Archive for December, 2009
Christmas Survival Guide (Part 4)
Posted by: | CommentsEileen is a Life Coach and has some valuable ideas to help you survive the shopping and the family.
Coping with Christmas Shopping
Be organised.
Have a definitive list of who you wish to buy for in a notebook you won’t lose before you go.
Do it all in one day if at all poss. It adds to the fun and prevents you spending too much.
Buy only one gift for each person and buy something you truly think they would like rather than having to spend £20 on Johnny because you did on Rosie!
Noting what you buy in your book also prevents buying second presents cos you’ve forgotten the first one.
(My daughter persuaded me to some early Christmas shopping in October which simply meant I hid what I bought and may one day find it again……)
If you have a day’s holiday left book it off with a friend and make a really fun day of it.
If you know which shops you are going to again make a plan so that you can pick them off in a logical order.
I know this all sounds very military but it saves on both brain and leg work to put a bit of planning in first.
Keep some good quality dark chocolate in your bag to nibble as it has now been proven that it alters metabolism and lowers stress biomarkers.
If you do get pushed, squashed, trodden on or beaten to the last one of this year’s must have toy (apparently anything to do with Star Wars - just proves everything really is cyclical!) take some long deep slow breaths to boost your serotonin levels (also great as you cant swear whilst doing the breathing so it will stop you getting into a fight) and help you feel calm and centred again.
If you really can’t bear it all – best use the Internet. Enjoy!
Coping with the family
One of the reasons spending Christmas with family that we may not see by choice the rest of the year is that stories will be brought up from childhood that we might well prefer to forget.
The retelling pushes us back into our old child role and can feel very crushing to self esteem.
The best way to deal with this is firstly to anticipate it and secondly to choose to respond differently and from our now sorted adult stance.
Recall the event, see the child and acknowledge how he/she has grown.
Pretend that the annoying uncle, brother whatever he or she may be is actually a member of your best friend or partner’s family and view them with the compassion you would if they actually were someone else’s relative.
In other words change the perspective from which you participate and your chances of survival or even enjoying yourself will be magnified!
If all else fails take the dog for a walk or if there is no dog say you want to go and have a look at your old school that did you so proud all those years ago!
No need to stop and listen to the story that rekindles, just be back in time for lunch
And don’t forget to do the washing up – another great way to make space for yourself and get a few brownie points with mum!
Eileen is a qualified Life Coach and can be contacted via eileen.choices@googlemail.com
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Christmas Survival Guide (Part 3)
Posted by: | CommentsPaula Newman is a qualified hypnotherapist practising in Brighton.
Here is a guide from her that will help you survive the festive season.
CUE- CONTROLED RELAXATION
This technique will help you learn to relax immediately, on command, whenever you choose to do so.
This isn’t magic, you have to want to relax, and imagine yourself being relaxed.
By following these instructions you’ll find it extremely quick and easy to relax much deeper than normal.
This is all you need to do. Just close your eyes and relax.
Picture being in a pleasant relaxing scene, either from memory or fantasy. It doesn’t matter how vividly you picture things, just keep your mind on the idea…
Focus on the most relaxing aspects of that scene…
Think about the things happening there that make you feel good…
When you’ve really explored that scene to your satisfaction, you can create your own hypnotic trigger for those good feelings, a signal that you can use to help yourself to experience those same things whenever you choose to do so…
keep thinking of that pleasant, relaxing scene and imagine those good feelings becoming stronger…
Take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds…
As you exhale, let go slowly and imagine the feelings of relaxation becoming much deeper as your thumb and forefinger draw together locating and magnifying those wonderful sensations.
Now you can add a pleasant feeling to that sense of relaxation.
Feelings of pleasure and relaxation go well together and tend to make each other stronger as you will see!
So now imagine that you are as happy and contented as you could possibly be in that scene…
Imagine actually smiling to yourself inside, really feeling good… now you can make that feeling much stronger as well…
Take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds…
As you exhale, let go slowly and imagine those pleasant feelings becoming much deeper… Keep focusing on those pleasant feelings making them grow.
Now you can add a word to help you remember those feelings. It can be any word…
You can take another deep breath; this time as you exhale, you can imagine the feelings of pleasant relaxation growing much stronger again as you focus your mind on your word.
Think of the meaning of the word… Say it in your imagination…
If you like picture it and what it feels like. Imagine the word has power to create those feelings when you focus on it in this way. By doing so you can give it that power.
Now you can combine the physical cue of drawing thumb and finger together with your word…
Take another deep breath; this time as you exhale slowly focus your mind on your word and draw that thumb and finger together allowing those pleasant feelings to become even stronger.
The more you repeat this the stronger it becomes!!
Thank you to Paula for providing us with this invaluable tool.
Paula Newman DHypPsych(UK)
Tel:01273 696295 or 07808 141752
Paula practises at Holistic Health Clinic, Brighton.
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Christmas Survival Guide (Part 2)
Posted by: | CommentsContinuing with the emotional aspect of Christmas, here are some combination remedies that are very useful.
Crystal Herbs have a range of combination remedies called Divine Harmony Essences. These essences promote a state of inner balance in which body, mind, emotions and spirit work together as an integrated whole.
There are 40 combinations in total, but these 3 are the ones I feel will help most throughout the festive season.
Healing Bereavement. Any loss we have suffered seems magnified at this time of year. This combination helps to promote a greater sense of unconditional love for self and others, transforming any feelings of guilt and separation.
Inner Joy. It is easy to forget that this is a season of joy and love – not despair and hopelessness. This combination will help release any deep-seated patterns that are blocking your joy.
Inner Peace. Anger is a very normal human emotion. It is also hard to ‘own’ your anger and bring it into balance. This combination will help to bring about that balance.
Along with emotional stresses, the festive season also brings mental challenges (not just Trivial Pursuit)
With the help of a hypnotherapist and a Life Coach, I will bring some invaluable tricks to help you survive the festive season. Just subscribe to my RSS feed.
Christmas Survival Guide
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s the most wonderful time of the year!?!?!
Really????
I guess, if you’re a 5 year old waiting for Santa to come down the chimney it is. But in reality December is one of the most stressful times of the year – but that wouldn’t make such a good song.
We all seem to be working longer hours, trying to find time to do all the shopping and get ready for just one day.
To honour the calamity, I thought I would put together a Christmas Survival Guide. It will look at the emotional, mental and physical aspects of maintaining our health while preparing for the onslaught.
Emotionally, the festive season is draining, whatever your state of mind to begin with.
Flower remedies are dilutions of flower material developed by Edward Bach, an English physician and homeopath, in the 1930s.
The remedies are intended primarily for emotional and spiritual conditions, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, insomnia and stress.
There are other systems of Flower Remedies available such as Australian Bush remedies, Jan de Vries combination essences, the Crystal Herbs range and many more.
Here are some remedies that may help you through the season.
If you feel that you’re putting on a cheery face for everyone else’s sake but underneath you’re suffering, then the remedy for you is Agrimony.
If you are easily irritated, tense and impatient then take Impatiens.
If the season makes you feel despondent, doubtful or discouraged, then take Gentian.
At any time you feel indecisive or unable to choose between 2 things, then take Scleranthus.
If you find yourself feeling temporarily overwhelmed, then take Elm.
Take Olive if you are completely exhausted – both mentally and physically.
If the season (or the family) are getting to you and you’re worried you might lose your temper, then Cherry Plum is for you.
Hornbeam will help if you feel weary and unable to cope.
Mustard is for when gloom descends upon you for no apparent reason (also very good for SAD)
And Honeysuckle will help for when you are living in your memories, unable to let go of the past.
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Fighting Colds and Flu (Part 3)
Posted by: | CommentsThe only thing worse than suffering from a cold or the flu yourself, is when your kids come down with it.
Children with colds or flu need gentle reassurance and time to rest in the warmth and quiet.
Don’t worry if your child goes off food temporarily, just be sure to give them plenty of fluids, including water, diluted fruit juices and clear soups.
Most self-help remedies used by adults are also suitable for children, but the dose may need to be reduced. With herbs, nutrients or homeopathic remedies, follow the guidance from a qualified practitioner.
Essential oils can be used successfully, but don’t massage them into a part of the body (e.g. an arm or a foot) that an infant could put in their mouth. Avoid steam inhalation, and use oils in a burner (kept well out of reach) instead.
HERBAL MEDICINE
Herbalists use the restorative power of plants to aid the body’s own natural healing mechanisms. A number of herbal preparations may be used to treat or prevent colds and flu, including teas, tinctures and fluid extracts.
Diaphoretic herbs (herbs that make you sweat) can be very useful in the early stages of a cold or flu to help clear out the infection. Examples include elderflower, peppermint and yarrow, which can all be made into a tea.
Elderflower is doubly useful as it also helps reduce the amount of mucus produced, and elderberry extract has been proven to speed recovery from colds and flu.
Thyme is antibacterial – useful if there is secondary infection – and also acts as an expectorant and appetite restorative.
If colds are recurrent, or there is a deep-seated infection or complications, such as night sweats, herbal practitioners may need to prescribe stronger herbs and will tailor the prescription specifically to the individual.
AROMATHERAPY
There are some essential oils that are very useful in the fight against colds and flu.
Tea tree or lemon can help act against viruses and bacteria, and help to boost the body’s immune response. Try burning either oil in a vaporiser to prevent colds spreading.
Lavender and marjoram can help soothe aching Iimbs. Add 4-8 drops of either pure essential oil to a hot bath, or try a combination of the two.
Clary sage and cypress help with coughs by calming muscle spasm. Add 1-2 drops of pure essential oil to 5ml of carrier oil and use to massage the chest and neck. Alternatively, add a few drops of essential oil to a handkerchief and inhale as required.
Eucalyptus, frankincense or pine can be used to loosen mucus and ease congestion. Add 2-4 drops of pure essential oil to a bowl of hot water. Inhale the vapours for 5 minutes with a towel over the head. Repeat 2-3 times per day for a few days (do not use steam inhalation if you have asthma as the steam may trigger an attack).
Bergamot or marjoram can help you sleep, just sprinkle a few drops onto your pillow at night.
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