Tag Archives: Emotions

Authenticity, Change Your Life, Conquer Your Reality, Mindset

Daily Joys Create a Happier Life

Leave a comment

What’s the difference between joy and happiness?

Both joy and happiness are feelings. We can feel joy and we can feel happy. However, observation of joy shows that it tends to come from inside of us, whereas witnessing the feeling of happiness shows that most of the time external factors elicit the response.

Last week I mentioned that the act of smiling, the actual turning up the corners of our mouth, can help our bodies produce neurotransmitters that affect us by stimulating positive emotions. What if another simple act of just our understanding the difference between joy and happiness can also help us feel better and make a BIG difference in our lives?

We know that happiness is important not only emotionally, but also physically. Our personal happiness really does affect how well our life goes all around. If we aren’t happy, it means we are feeling or experiencing other emotions instead that may influence our physical health. And if we add stress in our life on top of not feeling happiness, it can lead to feelings of loss of control, lack of purpose, unworthiness, and bad habits leading to unhealthy choices.

So, what can we do? How can we turn a downward emotional spiral around?

First, seek to understand the difference between joy and happiness, and instead of looking for happiness outside of yourself, focus on cultivating the feeling of small joys every day. Experiencing small joys daily can help create a happier life overall.

We all have small joys. Your joys are individual preferences within you as you experience life. Here are a few ways to help you identify and adopt habits that will nurture your own small joys.

  • Start every day by appreciating something about yourself.

Recognize something you love about yourself. Disregard the perceived flaws you may think you have, but actively single out something that you identify in yourself that you either adore, admire, or appreciate, just because it is part of you or maybe the way you do things. Maybe it’s your sense of humor, your own eyes when you look in the mirror, the types of books you like to read, how you notice things no one else does, your ability to think about subjects in a certain way, or your love of color, coffee, or cantaloupe. See—this is not hard. It’s very simple but you must make it a habit EVERY DAY. And this is not at all being vain. These are special little joys of you just being you. These daily joys help build self-esteem and lead to positive choices in taking care of yourself, which ultimately leads to healthy feelings of well-being.

  • Identify a purpose in your life.

This is a big thing that determines how we treat ourselves and how we feel about our life. If we don’t know what our purpose is, then it makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning. Or if we are doing things that do not align with our purpose, it really makes it hard to keep going. Our personal purpose will light the internal flame of joy that radiates outward into our life and everything we do. And you don’t just have one purpose, you could have many purposes in life, but the thing to look for is where your values line up with your beliefs. If you make goals from the intersection of your values and beliefs, life just seems to follow your purpose and light your path. And feelings of purpose are vital for daily joy.

  • Think flexibly so you can adapt to change and cope with stress.

 There is nothing like stress and things not going your way to zap your joy and steal your happiness. We have ideas of the way we want our life to go and rarely does a life journey follow the yellow brick road as we had imagined it to be. The zapper is our rigid grip on the idea of the outcome we anticipated. But what if we could loosen our mental hold and allow ourselves to lean into the way things are going, even if we don’t like it and it makes us uncomfortable. What if we could perhaps adopt the attitude of not labeling the disappointment or struggle, but just being with it and watching what unfolds for the unexpected blessing.

Starting each day appreciating yourself and living your chosen purpose in a flexible manner is something that may take discipline to foster. If we can be adaptable in thinking about our lives and the course it takes without attachment, we might more readily appreciate each small joy in its own moment. In recognizing and embracing each of those precious moments, it will become evident that the whole of a happy life is made up of the small daily joys we choose to savor.

This week conquer your reality in 10 minutes at a time by observing those little things you adore about yourself, by opening yourself up to living your purpose every day and cherishing each moment of joy as it comes.

Hearts & Hugs,

Dr. Jen

 

 

 

Change Your Life, Conquer Your Reality, Health, Inspiration, Mindset

Wellness Begins in the Mind

Leave a comment

“You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.” ~Dale Carnegie

The Road Back to Health

This week I’ve been thinking about healing and how to promote healing. Everyone echoes the battle cry for a war on specific illnesses. Many of us call ourselves warriors. That’s what we feel like anyway. We fight and fight as hard as we can. I really dove into the awareness and observation of this, and I want to share a different perspective. A war on illness may never be won because it only continues to promote the battle for as long as it can. But an understanding that our body is dynamic and always changing, and always functioning the best it can with the resources it has, can lead us forward.

The road back to health always starts with the mind. For example, this past week I had a buildup of stress with my workload and family responsibilities. And stress, we know, can be a tipping point for many of us with fibro. One morning I woke up with vertigo. My first reaction was “no, no, NO!” I initially experienced panic and anxiety, followed by frustration. My upset was not specifically about physically not being able to get out of bed without falling over.

Uncertainty

My thoughts were racing because I was anticipating not being able to do all the things, I was responsible for that day. (You would think after dealing with fibro for over 20 years I would be used to my life being interrupted by a symptom from out of nowhere) But my mind was reeling with the consequences of the predicament I was in—the fear of the limitation that this physical ailment was placing on me. I immediately texted my husband who was in the other room and asked him to help me get out of bed.

The inconvenience caused uncertainty. How long was this going to last (because with fibro we never know, right?) How far was this going to put my work behind? And lastly, I thought what the heck caused this? There comes another whole set of fears with questioning cause. Our mind can just run wild with that! (Just in case you are wondering, we believe my vertigo was caused by trigger points in the scalene muscles in my neck. I got trigger point therapy and a chiropractic adjustment. By the next day I was much better, but totally exhausted.)

Reminder that the Body is Perfectly Designed

During this ordeal I had to stop my runaway mind and remind myself that my body is perfectly designed to do the best it can with the tools it has. And those tools are mostly biochemical. The biochemical is influenced by many things such as nutrition, sleep, movement or exercise, being outdoors, stress… and my thoughts… aha! I had been under stress, not remembering to take my dietary supplements to support my muscles and energy, and not thinking positively and as balanced as I should have been. I knew better and it still snuck up on me!

Become a Peaceful Warrior Filled with Love

So here is the low down. Loving thoughts that produce self-compassionate emotions are best for us in situations like this. Especially if we can pause in the moment and realize that our health and well-being has gotten off track. Emotions (e-motion) are energy in motion in our body, and they produce biochemicals that can alter how our body functions and responds. Once you learn this, you can begin to monitor what you are thinking and then when you can catch yourself saying or thinking something negative you can counteract that thought.

So back to the beginning. You can never win a war on an illness by fighting. When you are fighting you are against something, usually because you are fearful, and angry, and frustrated. All these emotions come from the root of fear. But we can become peaceful warriors filled with love that provides sustenance and tools for our physical body through courage, faith, conviction, belief, and love.

Loving Thoughts, Encouraging Affirmations and Prayers of Gratitude

Send loving thoughts and feelings to your physical body, saying encouraging affirmations, and prayers of gratitude that your body is dynamic and able to change for the better. This will give it what it needs to function properly because the body listens to our hearts and words.

When an event occurs in illness or life, it is better to take a moment and choose how you want to respond versus reacting from your initial emotion about it. And YES, we always have a choice. Your choice should match your values, that which you believe in. Respond to your body or physical circumstance with a treatment or remedy that you believe will support your recovery. Never do something that others say you have to do. You must believe in the treatment for it to work, to have the greatest benefit. And yes, there are numerous studies on this, but that is a big topic for another day.

Here are some things to remember for healing and recovery:

  •  Realize where your body is starting from and know that you can make the changes internally in the body, and externally in your environment and life that can lead to healing. Realizing where you are in health and accepting an illness are two different things. Realizing where you are and believing your body has that ability to heal is most important. (And there is ALWAYS the possibility of healing. I’ve known people that have totally healed and recovered when they were told they would not.)
  •  Remember to love your body and not to declare war on the illness because it is inside your body, and if you fight on your own terrain there will be collateral damage. Your body is always doing the best it can with the tools it has. Instead of declaring war, LOVE your body and nourish the internal injury or malfunctioning system to increase its capacity and empower it to function properly. Add plenty of superfoods, sleep, fresh air, time in nature, and for goodness sakes find something to be grateful for and somehow feel joy.
  • BELIEVE in the loving care and treatment you choose. A brave warrior doesn’t want to fight and doesn’t want to kill. A brave peaceful warrior is about having the courage to confront the obstacle and determine a best course of action to take to overcome peacefully. It is not about using anger and force, but about finding a resolution quickly and easily. It is not about decimating the internal opponent (whether it is in your mind or physical body – they are really one in the same when you understand the energy of emotion producing the chemicals that are feeding your body), but it’s about reaching a solution for supporting the most favorable outcome. In the case of your body, listen to what your body needs and give it that nourishment.

For example, did you know if you give your body chlorophyll (the green stuff found in plants) and go out in the sun, that you can support your ATP which is the energy in your cells. Chlorophyll is similar to our hemoglobin in our blood, so this makes sense. This is a simple solution for those that aren’t able to eat enough greens in their diet. Try taking chlorella tablets and using a sun lamp a few minutes a day if you are in an overcast and cold environment. This can lift the mood, and the mood can support loving emotions, and the emotions can release healthy biochemicals to support a healthy body, along with the chlorophyll supporting the energy in the cells.

Visualize Energy, Stamina, and Endurance

Consciously visualize the inside of the body being filled with a warm and thriving paradise. Say affirmations over and over like “thank you for this energy, stamina, and endurance.” I did this for 2 years every morning and evening during my worst bout with fibro flareups, before the results were exactly what I wanted after almost giving up. Two years might seem like a long time but compared to the last ten years that I have been doing well, it was a short time to practice this ultimate self-care. I’ve learned that I am worth the time and effort to put into my healing because now I have the capacity to give to others. And you are worth it too!!

The Ripple Effect

There is a ripple effect. What can you do in life when you are able, that would help others, your family, your community, the world? Your life and contribution (even if it is a smile and wave to your neighbor) counts!! The ripple effect is far reaching and continuous.

Today take the steps to conquer your reality in 10 minutes at a time by declaring love and committing nourishment to your body instead of war. Decide what else you can do to nourish your body, what extra support can you give yourself, such as food, dietary supplements, sleep, and calm quiet reflection time remembering that wellness begins in the mind. And when you are all better and have reached the health that you have your mind set on, what will you share or do for others, your family, friends, community. When you recover, where will you create your ripple effect?

If you want more inspiration, here are several books that are sure to encourage you:

  • It’s the Thought That Counts: Why Mind Over Matter Really Works by David R. Hamilton
  • You Can Heal Your Life by Lousie Hay
  • The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton
  • The Isaiah Effect: Decoding the Lost Science of Prayer and Prophecy by Gregg Braden
  • The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits by Gregg Braden
  • Dying to be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing by Anita Moorjani

Hearts & (gentle) Hugs my friends,

Dr. Jen

 

 

 

Change Your Life, Conquer Your Reality, Health, Mindset, Motivation

How Aroma Influences Mood

Leave a comment

What is your favorite aroma and why? How does that aroma affect your mood and behavior?

My favorite aroma is the smell of coconut lotion. Why? Because my favorite place is the beach and I’ve linked the scent of coconut with the memory associated with my favorite place.

Another example would be the scent of Sunday dinner as I walked into my grandmother’s house. It always gave me a happy and comfortable feeling when I was growing up. It was part savory and part sweet. Those specific spice and fruit aroma’s today still give me that feeling even away from my grandmother’s house because they are intrinsically linked in my mind as a memory with a good feeling.

Influenced by the Experience of Smell

Our emotional and mental state can easily be influenced by the experience of smell. This is because as we sniff an odor, the molecules penetrate the mucous membrane in the nose. The receptors on the hair-like cilia bind with the molecules and send a message through the olfactory nerves to the olfactory bulbs in our brain. From there the signal of the odor is passed to other parts of the brain, most notably the hippocampus and the amygdala.

The hippocampus is where our limbic system (or emotional processing) is located, where emotions, sexual arousal, memory, and even learning can take place. And the amygdala is where our emotions get tied to our memories. So, between the hippocampus and the amygdala, aroma and feelings get connected to evoke emotions subconsciously. Memories almost always invoke an emotion and if a scent is attached to a memory, it may be easy to invoke that emotion when you smell that reminiscent odor.

An Easy Way to Use Aroma

Essential oils, more specifically, have many compounds that may affect us through our olfactory system that are not always connected to memory per se, such as lavender being known to calm and relax, and lemon believed to invigorate. Here is an easy way to use aroma to help set the mood. We all know this to an extent, but why don’t we take advantage of it?

Commercial businesses have figured this out to get us to buy more, or to make us happy when we are shopping. Cosmetic products use purposefully designed fragrances to elicit our purchase. Some stores brand their customer experience with a signature scent that is intended to get you to stay longer and shop more.

Candles, Potpourri and Essential Oils

Now that we know aroma can affect us, our emotions, and moods, and ultimately behaviors, let’s use it to our advantage. We can light our favorited scented candles and put potpourri in our drawers and bathroom. But there is even more we can do!

Aromatherapists use the natural aroma of essential oils to promote feeling better in many ways, from energizing to motivating and relaxing to meditating. Over the past couple years, I was introducing aromatherapy and the positive effect that aroma could have on people by giving them “happy” essential oil recipes.

Combinations of essential oils in a diffuser, a mist, a bath, or a massage oil can do wonders for lifting or calming the spirit. My followers loved it! However, there were a couple dilemmas for my clients. One, buying multiple pure essential oils can get expensive. And since they wanted to have more than one mood, over time they would need to purchase multiple oils for many recipes.

A New Mood Aroma Experience

As I pondered the dilemma and wanted to make it easy for everyone to have this positive life experience, I came up with the idea of the New Mood Aroma subscription. This is a way they could get a new mood delivered to them every month. I took the guess work out of combining the oils and now have pure essential oil blends in personal inhalers. It’s easy and convenient. Twist off the top and waft under the nose. I like to think of it as a way to carry a little self-care in your pocket or purse.

A lot of DIYers will still want to purchase all the oils and experiment with mixing the right ratios to elicit the intended aroma, but for the rest of us I’m excited to announce the New Mood Aroma subscription has launched.

This has been an exciting project for me that started with helping family, friends, and clients. Now I offer it to anyone that wants a way to breathe in happiness. Feel free to check it out at NewMoodAroma.com

Hearts & (gentle) Hugs,

Dr. Jen