Category Archives: Self-regulation

July 31, 2016 · 11:23 am

Change; Brexit and Bremain

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What times we live in. So much has changed. So much has happened. In a time of change what can you do to minimize the upset? The trauma of it all? Does it have to be dark?

We have Brexit and not Bremain. Changes are going on. A completely unexpected change. Or is there? Is there really going to be change? I often find people do not like change. Do not like movement and usually do all they can to avoid it. We often hope others can change but not ourselves. The thing is we often have to change. Change ourselves, change how we respond, change what we do. Whether we like it or not; we are changing all the time and those around us are also changing too. Every second of every day we are changing, aging, moving. There is nothing we can do to stop it no matter how much we may try.

Before Brexit, I would ask clients to imagine Brexit actually happening. The unimaginable. Then to imagine themselves being OK. The world not ending. Them adapting and then being able to manage. The world not exploding into riots and currency not being devalued so much that pound notes would need to be carried on wheel barrows in order to buy a loaf of bread. The thing is to go to the place in your head you do not want to go to….and then go. It is amazing what you can imagine if you want to. Then imagine managing. The world still going on. You being OK. The world being OK. Usually the worse we imagine is not as bad as others tell us it will be. Fear usually drives many of our decisions. Going to the fear can free us.

 

©2016 Yaz

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June 1, 2016 · 10:24 am

Throwing out our rubbish & garbage

Bins IMG_8805

In many parts of the UK the rubbish/bin collections have changed. Pick up times have been moved from weekly to every other week. So every two weeks we get our rubbish picked up. Outside my door are the two sizes of bins. The small green ones which I pack with rubbish for the weekly pick-ups and the large blue and green bins which will be for the every other two week pick-ups later on in June. It seems a silly topic to blog about.

But its like life. We often have to throw our garbage out. We have to erase and wipe out some part of our own hard drive (our mind) and make way for the rewriting the new and informed information we might now have. Information has to be ‘informed’ and not rubbish or garbage. Some people just go on and on with the rubbish being brought up back again and again – like an old awful boyfriend/girlfriend who should have been given their papers ages ago. Instead some rubbish is there right in the forefront rather then moving it away down the chute and then out and disposed of. Why is that? Why do we love our rubbish? Bring it up, open it and go through all the used and rotting food – again and again. Maybe even swim in it. Some of the times we even walk through and drink the bin/rubbish juice. Eugh. Maybe it needs recycled. Maybe it really needs thrown out. But certainly much more then the once every two weeks that the bin men are now going to do in my street. Our own personal bins should be looked at more regularly…..

©2016 Yaz

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April 10, 2016 · 8:26 pm

Exercise and Aging

Brain IMG_8532

In therapy sessions, I often talk about the need for exercise and movement. Anything cognitive can only do so much for our minds….after that we need to work also on our body and spirit too. These areas so often integrate and make the individual and the whole work well together.

Research at The University of Miami among a sample of 876 people starting at an average age of 71, and carried out over 5 years; showed that the brains of non-exercisers looked 10 years older then those who did moderate exercise. http://med.miami.edu/news/exercise-may-slow-brain-aging-by-10-years-for-older-people

Memory loss was also reduced amongst those who exercised. The benefits of exercise are thought to be better circulation and vascular health.

Exercise can be walking regularly and even carrying y0ur shopping. But other pieces of research have shown how movement with different exercise movement also helps. Chi Gong, Tai Chi, Swimming and Yoga are examples of exercise where there is stretching and movement that is different. Dancing with variations in movement have also been shown to be effective.

Exercise and movement helps us to also age well not just physically but also mentally.

©2016 Yaz

 

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Filed under Body, Depression, Energy Medicine, Patterns of Depression, Self-regulation

December 31, 2015 · 4:37 am

Positive Intentions for a Good New Year

2016images

Intentions and Coming New Year

In anything we do; conscious or unconscious – comes an intention. Intentions can make the year as poor or even better then it could ever be. We are so powerful. Our ability to change not just the weather is also our ability to change our own feelings and mood.

We can feel a little ho hum about something. Indifferent, irritated – but we can change it and adapt the feeling and make it even better. We can wake ourselves up from a state of sleep to one of movement and joy. Its funny peculiar how no one comes to see me because they are too happy. Instead people come to see me when they are feeling sad, depressed or anxious. Happiness takes time and effort. It does not always come naturally. A good new year will also take effort and with every hurdle we have to jump higher and higher. I wish you a good new year and one where the road rises up to meet you. The winds always be at your back. The sun shines warm upon your face…..and most of all – that you feel like it does.

May you have a Wonderful New Year

©2015 Yaz

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November 17, 2015 · 12:11 am

Making life simple and lowering stress by cutting down on social communication

IMG_7525In a world of choice; We have Skype, Wats app, Messenger, Text, Email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and much much more. I have been wondering if we maybe have too much and too many. Its hard enough keeping up with the world as it is. Why not do one or a few things well and then let go of the many that are hard to keep up with in the time we do have? I often advise clients who are suffering from stress and anxiety to let go of some of their ‘means’ of communication. It is hard to know how and when to meet people as it is. In the end to choose one or a few…but not all. Real friends would not mind adapting to your needs. Real friends would understand your need to cut down different media in order to have real time to communicate. It does work and does reduce anxiety.  I knew someone who had over 6000 people following him on instagram. But when it came down to it. He knew hardly anyone who was there and he often felt lonely. Chatting online and filling it with online people we have never met looks like it fills the emptiness… but when you shut down the phone the emptiness returns.  As humans we are built to communicate. If we cannot be with a person, then a phone call or skype does help but our eyes, hands, face and body all are built to communicate.  It always helps to see and be with people.

 

©2015 Yaz

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February 16, 2014 · 10:55 am

Your Acceptance Speech

BAFTAI was watching the BAFTA’s (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) tonight. There are awards for all the different categories. Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and more. They all go to the podium afterwards and then give their thanks, give their acceptance speech. If you were to go up the podium for your life now, your life as it is. Who would you be thanking or blaming? What events would you be ascribing your life turns too?

Best event?

A monumental presence?

Greatest Generosity?

Greatest Effort?

Unflinching quest for truth?

When you raised the bar?

Best New Script? (When you did something out of the ordinary)

Best Costume? (Gives a reason to wear a great suit or outfit…and to look good)

And every year there is another acceptance speech…..what will it be next year?

©2013 Yasmin

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February 28, 2013 · 12:47 pm

Running on empty, self-care and the 7 servicing checks

running on Empty Today, running on empty seems to be a way of life. We keep ourselves awake with energy drinks, coffee, tea and energy foods. Where does the energy go, and for us to now need to consume energy in the form of liquids and solids? How did people manage years ago before they were invented? Were people just not getting out of bed ? What happened to our own internal energy that really keeps us going?  The motivation and the passion? How do we fill up at the petrol station with super motivation and run our own bodies for peak performance?

Self-care seems such a basic concept but even the car needs servicing – why not do the same for ourselves?

The following are the 7 service checks which helps you run smoothly. Continue reading →

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July 31, 2012 · 10:48 pm

The Olympics and High Inactivity Levels in UK

The Olympics are on now in the UK but research by the Federal University of Pelotax in Brazil found that we are one of the most indolent nations on earth. The University found that society seems to be moving to less activity but greater food consumption. British people have lower levels of activity than the US, France and the Republic of Ireland. Activity is classed as meeting the minimum of 30 minutes of moderate activity (a brisk walk) at least 5 days a week, then 20 minutes of vigorous activity 3 times a week. These two individually or a combination of the two every week is counted as an effective activity level. A whopping rate of 63% in the UK are inactive, 41% in USA are inactive, 71% in Malta are inactive (Malta has the honour of having the most inactive people in the world) and Greece has a much lower inactive rate of 16%.  The UK is very near to winning and being one of the most inactive peoples on earth. I almost felt like not writing this blog….. Continue reading →

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March 31, 2012 · 6:22 am

Giving up chocolate for Lent; Easter, Baumeister and Willpower

Easter EggsEaster is coming and the Easter eggs are in the stores, lines and lines of them. It is a very British tradition. Around 80 million eggs are eaten in the UK each year. There are an estimated 63 million people in the UK and that means some people are eating more than one egg. Even the Queen on her jubilee year may be tucking into a few of them.

Lent lasts for fourty days. It is based on the time Jesus spent fourty days and fourty nights in the desert. 40 days and 40 nights. The number fourty seems to have significance in many areas. The flood which Noah built his ark for was for fourty days, Jonah gave the people of Nivenah fourty days to repent. Then this idea of fasting or avoiding the thing you love to eat developed. It is odd; it is about giving up something and not taking up something. Someone I know is giving up takeaways for Lent, another chocolate and crisps. Chocolate seems a common one.

Continue reading →

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