Each of us is unique and fearfully and wonderfully designed. Never doubt the brilliance and special nature of your existence. Over time, fear, exhaustion & shame can dim the brightest of lights, and that is why we must, at all times do what we can to keep that flame inside burning bright, choose the path of light and love, and allow our brilliance to be seen.

Fortunately, there are plenty of tools that you can use to rekindle your spark every day, and help you be everything that God designed. Here are just a few to help you out:

1. Express your gratitude daily.
Tell the people around you that you appreciate them. Give thanks for the food you eat and the roof that you sleep under. Smile. Gratitude magnifies your feelings of goodwill, helping you stay focused on the good stuff.

2. Exercise often.
Sweating and moving for just 20 minutes a day has been clinically shown to improve your mood & boost your health. Try a yoga class, ride your bike around town, take a walk or go for a swim, and you’ll easily chase away the grumps.

3. Meditate every morning.
Spending time in silence reconnects you with your source of self-awareness, self-assuredness & happiness. It’s also been shown to greatly reduce stress & improve communication.

What can YOU do to shine a little brighter TODAY? Drop me a note. I would love to hear from you.

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery.

But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. And that can take some time.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.

Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.

There are many things to be grateful for: colorful autumn leaves, legs that work, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm jackets, tomatoes, the ability to read, roses, our health, butterflies. What’s on your list?

Some Ways to Practice Gratitude

•  Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way.

•  Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures.

•  Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your nighttime routine.

•  Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation.

•  When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.

•  Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks for gratitude.

As you practice, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be delighted to discover how content and hopeful you are feeling. That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work.

Author’s content used with permission, © Claire Communications

You can take natural herbs for anxiety instead of relying on synthetic medicine to treat your needs. The body has an incredible ability to heal itself and naturopathic medicine is treatment that taps into the body’s own healing system in order to cure ailments.

This is one of the reasons that the body responds to bacteria by spiking up the temperature. The resulting fever helps eradicate the bacteria. In relation to anxiety, herbs are used to calm and soothe the emotions.

One such herb used to soothe and calm is chamomile because it is a relaxant. It’s safe for long term use and carries health benefits, which is one of the reasons you can find chamomile tea on an aisle inside of most grocery stores.

Chamomile works by relaxing the muscles so the tension and stress you feel when anxiety hits is soothed away by this herb. Because it has sedative qualities, it can also be used to help battle the insomnia that is so often associated with stress.

St. John’s Wort is another one of the natural herbs for anxiety. This herb hails from Europe and is used to naturally treat insomnia, anxiety, feelings of jitteriness and depression. It has very mild side effects but most people don’t have any problems with any adverse affects.

When anxiety reaches a crescendo and the ability to handle it alone is no longer an option, some people head automatically to the nearest doctor who usually prescribes medicine to treat stress, depression and other symptoms associated with anxiety.

While it’s true that prescription drugs can and does help some patients, natural herbs are better tolerated by the body with fewer reactions and there are no problems with withdrawal even with long term use. Plus, many of the natural herbs used to help handle anxiety won’t cause stomach upset.

Using natural herbs rather than prescription drugs has the added benefit of not clouding the mind. Many prescription drugs used for anxiety can cause brain fog-a state of confusion or difficulty thinking or marked drowsiness.

Some prescription anxiety drugs also cause weight gain. Any time you can use natural products, it’s always better for your body. You do want to make sure, especially if you’ve never used natural herbs before, that you are under the care of a holistic provider.

Once you begin a regime of taking natural herbs for anxiety, you’ll feel better faster. You’ll be able to laugh again and learn to stay in the moment rather than fearing what tomorrow might bring.

Alleviating anxiety is something we all need to learn how to do. Anxiety shows up in many different physical ways. You might not even know that’s what’s going on within your body. Anxiety can cause your heart rate to beat faster than it normally would for no apparent reason.

You can get cramps in your stomach that are so sharp, you’ll wonder if you need to go to the doctor. Breathing escalates and a thousand thoughts race through your mind. You might even feel as if you’re about to pass out. In fact, your entire body, from head to toe can be affected by this feeling.

The most important aspect of dealing with anxiety that you should know is that you’re not alone. Millions of people deal with this and find that when they seek help, they learn how to deal with this very real feeling. They also learn that they aren’t dealing with any type of mental illness, and that what they feel is common.

There are different types of anxiety. For example, most people feel anxious and stressed out when they have an important meeting or when the boss calls them into the office and they’re not sure why. Those are normal feelings.

The root of anxiety is found deep within the body in what’s known as our danger center. The feeling is that we must fight or flee. This is actually a protective instinct that everyone has, and adrenaline is often a by-product of anxiety. That’s why people can sometimes do seemingly superhuman feats. Now that you understand what anxiety is, let’s take a look at how people can work on alleviating it.

Know that you can’t always avoid the stressful situation brings on how you feel. What you can do is change your response to that. In other words, you can act and stop reacting. If you’re in the middle of a stressful experience and can take a break, then do it. Go away from the event, the person or even the thoughts and do something else. Give yourself permission to take a mental break.

Do what you can to simplify your life. If you currently live a lifestyle where there’s a lot of chaos, because life seems to happen around you, put up some stop signs. Stop rushing around in the mornings trying to get ready for your day. Get everything you need to do in the morning ready before you go to bed. Write out a list of what needs to be accomplished. Rather than making you feel worse, a list will help break down what seems overwhelming into manageable portions. Have too much stuff lying around? Take time to de-clutter. Doesn’t it always feel good when you see everything neat and tidy? Learn to keep it that way. It will free up time to do those things that you truly enjoy.

Alleviating anxiety differs from person to person. Some find it helpful to buy self help books or programs. Others need the use of medication and therapy. Whatever works for you, know that you don’t have to live with anxiety ruling your steps.

What are some of the ways that you reduce anxiety in your life? I would love to hear your comments below.

In years past, stress was considered a male problem. It was in the day where the man of the household was considered the primary provider. Things have really changed!

Women have emerged in the marketplace and are experiencing the stress of attempting to do it all and be everything to everyone. We have no time for ourselves, and we have learned never to say “no.”

Is this how life was supposed to be? We are designed to experience peace, whether male or female.  In the quest to get ahead in life, have we traded our peace and joy for materialism?

As I have stated in the past, “Stress Kills.” It slowly creeps into your life, builds momentum, and soon you start to experience physical and psychological effects on your body. Your relationships with loved ones start to deteriorate. The harder you try, the worse your situation becomes.

Here are two practical suggestions for de-stressing:

1. Allow yourself more time. 

Everything takes longer than you think. Don’t put extra pressure on yourself.  Having enough of time to complete a task reduces your anxiety levels. A good rule of thumb is to allow 20% more time than you think you will need.

2. Be content with less. 

Don’t live life beyond your means. All of those “toys” are fleeting. Popular today, and a relic tomorrow.  Big houses mean big bills and more work. It has been proven that those living beyond their means are prone to stress related diseases such as, high blood pressure, heart attacks and depression.  Instead of accumulating “things”, build memories with those that are important in your life.

Learn to keep your priorities straight. Enjoy where you are, on the way to where you are headed. It doesn’t make any difference whether you are male or female. Experience peace.

What have you done to experience peace in your life? I would love to hear from you.

Have you ever noticed that you start believing what you see and hear? In today’s world television, radio, and the Internet give us instant access news, views, and interesting stories. Depending on our interests, we search for people with like values. What if those we connect with, or relate to, don’t have positive thoughts?

When we hear something long enough, we start to believe it. The rationalization plays in our heads. It gets repeated over and over. Our subconscious mind starts hard wiring this as our belief. Before you realize it, you begin to act just like your peers.  No wonder why the use of anti depressants and mood altering drugs is at an all time high! Stress and illness’s manifest themselves daily. Your mind and body are reacting to your beliefs.

Imagine your life without negative and defeating thoughts. Quite thinking and saying, “I will never get out of debt”. ” I am depressed”. “My head is killing me.” “The economy is bad, and I can’t get a job.”

Start dwelling on the positive. Good breaks are in my future. I feel excited and energized to be here today. My health is improving and I am feeling better and better with each passing day.

Let positivity sink down into your heart. All day, declare blessing and favor in your life and in the lives of others. You were designed for happiness.  Start living the life you were destined to enjoy!

I am all about saving time and money. What about you?

Thought I would share a few helpful hints on using Baking Soda. Yes, that inexpensive
Little box that you probably have sitting in your pantry right now that costs around 50 cents or so.

Baking soda is an all around natural cleaning solution. It is non abrasive, so you don’t have to worry about scratching.

Here are some helpful tips:

Clean your refrigerator both inside and outside. Just mix it in some water. If you have a white refrigerator that is yellowing, it will take away the yellow. Keep an open box in the refrigerator to help eliminate odors.

Use it in the wash instead of fabric softener. It sweetens the smell and can help soften clothes as well.

Have those nasty smattered bugs on your car? Baking soda and water will get them right off.

Keep a box of baking soda in your car or camper. It extinguishes flames. Handy to have in the kitchen as well!

Baking soda is natural. You don’t have to worry about those harsh chemicals. Let me know how you use baking soda. I would love to hear from you.

There is much debate on whether organic food is  better than conventionally purchased foods. One of the major objectives is the higher cost of organic vs. tradition grocery store purchases. Another point of contention is the organic food standards.

I can empathize on both sides. When I hear someone criticizing organic food, I cringe! Personally I consume as much organically grown as possible. I personally have seen some of the smaller organic family farms where it is raised. It means something to them to produce the finest, unadulterated products available. The majority of my purchases are from local farmers and smaller independent food stores.  It means something to me for the following reasons:

1. No harsh pesticides or fertilizers are used.

2. No genetically engineered seeds are planted. This is necessary for the USDA certified organic seal.  Outcomes of studies are being released regularly demonstrating the long term effects of GE modified grain and corn on animals. Are we kidding ourselves to think that is doesn’t effects humans as well?

3. No irradiation is performed on certified organic foods.

4. No sewage sludge is used for fertilizer.  Also referred to as biosolids, this sludge may contain heavy metals, lawn pesticides, various chemicals, gas, oil, etc. This does not go away when composting.

In my opinion, nothing beats the taste and nutritional  value of organic foods. When I eat organic, I feel full and satisfied. No more between meal snacks or looking for something else an hour or so after I eat.  I challenge you to give organic foods a try and tell me what you think!

Everyone has an ego. Does it tell you that you aren’t good enough? Not loved? Not worthy? As a result of this constant self talk, many people have an issue with their self worth. You begin believing the lie.

How many times have you measured yourself against others? That little voice inside your head compares you against them. Have you ever seen yourself in others?  When you like someone, you see the parts of yourself that you are happy with. Same thing occurs when you dislike someone.  You see parts of yourself that you don’t like.

It is so easy to find fault with others. Are you hiding the parts of “yourself” that you don’t like?  So, how can we stop this cycle?   Look for the good in others as well as yourself. Stop the criticism. Are you making yourself feel better at the expense of someone else?

Start catching people in the act of doing something good. Acknowledge them for what they are doing right. When we compliment someone, we make them feel good. Have you noticed you feel good in this process as well?

How well do you acknowledging people for who they are? I think  most people appreciate the acts or kindness or tasks that others do for them.  Saying thanks is a good indicator of appreciation.  I want to thank you for helping me cut the grass. Thank you for opening the door for me.

When we start to acknowledge others, lives begin to change.  An example of acknowledging someone would be, I want to acknowledge you for the commitment you have in working with orphan children and helping them feel loved. Self esteem begins to rise in others as well as in yourself.

Starting today, look for ways to acknowledge others. Stop the criticism and ego lies. Make a difference in others as well as yourself.

Let me know how you have acknowledged someone. I would love go hear your thoughts below.

How do you feel right now? Happy? Sad? Sick? Healthy?  Are you sabotaging yourself by dwelling on things that you want and don’t have? Most people are obsessed on “wanting”.

Did you know that scientists estimate that we have about 60,000 thoughts per day and 95% of them are the same thoughts that we had the day before!  80 % of the thoughts are negative! How do you stop the sabotage?

We have to start focusing on the “feelings” you would have if the desires you want, are already a reality. Negativity attracts negative circumstances. Your good feelings will attract more of the desires that you want.

Slow down your thought process and become aware of what you are saying, thinking, and feeling. Remember that your thoughts aren’t necessarily true. You don’t have to believe every thought. Take it moment by moment. Don’t give your thoughts the power that they shouldn’t have.

Thoughts and beliefs were instilled in you when you were a child. Sounds crazy, but we carry those thoughts and beliefs with us, sometimes throughout our lives! Savor the positive thoughts and feelings you have. Question the negative ones. Don’t give them more power than what they have.

Start right now. Remember you have have to believe what you think!