The Power of Play

A Tool for New Neural Networks I’ve come back to an excellent book by Dr. Stuart Brown called: Play, How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. In his research, he explains why play is not just for children. It’s also vital for adults. According to Dr. Brown, …

Recipes , Well-being

A Restorative Spring Tonic

Replenish and Renew with Stinging Nettle Stinging Nettle, also known as Urtica dioica, is a perennial flowering plant full of healthful and restorative benefits with a rich mineral source. This plant has been used for centuries to support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and provides allergy relief to those of us who are …

Well-being

How Emotions Impact the Brain in our Bellies

The Second Brain When you hear the word brain, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me, it’s a 3-pound soft, shiny, deeply folded grayish-white mass about the size of two fists. Well, another brain is not as popular, and it has the same neurotransmitters and nerve cells …

Well-being

Restoring Wellness through Nature

Nature Nurtures “Attention is the place from which all mental states spring”, stated the cognitive psychologist David Strayer from the University of Utah, who specializes in attention. It may seem obvious, but spending time outdoors can be a simple way to regulate mood and decrease stress and anxiety while helping …

Well-being

Cultivating Self-Compassion

Compassion is the highest form of Intelligence. The old proverb above is what I firmly believe this to be true. To have compassion for another, it must begin with ourselves first. The secret to empowered action is learning not to beat ourselves up. We live in a society that regularly …

Well-being

Perspective: The Ultimate Power Source

Perspective Shift As chronic stress continues to develop into a global epidemic, our stress response is studied more and more to see how we can continue to uncover its mysteries. It turns out perspective has an impressive influence on the body’s stress response. Scientists have discovered that when we shift …

Well-being

A Permanent Attitude

The Greatest Healer of All Have you ever wondered how the act of forgiving helps us manage life’s inevitable hurts? In his book Forgiveness: The Greatest Healer of All, Dr. Gerald G. Jampolsky explains how forgiveness is a transformational process. “With a shift in perspective, we can stop seeking other people and …

Mindfulness , Well-being

Hold Your Thoughts Lightly

Don’t Believe Everything You Think We are not our thoughts. When I first heard the words, it was a profound statement that unhooked me from the busyness of my crazy-making mind. I associated my weird thoughts with my identity, so imagine what a relief it was to have this shift …

The Transformative Power of Emotional Intelligence: A Journey We Take Together