B Your Own Best Friend to Help Yourself Out of a Funk

When we live in the moment, almost every encounter and experience has something to offer. Being aware of our emotions will determine what we’re supposed to gain from the experience. Our emotions range from positive to negative. They're simply opposite ends of the spectrum, neither good nor bad. 

Most of our experiences are neutral and don’t have an attached emotion.  Enjoy the emotional reprieve of washing dishes, picking up the kids, folding laundry etc.  

Positive experiences are nice, too. Enjoy feeling confident, a sense of ease, and the lightness that joy brings. Enjoy these moments for what they’re worth. Observe the positive feelings without getting too attached, because they will change.

The negative, painful emotions have the biggest pay off in terms of personal progress. When we feel negatively toward ourselves it’s easy to become absorbed in self loathing. There's nothing to gain from self-loathing, instead we have to detach ourselves from the emotion to discover what we need to learn from this experience. 

We begin the process of transformation with self-love. Conjure a feeling of love by thinking about someone or an animal you adore, the being in your life that gives you instant joy. Tap into this feeling and mentally send it to yourself.

Be your own best friend and give yourself a hug (as cheesy as it sounds, it’s still nice) and offer empathetic words of wisdom. Stepping away from emotions can help us not take ourselves so seriously. Laugh with yourself.   

Separating emotion from experience allows us to be honest, accept responsibility, forgive ourselves, and move on. If we don't work through the experience, and recognize the growth potential, chances are we'll experience it again until we learn the lesson.  

We all get into funks. The next time it happens to you, see it as an opportunity for growth that begins with love.

 

B In Tune with the Elements: Decorate with Fire to Increase Your Wealth

This month, I've been focusing on the Heart and things in relation to Heart Energy.  In Chinese medicine, the heart houses the spirit or the "shen".  It's associated with the Fire element, the emotion of joy, and the color red. Red is often used as a symbolic color to conjure wealth and abundance.  When decorating with red, a little goes a long way.  Using red can activate and energize your space.  If you're using red to activate wealth, than always remember to use intention! 

Items like these would be recommended for the wealth areas around your home.  The Wealth area is always the North-West Corner from the doorway.  

Light is also an activator and energizes the area you want to strengthen.

I love the idea of using vintage books to decorate a shelf.  Red and Gold are auspicious.

Use a bowl to catch keys, clutter, and coins!  Actual money in the wealth area is a good idea. 

Boxes are always good for miscellaneous items. I love to use them meaningfully.  These would be great for keepsakes or even business cards to symbolize the helpful people and connections in your network that could generate wealth.  Or again, stash some cash. 

B Canned! Fermenting, Pickling, Preserving...It's All in the Can.

It's funny how when something grabs your attention, details begin to follow.  My friend and colleauge, Clarissa Helton of Queen Anne's Acupuncture posted a beautiful collection of her own fermented veggies.  The image and healthy benefits of fermentation inspires me to experiment with the process of fermenting and canning. Followed by the new line of Vera kitchen towels (it's the simple luxuries that turn my happy on), and a book about Cannng from C&B combine to be the perfect package of canning inspiration! Special thanks to Clarissa for sharing the link for fermenting and my cousin Noreen from Spices and Spackle for introducing me to the lovely Vera Neumann.  

B Refreshed: 7 Steps to a Great Night's Sleep!

We all know a good night's sleep is important for our health and our relationships.  It doesn't take much to become sleep deprived, so it's important to catch up on sleep when we can. Incorporating a bed time ritual for yourself can set the stage for a great night's sleep.  Try these suggestions over the weekend and catch up on your zzzz's!

1.  Change your sheets. Is there anything better than fresh linens on the bed?  When I change my sheets I like going to bed early to get the most out of that first night.  When you change the sheets you're preparing your subconscious for a good night sleep.  Add a few drops of lavender essential oil into the dryer for an extra dose of lovely.

2. Stretch.  10 minutes of stretching or yoga will help release tension and prepare your body for a night of stillness.

3. Exfoliate.  Exfoliating with a dry brush is a great way to remove dead skin and circulate your blood and lymph. When you get in the warm tub your blood and spirit settle down quickly. 

4. Take a bath.  Use plain epsom salts or your favorite bath soak in the tub.  Again, adding a few drops of lavendar essential oil to the bath water is always nice.  Use the salts and rub them on your neck and shoulders to work out more tension.  If you couldn't use the drybrush then use salts to exfoliate your skin.  Light a candle and replenish with a cool glass of water.  Relax. Moisturize after your bath. 

5.  Press your facial points to release tension in your face.  We hold a ton of tension around our eyes and brows, forehead, jaw, and ears.  Massaging these areas while applying moisturizer helps to release tension and relax our face muscles. 

6.  Write in a journal.  I love this journal devoted to Gratitude from Virtu. The idea of writing specifically about the gifts in each day help set the tone for a peaceful head and heart.

7.  Listen to a guided meditation.  My Dad taught me as a child how to do "yoga" at night to help me fall asleep, by simply relaxing my body in small sections.  Start with your toes and work your way up to your head or vice versa.  This works very well but can be challenging at night if your mind is particularly restless.  Lately, I've been listening to Brian Weiss meditations on my ipod.  There's two on one disc and I almost never get to the second one. You can download these meditations here.

Preparing for a good night sleep begins before you shut your eyes.  Incorporating a pre-bed ritual can help you get the most out of sleep, so you feel refreshed and ready for following day.  

B on track with the fitbit

This little device is pretty amazing if you're ready to make changes in your lifestyle and track your progress. Track what you eat, your activity, and your sleep!  Sync it up to the computer, analyze your data, and make the necessary changes to meet your fitness goals.