Homework Battles – A Thing Of The Past!

Has homework made your household a daily battleground? Let’s face it — for your children to be successful at school, homework is a necessary thing to do. But a lot of kids have a real hard time getting beyond the “it’s no fun.” Guess what? It often times isn’t fun for them! But then here you come — requiring an action that butts up against their belief and you have a battle.

The key is to help them change their belief from “it’s no fun” to “it is a part of the day that is enjoyable.” It’s all about changing their perception which in turn can change the pattern that is in place.

Change the Pattern

Here’s the clincher, patterns can be changed! We can do it by moving the blocked energy that has been getting and keeping your children stuck in their old way of being. And, even better — it will be super easy. It’s all about getting the mind and actions to match up so new patterns have a chance to become automatic and natural for your child. To help that new pattern replace the old one, you can do self-help acupressure. And, it will happen faster if you have a consistent daily practice.

The Power of a Daily Practice

I know a lot of families who are doing the Daily Clean Your House Flow to start the day and then again before homework. The Daily Flow is a acupressure flow that adults and children can easily do. One parent says, “I’m blown away by how much easier it is to start the day, get my kids to school, and then how there are no more bouts of anger and frustration around homework. It just gets done and I’m no longer the mean mom. And it only takes us 6 minutes each time. That is good use of time for all of us.”

To see how easy the whole process is, try holding these acupressure points to help open up and expand breath.

Hold your upper arms by folding your arms across your chest.
Then, while still holding your right fingertips on your left arm, move your left hand to the base of your right ribcage.

You have just touched three separate points that when held in conjunction with each other, remind your body to breathe.

See How Easy It Is To Not Have A Battleground!

It’s that simple! I have a lot of other “pointers” (pun intended!) on my website. Go to www.dailycleanyourhouseflow.com to see what I suggest for you and your family! And see the first 90 seconds of a 6 minute animated video of the Daily Clean Your House Flow.

You will discover that you no longer need to be the battalion chief. And that you and your kids will have more fun — even when doing homework!

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Self-esteem and Gratitude

Self-esteem and gratitude. Those two really “big words” are being batted about. Have you ever thought of how they go together?

The Building of Self-esteem

First off, let’s look at self-esteem. It is a real important attribute to have, especially for children. A child with a high level of self-esteem will easily be able to step into all the possibilities available to her because she can actually see her options. But even before she can get to that place, that thing called self-esteem needs to be shaped by perception — her own and those of important people in her life.

Then comes a sense of security and belonging, a place where there is a degree of safety and comfort. From that space, your child can move into having goals that give her purpose and direction and allow her to achieve her desires. “Your child will feel empowered and in control of events when she is able to make or influence decisions that she considers important.”

For the entire article “Helping Your Child Develop a Healthy Sense of self-esteem,” go to https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/Pages/Helping-Your-Child-Develop-A-Healthy-Sense-of-Self-Esteem.aspx. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that our children need to be fully engaged with recognizing their possibilities before they can even take the steps to reach their end objectives.

Creating The Space For self-esteem

How do we help our children have a sense of purpose that allows them to channel their energy toward achievement and self-expression?

All of us, no matter our age, are walking around in bodies that are hungry for an energetic balance that will enable us to have clarity, have direction, be creative, be productive and experience success. We can more easily be there when we help our bodies discover what it feels like and then consistently remind them how to be in that space.

There’s an easy-to-do self-help acupressure flow called the Daily Clean Your House Flow that helps our bodies create the foundation for all that we want for our children. Check it out! There is a purpose for each of the nine poses that will assist your child to reach her full potential. And the animated video of the Daily Flow makes it a real easy and fun way to bring the routine into home life and into the classroom.

Bringing self-esteem And Gratitude Together

Now For Gratitude

It’s really quite simple how self-esteem and gratitude go together. A person who has healthy self-esteem is happy and easily functions in her day-to-day life. And that person can more easily see all the good things that happen. When we recognize and acknowledge those good things, we truly are in the space of “being in gratitude.” And that is the space where more good things come from.

In this season that is so much about recognizing what the good things are, let’s help our children discover how easy it is to be there and consistently live in a state of gratitude.

I was just telling one of my clients who is an amazing writer and poet about my self-esteem and gratitude article. Vilma proceeded to say, “self-esteem without gratitude is egoism.” There you go — self-esteem and gratitude are two really great partners in life!

May all of you have the best of the two in YOUR lives! Sending “good things energy” your way! Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo credit: Frederick Homes for Sale / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

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Life is Full of Surprises!

Life is Full of Surprises!

Accidents are not planned so when they happen life changes. You have a list of what you need to do in the next few days and within the week. You have plans and then all of a sudden you have to make new ones. My car accident of two weeks ago has created a bit of a scheduling chaos. My calendar now needs to handle doctors, physical therapy, energy work, and massage. Whiplash creates a need to for immediate treatment. I don’t want to wait for the muscles to tighten up even more.

Where’s My Car?

Then there’s the car issue. I really didn’t expect to hear that my car is a total loss after being rear-ended. How could that have bent the frame? After the crash, I was able to drive my car to a meeting and then to my home. Now I get to deal with replacing my car when that was the farthest thing from my mind. I thought my Subaru was going to give me another ten years. I don’t know as of yet what I’ll be driving next.

Ripples and Repercussions

Any of this sound familiar to you? Dealing with repercussions from an accident is a lot of “this wasn’t part of any plan I had in place.” But that’s life: it’s like a box of chocolates. You don’t know what you’re going to get until you take a bite of whichever piece you happen to choose or are given.

Harvest Time and the Holidays

It’s November and my time is supposed to be used finishing the harvest, cleaning up the garden, getting plants into the greenhouse, prepping for Thanksgiving and creating holiday gifts. And, of course, if you know me, you know that decorating for Christmas is of major importance. And top of the list is seeing my clients and spreading the word about my animated video of the Daily Clean Your House Flow.

Day by Day

So what to do? Take each day, one at a time, just like picking out a piece of chocolate. And I thank my lucky stars that my body is on a fast track to healing. All things considered, my life COULD be a lot worse. I have a treatment plan and I’m doing my energy work around the clock. Whatever gets accomplished from my list is still in up for grabs. The key is treat the list in way that keeps it from turning into stress.

Energy Balance and Healing

I’m doing the following to help my body be in energetic balance and heal.

Breath, Relieve Shoulder and Neck Tension

This flow will help you to be in breath and relieve tension in your shoulder and neck:

Hold upper arms by folding arms across the chest
Left hand: cup right shoulder with fingers at top of right shoulder blade
- Right hand: cup sternum below collarbone
- Left hand: move to right upper arm
- Left hand: hold fingertips in a vertical pattern on tummy

Clarity, Focus and Release Tightness in your Neck and Head

This flow will help you create clarity and focus and relieve neck and head pressure:

Left hand: cup back of neck
Right hand: cup forehead

Gratitude is an Attitude

By the way, you don’t have to be healing from an accident for any of this to work! Try these steps any time you want to expand your breath and improve focus.

I’m hoping YOU have a beautiful November! This IS the month for gratitude. See what each day brings and look for the good. Enjoy!

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Is Finding Time Creating Stress?

Where did last week go? For that matter, where on earth did the last six months go?

Is time really passing faster? Or is it our perception? I believe that our brains take an accounting of all that we’re asking our physical, mental and emotional bodies to handle. When the list is long and the activities we manage to accomplish and check off of the list are many, our brains say, “I can do it all!” So our bodies step up to the plate to help us get around to it all and get it done and be able to even add more to the list.

FITTING IT ALL IN

But that means “all of the items on the list” need to fit into the calendar and into the entire picture. Our brains see all of those five and ten-minute segments and two plus hour time slots and have to figure out how we’re going to do it all. You would think that time would appear to slow down to allow it all to happen. But, alas, it is a paradox. The brain and our bodies get the sense that time is speeding up as we fill our days with all of the “to do items” on our lists because we’re NOT moving slow! It’s no wonder that feeling stressed comes into the picture.

OUR KIDS ARE AFFECTED BY WHAT THEY SEE

And here is the clincher. The kids in our lives SEE that behavior and our need to find time to do it all. Many children have an amazingly full schedule between school, studying, music, and sports without even talking about all of the other extras. And that’s not even taking into account just hanging out and doing fun things with friends and family. They manage to do what they see US doing: filling up their calendars, trying to do it all, and experiencing time passing faster and faster as the days go by. And this brings them to feel the sense of “being stressed.”

There are significant health risks associated with stress. In an article by Dr. Robin Berzin, she identifies 10 Reasons Why Stress is the Most Dangerous Toxin in Your Life. Of the ten health risks, one really stood out. Dr. Berzin cites research into brain chemistry that shows “Early life events determine your set point for stress.” And if that was the only harmful effect, it is reason enough to break this habit of hurry.

SLOW DOWN AND FIND SPACE!

The solution: slow down and create space for our bodies to experience feeling the breath, feeling the energy of “just being,” discovering that meditation is easy when we allow our brains the opportunity to “just hang out.” Consider doing something to help you and the children in your life more easily allow that to happen. I start every day doing the Daily Clean Your House Flow. It takes me anywhere from five to twenty minutes, depending what I choose. The animation video I created only takes six and a half minutes!

A DAILY MINDFULNESS PRACTICE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

And why are people doing the Daily Flow? They are noticing that they have better attention to detail because clarity and focus are boosted, that they are better able to do their activities without their bodies going into reaction (any sports, house and yard chores, computer work, etc.) and that their bodies stay healthier. But the absolute biggest reason is they feel less and less stress. People who do this daily practice have told me they notice that their breath is more expansive, that they can actually relax, that their brains slow down and let go of the chatter.

MY RECIPE FOR MINDFULNESS INSTEAD OF “MIND FULLNESS”

Try it for yourself. YOU just maybe will slow down and smell the roses! And just maybe we can model different behavior and change what’s happening out there in the world and help children NOT be in that terrible thing called stress.

Photo credit: Evil Erin / Foter / CC BY

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Developing awareness

Conscious awareness — what does it really mean?

Have you ever driven from one place to the next and realized that you reached your destination and don’t have full recollection of the route you traveled? THAT was a space in time of not being consciously aware! I don’t know about you, but when that sort of thing happens to me, I have to seriously ask the question, “Where on earth was I just now?”

How do our brains do that and allow us to reach our goal and be safe about it? It’s pretty amazing what our bodies can do, how they can step up to the plate and accomplish what needs to happen without OUR conscious awareness. Our energetic bodies (including our brains) have an innate ability to have our best interests at the forefront, which is why we more often than not don’t experience a major chaotic moment when by rights we should have!

Zip-pity Do Dah

Some of you know how much I love to travel the zip line. We’re lucky — we have Sonoma Canopy Tours which is a phenomenal zip line through the redwoods near Occidental. I keep telling the marketing person who I happen to know that they really need to have a “frequent flyer package” for folks like me.

Several weeks ago my kids joined me for a night time zip line for my birthday present. Now THAT was an awesome experience! Imagine zipping through the trees and it’s totally dark except for a light on the tree you’re heading to and the light on your helmet. Beautiful, quiet, surreal, awesome — the adjectives are many. I had to be in a total state of conscious awareness because of what I was up to. But especially so because the last time I zipped I went into the zone — literally flying through the air and not being aware of the platform I was supposed to land on. The guide gave me a full-blown lecture and told me that no matter how often anyone has done the zip line, there has to be full attention given every step of the way.

I got the message

Well, I got the message! This time, I spent time before I stepped into the harness getting fully present and aware – I did the first few steps of the Daily Clean Your House Flow. And then I cupped my sternum with one hand and held my tummy with the other. THAT brought me into my breath and I was grounded and centered. And when I was waiting on the platforms I reminded my body to be in breath.

It was another great experience – I’m up to six or seven times now. I’m ready for the Challenge Course that just opened up. The longest zip line is 1500 feet! I’ll let you know how that one goes!

Be Prepared

No matter what YOU do for your fun and/or thrills, prepare yourself by doing some energy balancing before you start. Be grounded and centered and you’ll have a much better experience!

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Getting Centered and Feeling Better

Have you ever noticed that when you feel “out-of-sorts” you might just need to take a break from what you’re doing? Sometimes if you switch up where you are, you can quickly change your perspective too. For me, I often just need to walk outside and literally smell the roses. Yes, I’m “smelling the different air” and in reality I’m putting myself in a different environment that allows my brain and my senses to make different connections and create a new way of being in that instant. And when I’m really in a stuck place, getting dirty in the garden is more often than not the perfect solution for me!

Kids have the very same need as we do to make a quick shift from blah to better. Emotions and feelings and that sensation of “I don’t know why I feel this way, but I do” can often be so all-encompassing that they can literally take over and cause a “no rational thought can even happen in this space.” When that happens to a child, you can make a big difference by helping them create new habits and patterns.

When you notice that your child and/or student is really having a rough time, create a diversion which can help them get unstuck and experience a different way of being. Be supportive of what your child is experiencing and validate what is being felt. You just might help create the moment when they realize they can be in control of their own energy and the way they feel — a true moment of empowerment.

Hit the Reset Button

Some possible diversions that can trigger a reset are:

Come up with a favorite outside activity, like “want to go ride your bike?”
Or “Let’s go for walk. I could really use a break.”
“Will you help me_______?” (choose something you know your child loves to do)
And one of my absolute favorite suggestions is to do the Daily Clean Your House Flow or at the very least the Jumper Cables, which is the last step of the Daily Flow.

When we bring a daily practice of energy balancing into our lives, the body “knows what it feels like.” It will more easily go to that place of being in balance and being centered as soon as you start doing some of the energy poses.

Case in point – I was having a rough day last weekend. Old feelings of loss came up when I was spending time with an old friend who knew my husband and me when we were in college. I could tell that I had “lost my center” so I went down to the garden and spent some quiet time doing some energy work. Within a few minutes, I could feel my breath expand and I could feel myself becoming okay with where I am now. I got back in touch with “being in the moment.”

It doesn’t matter how old we are or what we’ve experienced, sometimes we just need to change up the pattern and give ourselves a reset.

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School Daze

School is right around the corner! Now how can that be happening already? As a parent, you might be noticing the kids having some anxious moments as the first day gets closer. And, as a teacher, you are probably recognizing that there will be a few of your students who are nervous and a bit unsure of what to expect.

So, it’s easy to help them be better prepared, whether it’s the weeks before or those first days.

Do the Daily Clean Your House Flow! Many of you already know how to do it, but are you aware that your kids can follow it via an animation video? Check out the trailer video on www.dailycleanyourhouseflow.com.

Tips for Productive, Confident Kids

Here are a few tips to help let go of those nervous, anxious moments and to even prevent them! Show your kids and they can do it for themselves. It’s all about learning how to become a partner with your own body. And if we make it an easy process, we’ll do it – whether we’re young or older!

Right hand – cup your sternum directly below the collarbone
Left hand – hold your fingertips in a vertical pattern on your tummy.
Right hand – hold your fingertips on the outside of the right knee
Left hand – hold fingertips on the outside of the left knee.

Let me know how your kids are doing! I love hearing the results and the stories!

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Breath Makes the World Go Round – Even for Kids!

Originally posted on Health at Your Fingertips blog.

Children Can Let Go of Stress and Be Happier

Stress can show up in lots of ways in our bodies. As adults we can often see what that looks like and feels like. What’s sad is how many children in our world are experiencing stress. Have you noticed a young person who is experiencing loss of energy, sleeplessness, extreme up and down emotions, chronic illness (even just ongoing colds), or inability to stay on track and focused? THESE are early symptoms of stress. What’s super sad is how many children get so stressed that they end up in the throes of anxiety and even develop respiratory and digestive issues.

I see these early signals of stress in so many of the children I work with. Their parents want to help them change that picture which is why they come to see me. What’s beautiful is that their bodies “decide” they don’t have to create the bigger issues. Instead, their bodies recognize that they don’t have to respond to the stress and the stressful moments that are in the world around us.

So, what to do? The trick is to let go of stress build up and “create” a body that doesn’t experience symptoms of stress. It’s all about getting the energy to flow and helping the breath be open and expansive. When the body is more open to receiving the inhale and letting go on the exhale, there is ability for the body to create the space for a healthier way of being. The children I work with recognize huge changes taking place when they do the Daily Clean Your House Flow. And many of them do it more than once a day — because they notice that their body is happier.

Here are some of the comments that I’m hearing from the children in my life:

“I’m going to sleep as soon as I go to bed.”
“When I wake up it’s easier to get ready for school.”
“I’m not falling asleep at my desk or when I’m studying.”
“I’m not missing school because I’m not getting sick like I used to.”
“I’m getting more done and getting better grades.”
“I’m not getting in fights with my brother.”
“I’m getting along better with my friends and we’re having more fun.”

So, folks — our bodies are hungry to be in balance no matter what our age! And our bodies want breath to be happening — easily, consistently and expansively. Do the Daily Clean Your House Flow whenever your body asks for it. Remember: “There is no such thing as too much self-help!”

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Happy Kids Make for Happy Lives for Everyone!

Originally posted on Health at Your Fingertips blog.

It’s summer time! And life is super full — especially if you have children in your life. Whether you’re a parent or a grandparent or a caregiver or a teacher in hiatus — some portion of some days are spent keeping those kids happy. Happy means that they are active with something that keeps their attention and that they are content with what is happening. All of requires that they are content within their bodies. What on earth do I mean by that??!!

Content within our bodies means that our bodies are in a place of ease and balance, that our bodies are energetically prepared for what we’re going to ask them to do and prepared for what might come at them. THAT means we will have clarity and focus, ease in actual physical movement and ease in creative expression. In addition, balance brings the ability to handle our emotions so they don’t get too big, take our breath away and cause us to get stuck IN the emotion.

For example, have you ever noticed that irritation can sometimes lead to frustration and maybe even anger? When we don’t address our reaction to what is creating the irritation, it can quickly turn into a bigger, more intense emotion. That increase will be what takes our breath away and causes us to be in the throes of the emotion and then everything escalates.

So imagine what a child is experiencing when all of what I have described is happening and they have no experience in how to handle irritation or frustration or anger. Dealing with emotions so they don’t get too big is a learning journey. You can help the children in your life more easily experience their emotions, get the information they need from the emotions, and gain life lessons.

Here’s how! Show them the Daily Clean Your House Flow! And see how much easier life can be — for them and for you.

You will notice: increased attention span, reduced stress, improved performance, improved health with less illness, increased cooperation, less acting out and increased self-esteem.

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Happy Kids Make for Happy Lives for Everyone!

For example, have you ever noticed that irritation can sometimes lead to frustration and maybe even anger? When we don’t address our reaction to what is creating the irritation, it can quickly turn into a bigger, more intense emotion. That increase will be what takes our breath away and causes us to be in the throes of the emotion and then everything escalates.

Show them the Daily Clean Your House Flow! And see how much easier life can be — for them and for you.

In the next few days my new whiteboard animation video of the Daily Clean Your House Flow will be available! Children and adults are finding the video fun to watch and it makes the nine steps of the Daily Flow easy to follow and learn. But even bigger than that — the Daily Flow makes a huge difference in how your children experience their emotions and it will help you create smoother days.

You will notice: increased attention span, reduced stress, improved performance, improved health with less illness, increased cooperation, less acting out and increased self-esteem.

Stay tuned for the announcement that my new website www.dailycleanyourhouseflow.com is up and ready for you to check out!

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