3 Simple Tips To Start The New Year Off Right

Want to start off the new year with a clean slate? Here are a few tips to keep yourself motivated and achieve your resolutions.

Make at least five good New Year's resolutions that could fit into your lifestyle. Your resolutions should be personal and help you be a better person, either physically or mentally. Make sure you think your resolutions thoroughly and ask yourself; could this help me? Could this help my community, family, or occupation? Can I stick to this throughout the year? Will I have time to work towards this?
If your goal is to improve yourself mentally, improve yourself daily. If you would like to go to college again and get your Masters degree, do so, but make sure you have enough interest to attend a university. Maybe you would just like to improve your attitude, be more optimistic, care-free, friendly, etc. Say hello to your co-worker across the hall that you've never spoken to up until now. Be a shoulder to cry on when your friend just broke up with her boyfriend. Clean the house for your parents or roommates so they don't have to worry.

If your goal is to improve yourself physically, improve yourself daily or whenever you have free time. If you want to lose 10 pounds, or maybe get rid of the belly bump, go to your local gym or work out at home once every other day, or daily if you have the time. Be consistent and stick on your work out routine. Get a personal trainer if you need a little push and some new techniques. Stick to a healthy diet: for example, instead of stopping at Starbucks and ordering your usual mocha latte with extra whip cream, stop by a bagel shop and get a real fruit smoothie.

The bottom line is to "GO FOR IT" this is your year for 2012. Be determined to set your intentions for this coming year by starting with the end in mind. You can do it! Here at Pampering4life we want to wish you an AWESOME new year and thanks for following our blog. We look forward to giving you more informative topics for the new year to help you to live your best life. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Turn The Negative Talk To A Positive You

In a recent study published in the journal Psychology of Women Quarterly, 93 percent of college-age women admitted they fall into the fat-talk trap — picking apart their own body flaws among friends, possibly to elicit those “no, you look great!” responses.
But bashing their belly bloat isn’t the only harmful thing that women routinely say aloud. From “I’m soooo stressed out” to “Yikes, I’m sorry about that,” many seemingly harmless everyday phrases are actually more loaded than you think — and they have the power to whittle down your self-confidence and raise your levels of anxiety and depression, says Shoshana Bennett, PhD, a Sonoma, Calif-based psychologist.
Chances are you may not even realize you’re making such statements, or that they’re self-deprecating, Dr. Bennett says. “You should talk to yourself as you would to a very close friend. Most of us wouldn’t dream of uttering to someone we adore the little putdowns we say to ourselves.”
Everyday Health asked experts to share the very worst kinds of things women say — and how to spin that toxic vocab into positive thinking.
1. “Look at my arm jiggle.”

The situation: Over a glass of pinot with your BFFs, girl talk suddenly turns into a competition of who hates their body more.

Why it’s unhealthy: Pointing out and focusing on the alleged jiggle, whether to friends or yourself, is harmful to your body image and self-esteem. Even if your intent is to seek an image-boosting compliment, it can backfire, prompting you to agonize even more over your body flaws and making you feel worse.

Next time, say: “Did I tell you about the cool project I’m managing at work?” or “I love your new haircut!” The point here is to spend time with your friends celebrating each other’s successes instead of commiserating over flaws.

2. “You always…” or “You never…”

The situation: Your husband leaves his dirty dinner dish in the sink. Again. And again.

Why it’s unhealthy: These unproductive taunts have the potential to snowball out of control, so you suddenly find yourself fighting and screaming about big issues like money or parenting instead of the pile of plates, explains Marianne Gillow, PhD, a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City.

Next time, say: “I have a problem with…” Describe the bothersome behavior in a precise way, which allows you to get to the nuance of the fight, and settle it quickly. “If you’re going to fight with a loved one, it’s best to keep it as specific as possible,” Gillow says.

3. “I’m such a pig.”

The situation: You feel guilty about inhaling an entire bag of pretzel M&Ms, so you confess to your co-worker about your diet slip-up.

Why it’s unhealthy: This self-judgmental jab picks apart your self-esteem, making you more likely to binge further, creating a vicious cycle. In many cases, you’re actually saying it in hopes of getting reassurance from your friends that you are not, in fact, a pig, which is equally as dangerous. “If you’re depending on someone else to tell you how to feel, you’re not taking responsibility for your own confidence and happiness,” says Bennett.

Next time, say: “That was so yummy.” Simply enjoy the indulgence and vow to eat something healthy at your next meal or snack. Or, if you’re eating to the point of discomfort, be aware of your actions. “Make a mental note so you can choose differently next time,” says Bennett. If you turned to the vending machine after a particularly stressful meeting, brainstorm a smarter solution for next time, like venting to your office best friend or taking a mind-clearing walk.

4. “I’m soooo sorry.”

The situation: You brush up against someone in the elevator. Or ask a question in a big meeting. Or fumble around in your wallet and take too long to pay the cashier at the coffee shop.

Why it’s unhealthy: “Over-apologizing for minor, unnecessary things can do a number on your self-worth because you’re basically saying, ‘I’m not important,’” Bennett says.

Next time, say: Nothing at all. Bite your tongue and reserve those earnest apologies for acts that truly deserve them.

5. “Ugh, I’m beyond stressed.”

The situation: You stare at the 72 unread emails in your inbox or your three-page-and-growing to-do list and throw up your hands in despair.

Why it’s unhealthy: With four small words, you imply incompetence. “A lot of times we speak in terms of ‘all or nothing,’ and those statements lead nowhere but down,” says Bennett. Take a step back and have another look at the situation. You’ll probably realize that you’re not falling apart, but you could just use some help prioritizing or delegating. You’re only human, and you can pretty much only do one thing at a time.

Next time, say: “I’m feeling challenged right now.” This puts you in a solution-seeking mindset and you can figure out what to do to move forward.

6. “I can’t afford this.”

The situation: You ogle a gorgeous pair of strappy sandals in your favorite department store (and put them right back down after seeing the price tag). Or you go into sticker shock when the travel agent tallies the cost of the Caribbean cruise you were thinking of booking for your anniversary.

Why it’s unhealthy: When you use the word “can’t,” you’re acting as if you’re not in control of your own situation, and so you limit your possibilities. “Most likely, with some creativity, you could find a way to buy those shoes or take that trip,” says Bennett.

Next time, say: “I choose not to spend money on that right now.” This empowers you with the option of spending money later and brainstorming about how to budget for it.

The bottom line is to love you more because without the positive effects of your own support will surely get in the way of your life being successful. Think positive at all times so the negative will no longer have a place in your life. A healthy mind is a healthy body!

Pampering4life Healthy Mind Series: Gratitude

The spiritual practice of gratitude has been called a state of mind and a way of life. But we prefer to think of it as a grammar — an underlying structure that helps us construct and make sense out of our lives. The rules of this grammar cover all our activities. Its syntax reveals a system of relationships linking us to the divine and to every other part of the creation.

To learn the grammar of gratitude, practice saying "thank you" for happy and challenging experiences, for people, animals, things, art, memories, dreams. Count your blessings, and praise God. Utter blessings, and express your appreciation to everything and everyone you encounter. By blessing, we are blessed.

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to be able to maintain a relatively positive attitude regardless of what’s happening around them? Like everyone, they can appreciate the good times, but they also seem to be able to focus on the positive in the face of some pretty negative events. They see the good in difficult people, they see the opportunity in a challenging situation, and they appreciate what they have, even in the face of loss. Would you like to increase your ability to maintain a positive attitude in your life, even in the face of significant stress?

Fortunately, a positive attitude can be cultivated, with a little practice. Although we are born with specific temperamental tendencies, the brain is a muscle, and you can strengthen your mind’s natural tendency toward optimism if you work at it.

While several factors go into emotional resilience and optimism, studies show that cultivating a sense of gratitude can help you maintain a more positive mood in daily life and contribute to greater emotional well-being and bring social benefits as well. Cultivating gratitude is one of the simpler routes to a greater sense of emotional well-being, and can be accomplished in several ways. For the next few weeks, try some of the following exercises, and you should notice a significant increase in your feelings of gratitude -— you will likely find yourself noticing more positive things in your life, dwelling less on negative or stressful events and feelings of ‘lack,’ and having a greater sense of appreciation for the people and things in your life.

Make Gentle Reminders

When you notice yourself grumbling about a negative event or stressor in your life, try to think of 4 or 5 related things for which you are grateful. For example, when feeling stressed at work, try to think about several things that you like about your job. You can do the same with relationship stress, financial stress, or other daily hassles. The more you gently remind yourself of the positives, the more easily a shift toward gratitude can occur.

Be Careful With Comparisons

Many people cause themselves unnecessary stress by making comparisons. More specifically, they cause themselves stress by making the wrong comparisons. They compare themselves only to those who have more, do more, or are in some way closer to their ideals, and allow themselves to feel inferior instead of inspired. In cultivating gratitude, you have one of two options if you find yourself making such comparisons: You can either choose to compare yourself to people who have less than you (which reminds you how truly rich and lucky you are), or you can feel gratitude for having people in your life who can inspire you. Either road can lead away from stress and envy, and closer to feelings of gratitude.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

One of the best ways to cultivate gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. Not only are you combining the benefits of journaling with the active adoption of a more positive mindset, you are left with a nice catalog of happy memories and a long list of things in your life for which you are grateful. (This can be wonderful to read during times when it’s more difficult to remember what these things are.) Keeping a gratitude journal is simple; see this gratitude journal article for ideas on different ways to maintain one. Because habits are usually formed within two or three weeks, you will have to actively focus on maintaining gratitude less and less as you go, and the habit of a more positive (and less stress-inducing) attitude will be more automatic. And greater feelings of emotional well-being can be yours.

Cultivate The Healthy, Happy, Peaceful, Life You Always Wanted Starting Now

HAPPINESS

Each of us faces tremendous challenges every day. As we get up each morning, we may face bumper to bumper traffic, getting the kids off to school, a career "make or break" report due to the boss, not enough time in the day to accomplish all you need to do, and so much more. Everyday life can simply get us down, and cause many form of stress, depression, and anxiety. Stress is a fact of life but you can choose not to make it a way of life for you. By incorporating most or all of the tips below, you will experience more joy and less stress, be well on your way to creating a healthy, happy, peaceful, fulfilling, and soul-satisfying life.

Healthy, Happy, Peaceful, Life

• Exercise.
Physical exercise is an effective means of reducing stress and tension. A single dose of exercise works even better than tranquilizers as a muscle relaxant among individuals with symptoms of anxiety and tension, but without any undesirable side effects. In a classic study of tense and anxious people, Herbert de Vries, PhD, former director of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at the University of Southern California, administered a 400-milligram dose of meprobamate, the main ingredient in many tranquilizers, to a group of patients. On another day, he had these same patients take a walk vigorous enough to raise their heart rates to more than one hundred beats per minute. Using an EMG (electromyogram) machine to measure the patients' tension levels as shown by the amount of electrical activity in their muscles, de Vries found that after exercise the electrical activity was 20% less than the patients' normal rate, indicating their bodies were less tense. By contrast, the same patients showed little difference after the dose of meprobamate. Along with exercising outdoors in nature, yoga is an excellent exercise for reducing stress. A study of yoga-class beginners found that workouts left them less nervous and more energetic. Another study found that yogis go through life with lower stress hormone levels.
• Meditation.
Practicing regular meditation is one of the best ways to bring stress hormone levels back to normal quickly, especially after an adrenaline-producing, cortisol-raising experience. I know of no more effective way to bring about relaxation than through meditation-turning inward in silence and reconnecting with the peace and calmness that's always within you. Nurture this inner peacefulness by book-ending your day with quiet meditation for at least 15 minutes first thing in the morning and again before you go to sleep at night. This quietude will remind you that you can make the choice every day to live in the world but not be caught up in the frenzy of it. Part of the meditation process is focused, deep breathing. In fact, conscious breathing-inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply-is itself a form of meditation. In addition to practicing deep breathing while meditating, take mini breathing breaks throughout your day. While you're breathing, be sure to focus on your breath or a relaxing, peaceful thought and not on anything that might be stressful.
• Proper Diet.
Because fresh fruits and vegetables are the foods highest in water content, and because they are the foods easiest to digest, they take stress off your digestive system and are what I refer to as "body-friendly" foods, especially if you eat them in their raw, natural, organic state. Keep the following three tips in mind when planning your meals. 1) Eat at least 8 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Emphasize the vegetables, especially leafy greens like romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, collards, and fresh sprouts. 2) Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to obtain the widest selection of nutrients that boost immunity, beautify skin, accelerate fat loss, increase energy, prevent heart disease, and fight cancer. 3) Select produce with rich, diverse colors. Many of the beneficial antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are also the pigments responsible for making them red, orange, purple, green, or yellow. Besides being rich in fiber, phytonutrients, chlorophyll, antioxidants, minerals, and enzymes, life-giving fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals that help the body when it's under stress. And don't forget to drink at least 8 glasses of pure water every day. When you don't get enough water, the result is added stress on all of the organs and cells in the body. Dehydration can also lead to frequent headaches, general fatigue, dizziness, and weight gain. That's right. A shortage of water will result in excess water weight, as too little water causes our bodies to store water outside of our cells, making us feel bloated and heavy. Drinking plenty of water will actually help you lose or maintain a healthy weight, too. Water is calorie-free, suppresses the appetite naturally (drink a large glass 15 minutes before mealtime on an empty stomach), and helps metabolize fat. Without enough water, your kidneys can't function properly, which forces them to send some of their workload to your liver. Since one of the liver's main functions is to metabolize stored fat, the added work from the kidneys means that the liver burns less fat, so that more fat remains in the body-usually in the hips and thighs for women and around the waist for men. If you desire to lose some fat, it's a good idea to drink at least three extra glasses of water every day.
• Supplements.
Creating vibrant health is a combination of several factors. Along with a healthy diet that emphasizes fresh organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean protein, and plenty of water, your body also needs exercise, proper rest and sleep, a positive attitude, the ability to laugh at yourself, quality time in nature, and the best whole food supplements.
• Massage.
Studies reveal that therapeutic massage can cut cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and boost immunity. Additionally, massage reduces stress and tension, improves circulation, relieves muscle spasms, helps rid the body of toxins and retained fluids, and improves the skin. In terms of weight loss, the person massaging you is burning more calories than you are, but as your stress is massaged away, your hormones will be more balanced, which aids in fat reduction. Some people claim it aids in cellulite reduction. While I've never seen any good studies to prove that, I have seen impressive results in clients. Best of all, I know that massage feels terrific and for all the reasons above, I look forward to several massages each month.
• Sleep.
America is a chronically sleep-derived nation, and lack of sleep undermines the body's inherent ability to deal with stress. There is nothing more restorative for your body than a good night's sleep, night after night after night. Consistent lack of sleep can lead to a variety of health problems, including toxic build-up, weight gain and aging, depression, irritability and impatience, low sex drive, memory loss, lethargy, relationship problems, accidents, and at least 1,500 reported "drowsy driving" fatalities each year. Studies show that driving on only 6 hours sleep is like driving drunk.
One clear sign of sleep deprivation is needing an alarm clock to roust you out of bed in the morning. To dramatically improve your alertness, mood, appearance, and overall health, as well as help normalize stress hormones, try to get to bed 30 to 60 minutes earlier than you're used to. Exercise helps you sleep better but you don't want to engage in strenuous exercise too late at night because it accelerates the body's metabolic rate, which remains "revved up" for a few hours, making it tough to sleep. Morning exercise routines or, if you've got insomnia, exercising 4 hours before bedtime, will help you sleep much better.
• Nature.
Being out in nature, where the air is filled with salubrious negative ions, lifts the spirits, relaxes the body, and gives us a sense of well-being. The air all around us is electrically charged with positive and negative ions. Most of us live and work in environments dominated by technology-surrounded by computers, microwaves, air conditioners, heaters, TV's, and vehicular traffic. These and other "conveniences" of modern life emit excessive amounts of positive ions into the air we breathe, which can result in mental or physical exhaustion and affect overall wellness as described above. But when you're in nature, especially surrounded by water, like the ocean, or in the mountains surrounded by trees and greenery, negative ions abound. In fact, the revolving water generated by fountains creates negative ions that cause air particles to achieve electrical (ionic) balance. You can increase negative ions in your home or office space by the addition of green plants and water fountains.
• Laughter.
Laugh as often as possible. Along with my faith in God, meditation, and spending quality time out in nature, laughter is one of the best ways I know to help mollify stress. It is okay to laugh, even when times are tough. Toxic worry almost always entails a loss of perspective and a sense of humor almost always restores it. It was Norman Cousins, a noted journalist and author who, during a life-threatening illness, was able to achieve two hours of pain-free living for every ten minutes he devoted to laughter. In his wonderful book, Anatomy of an Illness, he told about how he watched old Marx Brothers comedies, the Three Stooges, and Candid Camera by the hour. He learned that laughter-hearty belly laughter-produced certain chemicals in the brain that benefit body, mind, and emotions. According to researchers, Cousins was right on! Laughter releases endorphins into the body that act as natural stress beaters. It aids most-and probably all-major systems of the body. A good laugh gives the heart muscles a good workout, improves circulation, fills the lungs with oxygen-rich air, clears the respiratory passages, stimulates alertness hormones that stimulate various tissues, helps relieve pain, alters the brain by diminishing tension in the central nervous system, and counteracts fear, anger, and depression, all of which are linked to physical illness and stress.
• Simplify.
Simplification is to your life what healthy foods, sleep, water, exercise, and positive thinking are to your body; they all rejuvenate your life and reduce stress. Start by de-cluttering your personal environment, either at work and/or home. Even something as simple as organizing your desk will make you more efficient and help to relieve stress. What makes a world of difference in my life is the 15 minutes I spend before I leave the office. I use that time to straighten my desk and make a list of all the things I want to do the next day. I can go home with my work left neatly behind me and the knowledge that tomorrow I can easily pick up where I left off. Living an uncluttered life (and this includes drawers, cupboards, closets, and day-to-day scheduling) gives me time for the things I really care about, like time to think, to read, to walk in nature, to meditate, and watch the sunset. Through simplification, I am more clear-minded and, I believe, a kinder, more sensitive person. But it's hard for me to live a stressless life when my environment is surrounded by clutter and I have no time during the day to call my own. Spend a few minutes each day and clean out one drawer, cupboard, or closet. That's easier than committing to taking an entire week off to simplify your entire life. One step at a time is practicable and within a month or so, you will be living and working in an environment that brings you more joy and less stress.
• Gratitude.
Be positive and grateful every day. The link between mind and body has been contemplated since the time of Plato, but it's only recently that research has been done on the neurophysiology of the brain. Every thought transmits instructions to the body through some 70 trillion nerve cells, so when you think a negative thought, your immune system is immediately compromised. By the same token, when you think positive thoughts, your immune system is enhanced and your whole body benefits. Furthermore, an anxious or fearful mind instructs the body to be likewise-tense and nervous. A calm mind creates a calm body. So choose your thoughts wisely. A new report from the Mayo Proceedings suggests that individuals who profess pessimistic explanations for life events have poorer physical health and a higher mortality rate compared with either optimists or "middle-of-the-road" types, regardless of age or sex. In fact, every 10-point increase in the study's pessimism scores was associated with a 19% increase in the risk of death. Conversely, participants whose test scores indicated optimism had a survival rate significantly better than expected. The reason for this may be that pessimists may be more "passive" or have a "darker" outlook on life than other personality types, leaving them more prone to "bad life events"-such as illness, injury, and depression. The researchers concluded that pessimism itself is a "risk factor" for early death, and should be viewed in the same way as other risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol level. One way to foster a positive attitude is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude (and appreciation) is a magnetic force that draws more good to each one of us. It's a dynamic spiritual energy that allows you to exert a powerful influence on your body, life, and world. Most importantly, it's a stellar stress-buster. What you think about consistently, you bring about in your life. Keep a gratitude journal and each day write down at least three things for which you are grateful. Focusing on the positive things, even during the most difficult times, is the perfect remedy to reduce and alleviate stress. And if you don't feel positive and grateful, "fake it until you make it," as the saying goes.



The New You

In other words, "acting as if" will help you through many challenging times and carry you on to better times. It was Shakespeare who championed this sage advice in his immortal words in Hamlet: "Assume a virtue, if you have it not."
• Relaxation.
Do you practice some type of relaxation in your life? If you're like most people, you put relaxation near the bottom of your "to do" list each day. One of the world's leading experts on the brain is a Harvard medical doctor, Herbert Benson, author of The Relaxation Response and Your Maximum Mind. What Benson calls "the relaxation response" is the body's ability to enter into a state characterized by an overall reduction of the metabolic rate and a lowered heart rate. According to Benson, this state of relaxation also acts as a door to a renewed mind and a changed life, a feeling of awareness. He describes the physiological changes that occur when you are relaxed as a harmonizing or increased communication between the two sides of the brain, resulting in feelings often described as well-being, unboundedness, infinite connection, and peak experience. One way to cultivate calmness and peacefulness is to progressively relax your body, beginning with your toes and ending with your head. Breathe slowly and deeply and totally relax each part of your body, saying to yourself as you go along, "My toes, feet, legs [and so on] are relaxed," until you have gone through your entire body. Then rest for a while in the quiet and silence. Listening to a relaxation or meditation tape may also be helpful and I have several available through my website below. When you make time daily day for a few minutes of deep relaxation, you will experience more joy and less stress. And if you incorporate most of the above stress-buster suggestions, you'll enrich your experience of living and achieve the goal of a balanced life. 

Celebration Of Life

Happiness and living your best life is all up to you. Take each day and thank God for your blessings that you already have and for what he is about to do in your life. If you live each day like it's your last you will truly have the healthy, happy, peaceful, life you seek. You will be "Pampering4life" which is the ultimate indulgence in YOU. Your life is waiting for you when are you going to show up?

The Importance Of Love In Your Life

To understand the importance of love in finding a life purpose it is necessary to consider the many ways of loving, and of being loved. Most people first experience love within their own family, then develop a love of close friends. Love for others comes with maturity, as does the basic need to be in a loving relationship.





* Romantic love

Seeking the ideal partner can sometimes be the main focus in life. After falling in love, continuing to care for the loved one provides a major life purpose.

Sadly, romantic love can blossom and then fade. The loss of a partner can often cause a general lack of purpose in living, because it seems to remove the possibility of ever again enjoying life to the full.
Being in a loving relationship is not absolutely essential to a purposeful life. It is an important part of living, but should not be thought of as the sole purpose.

* Parental Love

Most parents find a life purpose in loving, caring and providing for their own children. It is important for parents to know that as their children grow up they must be allowed to seek and find a life purpose of their own. A child should not be forced or persuaded into a role desired by the parents.
Parental love is important, but it only provides real life purpose when children are still young and dependent. Decades of devotion by a parent can end in loss of purpose when the children are grown up and have left home.

* Love of Friends

Love of friends is important in life, but so are new friendships. It is important that lifelong friendships do not become exclusive. Close friendship should never prevent anyone from meeting and getting to know new people, developing new friendships, and being able to let go when old friends move on.
Having the love of good friends can feel very supportive and it is highly rewarding to love those friends in return. The purpose of life should not just be to keep within a close circle of friends.

* Love for Community

Many good people devote themselves to their own community, through voluntary work, fundraising activities, campaigning on local issues, and getting involved in regional politics.
Support for a community, love of a particular place, and pride in local achievements can also create negative reactions, through fear, bitterness, rivalry, even hatred of anyone who is not from the same background. To allow prejudice to become a purpose in life shows a complete lack of love for humanity.
Loving and supporting others in the community is a commendable way to live, but if it becomes a life purpose it can preclude greater love for humanity.

* Universal Love

The capacity for universal love is a rare and wonderful quality. Real love is always unconditional. It does not cease through disagreement, or from disappointment. It allows forgiveness.
Love for humanity accepts people of all faiths, or of no faith. It involves actively caring for the less fortunate, and does not exclude anyone just for being different. Universal love gives real purpose to life.

* Self Love

Love of self is not the same as being selfish. It is based on self knowledge and self belief. Love of self is important because it develops integrity, and establishes the desire to live with a clear conscience.
Self love allows independence and original thinking, but too much self love can be destructive if it precludes love of others. To find a life purpose it is necessary to love others, and to learn from them.
It is only through genuine love for others that a true life purpose can be discovered and maintained.