Tag Archives: happiness

Meditation Mantra Or How To Stay In The Moment Without Losing Your Marbles

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Does your mind become really active and agitated in quiet yoga poses and when you sit in meditation? Like there is a pack of wild cracked-up monkeys living it up in there?

Me too.

My secret to not losing my marbles during quiet times is to give my brain a job to do while I am in a restorative pose or sitting for meditation. My now employed monkey mind brain can do a job while I keep my focus on the present moment – where the happiness lives.

What I say:

May I be filled with lovingkindness

May I be well

My I be peaceful and at ease

May I be happy.

I repeat this until my mind settles down or until my sit/pose is finished. Some days I am still saying it when the timer goes off and other days I am able to settle in and focus.

Why focus on my own well-being instead of wishing these things for others?

It’s exactly like what they say when traveling with someone who needs help on an airplane, take care of yourself first so you can take care of others.

When I say it:

I use this mantra during my sits and long stays on my mat. I also say it while I am driving somewhere stressful or on my way to work in the car or when I am wanting to punch the person at the grocery store in front of me in the head. These words also come in handy when I am lying down with my daughter wishing more than anything that she’d go to sleep already.

Basically when I feel my body get stressed out because of modern life, I try to quiet my monkey mind by repeating this mantra.

How to spread the love into the world:

After I feel all full of love for myself, I substitute the name of a person I love dearly where I had been saying I. Now that I’ve been practicing with this mantra for a few years, I am able to send some lovingkindness to others. Needless to say, it took me a really, really long time to get there.

That’s how I stay in the moment without losing my marbles.

What’s your secret? How do you stay in the present? Do you use a mantra? 

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Based on teachings from Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chodron and Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg

Image source: We Heart It.

A Reminder

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Recently I’ve been plagued by a serious case of the worries ranging from something life threatening happening to Ruby to future school yard bullies and everything in between.

A few minutes into my most recent session with my therapist and she reminded me what I already knew – when I focus on the here and now – life is pretty damn great.

So I’ve decided to make a choice to not worry now and to deal with stuff as it comes up.

Yes, I know this isn’t revolutionary. I needed the reminder and thought I’d save you some therapy bucks.

What’s on your mind lately?

 

 

 

Attitude of Gratitude

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On Tuesday It’s All Yoga posted on Facebook:

For the month of November, we’re launching an Attitude of Gratitude campaign. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, you’re invited to dedicate one Facebook update per week to write what you’re thankful for.

We’ll go first: “We’re thankful for the beautiful ginkgo trees in front of the studio whose butterfly leaves will turn their signature golden yellow in just a couple of weeks. (It’s All Yoga Attitude of Gratitude)”

What do you say, will you join us in cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude? Be sure to tag It’s All Yoga in your posts so we can “hear” you. :)

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Well, I misread that as sharing what you are thankful for EVERY DAY. I guess the Twitter #30DaysofThankfulness hashtag seeped into my brain and now I’m in.

Ever since reading Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project {3 times!} I’ve kept a one sentence journal. While I don’t write in it every day, when I do go back and reread it I am once again filled with gratitude.

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At the end of the month I think I’ll compile my list and publish as one post. For now, I’m posting daily on Twitter and on Facebook.

Want to join me? Just post to Facebook or Twitter and be sure to tag me.

Happy November!

In Case You Missed It Edition! Volume 13

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Each week I’ll give you links to posts that made me laugh, cry, think or at least raise an eyebrow. Please click the links and check out the posts. You may find something that rocks your world too.

Leave me some feedback in the form of comments below on what you liked, what you hated and what you’d like to see more of. I’m here to help you find the best of what is online.

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My Best Of…

I love the idea of taking small steps to meet your goals. I spend a lot of time getting bogged down in overwhelm and it’s nice to see how other people take big projects and break them into small pieces to get them done. The most important step is giving ourselves permission to start.

Do you ever suffer from not being able to sleep because you can’t turn your head off? I do. Here are some great tips for getting back to sleep.

I love this breakfast post from The New Professional. Do you have any breakfast tips?

Are you interested in starting your own Happiness Project? It’s not too late!

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That is the In Case You Missed It Edition for this week, folks.

Remember to click the links and leave some comments. This is a conversation, you know.

In Case You Missed Edition Archives: Volume 12, Volume 11,  Volume 10,  Volume 9, Volume 8, Volume 7,  Volume 6,  Volume 5,  Volume 4,  Volume 3,  Volume 2,  Volume 1

15 things for 15 years

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15 years ago, on what used to be known to me as ‘Dead Elvis Day’,  I went on a date with a guy from high school.   

Today I ate lunch with him to celebrate the best 15 years of my life.   

While this blog is dedicated to figuring out how to best take care of myself while taking care of others, this guy plays a pivotal role in the taking-care-of-me madness around here. 

Here are 15 of the best things about him in no particular order.   

1. His kindness.   

I think he may have my share too.  

2. His laugh.   

When he really gets going, he almost sounds like a giddy school girl. It kills me every time.  

3. His sense of fair play.   

He will want you to know – he’s a lover, not a fighter.  

4. His very dry sense of humor.   

Quick witted and sarcastic. Never in a mean way. Just like I like him.  

5. His care-taking ability.   

So much better at this than I am.  

6. His songwriting.   

Part of the reason I got to know him in the first place.  

7. His moderation.  

Who is that consistent with self-care??? I hope this eventually rubs off on me.   

8. His word.   

Impeccable.  

9. His insight.  

It’s like he really listens and knows me.   

10. His advice. 

The best. Almost exactly what my girlfriends tell me before they tell me and he almost never reminds me that he told me first.  

11. His integrity.   

See: His word. 

12. His world view.   

Almost an exact match to mine. Smart guy. 

13. His desire to become a father.   

Heartwarming/breaking and beautiful. 

14. His patience.  

With me, seemingly endless. 

15. His heart.   

Endless. 

Thank you sweetheart, for helping me be a better person.   

Hacknbrew Happiness

 Who has captured your heart and how have they helped you?