Happy New Year 2011

Good wishes to everyone this coming new year. May the peace and joy shower your home and on you.

Merry Christmas and a wonderful New year!!

May you have all the joy  and warmth this season and may you be showered with love and happiness.

Have a great time with your friends and family.

Remember to drive safe and keep your spirits high!!

Differrent Time Zones

ADA # 18 - Different Time Zones

Teenagers have a different body clock to people of other ages. They are “pre-programmed” to stay up later and can sleep- in well into the afternoon! ( Parents, do not fret, your teen is normal!)   So aim for eight or nine hours of sleep a night if you want to be in top form at school or college.

Clear out the toxins

ADA # 17-  Clear Out The Toxins

Do not neglect exercise. Stretching exercises like yoga and pilates helps the body’s circulation moving.  Sweating through walking or cycling helps remove toxins from the body and alleviate the blues.

Have Gaps Between Appointments

ADA # 16- Have Gaps Between Appointments

When planning your day, leave time gaps between appointments in case of those “inevitable” moments. You won’t be thrown off course when emergencies or interruptions happen.

I remember once there was a day when I had to meet so many people at once. It started off with me having to meet this lady for a breakfast meeting. Everything went well but we ended up chatting a little too long. I was supposed to rush of for a session with a client at 11am. Lo and behold, there was an accidents along the route to my center. I was late by 15 minutes and luckily the client did not complain. That made me become late by 30 minutes for a lunch date wieth a friend. But nothing cannot be solved by me buying her lunch. But the lunch session was bad as I split gravy on my blouse. I didn't have time to change or buy a new top as I was due with another client in 10 minutes! Argh!! the embarrassment!

I was supposed to do the banking after the client. But the session ended late as well, leaving me with just 15 minutes to drive to the bank, park and get my number. That's impossible and so, it has to wait till another day.

Lesson to be learnt! Plan your appointmnets with at least a 30 minute breakk in between and be very generous in planning the time for travel. Anything can happen!

Cure a stuffy nose

ADA # 15 - Stuffy Nose?

To treat a stuffy nose, especially in the morning, push down directly below the outer border of each nostril.  Feel for a small indentation on either side of the base of your nose. You will be able to locate it more accurately by flaring and relaxing your nostrils. Apply equal pressure on both sides for five minutes for some relief.

 

 

Once cleared, take the opportunity to have a deep breath. Its amazing how relaxing a simple deep breath can be. Go out and smell the rosses, or the perfume of your loved one. You are blessed with the sense of smell.

Massage away your blues

ADA # 14 - Massage Away Your Blues

Though it’s a popular therapy, it is amazing how many people never got a massage.  A treatment need not cost much and the benefit of a totally relaxed body and mind is immense.  It will make you happier and more energized. Treat yourself to an hour of luxurious pampering because you deserve it.

Depending on your budget, there are loads of massage centers out there. It is amazing how the human touch can be so therapeutic. So go and make the booking now!

Go for a family outing

ADA # 13 - Go For A Family Outing

Spend time with your family just doing something you all enjoy, like walking or visiting a park. Visit the museum or read together in the public library. A movie for the family or a simple meal out would do wonders to further strengthen the bond.

Just last night for example, everyone in the family was getting hungry at about 11pm. What could we do with a pot, soup as left overs and lots of veggies and fish balls in the fridge? HOTPOT!! Yes we were crazy ... eating at this time of the night. We couldn't sleep for the 2 hours after that. But it was fun. Everyone enjoyed it. Even the dog!!

Watch your weigh

ADA # 12 - Watch your weight

A change of more than 5% of your body weight in a month, especially if accompanied by a change in sleeping habits or feeling of exhaustion might be a sign that you are suffering from depression. Seek help if you are worried

Normally if there might be a chance of depression, you might start to binge or tend to lose interest in food. So much so that you only eat to survive. The signs might thus be more obvious to people around you. So spread the message around so that more people will benefitfrom this.

Don't put yourself down

ADA # 11 - Don't put yourself down

Although it is important to be able to recognize your weak areas, instead of just thinking about your weakness, match them with strengths to keep confidence levels high. For instance, if you are impatient, chances are you are also good at adapting quickly to change.

ADA #10- Eat your magnesiums

Magnesium helps reduce palpitations, muscle cramps and menopausal symptoms. Some studies have shown that it reduces blood pressure as well.

So make sure you are getting enough of it by eating lots of geen leafy vegetables, sweet corn, seeds or raisins.

Get a mentor

ADA - #9 Get a mentor

At what ever stage of life you are in, you will benefit from a life mentor. Find someone older and wiser and keep communicating so you can improve yourself and you can always seek advice when needed. Try to get a mentor in your career or even in your other activities.

I've been blessed with a mentor at every stage of my life. These people are just there to help me out whenever I need their help. My parents were always there to guide me in everything that I do. At work I meet bosses or colleagues who are so ever willing to guide or to share. In Toastmasters I have mentors that help me improve myself. I meet friends every where and their endless words of advice and encouragements gives me the strength and support to move forward. I love you guys!

ADA #8 - Make work work for you

ADA #8 - Make work work for you

If you don't enjoy your job but don't feel you have a choice about giving up for something else, don't fall into the trap of wasting your time. If you have to stay in your job, work hard and try to find a niche within it that suits you.

eg: you can volunteer to organize the company pot luck lunch or volunteer to start an in house news letter.

Not everyone is born with a silver spoon and can't leave a job anytime they want. There is all those commitments, bills etc and thus, we have to continue on with our jobs. If you can't throw in the letter, do it! You'll feel much better and more confident of yourself (exactly what happened to me a year ago).

But if you can't, just relax and find ways to help yourself out of the rut (I had to stay on for 1 whole year before I finally quit). So what can you do? Find different ways of doing things differently, to give you the variety. Have different drinks at tea time, rearrange your workspace every week, wear different styles every week or simply, change the wall paper on your PC.

Be positive

ADA - # 7 . Be positive

Its really easy to assume that the world doesn't understand you, but take a minute to think about things from the other person's point of view. But yourself in their shoes. Maybe it is just a misunderstanding and you have made yourself so worked up for nothing. 

So everytime you feel angry at someone, try to think of something positive about them. You will see a great difference with your well being.

Laugh at your self

ADA #6- Laugh at your self

Laughter is the best medicine. Just a laugh a day keeps the doctor away, and I am talking about the deep belly laughs. Every morning, as you look into the mirror while you brush your teeth, start laughing at the face in the mirror. Start with a 'pretend' laugh and it would slowly become a real laugh after a while.

Its a great way to start your day!

I go for laughter yoga once a week. Its where a group of people gather outdoors and laugh for no reason. Yes, we laugh at each other, laugh at our self, laugh at the trees and sky. And others might think we have become 'cookoo' but who cares, we are enjoying it anyway.

So search for a laughter yoga club near you.

Take fish oil

ADA #5 - Take daily supplements of fish oil. It helps improve physical and mental performance.

Share the chores

ADA # 4 - Share the chores

Make sure everyone in the household shares the chores and take some responsibility. This way, everyone appreciates their home more.

If your're the queen of the house, make sure your husband takes out the trash, or your kids packs their toys. If you're the one that does not do anything, its time to do something around the house. Don't overburden one party with all the housework. Split it up so that everyone has a free time together to share, to bond and to live life!

Give yourself a kiss!

ADA #3 - Give yourself a kiss

Whenever you feel life's getting out of control, remember the KISS approach - keep it simple, stupid! Problems often crop up because we allow things to become overcomplicated, so keeping it simple is a great way to keep things in perspective.

However, planning andexecution is an important facet of life. Putting in the exta effort always pays off, but not if it takes a toll on your well being.

For example, a friend of mine was busy preparing for her wedding. She planned every thing right to the detail and worries over issues such as whether the cake will be too sweet of if Uncle A would mind sitting with Uncle B. She really stressed herself out and fell sick twice in the 3 months prior to her wedding day. And on the actual wedding day, she was so tensed up  and couldn't enjoy the most important day of her life.

And the lesson to be learnt - Keep it simple! Everything turned out fine after all ...... in fact, tool much effort was wasted.

Have a meal with others

ADA #2

In our Asian culture, sitting at the dinner table together as a family is important. It helps you bond and create stronger ties with each other. Having a meal together also let you have the time to catch up on each others lives.

If you live alone, fret not. Try to meet up with friends as much as possible. It gives you the social support and great sharing moments with the wonderful people around you. Never rush through your  meals. Take time, savour your food and enjoy the company and conversations that comes along with it.

Get outdoors

ADA # 1 - Get out doors

It  is not only fun, but healthy too. Go for a run, a quick stroll, do some gardening or play a sport. Firstly, it gives you a loads of fresh air, plus it leaves your heart pumping faster, to give you the healthier glow. Secondly, it helps to relieve all the stress you have and its a good way to beat fatique and negative thoughts.

If you go outdoors alone, it is a great time to reflect on your life or your daily activities. If you're with a friend/ partner, it is a great time to bond and communicate with each other. Whatever it is, take the opportunity to have fun!

I went for a jog yesterday, and it was great! Earlier in the day, I had some issues in the office and it left me feeling a little (in fact very!) stressed up. But after I got home, I put on my shoes and did a few rounds around my block. I saw children playing in the gardens, dogs and cats, children greeting their parents after coming home from work and even kites flying. The smell of flowers and even my neighbour cooking was so delightful. It made me forget all my worries and I am back on track again today!!

Hypnosis@ADA's well being blog

Welcome to another of ADA's blogs.

This blog would provide you with tips, suggestions and stories, all aimed at helping you increase your well being and empower you to have a healthier and happier life!