Wellness Now: Your Oasis during Challenging Times
Recently my friend Louise and I had a virtual "chin wag," as the Brits call a chat. As she caught me up on her life in England, I was struck by the wisdom of something she wrote in her email:

"There have been so many hard days but, too, there have been days with just my daughter and me chatting over home schooling and walks to the park and cooking together - days full of beauty and hope, delicious food and laughter! We haven’t missed our frantic lives of early starts, racing to piano lessons and performing arts exams on weekends. I have slowed down overall…I guess it’s about appreciating the moment and enjoying what you can, because in an instant it can all change and be pulled from under you!"

Thanks, Louise, I needed that. It's often easier - or maybe simply a habit - to look at the negatives: what's going wrong, what's missing, what's challenging. And there sure is plenty of that to focus on. Appreciating the moment by being mindful can help shift our perspective to focus on the positives: what's going right, what we have, what we've accomplished. Below are some tips to help promote mindfulness, optimism and gratitude.
May you be well,
Olivia (aka, Ohm)
Relaxation Coach, Workshop Facilitator, Author

Accentuate the Positive!
  • Count your blessings. Hint: Start with the breath you’re taking!
  • Be thankful for what you have. Giving thanks, it has been said, is the highest form of prayer.
  • Keep a gratitude journal. Begin each day by jotting down something you are grateful for: a beautiful sky, a perfect cup of coffee, a luscious strawberry, a dear friend!
  • Practice “positive reappraisal.” That's psychology-speak for re-framing a hassle in a more positive light. Waiting in your car to be let into the hair salon can be irritating or an opportunity to enjoy quiet time...the choice is yours! Practice re-framing until it becomes a habit.
  • Do something nice. We feel better when we're kind. It can be as simple as smiling at someone (that smile helps you, too!) or sending a “thinking of you” note.
  • Be mindful. Click here for Smiling Meditation, designed to promote mindfulness, happiness and peace.
Appreciate the moment, courtesy of Mother Nature's splendor!
" We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand,
and melting like a snowflake."
– Marie Beynon Ray