Category: Mind

The Amen Solution

Happy Monday 🙂 A friend of mine sent me an email today, and what it was about was so consistent with what I’m trying to do through this blog, I thought I’d pass it on to you. The blog post she emailed me was written by Dr. Daniel Amen, a well-known doctor specializing in brain health.

My friend told me about him several weeks ago, and I checked out a couple of his books from the library. I’m hoping to write a review on one of them in the next few weeks. Because his blog posting below is somewhat long, I won’t write too much more. Please send comments on what you think about what Dr. Amen wrote. Here’s the post:

Body Inspiration Mind Spirit

A New Path

This is third installment of my guest blogs. Today, my friend Mary Lynn is writting about physical and mental wellbeing. She’s a Pastoral Counselor in my area, and she’s also a great friend. I hope you get a lot out of what she has written. I know I did 🙂

A New Path

It is difficult to perform in our jobs, our family and our surrounding community when we’re not feeling well. This is why physical transformation is so crucial as we only have one body which in reality “runs the whole show.”

Folks who deal with chronic pain issues know how serious the impact can be on their attitude, emotions and mental alertness. It is very challenging to live up to all the expectations and responsibilities our culture places on us to survive economically today, much less to really thrive. Imagine doing this when your body is always a little under the weather.

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Another Chance

Over the last three days, I’ve been participating in a daily blogging program for American Diabetes Month. Today is Wordless Wednesday, and we were asked to post an image that best represents my biggest help in managing diabetes. This sunrise (and all the others) is it for me.

To me, the fact that I can have a fresh start every day is my biggest encouragement. It doesn’t matter how things went yesterday, when the sun comes up, we’re all given a second chance. Whatever your issues may be, every day is a new day to turn things around, to celebrate yesterday’s wins, to reconcile with someone, to encourage a friend. What would it be for you?

Take advantage of this gift, not just today, but every day. Watch what happens in your life and in the lives of those around you.

Body Inspiration Mind Spirit

Covering Your Bases

After more than half a century since moving to San Francisco, the Giants won the World Series last night, beating Texas 3-1 in Game 5. Years ago, I used to head up to the Bay Area from time to time to do some auditing work. Candlestick Park was a cool stadium to watch baseball.

It’s always great to see a team win big after years of trying. It’s also great when someone achieves a personal win, like losing weight, getting healthier, finding a job, or maybe getting out of debt. Winning always feels great.

Inspiration Mind Prayer Spirit

Decide To Be Happy

Like so many things in life, happiness is a choice. Even in the most difficult of situations, we can usually find something to be happy about. During this last night of October (where did this month go?), here’s some tips on becoming a happier person, taken from Dottie Billington’s Life Is An Attitude:

Decide to be happy. To a certain extent, you create your own happiness, from the inside out.
Happiness can survive the loss, suffering, and grief that are part of all our lives, and make us stronger. What matters most is not what happens to you, but how you react.
Since no life can always be happy, when you feel miserable, remind yourself you can move past it.
True happiness consists of getting out of yourself, of focusing your attention on the world, instead of yourself. This means having an active life and absorbing interests.
Test your known and yet-to-be-discovered skills through some meaningful activity. Anything that challenges you will work.
Genuinely care about other people.
Make it a habit to consciously remind yourself every day of things for which you are grateful.

Let’s make an effort this week to focus on the good things we have in our lives. Everyone I know has at least one thing going in their life that should bring a smile to their face. Choose happiness this week.

Inspiration Mind

Overcoming Fear

Fear was made to be overcome. Because we are afraid of so many things, most of the time fear holds us back and keeps us from reaching our potential. We have a fear of failure, a fear of loss, a fear of ourselves, and an endless sea of doubts about our security, our identity, and on and on. But fear is made to be overcome, because once fear is overcome, we are able to be the people we are meant to be.

There are lots of people in financial difficulties right now. There are lots of people dealing with health issues, or it might be a relationships that is falling apart. Some of us are afraid to get out of bed, check the mail, answer the phone. Is this any way to live?

Inspiration Mind Prayer

A New Day

The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent. They are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Did you wake up today expecting God to do great things in your life, or did you wake up stressed out, worried and anxious about all the problems and concerns you’re going to face?

I don’t turn to the book of Lamentations much, but this passage really spoke to me recently. It’s a gentle reminder that God’s mercies, his love, and his kindness to us is renewed each and every day. Do you ever think about that when you’re rolling out of bed?

Body Inspiration Mind Spirit

Thriving

Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect and are in good health, just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 1:2

I think I’m done watching TV for the next week. With so many political attack ads running right now, it’s hard to keep from getting depressed. So much negativity can really drag us down, and for a lot of us, we’re already struggling in so many ways. Maybe you’ve found yourself asking, can it get much worse?

Continue reading “Thriving”

Inspiration Mind

Finding Our Way

Last weekend, I went to a conference in Richmond, Virginia. I can’t remember the last time I had to drive through Northern Virginia traffic, but it had to be one of the worst driving experiences I’ve ever had. Between the massive traffic congestion, the construction, and the unfamiliar roads, I was a wreck when I arrived at my destination. A big part of my stress was caused by my need to continually having to follow the Mapquest directions. They’re great on the open road, or when you are only going to be on a couple of different roads, but it seemed like every five minutes, I had to get onto another highway. Ugh.

Inspiration Mind

Take Your Time

Have you been finding it hard to make long-lasting changes lately? I know I have. Every time I think I’m making progress with some area of my life, something comes up and I end up taking two or three steps back.

As I’ve been talking with other people over the last couple of weeks, I have realized that I’m not alone in feeling this way. Maybe you do too?

Many of us have this sense of being stuck. We are trying to make changes, but things keep getting in the way of real progress. What’s the answer?