Meditation Practice

I have read that meditation is a wonderful way to promote inner calm in your life.

On recommendation from a doctor, I started to use an iPhone app for meditation.  She recommended Headspace and Simply being.  I looked at those apps and decided to download the Headspace app which was free and if I think I want to try another I would pay the $1.99 for the Simply being app.  I did notice another app had better reviews than Headspace, which is called Breathe. It's free as well. So I downloaded this app.

I started with Stop, Breathe and Think app on Monday since it was top rated and I will use it for 15 days and assess the app.  I will then start trying Headspace, which has a 10 day start and then use it for 5 more days to see if I like this app as well.

That would be my 30 days to improve.

Link to the Stop Breathe and Think app:
http://stopbreathethink.org

Link to the Headspace app:
https://www.headspace.com/signup?origintoken=google-b&gclid=CjwKEAjw1f6vBRC7tLqO_aih5WISJAAE0CYw572tyREs7ehJpSgJjbDjJj4HB9HqqMsX10thjqtX3xoCRz3w_wcB

Week One: Meditation practice

I've been using Stop, Breathe and Think app for a week and I have to say that I feel a difference in my whole attitude.

I feel just generally good.  I think meditation is a wonderful and easy way to feel good.  How wonderful that this app has proven to me that you only need a few minutes a day to feel good. This past week I've spent 53 minutes meditating. Not too long out of the entire week for more inner calm. 

The Stop Breathe Think app has a check in at the beginning to assess how you are feeling and then it recommends meditations for how you are feeling.  You can also just look at the list of meditations, read the descriptions and choose the meditation that you would find most helpful.

The free meditations are about 6 minutes each and then you can purchase longer mediations if you want to go further.  I haven't tried this yet, but I think I might try it in the future.  I found it interesting that they had meditations by k.d. lang.  It says, "Musician k.d. lang shares meditations that inspire her and have personally helped her deal with anxiety, the impact of fame and the opinion of others." You can buy her 5 meditations for $1.99.

Link to the app:
http://stopbreathethink.org

30 day Internet fast

I'm starting today an Internet fast. I have been feeling for some time that I waste my time surfing the Internet looking at all the great things other people are doing, while not doing much myself.  So. I am going to not use the Internet for 30 days. I can check my email twice a day. Lunch time and once at night. I can respond to texts. That is all. 

I think this is going to be difficult for me but maybe I will be more present and actually accomplish things this month. 

I'll update in a week. Wish me luck. 

Week three update: 30 Day Improving World Outlook

Well, I was reviewing how I am looking at the world this week.  I think it has improved significantly from where I started three weeks ago.  I have actually started doing the tedious projects around the house that I have so efficiently procrastinated for a long while.

I went through a stack of books and DVDs and found some to sell through the Amazon Trade-in program.  I love it.  I haven't done this in a while, but I found items that they would purchase for me and then printed the mailing label and sent it out to them.  If they find any items that aren't quite right, they will send them back.  I love that I don't have to post on eBay, wait for bids, go to the post office and mail it off.  It is too much work for all the odds and ends around here.

Link to the description of the exercise:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/living-forward/201501/one-exercise-sure-make-you-feel-better-about-yourself?utm_source=FacebookPost&utm_medium=FBPost&utm_campaign=FBPost

Week one update: 30 day Improving world outlook

I thought that this exercise on looking at the positive was helpful. I did have some days where trying to figure out three positive things was difficult. 

I think that this exercise has changed me a little bit, but I need to continue longer so that it really has benefits. 

New 30 challenge: Improving How I view the World

I read about this exercise on Psychology Today. It's described as an exercise that is meant to re-engage a person's sense of well-being.  I feel that definitely need this so I decided that I would start today. 

The exercise is easy enough. 

1) Keep a pad of paper next to your bed and every night before you go to sleep, write down three things you liked about yourself that day.

2) In the morning, read the list before you get out of bed.

3) Do this everyday for 30 days.

I liked that the things you liked about yourself could be as simple as you liked.  The article said an expanse is "I liked how I opened that door for someone."  

It will be interesting to think of things I liked about myself. As the author said that often people have difficultly thinking about nice things to say about themselves. The idea behind this simple exercise is that it trains your brain to focus on the positives instead if the negative that it usually does. 

Wish me luck. I start tonight. 

Link to article on Psychology today:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/living-forward/201501/one-exercise-sure-make-you-feel-better-about-yourself?utm_source=FacebookPost&utm_medium=FBPost&utm_campaign=FBPost

Day 11: 31 day Clutter Cleanse: Organizing Makeup

Today's assignment: 

Getting control of makeup

This isn't a huge issue for me. I don't wear makeup on a daily basis. I rarely wear makeup, but I do have some in a drawer.  I think it's safe to say it's really old and I should probably toss it all. Besides being old, the makeup probably has bad stuff in it that I don't care to use anywhere.  

Have you looked up the cosmetic database by ewg.org? It's very helpful to figure out if the beauty products you use have for example cancer causing ingredients, hormone interrupters, etc.  

Ok. So I think I've decided to throw away all my makeup. I suppose I should figure out what I should use on that rare occasion I do need makeup. 

Link to original post: 

http://www.overstuffedlife.com/2014/10/31-days-to-less-clutter-and-more-peace_11.html