Now that we have an understanding of what wellbeing is, and that it is becoming increasingly important for businesses and governments to measure and define, let’s take a look at how we can increase our own sense of wellbeing in the moment!

Whatever you decide to cook and eat this holiday season, remember that the experience of Wellbeing comes from the heart.

Well wishes to you all this holiday season!

Since I am invested and involved in the field of education, whether it be professional development or academic learning, I feel like we should be training for something different, altogether. We are currently training our people in what to think, which is important, for sure; but what about how to use their minds effectively?

When I was a teenager, I was pretty much a typical case of emotional deregulation. I was all over the place, without an ability to work with the thoughts in my mind or the feelings in my body. I was lost, and the educational system provided little, if any training in how to be a sane, creative, contributing member of society. Now, maybe I was a special case. But the overwhelming evidence is that more and more, our graduates are not prepared in the ways that they will need to be prepared in the coming years.

For example, our times are marked with extreme changes, technology, economic recessions, the balance of world power all create an instability and rate of change that is unprecedented in our world today, what about learning to focus our training on how we are, instead of what to think?

Click Here to watch Sir Ken Robinson discusse with a lot of humor and play some of the places where traditional education falls short, and ways in which we can reinvent our educational systems and our lives!

The Author, Rien T. Havens is finishing his doctorate at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and spends his free time meditating, writing poetry, and singing. He is the owner and chief consultant at Havens Coaching and Consulting, and offers free, 30 minutes consultations to businesses that want to grow to the next level, contact: info@rienhavens.com

If I get down or feel lost I can look at my ‘frillage’ for support, encouragement, humor. I can even play on it! For one, I can change the attire of the magnets, Michelangelo’s David and Venus de Milo. In their classical nude state they stick to the metal door. But alongside them are clothes— biker jacket, boxers, jeans, t-shirt, Doc Marten style boots, mini-skirt and bra, just to name a few items. I also have magnetic words and letters available for leaving notes, writing poetry, sending word vibes—both of these have been favorites of my teenage son and his friends as they’ve come and gone from the house.  They would create things just to see if I’d notice…you can only imagine some of the things David and Venus have ‘said’!

A quote by Robert Frost that particularly resonates with me, I’m not confused I’m just well mixed, fits in perfectly with the door mélange.  There’s also my ‘Take me to Paris’ magnet, a not so subtle hint at play along with a cartoon of a guru sitting lotus with a balloon above him that says “OOOOOMM’. Next to him is a cow with some stems draping out her mouth. Her balloon says ‘MMMMOOOOO.’ I’ve carried this cartoon around with me for decades.  Numerous guests in my home have spent considerable time ‘reading’ the fridge. It’s definitely a conversation starter. So, my point is, that play can be an everyday activity, not saved for the weekend, or vacations, or after school activities, etc. but integrated into our daily activities. And it’s certainly a social activity. Play is best appreciated by experiencing it. Remember when you were a child, what kind of play did you engage in? In Stuart Brown’s book play, he states that, “The work that we find most fulfilling is almost always a recreation and extension of youthful play.” He explains that often if we look at our “play history” we can see what we are missing in our adult lives. That what we did as a child is our core, our essence of who we are before society’s norms got under our skin and took our play away. Guess what my favorite types of play were? Dress-up, playing with dolls, writing and art…hmmmm

Brown also states, Sometimes, the best way to get the feel of a complicated subject is to just play with it. And what’s more complicated than most of our modern lives. In between my New Orleans voodoo doll magnets is a photo of a Caribbean bird reminding me of my desire to one day spend the winter holidays in the Caribbean happily playing under palm trees entwined with Christmas lights. I live to play…and play to happily live.

“”This piece was written by the esteemed Paula Bandy, who is a full-time doctoral student at CIIS as well as an author, editor and visual artist, dancing her way through life in the very ‘play full’ town of Ashland, Oregon.” She currently has a private practice exploring play with a vast array of clients, through creating play studios & relationship playshops infused with the practice of beauty. The world needs more play and beauty. This offering is perfect for an added boost of creativity and lightness in business settings, and a wonderful transformative shift for couples looking to reconnect in a lighthearted and loving way.

Contact her for a free 15 minute play consultation at:

practiceoflivingbeauty@gmail.com

]]> http://harborwellbeing.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/i-am-a-refrigerator-decorator/feed/ 2 rienhavens IMG951005 http://harborwellbeing.wordpress.com/2010/09/10/is-play-a-gateway-to-growth/ http://harborwellbeing.wordpress.com/2010/09/10/is-play-a-gateway-to-growth/#comments Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:36:15 +0000 Rien Havens http://harborwellbeing.wordpress.com/?p=174 ]]> Out of all the creatures in existence, humans retain more flexibility, youthful characteristics, as we develop into adult life. We as a species tend to embody youthfulness more throughout our lives, and this may indicate our need and propensity towards play. When we play in human interaction, we create changes in the brain and body that relieve stress, improve creativity, and enhance our life. This video discusses play in depth.

Video on Play

The Mind Body Room is available for parties, events, fundraisers, weddings, and so much more! Contact Linda for details lenge@harborwellbeing.com 243 514 8641

When you are out of alignment with your intention, no amount of effort will draw it to you. This universal law simply can’t bring anything to you that you are not. Although you will attract people and situations, they won’t match what you want; instead, they will be the energetic equivalent of your inner life.

You focus power wherever you place your attention, and repetitive thought manifests your experience. Every time you say “I am not good enough,” or “I am sick and tired,” or “I’m never cared about,” you affirm that you are as you state, even when it’s negative, inaccurate, or untrue. Whenever you blame, your negative energy attacks you and your life as though life is the cause of your creations. Moreover, you handicap yourself when you think and make decisions with this low frequency brain.

Observe your perceptions and thoughts. What do you tend to think about? That you aren’t good enough? That no one loves you? Are you affirming a supportive, loving, creative life, or a negating, hurtful, destructive one? As you invest yourself with positive creative power, watch your entire life change. Now honestly, do you have anything better to do?

From It’s all Up to Me
By Marianne Weidlein
My Website

Wellness Grant: Coaches, Consultants, Advisors & Educators Needed

A new grant-funded initiative is being launched nationally creating opportunities for Corporate Health Coaches, Wellness & Risk Management Consultants, Advisors, and Educators.

All positions offer an outstanding opportunity to help create a healthier community (and nation) while receiving generous compensation. No experience is necessary and all positions can be performed full time or part time.

Community-wide training sessions are scheduled in June in numerous cities ranging from coast to coast.

Travel is optional but not required.

I am conducting a webinar on Wednesday, the 23rd of June that will dive into the details of this exciting opportunity, feel free to email me at rien@healthypeople2010grant.org for an invite.

More information available on-line @ www.healthypeople2010grant.org or by emailing me @

rien@healthypeople2010grant.org

Let’s take a look at two “brown” foods that people really like to indulge in during the sultry, summer months and recommend some delicious and healthful alternatives:

Colas

It is common for people to quench their thirst with a soft drink on a warm summer day. However, as I talk about in my upcoming book, An A-to-Z Guide to Food Additives, soft drinks don’t give you anything nutritionally. Not one little thing. In fact, they aren’t even neutral—they are simply a combination of additives that can be collectively coined as “anti-nutritional,” (i.e. substances that robs the body of vital nutrients). Though you may get that initial quick bubbly buzz of a carbonated drink, over a short time your energy actually deflates. Studies have shown that increasing consumption of soft drinks results in increased weight gain over time, in addition to higher risk for developing type 2 Diabetes. Here are some options to add in rather than having colas that “take out”:

• 100% Fruit or Vegetable Juices: Choose natural juices without added sugar. Some juices, like those from apple and grapefruit, have a minimalimpact on your blood sugar (i.e. low on the glycemic index), so they will keep your hunger levels stable throughout the day and make you less prone to cravings. Try different “colors” of juices so that you get a complete array of healthy plant compounds. Blueberry juice will give you the blue-red compounds to guard the brain and help keep you sharp, while tomato juice provides you with lycopene, a compound that protects the heart and prostate. Even better is to have fun and create your own combination of different juices with a juicer or blender. One of my favorites is green apples, ginger, and lemon—a tart, satisfying combination for a sizzling summer afternoon!

• Green Tea With Lemon: Green tea contains a number of interesting actives which have health-promoting effects. One of its compounds, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), appears to be an important constituent to help people lose weight by burning fat more efficiently. I recommend keeping a pitcher of homemade green tea in your refrigerator or at room temperature, available at all times so you can conveniently drink it all day. Add some lemon slices to for more flavor and even a little stevia, an herbal sweetener that has no effect on your blood sugar, to sweeten it slightly. Just think—you will be helping your metabolism with every sip!

• Water, With a Twist: One of the drinks we can’t seem to get enough of in the summer is water. We are typically sweating it out, often not remembering to replenish our stores. Water is the ultimate hydration and there’s nothing like a cool glass of water on a hot summer day. If the idea of plain water strikes you as boring, try adding slices of cucumber, strawberry, and oranges to infuse your water with a fresh, fruity flavor that will instantly transport you to the tropics!

Hamburgers:

Another example of a brown summer food—hamburgers. Of course, many people’s fond memories of summer may include the smell of hamburgers on the grill. However, the downside of hamburgers is that they are loaded with fat. A small hamburger the size of the palm of your hand (about 3 oz.) contains close to 30% of your allowed fat intake (based on a 2000 cal diet), and a good chunk of that fat is saturated (about 40 percent). Add to the mix that you are also getting close to 25 percent of your allowed cholesterol intake with this one patty alone, and maybe hamburgers aren’t sounding that good anymore. Luckily, there are ways to make them healthy and plenty of other choices on the continuum:

• Beef Up Your Burger: If you are going to make it a hamburger cookout, then go all out and get the finest quality of meat; organic lean beef may be your best bet. Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center found that overweight men had lower LDL-cholesterol when fed an organic beef meal compared to a fast-food beef meal (Bray et al., Ann Nutr Metab, 2007). Once you have your organic beef, include flaxseeds, onions, and diced garlic into the patty to make it even more heart healthy and satiating. Finally, dress up your fabulous creation with lots of dark, leafy lettuce and tomato—you won’t even miss the bun!
• Go With the Flow: Instead of the boring brown of burgers, swim with the silver and orange of salmon. Salmon on the grill can be quite satisfying, especially when you top it with some mango and red pepper salsa! Transitioning on the eating continuum from beef to fish opens you up to receiving a sea of healthy protein and generous quantities of heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. One 3-oz. serving of cooked sockeye salmon serves up about 1 gram of EPA and DHA, the fish oils that everyone (including the American Heart Association) is talking about. Getting more of these cooling, flowing fats is also be important for quelling the low-grade inflammation that often accompanies excess weight.
• Veg Out: Many people are turning to a vegetarian diet because of the many health benefits, including weight loss, and also to reduce the burden on the planet. There are several options to stir your creative juices and make your mouth water when it comes to veggie burgers such as those made from black beans, soy, and/or lentils. You can even try grilling a portabella mushroom as an alternative! Remember that most of these veggie patties are high in fiber (typically about 5 grams), and fiber is the wonder ingredient for weight loss as it helps fill you up and keep your blood sugar stable.

Deanna Minich, PhD, CN, (www.foodandspirit.com) is a nutritionist who sees more to food than calories and

macronutrients. She helps guide others in using foods and eating as tools for personal growth and nourishment for the soul. She has written three books on nutrition, on topics ranging from food additives to dietary supplements and even to the connection of food to spirituality. Her latest book, Chakra Foods for Optimum Health: A Guide to the Foods that can Improve Your Energy, Inspire Creative Changes, Open Your Heart, and Heal Body,

Mind, and Spirit, invites you to open your heart, unravel your intuition, and take a journey to inner and outer bliss with every bite you take!