Happiness isn’t always a given.  Sometimes we need to work at it.   If the thought of adding one more thing to your to-do list makes you cringe, no worries.  

Here are a few quick mood boosts to try:
       
Make Your Bed – you’ll start the day feeling like you’ve accomplished something. The sense of orderliness may have a positive effect on your mental state.
       
Spread the Thanks – the small act of thanking a friend or telling your partner they look nice may be
enough to get you smiling, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis

Spice it Up – Sprinkle some red pepper flakes on your pizza, the capsaicin(the stuff that adds  the
spicy flavor) triggers receptors in your mouth and that signals your brain to release endorphins, which give you a happy feeling.

Focus- eliminate distractions so you can stay on task.  The more you let your mind wander, the more you open yourself to negative thoughts.

Go to Bed – Seven seems to be a lucky number, shoot for at least 7 hours of sleep a night.  People who get 7 hours of sleep or more a night, tend to be happier, according to a study from the University of Michigan.
 
Hopefully you’ll see the benefits ASAP (Already Seeing a Positive) and it will truly become a happy
hour.

Have you ever been in the middle of a sentence and totally forgotten what you were talking about? How about forgetting items at the grocery store or misplacing your keys or wallet? 

You are not alone.  A study from University College London, published in January 2012, found that brain function -including reasoning, memory and vocabulary can start deteriorating as early as age 45.  But don’t despair! 

Here are some mental tricks, inspired by Pascale Michelon’s book, “Max Your Memory” to help boost recall:

The Journey Method (great for remembering to-do lists)
  - Take a mental walk through a familiar environment and create a link between items on your list  and various points on your walk. Later when you need to recall your list, you can travel along your mental path and “see” the items.

Picture the Numbers
  - Convert numbers into concrete objects, making them easier to visualize and remember 
 
Get Organized
  - Organize information by creating groups of things

Make Connections
  - Use your imagination to create associations between objects – visualize the objects together (the more the unexpected, the better)

Breathe
  - Slow down and take a moment to stop, breathe and re-focus

The next time you have a “moment” try one of these tricks and begin to see the magic and magnitude of your memory.

Are you on your to-do list?  It is so easy to let the demands of daily life, family, work, friends, and other commitments take precedence in your life.  We often say “yes!” without even thinking about how it will impact our personal time.  While shortchanging our selves and our goals to meet the needs of others often feels like the right thing to do, it isn’t a good long-term strategy.  Making your self a priority isn’t selfish – it’s necessary. 

How can we start to say “YES!” to ourselves more?  It’s not easy.  We need to start setting limits and making compromises with others for our time, talents and energy.  It’s a skill worth practicing, developing and perfecting.  This week, make yourself a priority – it’s good for you and good for everyone who depends on you.

Our body, mind and spirit thrive on new experiences.  Science has shown that our brains release the feel-good chemical dopamine in reaction to positive experiences. One study has shown that this same type of dopamine release is triggered in response to the mere expectation of a new experience.  We can benefit from exploring new opportunities.  So, why do we more often stick with what is comfortable, maybe even a bit b-o-r-i-n-g? It’s safe, easy and our lives aren’t so bad. But ask yourself, how did you feel the last time you tried something new?  Maybe it was as simple as ordering your coffee a new way, or buying and preparing a different color vegetable for dinner, or taking a different route on your daily walk or maybe it was taking a class online or at a local community center.  Integrating more new experiences into your life cultivates confidence and a willingness to stretch your mind, body and spirit.  So, go ahead and try it this week … and get more of the good stuff in your life.

Learning how to achieve balance with our meals and snacks is an important element for optimal wellness and personal vitality.  You may be thinking easier said than done.  Here are a few tips to consider for food and beverage portions, positioning, placement and packaging:

Downsize your serving dishes, plates and stemware
- White wine in champagne flutes anyone?

Reorganize your fridge – healthy stuff front and center
- According to Brian Wansink Ph.D., author of Mindless Eating: Why we Eat More Than We Think, “When you open your refrigerator or cabinet, you’re three times more likely to eat the first thing you see than the fifth”

Serve from and leave the main course on the stove
- Family style at the table for salad and veggies

Divide and conquer
- Measure a serving of cereal (you might be surprised how much 1 ¼ cups of Rice Krispies is vs. a ½ cup of Granola)
- Portion leftovers in single-serve containers
- Ziploc Snack Bags are perfect for pre-portioning healthy snacks

Taking a little bit of time to think before you eat and drink can be one of the smartest things you can do for yourself.  Bon Appétit!

How many things are you doing as you read this ? 

We are amazing multi-taskers these days.  So, let’s add one more task to your to-do list this week: SLOW DOWN.  We are living in the age of 24-7 connections and expectations. Our minds and bodies are programmed to believe that if we live at warp speed, it will make us more productive, successful and happy.  But downshifting in certain key areas can lead to big benefits.  
When you slow your pace you gain focus, feel more relaxed, in control and you may be less prone to everything from colds to chronic illness according to Dr. Bruce Rabin, medical director of the Healthy Lifestyle Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Here are a few slowing it down suggestions:

    Relax your morning routine:

    - Prepare the night before (pick out clothing, grind coffee beans)
    - Wake up peacefully (use an alarm sound that’s soothing, not jarring)
    - Identify 1 self-care ritual for the morning (deep breaths, moisturizer, dry rub before your   shower, hand lotion/massage, exercise, journaling)

    Eat like you are meant to

    - Slowly
    - Sit Down
    - Sense the Food – taste, texture and smell

    Uni-Task (it’s the new black!)

    - Try to do one thing at a time while on your computer
    - Truly be present when engaged in a conversation
    - Spend time with yourself…write or read or walk

Challenge yourself this week to SLOW DOWN and enjoy the gift of peace it brings.

At some point in your wellness journey it's inevitable that you'll face a lapse in motivation. But as the old fable of the tortoise and the hare illustrates, slow and steady wins the race. Continuing on your healthy path be it moving more, de-cluttering your life, eating the rainbow or connecting with yourself, others, or a higher power is the journey of a lifetime. As we commit (and re-commit) to small steps, they start to become routine and eventually will become a more natural part of our lifestyle. Week after week, healthy benefits will add up sooner than you might think!  If for example, we look at weight loss achieved through smart eating and increased movement. We may lose 1 pound every 2 weeks, 6 pounds in three months, 12 pounds in six months and 24 pounds in a year!  When facing a lapse in motivation, try these tips for keeping your eyes on the prize:

     Look for inspiration. Draw motivation by reading inspirational quotes or read articles about     ways and or people who may have overcome some of the obstacles and frustrations you may be facing.
    
     Buddy up. Find another person who shares your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Challenge each other to keep going.
     
     Start a journal. Turn to journaling (written or visual) to chart your journey.  It’s an easy tool to see how far you've come, remind yourself why you're doing this, and clarify what obstacles might be getting in the way.

It’s inevitable that motivation may wane, but how you overcome it is totally in your control. 

If you had no limitations, what would you do?  Travel around the world? Perform at a comedy club? Run a marathon? Start a non-profit? Write a book?  Your desire, whatever it might be, may be grand or it may be small, but it is vital to our health and wellness to have dreams.  If nothing immediately comes to mind, try this quick exercise:

  Close your eyes, take a few deep cleansing breaths, clear your to-do list from your mind and just “be” for a moment.  Now, think about what you enjoy or what you’ve heard yourself say (either internally or to others) numerous times, you know the “I’d love to_______________,” or “I’ve always wanted to________________”  or  “I wish I could_______________” and fill in that blank or blanks.  Open your eyes, take another breath and go write down what you thought, no matter how terrific or trivial it may feel or sound. 

Congratulations!  You have officially taken the first step in dreaming big.

It’s here again, the time of year that many of us feel the need and or pressure to make personal resolutions.  The odds are not in our favor.  According to a study conducted by the University of Scranton, of the Americans who make resolutions every January; 25% have broken them after one week, 36% after one month and 54% after half a year.  But even those odds are better than not trying, since people who make resolutions are still 10 times more likely to achieve their goals.

How can you make the rest of 2012 different?  Maybe it’s as simple as changing the way you think about resolutions and think about them as intentions.  With that simple vocabulary change, we alleviate some of the pressure and stress we can put on ourselves.  With positive intentions it can point us in the direction we want to proceed, rather than just identifying the definitive end goal. 

Try writing a few intentions that you would like to focus on in the next few days or weeks.  Start each with, I intend to, and complete the intention with your personal wishes. Remember it’s not about losing X pounds or exercising X times per week for X minutes a day but rather I intend to eat more mindfully or I intend to have more movement in my day or I intend to try new things.

Be sure to visit your list often and feel free to edit and update at any time. It’s your life, live it as you want, dream and deserve.

Tis’ the season of giving.   This holiday season give yourself a gift.  A gift you don’t need to shop for, order, wrap or even put a bow on.  Indulge in the gift of giving yourself  credit for all of the things you’ve tried and or accomplished this year.  So often, we focus on what we haven’t done or haven’t crossed off our to-do or bucket list.  Chances are, you’ve done a great deal, but you haven’t taken the time to appreciate the positive steps and actions you’ve taken over the past 12 months.

Find a few minutes to stop and reflect.   Some areas to ponder might be personal development, nutrition, spirituality, fitness or quality of life.  Perhaps you tried a new class and have integrated a key element from it into your life. Did you start eating a little healthier, and you’re feeling more energetic and motivated as a result? Maybe you’ve managed to get more movement in your day-to-day activities or added a self-care ritual to your routine.  Has a friendship or relationship been made that impacts your happiness? During the past year, did you have more life-balance, rearrange your priorities or become more self-aware?

A quick look back, may be the best gift you may receive.  This year, celebrate yourself and all that you are.  Happy holidays!