Smile and Say Hello

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Simple Changes

As a teenager, I was very shy. I would walk the hallways in school, eyes down, shuttling off to my classroom. While I always had one or two close friends, I was never one of the “popular” kids in school.

My older sister was the opposite. I watched how she made friends easily and was comfortable around many people.

Smile!At one point I asked her how she made friends so easily. The advice she gave me was simple and effective.

She said, “As you walk down the hall at school and see someone you know, look them in the eye, smile and say hello. Then keep that smile on your face as you continue on your way.”

It’s many years later and I am no longer the shy person I was once. The advice my sister gave me is something that stayed with me over the years and has served me well.

Give it a try throughout your day… just smile and say hello. Keep that smile as you continue on your way and see how your world changes. So simple!

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Quiet Body, Quiet Mind

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Simple Changes

Monkey brain, mental clatter, whatever you call it the result is the same – a nonstop chattering in your brain. It is enough to drive one crazy!

So, how do we quiet that voice in our head that just won’t quite? How do we get some much needed peace in a stressful day?

One technique that works wonders is simply quieting the body.

Give this a try. Sit or lie down in a quiet place, get comfortable and place all your attention on your physical body. Start anywhere you like (head, shoulders, feet or anywhere that feels tense), placing your focus on that part of your body as you say the word “relax” or “let go.” Feel the muscle do just that. Move to another part of your body and do the same until you have relaxed all your muscles.

As you go through this exercise and your body relaxes, your mind will automatically quiet as well. If the chatter starts up again, simply go back to relaxing your body. Repeat as often as you need to.

Once your body is completely relaxed, place your focus on your breath. Don’t change it, just notice the air going in and out. Continue to relax.

You can do this exercise for a few minutes or an hour every day. Consider it a body/mind “mini” vacation from our stressful life!

Ahhh… such peace can be found in quiet.

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