Illustrated by Lina Patel
Holistic living is finding the right balance of mind, body and spirit. There are lots of options.
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental and spritual practice or discipline.
It can uplift the spirit and the physical postures of yoga are used to alleviate health problems, reduce stress and make the spine supple in contemporary times. Yoga is also used as a complete exercise program and physical therapy routine which originated in India.
It can be practiced at home or you can attend a class.
Exercise
Choose a physical activity or exercise that you enjoy so you’re more likely to stick with it. The next step is to choose the right kind of activity for you. The most important thing to remember is to choose an activity that you find fun. Look for a type of physical activity that you’re likely to enjoy. Do you prefer to spend time indoors or outdoors? Remember to warm up properly and stretch afterwards.
Moving your body not only improves cardiovascular health, it improves brain health.
In many cases, aerobic activity, strength training, yoga and mindfulness can be more effective than pharmaceutical treatments.
“A sound mind in a sound body” is based on a quotation by the Greek philosopher Thales (624-546 BC).
Tai chi
Tai Chi is a type of martial art very well known for its defense techniques and health benefits. The martial art has evolved over the years into an effective means of alleviating stress and anxiety. It has been considered to be a form of ‘meditation in motion’ which promotes serenity and inner peace.
It can be practiced at home or you can attend a class.
Meditation
Meditation means awareness and whatever you do with awareness is meditation. The mind becomes free of scattered thoughts and various patterns. The mind becomes quiet and when the mind is quiet, there is clarity and peace. The more you do it, the more you become present and it starts to become a way of life. There are many benefits and it can improve the quality of your life.
Feng Shui
Feng Shui, literally meaning “wind and water,” is a traditional Chinese concept linking the destiny of man to his environment. It aims to ensure that people live in harmony with their surroundings. Feng Shui takes the approach that your surroundings affect not just your level of material comfort but also your physical and mental health, your relationships, and your worldly success.
Feng Shui is rooted in a holistic worldview. It sees all things and creatures as part of a natural order, a vast environment that is alive and in flux, ever moving and changing. Each thing in this natural order is equally alive and has an energetic value or component.
You can hire Feng Shui expert or there are many books out there to help realign the energies in your environment.
Positive thinking
Thinking is often in involuntary action. How often do you suddenly wake up to yourself and realize your mind has taken over, rambling on and on. It’s easy to fall into the habit of thinking negatively until you realize you doing it. You have consciously focus on what’s positive in your life. Waking up and sleeping with a grateful heart is different to waking up and sleeping with a negative mindset. Focusing on what’s going well right now rather than feeling the fear what happened in the past and feeling anxious about the future takes practice. That’s all it is, practice.
This moment is all you have. You do have a choice to be happy now and loving what you have or be miserable. Things can happen and it may not always feel like sunshine and roses but we have a choice of how we want to react to it.
Check out my blog on the following subjects to start shifting your focus:
Attitude of Gratitude https://wellnessandwellbeing.org/2016/02/
Dealing with fear https://wellnessandwellbeing.org/2016/04/04/fear/
Dealing with Emotions https://wellnessandwellbeing.org/2016/05/09/emotions-feelings-beliefs-and-our-thoughts/
Forgive and let go of the past, so you can live in the present.
Affirmations
Affirmations in New Thought and New Age terminology refer primarily to the practice of positive thinking and self-empowerment—fostering a belief that “a positive mental attitude supported by affirmations will achieve success in anything.”
Words are very powerful and what we say can be negative or positive. It all starts with you. How do you talk to yourself? Are you negative or positive when you talk to yourself?
Find the key to happiness in my book, The Wellness Approach: Lasting Lifestyle Change Made Simple. If you’re interested you can download the book from Amazon on the following link. I would love for you read it and give me an honest review.
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