Here it comes . . . .

As we struggle with shopping lists, invitations, crowded malls, obligations, and a huge to-do list, it is good to be reminded to slow down when things get hectic. You don't have to say yes to everything! You don't have to find the "perfect gift" or plan the "perfect party." It's better to lower your expectations and be surprised when things turn out better than planned, than to have expectations that are too high, only to be let down when things don't prove to be perfect. Web MD says....."shorten your list of holiday to-dos and relax your inner Martha." Have realistic expectations when entering the shopping mall, plan ahead, stick to your budget, and remember that you won't be able to control everything. And you certainly won't be able to control the amount of holiday stress that others are experiencing. But you can control how prepared you are, and how you react to stressful situations. Stress believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important. Just take a step back, regroup, and breathe.

Let's do this......sit quietly and observe. When we're overly busy and stressed out, we overlook just how beautiful the Christmas atmosphere really is. See that? It's a beautiful thing. 

I hope you feel how beautiful

 Christmas really is.

You've earned it . . . .

Take a deep breath. It's been a crazy week and we all need to decompress. Don't let the stresses of the week overpower you. It's the weekend, and it's time to make room for relaxation. If your passion and joy went by the wayside this week due to stress, you owe it to yourself to bring the pleasures and energies that feed your soul, back into your life. Do it for your own well-being......for health's sake! Learning how to relax is so important! It brings a balance in our life that allows us to be more productive, and helps to keep burn out, stress-related illness and insomnia at bay. I mentioned in an earlier post about how it's so easy for us to fill our free time with errands and busy work, so the first thing we need to do is recognize that we need to make time to relax. It's not always necessary to fill our time busying ourselves with things that can wait! If you don't make the time, it won't happen. I promise, Monday will show up soon enough.  C'mon.....you've earned it.  Take a few minutes to regain that sense of peace that you so deserve. Slow down. Restore your body with healthy choices. Feed your soul with the things that matter most to you. Take a long walk. Listen to your favorite music. Pamper yourself. Take a long, hot bath. Lose yourself in a good book.  Smile, or better yet, laugh! S-t-r-e-t-c-h. Find your personal paradise, and enjoy.

"Sometimes the most important thing 

in a whole day

 is the rest we take between breaths."

-Etty Hillesum

Happy Friday my friends.

Have a wonderful (and relaxing) weekend!

xo

Shhhhh . . . .

...... give yourself one minute to 

enjoy the beauty of silence.

Take the challenge . . . .

Can you sit for 2 minutes and do nothing? For those of you who have a bit of the Energizer Bunny in you, this can actually be pretty difficult. This simple video , Do Nothing for Two Minutes, challenges you to do just that -- do nothing -- and if you touch your mouse or keyboard during the countdown, you're greeted with a "Fail" message.  

Click here to begin.

Relax, and good luck.

"To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing 
in the world, 

the most difficult and the most intellectual."

-Oscar Wilde


Photo via Google Images

Laugh it off . . . .

The alarm has just gone off, and the urge to go back to sleep is insistent. There is nothing funny about waking up for work; you're likely thinking about why you didn't get enough sleep, or who stole all the covers, or how someone's snoring kept you up half the night. What could possibly be funny about this awful hour in the morning? What person in their right mind wakes up laughing, asks your tired, grumpy self. 

• Lying on your back, eyes closed, think back on a ridiculous thing you (or someone you know) did that now makes an outrageously hilarious story.

• Remember a time you laughed really hard. Who were you with? What happened to make you laugh?

See if you can coax a chuckle out of your calamities. Learn to laugh at yourself more often. Lighten up, so laughter can spill forth from your everyday routine.

From the book Five Good Minutes

The gift of silence . . . .

Graphic from the book Be

by Kobi Yamada

Just breathe . . . .

Are you feeling like there are too many pressures and demands on you? As you know, those pressures can cause stress. As a matter of fact, stress can be caused by a number of life factors that are quite common, and if you don't know how to deal with it, it can wreak havoc on your well-being....both physically & mentally. The negative consequences on your health can be substantial. Your health is your responsibility and you owe it to yourself to learn to relax. There are so many relaxation techniques that will help you slow it down, get clarity, and begin again. Try doing what you can to be more positive. I know....it's hard sometimes, but you will reap so many benefits from it; probably more than you realize. Spend less time with people who try to guilt you in to doing things, or tell you that you're not good enough. And the same goes for those people who are constantly complaining or miserable. Stop feeling guilty. Guilt is a potent source of stress. Take care of yourself. Make healthy food choices and exercise regularly. Laugh! Laughter is the best medicine, so go ahead and rent that hilarious movie that you've been wanting to see.  Spend some time alone doing what you love, whether it's reading a good book, taking a hot bath or listening to your favorite music. And last but not least....breathe. Close your eyes, and just breathe.

"Smile, breathe, and go slowly."

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Photo via Being Brazen

Perception. . . .

The place: Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.

The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar; the woman threw the money in the hat and without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes later:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3-year-old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money, but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised: In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made, how many other things are we missing?

Would you recognize beauty incognito?

Virtuoso & Grammy Winner - Joshua Bell

Images via Google Images

It can turn a life around . . . .

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which has the potential to turn a life around."

- Leo Buscalgia

Photo by Guildford Grace