Category: Wellness

Posted on

Change your Thoughts, Change your Life

If you have followed me at all, you know that I had/have breast cancer, LOVE EFT TAPPING, and 100% believe that thoughts make or break us, in body, mind and spirit.

Thoughts are just that, thoughts. They are not true. They are that annoying voice in your head that just pops up with different thoughts (usually negative). Things that aren’t even true. However, we tend to listen to these thoughts over and over again, and relive them time and time again. But why? Because they are are self-talk. That negative self-talk that we think is helping us. It’s how our brain thinks it is taking care of us. When we have an event (again, usually negative), the brain remembers how we reacted to that event. So, when something happens at a later date that reminds the brain of that original event and how we reacted, it reacts the same way, to protect us. However, it isn’t really protecting us. It hinders us from reacting differently, until we can release those old beliefs and patterns.

We can also help change our beliefs by learning how to love ourselves. Many of us tend to believe that we are not enough. There is scarcity in our lives. We don’t make enough money. We never added up to what our parents wanted us to. We aren’t pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough….blah, blah, blah!!! The trick is to start believing we are enough. I read a book by Kamal Ravikant called, Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It. Get it, read it. It is amazing. The author states that you just keep repeating “I love myself, I love myself, I love myself…” continuously. Now, I started doing this several weeks ago, and you really do feel different. More positive things start happening. He said he would fall asleep saying “I love myself, I love myself…” and would say it even when other people were talking with him. I started noticing myself saying it when I woke up during the night. My mind is usually going along with it’s negative self-talk, but now the self-talk is “I love myself, I love myself, I love myself….” It crazy!! Try it! I’m serious. The more you do it, the more it helps. Also, Kamal states that he looks in the mirror and says “I love myself, I love myself…” for 5 minutes. I started that, but 5 minutes does seem like an hour when talking to yourself in the mirror. But….do it. You feel great after. And, one last thing that I do that he talked about is to meditate while listening to music that is calming. Something you don’t usually listen to, that you can use just for this meditation. He sits on the floor leaning against the wall or couch, listens to the music, pictures a bright light coming down from the sky, and says “I love myself” on inhalation, and on exhalation releases any negative thoughts that pop in his head. Again, try this. I found some great meditation music and I can’t stop at 7 minutes. He stated he does 7 minutes just because the song he likes to use is 7 minutes long. I go on for about 20-30 minutes at times.

Another think that I do is my EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Tapping. I tap on negative thoughts I have been having and sit with that while tapping, then tap on releasing these old beliefs and thoughts. You don’t have to do anything special with Tapping. You can’t do it wrong. No special words. You can tap on any of the points (see below) and just rant about what negative thoughts you are having and that you “choose to release these thoughts (name what they are) at a cellular level.” You can state that “even though I am having these thoughts, I choose to love and accept myself.” If it is difficult for you to say “I love and accept myself,” just say, “I choose to accept myself.”

Try any and all of these tips. Give yourself at least 30 days and see how you feel. You are going to notice positive things happening. Then, Go For It. Act on the positive opportunities that come up. Don’t let it go. Don’t let your brain say, “Hey, you know that is never going to work. You’re not good enough!” Tell your brain, “I AM GOOD ENOUGH!”

Anthony Robbins says, “What you focus on, you. believe.” Think about that. It is 100% true. Because when we listen to our thoughts, we stay in that frequency. We get back what we give. So, by changing your thoughts, you are changing your frequency. When you fall off the wagon and get a little negative, get back on that wagon by doing the above exercises and get that frequency back up there. You Can Do This, so, Do It. You will love what happens.

Remember, if you change your thoughts, you can literally change your life. You are enough and you do deserve everything you want. Be it health, love, money, whatever. It is scary to think about just changing your thoughts, because many of us don’t realize that we are afraid to change our life. And, we may not even realize that we are afraid and that we actually are sabotaging ourselves, our lives. So, try this out.

For more information, email me at roberta.50wellfit@gmail.com or message me on Facebook, at Roberta Kalinsky. You can get my You Are Enough Program at www.wellfitways.com

Posted on

EFT Tapping Tutorial

 

If you follow me, you know what EFT Tapping is. If you don’t, I’ll give you a quick tutorial.  EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also called, Tapping, was founded by Gary Craig in the 1990s. It is like acupuncture but without the needles. Basically, you use your fingertips on either or both hands and tap on certain energy meridian points (as in acupuncture) to calm down and restore balance of the energy in your body. EFT can help both emotional and physical problems/issues. By tapping while focusing on a specific issue/traumatic event you can calm down the emotions you are carrying, and even release these old patterns that go along with the emotion.

HOW DO I DO THIS EFT?

First, let me tell you where the tapping points are:

  • Karate Chop (Side of hand, fleshy part) (KC)
  • Top of the Head (TOH)
  • Inner Eyebrow (IE)
  • Outer Eye (OE)
  • Under Eye (UE)
  • Under Nose (UN)
  • Under Chin (UC)
  • Under Collarbone (One inch down from collarbone then one inch out on soft tissue) (CB)
  • Under Arm (where bra strap hits) (UA)

First, you think of what is bothering you that you want to tap on. How intense is this feeling/emotion, on a scale of 0-10. Zero being it isn’t intense at all and 10 being VERY intense. Then place your dominant hand over your heart, then the non-dominant hand over. Take 3 deep breaths from the. belly.

Next,  start tapping on the side of your hand, where you would do a karate chop, the soft, fleshy part. You tap with either hand, tapping with your four fingertips, gently, while repeating a “Set-Up Phrase,” which is a short explanation of the issue you want to tap on. For example, you are upset that you got into an argument with your boss and she made you feel like you were incompetent. So, the setup phrase could be something like, “Even though my boss made me feel incompetent during our argument today, I deeply and completely accept myself,” while tapping on the side of your hand. You start with “Even though I have (this issue)…I deeply and completely accept myself.” You will say this 3 times.

Next, you will use the “Reminder Phrase.” This is a shorter version of what is bothering you. Using the above example, you could say, “Boss made me feel incompetent,” or “Feeling incompetent.” Anything that feels right to your words. It is important that you use what feels right to you. So, when you get that, you start at the Inner Eye or on the Top of the Head. You can do either. I tend to start on the inner eye, but do what is comfortable for you. There is no wrong way with Tapping. So, tapping gently on the inner eye (where the eyebrow meets the bridge of your nose) repeat, “Boss made me feel incompetent.” Then to the outer eye, gently tapping, “Boss made me feel incompetent.” Do approximately 7-10 taps, but you don’t have to count. It usually takes at least 7 just to say the Reminder Phrase. Don’t worry, it will still work if you do 5 or 20. Continue down each point, ending at the Top of the Head. Stop and take a breath and check the intensity (your 0-10). Has that intensity number gone down, up, stayed the same? Just feel how it feels. Repeat the problem, such as “Boss made me feel incompetent.” How does it feel? Same intensity. If it did not go down to about a 2 or lower and you have time, do the round again. If your emotions have changed, say that now you feel angry or hurt, you can change the Reminder Phrase to something that feels true to you. For example, “Feeling hurt.” Go through the points saying this reminder phrase. Keep going with the above pattern until you feel like it doesn’t bother you anymore. When you get to a 1 or 0 on the intensity scale.

I will be doing more video’s on this so don’t get frustrated. You can’t do it wrong. You can even just rant what you are feeling and just change points. If you still don’t feel comfortable, pick a point that feels good to you and just rant while tapping that point. Again, you can’t do this wrong. Make sure you keep going back to your intensity.

That is EFT Tapping in a nutshell. It is something to start with. Next, I will do a blog on Tapping for Breast Cancer. You can use Tapping for anything you can think of. Just feel the emotion while you are tapping. That helps that negative energy to release a little easier.

Try tapping and watch for my videos on my FB page “Women’s 50+ Wellness and Self-Care, or go to my website, www.wellfitways.com and join for your free gift and check out all my blogs and programs.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Are you just having one of those days…or weeks…or months…?

Have you recently had one of those days (that probably is more like weeks or months…) that you just feel crappy? Like everything is coming down on you and you’re just trying to stay afloat and keep everyone happy, except what you are really doing is making yourself miserable and stressed?

We have all been there and, we all know that it is not fun by any means. It actually, is hell! Why do we, as woman, always feel like everything is up to us to make everything right, even at our expense? Well ladies, I’m here to tell you that this needs to stop! It is not good for our mind, body, or spirit. It brings on stress, which causes illness.

I’m here to tell you that we can change our ways. We just really, really, really have to want to, because, let me tell you, it sounds really easy, but it isn’t always easy to get there. Are you wondering, “what in the hell is this girl talking about?” HaHa! I’ve been there, as well.

It is about knowing what we really want and living it before we even have it. It’s about believing in ourselves and our wants and staying focused on those wants. Keeping our thoughts clean and positive, and not turning negative as soon as someone tells us something we don’t want to do or hear. Yes….it isn’t easy. However, if you want it bad enough, you CAN do it. You can stay focused on your wants and  then start to see things happening in positive ways that lead you to those things you want. To the life you want.

This life that you want is your birthright. We all deserve to be happy, healthy and prosperous. It’s our past beliefs and programs that have hindered us from receiving what it is that we really want. We sabotage ourselves from achieving the our goals and desires. We need to stop and start living the feelings that will help us receive instead of resist.

I have a little exercise for you to do:

1. Write down what it is that you really want in life. For example, a specific lake house that you want. Now, is it the lake house you really want or is it the feelings that this lake house will give you that you are looking for? Hmmmm….take a guess.

It is the feelings that his house will give you that you really want.

2. So, the next step is to sit quietly and close your eyes. Take a couple deep breaths and think about how that house is really going to make you feel. Is it going to make you feel happy, joyous, free, grateful, peaceful, courageous, secure…? Those are just some feelings. What feelings would what you wrote down give you? Write down all those that come to you.

3. Okay. Do you have those 2 steps done? I’ll wait… Now, the homework comes in. Start really feeling those emotions that you wrote down. Think of other things that would help you feel like that, also. Live each day really feeling that joy, gratitude and freedom and think about that thing you wrote down.

4. Start living your life as if you already have it. If you can, take a picture with it or by it. Meditate on this and picture yourself already having what it is you want; be very clear and specific. What are you wearing? Who are you with? How is the weather? Is it bright or dark? What is going on? Just be very specific and see as much as you can.

5. When you find yourself down about something, stop yourself and take a deep breath and get back into those emotions that what you want brings you.

As I said, it’s not that easy, BUT DON’T RUN AWAY…COME BACK! You CAN DO THIS! When somebody says or does something or you have a bad day at work and you just want to be negative and tell them what you really think, or maybe even agree with what they may be saying negatively to you or about you, PLEASE, just stop. In this practice, you must be in control of your thoughts and moods. As Tony Robbins says, “Energy flows where attention goes.” You need to have clarity about what it is you really want. Only then can you start focusing your energy on that and become “obsessive” about it. Then, watch amazing things begin to happen.

All you have to do is be clear on what it is that you want. Write it down. You can even put it on your refrigerator, on your computer, in your car, on your bathroom mirror. Write down what positive emotions having this would make you feel. Go ahead, write down all the emotions.

For more information on my programs, go to www.wellfitways.com.

If you need help with this, join my 1:1 program for a tailored program to fit your needs.

 

EXPECT MIRACLES!

Posted on

Are You Curious…?

Are you a curious person or more of a judgmental person? Hey, we all have our moments of being judgmental, but wouldn’t it be great to be more curious, instead? What I mean is, anytime something happens that you don’t like or you think is “off,” do you judge yourself or someone who is doing something you don’t agree with? Often you see someone do something and you think, “What the hell???” Or, maybe you just blew up or feel off and you say, “God, what is wrong with you, are you an idiot or what?” Is this sounding a little more clear?

Why do we do that? Well, I hate to admit it, but we are human and it is just human nature to judge when we don’t agree or like something. It makes us feel superior. If you rip on someone, maybe for something that you do, as well, by judging them, it makes you feel better. It’s an automatic response. If you are like me right now, as I am writing this, I am thinking, “How horrible are we?” Are you with me here? Sure, it may be automatic, but have we gotten to this point of just judging to make ourselves feel superior? Why don’t we just change our ways?

As just changing our ways sounds so easy, as we all know, it isn’t!  Many times we may not even know that we are doing some of the things we may not like in others, or, we may not realize the emotions behind the negative things we do. This makes it difficult to change if you don’t even realize it. But…what if we could?

Guess what? I have a couple ways you can. First, catch yourself anytime you are judging yourself or someone or something else. Then, ask yourself, “Why am I judging this? What about this bothers me?” Get curious. Ask yourself questions. Feed off the answers that come up. You can learn so much about yourself from doing this activity. Plus, you will feel much better not judging. It makes you feel a lot lighter to get curious versus judging. To me, that makes me feel better.  This is a great self-care activity to do to help you feel better and give yourself some love.

By doing this one change, it can help you change your ways. It will also help you to change the way you think about the other person or thing. Get curious about them. Ask yourself, “What is going on in their life that is causing this behavior? How are they feeling?” When you start questioning, the answers will come, which allow you to act differently. You will start noticing yourself treating them differently, more conscientious about them and their life and needs.

Another way you can change how you react in the situations you judge is by Tapping. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Tapping. EFT is like acupuncture but without the needles. By tapping with your index finger or first 2 fingers on designated spots on your head and torso, you can relax your nervous system and allow blocked energy to release and flow in a natural way; thus, allowing you to change how you are feeling about different things. Anything, really.

You can check out my YouTube page at Well Fit Ways for some of my tapping session.

For more information on EFT, go to my website at www.wellfitways.com and sign up for my newsletter and get a free gift. You can work with me 1:1 to dig deeper into EFT and living the life you want to live. You deserve it.

 

Expect Miracles!

Posted on

Conquering Self-Care for Caregivers

Are you a caregiver? Are you taking care of a family member, loved one or friend, or getting paid to take care of someone who requires assistance in self-care, social or other physical support? If you are, then you understand how difficult it is, especially when others do not realize how much it takes…of your time, your life, your health, and your spirit.

I’ve worked in the healthcare field for many, many years caring for seniors, educating family members and others on dementia care, and was a caregiver for my mom, who had dementia for over 10 years. It’s a difficult job physically, emotionally, spiritually, and even financially, but also one that gives back so much. It meant so much for me to care for my mom. It wasn’t easy, as my dad had just unexpectedly passed away and my sisters and I became full-time caregivers, besides me working full-time and 2 prn jobs, and being a single parent with 2 girls. But, it was a time I could give back to my mom and spend precious time with her.

One of the problems with being a caregiver is we are so busy taking care of our loved one (or client), that we don’t take care of ourselves. Other family members may not realize how much work, how difficult it is on you emotionally and physically, and again, even financially. It can also be detrimental to your spouse/partner, kids, etc. You have got to take care of yourself, otherwise, you will be of no service to your loved one. Many people say I have nobody else to watch my parent, what am I to do? Be creative. I have had clients ask a neighbor, check at churches, check their local human services department. People want to help, you just have to ask. Get Respite care for a couple days, week or two.

Self-care is so huge when you are a caregiver. Taking 5 minutes out of your morning to just sit in quiet and BE. Ask someone to stay with your loved one and go out for a walk, to the gym, meet a friend for coffee and/or lunch, get your hair done or a facial, watch a funny movie, or how about just sit and take deep belly breaths all the way down to your pelvis? Or try EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)/Tapping to calm your nervous system? These are just a few ways to just take a breather. You can do breathing exercises or tap with your loved one/cllient, or tap for them if they give you permission.

What about doing some self-care, but add your loved one in? Say it’s a nice day and you are dying to go for a walk. If your loved one has a wheelchair, take them with you. Sit outside with them and have lunch, breathe in the air. Take off your shoes and feel the grass/the ground beneath your feet to help you get grounded. What about doing some simple chair exercises, which, by the way my clients say are not that easy! You can make them as easy or as difficult as you would like. However, this time, add your loved one, even if they are just lifting even one hand up to their chin and down, or squeezing a ball. Throw a ball back and forth or tap a balloon. Get some rings and use a cane to toss the rings onto the cane. Hold the cane with both hands and lift it up and down as far as you both can get it. March your feet. Do leg kicks. There is so much you can do to make both of you feel better.

A fun thing I liked to do was get balloons, flour, sand or cornstarch, and fill a smaller balloon up with it, add a drop or two of an energizing essential oil like peppermint, lemon or orange to it, tie a knot and squeeze the balloon for stress reduction and also, strengthening. Use a water bottle as a weight for exercise. There is so much you can do. Make healthy (or unhealthy) cookies and let them help you. Let them mix the cookies or measure, anything they can do, no matter how big or small. Have them help you make a memory book/photo album and tell you about the picture. You can write it down and make a little book.  Read it to them.

Talk with the one you are caring for, asking everything you ever wanted to know about them, what they did, get to really know them. Then, use that to do something fun, maybe a craft/hobby. The sky is the limit.  These are all great self-care ideas that will not only make your feel better, but your loved one, dementia or not.

By performing self-care by yourself and with the one you are caring for, it giving you and them such a gift. It’s making them feel like they still matter, you are giving them a quality of life. Watch both of you start feeling better.  But also, the importance is you need to take care of yourself so you can be there for them. That also means, besides the fun stuff above, the importance of getting adequate rest, 7-8 hours a night, eating healthy (a great thing to do with them, also), drinking enough water. Water is so important. Keeping up with not only their health visits, but yours, as well. You having a quality of life is important, also. Don’t forget that.

In closing, caregiving is one of the hardest jobs to do. However, you can conquer the difficult parts by taking care of yourself. By performing self-care activities, you are giving them your best you, and you are feeling stronger, healthier, happier doing it. They will see this and feed off of you. By adding them into some of your self-care, you are giving them a chance to feel better and better able to appreciate you. It’s a WIN-WIN! You CAN conquer caregiving and enjoy doing it.

For more tips on caregiving (caregiving someone with dementia included), check out our “Products” Page and get my e-book, “My Mind is No Longer My Own: A Caregiver’s Guide to Coping with Dementia.” This is a wonderful toolbox of helpful hints for individuals with dementia, as well as without. The final chapter was added in this 2nd Edition and it is Self-Care for the Caregiver. Check it out and add your own notes to it.

www.wellfitways.com

Posted on

Letting Go of 2022 and Allow to Receive 2023

‘Wow!! Where did 2022 go?’ I have been hearing so many people say that with 2023 coming shortly. It is amazing how fast this year went, but looking forward to what 2023 has coming.

Are you ready for 2023? How was 2022 for you? Did you receive what you were intending? Did you reach your goals? Did you write down goals? Did you make “New Year’s Resolutions” only to find you forgot about them 2 weeks after you set them?

I am going to help you to let go of what you need to let go of from 2022, and to open to receive 2023 and what you want you are looking for. It’s possible. You have to believe that, but it also does take work. It’s not a “froo-froo,” easy thing that you just say and, “POOF” it’s here! I’m sorry, but it’s not. You need to work daily on yourself to release the old patterns, beliefs, habits and blocks you are holding onto, and allow yourself to receive what it is you are seeking. So, just how do you do that? I’m going to give you some easy steps below and then go over each:

a. Allow yourself to feel what it is you are feeling.                                                                                   b. Can you put a feeling/emotion/sensation to that feeling?                                                                  c. Send yourself love and compassion, while allowing to release this feeling. Let yourself cry about it and really feel every emotion until it’s just gone.                                                                                d.Think about what it is you want to be feeling. 

Allow yourself to feel that and to have that.Sounds pretty easy, huh? It can be. Let’s start at the beginning…a. Allow yourself to feel what it is you are feeling. Sit in a comfortable chair, feet on the floor, back straight, shoulders back and relaxed down. You can close your eyes Now, breathe from your belly. Imagine a red balloon in your belly and when you inhale it inflates, and when you exhale, it deflates.  You can also put your hand on your belly, and even one on your chest and just breathe. Feel which hand is moving. The hand on your belly should be moving and your hand on your chest just slightly moving on the end of the exhalation. Once you get the feeling of that, close your eyes and continue breathing from your belly. Do about 5-10 breathsb. Start doing a scan from the top of your head down to your toes. What do you feel? Do you have any tension in your head,  jaw, ears… You can move your neck around. Is there any pain, tightness.  Keep going down. Down your chest, to your arms. Down your spine, torso/abdomen, pelvis, down to your hips, past your upper legs, past your knees, down the lower legs to your ankles and feet. What are you feeling. Any tightness or heaviness in your chest, pain or discomfort in your abdomen?  If/when you find an area with some discomfort, focus on that area. What does it feel like? Does it feel like an emotion? Does it have a color, size, texture? Continue to focus on this area.c. Tell it that you love and you are there. Just focus on this sensation you are having, and do deep belly breathing. Cry if you feel like it. It’s really important to feel the emotion, really feel it. The stronger you feel what is holding you back, the easier it will release. It is all just energy. Keep that in mind. Energy is always in motion. The whole time you are feeling this sensation, keep your body relaxed, shoulders down, face relaxed…  Tell yourself, “I love you. It is okay that you are feeling all this.” You will notice that it will dissipate. It may not do it quick. You may have to do this exercise several times before it releases. Each time really focus more on what you are feeling and FEEL it. It will dissipate.  Sit still and keep breathing and do another body scan.

d. Now that the block is gone, just sit and relax. You can close your eyes. Take 3-5 more deep belly breaths and just relax, keeping your back straight, feet on the floor and your shoulders back and relaxed down. It’s time to do a little meditation. Close your eyes and think about what it is you want from 2023. Act like you already have it. You can say, “I am so grateful that I ________.” Then, just focus on your breathing. Slow your breath and make each breath a little longer. Just focus on your breathing. If a thought pops up, just acknowledge it and let it go. When you come out of the meditation, write that down. It may be something you need to Tap on or meditate on. Do this for at least 10 minutes, then build up on it. You want to do just one “want” or “intention” at a time. It’s just like when we try to do everything at once, and then you end up not getting anything done. It’s the same with meditating and setting intentions. Do one and focus on that until you feel like you are ready to go to the next “want.”

Start there and let me know how you liked this. I have a Tapping on Releasing 2022 and receiving 2023 on my FB page and on YouTube….@wellfitways8465.

Bringing love and light into your New Year!!

 

Posted on

Self-Care gifts for the Holidays…

Do you have any of those people that have everything and you don’t know what to get them for the Holidays? Or, anyone who always takes back your gift because they “Just don’t like it?” Also, those that you may not know well, like a caregiver, who you want to get something for, but you aren’t sure what they like.

Your problems are solved. Give the gift of self-care. If they are an active person, get them something for their workouts. Either a new piece of equipment or weight, gym clothes, tennis shoes/running shoes, hiking, etc., new golf club, a bike or a kayak…something sporty.  I bet they will not take any of that back to the store!

What about someone who loves makeup and looking good? I’ve got you covered on that one, too. What about organic skin products? There are so many on the market, get them something from a couple different “clean” lines, and they will love it.

What about someone who loves food? Okay, what about a gift certificate for a couple free meals from a “clean/organic” food service? They can even pick out what meals they want to get. Such a great gift, especially if they work late and making dinners is difficult.

Someone who loves scents? I’ve got you covered on that one, also. There are so many aromatherapy lines out there, it’s not funny, BUT, it is wonderful. You can get scented candles that are healthy because they use essential oils, or you can get beeswax or soy candles with essential oils.

Still think you don’t have enough ideas? Well, there are courses for people on any topic imaginable for self-care. Take 50+ WellFit, for example! (HaHa…that’s me!!) I have programs for someone who maybe hasn’t been feeling like they are where they want to be…I have a course on “I Am Enough,” and Self-Care for Women 50+. I also now have EFT/Tapping coaching, working 1:1 with women 50+ and focusing on Emotional Freedom Technique/Tapping to release old beliefs/blocks to move forward in their life. Maybe they have been depressed, anxious, wanting to lose weight, money blocks, relationship issues, etc. Tapping will calm down the nervous system so you can get past the old beliefs and feelings and make better decisions and move forward in life.

What about someone who loves plants? Got ya there, too! Do you know that there are healing plants that are wonderful to surround yourself with? Well, there are! Plants can be healing, like an aloe plant; healthy CO2 balanced air, energy and positivity. Let me give you some of the plants that would be a nice gift, especially as a hostess gift…. ALOE VERA, as I already stated. It can be used for burns, skin irritation, infections, and internally for helping with digestion. ENGLISH MARIGOLD, can help with body pain if applied topically, plus it’s a beautiful, bright orange color that is pleasing to the eye. Dried, it can help decrease pain and swelling of insect bites. SPIDER PLANT, SNAKE PLANT, FIDDLE LEAF FIG, PONYTAIL PALM AND BOSTON FERN, are great air-purifying house plants. Plus, placed on your desk and around your home office offers an improved emotional state, calming a negative mood, increases focus and creativity. KAVA, also helps to purify the air in your home, plus the relaxing kava plant, is noted for its anti-anxiety effects. These ideas are great for even elderly loved ones. Everyone loves plants, and they make people feel better; even those loved ones with dementia.

So, now you can finish up your Holiday shopping for everyone, even those that seem to have everything and those that are never happy with what you got them! Try these Self-Care ideas for this Holiday Season.

Posted on

Hobbies for Self-Care?

The Holidays are upon us and life can get very hectic and stressful. One great way we can de-stress is to show ourselves some love by self-care. Self-care is the new buzz-word. You see and hear it everywhere. Why? Well, because it is so needed. We need to take some time-out to de-stress, calm down, relax, re-energize, just do nothing, just BE and let our brain and body rest. By giving ourselves this time to do something loving for our body, mind and spirit, we can show up in a better place, being able to benefit more people, better. People are realizing we need to take care of ourselves first, before we can help anyone else.

People say self-care is being selfish. I say, it’s selfish NOT to give yourself that self-care.  But, it IS selfish to not give to yourself! Think about it…when you are at your best, aren’t you better able to help others, to give to others? Yes, you are! So, think of it as selfish not to give yourself this time.

Think about another thing. With the Holidays so hectic, we often get burnout, due to overwhelm and trying to do everything for everyone, get all the holiday plans in order and prepare for family or friends that may be coming to stay with us, or just coming for a get-together and dinner. That, in my eyes, is very stressful.

That is where self-care comes into play. I know you are saying, “OK, you just reminded me of all the planning and shopping I have to do to get prepared, now you want me to add something else into the mix, like self-care???” Well, the answer is, “YES!” You are adding in something that should already be there.  Think about this…If you take a little time to do something that you really enjoy doing, are passionate about, to just give your mind a break and have some fun (and release some endorphins), you will be more relaxed and may even end up enjoying the Holiday prep-work you need to do.

So, do you have any hobbies? At least one, maybe? I have found that 3-5 hobbies are best. Several articles I have read say the same. In one article, the 3 that Paul Wilkins states you should have are:

      • One hobby that can make you money (for example, a craft, such as crochet, wood-work, jewelry-making).
      • One hobby that will keep you in shape (example, running, biking, kayaking, hiking).
      • And one hobby that will keep you creative (example, the crafts stated above; writing).

Okay, now that may sound a little crazy (not to be started during the holidays! HA!) However, you can mix and match them, according to Wilkins.

Now, the other two (to make the 5), are:

      • Hobbies that build your knowledge (for example, reading).
      • Hobbies to help you socialize (examples; volunteering, take a dance class).

There you go. The hobbies that can make you money are nice, because you can get into socialization if you do a craft fair, or a Holiday Fair, and can make some supplemental money by selling patterns, or on a website. Again, I definitely would not do 3 to 5 during the holidays, but, hey, you may use your hobby to make holiday gifts. Making creative place settings and napkin holders for the table, or a floral arrangement for the centerpiece. Maybe sewing or knitting cute hats or sweaters to give as a gift. Those are nice, because if you think ahead, you can have much of your holiday work done by August!

The moral of this story/blog….is to take some time out for something you enjoy doing. Give yourself a break. You deserve it, AND, when you do, you will have some renewed energy to put into you Holiday tasks.

Happy Hobby-days!!!!

Posted on

Practicing Gratitude this Holiday Season

It sounds cliche and everyone is talking about it, however, how many people are doing it? Let me ask it this way, “How many people are doing it the best way to actually benefit from it?”

First of all, let me say, “Happy Holidays” to everyone, everywhere, whatever holiday you may celebrate. Holidays can be very difficult, and they can also be enjoyable and gratifying. Everyone has someone they wish could be with them during the holidays, which makes it more difficult, but, we always manage to get through it. Then, there are others who have someone that they may honestly wish was not there spending time with them. Let’s be honest, here.

The main thing we always hear, though, is to be grateful. I think that is what most of us think about during the Holidays, right? I hope so, anyway. Even in the bleakest of times, I was always able to find something to be grateful for.

That is why I am here today, writing this blog post, to remind you of all you have to be grateful and thankful for. There are so many sad and scary, horrible things going on in this world, we just need to look around and be thankful for what and who we have in our lives, even if they are a little rough and tough right now. All we hear about are the bad things going on in the world, but what about all the wonderful things going on? There are so many natural catastrophe’s lately, and that is horrible; however, look at how people are coming together to help out. People, overall are good! But, everyone always focuses on the bad, which brings more bad into the world. I always ask, “Why can’t everyone just be nice???” And, just be grateful for what and who we have…

So, how can we practice gratitude but really benefit from it? You’ve heard about writing down 3-10 things you are grateful for every day in your Gratitude Journal. I’ve done that and it is very nice; however, it didn’t do much for me, other than for a brief moment or two, right?

I’ve done a lot of research and listen to a lot of people who discuss the best ways to practice gratitude. One, my cousin sent to me that I absolutely love. It is a podcast by The Huberman Lab. They talk about the practice of gratitude and how to really do it to receive health benefits from it. Also, Dr. Kim D’Eramo (an ER trauma physician who is the founder of the American Institute of MindBody Medicine), who now practices and teaches MindBody techniques. The idea is to think of something that makes you grateful, it may even be some video that you saw that just made you feel really good, happy and grateful. You want to get that good feeling of gratefulness and hang on to it for over a period of time, say a minute to 3 minutes. Really feel that gratitude. Or, think of a time when you just felt so very grateful. Picture that image and think about it, really feel it. Hold on to that feeling and feel that gratitude that you felt at the original moment. This actually changes old beliefs in your brain. It is so beneficial. Try it and do it daily. You can still keep a Gratitude Journal. It’s not going to hurt, it can only help and bring those things your grateful for to the forefront of your thoughts.

The more you practice gratitude, the more you appreciate things. You are calmer, more appreciative and more mindful. So, if you haven’t practiced Gratitude, start this Holiday Season with an Attitude of Gratitude to make your Holidays much brighter.

I am so grateful for all of you, and wishing you and your family’s a Happy Holiday Season.

Posted on

EFT (EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE)/TAPPING FOR SELF-CARE

If you know me, you know I am all about Tapping (EFT)! I love it and I believe in it more than I can say. It has helped me get through breast cancer and to see it as a gift. It has calmed me and made me feel amazing during the tough times. And, the great thing is, it does, every single day I do it! It can help you, too!

So, what is this EFT I keep talking about? Well, in a nutshell, it is like acupuncture, BUT, without the needles! Nice, huh? By tapping on certain end meridian points (acupuncture points) and stating the negative and following it with a positive affirmation, you calm down your nervous system. That fight-or-flight portion that just keeps you on high-alert all the time, putting your adrenaline and cortisol on overtime. That, my friends, is what causes disease. That, is what caused my cancer. I was holding onto all the trauma of my past that was causing me to live in a state of fight-or-flight, for many, many years.  I thank cancer for allowing my body to tell me what I had been holding onto for years and how it was killing me, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Tapping changed all that. Now, anytime I get down or just feel crappy, I tap.

Let me start with what exactly you do for EFT/Tapping. The meridian points that you tap on, are:

– The karate chop point (the side of the hand by your little finger. The fleshy part).                                                                                                                                                            – The crown of your head; right on the top.                                                                               – The eyebrow point, right on the side of the bridge of your nose and the inside eyebrow.                                                                                                                                                     – Side of your eye by the outside corner of your eye, on the bone.                               – Under your eye on the bone, and beneath your eye.                                                         – Under your nose. (Right under the nose, not tapping on the lip).                                       – Under your mouth, in the crease of you chin.                                                                       – Collarbone. Find your collarbone on each side and place your finger on it, then go down about 1 inch and out about 1 inch.. You will feel a fleshy area. That is the point you will tap on.                                                                                                                     – Then, under your arm (either side). For women, it is where your bra strap sits.

You start with what is bothering you, what event, emotion, thought, whatever it is that has you upset, stressed, anxious, fearful… You start by saying, “Even though (whatever it is that’s bothering you), I deeply and completely accept myself. Do that 3 times.

Then you start reiterating those comments and can extend them while tapping on the points. You can’t do this wrong. If you are confused, just tap on one area, like your collarbone point. I do that one a lot. While you are tapping on the collarbone point, just start talking about what is bothering you. You can just say, “All this stress.” (or whatever it is that is bothering you). Or, you can tell it like a story, or even just rant. The trick is, the more specific you get, the better it can help you. So, get down to the nitty gritty about what is bothering you, or what you think is bothering you. Give it an intensity before you start. By that, I mean rate your intensity of how much it is bothering you from 0-10. Zero being it isn’t bothering you at all, to 10, which is it is really intense, the worse.

After you do that, cross your hands over your heart and take a deep belly breath in. Then, just start tapping. When you are feeling calmer about it, stop tapping, take 3 deep breaths and rate the intensity of how you feel after doing the tapping. If it went down to a 2 or below, that’s great. If it stayed the same or  got worse, tap again. This time, getting even more specific. Do the process until you feel better, or you can get back to it later or another day.

As you are tapping and after, you may yarn or cough, cry, feel tingly, or other sensation. That is the energy moving. If you don’t really feel anything right away, you may later on or even the day after. Notice in the days ahead how you are feeling about the situation and if anything has changed. You may notice yourself feeling different about the situation and/or having positive situations arise.

If you are interested in this, let me know. You can work with me 1:1. (I will also offering tapping sessions in groups. (Yes, you can do tapping in groups) You can message me, email me at roberta.50wellfit@gmail.com or sign up on my website in the “Programs Page: 1:1 sessions.

I hope you enjoyed this quick, very lightly-covered post on EFT. Enjoy and let me know how you like tapping.