Tag: mindful

Mindfulness is the No. 1 trend that will shape food in 2018, according to an article from Forbes. Being mindful at mealtimes and throughout the day is more than paying attention to the food we choose, prepare, and eat. It’s learning to recognize hunger in its various forms. It is being able to eat without being impacted by external influences and noticing—and respecting—fullness. It’s eating for enjoyment while nourishing our bodies.

As we turn the page onto a New Year, the following are words I would like every preadolescent and adolescent girl to embrace (take notes parents). Words are powerful creatures that direct your thoughts and actions. So pay close attention kids, your life lesson is beginning.

1. Become unpopular. That’s right! Stop walking to the beat of everyone else’s drum that pressures you into believing that what is important is to fit in and be popular. That is a bunch of hooey!

The wedding bells rang, the guests tore up the dance floor and you and your partner rode off into the sunset. Or perhaps the pandemic forced you to put off your wedding, and you and your partner are just now tying the knot. What next?

We use the phrase "the honeymoon is over" to refer to that time when the bliss of being newly married wears off and the real work of building a life together kicks in. Marriage is a partnership, and partnerships can be challenging. No longer are you responsible for only your own decisions. Now you must work together and come to a common understanding on everything: from sex to finances to raising children. When disagreements and misunderstandings arise, how can we move forward together?

You’re just over the first few weeks of the New Year. So, how has the "new you" been shaping up?

Most commonly, many have resolved to lose weight or exercise more. Sometimes we pledge to give up a chronic behavior that we know is not healthy, such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or over spending. The statistics vary, but no matter which reference you choose, the success rate of resolutions is dismal; ranging from approximately 8-45%. That means over half and probably closer to 90% of those who make a resolution will fail.

Your spouse forgot to fill up the tank on your van, after he/she borrowed it yesterday to deliver a special project to a client. So here you are, late to work, having to wait in line at the pump. You’re pissed! You grouse, you mutter, you kick the tires. You carry that anger around with you and start seeing reasons to be upset everywhere. You end up having a fairly miserable day.

You come home that night, and you're barely through the door when your spouse exclaims, "Why can't you ever call when you're going to be late? You've ruined dinner!"

Maintaining a relationship can be tough. Two individuals attempting to get—and stay—on a same page is difficult in any situation. With a relationship, the pair are attempting to write a whole book together. As challenging an undertaking as this is, there are some time-tested practices which can increase your odds of successfully coauthoring these chapters of life.

1. Engage with active listening: Therapists are taught that there is a difference between listening and hearing.

When you’re in a committed relationship, "all the little things” can take on a larger significance—the good and the bad. For example, little annoyances can seem like a bigger deal (or deal breaker!) when you experience them day in and day out. On the other hand, small sweet gestures like flowers or a handwritten love note can really warm our hearts.