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Mindfulness lesson 9

Hey~

How is your mindfulness going?

A bridge over troubled waters

Today I went to the dentist for a routine cleaning and exam. I would not say I have a fear of the dentist, but I get nervous going. What helps? You got it mindfulness. I followed my breath. I also focused on my feet. I wiggled my toes. Why? Your feet are the farthest distance from your head. So, concentrating on them takes your mind off the dental hygienist cleaning your teeth. See how helpful it is?

The point is that our breath can get us through tough things sometimes. When we feel stressed, we can turn to breathing exercises to calm us down. A few deep breaths can bring peace.

Benefits of mindful breathing

Breath is mindfulness. Breath is a tool for good health. When you practice daily mindful breathing, you are energizing your entire body. You build up your lungs. You energize your blood which in turn energizes your blood.

Mindful breathing brings your mind and body together. If you feel scatter brained, practice mindful breathing.

Mindfulness in everything

As I mentioned before, mindfulness is something to do all day long. You should try to meditate for at least 20 minutes per day. In addition, remember, you will be mindful in every day activities as well. No matter what you are doing you will be aware of your body and the world around you.

We should not be mindless. Don’t allow yourself to continue to be a zombie doing actions without thinking. Stop just going through the motions. Make what ever it is that you are doing a rite. Live in the moment. Right now I am writing this post. Later I will watch a television show. But that is in the future. If I try to get this done to get it done, my heart is not in it. The only thing for me to think about right now is to find the best words to express the message I want to make. Right now, writing this post is the most important thing for me to do. By doing this I am truly living now and not in the future. I am in meditation. I am not sitting on the ground in the lotus position humming. I am typing on a computer. I am aware of what I am doing. I am aware of the light in the room. I am aware of the rain. I am aware of the cars driving by, and I am aware of one of my dogs at my side. I am in the here and the now.

The word rite may seem a little dramatic. But I think it makes it fun. When you think I am practicing the rite of brushing my hair, dusting the house, brushing the dog it makes it fun. It tells you that what you do is important. There is significance in every action.

How are you doing?

Let me know. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Your mindfulness coach.

Lisa Y coaching

Your role in this world.

Hey~

How are you?

Your role in this world

So many people wonder about what their role in this world is. Many people think they are not contributing as they should. They think they should be doing so much more.

Maybe you want a bigger role. Maybe you want to be a political leader. Maybe you want to have your own business. Maybe you want to find the cure for cancer. The list is endless.

No small roles

Don’t lust after a great role. There is no such thing as a small role. As long as you are doing something productive, you are playing an important role. You are contributing. Not everyone can play that great role. Not everyone can be that leading man or leading woman.

If you are not satisfied with your role, well, maybe it has not been written yet. In the meanwhile, just do your best in the role you have.

Change roles?

If you really want to change roles, and need a little help. Let me know. I am here to listen.

message me at www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Yeah!

Smile for me.

Lisa Y coaching

Thanksgiving Challenge

Hey~

It is a little early, but I want to start a Thanksgiving challenge.

Appreciated

Everyone wants to feel appreciated. They want to know that they make a difference in this world. Unless you are a sociopath or psychopath, you want to believe that you added a little sunshine to this world.

 Friendship Challenge

The challenge is a simple one. Pick 3 friends out of your Facebook list and post why you are grateful for that person. Why are you thankful for that person coming into your life? If you are named in a post, it is your turn. Post why you are grateful for 3 people.

That’s it!

That is all there is to it. No penalties if you don’t do it. If you get mentioned as a person someone is grateful to have in their life, and you don’t want to name 3 people, that is fine. We are not here to shame anyone.

Thank you.

I want to thank my friend for inspiring this. You know who you are. In case you don’t know, here is a hint: you are my favorite Canadian.

Yeah!

Smile for me!

Lisa Y coaching

Tell me your experience. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Be your own guru

Hello everyone~

The Guru

What is a guru? Well, I am sure you already know the answer. A guru is someone who has become well respected in their field. The guru or mentor is someone who seems to know everything there is to know about their field. The way that someone becomes this knowledgeable person is from studying the greats. Yes,  the guru has a guru.

The positive of the guru

The positive about the guru is that they are inspirational. You look to them and their accomplishments to motivate you in your quest. Many gurus, mentors, started at the bottom. They worked their way up the ladder. To see what they have accomplished gives you faith that you too can succeed. You may not have the same level of success, but you know you can do the thing in life that you want. You can start that business. You can make money in that investment. You can have that lifestyle.

The problem with a guru

In order to reach some goal, you may copy their steps. You model your actions after their actions. You do what they did. This inspiring person though may let you down. When we put someone on a pedestal, some where along the line they fall off. You may reach out to this person to help you by endorsing your idea. What you are seeking is for this person to do a shout out for you. You want them to like and share your Facebook post perhaps. Or maybe share their contact list so you can send out emails to people you know would like your project, service, or product. But then they fail to help you.

That is so disappointing. Why don’t they help? It is hard to say. The reasons are varied. But does it matter? They won’t help you.

Be your own guru

Here is my suggestion. You read their book. You took their class. You went to the seminar. Now, it is up to you to make it on your own. You have the knowledge. You still have the inspiring story to give you faith that it is possible to do what ever it is you want to do.

You know what to do. But, it may be overwhelming. They make it look so easy. Well, it is now, but remember, they have been doing it a lot longer. It is second nature to them. Just remember, they too had to master the skills you just now learned.

Sorting it out

What you need to do is to sort things out. Take things one step at a time. What helps? Talking to someone. I know from personal experience that things are not as messed up and confusing as they sometimes seem. For me, just spilling all the words and thoughts out into the world is helpful. In about 15 minutes, things start to make sense. Even if I had a jumbled mess of ideas flooding through me, after a few minutes things seem to start fitting together. The picture starts making sense.

Your thinking partner

What you need is a thinking partner. A thinking partner is someone who mostly listens. They also ask guiding questions. Put those two things together, and you find the path. You will find the direction you want to take. You will find the order of the steps to take. Frankly, sometimes it takes a few meetings with your thinking partner to get all those jumbled thoughts sorted.

The important thing is to start. You are not necessarily going to do things perfectly right. You may start on step 3, and that is OK. When you realize you started at step 3, you just go back and do step 1 and 2, and then you go back to step 3. Don’t worry. It will all work out. But you have to keep working at it until you put it all together.

Need help?

If you do not have a thinking partner, it would be my pleasure to help you out. I say we Co achieve. Let me know. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Yeah!

Smile for me.

Lisa Y coaching

Men’s guide to women (for men only)

Hello~

This is for men only.

My general guide to understanding women

Umm…

That’s about it. Any questions?

One at a time.

You know more than you think

All joking aside, you really understand women better than you think. No you really do. You just have not sorted it out. You know the women in your life. You know what they do and do not like. You know what upsets them. You know what makes them laugh. You know what makes them cry. You know what makes them happy.

In case you have not noticed, not all women are the same. But having a good relationship with the various women in your life, wife, sister, mother, and coworkers for example, is simply about knowing them as a person. It means paying attention. Women are notorious for giving a lot of hints. I know, you men would prefer to have us come right out and tell you what we are thinking. But, what would be the fun in that? We do that so that you “figure it out on your own”.  Ha! Ha! Ha! Sorry, that is not very nice of me.

Need more help?

So, men, if you need a little help understanding the women in your life, let me know. I will see what I can do. We can figure it out together. OK.

If you want help, leave a message. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Yeah!

Smile for me.

Lisa Y coaching

Cheese stands alone

Hey~

I hope all is well with you today.

Cheese stands alone

You are familiar with the “Farmer in the Dell” song, right? The farmer takes a wife, the wife a child. the child a nurse, the nurse a dog, the dog a cat, the cat a rat, and the rat the cheese. And the cheese has no one to take. The cheese has no one to interact with them. Are you like the cheese? Are you alone? Do you have no one to interact with you or do people who call you friend, but they are not really there for you?

Good news!

You don’t have to be alone. You can always have a friend in me. If you need someone with whom you can interact, I will always be there for you. You and I can interact on a daily basis if that is what you need.

Better news!

I have been through a lot of things too. So, I can relate to just about anything. I am not like a lot of other people who counsel. A lot of other people who counsel act as if they are better than everyone else. You won’t feel that way with me.

Best News!

I have time for you. If you feel like the cheese, all alone, don’t Don’t be alone. I will be there for you. Frankly, one good listener and supporter is better than 100 fake friends.

If you would like more information, please message me.

www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Yeah!

Smile for me!

Lisa Y coaching

mindfulness lesson 8

Hey~

How are you? How has your mindfulness been going? Let me know. I would love to hear from you. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Breath awareness exercise

In case you have not noticed, being aware of your breathe is key to mindfulness and meditation. Here is a good method for watching your breath.

If you recall in lesson 7, I talked a little about the mechanics of proper breathing. Remember? It is abdominal breathing, using the diaphragm. Recall that you imagine breathing through your belly button. If you lie down, you can get a better feel for the process. So, lie down. Comfy?

Place your hands on your belly. Take in a breath. As you breathe in, notice how the stomach rises? Now when you get to be about 2/3 of the way through your breath your stomach will lower. What is happening? When you breathe in properly, the air fills the lower parts of the lungs first. The diaphragm pushes down on the stomach causing it to rise. After the upper lungs have filled with air, the chest pushes out and the stomach lowers. As you breathe, think of the air starting to enter your body at your belly button and then having the nose take over about 2/3 of the way.

The breathing exercise

To do this exercise lie quietly. Don’t use a pillow, and have your arms relaxed at your side. Take a natural breath. As you exhale, count. How many seconds does it take to exhale? Count a few times to get a standard number. Now, try to extend the exhale another 1 or 2 counts. So, if your exhale is say 4, try to exhale for a count of 6. This will help you to empty more air out of your lungs. When you finish exhaling say to the count of 6, pause for 1 count before inhaling. This allows the lungs to fill with air on their own. Can you feel it? Inhalation usually shorter. Count your inhalation and now try to extend that also. Just relax and quietly breathe for a few moments. Aim to do this for say 20 breaths. Relaxing, isn’t it? That’s it!

Easy does it

 Just don’ too breathe too hard. Your breathing should be relaxed and steady. Don’t try to force your stomach out. Just let your body do what comes naturally. It should not be noisy either. Don’t breathe so hard that you hear the air enter your nose. Breathing should be quiet, relaxed and steady.

Unless you have sinus congestion, your breathing should be so quiet that it is not heard by someone next to you.

Advanced level 

So, you have mastered the above exercise. Now, you want to take it to the next level. Do this same exercise in your every day activities. Working on your computer, watching television, walking, at the gym, cleaning your home, any time. If you practice this while walking, you can make a game of it. Six steps to inhale and six steps to exhale.

Control your breath, control your mind and body

Breathing should be a graceful and peaceful thing to do. It is a peaceful thing to do. When you are stressed, stop and follow your breath for 20 counts. You will feel more in control. If you are excited, stop and sit. Your breathing more than likely will be rapid. So, take a few breaths to slow it down. Get the inhale and exhale to be even. Be aware of your body. Feel the motions of your body as you breathe. Think to yourself, I am breathing in. I am breathing out.

Another breath awareness exercise

Breathe in for 1 count. Exhale for 1 count. Inhale for 2 counts. Exhale for 2 counts. Continue through inhaling 10 counts and exhaling 10 counts. Now return down to 1 count in and 1 count out. This exercise takes more awareness. You may lose count. If you do, start again at 1.

Mastering your breath

When you master following the count of your breaths, you have made a big step in mindfulness. Your breath will automatically be very calm and steady. Your inhales and exhales will naturally be even. At this point, you will not need to count any more.

When you master your breathing, you control your consciousness. When things get out of control, catch your breath and you control your environment. With control over your breath you also develop your concentration.

Practice

Practice. And let me know how you are doing. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Yeah!

Smile for me!

Lisa Y coaching

We are Magic

“Magic”by Olivia Newton John

Come take my hand
You should know me
I’ve always been in your mind
You know that I’ll be kind
I’ll be guiding you

Building your dream
Has to start now
There’s no other road to take
You won’t make a mistake
I’ll be guiding you

You have to believe we are magic
Nothin’ can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don’t let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I’ll bring all your dreams alive
For you

From where I stand
You are home free
The planets align so rare
There’s promise in the air
And I’m guiding you

Through every turn I’ll be near you
I’ll come anytime you call
I’ll catch you when you fall
I’ll be guiding you

You have to believe we are magic
Nothin’ can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don’t let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I’ll bring all your dreams alive
For you

How can I help you?
www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Mindfulness lesson 7

Hello~

How are you today? Good I hope. So, here is lesson 7.

Fall

So, it is not exactly Fall yet, but it is close enough. I really love Summer, but Fall brings back memories of childhood. First of all it is back to school time. Then we have Halloween. When I was a child, we lived across the street from an apricot orchard. We kids loved to play in there. When I take a walk this time of year, with the crispness in the air, I go back to those days. As I practice mindfulness on the walk, I feel young again. After a walk in the Fall air, I feel so refreshed.

In this busy world, we don’t generally have the opportunity to take a walk in an orchard, on the beach, along a river or on a mountain top. Most of us take a walk around the neighborhood or downtown perhaps. With the sound of traffic, it can be challenging to put the outside world out of mind and find it relaxing. It isn’t  just noise either is it? There is the smell of food cooking. There are kids on skateboards and bicycles. There are all sorts of distractions. But with practice, you can learn to put most of the distractions out of your mind by watching your breath. Pay attention to your breathing. I am breathing in. I am breathing out.

If you have a friend or coworker who would join you on the walk, it can help. But you must both keep silent. The idea is to be mindful of your walking buddy instead of the traffic and distractions you encounter. It is always easier to learn a new skill with a buddy. You can talk (after) about your success and challenges as well.

Walking with distractions is good for you

Although we would all love to be able to walk along a quiet beach, in the forest, or even in a park, walking along a noisy street is good practice. Why? Well, in order to get great at mindfulness, we need to learn to do it under all circumstances.

One of the important things to do when training a dog is to do it with distractions. It is one thing to train your dog in the privacy of your quiet yard. But often it is challenging to get your dog to do what you ask when you are out in public. When out in public, your dog has millions of wonderful scents to check out. There are other dogs. There are cats. There are other people. A dog is only well trained if it responds to your commands with all these distractions.

As it is with dogs, it takes true mastery of mindfulness to remain silent, focused and aware with distractions. So, when you are limited to walking in and about town, take pleasure in the opportunity to practice mindfulness among all the distractions.

How is your mindfulness going?

I would like to know how you are doing with this new skill. Leave me a message. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Yeah!

Lisa Y coaching

Mindfulness lesson 6

Hey there~

How are you today? I took yesterday off. Did you miss me? *smile* So, have you been practicing your mindfulness? Good.

Path and Destination

Mindfulness has two faces. It is at the same time the path and the destination. Mindfulness is the path toward the ability to build up awareness and concentration. Mindfulness is also the the destination of a life of awareness. Mindfulness releases forgetfulness and to live fully. The more you practice mindfulness the more mindfulness you have.

Are you breathing?

Your breath is your life. Breath is what keeps you alive. It is so essential and yet it is something of which we are generally unaware. Most people usually only notice it when we have a hard time breathing. When we become winded or congested and it is difficult to breathe, that is when breathing is noticeable.

Have you ever heard a fitness instructor say “don’t forget to breathe”? Some people think that is a silly thing to say. But when you become aware of your breathing, you will notice there are times when we hold our breath. Doing weight lifting is one of those times. Fitness trainers are well aware of this, and so they remind people to breathe. When we get excited, and we have something to tell others, we often talk a lot without taking a breath. Have you ever told someone something, and had them interrupt you with “take a breath”? I have.

When people get nervous or excited, or do some challenging task, (like weight lifting) they sometimes hold their breath. What happens is that your brain becomes scattered. You are not concentrating. Taking a breath actually centers the mind. If you follow your breath, you will actually do better than if you don’t hold it.

Proper breathing

The key to proper breathing is using the diaphragm. When you breathe using the diaphragm, you increase your energy as you improve the oxygenation of the blood. The diaphragm is an energy mobilizer. Improved movement of the diaphragm through applied kinesiology improves the meridians which in turn improves energy flow.

How to breathe properly for the maximum benefits is easy. As we inhale, the diaphragm contracts. This enlarges the thoracic cavity helping the lungs fill with oxygen. As the diaphragm relaxes, we exhale forcing the carbon dioxide out of the lungs.

Ideal breathing is abdominal breathing. The focus is on the belly button and not the chest. When you breathe properly, your belly will rise more than your chest. Test your breathing. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Concentrate on letting your abdomen expand fully with the incoming air. You may want to visualize that the air is actually coming in through your belly button and not your nose. Your belly should rise and fall about an inch with each breath.

With proper breathing, you will become more relaxed, reduce blood pressure and your heart rate, and deliver more oxygen to your body tissues.

How to mind your breath

Take in a fairly long breath. Feel your lungs expand. Now exhale being sure to get all the air out. Now wait a few seconds before you take your next breath. You will notice air coming in without taking a breath. Did you notice? Now do this for a few breaths. Be aware.

I am breathing in. I am breathing out. I am breathing in. I am breathing out. I feel my lungs and rib cage expanding. Imagine the air circulating throughout your entire body. Can you feel it? When you breath properly, your entire upper body should move.

That’s all for today.

Take time to mind your breath a few times a day. It is a good habit.

Tell me how you are doing. www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoach

Yeah!

Lisa Y coaching