Research from the Center for Healthy Minds is addressing the recent decline in well-being by proposing a training-based framework for “the cultivation of human flourishing.” When the US Census Bureau surveyed people in December 2020, more than 42% reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, an...
Read MoreAs much as we try to maintain a sense of positivity, we might find ourselves feeling defeated by the headlines in the news. Clinical Psychologist, Steve Hickman outlines three steps to turn that defeat into a driving force for action. BY STEVE HICKMAN I’m...
Read MoreTraditionally, we associate flowers, chocolates, Cupid and other Valentine’s Day sentiments of devotion with February. But there’s another reason to celebrate this “month of love.” It’s American Heart Month. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S. – at 165 deaths per 100,000...
Read More↓ A new study examines how different practices benefit people who worry a lot by Kira M. Newman If you’re prone to worry, some well-meaning person may have advised you to try mindfulness meditation. Theoretically, focusing on the present and cultivating an attitude of acceptance are effective antidotes...
Read More↓ Sore, achy feet affect your mood, not to mention cause pain to radiate to other areas of the body. Find relief for your feet by practicing yoga for sore feet. Sore, achy feet can affect everything from hip pain to lower back pain to posture issues—not to mention...
Read MoreResearch shows that meditating benefits everyone around you—whether you're in the same household or connecting virtually. A great meditation teacher once described the frightening scene in the refugee boats floating adrift after the end of the Vietnam war. Overcrowded with children and elderly people,...
Read MoreFollow these three mindful steps to bring small, good moments into your awareness. The other day I spoke with a friend I hadn’t connected with since the pandemic began. When I asked how she was, she unexpectedly said she had just tasted the best cherry in...
Read MoreThis year is bluer than most—and this may be the bluest winter on record. Fight the winter blues in five ways. Winter can be hard, mentally and emotionally, in a good year, let alone in a pandemic. This year the winter bluesmight hit many of us...
Read MoreDuring moments (or days) when everything seems impossibly complicated, we can still return to one place of simplicity: our innate capacity for presence and kindness. BY STEVE HICKMAN What could be simpler than paying attention? It sounds so ridiculously simple when one tries to...
Read MoreWe all have headaches—and, thus, often just accept them. But what is actually causing that pounding head? And what is it trying to tell you? Headaches are considered one of the most common medical complaints. We all experience them—some more frequently than others. Is it due to...
Read MoreFollow these three mindful steps to bring small, good moments into our awareness. BY KELLY BARRON SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 The other day I spoke with a friend I hadn’t connected with since the pandemic began. When I asked how she was, she unexpectedly said she...
Read MoreHaving a hard time meditating because of anxious thoughts? Try saying your worries out loud. Q: I’m 54 and I’ve struggled with anxiety most of my life. I’ve tried meditating but I have trouble getting past all my anxious thoughts. My mind is such a noisy tangle!...
Read MoreThinking we need to be perfect before we act is a trap—but it’s one we can free ourselves from. BY ELAINE SMOOKLER I guided the meditation with fewer words, leaving ever more space. The air seemed to crackle with restless silence. Afterwards, several...
Read MoreTurn your smartphone into a tiny health coach with these apps for better nutrition, mindfulness, and gratitude. Often, you only hear about the negatives of smartphone use (distracting, time-consuming, blue-light emitting ...
Read MoreMy 90-day experience with coffee and running ↓ So, what’s the big deal about coffee? It’s just plant juice mixed with hot water (and sometimes milk), right? Just a bunch of basic atoms and molecules found in plants, combined around. Hate to break it to you, but...
Read MoreEmotions are changeable and culturally constructed—which means we get to choose how we feel about how we feel. You’ve probably found yourself, on occasion, spending long uninterrupted hours with digital technologies, particularly during months of social distancing. Just as our smartphones are always close...
Read MoreIf we remember the importance of resilience, gratitude, and doing with less, we can move forward with a new sense of purpose. ↓ A lot of people I know have been starting to wonder about life after the shelter-in-place orders have been lifted. What...
Read MoreGetty/Boyloso From improved sleep and circulation to reduced anxiety and more, regular exercise boosts immunity and strengthens the body’s defense against illness. How Exercise Strengthens the Immune System As we confront the difficult, enduring nature of COVID-19, finding long-term habits of immunity is becoming more important than ever....
Read MoreFrom celebrating human connectedness to healing with breathwork, here are six books (plus three podcasts) to keep on learning and nourishing yourself this fall. BY MINDFUL STAFF Image by Halfpoint / Adobe Stock 1) Out of My Skull The Psychology of Boredom James Danckert and John D. Eastwood Harvard...
Read MoreGetty/spukkato Yin yoga works the connective tissue that wraps around our muscles and carries messages from the brain. By practicing yin yoga, we may be able to reprogram some of the physical patterns causing chronic pain. Yin is a style of yoga that involves staying in supported...
Read MorePulmonologist Ni-Cheng Liang takes a look at how the breath—a common anchor of attention in meditation—can be triggering. Explore her masking practice to calm feelings of anxiety and stress when we’re unable to comfortably connect with the in or out breath. ♠ BY NI-CHENG LIANG ...
Read MoreGetty/EKATERINAZAKHAROVA Collagen is either a must for smooth skin and supple joints—or an unproven supplement that will waste your money. Wellbeing editor KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER went in search of answers. CANS AND POUCHES OF COLLAGEN POWDER seem to be everywhere these days, stacked up in stores or...
Read MoreFeeling trapped inside? Or completely anchorless? A psychologist explains how we can intentionally build more freedom, structure, and connection into quarantine life. Photo by Tierney / Adobe Stock During my first day of graduate school to become a psychologist, a wise, mischievous, provocative professor said...
Read MorePhoto courtesy of Jennifer Ludington. Interview with Jennifer Ludington, women’s fitness and wellness coach ♠ ↓ I first met Jennifer Ludington when she contacted me to be a part of The Freedom Body Summit, a web-based women’s fitness seminar that she organized. After speaking to her, I came away impressed by...
Read MoreCultivating a clear awareness of our inner world during moments of strong emotion is a powerful, portable way to step back from the activation, find our calm, and discover a right way forward. Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock ♠ When we find ourselves in the grip of fiery anger, or constricting sadness,...
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