“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” The article below featured in The Atlantic revisits the benefits of play as an important part of a child’s development; assisting in areas of memory, cognition, social skills, and maybe even mental health. Although we understand that play does pay, it appears that children are playing less than years before and it could be related to our cultural fixation that our kiddos get into Stanford. Take the math book out of Juliana’s hand for a moment and let her know the top of the jungle gym has just suddenly transformed into the mast of her pirate ship.
Most of us want to increase our physical activity. Some of us are equipped to do super lunges while shoulder pressing a Buick Skylark over our heads but for those of us that prefer less vigorous activity, walking works just fine. Below is a link to an article from the Mayo Clinic that features the benefits of walking as well as some strategies to make those walks more effective.
We’ve all been stressed and anxious (high zone), other times we are detached and numb (low zone). The Community Resiliency Model™ refers to the middle area between those highs and lows as the “Resilient Zone.” The “Resilient Zone” is the middle place where we experience calmness but we are able to be alert and attune to the world around us. Below is an image featuring 10 strategies that you could use if you begin to experience the high or low zones and you’d like to get back to the “Resilient Zone.”
We’ve probably all heard a coworker, friend, or family member attribute their new found peace to the practice of gratitude. Maybe at times we are even able to do it ourselves. The article below shares the benefits associated with the principle of gratitude.
“Mom and Dad were so much tougher on me.” We’ve heard this before or maybe we even said it. Is it true? Maybe, but probably not. The link below is a Freakonomics Radio podcast featuring psychologists Thomas Gilovich and Shai Davidai. They discuss our general tendency to think that we have it harder than others; our bias to focus on our barriers rather than our advantages. Take a listen.
Our sympathetic nervous system activates our “fight or flight” response in stressful situations; it can be activated by day-to-day stress. Think of it as putting your foot on the gas. Now, think of our parasympathetic nervous system as the brake. The article linked below provides tips on how we can press the brake, especially if our foot has been on the gas for too long and too often.
We have given ourselves plenty of reasons to not make travel plans. The article linked below gives us 5 reasons to squash the naysayer in our head and make that trip a reality.
Andrew Warren ASW, Psychotherapist at Recovery NOW wishes you peaceful Mindfulness Monday.
Many of us need the mental marker of a holiday to give ourselves permission to slow everything down. Memorial Day is a holiday that can elicit perspective and gratitude especially when we think of the meaning of the holiday. Take a moment to think about Memorial Day and to remind yourself what you are grateful for.
You’ve been at your job for a few years. A promotion here, your own parking space there, and cake in the break room. So why has your motivation fizzled out? Dan Pink has some ideas that he shares in the TED video below.
