Reasons why mindfulness is so important by Sylvie and post script by Toni Star

 

Why mindfulness is important may seem obvious once you understand what mindfulness is. Don’t be fooled! Many people use the words mindfulness and meditation interchangeably. Meditation is a mindfulness tool but is NOT mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of purposely setting your attention on something. For example, it can be an object, your surroundings, your feelings, a person, or the sensations in your body.

Why Mindfulness Is Important

Mindfulness is about calming your mind and living in the present moment. However, you will experience many life-changing benefits from becoming more mindful.

1. Mindfulness Improves Your Well-Being

As you become more mindful, your satisfaction with life grows because you improve your physical and mental well-being.

Physical Well-Being

Being more mindful enables you to use your mind’s power to be healthier. For example, you will learn to make better food choices as you become mindful of how your body reacts to poor food choices. You will learn to pay attention to your hunger cues and stop eating when you are full. Your body talks to you. Learning to listen will promote your physical well-being. Furthermore, the state of your mind impacts your body. Specific emotions (e.g., anger, sadness, embarrassment) can be linked with particular health outcomes (e.g., cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disease).

Mental Well-Being

Practicing mindfulness can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

 

2. Mindfulness Teaches You to Enjoy Life

You can learn to enjoy life again using mindfulness. As you practice living in the present moment, you take in everything and make the most of your time. Here are some ways to practice this:

·        Pay attention: Practice listening to others with more intention. Open your mind without judgment.

·        Rediscover the old: Look at your familiar surroundings and find something new you never noticed before.

·        Remember to breathe: As you draw your attention to your breath, you will often notice that it is shallow. Take a few cleansing breaths.

·        Lift your chest proud: Most walk around, never noticing our stance. Lift your chest, and feel tall and proud.

·        Listen to your senses: Take a moment to absorb sounds, colors, smells, and sensations.

 

3. Mindfulness Enables You to Be Truly Present for Others

When you learn to become mindful, you absorb each moment with those you love. You are more present for them, you pay attention to their conversation, and remember what matters most. You learn to eliminate distractions and create meaningful interactions.

4. Mindfulness Changes Your Brain

Did you know that mindfulness has the power to modify your brain’s structure? Mindfulness practices like meditation can reduce age-related brain degeneration and improving cognitive functions. You can change your brain’s neural pathways using mindfulness as you practice creating new thoughts. Moreover, neuroimaging studies have demonstrated structural changes in many brain regions relating to paying attention and regulating your emotions when people practice mindfulness.

5. Mindfulness Helps You Regulate Your Emotions

Besides improving your overall mental well-being, mindfulness can be a powerful tool to regulate your emotions. This doesn’t mean not experiencing certain emotions. Rather, it means developing a certain self-awareness to notice your emotions and become curious about their meaning. This awareness then enables you to self-regulate.

Avoidance, suppression, and rumination are associated with anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. On the other hand, acceptance, attention, and intention lead to the decreased mental proliferation of other negative emotions (which leads you to ruminate on your emotions).

 

Written by a woman named Sylvie, fitness trainer and holistic coach

From a Christian point of view, mindfulness can be especially helpful when it comes to lowering anxiety and depression because it helps you to focus only what is currently going on, instead of worrying and feeling anxious about tomorrow or next week. When you focus only on the present, your brain only deals with what is currently going on. Anxiety and depression can enter the brain when you worry about what is coming up. So, to lower the anxiety and depression, focus only on what is going on in the present.

Think about it! You and I only have what is currently before us. We don't have the rest of the day, tomorrow, the following days, next month or next year. This is not fatalistic thinking; it is the truth! So, put away the worries of tomorrow, next month or next year. Focus only on now! By doing this you will be happier and your anxieties about the future will be smaller, more manageable and you will enjoy the hours and days that God gives to you! 

God Bless and be happy!

 

Don't believe the lies of "the evil one"

 Dear Reader,

 Just recently, I was attacked by the evil one. Last night I began worrying about driving; actually it was a small distance to where I needed to go. I began to feel anxious and I allowed the anxiety to escalate. What happened was I lost a lot of sleep and was unable to go with my husband to a dental appointment. His appointment went well but I felt bad that I didn't go with him. I have felt tired all day but I want to learn from this and share this information with you.

No matter how you feel at night--worried, frightened, anxious--whatever it might be---don't give up or give in. Instead of feeling bad all night and giving into fear, focus on something happy and positive. Get away from the negative and fearful thoughts--think about something happy that occurred during the day and zero in on that.

Also, do some deep breathing. Breathe in for about 7 counts and then slowly let out the air on the count of 10. Do this several times and know that the good Lord will be with you and guide you out of fear or depression. He wants you well; allow Him to help you. And, keep in mind what author Rick Warren said about thinking---Think, Feel and Act in positive ways. Think positive, feel positive and act positive, Sound simple? It is--Think positive and happy, Feel positive and happy and Act positive and happy. Do this simple routine and feel free!

Always remember what Jesus said, "I am with you always--even to the end. And, Jesus never lies; He always tells the truth and He love for you and me is Never Ending!

Begin and end each day by giving praise to God

 Like many, I have enjoyed many days with the good Lord; however, like you, I have had days when I didn't feel that I could go on. I suffer from chronic back and leg pain and when that pain combines with struggles to take care of everyday online and offline work, or traveling to doctor, dentist or other appointments, I find myself feeling down and negative. Does this sound like you?

If it does, I have some great news for you! No matter how your day goes--be it good or bad--sunny or dark clouds, there is always hope, love and faith in God that there are better days ahead. If you suffer from pain of any kind or struggle to do daily chores or travel to appointments you're not up to, never forget that you are not alone! Our good Lord is always with you and will see you through!

Of course, the "evil one" will try and make you think that you are alone, that no one cares or that there is no hope. But, if you are a Christian, believe and have faith that Jesus rose from the dead, then you have hope for a future and hope that your prayers will be answered!

If you feel depressed, here are a few tips that will uplift you. First, find out "what is causing you to be depressed." Second, relax, find a quiet spot and stop ruminating. Third, find something that makes you feel satisfied, like writing a letter, sending an email, making a resolution, or exercising, like taking a small walk. 

Most importantly, find out what is causing you to be depressed. It is what you do when you are depressed; that will help you quickly get out of depression. Remember, when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will never be alone! Never! For He said, "I am with you always; even to the end." What a comfort to know that you and I will never be alone!

If you have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, do it now! He is waiting for you!

Blessings always,

Toni Star

Don't give up: God is right by your side by Toni Star

 Don't give up; God is right by your side.

 He never stops caring about you; He never hides.

 No matter how hard life gets and it does get hard.

 His reaching out to you is never tardy...

 He lives within you. You are never alone

 He hears the calmest moan.

                      For He has said, "I am with you always."

 

The Writing Process: Easy Steps and tips by Toni Star

 Good writing, be it academic or other, needs effective planning, drafting and revision. For writing to be effective as well as interesting, it needs to be well-thought out and revised, according to the needs of the article.

The first step is prewriting. Decide what you want to write about and do the research. During this process come up with a topic. Choose a topic that intrigues, interests or perhaps confuses you. Narrow down your idea to a certain question or argument. Collect data that uses relevant research methods such as experiments, interviews or surveys.

The second step is planning and outlining. What words for many is creating an essay outline. Use bullet points or numbering to make your structure clear at a glance.

The third step is to write a first draft. Use your outline as a framework. Make sure that each paragraph has a clear central focus that relates to your overall argument.

The fourth step is to redraft and revise. Look with a jaundiced eye at your first draft and find potential areas for improvement. Then, evaluate the first draft. Once you see where changes are needed, make the big changes first. The redrafting process and revising includes making changes to your overall argument, reordering the text, cutting parts of the text and adding new text. 

The fifth step is editing and proofreading. Read the text closely to remove typos and ensure stylistic consistency. When you edit, look for grammatical errors, phrasings that are ambiguous and repetition and redundancy. 

Follow these steps, let your uniqueness and creativity of your writing come through and you will be writing articles and books that are not only interesting but helpful to the reader.

Best wishes and keep writing!

Copyright Toni Star 2022

Poem: Where to find God? by Toni Star

 Where oh where can you find God?

  God is not hard to find; I know that to be true.

  You don't have to wander around or give anyone a nod.

  Look to your heart and you will not feel blue.

  He's right there all the time--right in your heart!

  Copyright Toni Star 2022

Tips on how to get through COVID or other trials in your life by Toni Star

 Let's be brutally honest; life, at times, can be extremely difficult and demanding. Such is the case for all of us going through the COVID disaster. I call it a disaster because in my mind, it has been a disaster for so many of us on this earth. I just read a wonderful article that lists ways in which you and I can handle this disaster or any other disaster in a more positive and less emotional way. I don't know about you, but I need this kind of information.

First, the article suggests to limit our news and media exposure. The article states, "there are two predictors  to how well a person will respond in a crisis and they are (1) how vulnerable they were in their own lives before the crisis and (2) how much news they consumed during the crisis. Then, to get through any crisis, one must accept his or her feelings as normal. "Mentally strong individuals accept their feelings as normal because this is a time for both personal trauma and collective trauma." A person who is resilient, knows that feelings such as fear and anxiety and sadness are normal because "the information is too overwhelming to process at once."

Third, "they--those going through the crisis--" carefully choose the leaders they follow." Those who are mentally strong follow people who display healthy leadership skills and mental health. Fourth, "limit social media and exposure." Social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter are unofficial news channels--that give news based on your behaviors. Fourth, mentally healthy people display self-compassion for lack of productivity. During the pandemic, there are pressures from certain sources that say we should be productive because of the increased time we have at home. But, ask yourself, "Is it reasonable to be productive when we are combating COVID or anything else that is "warlike?" And, COVID is an entity that is warlike!

Five, mentally healthy people meditate. Meditation has many benefits such as anxiety reduction, reduced stress, decreased depression and improved well-being. In addition, mentally healthy people limit toxic people. It is important to limit time with mentally toxic people. Mentally toxic people are very negative and can take a huge toll on your well-being. Whenever possible, stay away from them. Six, healthy people focus on self-care. By focusing on self-care and attempting to be flexible with new routines, they will get through the pandemic and other stressors better than those who remain inflexible. Laughter, connecting with family and friends by phone or text, getting the proper rest and good sleep; all of this will see you through much better during times of high stress. Lastly, mentally strong people know themselves and what they need to feel supported. If you are an introvert, focus on small gatherings; if you are an extrovert, enjoy some social activities; activities where you can gain energy from others and social activities.

To conclude, COVID is a war--it is a war that is still raging but it is a war we can WIN! Follow the above tips and be happy, productive and be successful as the COVID challenge continues. Keep in mind; as Chrisitians, God is in charge--not COVID--

and He will show you the way!

Copyright Toni Star 2022