15 things to stop doing to add ease to your life

15 Things You THINK Are Making You A Better Person (But Aren't)

by Shannon Kaiser

We put so much pressure on ourselves to do, be, and have more, we exhaust ourselves to the point that we can't do much of anything. I realized this by reaching that point myself. So, rather than trying to just push myself harder, I decided to stop. Just stop. 

Dedicating yourself to anything for 40 days is a beautiful gift you can give yourself.

I cleared my coaching calendar, took no new clients, put speaking events on hold, and canceled meetings. I figured my best shot at finding balance would be to stop trying to achieve, for the sake of achieving, to hold onto some perceived sense of momentum, and look inward, to find the things that really, truly motivated me.
As a life coach and self-help author, I realized that my vocation of serving others actually requires me to serve myself first. Regardless of your profession, honoring your own needs is the first step towards being able to live well and be of service to others. 
 
Dedicating yourself to anything for 40 days is a beautiful gift you can give yourself. My 40-day practice had one mission: to become my own best friend. Now, four weeks into my six-week program, I feel better than I have in my entire life. I’ve learned how to truly listen to my inner guide, I’ve lost more than 15 pounds, and my mental clarity is spot on. I’ve eliminated sugar from my diet and started a regular yoga practice again.
 
My life has transformed, and the only thing that changed was my decision to give me what I need. 

Most of us are over-committed already. So, the thought of layering additional obligations on top of job, kids, and everything else can feel prohibitive. What worked for me was cutting out habits or self-imposed commitments that weren't working. That means anything that wasn't making me happier, healthier, or better.

Here are the 15 things I stopped doing to help me reach my newfound levels of personal freedom, self love, and health. What do you want to give up?

1. I’m no longer going to finish books that lose my interest. I trust I learned what I needed to learn.

2. I'm no longer going to feel guilty for leaving food on my plate. Instead, I'll listen to my body.

3. I'm no longer going to ignore my inner voice. I'll act on my intuitive urges.

4. I'm no longer going to listen to others’ opinions about my life. I'll do what feels right for me.

5. I am no longer going to worry about money. I'll always have everything I need, and I allow abundance to flow.

6. I'm no longer going to think my life is off track. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

7. I'm no longer going to perceive my flaws as negative qualities. My imperfections are what make me a gorgeous human.

8. I'm no longer going to deflect compliments. Instead, I'll drink in the kindness.

9. I'm no longer going to chastise myself for my mistakes. They are learning opportunities; I'll embrace them all.

10. I'm no longer going to obsess about how or when my dreams will happen. I'll allow myself to enjoy the journey even more than the destination.

11. I'm no longer going to compare myself to other people. We are all on our own unique journeys.

12. I'm no longer going to apologize for saying what I feel is right. My voice and point of view matters.

13. I'm no longer going to force myself to do anything I don’t want to.

14. I'm no longer going to give more faith to my fear. Instead, I'll choose love.

15. I'm no longer going to put others first. To love yourself is not to be selfish. If the inside is nurtured, the outside will flourish.

How I Became The Happiest Person I Know

  by Susie MooreMany people have asked me over the years how I always manage to be so happy. After my father died when I was 19, and when I was going through a divorce at age 22, people used to say they never would've guessed what I was going through, because they thought I was always smiling.

Visualize what you want clearly and you'll notice an immediate shift in how you feel.

I've learned that being self-reliant and teaching others to be self-reliant in any circumstance is one of my biggest gifts. That's why I like when people ask me how I stay so upbeat. Because the answer — in short — is that I don't. Some days I feel so overwhelmed that I just want to give up entirely.

But one of the reasons I'm very happy overall is that I don’t allow my negative thoughts to control me for too long. Deep down I know that whatever suffering I am going through will eventually pass. 

I also have a few tricks (after so many years as a self-help junkie!) that ensure I stay on the right emotional track. These things keep me in tune with the high-frequency vibration of joy and love that I want to be a part of in the world. Here they are: 

1. I make sure my spare time is occupied with projects I love.
The underutilized mind is not a happy mind. I write almost every day to ensure that I'm always working on multiple projects that inspire and stretch me. Aside from my valued downtime and meditation, I'm a very busy person, which leaves little opportunity for rumination and overthinking. 

2. I give as much as I can.
It gives me a lot of joy to compliment others, make other people feel special and dial up the kindness wherever I go. Try this! It never fails to give me a boost, as we always keep what we give away. 

3. I focus on and visualize what I want.
My mind can easily veer into “worst-case scenario” mode unless I consciously uninvite those thoughts. I consistently remind myself why I'm doing what I'm doing and what it is I want to achieve.
Visualize what you want clearly and you'll notice an immediate shift in how you feel. Visualization also makes you incredibly creative in terms of taking action and making your dreams a reality. 

4. I ask for what I want (and don't feel guilty about getting it).
Whether it's a better table at a Central Park restaurant or the rates I command for different projects, asking for what I want ensures that I feel assertive, authentic and free. Silencing your desires is like taking a weakening drug. The only cure is to identify what matters to you, give yourself permission to know you deserve it and honor yourself by asking for it. I regularly ask myself, "What do I really want?" and allow my heart to lead the way. 

5. I think of how happy my past self would have been to have my current life.
Five or 10 years ago if someone told me that I would have the life that I enjoy now, I would have been extremely happy. I'm sure A LOT of you would feel the same way about where you are in your life. I remind myself regularly that while I'll always be working toward something new, I'm still doing OK in the present moment. 

6. I consume inspirational material EVERY single day.
If I miss a day, I notice it. I listen to podcasts, I read books, and I make it a point to go to inspirational websites. External inspiration massively feeds internal inspiration. I can't live without it.
It’s a simple list, but it works for me.

When to Use Ice, When to Use Heat

By Dr. Mercola

Applying ice or heat can provide relief from injuries, aches, and pains, but they shouldn't be used interchangeably. Generally speaking, ice works well after a sudden injury while heat helps to soothe ongoing muscle aches and pains.

Ice works for injuries because it narrows your blood vessels, which helps prevent blood from accumulating at the site of injury, which will add to inflammation and swelling while delaying healing. This is also why elevation is helpful, since it limits blood flow to the area to minimize swelling.1

A good rule of thumb to remember following an injury is RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. You should generally ice the area for 48 to 72 hours to reduce secondary tissue damage and ease pain.

Ice should be applied for about 20 minutes once an hour. You don't want to use ice longer than this as it could damage your skin or even lead to frostbite. Be sure the ice or gel pack you use can be wrapped around the injured area and even compressed to minimize swelling. You'll want to protect your skin from direct exposure by applying a cloth or towel between your skin and the ice.

When to Use Heat…

For muscle aches and pains, applying a heat pack will help bring blood flow to the area, which promotes healing and soothes pain while increasing flexibility. As blood flow increases, so does the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the area while waste materials are removed.

Heat also works well for joint pain or as a pre-workout warm-up. Hot gel packs or heated water bottles work well for this and don't pose any of the risks of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure that most electric heating pads do.

Generally speaking, pain that is chronic and does not involve swelling will respond well to heat treatment. As with ice, you'll want to use a barrier between the heat and your skin, such as a cloth. Apply the heat for 15 or 20 minutes at a time.

You may also want to try alternating heat and cold, which is a strategy often recommended by physical therapists and trainers. Apply heat for 20 minutes then follow immediately with 20 minutes of cold.
 

Another Way to Use Heat: Hyperthermic Conditioning

Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) are used by your cells to counteract potentially harmful stimulus. Whenever a cell is exposed to an unfriendly environment, the DNA separates in certain regions and begins to read the genetic code to produce these stress proteins.

HSPs are actually beneficial, helping to both prevent and repair damaged proteins. Heat-shock proteins are induced by heat, and this is one reason why sauna use is so beneficial.

According to Rhonda Perciavalle Patrick, Ph.D., increasing your core temperature for short periods, as is done by using a sauna, may offer dramatic improvements to your athletic performance.

She calls this concept "hyperthermic conditioning," which emerging research suggests has multiple positive effects on your body, from increased endurance to the growth of new brain cells.

Hyperthemic conditioning, or "acclimating yourself to heat independent of aerobic physical activity through sauna use," boosts endurance because it induces adaptations in your body that make it easier for you to perform when your body temperature is elevated.

In short, as your body is subjected to reasonable amounts of heat stress, it gradually becomes acclimated to the heat, prompting a number of beneficial changes to occur in your body.
 

The Benefits of Sauna Use

As your body adapts to heat stress, these adaptations include increased plasma volume and blood flow to your heart and muscles (which increase athletic endurance) along with increased muscle mass due to greater levels of heat-shock proteins and growth hormone.

In one study, those who had a 30-minute sauna session twice a week for three weeks after their workouts increased their time it took to run until exhaustion by more than 30 percent!2

Daily sauna use has also been shown to cut men's risk of death from fatal heart problems in half, compared to those who only used it once each week.3 Other physiologic adaptations that occur from hyperthermic conditioning include:

• Infrared sauna: 160-180 degrees Fahrenheit, for 15-30 minutes
• Regular (Finnish wet or dry) sauna: 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit, for 10-20 minutes

Additionally, consider the following safety tips at all times:

Improved cardiovascular mechanisms and lower heart rate5	Lower core body temperature during workload	Higher sweat rate and sweat sensitivity as a function of increased thermoregulatory control6
Increased blood flow to skeletal muscle (known as muscle perfusion) and other tissues7	Reduced rate of glycogen depletion due to improved muscle perfusion8	Increased red blood cell count9
Increased efficiency of oxygen transport to muscles10

General Sauna Recommendations

Infrared saunas are known for their ability to promote detoxification, as discussed in a previous interview with Dr. Brian Clement, medical director of the Hippocrates Health Institute. By heating your tissues several inches deep, the infrared sauna can enhance your natural metabolic processes and blood circulation.

It also helps oxygenate your tissues. Your skin is a major organ of elimination, but many people do not sweat on a regular basis, thereby forgoing the benefits of this natural detoxification process. Repeated use of the sauna slowly restores skin elimination, which can help reduce your toxic load quite significantly. Many also enjoy saunas for relief of pain and muscle tension.

For all its health benefits, exposing your body to high temperatures should be done with commonsense and caution. If you've never taken a sauna before, start out by spending only a few minutes in there. Try a maximum of four minutes when first starting out.

Then, for each subsequent sauna, add about 30 seconds, and slowly work your way up to somewhere between 15 to 30 minutes. The reason for this is because the detoxification process can, in some cases, be severe, depending on your toxic load. General sauna recommendations are as follows:

Avoid using a sauna by yourself; always sauna with a buddy

Always listen to your body when deciding how much heat stress you can tolerate. If you're ill or heat sensitive, decrease the temperature, time spent in the sauna, or both

Do not use a sauna if you've been drinking alcohol	Be sure to drink plenty of pure water before and after your sauna session. To replace electrolytes, add a pinch of Himalayan pink salt, which is rich in natural microminerals
Avoid saunas during pregnancy	You may want to rest either sitting or lying down for about 10 minutes afterward

When to Use Cold-Water Baths…

At the other end of the spectrum, exposing your body to cold temperatures may also have health benefits. For starters, intriguing research suggests heat-shock proteins may also be cold-induced.

In one animal study, cold exposure induced the expression of HSPs in brown fat,11 the implications of which are as yet unknown. It's thought that cold-induced expression of heat-shock proteins may facilitate thermogenesis in beneficial brown fat,12 and, on a much broader scale, that exposing your body to reasonable amounts of both cold and heat stress may actually be beneficial.

Brown fat is a heat-generating type of fat that burns energy instead of storing it, and this may have important implications when it comes to weight loss. In one study, scientists found that they were able to activate brown fat in adult men by exposing them to cold temperatures.13 Swedish research published in 2009 also found that cold temperatures increased the activity in the subjects' brown fat regions.14 In fact, cold-induced glucose uptake was increased by a factor of 15.

Based on animal models, researchers estimate that just 50 grams of brown fat (which is less than what most study volunteers have been found to have) could burn about 20 percent of your daily caloric intake—and more if "encouraged."

Regular cold water and ice baths, otherwise known as cold-water immersion or "cryotherapy," is also a popular technique among amateur and professional athletes, as it is thought to help reduce muscle inflammation and pain after exercise, as well as speed recovery time.

Indeed, after analyzing 17 trials involving over 360 people who either rested or immersed themselves in cold water after resistance training, cycling, or running, researchers found the cold-water baths were much more effective in relieving sore muscles one to four days after exercise.15

Most studies on cold-water immersion report no or minimal side effects, so if you're willing to spend 20 minutes or so in a cold tub of water, you may very well find some relief. Of course, common sense must be used. When you immerse yourself in cold water, it will shock your body to some degree, so you need to make sure the water is not too cold and you do not stay in it for too long.

Brief Exposure to Cold Water Might Promote 'Hardening'

Exposing your whole body to cold water for short periods of time is also used to promote "hardening." Hardening is the exposure to a natural stimulus, such as cold water, that results in increased tolerance to stress and/or disease. This was demonstrated by a study involving 10 healthy people who swam regularly in ice-cold water during the winter.16 Following exposure to the cold water, researchers noted:
 

• "Drastic" decrease in uric acid levels: High levels of uric acid are normally associated with gout, but it has been long known that people with high blood pressure, kidney disease, and people who are overweight often have elevated uric acid levels. When your uric acid level exceeds about 5.5 mg per deciliter, you have an increased risk for a host of diseases including heart disease, fatty liver, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and more.

• Increase in glutathione: Glutathione is your body's most powerful antioxidant, which keeps all other antioxidants performing at peak levels.

Personally, I have been experimenting with cold-water immersion for a couple of years. I will go into the shower without allowing it to warm up, and I also go in the ocean without a wet suit on when most people consider it too cold to swim. I have found that if I hold my breath it really helps adjust to the initial shock, and I rapidly acclimate to the cold. I have come to enjoy it and now view it as a form of healthy stress, very similar to exercise.

If you decide to give any type of cold-water immersion a try, be sure to listen to your body and work up to the more advanced techniques gradually. There are a number of different options you can try:

• Place an ice pack on your upper back and upper chest for 30 minutes per day (you can do this while relaxing in front of the TV for example)
• Drink about 500 ml of ice water each morning
• Take cold showers
• Immerse yourself in ice water up to your waist for 10 minutes, three times per week. (Simply fill your tub with cold water and ice cubes)

And remember, you can use hot and cold therapeutically for muscle and joint pain and injuries, respectively. If you have swelling and an acute injury, apply cold using an ice or gel pack for 20 minutes at a time. For chronic aches and pains, use a gel pack or hot water bottle for 20 minutes for relief.

Accupressure point ST 36

Here’s What Happens When You Massage THIS Point On Your Leg

According to Chinese medicine, the body is an energy system, and the flow of that energy determines how well your body’s organs and tissues function. 

Accupressure, which is the application of pressure on certain points, was founded by a Japanese man named Zu San Li thousands of years ago.

In traditional Chinese medicine, there are 365 points that need to be massaged on the body which emanate from 12 meridians, or major points of energy flow. 

Activating these points can slow down aging and may even impact how the body fights off disease.

What’s so special about this spot on your shin?

San Li called it the “point of longevity.” It’s said to be a major controller of how energy flows to your digestive system, kidneys, adrenal glands, and sexual organs.

It has major implications on your immune system, which when in working order, helps fight off disease and slow aging.

Natural Alternative to Febreze

How Toxins In Febreze Are Harming You, Your Kids, and Your Pets (and The Natural Alternative)

by Jesse Alvarado
In this day and age, people are more and more aware of what they are putting in their bodies. They eat organic, practice healthy, balanced diets, and ensure they are properly hydrated amongst other practices.

But what you might not realize is the kind of toxins you’re putting into your body from things that aren’t eaten.

Febreze’s advertising encourages you to “breathe happy”, but the list of unpronounceable chemicals and toxins in Febreze is enough to make anybody feel anything but happy.

 

Stale Air

Some of the chemicals found in Febreze are especially harmful to young children. Benzisothiazolinone is a known immune system toxin as well as a mutagenic, causing DNA damage in humans. Young children are still developing so exposure to this chemical affects them more adversely than adults.

There are also multiple ingredients that act as neurotoxins: BHT, ethyl acetate, benzaldehyde, and other ingredients in Febreze are known neurotoxins. Even the “fragrance” listed on the Febreze bottle is known as a neurotoxin.

There are certain ingredients included in the Febreze formula that are known to be cancer causing as well. Acetaldehyde, 1.3-Dichloro-2-propanol, propylene glycol, and other unnatural sounding components in Febreze have links to cancer.

 

All Natural Air Freshener

The best method is always the natural method. There is no need to buy products laden with harmful ingredients when you can make a healthy alternative at home, with just a handful of ingredients.

These are the things you’ll need to create your own air freshener:

• 1 tbsp of baking soda
• 2 cups of distilled water
• 10 drops of essential oil (you can pick whichever scent you want, or try mixing your favorites)
• Clean spray bottle

Mix the baking soda and essential oil in a bowl with a fork to keep the oil suspended in the water. Pour the mixture into the spray bottle (a funnel works wonders) and top off with the distilled water. Shake before every use and enjoy clean, fresh air at home.

 

Breathe Easily

Don’t bring home chemical-heavy air fresheners ever again. Keep yourself, your loved ones, and your home happy, healthy, and lively.

Garden update & harvest 10/14/15

 10/14/15 - Today's harvest...2 giant green onions, 3 red onions, chili peppers, ground cherry tomatoes and 6 beets

  10/14/15 - 6 beets

  10/14/15 - Red onions

  10/14/15 - Today's clean up

  10/14/15 - 1st and 2nd row

 10/14/15 - 3rd and 4th row

September Conscious Box 2015

September Conscious Box 2015 - Gluten-Free

How Does Conscious Box work?

Conscious Box is the best way to discover the most ethical and sustainable products on the planet! Focusing on strict tenets of organic, fair trade, and pure and natural products, each month Conscious Box will introduce you to healthy and honest alternatives for every aspect of your life and for every member of your family. Discover the best natural products, earn points for leaving feedback and reviews, and buy your favorites at incredible discounts!

• Get a variety of unique pure & natural products every month!
• From organic food to vegan beauty products, you’re sure to find new favorites!
• Discover ethical and purpose-driven businesses of all sizes!
• Get content on daily living tips, exciting monthly themes, and creative ways to use your box!
• Easily earn points you can apply to full size products for unbeatable discounts!