Friday, November 4

Today is Friday, November 4, 2022. Weekends are made for fun.

A quote by Maria Montessori, “Joy, feeling one’s own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul.”

Photo week by Dan Deziel, Dew

November is the month of Gratitude. Reflect on a place that holds special meaning to you because you shared joy, love, peace, or happiness with another. Capture it in a drawing, write about it, find a picture of it, re-visit it. Send  that memory with gratitude to that special someone who was in that space with you.

Practice this Mindfulness Activity to Re-energize your Body and Mind whenever you need a moment to reset – while waiting, before, after, or to transition between activities.

Establishing a regular practice of pausing makes it easier to reset when you need it the most. You can start your practice at any time, even now.

  • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.  
  • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale. 
  • Breathe in getting taller, stretching the spine.
  • Breathe out, hum and smile.

Recharge yourself, tap into your strength and share positive energy when you repeat:  

“I am [*Name*]. I can do this. This is temporary. I have successfully handled difficult challenges in the past. As I connect to my inner self, I am open to the Happiness and positive energy around me. I send loving kindness and compassion to all people including me. Together, we can do great things.”

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, November 27

Today is Friday, November 27, 2020. Appreciating how a child’s innocent, uncontrolled giggling and joy brightens the day.

November is for nesting, nourishing, and nurturing. While the winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, nature reminds us to slow down and recharge in more quiet ways. As we continue to explore nourishing activities for your mind and body, we resume with our series of prompts to create your personal list of activities that shift your energy and are relaxing or calming for you.

Today, we focus on a list of ways to provide sensory breaks, moments of rest, away from our high tech devices.

  1. Soak in a hot tub. Add aromatherapy with a pleasant scented candle or essential oils to the experience.
  2. Pamper yourself with a facial mask, painting your nails or soaking your feet in warm water.
  3. Enjoy a nice shave and soothing aftershave.
  4. Relax with a hand or scalp massage or by simple resting with warm towels on the face, hands or feet.
  5. Apply scented lotion or oil to your skin.

An inspirational quote by Toba Beta, “Memories establish the past; Senses perceive the present; Imaginations shape the future.”

Photo by: Zoltan Tasi

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Repeat to yourself, “I can have a moment to be calm. I can have a moment of peace.”

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP