Live Life Consciously And Happily

Are you living your life consciously? When I was in my twenties, I felt immortal. Like many young girls of my age, I was in the pink of health and with hormones raging inside me. Yes, I was ever raging to go out and have fun. There were so many exciting things on my mind, and certainly health was low in the list.

Then came thirties, I was caught up with my career and a bad marriage. I was mired in the so-called no-time-no-money phrase. With a broken marriage, and as a single mum, I had to slough and struggle to make ends meet.

When I hit forties, it started taking a toll on my health. That was when I had a heart attack. All this while, I was overindulged and overworked. Worked late into the wee hours of the morning, and had to take care of my child. I was too busy trying to sort out all the urgent things in life, but forgot the most important one. My health.

I remembered waking up each morning, dragging myself out of bed, grabbing whatever food was available for breakfast. I struggled to stay awake in the bus each morning on my way to work. And that time I felt I was seventy year-old lady. Not only physically drained, but my mind was numbed and devoid of any feeling.

After my sudden heart attack, I decided to change my life. As they say, we are where we are because of the things we did in the past and there is there nothing you could do about it. And if I continue to do the same thing, I knew my life was going to end predictably.

I decided to change the path of my life. No more walloping in self pity and keep blaming others for my own life. As I have mentioned in my last post, those motivational and affirmation stuff which I had read helped me to see the light.

These days, I live consciously, so I take control of my life and I can see the truth more clearly, and learn how to take responsibility for the choices I make. So, I am able to reach my full potential and live a simple life of utter happiness and good health. No more drifting through life in limbo.

Now I understand how my action or behavior affects both the physical and the emotional state of yourself and those you interact with as well. I have learned to add life to my years and not years to my life. It is time for you to live life consciously too.

Happy And Healthy, But Not Lucky

I know some of you out there may say that I was merely lucky to be what I am today. Happy and healthy. Well, haven't you heard of, the harder you work, the luckier you become?

All this while, I don't believe in good luck or otherwise. Yes, no doubt today I am living the time of my life, but back when I was a struggling single mum, I had to work my fingers to the bone. Yet, I did not point my finger at anyone or at circumstances. I had to put in long hours, seven days a week to eke out a living and brought up my child singly after a broken marriage. Then I got myself into a messy relationship, had a sudden heart attack and a failed home based business. A messed up life, I would say.

Well, if I had solely relied on the so-called luck, I would not be where or what I am today. I was constantly looking for ways to stay afloat ding a kinds of odd jobs to keep our live afloat. Loads of hard work and lots of sacrifices and not LUCK!

I would dare say it was those years of reading books on motivation and personal improvement which got me out from the pit. I decided to do something about my life. It was the decision of wanting to reclaim my life back which saved me and set me forth on a road of happiness and good health. I put the decision into action and transformed my decision into specific plan of action steps. Then I executed my plan.

It was my heart attack which got me thinking about health. All this while, just like most you, I took for granted. I just gorged on junk food and hardly did any exercise. The pain and the price I paid for my cardiac problems really set me thinking about my own life. From that eventful day, I have been eating nutritious and healthy food. And do my daily exercise.

As for my financial plan, I spend within my means. Back then, I bought and I'm still buying fresh produce at the farmers' market. These days I do some of my shopping at a local health food store. I try to stay away from processed food, buy only fresh healthy ones. I make out a my grocery list, so I know what I am spending. Of course once a while I do indulge within my means. I do not have to own a a car to get around where I live. We have a reasonably good public transportation and besides, I love walking.

Just a few months ago, I settled my home mortgage. I don't owe anybody a single cent; no revolving credit, no debt, no interest. It may sound sugar and spice, but I paid my dues, my friend. As I have said, I acted on my decision and stay positive as I trudged and tripped till I was out financial difficulties and life's tribulations.

At my age, my top priorities in life are good health and peace of mind. Now each day, I sit at my airy veranda, sipping my cup of refreshing chamomile tea, enjoying the moment of my life. I am grateful I had made the right decision in my life and learning to move on. As what Robert Frost said, life goes on....

My personal advice for living happy and healthy life are:

1. Eat And Drink Healthy Stuff

2. Sense Of Humor

3. Exercise Daily

4. Enough Sleep And Rest

5. Plan And Organize

6. Live In The Present moment

7. Be Positive

Wonders And Benefits Of Nature

Do you know the benefits of Nature? As I have mentioned before I love the serenity of solitude. One great way to enjoy my solitude is "lost" myself in the woods to seek solace in nature. I love to get out of my cramp apartment and feel free in wide wild open space of the woods. To get a natural high, so to speak

I read that naturalist, author and philosopher Henry David Thoreau have documented the many benefits of spending free time in nature in his book "Walden". Other famous figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Muir and Charles Darwin had claimed that mother nature has played an integral role in the quest for happiness and personal fulfillment.

It is said that coming in contact with Mother nature improves mental health and psychological and spiritual development. Other benefits which nature can do include stress reduction, a sense of coherence and belonging, improved self-confidence and self-discipline, and a broader sense of community.

These days if time permits, I love to take long lazy walk in the wild woods of tall shady trees, fresh balmy air, colorful floral and fauna, amidst cheerful chirping of birds, fluttering butterflies and the soothing sound of bubbling brooks. As you know walking helps reduce the stress and improve our overall health and well being.

When you out in the wilderness, your awareness is heightened. Suddenly you realize the power of nature - the sights, sounds and smell of Mother Nature. The solitude you find in nature is really therapeutic. While you are enjoying the wonder of nature, at the same time you are actually exercising - walking down the meandering lanes, jumping over tiny streams, climbing on top of boulders.

If you are free this weekend, Forget about walking in shopping malls. Put on your pair of comfy walking shoes and head off to the nearest park or woods. Take your time and you will definitely discover the wonders and the benefits of nature. Most of us have taken granted and overlooked Mother Nature. Take my advice, soak yourself in nature and I assure you will discover many surprises for the first times out in Mother Nature.

Learn Breathing Meditation For Good Health

For some time now, I have been practicing breathing meditation. Do you know that proper and correct breathing is an important tool for unlocking physical and mental well-being? As we all know breathing is vital part of all form of meditation. When you learn to control your breathing in meditation, you can drift into meditative state easily.

The thing is breathing is something that you do it naturally every day, you are unconscious of it. But if you really sit still and take the time to focus on your breathing, you will discover how helpful it can be for your overall well-being. It can help to reduce stress and anxiety and improve mental health.

The purpose of breathing meditation is to calm and clear your mind and create inner peace. You can use breathing meditations alone or as a preliminary practice to quiet our distractions.

From I have read, breathing affected numerous body systems like the nervous system and the digestive system, as well as people's thoughts and awareness.

The first stage of breathing meditation which I learned is to stop distractions and have a lucid mind. first you need to find a quiet spot to meditate and sit in a comfortable position. You can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in any other position that you feel comfortable. You can sit in your favorite chair too. The crucial thing is to keep your back straight to prevent you from sleepy or dozing off.

Sit with our eyes closed and focus your attention to your breathing. Just breathe naturally, preferably through the nose. Try to become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils. This very sensation is the focal point of this meditation.

From my personal experience, I found it to be rather difficult at first. It seems as though your mind suddenly gets very busy concentrating on your breathing. In fact, now you realize how busy your mind is all this while. You will get over it, if you continue to breathe slowly and focus only on your breathing. If you find your mind has wandered off, you should immediately return and focus on your breathing. Gradually your mind will settle into stillness and you'll find a new sense of inner peace and relaxation.

You mind will feel clear, lucid and spacious. You will feel refreshed. With practice, you can get to experience inner calmness and contentment just by controlling your mind. Try breathing meditation today and live a healthy and happy life. Check out Butekyo Breathing Techniques.

Want To Reduce The Risk Of Heart Attack: Eat Nuts!

Do you know that you can reduce the risk of hear attack by eating nuts? I know most of us will think you are a nut, when you tell them that nuts are part of a healthy diet. Like many others, I too tried to avoid nuts before because of their high fat content and calories. Now, let's forget everything you ever heard "bad" about nuts. Actually they are not that "bad".

Several studies over the past several years have shown the health benefits of nuts. They contain monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, copper, protein, and fiber, and are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals.

But a word of caution here. As you already knew that nuts have high calories, so the key thing is you need to control the portion. What I mean is don't overindulge!

It is said that nuts are nutritious and they can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease. They also help to lower the density of lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or "bad" cholesterol levels and raise "good" cholesterol levels. In addition, they can help dilate blood vessels and prevent hardening of the arteries. I read somewhere the nut consumption appears to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes; and, in spite of their high fat content, nuts do not necessarily make us fat. Wow! Isn't it great?

So, it is time to go nuts at nuts, but know your limit of intake. As I have just mentioned nuts are quite calorically dense. For instance, 15 cashews have 180 kcal! You got go slow or restrain yourself from overeating them.

Enjoy The Serenity Of Solitude

serenity of solitudeYes, I know many of you dread of being alone. What if I tell you that you can find contentment of being alone? You see, being alone is different from being lonely. Solitude is a state of total relaxation, where one get to enjoy life all by oneself. Enjoy the serenity of solitude.

Personally, I used to be surrounded with lots of friends, family members and neighbors. But as I grow older and had gone through some rough patches in life (heart attack and broken marriage), I discovered the beauty, peacefulness and the joy of being alone. Before that I was so afraid of being alone. It was by chance, I found the serenity of solitude. Today I treasure and enjoy the freedom and the space in solitude.

I know it may sound strange to many of you. And some of you may ask, how to be happy alone. Isn't solitude unbearable? No, it need not be that bad. In fact, solitude provides me an inner calm and a vast space of freedom to myself. And with that, I can see and think better. I am not crowded and clouded with many unnecessary distractions and trivialities.

Do not be mistaken solitude as isolation. It is just a temporarily created mental state of free from all your problems, worries and clutters of everyday life. It is voluntary moment of sheer tranquility and happiness. Try it today and I am sure you will find the many benefits of solitude, just like me.

Meditation For Health And Happiness

Today, I would like to share with you on achieving health and happiness with the help of meditation. Before I picked up meditation some years ago, I always thought it is some kind of supernatural stuff, where one sits still and loses consciousness. Well, actually, meditation is a process where we take our attention and focus it inside the mind.

With our daily hectic pace and demands of modern life, many of us are feeling physically stressed out and mentally drained. We keep hearing folks complaining that there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. All these stress and fatigue drive many of us unhappy, impatient and lost. Definitely all these stress and strain put a toll on our health too.

When I pick up meditation, I find that I have more time for yourself. You see, meditation calm your mind and you are more focused. When you are mentally tranquil, you are relaxed and you are in more control. You can get more things done. Just do a simple ten-minute breathing meditation and it can help you to overcome your daily stress and find some inner peace and balance in your life.

Do you know that meditation can help you to understand our own mind better. You learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, or from confused to peaceful and also from unhappy to truly happy.

The aim of meditation is to make our mind calm and at peace. Once you are able to bring your mind to be peaceful, then you will be freed from worries and other mental distress. Only then you are able to achieve true happiness. Once you master the art of meditation, you would be able to bring your mind gradually to be more peaceful, and you will experience pure bliss.

Basically we all find it difficult to control our mind. If things go well, we are happy, but if they go otherwise, we become sad and disappointed. The thing is once we can have what we want, we hold on to them tightly. For instance owning a new car, finding a life partner, or getting a new highly paid job. But the fact is we cannot have everything we want forever, we will inevitably be separated from them. And this mental attachment, can only cause us pain. Once we do not get what we want, or if we lose something that we like, we become disappointed and angry.

We suffer from this mental attachment is because we are too closely involved in the external situation. With meditation, we can create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances. We have developed this mental equilibrium, a balanced mind that is happy all the time, rather than an unbalanced mind that agitates between "having and "losing".

Once you have mastered the art of meditation, eventually you will be able to remove all those delusions from your mind, which are the causes of all your problems and suffering. Yes, with meditation, you can experience a permanent inner peace, known as “liberation” or “nirvana”.

After some practice, you can remain happy all the time, even in the most difficult situations. And ultimately a healthy life too.

Meditation, Positive Thinking And Affirmations

Searching for more tips on health and happiness? Then read on....We all know life is not all beer and skittles or a bed of roses, so to speak. It doesn’t always sail smoothly. We all encounter and experience stormy moments every now and then. They could be financial shortage, critical illness, loss, and inevitable death.

We all have to acknowledge and accept this very fact of life. All those sad and bad stuff is part and parcel of life. Life will have its way with us and we all hope to do is to keep ourselves in alignment for the bumpy ride.

Remember, there is little control over life, but then we are never stripped of all our choices. For instance, if you seek seek solace in meditation, you can remain afloat through the stormy sea of life. You learn to calm yourself, slow down your breaths and keep your mind drifting afloat in serenity. Focus on what is good and avoid negative thoughts. Be grateful for what you have. As they say, peace and happiness is all within you. Draw yourself in to take refuge and gather your strength.

As I have mentioned in my last post, you make your own choices; to believe in yourself that you can overcome insurmountable adversities and achieve immense success. You have the choice or freedom to make them happen.

Other than meditation, you can develop a positive mindset which is is one of the most powerful life strategies. By using powerful positive thinking techniques, visualizations and positive affirmations, you can overcome the ebb and flow of life. You can also achieve whatever you want. They can transform your life, your health and renew the joy and passion for life. Say Yes to life.

It is all in our thoughts. Our mind is the one which is going to get you going. Remember this uplifting life quote by Norman Vincent Peale: "Change your thoughts and you change your world."

Happy Thoughts For Healthy Life

Your thoughts have effect on your health and happiness. Those of you who practice meditation knows the closed connection of your breath, the mind, and the body. Once your breath is disturbed, it will affect the mind and the mind will starts to wander off, causing disruption the low of positive energy. 

 What causes your mind to wander off? Two key reasons are desires and thoughts.The lack of control over your emotions produces desires. And also the latent impressions of feelings.Thoughts which encourages positive growth are usually thoughts that occur sans awareness and are negative in nature.

You see consciousness or awareness in all of your activities, behavior, and choice of thoughts and emotions helps you to take control of your life.

 Do you know your thought is a powerful tool? As they say, you are what you think. According to a Harvard University study, it was discovered the immune system has connection with the conscious mind and the effect of thoughts upon the body.
 In other words, your thoughts can affect your health. Those of you who are usually stay happy, laughing a lot can keep your doctor away. But life is not all fun and laughter. So, you need to try to maintain positive frame of mind and be happy, so that it promotes a healthy state of being.

Eat Healthy Mediterranean Food

Find out why I recommend you to eat healthy Mediterranean food. Basically Mediterranean cuisine comprise of heart-healthy olive oil, protein-rich legumes, fish and whole grains with moderate amounts of wine and red meat. It is not just because of the delectable taste, but because of the health-enhancing benefits. I have read somewhere, that studies have shown that eating a Mediterranean diet can prolong your lifespan and cut down the incidence of heart disease and cancer.

No doubt the vibrant healthy Mediterranean food from different region and country has its own individual characteristics. But the key elements are the Mediterranean folks who eat their rich and colorful traditional cuisine, generally have good health, absence of obesity, and longer life expectancy.

Yes, it is true that people consuming classic Mediterranean diet live longer. They have lower rate of mortality and cardiac death. Even common cancers were reduced. You see the Mediterranean diet is made up of olives and olive oil which contain many health properties like polyphenols which contain antioxidants. Polyphenols increase the healthful benefits of vitamin e levels, decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad cholesterol" and increase glutathione, which is a natural antioxidant which helps in detoxification of the body.

Olives can reduce inflammation and joint pains. Then we have the fish and fish oils which have health benefits such as preventing cardiovascular disease, reducing inflammation and improving the immune system. As you know fish is a great source of protein.

Mediterranean food comprises of fresh fruits and vegetables. For instance dates, olives, figs, tomatoes, fresh herbs, cucumbers, berries and lemons. As you know the fresh fruits and vegetables are enriched in antioxidants, vitamin C, beta carotene and vitamin A. They are an excellent source of fibre. We know that eating lots of fruits and vegetables can prevent us from heart disease, cancer and we can live longer. I strongly you should start eating healthy Mediterranean food.

Besides, the nutritious benefits, it is also because of their eating lifestyle that contributes to good health. Mediterranean folks take the time to enjoy their healthy meals and they love to eat in company.

Savor Simple Retreats

savor simple retreatDo you know every now and then, we all need to take some time to sneak off for a simple retreat? To get away from the daily grind and mind-numbing routines.

When I say simple retreat, I don't mean you need to splurge at an expensive spa, or a week getaway in some isolated mountain cabin. All you want to do is to rejuvenate yourself. Just some simple but powerful ways to replenish and restore your tired soul.

It can be soaking in a fragrant oil or bubbles bath, listening to soft sentimental music in a gloomy room, or go for a lazy afternoon walk in the park. Nothing expensive or anything elaborate. You merely want some activities which are nourishing, replenishing and fun.

Or how about napping under a shady tree amidst chirping birds and swishing sound of the leaves above. Close your tired eyes and listen to your own breathing for a minute or so. Daydream or fantasizing. The key thing is to relax and let your mind drift away for awhile.

Try one of these simple retreats and connect with your inner self. You will feel good and healthy.

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10 Cheap Healthy Food

Yes, these days, most of us are cash-strapped. But that shouldn't mean you have to sacrifice your health. Do you know there are many budget-friendly foods and nutritious too.

Check out this video. Watch and discover the top ten cheap health foods. They are good for both your wallet and your health.