101 Ways to Feel Better Today – Page 10

February 4, 2020February 3, 2020

#11 Visualization

When I want to calm my mind, I remember beautiful scenes like my balcony view in Puerto Rico

If you are fortunate enough to be a person who remembers dreams, then you understand how your ability to visualize is so powerful. We can basically create movies in our minds, and when we are asleep they are as real to us as if we were living it in real time.

What we see in our minds affects our bodies on many levels. Think about a nightmare you may have had. It’s not uncommon to wake up from an unpleasant dream with your heart racing and sweat running down your face. Nothing is happening that should cause these physical reactions, but they are very real.

February 3, 2020February 2, 2020

#10 Turmeric

A fragrant yellow curry with a corn tortilla is a great cold-day meal, guaranteed to make you feel good

If you have any food allergies, be careful about adding something new to your diet. But if you are like most people and can consume turmeric with no issues, then you need to add it to your life.

Research is beginning to prove why things like turmeric have been revered for thousands of years. This member of the ginger family has multiple potential benefits, including the potential to prevent Alzheimer’s, cancer and heart disease. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with multiple protective properties. It can improve your mobility if you have arthritis, and may also help with depression.

Besides all of the health benefits, it adds great depth of flavour to food.

February 2, 2020February 1, 2020

#9 Find What’s Going Right

Cloudy or sunny, there is always something beautiful to look at and appreciate

Now that you have figured out everything that is going wrong and have started to take some action towards making it better, take a few minutes to think about what is going right.

People often feel resistance when I ask them to do this. I have tried to figure out why that is, and it just seems like that is how we are wired. We think that if we appreciate what we already have then we won’t get anything more. Or if we are happy with the way something is that we will lose it.

It’s also easier to think about what is wrong instead of what is right. It allows us to postpone our ability to be happy until the day that everything is perfect. Newsflash – that day will never come.

February 1, 2020January 31, 2020

#8 Intense Focus

Reflect on where you are and where you need to go. It all begins with a decision

When things aren’t going well it is easy to get discouraged and want to give up. Once you feel overwhelmed it becomes impossible to see anything clearly. Problems look enormous and unmanageable and you begin to feel small and helpless.

It’s difficult to feel good about anything when you feel like you are being squashed by the heaviness of your life.

Inertia and procrastination do nothing to fix things. When you get stuck and can’t see a way out, no amount of affirmations or attempts at positive thinking will help. The way out is to do something that gets you moving in any direction. It’s a good time to break down the problems into segments and then start to deal with them one at a time.

January 31, 2020January 30, 2020

#7 Suspend Judgment

Some see a filthy pigeon, others see a beautiful bird. In reality, it is just life

We are natural judges. It’s not always a bad thing – in fact, we need to be quick to judge as a matter of survival. Walking into a situation and knowing whether you need to run away or run towards it is a good thing. Being able to judge someone quickly and determine if they are friend or foe is a necessity.

But it can also be a huge detriment. Because we have this innate ability to judge, we also use it in ways that have nothing to do with survival. We can look at another person and judge them based on what they are wearing, how they walk, what they look like, or any number of things. We judge whether they are the same as us or different, and if they are different then we may use the judgment to be cruel.

January 30, 2020January 29, 2020

#6 Affirmations

Look for the rainbow and never mind the rain

I am rich. I am famous. I am beautiful. I am a fraud.

Okay, endlessly repeating affirmations that you don’t really believe is not going to make you feel better. In fact, it can actually make you feel a lot worse.

The purpose of affirmations is to raise your energy vibration to a new level that opens up new possibilities. If you find yourself saying things like, “I’m so stupid. Why do I always do such dumb things? I’m not good at anything. I’m never going to have any money”, there is a big problem with that. You are talking yourself into a life of disappointments and failure.

January 29, 2020January 29, 2020

#5 Meditation

Giving the gift of Reiki to my meditating yogis in Costa Rica

I know, you are already thinking that this is weird, that I am going to tell you to burn incense and sit on the floor in a pretzel position and chant Om. While you can if you want, you don’t need to do any of that to realize the many benefits of meditation.

There are so many reasons to meditate, and no reasons not to do it, except that you think you don’t like it. But listen to these scientifically-proven benefits – meditation reduces stress, relieves anxiety, can prevent brain aging and memory loss, can help ease addictions, lengthens attention span, improves emotional health, can decrease blood pressure, improve sleep, and help control pain. Yes, research has shown that the simple act of tuning in and turning off your thoughts can pretty much change your whole life for the better.

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020

#4 Walking for Exercise

Easy to get the steps in when this is what the path looks like! A crystal-clear day in Puerto Rico

This is so easy that it doesn’t seem that important. When we think of exercise, it usually conjures up images of hours at the gym, sweating and feeling sore and having to spend every free moment pushing our bodies to do something they don’t want to do.

It doesn’t have to be that difficult. Research shows that the health benefits of walking are numerous – it strengthens your bones and muscles, improves your mood, can prevent or help manage various conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure, improves balance and coordination, and can help you lose or maintain your weight.

What’s not to like about that?

January 27, 2020January 26, 2020

#3 Do Something Nice For Someone Who Isn’t You

We helped with a little planting in exchange for a farm tour in Costa Rica

The poor millennials. Everyone seems to be blaming them for everything that is going wrong in the world. They are called entitled, selfish, and lazy. If you are reading this and you are a millennial I feel sorry for you. The rules of the game have changed and it’s not as easy to get along in the world anymore.

If you are a parent of a millennial or old enough to be one, then remember who raised these kids. If you thought that giving kids participation medals and telling them they were special all along was a good idea, then you might not have prepared them for a world that was going to tell them that they are actually useless and no one thinks they are special at all.

January 26, 2020January 25, 2020

#2 Drink Water

Water is life! Costa Rica has so many beautiful waterfalls and everything around is green and lush

Some of the best ways to instantly feel better also cost no money. It’s only a matter of remembering to do it and then reaping the benefits! Today, and every day, drink water. Yes, tea and coffee contain water but unless it’s herbal, they contain caffeine so won’t count towards our total.

Water is life. We can live for a few weeks without food, but only a few days with no water. If your main source of fluid intake is in the form of sugary sodas or energy drinks, then you are giving the body extra work to do to eliminate the harmful components that are included.