautiful at every age. But, many people may disagree and may have a divergent view, too. I believe, these might be the ones who grow sad as they see the gradual loss of their youthful beauty, and continuously invest in beauty procedures to remain swaying in the high tide of youth again. They trim and tone their bodies to postpone the inevitable.

It is undoubtedly a good procedure that they follow. This is not a debatable topic because this regimen preserves and restores the natural firmness, and normal functioning of body organs in health. And, by doing these workouts they target legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms, core and full body, and keep these parts in control. However, according to Ben Franklin, "You may delay, but time will not." So, staying true to yourself brings you to a realization that you will age, no matter what.But given a healthy foresight and acceptance, and embracing the conscious wisdom one gains with age, I believe one remains beautiful at any age.

Health and Healthy Ageing: According to World Health Organisation, "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This definition entered into force on 7th April 1948 and has not been amended since. It is very relevant and has a lot of significance in today's times. The key component of overall health which is included in the definition according to me is "social" health. This word struck me as very progressive. It is this aspect of health which promotes a well-rounded lifestyle. Evidences and researches suggest that elderly people might delay cognitive decline by being socially engaged.

Even though there is a lot of emphasis on exercise, mobility and its awareness for forty plus group. And, it is indeed extremely important to keep us fit and trim, but according to Patrick P. Coll, director, U Conn Health Centre, ''social activities and mental wellness have important roles as well." September is designated as Healthy Aging Month. It is a national campaign designed to highlight the many ways, individuals can avoid declines in physical, mental and emotional health as they age. Healthy aging is not just about exercise and staying fit. Mental and social well-being too, is vital component of living well. It is the importance of this ''workout'' that I would like to talk about here. I refer to it as ''Express Workout.''

1. Social Health: At this point many may not seem pleased with what I just said, but they will surely do, when they know its benefits especially in the afternoon of life - the life after 40. Let us see social health as a supplement to various therapies in keeping our body trim and toned.

Your best health is essential in all aspects of your life-from your body to environment around you. When we talk about environment it means friends, family, relationships, all these affect our health indirectly. This is our social health. According to me, much of our body's agility depends upon this.

Our physical well-being is the key to enjoying a healthy life. We should always try to get the needed rest, exercise and nutrition to maintain. However, the environment that we get by staying in close contact with family and friends; enjoying a hobby; learning a new language; musical instrument; keeping up with current events; taking a class; doing brainteasers, and socializing cannot be undermined.

Appreciating and enjoying these healthy connections is paramount. As life comes close to an end it is the experience of these wholesome socially rich environment that seem to matter much more than personal possessions.

Our children fly to their new formed nests. And, life does not remain what it used to be. No matter what exercises and regime you undertake during these moments, it is very crucial to keep your social health blooming. If we are able to achieve this, our lives brim with bimini - what is termed as the fountain of youth!

2. Supplementary Tools: The benefits of looking good are feeling good, healthy and strong. No one can make a difference to your body. Only you can.

1. Celebrate: Getting up off the bed to get into "fitness mode" can be a mammoth feat in itself. I congratulate you if you have come this far! Below are some tips to help get you started with your own personalized express workouts. You are no more a sleepy head. Smile and catch up!

2. Do something: This could be any activity you find interesting. Whether it is reading, writing, photography, swimming, dancing, cooking, pot-making or gardening, it does not matter. You need to just do it.

3. Find a BEST: This defines: Buddies who Encourage Success and Truth. This is very important not only in fitness regime, but in every sphere of our lives. Keep a good mix of a counselor, listener and fix-it, and at least one who makes your ribs tickle to make you wash off your worries and laugh along the way. Learning or doing anything through fun is most invigorating. Prioritize your activities and create a definite niche to fit it in your fitness schedule.

4. Dump the downer: You guessed right -it is the weighing scale! You constantly get into the obsession of it. Why I could not weigh what she weighs. This will lead to your unhealthy state of mind. Limit the use of scale sparingly. It would rather be wise instead, to go in for body-fat index tests on half yearly basis.

5. Calm your nerves: Follow your fitness schedule like a marathon and not like a sprinter. Slow down! Do not burn out or hurt you along the way. Increase cardio time and weight training gradually.

6. You are different: Do not compare yourself with others who do intensive work out and training. This will discourage and make you envious or depressed. We should compare us with ourselves. Keep your eyes on your goals and not what others are doing.

7. Enjoy every process: Remember one should enjoy the journey and not only look for the destination all the time. Talk, breathe have fun with your best buddy while doing. Do not grab an intensive level. Be yourself and follow comfortably.

8. Do not despair: Nothing is the end of the world. If you could not be regular because of some pressing matter -personal or official. Just get back on track, board the train and chug along!

9. Get into an autopilot mode: We feel we do not need to work on our bodies. Many a times we feel we are fine without it. We lax and coil ourselves in the myth of ''all is well'' kind. For this legion of women, a word of caution: Whether you do, or you do not, it is wise to accept exercise (any form) similar to essentials like breakfast or taking a shower.

10. What to/how to: Hire a trainer to help you with a system. They are masters in this domain. Their knowledge is no exception. Use it to nurture and nourish your body.

11. Learn with fun: The importance of focus and any kind of learning when done with enjoyment brings out the best in terms of performance. When enjoyment is decreased, performance also decreases. A cycle ensues which prevents performance from ever reaching its potential. So, to ensure consistent fun and crazy spark keep widening your circle of friends. This helps new ideas generation, re-evaluation and new perspectives in your life.

12. STOP: When working is not fun anymore. Take a STOP. This is the most important of all the tools! I am sure you thought I asked you to stop. "No. This is not a full stop!" On the contrary it is an indirect tool to your mobility with a renewed vigour. This is an acronym inspired tool which means Stop, Think, Organise your thoughts and Proceed. Got it? This tool is very crucial in our mobility because after a burn out, this is the only tool, that if applied will help us achieve our full potential. This is required to make a conscious change. It can be of any duration. It may be only for a few seconds, at the beginning and end of each work day, and at the beginning and end of any work project.

13. Stay beautiful ever after: As the boomer generation (a person born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom between the years 1946 and 1964), is quickly reaching the high side of fifty, the majority expects to live to 85. So, plan to stay fit to enjoy coming years as much as possible.

With this list in mind, growing old would be easier and healthier. They say, 'at 20 years of age, the will reigns, at 30 the wit, at 40 the judgment.' So, by 40+ you will have gained enough wisdom and judgment as to how to stay healthy and fit past 50 with these resources of express workouts.You will feel yourself beautiful forever after. Good luck and take care!

Your feedback is welcome at my email address: bee135[at]rediffmail.com. Providing useful self development and improvement articles, hynotherapy and counselling writings and other mind help resources online.

What Are Psychics And Clairvoyants' - Why Are We So Curious?

There seems to be, and apparently always has been, misunderstanding and confusion over the definitions between psychics, mediums and clairvoyants. There are many people who don't know the difference between all of these 'names' that those of us that work with spirit and energy are very appreciative.

So to clear things up for you these are the meanings of:

Psychic - pertaining to mental forces, telepathy, extra sensory perception
Medium - contacting and being able to communicate with spirits of the dead
Clairvoyance - the ability to see things beyond our normal senses
Spirit Guides/ Angels - guidance of spirit from beyond the human veil

It is not so surprising that many people don't know who or what they are letting themselves in for when visiting one of these people, or if they were to go to a workshop for Clairvoyance, would they know what to expect.

Well, I hope that the following explanations, will help you become much clearer on who and what a Psychic, Medium or Clairvoyant is and does. This of course is my interpretation and understanding of all of these areas and like everything in life we have a free will to choose our own way of understanding.

Let's start with explaining about a Psychic. Someone that calls himself or herself a psychic may well be labelling themselves as such because it is stereotypically recognised as someone that can 'read you' and most likely be able to tell you about, your past, present, future and many other things that the Psychic could not possibly have known about you before having your reading. This essentially is correct, but how they do this in the true sense of the word, is that as a Psychic they will have like a 'mental connection' with you and they will also read your energy field, so they will be very sensitive and be able to pick up on your thoughts and energy most of all. In fact we are all Psychic to a certain degree.

There are at least three 'clair' abilities, and they are Clairvoyance, Clairaudience and Clairsentience.

Clairvoyance means to 'clear seeing'. It means that the person that is working with their Clairvoyant ability will be able to see images of people, places or things in their minds eye, they are able to describe these to you during a reading or when giving a message. Therefore Clairvoyance is by definition simply clear seeing, and not seeing into the future.

A good Clairvoyant will, and indeed should, validate things for you that have happened in the past and things that are happening in the present. If they cannot interpret messages and guidance from the Spirit Guides, then how would you be able to believe that what they are saying about the future is indeed valid.

From my experience, it is not in our interest to know what will happen in our future life and therefore our Guides usually give information out very carefully. Why, you ask? Because, for example, if I were to tell someone that I could see they were going to move house have another child, win money etc and this person sat back and waited for these changes to occur then I would be interrupting their everyday thinking and way of living. Not, in my opinion a good thing.

Clairaudience means 'clear hearing'. This means that we hear information from Spirit. This might be a person's own Spirit Guide or if working as a Medium, there may be messages received from the Spirit of the loved one that is no longer here. I don't hear it on a physical level, I hear it as a voice in my head as if I were talking to myself silently. Now, as with any of these abilities the non-believers would argue that we're making it all up as we go along. It is our imagination. Well, all I can say is that there is simply a built in radar that indicates when a Spirit Guide is speaking to me. For example; When I have to ask for someone's Guide to come through with their name and to give me a past life reference that would mean something to that person only and they in return are giving me specifics, like names, dates and places and sometimes aliments relating to a client and the client verifies the information. Then I know I'm on track. It is very easy to get carried away for some and unfortunately, these people take away from the genuine Psychics and Mediums.

Clairsentience is where we feel things, or sense things, as the word suggests, it is 'clear sensing'. A Clairsentience usually get this, again when working as a Medium,such as when someone has passed with a certain illness or condition. For a moment they will feel a sensation that would have been felt by the passed over spirit on dying.Or perhaps the sensation of a condition they would have suffered with during their life, and so one can only describe this to the person they are giving a message to. This helps to validate which particular person is coming through from Spirit for the person going for a reading.

Mediums and mediumship are a little more complex to explain, so I hope I can make this easier for you to understand now.

Simply, a medium is someone that 'talks to people that in Spirit'.

To explain further, a medium, by another definition is the 'channel or conduit' by which information from spirit passes through or indeed is the channel through which any energy passes. So for example, if someone called themselves a Clairvoyant Healer, they are in fact, mediums through which the energy flows to our clients and so on...

This then means by its very nature that anyone working with Spirit or energy on any level could be called a medium. A Medium in this sense is then being defined as a 'channel'.

So for someone that calls themselves a clairvoyant/medium, by rights, should be able to describe information received from the spirit world and also to describe visually things that you have experienced in a past life, or even in your current life.

There are 'clairvoyant/mediums' out there, that aren't in fact either of these! They may 'read' people, but they may be reading via their psychic or sentient ability and not actually 'seeing' anything at all, or indeed they may not be able to receive messages from Spirit either. This doesn't mean they aren't good readers, it just means they might not be offering you the sort of reading you were really after. In even instance of you are choosing to arrange an appointment for a reading, it is best to ask your 'reader' how they work, they should always be more than happy to explain it to you not only on the phone or email, but on the day of your appointment. This way, you will be in a good place to understand and accept the information you will receive.

Spirit Guides and Angels are right here for all of us, whatever source of religion we may believe in.

They make no judgements, the religions of our world have no bearing on their love for each and everyone of us.

We all have Guardian Angels and Spirit Guides, regardless of our beliefs, or lack of them. Even totally convinced non believers have them.

In the same way we all have a heart and soul, our standing in life, whether rich or poor. tall or short, angry or happy, dictator or murderer, has no bearing on their dedication to us. We can be sure these wonderful Spirits have been caring for us since before our birth and we can also be sure that at least one of them will stay with us until death and often from one lifetime to the other.

They guide us through our days, helping us to learn our life's lessons and to provide support in fulfilling our soul's Blueprint.

One of the greatest gifts we were blessed with at birth is a 'free will'. This is ours to use as much as we please. Most of the time we make decisions based on what we want 'immediately', but if we listen closely to our inner voice we will soon learn that by following the 'guidance' we receive, our lives can be made much easier.

Our wonderful Guides are always whispering in our ear, creating environments and situations that will be of greater benefit.

I'm sure you have experienced one of these following situations; feeling just right, or experiencing another 'just a coincidence moment' that blows you away, again and again. You know, that feeling of 'déjà vu'. Yes that's right this your Guides and Angels communicating with you. Helping to make the path smoother.Take notice next time.

Our Spirit Guides are the ones who show us past lives that we have lived, often including the one that we had with them. The aim is to learn from the challenging experiences we are told of from our past lives, it is the chance to provide us the opportunity of releasing the blocked memory in this lifetime. In doing so we are bound to move forward with greater confidence.

The most important and highly understood thing understood in working with Spirit and energy is to use the White Light, be as clear a channel as you can possibly be and only ever use these abilities for the highest good of all concerned and only ever with the persons permission.

In Love and Light, Libby Taylor. libbytclairvoyanthealer.com. libbytclairvoyanthealer[at]gmail.com. Providing useful self development and improvement articles, hynotherapy and counselling writings and other mind help resources online.

How the Mind Controls Pain

Pain is the most common reason for physician visits in the United States. It is a physically uncomfortable feeling that is caused by an illness or an action. It serves as a "warning symptom" that motivates people to draw away from damaging situations or limit body parts from moving while it heals. However, pain can also be caused even after the stimulus is removed, or even without any stimulus at all. This pain can be caused by an internal condition and can be recurrent, which is known as chronic pain.

While pain is helpful, in a way, it can greatly reduce one's quality of life - especially when pain is long-standing or recurring. Chronic pain, like that of the head (migraines), back, neck and other areas of the body are often

Pain and The Mind

Modern science is slowly investigating the support of mind-body therapies like meditation and biofeedback in pain control, following the idea that the mind may have power over the body. But how does the mind respond to and control pain?

What Researches Show

Pain is tied to brain function that also governs one's behavior. The perception of pain greatly varies from one person to the other - not just due to the severity of one's injury - but also due to other psychological factors. These factors involve previous pain experience, anxiety, stress levels, heredity, fear, depression and general health. Motivation also plays a role in pain perception. Depressed individuals may feel incapacitated by a minor injury, while many wounded soldiers ignore their own pain to save other soldiers during a battle.

One study done in Stanford University studied how imagery could control pain. The results show that specific images, such as that of flames could increase the pain. Flowing water, on the other hand helped reduce symptoms of pain.

The same study also revealed that empowerment helped control painful symptoms. The fact that patients could see their pain through imaging, helped them realize that they could control it.

Another study in the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf focused on thinking, and how it could affect pain. Twenty volunteers were given tests - an easier one-back test and a trickier n-back test. While taking the test, the participants received a burning sensation on their forearms. The heating element that was used could reach around 47 degrees Celsius, which was enough to produce a burning sensation but not enough to burn, the skin. It was revealed that participants who took the more difficult n-back test felt less burning and less pain than their counterparts who took the easier test.

What You Can Do Now
Today, more and more studies are being done about pain control techniques with the use of the mind. However, one thing is known and understood by many researchers and scientists our there - pain is exacerbated by tension. This means that if you can control tension in your mind, you can help reduce painful sensations - or even alleviate them. There are mind-body control techniques that have already been proven to work. These include deep breathing, acupuncture, use of imagery, yoga, Pilates, meditation and other relaxation techniques.

Visit principlehealthtips.com for more information and advice. Providing useful self development and improvement articles, hynotherapy and counselling writings and other mind help resources online.

Think Your Muscles Bigger, The Power of Visualisation

Much has been written about the MIND: MUSCLE connection in the fields of bodybuilding and physique enhancement, a phenomenon that has been consistently backed up by scientific research. In 2010 in France at the Centre of Research and Innovation in Sport researchers showed that mental imagery boosted performance in the gym, increasing strength in both the bench press and leg press.

19 subjects were recruited for a 6 week study, and were assigned to either a mental imagery or a control group. The 2 groups performed identical bench press and leg press exercises. The difference came during the rest period between sets. The mental imagery group were told to visualise the exercise movement and imagine how the muscles would feel during each rep. The control group carried out a neutral task.

After 12 workouts, the mental imagery group had gained strength more quickly than the control group. They increased both their single rep maximum lift and the number of reps that they could do with given weights.

The mental imagery group were told to picture in their heads the muscle that they were training and to mentally successfully achieve a certain number of reps with a weight before they trained. They were told to FEEL the set in their heads from the moment the weight was picked up to the conclusion of the set, picturing as vividly as possible how each rep felt.

Without going into too much science, mental imagery helps to increase muscle strength and consequential performance by making your neuromuscular system more efficient, recruiting muscle fibres that would not otherwise be used. This, in simple terms, enables you to lift greater amounts of weight, which in turn leads to the development of larger muscles.

Perhaps the most famous example of this is multi Mr Olympia/ Mr Universe winner Arnold Schwarzenegger who thought of his biceps as mountains where there was no limit to biceps growth, which enabled him to go beyond normal mental barriers.

The results of the research in France mirrored those achieved at Hull University which was presented to the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference at the City Hall Cardiff in March 2006. In this study, 30 people performed machine bicep curls with a machine that measured how much their biceps were working. Subjects tried to produce as much force as possible under three conditions: (1) thinking only about their muscles and how they were working, (2) thinking about the weight they were lifting and (3) thinking about whatever they wanted.

It was found that there was significantly more muscle activity when people concentrated and focussed on the muscle that they were working rather than the weight that they were lifting.

Thinking about a muscle increases action potential, the electrical discharge that travels along the membrane of a cell, but will only lead to increased strength if the muscle is fully contracted, becomes overloaded, and is then allowed to repair and recover.

At the Cleveland Clinic Foundation subjects visualised contracting a finger or bending an elbow but not to perform a task. Over a 12 week period in which subjects did 50 mental contractions 5 days per week, the muscles powering the finger and elbow strengthened by 35% and 13.5%, respectively.

Stimulating a specific muscle response can also be generated by watching the actions of others. In a study at the University of Surrey, researchers found that watching live performances of dance resulted in muscle-specific motor responses in viewers, even when those viewers had no formal training in these movements. Study participants were either frequent dance spectators of ballet, Indian dance, or novices who never watched dance. Researchers tested participants using a technique called single pulse trans cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure corticospinal excitability, or signals in the hand and arm. Researchers found that if the subject was watching a motor action performed by somebody else, the motor cortex got excited. Knowing how excited the motor cortex was meant that the brain was tuning itself in ready for similar actions.

The empathic ability of participants was also tested, using an Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). This is a standard questionnaire used to measure cognitive empathy. It includes a fantasy scale, with questions designed to gauge the ability to immerse yourself into a fictional character, story, or film.

Frequent ballet spectators showed larger responses in the arm muscles when watching ballet compared to when they watched other types of dance, similar results were found with Indian dance fans when watching Indian dance. They also found that that the Indian dance spectators scored higher on the fantasy subscale of the IRI. Results showed that even without physical training, corticospinal excitability can be enhanced as a function of either visual experience, or the tendency to imaginatively transpose oneself into fictional characters. They concluded that it might be possible that transposing oneself mentally into the body of a dancer has some beneficial effects for you, as in your somatosensory perception of yourself, such as the imagined feeling (that) you were dancing with somebody else.

Transposing this to the field of muscle building it would be interesting to see the muscular responses of weight lifting fans watching a weight lifting competition or bodybuilders watching a movie of some top professionals doing a workout.

What all of the above suggests is the power of the mind for muscle building. Recently I have been conducting my own trials, which at some stage I hope to publish, working with teenage Rugby players. Without, at this stage, going into too much detail, individual subjects have been using visualisation as a means to increase overall body strength. The results have been nothing short of amazing with strength increases of in excess of 30% being achieved on average by all participants.

Being a full on contact sport, additional strength equates on the pitch to improved performance levels (these of course are highly subjective) as determined by the players, coaches and of course results (winning) juxtaposed with fewer injuries.

To summarise the above - your mind is a very powerful tool when it comes to muscle building. Before you train you need to get yourself into the correct mind set by observing something inspirational in an associated field (such as in the example above a series of You Tube clips with impressive Rugby tries and tackles). Then before doing a particular exercise focus on the muscle that you are working. The greater the amount of your focus on the muscle the greater the results will be. Feel the muscle as you do the exercise. Concentrate solely on the muscle rather than the resistance being moved. As a side note, in this last respect, from a safety point of view, it is preferential to train with machines rather than free weights as free weights often need more concentration on the movement in order for the exercise to be done correctly.

Once the workout is complete, keep your visualisations going by KNOWING that your muscles have been worked fully and keeping your mind channelled into the additional growth that it will bring.

Use your mind to achieve greater results in your training. By focusing in on your muscles rather than the exercise you can greatly enhance your muscle size and strength, I am currently working with many leading bodybuilders, Rugby Players, Athletes and sports professionals all of whom are benefiting from the power of visualization and the appliance of science to muscle building.

Providing useful self development and improvement articles, hynotherapy and counselling writings and other mind help resources online.

Healing Your Life From the Inside Out, Breaking the Bubble of Illusion

Often when we think about healing ourselves, we first think about our emotional or mental self - then our physical body. We rush to a psychiatrist, or doctor - hoping for relief, a cure, or a fix for all of our problems... for a magical pill that will take it all a way. It is this "dis-ease" within ourselves that causes the turmoil in our outer world.

Physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually - if we are not okay with ourselves on the inside, we will manifest this into our external reality and we will probably not like the results.

The majority of us have created a bubble around us, protecting us from hurt and pain that we have experienced or from things we don't want to face. We pretend that we are happy with our life, our job, our spouse and the circumstances that surround us - when in fact, deep down we are wishing for something different.

When we are confronted about who we are, how we are, or about the problems that are clearly evident in our world - we just don't want to hear it. We get angry, we cry, we plug our ears and we say LALALALALALALA... "I can't hear you". We protect the bubble as if it is who we are, as if our safety, sanity and sanctity depends on it. There is no way we can allow anyone to burst our bubble and if for some reason they do, we feel exposed and vulnerable.

The truth is that those feelings are always there, we've just become so good at living in our bubble that they aren't noticed by us most of the time. When these feelings do "pop up" and become a problem, we sometimes attempt to cover them with alcohol or drugs - or any addiction that helps us avoid them.

The biggest problem with this type of behaviour (besides risk to our health) is that we are denying the very essence of who we are - we are suffocating ourselves with our painful experiences, instead of facing them. We refuse to let go of all the hate, anger and sadness that sits inside of us, and this is what is killing us! We need to let go of all the negativity and begin to forgive those who have hurt us - and more importantly we need to forgive ourselves.

I guess the reason I can write about this with such knowledge is because I have been living in a bubble for many years now. I have been denying who I really am at the core of my being because I wanted to protect her. It is in this protecting of myself that I have completely lost touch with that part of me, I have lost touch with the people around me and subsequently I have allowed someone else to live my life for me. I have been denying what I really want, and need because I haven't been present to get what the deepest part of my being really needs. And that is Love.

We have to learn love ourselves, completely and honestly - despite everything that we have experienced. We are worthy of love! Why am I so sure you ask? Because we are made from this Love. Some Great Force that sits in the very centre of all of us, created everything that we could ever need from an Unconditional, Unbiased Love. This Love is Ours, but we will never experience it while we are denying the very truth of who we are, while we are trapped in the very bubble that we have created in order to keep us safe.

We can not heal until we know who we truly are; and that is the person that is past all of the pain, experiences, labels and ideas of who we are that are limiting to our being. It's time to burst the Bubble of Illusion and heal our lives!

The most important thing to remember, in all of this, is that the world is your mirror - you must begin to heal your true self before you will see a change in the external world around you; this includes any physical, mental or emotional problems you are experiencing.

To begin healing, you will need to know where to start. Healing the Self is more than a way of healing, it is an incredible journey of self-exploration and discovery! You will also find many other great healing resources available at OneWorldHealing.net that can help you on your journey! Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Three Costly Mistakes Preventing Your Peace of Mind

Mistake #1 - Your body and mind are separate. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

It's been said that "You may fool yourself some of the time. You may fool others some of the time. But, you can never fool your body. It is the most sensitive barometer of your inner world." And, both are inter-connected. "What tones and calms one, soothes and improves the other."

Your behaviour is actually creating worldly and psychic frameworks that future humanity and your descendants will inhabit.

Solution - Choose your acts and thoughts very wisely. Life responds to wise attention in remarkable ways! A body scan is a good way to begin to live mindfully. Your mind has a direct impact on your body. What inhabits your body? Your mind. If the mind is tense, and disconnected, the body will match. Doing a body scan is a simple technique that helps you to energetically wake up your body-mind connection.

Mistake #2 - Your Thinking Mind. I know it sounds silly but most people's thinking is automatic, repetitive and involuntary. You don't think. Thinking happens to you. The voice in the head has a mind of its own, and unfortunately most people are at the mercy of that voice. Your mind picks up all kinds of things from earlier in the day and "replays" it endlessly, or it's restless and can't stop running around. These are all very powerful internal states and your mind gets attached to this conditioned way of thinking. Your mind wants attention right now!

Solution: Get out of your head! Let go of the stories. Free your mind by sitting quietly. Try paying attention to your breathing. This not only changes the direction of your focus, but it also helps in not strengthening your wayward thoughts.

Mistake #3 - Your Ego. Yikes! This is a big one. For thousands of years humanity has become mind-possessed. Because we have become so identified through our mind, a false sense of ourself came into being - the ego. And there's even more to this.

Another dimension of the ego is emotion. Emotion turns into ego when you identify with them; that is to say when they become "I" takes over.

Explained a different way, let's say that you see two of your friends over in the corner having a quiet conversation. Your mind observes this and then begins to chatter away. Saying things like "I bet they're over there talking about me." Or, "I just know that they're talking about what happened today at the gym." You have not only become emotional, but the situation becomes about you.

Solution - How do you get a handle on this? You need to let go of the story and return to the only place of power. The Present Moment. You hang onto your stories because it strengthens your identity. But, nothing ever happened in the past that can prevent you from being Present Now. And, if the past can't prevent you from being Present Now, what power does it have? Again, become quiet in your body and allow your mind to become still so it can see what is really there. This is called having a mindful experience.

Here's what I have for you. Visit me at calmtoday.com. You can catch the free online webcast to see for yourself how easy this can be. (Come on, you know you can do this!) Invest in yourself. You're worth it! Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

7 Activities to Help Reduce Your Stress

So many of us are on an epic journey to seek a variety of tools for quick stress reduction. Finding and sustaining some level of inner peace and harmony on a daily basis seems to be more challenging everyday. Many of these stressors we create; others are imposed upon us. We work too many hours, even on the weekend. We're constantly checking our emails, text messages, social media accounts and voice-mails. We stress out about our finances. We stress out about our work loads. We stress out about the future, forgetting to stay in the moment. Keep in mind, the media is not in the business of making you feel good. Likewise, friends, family, co-workers or business partners who feed on drama and the misfortune of others contribute additional stress and disharmony to your life; it can be very difficult to get away from it.

The good news is there things we can do to minimize the impact of daily stresses on our minds, bodies and spirits and when done continuously, really does work. This stuff is probably already things that you know about, however, if you don't employ them, what good are they going to do for you? Remember that wherever you go, there you are and so is your stress. It's very difficult to enjoy the moment of wherever you are if you're so highly agitated that you're unable to do so. You have to be able to get your head above water to take a breath. When you're bunched emotionally, making clear-headed decisions become challenging to impossible. What follows are 7 simple activities in which each are powerful in their own right.

1. Gentle Deep Breathing. When we are emotionally triggered in unpleasant ways, which is more often than not, we tend to hold our breath, effectively locking the breath and the emotion, up in our body. This causes toxicity and is the root cause of most dis-ease and illness. Your very life depends on your willingness to breathe with awareness and use all of your lung capacity. Conscious breathing refocuses your attention from the outer world to your inner world, reducing tension and stress. Several effective calming breathing techniques include alternate nostril breathing, left nostril breathing, the 4-7-8 count breath and deep breathing in the yogic corpse position. Do your due diligence and research before attempting.

2. Ground. Grounding is as essential as breathing. This activity keeps you energetically rooted to the earth, which is important when you feel overwhelmed and for many of us, this is an everyday occurrence. Grounding can help you feel "solid", strong and resolved. When you forget to ground, you may feel as you're being tossed around like some tiny rowboat at sea during a typhoon. Get bruised enough and you'll start to remember to anchor yourself. There are a number of ways to ground, but here's a quick one for you to do: (Do not do this while driving) Get somewhere quiet and close your eyes. Breathe deeply several times in through your nose and out through your mouth. Imagine a huge column of white light coming in through the top of your head and down through your body, out the bottom of your feet and into the earth. Do this for several breaths. Next, imagine a great tree: your legs are the trunk and they go deep into the earth. Do this for several more breaths. Continue the imagery and breathing until you feel calmer and more relaxed.

3. Shake or dance. You can either do this in public or in private just as long as you move. Energy is active, kinetic and requires movement. When we are feeling heavy and stagnant it is because our bodies are telling us it has too many energy blocks and it needs to move. Move freely and unrestricted, allowing your body to express full-range of motion. Make sure you breathe while you're doing this. Have fun! This activity disperses stagnant energy, wakes up the body and dissolves tension.

4. Listen to soothing music, chimes, singing bowls or running water. Some people relax through sound and vibration. When our fight or flight centers get activated through stress, which unfortunately for most of us is chronic, we have a hard time coming down and getting rid of the excess energy. These sounds can help to reduce the agitation of the sympathetic nervous system, which when activated by stress, releases adrenaline and lactic acid into the body; this is no bueno, especially when done over a long period of time. Listen to one or more of these sounds and breathe deeply at the same time. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Just listening to these sounds can have a profound effect on your emotions and your central nervous system. My favorite relaxing sound: listening to the sound of a rain storm.

5. Scream. Sounds simple enough right? Screaming can be a powerful eliminator of tension. However, DO NOT DO THESE WHILE DRIVING. You might actually pass out from the temporary increase in your blood pressure, especially if it's already high from stress. Screaming out your frustrations gives you an opportunity to again, kinetically move that stuck energy and give your voice when you can't say what you want. Another technique that works very well is called "HA" breathing. If screaming doesn't appeal to you, forcefully breathe out while saying "HA!" Breathe in through your nose and HA through your mouth.

6. Cry. This is one of the most underused forms of releasing stress. Crying is mistakenly seen as a form of weakness. Crying has a very powerful effect on the body as it releases extra stress hormones from the body and helps the body dump toxins associated with holding on to anger and frustration. When you have one of those days when it all just becomes too much, instead of engaging in a numbing activity that involves eating junk, drinking alcohol or taking some kind of drug, which just shoves it down further until it comes back in the form of an illness or disease, just find a quiet place where you can be alone and just have a good cry. You'll feel a whole lot better when you're done.

7. Herbal teas. There are several herbal teas out there that are well-known for having a sedative effect on the CNS and lowering stress, which can affect the quality of our sleep, a key component for reducing stress: getting enough sleep. Chamomile and Lavender tea, which can both be steeped directly from the flowers and seeds, are excellent at soothing the nervous system. Ginseng tea is another great herb which clears away that bunched feeling that comes from mental exhaustion and insomnia. You can also try Valerian, which is another great tea for helping you get to sleep and we all know that a lack of proper sleep just adds to our stress levels.

These are just a few suggestions that can be applied just about anywhere and at anytime. Most of them are free; herbal tea does not cost very much, little goes a long way and it can be carried with you anywhere where you can get hot water.

Long-term chronic stress has, unfortunately, become a way of life for most of us and we have an obligation to ourselves to find ways to reduce or even eliminate it. People have made radical changes to their lives in order to regain control of a life that has gone rogue because of stress.

When used regularly, these grounding and centering activities will have positive, far-reaching effects on your body, mind and spirit.

Charyn is co-owner of Gurl Know, a resource site for the Community of Women who want to live and love better in their lives. gurlknow.com. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Why Dissolving Your Fears Are Crucial To Your Success

I was watching the Big Bang Theory the other day...

Normally I loved this show to bits... the characters are so funny, so human, and the situations (plus Sheldon... ) are just brilliant.

I had brought the 1st season DVD set, and was watching an episode where we were introduced to Sheldons twin sister. She was tall, dark, and pretty, and predictably the other characters fancied her...

Now normally this wouldn't bother me! After all, most comedys have a pretty girl, where guys swoops to get into her good graces.

And for a while at least, the swooping wasn't too bad.

But then it got sickening. As the story progressed, the sister got far too much attention needed, and the usual date-asking game went on for too long...

... to the degree where each guy character took turns to knock on poor Pennys door, and asking the sister out... and all the while, the sister (politely, of course) said, 'No'

When it cam to Rajs turn, the poor guy didn't even speak (the character in the 1st season had trouble speaking to girls) and made a small wimper that excruciatingly lasted for a good minute (although it felt like more), before walking down the stairs. The sister took it in good spirits (mentioning something about a dog) and finally said goodbye to Sheldon. Then the episode ended.

I hated it! I hated the constant swooning, and (regretably) could relate to what some of the guys went through. Pretty women had power... and they knew it!

I remember a few of my earlier experiences, that guys would sometimes drool over women that had the looks, and the very thought disgusted me.

So much so, that for the next 5 hours, I was practically in a bad mood, going through emotional turmoil, before a thought hit me...

Why am I doing this?

This happens a lot. The producers are only trying to produce a comedy after all... Some people will like that stuff, and some people will hate it!

Not everyones taste are the same!

Then I thought about a comment made by Steve Pavlina on his site, about that fact that if you have an emotional reaction towards something, in nearly all cases, it means that a part of you sees that situation inside yourself.

Fast forward to William Burlmans tip for out-of-body exploration. "Confronting and dissolving the energy manifestations of my own fears, limits and blocks are essential for my spiritual growth"

What had happened, was what started out to be a good day (I had previously felt good before watching the episode) had turned bad, all because my soul showed me some, 'past programming' and I hadn't recognised it as such!

Even in good times, you will always see a manifestation of fear of some sort, and its primary reason is for you to simply, 'dissolve it'.

Why?

Because you are not thought... although you may use thought to create (in fact you do... )

You are not emotion... although you may use emotion to create (in fact you do, as emotion is, 'Energy in 'motion')

You are soul... unconditional love, unlimited creativity and infinite!

Period!

Therefore, you must always seek to dissolve any fear you have. Attack your fears... be relentless (if needs be).

Best way of attacking them... project unconditional love towards them!

Oliver Dodd is an expert in meditating and achieving peace using Chi, Theta and Delta meditation. If you would like to learn to meditate within 60 seconds and not only achieve peace of mind and spirit but also to manifest your goals in life, click here to begin! Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.