Tag: mindfulness

Friday, April 28

Today is Friday, April 28, 2023. This week is closing out April.   Think about this: Stress pushes for change and humans are designed to be able to handle large amounts of stress. Depending on the response- the flexibility, the ability to learn, the adaptation- this can lead to getting stronger, wiser and all around better. What makes this possible? A chance for processing and recharging and healing. There must be a time “after” the stress where recovery and improvement can take place. Sometimes it is while sleeping, sometimes while meditating, journaling or being in nature and other times, sharing the experience with a safe someone who you trust. DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: When you are experiencing high levels of stress, find time to pause and create an artificial “close” to the stress cycle and allow some recharge time even if it is temporary. Slow down your breathing and remind yourself, “I can do this.”   A quote by Eric Maisel, “A long, deep breath is the equivalent of a full stop and the key to centering.” Thank you to Erin Burden for sharing this lovely photo. With gratitude and appreciation for all beings, Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, April 14

Today is Friday, April 14, 2023. There comes a time when a fresh start, a reset is necessary. Maybe that is today.

Think about this: It’s easier to imagine the fresh start or reset when there is a clear end and a clear marker to starting. For example, the beginning of the new year, the day after graduation, the new season, a celebration, a new haircut, “after” the trip.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: Consider shortening the time in between new starts and the end. Rather than waiting a whole year for the year to end and for New Year’s Day to start something new, consider a new start on Saturday morning. Friday night, close out your previous “cycle” in some meaningful way and reset for a fresh beginning tomorrow morning.

A quote by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, “The beginning is always today.”

Thank you to Zeke Tucker for sharing this lovely photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, March 31

Today is Friday, March 31. The plants grow towards the light and we can choose to do the same.

Think about this: Every day we make small choices that over time, accumulate to result in big change or staying the same. By simplifying or automating the “better” choices, it becomes easier to achieve the results you want.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: Determine the future you want and what you need to do to get there. Then, set yourself up for success by making the best choices, the ones that are automated or easiest to make.

A quote by many of our patients in practice, “I’ve got this!”

Thank you to Dan Deziel, “Today’s Rainbow.”

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, March 24

Today is Friday, March 24. This week marked renewal with the start of spring.

Think about this: As the weather warms up and the days grow longer, there are more people out and about. Each of us is curious about what’s going on, what’s happening with others, what’s new. This is the time for new connections.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: Use this time to get outside and explore the world, connect with others. Whether it’s someone new you have just met or someone you know well, take time to share what you have read, what you have learned. Find out what others have been up to, what they are reading and learning.

A quote by Gustav Mahler, “Spring won’t let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again.”

Thank you to Meric Tuna for this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, March 17

Today is Friday, March 17, 2023. This week marks 3 years since our journey began with the Daily Gift of Vitality. While many seem to have moved on and left the past 3 years behind, we have all been affected, some more than others. There is still much to process, to learn from, to improve upon, and to make peace with. This is the time to join together.

Think about this: Humans have the power to heal other humans through relationships. Creating an emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually safe space with another person, and practicing self-compassion and compassion for others, accelerates healing, recovery, and the ability to thrive- for all those involved in that nourishing relationship. Given that life has 50% fabulous and 50% not-so-fabulous parts, and that they are not always equally distributed at the same time, it helps to have those relationships to get through the toughest times.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: Let’s create that safe space where we can join with others in the days ahead. Practice being that safe person. Practice compassion towards yourself and others. By accepting and being accepted, through loving and sharing an experience of belonging, you will experience the power of humans to heal other humans.  

A quote by Yoko Ono, “Healing yourself is connected with healing others.”

Thank you to Florian Giorgio for this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, March 10

Today is Friday, March 10, 2023. This week’s practice to expand your vitality is to reclaim some personal thinking time. If this option is a tool that appeals to you, please join us.

Think about this: Your brain needs regular time to think. This is time to be curious, to integrate ideas, to think about things in new ways, to process experiences, to allow your brain to be creative and play.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: Identify a regularly occurring time that doesn’t require much effort and use that time to let your mind run free and think about whatever is on your mind. The mindless activity times, like doing dishes, vacuuming or folding laundry, or during regular fixed routines like commuting, exercising, or bathing. Consider journaling or keeping a log of what you thought about.

A quote by Charles Kettering, “Our imagination is the only limit to what we can hope to have in the future.”

Thank you to Sandesh Deshmukh for this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, March 3

Today is Friday, March 3. This week’s practice to expand your vitality is to try something new that has health-promoting properties, matcha. If this option is a tool that appeals to you, please join us.

Think about this: Matcha is a powder form of special Japanese green tea leaves that have been grown in the shade. It does have caffeine. Due to the high amount of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, there is evidence suggesting it has anti-inflammatory effects, may prevent cancer, reduce blood pressure and protect the blood vessels, improve brain function and prevent some brain disorders as well as improve insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate metabolism.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: Matcha as a powder, does not dissolve in water so it has to be well blended in a liquid before drinking. It does not need to be steeped because you drink the powdered tea leaves. Use a bamboo whisk or milk frother and whisk 1 tsp matcha with 1-2 Tbs hot water until smooth. Dilute with additional water or milk of your choice to taste. Use a bamboo whisk, milk frother, blender, or shake it up in a mixing jar until it is frothy for your final drink. Remember, matcha does have caffeine.  

A quote by Thich Nhat Hanh, “If we choose to drink a cup of tea in mindfulness, the pleasure of drinking tea will more than double because we are truly there and the tea is also truly there.

Thank you to Payoon Gerinto for this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, February 24

Today is Friday, February 24. This week’s practice to expand your vitality is by freeing the mind to be creative. If this option is a tool that appeals to you, please join us.

Think about this: From the minute we wake up until we fall asleep, there are outside influences that are designed to grab people’s attention and redirect- email, social media, news, ads, billboard signs, radio & talk shows, etc. etc. These aim to hoard anybody’s and everybody’s attention. There are also those that are meaningful and personal, specific to you and your relationships –pets, children, partners, family, classmates, coworkers, colleagues, etc. who also desire your attention. When is it your turn to attend to you?

When the brain is constantly being directed by outside influences- without sufficient time to rest and recharge – the circuits can get overloaded and feelings of anxiety or overwhelm may occur. In turn, this can interfere with mental peace and creativity, which is when the brain can play with ideas and invent something novel. Nature immersion, meditation, exercising, bathing, listening to instrumental music, drawing, journaling, or sipping unsweet tea and reading a book, all help you control your brain’s inputs and lets your brain rest and recharge, to think freely and play.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: Try deliberately postponing “brain inputs” on waking. Notice what happens if you protect some quiet time immediately after waking, before allowing digital, media, and other uncontrolled inputs. What do you think about? Where does your mind go? What do you notice? What if you direct your attention to nature, like sunshine, the sound of birds chirping, the feel of the blowing wind? Consider this activity on waking most days this week. Jot down a note each time and review it after a week.

A quote by Albert Einstein, “Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.”

Thank you to Alex Marrero for this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, February 10

Today is Friday, February 10. This week’s practice to expand your vitality is inspired by Dacher Keltner in Awe. If this option is a tool that appeals to you, please join us.

Think about this: Experiencing awe improves health and wellbeing by stimulating the vagus nerve known to cause a relaxation response. Awe is associated with markers of lower inflammation and it also releases the hormone oxytocin known to increase the feelings of deep love, trust and bonding.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: This week and beyond, seek out opportunities to experience moments of awe.

A quote by Sharon Saltzberg, “Restore your attention or bring it to a new level by dramatically slowing down whatever you’re doing.”

Thank you to Stephan Leonardi for this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, February 3

Today is Friday, February 3. This week’s practice to expand your vitality is to allow a deep connection with someone. If this option is a tool that is appealing to you, please join us.

Think about this: When something happens that leads to undesirable feelings or vulnerability, it feels so much better to share it with a safe person and know someone else can understand. Deep connections are made when we can share safely and be understood.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: This week, think about how to be that open and safe person someone can confide in when they feel vulnerable. Allow yourself to be that person that can deeply connect with another.

A quote by Gina Greenlee, “When we establish human connections within the context of shared experience we create community wherever we go.”

Thank you to Mauro Lima for this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP