Positive Pause – 1st August, 2016 – Just Be

just beIf you want to be happy, be.’ Leo Tolstoy

This quote on happiness from the Russian novelist seems, at first glance, almost too simple.  With a little reflection, the depth of his words become profound.  The state of “being” and not doing is at the core of mindfulness and meditation.  The cultivation of “just being” is the constant returning of our awareness back to the present moment. When we are truly “being” in the present moment and our minds are free from the constant traffic and noise of our thoughts we have every chance to implant the seeds of happiness and joy.  just bejust be

This week, try to quieten your mind by observing its relentless activity and focusing only on what is here and now. Without the “white noise” of the mind dictating your every moment you will find a peace and tranquility that will enable you to engage more fully with life. Just be.

Please read the 5 star reviews that my online program, The Positive Habit is receiving.

Ask An Expert – Fiona Brennan in HerFamily.ie

herfamily.ieAsk An Expert: How to Improve Your Life Using DIY Hypnotherapy

Katie Mythen-Lynch interviews Fiona Brennan, Clinical Hypnotherapist and creator of The Positive Habit, Six Pathways to Positivity – Digital, Self-Help Programme. Discussed is hypnotherapy, conscious eating and mindfulness and how to deal with negative thoughts, feelings, emotions or behaviour.  Read more here

For more information and to take the anxiety/self-esteem test to see if the program is right for you please visit thepositivehabit.com

herfamily.ie

Positive Pause – 28th March, 2016 – The Secret of Mindfulness

the secret of mindfulness
The secret of mindfulness in 5 sentences:

  1. The most important moment in your life is NOW.
  2. The most important person is the one you are with NOW.
  3. The most important activity is what you are doing NOW.
  4. The most important & easy way to be happy is to make somebody else happy NOW.
  5. The best way to create a future is to be mindful NOW.
Unknown-Thai Buddhist Monk
Source Deepak Chopra Foundation

Positive Pause – 21st March 2016 – Enjoy Waiting

Enjoy WaitingHow do you respond to being asked to wait? Enjoy waiting

This week, observe how you behave when you are required to wait for something whether it is a bus, a friend, a coffee, an email, an answer. Check in with how you respond to being asked to wait.  See if you can embrace this waiting time as a gift rather than an inconvenience. Many of us feel our frustration building when we are in a queue or stuck in traffic. In this digital age have become programmed for immediate gratification and  our brains have become wired for instant hits. However, this impulse to get what we want NOW works against us and creates cortisol (the stress hormone) when our needs are not immediately met.

Part of the mindfulness movement is about creating “brain breaks” from our over-scheduled minds; when we are required to wait, life presents us with a golden opportunity to enjoy the moment when nothing is expected of us but to simply be. Changing our perspective on waiting from frustration to mental freedom from doing allows life to flow positively at all times.

This week, enjoy waiting!

Positive Pause – 11th January 2016 – Kabalah: Awaken Higher Self

Kabalah: Awaken Your Higher SelfThe Kabalah is an ancient spiritual paradigm that was predominately popular in the Jewish faith although it is has also been aligned to Christianity.  The Kabalah states that the human soul has three elements, the nefesh, ru’ach, and neshamah. The nefesh is found in all humans and enters the physical body at birth. It is the source of one’s physical and psychological nature. The next two parts of the soul are not implanted at birth but can be developed over time; their development depends on the actions and beliefs of the individual. They are said to only fully exist in people awakened spiritually.

This week, through the practice of mindfulness, find those moments when you feel that you are connected to your ‘higher-self’. This could be times when you are in nature or simply just happy to be in the moment.  The more often we allow ourselves to experience ‘stillness’ in our minds, the closer we become to awakening spiritually and reaching the third and highest part of our souls.  Kabalah: awaken higher self.