Living from the heart is a metaphor that we all seem to instinctively understand. But what does it mean in practice? According to Doc Childre, founder of the Institute of HeartMath (www.heartmath.org), heart-based living refers to all intentions and actions that express qualities of heart in daily life. These qualities can include appreciating or caring for others, expressing kindness to … [Read more...] about The power of a coherent heart
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Can one little word change your life?
Can you think of a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2012? It can be anything you want - tangible or intangible, a thought, feeling or object. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. One Little Word is the brainchild of Ali Edwards, a designer, blogger and author who creates scrapbooks from words and pictures (www.aliedwards.com). “A single … [Read more...] about Can one little word change your life?
What we miss while our heads are in the sand
In my other life as a journalist, I spend a lot of time writing about white-sand beaches. And I’ve been lucky enough to walk along such beaches in exotic locations, as well as experience the silky softness of dune sand in the desert. But I’ve rarely stopped to think about individual grains of sand. Thank goodness, then, for Dr Gary Greenberg, who has put them under a microscope and … [Read more...] about What we miss while our heads are in the sand
Jane Fonda and the Third Act
Yesterday I talked about writing to heal and how cathartic it can be to put down on paper the life experiences which have affected you the most. This is particularly important for those of us approaching what Jane Fonda calls the Third Act - life beyond 60. In an inspiring TED talk posted this month, the well-preserved actress says: “I have come to find that an appropriate metaphor for … [Read more...] about Jane Fonda and the Third Act
On the value of values
Yesterday I wrote about a study that revealed how a group of women who had spent 15 minutes writing about their core values actually lost weight. While this might seem like an unlikely diet, it’s worth a shot. What might interfere with your plan, however, is not knowing what your most important values are. You’ll know if you aren’t aligned with your values, as you may experience … [Read more...] about On the value of values
Is the pen mightier than the diet?
All you need to do to lose weight is spend 15 minutes writing about the values that are most important to you. This is according to a new study published in the magazine Psychological Science, in which researchers recruited 45 female undergraduates who had a body mass index of 23 or higher (58 per cent of the women were classified as overweight or obese). Each woman was weighed, then given a … [Read more...] about Is the pen mightier than the diet?