Career, Marriage, Family and Mid-Liife Transition

One of the most predictable and important turning points that occur in a career is called a midlife transition. The midlife transition occurs when people take stock of their career and look to what the future holds - "Where will I be in 7 to 10 years? and What do I need to do to get there?"

 

As with turning points in a career, turning points also occur in relationships. Couples take stock of where their relationship is now and what will it be like in the future. Developing a vision together is critical step in a relationship. Without a shared vision

The Mental and Physical Effects of Stress

Stress in any form can cause numerous health problems, ranging from anxieties, phobias, digestive problems, even becoming more susceptable to illnesses all because STRESS wears down your immune system.

Relational stress in the home, family, workplace and any other interactions taken seriously that has a high level of negativity and/or conflict is more likely to cause

Rejection comes from a variety of sources: pre- or current employers, family or friends.  Rejection begins and ends with naming the faults of , but never recognizing the strengths in the rejected individual.  Understanding the mechanisms of rejection and making positive choices of how to handle negative messages are the most fundamental keys to safeguarding your self esteem and sense of self worth.

Rejection is not an expression of loyalty, and contributes

Reconciliation

In the blink of an eye everything can change.

Forgive often and love with all your heart. You may never have that chance again.

The strength behind true reconciliation comes through the acts of apologizing and forgiving. The need for an apology and forgiveness may involve one or both parties. The parties involved must recognize their own part in the event, the weakness within themselves that caused the estrangement.  They must desire reconciliation enough to put ego aside and move forward toward reconciliation

Reconciliation begins with

The Winds of Forgiveness

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything wrote in the sand: Today my best friend

The Power of Words

May The Words You Speak Today, Be Warm and Kind and Sweet. For Tomorrow They May Be, The Words You Have To Eat !
Simple everyday, normal word choices can be like black ice - not an obvious danger at first glance, but they can certainly impact the results. Words create impressions, images and expectations. Words have power over thoughts and actions. They influence how we think, determine actions and build psychological connections.

Poorly chosen words can

Benefits of Hugging

Reaching out and touching someone, and embracing him/her tightly is a way of saying you care. It is proven to have positive therapeutic effects on both mental and physical ailments. The effects of a good old fashioned bear hug (firm but not crushing!) has immediate effects for both, the hugger and the person being hugged. It loosens you up and breaks the bonds of body as well as of society. Hugging reinforces a positive emotional state necessary to make important and sometimes critical decisions or changes.

Every centimeter of skin (one of our five senses) is sensitive to touch, from the head to the tips of the toes. The possible origin of the need to be touched may begin

Help For Depression

Depression is an illness, and like any illness, it attacks mind, body, and spirit. In order to fight depression, you need to heal the whole person. Your doctor can help you fight depression with medication. Your therapist can help you by offering empathy and new ways of thinking about old problems. What can you do to help yourself?

You may believe that you're powerless to fight depression. You're not. I've struggled with depression for most of my life. Doctors and therapists have been essential allies, but all of the pills and all of the talk in the world would not have been enough if I hadn't done my part. I've had to learn how to fight depression day by day. When the latest meds haven't kicked in yet and the next therapy appointment is a whole week away, I have to find my own path to wellness.

The following suggestions are ways to fight depression.

Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter

A good sense of humor is one of the most effective ways we have to make certain our daily mood and emotional state supports good health. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. Even in the most difficult of times, a laugh, or even a smile, can go ...a long way toward making you feel better.

Humor can strengthen a relationship through

A Little Dirt Never Hurt Anyone !

Most of us have heard those words many times during our lifetime, from Mom, Dad, Grandparents, etc. Those words could be more true than we ever thought. Routine exposure to harmless microorganisms in the environment—soil bacteria, for instance, trains our immune systems to ignore benign molecules like pollen or the dandruff on a neighbor’s dog.

A vaccine of M. Vaccae has been used to treat such illnesses as

Seven Elements of a Healthy Relationship

A strong, healthy relationship is comprised of several elements. Just as specific ingredients are necessary to bake a delicious cake, there are certain elements or ingredients necessary to make a long-lasting, healthy relationship. Without the right ingredients a relationship can fall flat and become tasteless. If you sense that you or your partner is running a little low on one or another of these ingredients, talk about it sooner rather than later. These differences do not go away by ignoring them.

Seven important elements to a successful, healthy relationship include:

A Mother's Worry

Motherhood (parenthood!) is one of the greatest adventures in life; filled with some challenges and many awesome joys. Mothers begin worrying about their child from conception: about their health, happiness, safety, future, ...absolutely everything AND no matter how old they are!
Here's a poem that describes it well:

If There Was Ever a Constant in Life It Is ... Change

Change is not easy, but it is inevitable. Things will always change. We don’t have a choice about that, but we do have a choice on how we react to change. We do not have to be the victim, even when we are not in control of the change. Either we manage change, or it will manage us.

Whether you look at change with excitement or dread it, change will trigger powerful effects in your body and your emotions, often creating stress; a feeling that your life is spiraling out of control. Learning to manage change can increase your sense of control and steer your life into a positive direction.

The three most common reactions to change are negative ones and should be avoided! They are:

Restitution and Forgiveness

Restitution is a Biblical teaching and practice that includes equal or enhanced compensation to the victim for stolen or damaged property or mental and/or physical harm. In today's cut-throat world, restitution is almost unheard of anymore. Because people are not held accountable for their actions, very few are willing to make restitution, let alone return more than they took (i.e., punitive damages). 

People can and will come up with every justification imaginable when caught/confronted with a crime regardless of the severity. Everyone has problems, but those problems do not give people a right to hurt others. Ultimately we are all responsible to

VERMACOMPOSTING

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, think I'll go eat worms. Big fat juicy ones, little slimy skinny ones,hope they don't have germs!"

 

Have you ever felt this way? Most of us have felt "friendless" at some point, but when you do, remember that the feeling will pass. Meanwhile, you are advised NOT to "go eat worms" because that really won't help. However...worms DO help our environment!

Vermicomposting is not only good for our earth, it is a fun and healthy activity for the entire family!
Many gardeners compost both yard waste and kitchen waste with compost piles, sheet composting or some other method during the growing season. Very little yard waste is generated during winter months when cold temperatures make composting difficult. However, usable kitchen waste is constantly being generated and must be disposed of. Vermicomposting is the process of using worms and micro-organisms to turn kitchen waste into a black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus.
The kitchen waste fed to worms can come from a variety of sources, including

Take a Deep Breathe .... and RELAXxxxxxxx...............

Breathing deeply should occur at the subconscious level. We were all born with the natural ability to breath deeply. However, as we get older the stress of every day life causes us to move quickly into the habit of shallow breathing.

Deep breathing is a technique taught in both meditation and hypnosis classes. Deep breathing can instantly reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Breathing deeply is a more efficient way to pump blood and oxygen throughout your system than if you are

Getting Fit With Wii !

Many articles have been written about the pro's and con's of the benefits of using Wii Fit to improve your overall health through personal physical fitness. Some articles say it is more hype than fact while more demonstrate that Wii Fit does indeed offer a positive exercise experience.

What makes Wii Fit an effective means of exercise?   Here are 8 very good points:

Be Smart About Taking Vitamins, Supplements and Medicines

We all take pills at one time or another in our lifetime.  What do you really know about what the pills you take?   There are some very important things about vitamins, supplements and medicines that you should know:

How To Get Better Results From The Medicines You Take

It's a good idea to know as much as possible about the medicines you take. Here are some questions you should always ask before taking medications to get better and safer results :

Tips on How to Get a Good Nights Sleep

Getting quality sleep, eating a healthy diet and being physically active help prepare your body for warding off potential viruses and bacteria you may encounter.

It's important to make an overall commitment to healthy, restorative sleep. Here are some tips from the Better Sleep Council for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle and ensuring the best night's rest: