GetHappy Wellness

Am I Off-Center? Being off-center is like trying to ride a see-saw with no one on the other side. All the weight is falling to one side, with nothing to balance or eventually tilt us upward toward the sky. When we are off-center, we do not feel balanced. We may feel like we are detached and isolated; as though we are watching life as a theater-goer instead of being a character in the action. What can we do to get back in the game? First, know that you are not a detached individual, but an integral part of the expansive universe. So while it may not seem that way at the time, you are connected. Reach out to a family member, or a close friend. Even your pet is connected to you. If you’re not near people, go for a walk outdoors. Put yourself in an area where people socialize, like a park. Just be near other people and absorb bits of their energy. While outdoors, soak in the natural elements and know that many of the people you see are having the same experience as you, and this a normal p...

What is Emotional Intelligence? If you don’t like your restaurant meal, throwing it on the floor may signal to the staff that it doesn’t meet expectation. Screaming as loud as possible at your partner leaves little doubt about how you feel. While these expressions may be liberating, more subtly is better for your blood pressure and less destructive of property. Emotional intelligence is just what it says, having a general understanding of - and the ability to regulate our emotions. Our emotions have a direct impact on our health and our health directly affects our quality of life. Regulating strong negative emotions like anger, fear, and sadness make us more capable of enduring displeasure and overcoming traumatic experiences. There is no cut-off age to better our emotional health and ability to manage emotions.   Setting aside time to meditate and asking ourselves how we are feeling, and what to do about it increases our overall quality of life. Mayo Clinic Health & Mindfulnes...

What is Mindfulness? Routines are great, especially for anxiety sufferers. Taking the guesswork out of our daily activities gives us a sense of order and control. We are comfortable and confident about what will happen next. However, too much order and control put us on autopilot, and we may stop paying full attention to what we are doing and what’s happening around us. When we zone out it’s usually to a time in the present or past, so we are no longer focused on the present moment. While it isnt necesssarily a bad thing, if we zone out too much , we arent fully aware of what we are doing. Someone may be talking to us and we can’t respond, or we may be reading and not absorbing any of the material. Now, this is a waste of our time and energy. It’s easy to drift in and out; so we should intentionally practice mindfullness a few minutes a day. That way, we decide when and if to zone out or fully focus, and its not merely habitual. Being mindful allows us to live fully and be our best se...

How Can I Sleep Better? [ Sleep can be described as a state of reduced mental and physical activity, in which consciousness is altered, and sensory activity is inhibited to a certain extent. During sleep, there is a decrease in muscle activity, and interactions with the surrounding environment are significantly reduced. While sleep is different from wakefulness in terms of the ability to react to stimuli, it still involves active brain patterns, making it more reactive than a coma or disorders of consciousness. [ 1 ]] Not getting enough sleep will leave you mentally confused and tired. When you’re not mentally at ease, you can’t sleep. See the problem? This mental fog/sleep deprivation is a cycle. You need sleep to rejuvenate and refresh your mind, but your mind can’t be renewed when it won’t shut off from worry and stress. While we can’t sleep away our worries, we can make an optimal environment right before we try. Here are steps to create an ideal sleep environment: • Go to bed at...

Does Meditation Work? Everyone is dealing with post-pandemic stress, work stress, health stress, or financial stress. Whichever stressor it is, we are meditating on problems, which frustrate and drain our energy. The term “meditate” means think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period. So, worry and rumination is meditation, however it is subconscious and not controlled. While worrying is a waste of time, meditating on something with intent has purpose. Even though society encourages multi-tasking, it is not possible to fully focus on more than one thing at a time. There are two meditations that are active and work to make us feel better. Unlike just willing the mind to do something, breath meditation and mantras concentrate on an activity, and away from worry and stress. Breath meditation slows breathing, activates the nervous system, oxygenates blood, and regulates the heart; instantly giving a feeling of relaxation and ease. Breath meditation is quite simple. Consciously breathe in d...

Can Movement Improve My Health? Intentional movement should be a daily practice. Set aside at least five minutes at the start of the day to stretch, walk, or move in a sequence. Movement has mental and physical stress relieving benefits. Stress increases our fight-or-flight reaction time which makes us feel jittery and restless. Moving around helps rid our body of this. Physical movement increases the “feel-good” hormones and productively uses up the “feel-bad” stress hormones. When we have a movement routine that we stick to it gives us a sense of purpose and gratitude for our bodies. Completing our planned movement activity proves that we can focus, stay on task, and complete a goal. So, keep moving and complete your full exercise routine. While moving, allow yourself to let go of left-brain thinking. Focus on the steps of your exercise or be creative and improvise the steps. Freely moving about can express emotion and allow us an outlet for all the negative vibes. Mayo Clinic Health...

 What is a Life Coach? Today, I want to explain what a life coach does and how we benefit from having one in our lives. Humans are social emotional creatures. As such, we naturally look for companionship, friendship, and approval from peers. We all want encouragement and an occasional “atta – boy” as reassurance that we are moving in the right direction. These simple acknowledgements positively reinforce us. We feel good about ourselves for reaching a goal. Just like a sports coach, a life coach is there to support you and validate your progress toward the goal of your choice. There are many benefits to having a coach. The job of a coach is to provide encouragement and act as an extra set of eyes and ears that reveal self-created obstacles keeping you from reaching your goals. Self-created mental obstacles are what coaches call self-limiting beliefs. These are things we have told ourselves, subconsciously, that are limiting our potential. Some sample beliefs are “I am not likeable,...