consciousness

Tag Archive for consciousness

Get Better Sleep The Easy Way

June 30, 2020 John Uncategorized No comments

These days good sleep seems like, well, a dream. But GenuLines wants you to “sleep tight.”

Rest assured that the following suggestions are designed to let you do just that.

Get Better Sleep The Easy Way

If getting good sleep is a challenge for you you’re not alone. It’s a common complaint of working people.

And stress due to lockdown and constant negative news reports doesn’t help either.

If you’re in one or more of these categories, here are some of the ways that can help make positive changes:

Develop better sleeping habits

Good sleep habits help you complete tasks. If you’re falling down in this area get to working on those habits.

You might start with daytime routines that include eating smarter. Avoid food that contains stimulants such as caffeine.

An afternoon nap can work, but don’t “over nap” and affect your sleep at night.

Daily exercise can help

Aside from health benefits, regular exercise also helps you get better sleep. This is because it lets the body do enough work to want to rest at night.

Consider simple exercises like brisk walking or light yoga.

Come up with your own personal sleeping plan

More than anyone you know your own body. If you’re having trouble sleeping, analyze what may be the problem.

If it’s something that you can handle, try to do the things that will help you overcome it. You can do this by coming up with a personal sleeping plan.

Decide on what you’ll do each night. If the specific plan doesn’t work today, try another the next night and then another one the next. By doing this, you can find the techniques that will work for you.

Create a good sleeping environment

An easy way to get good sleep is to create a comfortable, and cozy sleeping environment. Take a look at your bedroom.

Is there something there that keeps you awake? It could be time to re-arrange the space.

Check to see if your bed still suits the needs of your body and if not, try replacing it. Look for smaller items that catch your attention and make it hard for you to close your eyes.

If there are, try removing them for a while until you’re able to sleep better.

JohnK 6-30-2020

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Overheard: “There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep”

~Homer, The Odyssey

Happiness Is More Than Thinking Positive Thoughts

December 24, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments

Your happiness level isn’t what you’d like it to be. Someone in your circle suggests that you should think positive thoughts. That’s the answer, or so it seems.

Today GenuLines looks at happiness as more than just staying in a positive mindset.

Happiness Is More Than Thinking Positive Thoughts

The dictionary defines happiness as “the state of being happy.” Not a lot of information to go on there.

Let’s look at some different things that happiness can be. But realize that in truth, happiness is in the mind of the beholder.

Your Needs are Met

When a person is happy, they usually aren’t wanting for much. It doesn’t mean that they’re not having a tough time.

Rather, they’re making what they have fill their needs.

You feel satisfied

When you’re happy you tend to feel satisfied with your life. You think about your life and feel good about your good fortune.

This could include your living space, your life partner, or the fact that you live alone.

Contentment is a hallmark of happy people. Whether it’s their job, home, health, or things in general.

Happy people do experience stress. But they have a way of drawing on their contentment when things are less than perfect.

You Are at Peace

A happy person often feels a lot of peace surrounding their life and family. They tend to know that everything will turn out okay.

They’re pretty good at turning negativity into positivity.

Your Definition

You can set your own definition of happiness. It’s not necessarily about getting tons of stuff.

It’s not about finding a spouse unless you want that. Or about having kids, unless you want that.

It’s a Journey

Happiness isn’t a destination where you’ll forever dwell. It’s a lifelong journey that will have many ups and downs and struggles.

Still, you manage to feel good about it.

In the 1989 movie “Parenthood”, one of the main characters is a struggling mother. She says she loves “the roller-coaster” of life.

Her husband, though, is struggling and not as happy. He focuses on the downs instead of the ups.

It’s How You Act

When you’re happy your actions lean toward the positive. You eat better, you move more, you think better thoughts.

Know that you have it in your power to be happy where you are in your life right now.

Thinking positive thoughts is not the be-all and end-all of happiness. It’s having your needs met, yes.

But it’s not about having everything, or even the best. It’s about being satisfied with what you have while also being able to work toward the things you want.

It starts with your thoughts. And it manifests with your actions.

JohnK 12-24-2019

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Overheard: “If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.”

~Epicurus

Article Image by Gino Crescoli from Pixabay

Appreciate the Small Things And Find Contentment

July 16, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments

You’re intent on finding happiness, but what about contentment? You hear about appreciating the small stuff and feeling happy.

Today GenuLines asks you to turn your aim from happiness to contentment.

Appreciate the Small Things And Find Contentment

Most emotions are transitional, meaning you’re never in one state for long periods. People labeled upbeat actually do have moments of sadness or depression.

And even depressed people may not feel depressed all the time.

Think about a major event such as a war. When two countries are fighting, both sides lose lives.

It’s bloody, and it can last for several years. But, when the war is over, the countries are euphoric.

There will be no more bloodshed because of the war, and people can return to their lives.

But nothing that has changed in the world except that the war has ended. In other words, the sun still sets each day.

People still have to manage their lives.

The euphoria from the war ending doesn’t last long. Months later, the war is still over, but the euphoria has died down.

The same is true in a smaller way when you’re ill. For instance, suppose you have a stomach bug that leaves you uncomfortable and in pain.

When the bug passes you feel wonderful.

Yet, you don’t feel any better than you did when you weren’t experiencing the bug. It’s relative to the bad feelings.

That’s how emotional states work. They go from one to the other on a constant basis.

Appreciating the small things in life may lead to happiness. But, it’s likely you’re content more than you are happy.

Contentment can feel like a neutral state, leaning on the side of happy. There isn’t anything wrong when you’re content.

But, there’s also nothing ratcheting up your happiness.

Consider contentment before happiness

Striving for happiness can be stressful. The antidote? Gratitude. You’ll feel content without having to always push toward happiness.

Time spent in contentment means you’re doing something right.

Think about the people you love. And think about all you have, such as your health and a good job.

Imagine life without them and you’ll really appreciate contentment. That thought may even make you happy, if only for a short time.

JohnK 7-16-2019

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Overheard: “A harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment”

~Proverb

Feeling Hungry? Get A Plan!

May 2, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

Picture this. You come home from work stressed, exhausted, and hungry. You decide that tonight might be a great night to order in.

Do you find yourself doing this two or three times a week because your life is so busy? The scenario isn’t meant to shame, Most of us have been there.

Life doesn’t stop because your day has been crazy busy.

The kids still need to eat. The laundry still needs to get done. And you still have a night of balancing your checkbook ahead of you.

Let’s be honest, who would have time to even think about cooking with a schedule like that? This is where the importance of planning comes in.

When you’re able to plan your meals ahead of time you won’t need to hit that drive-thru window. You’ll already have your dinner ready, all you need to do is heat it. With everything already in place, you can focus on other things while your food is cooking.

Taking one or two hours a week to plan your meals might seem like a hassle. But this can save you hours in the future.

Doing something once a week is a lot easier than doing it several times a week. One trip to the grocery store and one afternoon in the kitchen. This can produce an entire week of meals for your family.

But planning your meals is only the beginning. You can also plan your trip to the grocery store.

What was once a headache can be a breeze when you have a categorized list in front of you. Make an Excel spreadsheet and list your grocery categories in bold, (frozen, produce, meats, etc.).

Then put each item under the appropriate category and print it out. Now you have an easy-to-use, focused list that will keep you on track.

And, your printout can be a template for your future grocery lists.

JohnK 5-2-2018

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Overheard: “True healthcare reform starts in your kitchen, not in Washington”

~Anonymous

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Bringing Change To Your Life: Ya Gotta Want It!

April 25, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

Bringing change to our lives is great conversation fodder. But, are we really doing what it takes to bring about change?

Today’s article will give you some ideas to kick-start the process of changing your life.

While we’re on the subject of change, I hope you had a chance to hear the CHI FOR YOURSELF interview with Julie Simon. Our topic was emotional eating. Getting an upper hand on that tendency can bring major change to your life.

You can listen to the show by clicking on below:

Some of the talking points from the interview:

Emotional eating defined
Julie Simon’s experience as an emotional eater
Re-wiring the brain for better eating
Weight loss as a New Year resolution
Emotional eating: women and men

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_______________________________

ARTICLE

People often say that they have at least one wish or desire to change something about their lives. Unfortunately, they often don’t move to change this.

They’ll say that their reason for not attaining their goal is lack of motivation. Then there are those who would say this is a lack of effort rather than a lack of motivation.

Let’s take a look at some reasons why people don’t put the effort into making a lifestyle change.

1. Lack of a reason

To make any type of change in your life you need to have a good reason to do so. Having a goal is wonderful but the reason you have to reach that goal fuels your decision.

Those reasons could include attracting more money for a move to a new location. or for funding more opportunities.

2. Setting too large a goal

Weight loss is a perfect example. If you want to lose 70 pounds don’t focus on this amount.

Instead, you can set smaller goals, say 7 pounds a month. That can help you stay on task.

If you meet this goal in less time that’s great. If you’re struggling, don’t give up. Refocus and set your next monthly goal at 5 pounds.

3. No vision

Having a vision of what you want is a great way to stay motivated. This is why it’s smart to keep track of your goals.

You can do this in various ways, depending on your goal. If that goal is to lose weight then keep photos and images of your progress.

If it’s another type of goal you might want to keep a journal or blog about your journey.

This way you can see what you are struggling with and what you’re accomplishing.

4. Lack of Support

Not having a support network can hurt your efforts to bring change to your life. Getting support from family and friends can be a big boost toward realizing your goals.

Put these four factors into practice. You’ll find that you have both more drive and more commitment.

And, you’ll finally start making those lifestyle changes you’ve dreamed about.

JohnK 4-25-2018
chiforyourself home page

Overheard: “There is no man living that can not do more than he thinks he can.”
~ Henry Ford

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Ira Israel on CHI FOR YOURSELF And A New “Freebie”

February 13, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

Last week’s CHI FOR YOURSELF interview with Ira Israel ran into some “technical difficulty” as they say. So it was not available to you live. But my conversation with Ira was recorded.

Ira Israel is the author of How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re an Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening.

First, a look at some of the show’s talking points:

The central theme of the book
The meaning of “negativity bias”
A definition of authenticity
The part resentment plays in our lives
Is there such a thing as the “mid-life crisis?”
The myth of romance
Beginning the process of forgiveness

…and, the show itself. Listen by clicking on below–

A new CHI FOR YOURSELF “freebie” is up and available. Get this free report on dealing with stress when you click here–

FREE Stuff

JohnK 2-13-2018

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Ira Israel on CHI FOR YOURSELF And A New “Freebie”

February 13, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

Last week’s CHI FOR YOURSELF interview with Ira Israel ran into some “technical difficulty” as they say. So it was not available to you live. But my conversation with Ira was recorded.

Ira Israel is the author of How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re an Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening.

First, a look at some of the show’s talking points:

The central theme of the book
The meaning of “negativity bias”
A definition of authenticity
The part resentment plays in our lives
Is there such a thing as the “mid-life crisis?”
The myth of romance
Beginning the process of forgiveness

…and, the show itself. Listen by clicking on below–

A new CHI FOR YOURSELF “freebie” is up and available. Get this free report on dealing with stress when you click here–

FREE Stuff

JohnK 2-13-2018

chiforyourself.com home page

A Grown-up Look At Childhood: Ira Israel on CHI FOR YOURSELF

February 8, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

It’s our first (first run) CHI FOR YOURSELF episode of 2018!

Our guest will be psychotherapist and counselor Ira Israel, author of How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re an Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening.

Ira offers a step-by-step path to recognizing the ways of being that we created as children and transcending them with compassion and acceptance.

Hear the CHI FOR YOURSELF interview with Ira Israel on Friday, February 9th at 4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific time at chiforyourself.com

JohnK 2-8-2018

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Adventures In Solitude With Robert Kull

February 2, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

Although many cultures have long recognized solitude as an opportunity to look inward, in our culture we sometimes think that spending time alone is unhealthy.

In the 2009 CHI FOR YOURSELF interview with Robert Kull, we learned that spending time alone can actually soften our sense of alienation from others. Kull used his journey to deep wilderness solitude to drive that point home.

Robert Kull is the author of SOLITUDE: Seeking Wisdom in Extremes- A Year Alone in the Patagonia Wilderness.

Listen to the interview by clicking on below-

JohnK 2-2-2018

chiforyourself.com home page

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Eating To Live And The Signs That You Eat Too Much

January 31, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

Eating is a fundamental pillar of life. Most of us enjoy it, especially when we’re savoring some great tasting food!

Unfortunately, we also don’t always have the best sense of when to stop eating. Especially when we have access to good-tasting foods in immense quantities.

We poke fun at humorous situations such as Homer Simpson eating until he can’t move. But, there are consequences to this. They range from a mild stomach ache to cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

Plus, overeating is not as dramatic as eating until our pants are about to burst. It’s subtle. It’s more like eating more than we need in one sitting. Or eating until we’re full rather than eating until we’ve gotten the nutrients we need.

We don’t have the natural constraints our ancestors did to prevent us from overeating. In evolutionary terms, most humans couldn’t overeat. Large-scale agriculture and food processing are fairly recent developments.

Most humans (especially Americans) have access to more food and convenience than ever.

So, what drives us to eat more than we need?

One key insight is the emotional connection to food many people have. Research has shown that they tend to eat more or overeat when they’re feeling sad. Or depressed. Or if they’re struggling with an issue.

A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health looked at eating disorders like binge eating. It found that “it’s important to consider depressive symptoms in overeating.”

Are we eating because we’re hungry, or because of an emotional issue we’re dealing with?

Another consideration is symptoms of Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. The Medical University of Warsaw found that these symptoms can lead people to eat more. Why? To satisfy urges to increase insulin. So, it’s important to practice moderation when eating sweets. They cause us to eat far more than we actually need.

Finally, your body is your best warning system. Warnings come when you experience constipation, blockage, vomiting or stomach aches. Your body is telling you it’s had enough.

If you feel a constant need for laxatives or antacids it’s most likely your body’s alarm system at work. It’s telling you that you’ve taken in far more food than you need.

Your body’s energy level and mental alertness also are signs of eating too much.

We all enjoy a well-prepared meal or delicious healthy snacks. Yet as far as biology is concerned food is no more than fuel for our body to consume and turn into energy.

But when you bog your system down with excess or poor quality food (A.K.A. junk food) your energy will decrease. You’ll feel sluggish and less alert. Rather than boost energy, it will make your digestive system feel overloaded.

Your brain and your emotions work together to send you the warnings. These can come in the form of depression or stress.

Be mindful with this. Be aware of your current state. Your body tells you through your energy levels and digestion system when you’ve had too much.

The signals are there. Are you listening?

JohnK 1-31-2018

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