Mind Master is pleased to announce its first annual charity workshop: “Humour & Happiness!”  Discover  the myths behind happiness, the key to enduring happiness, and how to create more joy in a complex world.  Guaranteed to tickle your senses and inspire your imagination, “Humour & Happiness” is a workshop you won’t want to miss out on!

100% proceeds from this workshop will be donated to a local seniors outreach agency.  Community Volunteer Services for Seniors supports homebound and isolated elders in their homes, providing companionship, grocery delivery and telephone support in the Tri-Cities area.  Sign up for this workshop today and make a meaningful contribution towards preserving the dignity of elders in our community.

The fourth strategy in the Winter Action Plan involves giving your mood and energy a boost through special attention to your diet.  Take note of the foods you eat, the amounts and frequency of your meals and snacks, plus your energy levels throughout the day.  Choose healthy foods that your body responds well to and provides the necessary fuel for your days’ activities.  Energy dips during mid-afternoon are common and if this is the case for you, consider a protein source at lunch and even breakfast.

Experiment with a variety of wholesome foods that spice up your meals!  Research new recipes and ideas from cookbooks or refer to on-line sources.  Talk to friends and colleagues, host a potluck dinner and get inspired through your senses!  Be aware of excess, especially with sweets, simple carbohydrates, caffeine, and alcohol.  Too much can lead you on a roller coaster with fluctuating moods and energy, undoing any progress you have made.

Although I am not a professional nutritionist, I do know that these strategies work well for me and many others.  Visit your local library or talk to a professional if you seek further advice or guidance.  I firmly believe that self-care needs to be a priority in everyone’s life, every day.  Eat wisely and not only will you have a bounce in your step but also a sharp mind for when you need it most!

Beat the winter blues by getting active and going outdoors.  Shorter daylight hours combined with unappealing weather often means we spend more time indoors.  While staying warm and dry is very compelling, hibernating like bears all winter long does not generally serve us well.  Plan to get outside everyday under natural daylight, especially on those days you might feel otherwise.  Grab your jacket and appropriate protection to brave the elements and immerse yourself in a sensory experience!

Feel the cool air on your face, listen to the sounds that wind creates while whistling through trees, inhale the fresh scent of rain and revel in the beautiful sight of glistening wet foliage.  Focus  on the many changes the new season brings.  Although winter has not yet officially arrived, autumn is a season of transitions and preparation for what is to come.  Follow Mother Nature’s lead and prepare for a winter of simple beauty and quiet reflection, away from the frenzy of malls and traffic.  Commit to wellness and moments of pure contentment this winter.

In the last post, I discussed one strategy for maintaining wellness during the cold dark days of winter.  Committing to joyful activities is one approach while decluttering is another.  Clutter clutters your life.  Clutter clutters rooms and clutters your mind!  Confused by the clutter?  I am not surprised!

Clutter is the overwhelming number of things that accumulate to messes.  Messes pile up, one on top of another and before you know it, you have a mass of a mess!  Nip clutter in the bud before it gets the better of you!

When it comes to mental fitness, mental clutter is that voice within that limits you and tells you what you can’t or shouldn’t do.  It is the irrational critic that feeds worries and low self-worth.  Bring awareness to this voice within and separate yourself from your inner critic.  Similar to clearing items you no longer use in your home, clear away negative thoughts and replace them with positive, uplifting thoughts that bring out the best in you!

Living in Vancouver means the dark grey days of winter are upon us.  This means it requires a little more effort and awareness to keep our moods and energy levels up for the shorter daylight hours and cooler temperatures we experience.  The next few posts will offer strategies for bringing ‘sunshine’ to the doldrums of winter days.  Warding off winter blues whilst under grey skies is a skill that we can all practice and improve upon throughout life.

One strategy for brightening your inner world is to write a list of 20 things that bring you joy and commit to doing one of these each day.  Give your working mind a regular break and allow yourself to relax, let go of worrisome thoughts that consume you and indulge in something joyful that promotes positive energy.  Action is motivating in itself and can be the catalyst to a wonderfully memorable season!

Another strategy is to sign up for a Mind Master Workshop!  The next scheduled workshop on stress management, titled “Stressed Spelled Backwards is Desserts“, will be on the evening of November 22, 2012 at the Coquitlam campus of Douglas College on Pinetree Way.   This workshop is specially priced and promises to be educational, fun and energizing!

Mind Master is pleased to announce its newest workshop on Humour and Happiness!  Humour is a valuable tool for coping with stress and overcoming difficulties in life.  It is an important part of a healthy mindset that is frequently overlooked and not taken seriously.  No pun intended!  Humour can be powerful especially when used appropriately.  It can effectively dissipate negative pent-up emotions, provide necessary relief in a timely way,  build greater resiliency and create more happy moments in life.

Happiness is a state which we all aspire to experience more of in life.  Happiness can sometimes feel elusive, especially the harder we try to capture and hold onto it.  Join engaging discussions on what comprises happiness, where it comes from and how to achieve lasting results.  This 2-hour workshop is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a chuckle in your belly.  Be inspired to lighten up your life with humour and foster more happiness in your life, every day!

We are conditioned from an early age to make comparisons.  Throughout childhood, we were compared to siblings and classmates for performance.  In adulthood, we are compared to colleagues for professional advancement.  Comparisons serve as a rating system to help to identify preferences for specific situations.

When it comes to self-worth, there is no place for comparisons.  Healthy self-worth involves full acceptance of oneself, without judgement.  It involves loving yourself for who you are today, flaws included.  Flaws contribute to character and uniqueness.  Refrain from making any type of comparisons, including comparing yourself to who you were years ago.  Embrace the unique individual you are today and focus on bringing out the best in you!

Overstimulation comes from a variety of sources.  Each of us have different tolerance levels  when it comes to being overstimulated.  Our technologically driven world increases our risk of it with 24/7 access to unlimited sources of stimuli.  Technology taunts us, distracts us and even directs us in relentless ways if we allow it to.

The cost of overstimulation can be great.  Fatigue, stress, anxiety, depression, numbness and feeling out of control are some common symptoms which have become norms in today’s world.  Rather than depleting ourselves, we can make good choices to reduce the risks for overstimulation.  We can raise our own awareness of the amount of stimulation we get each day and take a proactive approach to wellness.

Regularly check in with yourself to see if you feel overstimulated.  If so, make time to disengage your mind and body to regain a sense of equilibrium.  Remove yourself physically if possible and shift your mind towards soothing thoughts that relax you.  Focus on personal wellness and sustainability as your goal.  Being mindful of the amount of stimuli you receive each day will help to keep overstimulation at bay!

How effective are you in life?  Are you living your life according to what is really important to you?  Stop for a moment and consider your values.  To help you gain clarity on your values, you may want to try the following exercise.

Ask yourself “What would I like others to think about me?”  Consider this question in terms of people whom you respect.  Write down your answers and refer to it often, especially as you create goals, initiate projects and make plans for your future.  Being clear about what is really important to you is key to effectiveness in life.

When setbacks occur and life throws you for a loop, maintain your routines as much as possible.  Mundane tasks can have a soothing effect since they offer normalcy.  Cleaning, polishing and sweeping can all be therapeutic because their familiar repetitive motions allow us to relax and even be productive in a good way.

In addition to mundane tasks, you might also choose activities that are gratifying.  Embrace effort and reap the rewards.  Create a healthy meal for yourself, ensure adequate exercise and relaxation time.  Outwardly, you could join a group activity you enjoy or start that project you have been talking about for a long time.  Gratifying activities can energize you and make you stronger in the face of adversity.  Take a proactive approach to wellness by building resilience in a mindful way!