It's not her fault you can't get - Focus on Women Magazine

Dial Down the Stress in 2010Meditation Expert Sarah McLeanOffers 5 Ways to Diminish Stress in the New YearBecome More Self-AwareSomehow we make thiscomplicated. But it’s simple.How do <strong>you</strong> feel right now?When faced with a choice,pay attention to <strong>you</strong>rself and<strong>not</strong>ice <strong>you</strong>r body’s signalsof comfort and discomfort.Discover how to live withintegrity. Say “no” when <strong>you</strong>mean no to things/people/events that are stressful. Andsay “yes” when <strong>you</strong> meanyes. T<strong>her</strong>e is no need to manipulate<strong>you</strong>rself. A simplequestion I have my studentsask themselves is, “Is it ayum or a yuck for me?” Movetoward the yums and awayfrom the yucks.Surround Yourself In SilencePay attention to whatpeople/noise/smells <strong>you</strong> havein <strong>you</strong>r environment. T<strong>her</strong>eare simple changes <strong>you</strong> canmake to create a more pleasingspace. Take time forsilence, turn off the TV, takethe earphones out, and occasionallylet the phone go tovoice mail so <strong>you</strong> can finish atask. Most importantly, for afew minutes every day moveaway from the electronicworld and give <strong>you</strong>rself timeout in nature. Believe it or<strong>not</strong>, disconnecting fromthe world of timelines andconnection can help <strong>you</strong> tobecome more connected to<strong>you</strong>rself and <strong>you</strong>r world.Accentuate the PositiveWhatever <strong>you</strong> put <strong>you</strong>rattention on grows. What24 <strong>Focus</strong> on Women Magazinedo <strong>you</strong> spend time thinkingabout or complaining about?Over time, our behaviorscreate a habit of mind, sowhen <strong>you</strong> remember to focuson what <strong>you</strong> like and whatmakes <strong>you</strong> feel good, <strong>you</strong>’llincrease <strong>you</strong>r experience ofpleasure. It’s <strong>not</strong> just positivethinking; it’s about putting<strong>you</strong>r attention on the<strong>her</strong>e and now and what <strong>you</strong>like about it. T<strong>her</strong>e are alsosimple gratitude practicescan also help <strong>you</strong> feel happierand relieve stress.Adjust Your Sleepingand Eating PatternsDo <strong>you</strong> eat while <strong>you</strong> arestanding up or on the phone?Or late at night when <strong>you</strong>could be sleeping? Do <strong>you</strong>look down and <strong>you</strong>r food isgone, but <strong>you</strong> don’t remembereating it? When <strong>you</strong>follow the natural rhythms ofnature, take meals when thedigestion is strongest and eatwith full awareness, <strong>you</strong>’lleat less, and digest better.Do <strong>you</strong> believe the saying,“early to bed, early to rise”?One way the mind and bodyrejuvenates is through sleep.Learn why it’s a priority to<strong>get</strong> to bed early to let <strong>you</strong>rbody’s rejuvenation systemdo its job.Learn To MeditateYes, <strong>you</strong> can do it. No <strong>you</strong>don’t have to join a cult,change <strong>you</strong>r religion, becomeve<strong>get</strong>arian or go to India.Meditation is easy if <strong>you</strong> aretaught right. Instead of tryingtoo hard, <strong>you</strong> can learnhow a relaxing silent meditationwill help <strong>you</strong> achievethe deep rest that sleep can.A simple silent meditationpractice can change <strong>you</strong>rwhole day. Researc<strong>her</strong>s provemeditation improves sleeppatterns even when <strong>you</strong> do itin the morning.Once thought of as anesoteric or religious pursuit,meditation is going mainstream.A government surveyin 2007 found that about 1out of 11 Americans, morethan 20 million people, meditatedin the past year. And agrowing number of medicalcenters are teaching meditationto patients for the managementof stress.“As Americans becomemore attached to laptops,iPhones, Blackberries andot<strong>her</strong> digital devices, we havea greater need to unplug andto tap into our inner silence,”says Sarah McLean, directorof the Sedona MeditationTraining Company. “Meditationis the perfect antidoteto stress. Research showsthat it lowers blood pressure,increases blood flow anddecreases heart rate. It alsodecreases our stress hormoneand reduces insomnia.”Sarah McLean is known as “the face ofmainstream meditation” and has beenteaching mind-body health for 16 years.She is an expert on bringing the ancientpractice of meditation to a modernworld. For more information, visit www.sedonameditation.com.