ACCEPTANCE of life’s circumstances is essential for expanding your awareness and approaching spiritual wellness, and the refusal to accept these circumstances ONLY creates suffering. Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation or agreement with any occurrence. It’s normal to be upset, disappointed, sad, or angry, but soon after you experience these negative emotions, you should identify, process, and...

The Golden Rule has been around for centuries and is accepted by most all religions and philosophers: Judaism and Christianity (Leviticus 19.18): “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Christianity (Matthew 7.12): Jesus said: “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.” Buddhism ((Sutta Napata 705): Comparing oneself to others in such terms as "Just as I am so are they,...

Every moment in life is a precious gift and nobody knows for sure the time of their physical departure from this world. For this reason (and many others), one should consciously focus on being here now, expressing gratitude for what you have in the present moment. Gratitude means being thankful, counting your blessings, and appreciating the little things in life. Gratitude, in a nut shell, is focusing...

Self-control is the ability to have restraint over one's emotions, thoughts, desires, and behaviors. You probably have heard the expression “ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.” For it is your demeanor, attitude, or how you react in any given situation that really defines who you are as a person, despite the circumstance! Simply put, make the best of every situation that presents itself in your life with...

If you take a glass and fill it halfway to the top with water, do you see the glass as half-empty or half-full? Let's say the glass represents life, and water illuminates the contents of life. So, if you view the glass as half empty you're seen as a pessimist, focusing on what’s missing in your life. On the other hand, if you see the glass as half full you're seen as an optimist because you center...

Stress can be described as a person’s response to an internal or environmental stressor, condition, or stimulus. While this material focuses more on the negative effects of stress, stress can be seen as either a negative or positive condition that can influence a person's mental and physical well-being. Stress can be provoked by real life dangerous situations, or as a reaction to a perceived threat...

As a physical consequence of stress, delicate hormone ratios are thrown off. Continuous high levels of stress spike cortisol levels, potentially leading to chronic fatigue. pH balance is altered and acidity/inflammation levels rise. You can also look forward to increased blood pressure, which can lead to heart and kidney damage, gut issues and compromised immunity with increasing inflammation and the...

Emotional expressions are a byproduct of the thinking process. Negative thoughts can produce negative emotions and behaviors, resulting in elevated stress levels that can be physically and mentally damaging. As you continue to practice self-awareness, you gain more clarity and see things in a positive light - NO problems, ONLY solutions! Focusing on gratitude and fulfillment as opposed to lack and...

STRESS comes in many forms—environmental and internally produced toxicity, work-physical stress, and emotional and mental stressors of all kinds (that can be managed or avoided when acting proactively). As you know, unmanaged, persistent stress has tremendous negative consequences and can take an immense toll on the mind, body, and spirit. Stress not only impacts your well-being, but all those around...

A crucial aspect of a healthy lifestyle and total wellness is physical activity! Throughout history, especially before the invention of automobiles and public transportation, the constant movement was unavoidable in human societies. The first Homosapiens were nomadic hunter-gathers, so physical work and a great deal of walking were a big part of their everyday lives. They traveled from place to place,...