With the holiday season behind us, we begin a new year with hopes for fresh beginnings and enhanced living. January brings a clean slate for us all to embrace positive change. What goal will you set for yourself this year?

Whether your goal is personal or professional, bringing it to reality can be one of the biggest challenges we face in life. This is because we are creatures of habit, hard-wired to stay within our comfort zones. Since goals involve change and change requires effort, we need to break away from our old familiar habits and routines to succeed with our goals.

The key to successful goals is establishing new habits. Focus, commitment and perseverance are the necessary ingredients and in the next few weeks, I will offer valuable tips to help you succeed with your goal. To start with, make room for positive growth today. Commit to one goal that is important to you and aligns with your value system. Step by step, you CAN make it a reality. Believe it!

As 2012 draws to an end, I reflect back on Mind Master’s first calendar year of operations. Since last April, I have written 67 blog posts, facilitated 3 highly successful workshops and raised $200 for seniors outreach! In addition, $20 was donated mid-year to a local participant who pedalled his heart out to raise money for the Ride to Conquer Cancer last spring. Combined, this brings the grand total charitable donations to $220 for 2012! Hurray!

Giving generously is definitely a win-win since the donor receives just as much as the recipient. Without a doubt, philanthropy benefits everyone involved. Donating does not necessarily have to involve money since we can all give generously in other ways. Random acts of kindness involving favours and thoughtful gestures that help another persons’ journey in life are always appreciated. The sky is the limit as you can donate things you no longer use, offer your services and talents to the community, or run your own canned food drive! Imagine how you good you will feel once your have completed your wonderful deed! I am sure there will be a big smile across your face and feelings of great satisfaction within!

Research reveals that regularly practicing random acts of kindness for others contributes to overall happiness and who can argue with experiencing more happiness in life? Not I! Having said that, I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and much good health for the coming year! Look for the next Mind Master blog post in early January and some changes to the Mind Master website, including a link to Testimonials!

With Christmas only two weeks away, the big countdown has begun. As with any event you prepare for, it is important to be mindful of your energy levels and emotional needs throughout. Beware of any signs of body tension and fatigue, negativity and anxious feelings from being overwhelmed. These are all cues that you have taken on too much and have over-extended yourself.

Pull back and schedule downtime exclusively for yourself. Make time to relax, chill out and recharge your energy. Taking frequent breaks can be a lifesaver as it allows you to stay the course and complete your goals with satisfaction. Assess your progress along the way and prepare to do away with non-essentials or delegate tasks that create unnecessary stress for you.

Mindful living is all about making wise choices that best suit your needs. Aim to celebrate with others by offering the very best of yourself. It is the best gift that you can ever give!

The final tip for increasing vitality during winter months is to treat yourself to something really special.  Indulge in the extra ordinary, beyond what you regularly do.  Splurge as you create a large window of time for yourself, embark on an activity you long to do, or both!  Find something that both inspires and excites to move into action.  Follow your imagination and allow your senses to be your guide!

Whether you choose something that costs money or not, know that nourishing yourself need not break the bank.  In fact, the most gratifying experiences are more affordable and accessible than you realize.  Think outside of the box when it comes to brainstorming ways of achieving your goal in a cost-effective manner.

For example, if you long for a tropical vacation, narrow down which activity it is that you specifically enjoy.  If you enjoy a warm climate, consider pampering yourself at a local spa or pool, using their sauna or hot tub.  If you enjoy the ocean environment, make plans to visit a tropical aquarium or local beach to engage your senses and feel the soft sand beneath your feet.  If you enjoy a party atmosphere, consider attending a community event or hosting a themed potluck with cultural foods from your country of choice.  The ideas are endless and the important thing to remember is to have fun.  Beat the winter doldrums by bringing your ‘ideal tropics’ home to you.  It is but a mere thought away!

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!