This Way to 2012
Published January 4, 2012
Simple ways for 2012. . .
Below are three simple steps one can take this year to create more peace and joy.
Meditation and visualization are proven ways to train the mind to relax and create. Letting go is a process of releasing emotional attachments to things and old beliefs and then giving one a sense of freedom.
All aid greatly to relieve stress, overwhelm, and contribute to your peace.
Try these daily …
1. MEDITATE 3 – 15 minutes daily in a upright comfortable position
- With eyes closed, focus on your breathing to settle thoughts.
- Notice any sensations within you without judgment; just practice being.
- Trust the process!
2. VISUALIZE- 2-3 minutes daily. Eyes closed, then picture within your mind to
- Visualize all you want to bring forth; experiences, new passions, ways of being, etc.
- Visualizel kindness, truth, love, acceptance, and joy for you and others.
- Trust the process!
3. LETTING GO
- Get rid of material things that no longer serve you; toss out or give away.
- Let go of those that de-energize you or limit time with them.
- Let go of being right
- Let go of judgments of others and yourself.
My wish for you this year is to consider an ongoing practice of these effective methods. They do work when applied.
Wishing you a fabulous New Year! Trust the process!
Blessings, Donna Marie
Posted in mindfulness meditation | 
15 Minutes, Blessings, Donna Marie, Emotional Attachments, Experiences, Freedom, Judgment, Judgments, Kindness, Letting Go, Material Things, Meditation, Nbsp, New Year, Passions, Peace And Joy, Relieve Stress, Sensations, Simple Steps, Trust The Process, Visualization | 
Leave a commentFive Important Ways to Deal with Stress in the New Year
Published January 18, 2010Are you feeling like stress has taken over your life? Do you have too much on your plate or too many tasks that need completing? Does it sometimes seem a bit overwhelming? Relax! There are many easy and simple ways to deal with stress.
Here are five ways you can banish overwhelming stress from your life! The first thing you need to do is take a look at your surroundings. Many people find that they have unknowingly surrounded themselves with people or things that bring added stress to their lives without even knowing it!
If you have a friend whose life problems are always bringing you down, or a family member that places too many burdens on you on a regular basis, your first action may be to limit your interactions with them. Instead choose to surround yourself with other people who bring positive energy to the table!
Next, remember to be mindful at all times. Take some time every day to check in with yourself about the great things that are going to happen during the upcoming day and to be thankful for the blessings you do have in your life. In such a fast paced world it’s easy to focus on things that might weigh on us or bring us down. It is sometimes an after thought to focus on the things that may bring us up.
Your next challenge while dealing with stress is to stop your judgment of others (and yourself.) By judging other people we simply bring harsh words and negativity into our environment, which does not do any good for anyone!
Next up is a tough one for many. It is important to learn how to say no. For the “people-pleasers” out there, this is one written especially for you. When you are in a situation where someone is trying to have you take on more then you believe you can handle – summon up your courage and say “no” to them. You’ll find that this becomes easier the more you practice this skill. Many people will respect you more if you graciously decline to take something on, rather than taking on more than you can chew at the present moment.
The last item on the short list of how to deal with stress, is to make sure to have a time and a space just for you. Find a comfy chair or a sunlit porch or a park where you can relax. Take the time to breathe and allow your body to relax. Many people practice meditation, listen to music that relaxes them, or practice deep breathing for 20 minutes at a time.
Once you begin taking some time for yourself every day, you will find a reduction in your stress levels almost immediately! If you begin these daily steps to deal with stress, you will find yourself on your way to a better, more relaxing daily life.
Posted in deal with stress | Blessings, Burdens, Cause Of Stress, Classroom Life, Courage, deal with stress, Dealing With Stress, Family Member, Fast Paced World, Focus, Harsh Words, Judgment, Many People, Negativity, New Year, Overwhelming Stress, Positive Energy, Reduce Stress, Stressful Experience, Surroundings, Ways To Deal With Stress | Leave a commentDe-Stress and De-Dramatize Now!
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Mindfulness Meditation Techniques to Deal with Stress – Part 2
In Part One of the series, I discussed one of three Mindfulness Meditation techniques for managing your stress; and the mechanism of stress. The stress mechanism is the process that occurs when an event is translated into a distress reaction.
I revealed that while most people are aware only of the event and their action or reaction to the event (that they interpret as stress,) in actuality, there is much more going on. In our experience of stress there are other intervening, often unconscious, steps of thought and emotions that come before the action we take, or our physicalresponse to a stressful event.
Mindfulness is the ongoing practice of bringing your focus to the present moment as much as possible throughout your day. It is the practice of awareness of your thoughts, emotions, your body and the surrounding environment.
The key is to practice this awareness without thoughts of judgment or criticism of self, others or situations. To manage your thoughts about your experience you must first be aware of them. Once you are aware of inner negative comments (we all have them), mindfulness meditation practice helps you to let them go and refocus on simply observing what is happening both in your body and around you at the moment.
Mindfulness Meditation Technique #1, described in Part I of this series, teaches you to refocus on your breathing. By refocusing on this simple activity, you begin to free your mind from distractions associated with Past thinking; i.e. thoughts of yesterday, last week, last year, etc., and with Future thinking; i.e. thoughts of what may happen; both negative and positive, especially worry.
Freeing your mind from Past and Future thinking is important because stress originates from fear-based thought patterns that we have been unconsciously conditioned to think. Fear thoughts are learned over our whole lives from those who are closest to us.
Recent studies also point to fetal experiences being formative too. As we were growing in the womb we experience the stress reactions of our mother as our own. If a mother experiences much stress during her pregnancy, chances are the child would have integrated that experience.
Mindfulness is a very effective means to experience calm, inner patience and confidence, and to access clarity. However, like other teachings we must become a student and practice daily.
Make your daily practice easy with Donna Marie’s Relaxations for Inner Peace audio program of guided meditations, soothing music and sounds of nature. Go now to our De-Stress Store.
Have you tried this exercise? What is your experience? Please share below.