recreation
The Key To Happiness Is Self-Care
The most important thing we can do in life is to take good care of ourselves, because this is the only way we can truly be of service to others. Although this may seem counterintuitive, to be most effective we must take some time to put ourselves first and treat ourselves with more love and kindness. The demands of family, friends, career, business and our community are absolutely necessary to attend to, but the gift of self-care must also be given to ourselves.
People tend to believe they have no time for proper self-care. This is often because they have too many unnecessary, self-assigned duties on their plate. There is no point in worrying about all the things that one cannot effectively change. Some issues should be left to sort themselves out over time. Others are not worth the effort or stress in the greater scheme of things.
The trick is to tell the difference between what is within our control and truly our responsibility, and what can be disregarded or delayed. We must prioritize the issues that matter most, and focus our energy on what we can solve or change. This frees up time for taking better care of yourself.
Regardless of how simple or extravagant our self-care activities might be, it is vital to feel that there is a mini-escape from the pressure-ridden demands of our life. For example, whether it is a quick stretch, or a solid workout, keep your body moving to the best of your ability. It doesn’t take long to feel revitalized, so make the most of whatever time you have.
Time Truly Does Heal All
Time truly does heal all. With time most things do get a little easier or less bad than it originally appeared. And most of the things we worry about usually never happen. Time does have a way of making it better, so we can move on and experience other things.
Time doesn’t make it go away, but it does help us to eventually see things in another perspective or from a different angle. It always ends up filling in the blanks.
Time is also a great teacher. In time, we learn a lot from the many challenging situations and experiences we go through. There is no failing. Only learning. Overcoming the setbacks and hurdles that live brings is never easy or without pain, but there is always learning and growth. We especially become more grateful and there is always soul growth.
Some losses and traumas require more time than others. We should never rush our healing. It will happen when it is supposed to happen. The most important self-healing and personal growth is supposed to take longer.
There are many ways time can heal. It can help us heal through taking the time to learn a new sport or art form, or joining a support group or recreational club that connects with others. It is important to keep busy and talk with others who are maybe going through the same thing as you. Through connecting with others, we can heal them, and they can heal us, through just listening and talking.
Struggling to Make A Decision?
One of the most common themes in psychic readings is the struggle to make a choice or decision. People often come to me for a reading because they are seeking a broader perspective or an assessment of their situation.
Whether their struggle is about love, health, finances, career, business or relocation, I have found the answers from spirit and their guides usually fall into three categories. So, here are my top three spirit-guided recommendations for making difficult life decisions:
Take Some Time Out
Most important decisions do not require an immediate response, even of it may appear to. Take some time to clear your head and think things through. Take a walk, focus on something else, sleep on it, or even just taking a deep breath.
Studies have shown that when we are in the stress response mode we are unable to access parts of our brain that think creatively and logically. Moreover, relaxing your body and mind, and stepping away from the sense of urgency and stress response, will allow you to create space for your intuition to speak up.
Do what you can to relax so you can access those two important aspects of decision making: the problem-solving mind, and your inner guidance.
Tune Into Your Inner Wisdom
Once you have calmed down the physiological stress response you are ready to ‘tune in.’ A great way to do this is to take a deep breath and call upon the wise part of you that already knows the answer to every challenging situation.
Go within and ask that you be shown the path that is the highest and best for all involved and be open to the answers you receive. These can come immediately, or over the next few days. Pay attention and see what signs you see in the form of overheard conversations, billboards, songs on the radio, angel numbers, dreams, gut feelings, and so forth. These are many ways spirit communicates messages to us, so keep an open mind and be aware.
How To Stay Focused On Your Goals
Staying focused on our personal goals can be challenging in today’s fast-paced world. With constant demands on our time and energy, including many distractions and obstacles, it is easy to lose sight of our dreams and become overwhelmed. Commitments to employers, family, friends, and community sometimes leave us little time to reflect on how changing our lives can serve our highest good. The answer to this is to cultivate the right mindset and lifestyle strategies.
To begin with it is possible to remain focused and achieve success by developing a positive mindset. Positive thoughts and self-empowering beliefs build our mental resilience and help us overcome challenges more easily. It’s also beneficial to cultivate a growth mindset that enables us to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than setbacks.
Another critical aspect of remaining focused on our personal goals is having a clear vision of what we want to achieve. Taking the time to set goals that are specific, achievable and measurable creates a clear roadmap for success and staying on track. It’s also essential to break larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks, which can help us stay motivated and focused.
Most of all it is vital to prioritize both spiritual and personal self-care. Just taking a few minutes daily to realign and renew our energy can reduce stress, improve health and vitality, and enhance our ability to think creatively. Taking care of our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs can help us stay grounded and focused, even in the face of personal challenges. Make some time for regular exercise, prayer, meditation, journaling, outdoor recreation, or whatever endeavor is a source of joy and renewal for you.
The Simple Miracle Cure For Stress
While I was meditating the other day, the voice of an ancestor came to me. It was the spirit of a relative I had personally known when she was in this life. She said, “Why don’t you just rest a little bit honey? Everything is always easier and better after you take a day or two to just rest and recover.”
I cannot say I was surprised by this unusual visitation message. I had indeed been dealing with a lot of stress lately, and I tend to forget that what I really need to do sometimes is to simply stop. Just stop doing whatever it is I feel I have to do. I often do tend to take on more than I am actually required to, and then make matters worse by stressing about it. It’s a free will kind of deal.
My ancestor was right. A timeout would empower me to cope much better and see things in a different perspective. The truth is most of the recent stress in my life is caused by my thinking. It is mostly in my mind and not based in reality.
So, I decided to follow her advice and take a few days off. I turned off my negative thought process, stopped working for a few days, and found constructive ways to clear my mind and relax. I took out a library book to read for entertainment and enjoyment; played with my cats; cooked some delicious comfort food; meditated in the garden, slept late, and allowed myself to just simply enjoy some proper ‘me time.’
Well, it certainly worked like a charm! After just a few days, I felt invigorated, recharged, empowered, and in a much better state of mind. I now realize I had been depleted of energy and especially not getting enough sleep.
Just A Few Moments Can Transform Your Life
If there is one thing that I have learned over the years of working with thousands of people all over the world, then it is the vital role of spiritual and personal self-care for our highest good. No amount of material wealth, financial success, physical beauty, romantic love, or spiritual knowledge can ever compensate for a lack of self-love and proper self-care.
However, for many of my clients it is not always practical to spend hours in meditation, arrange glorious spa days, or attend weekend spiritual retreats on a regular basis. However, there are lots of little things that can increase our spiritual awareness, balance our energy flow, reduce some stress, brighten our days, and generally give us a feeling of well-being.
We must do whatever we can to afford ourselves a quiet moment or two every day. Spirit often shows me the break-neck speed with which so many of my clients race through their lives, believing that there will be more time and opportunity later, once the current milepost or goal has been reached.
Many people obsess over ‘yesterday,’ or pin all their hopes on ‘someday.’ They are either regretting the past, or waiting for their fortune to take a turn for the better in the future. However, spirit advises that we spend more time focused in the present and maintain critical balance in our lives right now, not later.
We must do our level best to work small, uplifting things into our lives, a little at a time. There is no need to make monumental changes to get started. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes to practice mindful breathing to relax and de-stress, or listen to a short guided meditation every morning. Set aside time to laugh with a friend, do a oracle reading for yourself, dance in the living room, take a walk around the block, or listen to an inspirational podcast before your fall asleep.
We Should Be More Like The Turtle
Most people seldom give themselves permission to take a breather and just relax. As a hypnotherapist, I often see clients for stress relief sessions. In this case, they usually feel it is more justified for them to take some time out, because they are paying for a form of professional healthcare. After all, they made an appointment for the session and their doctor referred them. So, it must be okay.
Many people cannot even relax on a vacation! They feel they absolutely must do all the tourist things, even if they are tired, or the money they spent of the trip will be wasted. Or they feel compelled to spring clean the hotel room, instead of lying on the beach. Only to feel they need a second vacation to recover from the first vacation once they return home.
In the good old days, folks used to simply take a ‘joy ride’ somewhere with no real purpose or destination in mind. They did it purely for the enjoyment and the adventure. It was a standing joke in my family that if you chose to get in a car with my dad, you had better have the entire day off, because you never knew where you would wind up or what time you would get back home.
My kids still reminisce about our family taking a ride during the holidays to see all the Christmas lights and decorated homes. We used to stop for hot chocolate with marshmallows and everyone received a homemade cinnamon candy cane. It was the tradition.
Today, we live in such a busy, fast-paced world in which we feel guilty for taking time to take care of ourselves. But what is more important: the journey or destination? We all need to rest and restore our body, mind, and spirit on a regular basis. Neglecting one’s self-care is a prescription for poor long-term health, and making bad life choices.