Natural ways to cleanse the body

Take a Break From Social Media. Over the last few months, many of our friends and family have taken to social media to share their political opinions. And for their own well-being, a number of people I know have chosen to “unfriend,” “block,” or “pause” seeing the offensive feeds that trigger emotional upset. This is a critical act of self-care. After today’s riot, consider either taking a break from social media altogether, or disallowing those whose vitriol upsets you to have access to your mental and emotional space. While breaking from social media can trigger “fear of missing out” (FOMO), you likely won’t miss much of consequence. … [Read more...] about Coping with Stress Caused by Watching the U.S. Capitol Riot

Connect with yourself first. One of the best ways to build our capacity to listen deeply to others is to practice slowing down, turning our attention inward, and being present with our own experience—with our own thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. In other words, by listening deeply to ourselves and connecting with our own experience, it becomes easier to do so for others.  Make time. Deep listening requires our time. It may be helpful to build regular, intentional time into your schedule to truly be present with people you love. For couples, this could be a once-a-week check-in in which you give each other space to discuss what is on your mind and in your heart, with an emphasis on connection over criticism. For parents, the walk or drive home from school and mealtimes may be good opportunities to check in with your child and simply be present for whatever comes up. Build a routine that works for you and your loved ones, whatever that looks like. The important thing … [Read more...] about The Gift of Deep Listening

And grit tends to be required. It’s hard for peak performers to relax. If momentum matters most, sitting still feels like laziness. And the more aligned with passion and purpose we become, the more “wasteful” time off starts to feel. Yet, since burnout leads to significant decline in cognitive function—making it one of the most common enemies of sustained peak performance—you absolutely have to get gritty about recovery. And not all recovery strategies are the same. … [Read more...] about How to Recover from Burnout

For all it’s seeming mysticism (think: karma and reincarnation) Buddhism is grounded in observable phenomena and experiences available to any one of us. It teaches practitioners to adopt an impartial, investigative, even scientific method-like mindset for understanding the world and ourselves. As with any science, the insights derived from Buddhist practice can be tested and updated again and again as new experiences arise. Though different Buddhist traditions vary in the secularity of their practices and emphases, the rational and non-dogmatic teachings of the Buddha are a common thread holding Buddhism together. … [Read more...] about Buddhism’s Place in Psychology

Don't get me wrong; sometimes we just need to rush. At certain times it can even be wise to rush. However, how often do you find yourself rushing through a task when you actually have plenty of time? Perhaps on the way to the store on a Saturday, with no other discrete plans after? What were you rushing about? Habit Energy is precisely that potent force that yanks us through life, propelling us to rush through most of our activities in order to get to the next one, often when there's no rush at all. More time is better, right? Heck, more of anything is always better! I know what you’re up to, Mr. Capitalist Influence! All about productivity and profit.  … [Read more...] about Slower Really is Faster: Mindfulness and “Habit Energy”