Mindful Living

 Avoidance of feelings is usually seen as negative but are there times when we are so emotionally flooded by feelings that it's actually a good thing to temporarily avoid feelings?  It is part of the human experience to become flooded by feelings and it takes self-awareness to be able to identify what feelings are coming up and whether or not it’s appropriate to allow oneself to feel what you’re feeling in the moment. There are times when “healthy avoidance” makes sense and it’s what’s needed to be able to effectively function and move through the day. A better way to refer to this is having emotional maturity, which is to have self-control to manage your emotions, without reacting to them, and knowing how and when to respond to what you’re feeling. What are some ways to engage in 'healthy avoidance'?   Commit to becoming an emotionally mature individual and practice doing so daily. Notice what you’re feeling and pay attention to who or what caused the feeling to come to ...

 What is stress? What are the symptoms of stress? [both physical and emotional symptoms]. There are three types of stress that one can experience known as acute stress, episodic acute stress, or chronic stress. Regardless of which type, stress is a state of worry caused by difficult situations personally or professionally. It’s how we react when we feel under pressure or even threatened. Stress is typically sparked by a situation where we feel we can’t manage or control what’s happening to us or around us. Emotional and physical symptoms of stress can include but aren’t limited to feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope, feeling tense or on edge, agitation or irritability, disruption to appetite and sleep patterns, feeling exhausted and unable to think clearly, struggling with concentration and/or decision making, experiencing headaches and even gut issues. How is stress diagnosed? How does long-term stress impact your body? Stress is not something that can be measured as it’s subjec...

There is something healing about being outdoors surrounded by nature. The smell of fresh air, the feeling of the beaming sun or cool breeze, the touch and smell of the flowers, plants, and leaves. The sound of chirping birds and the sight of passing butterflies. All of which allows a person to feel grounded, connected, and aware with all of their senses. These little moments create big impacts.   Whether one is planting vegetables, flowers, or plants it all is good for one’s mental health. The process of gardening produces endorphins, and this is one reason people feel good when they are gardening. There is research that shows gardening can help to improve one’s mood, decreasing depressed symptoms and easing anxiety for several reasons. Being outside in the sun offers exposure to Vitamin D, which is a synthesizer of serotonin also known as “the happy chemical.” There is also a natural antidepressant in soil known as Mycobacterium Vaccae, which has been found to stimulate areas ...

  What is the effect of Alcohol on Aging and Cognitive Decline?   Alcohol has a direct impact on the aging process for many reasons as it impacts certain parts of the body and can cause not only a physical deterioration but also a mental and emotional one, which we know also impacts the condition and aging process of the body. Alcohol consumption leads to dehydration, dry skin, and makes vital organs weaker, all of which causes the aging process to happen faster than one who is not consuming alcohol. Alcohol consumption goes straight to the brain, and can kills brain cells, which is another reason it impacts aging.   There is also a significant amount of data that shows that brain damage is a common and severe consequence of long-term alcohol consumption. There is data that supports this and shows middle aged and older adults who have a history or ongoing use of alcohol consumption leads to a lower density of gray matter in the frontal and parietal brain regions. Because ...

  Impacts of Distractions   Now more than ever, people are highly distracted.  Here are 7 signs that indicate reaching peak distraction:  1) Struggling to follow through or complete a task, deadline, or reach a goal.  2) Drifting to social media in the middle of attempting to work on a task. 3) Starring at the screen and having no idea where to start. 4) Difficulty completing sentences. 5) Short memory isn’t as good as it normally is.  6) Becoming easily agitated, flustered, or overwhelmed. 7) Interrupting others in conversation.   Distractions are so seductive because the brain craves constant stimulation and immediate gratification. This can be a killer to it all as it keeps people from being able to stay focused on one task at a time and unable to complete the work at hand. Not to mention, we live in a world where it is nearly impossible not to become distracted. There is constant noise in the background, social media at our fingertips, ne...

What does gaslighting mean?  Gaslighting is a form of manipulation in which the person gaslighting attempts to create self-doubt and confusion in the other person. It’s a way to try and control and gain power over the other person by making them question their own intentions and motives. What are some common examples of gaslighting in romantic relationships?  There are several ways people use gaslighting in relationships. Some of the most common forms show up as minimizing or making fun of feelings, discounting the positives or achievements, withholding important information, insisting a person said or did something that they in fact didn’t do, calling a person “too sensitive,” or if they say, “you’re overreacting,” or “you can’t take a joke,” twisting information in a way to shift the blame, and denying abusive behavior. What are some common examples of gaslighting with family members?  Gaslighting takes place often within family relationships. The most common scenar...

F or many of us, we've lived years of trauma and that trauma is what led to addiction and/or poor mental health. It’s what took us out of alignment, disrupted our internal world, shattered our ability to feel safe and connected, kept us stuck in the same cycles and patterns, and blocked our authentic selves. If we don't address our trauma, our internal world feels like a "jumbled mess" which is reflected in our external world (relationship issues, financial hardship, difficulty trusting others, unable to maintain employment, struggling to keep up with life, scared to leave the house, people-pleasing, striving for perfection, fear, anxiety, depression, insecurities, poor sleep and appetite, unable to maintain sobriety, etc). Ignoring trauma blocks our potential to heal and recover. When we make the brave decision to heal and recover and when we have the willingness to do the work it takes, we begin to make sense of the "jumbled mess" and because the brain and...