Many people I know go to the gym between 4 and 7 days a week for an hour or up to several hours and they love it. They like having a large variety of equipment to use, seeing the same regulars doing their own circuit, and being able to depend on trainers for help and advice and perhaps for many other reasons I may be missing here.

I also know many people who don’t care for the gym atmosphere and I’m finally confident in myself enough to admit that I am among those who don’t care for it. I don’t dislike it completely, I would never try to sway anyone from going if that is what they enjoy, and I’m not saying I would never go to a gym; it’s just at the bottom of my preference list.

My favorite gym is the Nature Gym. I love the place and it’s everywhere and has been in existence forever; there is no membership required, no fees, no limited hours, no dress code other than the one you choose, there’s no judgement, go alone, with a friend or with a group, and best of all…there are no walls. It’s right outside my window and your window. It begins at your front door or your back door and it’s always open for business, rain or shine. You can use equipment or come just as you are.

Even if you’re a fan of going to the local building that houses your gym, take a short trip out a door near you and try out the Nature Gym. Take a walk, go for a run, ride a bike, take a hike, climb a hill, climb a mountain, go for a swim, lace up your roller blades, ice skates, clip in your skis, your snowboard, ride a horse, play with your dog, play with your kids, fly a kite, throw a ball, throw a frisbee, jump a rope, hula hoop, climb a tree, plant a garden, rake some leaves, discover a trail, sit high atop the summit and meditate before hiking down…find a renewed spirit within you!

The Nature Gym is my favorite place to work out.

You get so caught up in things you are expected to do that you sometimes lose touch with what you enjoy doing; you can even lose yourself to the thoughts of the day, of the job or of the things that aren’t going right in your life. It’s important to take time to regain yourself back.

When you take time for yourself, you might feel that you’re being selfish even if it’s only ten minutes but it’s not selfish at all, in fact it can make you mentally and emotionally healthier and useful for others and yourself.

At least once a day try this:

When you arrive home from a long day, take ten minutes to sit quietly, reflect on the day, calm your mind’s activity and planning, concentrate on your breathing – Just be still, hear the sounds, smell and feel the air around you. Be calm. Take a few deeper breaths and sit for a few more seconds before ending your peaceful, nurturing appointment with yourself.

Daily self-care, self-love and self-centering can help you gain control in stressful situations and it can better support you in achieving your goals.

A positive mind leads to a positive life I think I can…I know I will. Positive thinking reduces stress and can improve your health. Thinking positive doesn’t mean that we have to ignore things that aren’t going right for us; it simply means to acknowledge what is wrong and decide what steps we can take to make improvements. According to the Mayo Clinic positive thinking increases life span, lowers rates of depression, lowers levels of distress, gives greater resistance to the common cold, leads us to better psychological and physical well-being, reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and gives us better coping skills during hardships and times of stress. Self-nurturing time can come in handy to practice the power of positive thinking too.

Who doesn’t want to have fun?

Yes, it’s here! Seasonal allergies aren’t much fun but there are a few things that can help make it less stressful. One thing you can do is to de-stress! Easier said than done sometimes but pretty helpful on many levels. Stress hormones may stimulate the production of blood proteins that cause allergic reactions. Better sleep helps both allergies and stress.

Lessen alcohol; bacteria and yeast in alcohol produce histamines that cause allergy symptoms; itchy eyes, stuffy-runny nose, etc…

Natural helpers are:
Neti Pot- a neti pot is a small vessel shaped like Aladdin’s lamp and has been used in India for thousands of years to flush the sinuses and keep them clear.
Quercetin- a natural plant-derived compound. It helps stabilize mast cells and prevents them from releasing histamine. Citrus fruits, apples, onions, tomatoes, parsley, tea, broccoli, lettuce and wine are naturally high in quercetin. Some allergy sufferers may need the boost of a supplement to build up enough of this compound to prevent attacks.
Stinging Nettle – Nettle inhibits the body ability to produce histamine.
Omega 3’s- as they help fight inflammation.

If you need allergy medications, take them before you’re exposed to allergens-that’s when they work best. Begin allergy medications a few weeks before the season begins or before you know you’ll be exposed to them such as at the soccer fields, ball fields, and especially if you’re an outdoor worker.

This page is about finding help in breaking habits and making progress toward your personal goals. We all have different goals; it’s what makes us unique and interesting. Sometimes goals are for our weight, diet and physical activity and sometimes they are for daily habits we have or want to have such as saying ‘no’ more often, taking time for ourselves, meditating, being kinder, helping someone, controlling our temper, not letting ourselves be walked on, not taking things for granted and so many more ideas!

One thing I have experienced too many times for my comfort is negative hurtful comments made by people close to me and others who are merely acquaintances; and I’m sure I’m not alone in expressing this. I also realize that I probably have done the same thing – I’m not without fault. If I am at fault of saying something hurtful to someone I can assure them that it was not done on purpose and that I know for certain that it’s not a typical behavior on my part.

There are people who thrive on drawing the sword which is their tongue at any opportunity they find available. If you feel that you’re one of these folks and you want to stop, consider that stopping is a strength well worth the effort. Holding a sharp, hurtful statement in fact makes you an emotionally stronger person; replacing it with an encouraging or kind statement can make you feel a sense of freedom and inner happiness.

What about the people like me who are kind and compassionate but seem to somehow too often get caught off-guard by sharp-tongued people? How are we to handle it? From personal experience I can tell you that it’s not always easy. It plays over and over in your head, it sometimes causes you to lose sleep, it hurts deeply, it can cause you to feel like crumbs at the bottom of the bowl but eventually after processing and over-processing we are able to let it go. We accept it as this is just how that person is; short-tempered, moody, short tongued, thoughtless and careless. Their words don’t actually define us; we define ourselves. When you do define yourself, be sure to be kind, compassionate, caring, accepting, loving and giving – especially to those who deserve it.

When you’re in a situation where someone is verbally out of control, put yourself in control; don’t use sharp as a sword words – either hold it back or combat it with softness.