Spiritual Self-Care in the New Year - Four Directions Wellness

Spiritual Self-Care in the New Year

Over the past two months I have covered all the various types of self-care, but one. And, that’s spiritual self-care. I guess I was saving it for last, because there are so many myths about the spirit and how one can perform self-care. In this week’s post, I hope to shed some light on spiritual self-care, identify a few practices …

Physical Self-Care in the New Year - Four Directions Wellness

Physical Self-Care in the New Year

As I say in Prioritizing Self-Care in the New Year,  Physical care is about getting enough movement in your daily lifestyle. You don’t need to get a gym membership and run three to five miles per day, to have proper physical self-care. It’s important to remember that 30 Move Minutes five times per week is recommended by the American Heart …

Nutrition Self-Care in the New Year

Nutrition Self-Care in the New Year

You remember the adage growing up that you are what you eat. In so many ways today that has been proven true by science. And, even with this insight, we all struggle to some extent today with the mountain of food and beverage options that nutrition self-care can be challenging. In this week’s edition, I cover the basics of nutritional …

Mental Self-Care in the New Year - Four Directions Wellness

Mental Self-Care in the New Year

While emotional self-care, as discussed in my last post, looks similar to mental self-care, it is unique and distinct. This is especially the case regarding how you approach your own mental health, since we are all so different in our experiences, brain chemistry and genes. In this week’s edition, I cover the basics of mental self-care and resources available to …

Prioritizing Self-Care in the New Year

Prioritizing Self-Care in the New Year

After the Great Recession, workers around the world were shocked into a hyper state of productivity. While wage rates have stayed mostly the same for the past 20 years, each professional has had to prove their worthiness in the current economy with greater output and working overtime. The national stress levels have been impacted by the economic crisis since 2008 …

America’s Best Playgrounds

I am often asked to speak to various groups and organizations on wellness, ancient healing approaches and on self-care techniques.  During the presentation, I will pause to ask those in attendance how they find their centeredness or balance.  Do you know the audience’s number one response?  Invariably, their  response is “being out in nature.” It’s my favorite place as well! …

Focusing on Being a Better You - Four Directions Wellness

Focusing on Being a Better You

“Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.”      ~Mary Schmich This famous quotation from the Chicago Tribune journalist, and made into a Baz Luhrmann song, touches on multiple sentiments prevalent in today’s culture. There’s the rat race we’re all supposedly competing in. …

Entering into the Silence…

“He who attempts to act and do things for others or for the world without deepening his own self-understanding, freedom, integrity and capacity to love, will not have anything to give others.”   Thomas Merton, Contemplation in a World of Action The other day I held a meditation group at the office. In advance of the group meeting, I planned …

Coping with Chronic Illness

“In your quest to become as healthy as possible, may I suggest that you secure the best team of physicians that you can find; keep abreast of all new research related to your illness; find a yoga or meditation teacher to help you learn to balance and center yourself; explore and examine any and all spiritual issues related to healing …

Radical Self-Care for a Balanced Life - Four Directions Wellness

Radical Self-Care for a Balanced Life

Anne Lamott, the celebrated, quirky and funny writer of books on writing and spirituality, recently gave a TED talk entitled, “12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing,” in which she spoke about something she called “radical self-care.” “While fixing and saving and trying to rescue is futile,” Lamott says, “radical self-care is quantum, and it radiates out from you …