Are You Present for Your Present?

photo by fesoi

"When we can accept all of life's contradictions, when we can comfortably flow between the banks of pleasure and pain, experiencing them both while getting stuck in neither, then we are free" ~Deepak Chopra

Holiday time is filled with rushing, going from one store to the next, cooking, eating, signing holiday cards, visiting, wrapping gifts, opening gifts, etc. Especially at this time of the year we may feel that “time is slipping,” “there is not enough time in the day” and if only we could have two extra hours, we would finish everything we want to finish. Amongst all the chaos, I find that reconnecting with myself helps me feel more balanced and definitely adds to the joy of holidays.

Many of us have heard about the importance of being present and being in the “now.” What exactly does it mean? To me, it means to not leave your life by being entirely lost in what happened or didn’t happen (past) or what I need to do tomorrow, next week (future). Instead or in addition to past and future, I invite you to focus on the PRESENT---what can be more real? The past is gone, the future may never happen, so enjoy the ride (even if it’s crazy) of the present.

You may think, “it sounds good, but how do I stay focused on now?” Our minds tend to wonder off either to the past or the future, so Dr. David Simon, co-founder of the Chopra Center, believes that we need to focus on our heart. He believes that instead of trying to get to a place (Present), we need to observe and experience it. Here are few suggestions that work for me:

1. Pay attention. Throughout your day pay attention to when your mind wonders off and gets stuck and bring yourself back to what you are doing now. You will be able to notice why you do it: are you bored? Are you upset? Are you overwhelmed? You will get a lot more clarity on why your mind is restless.
2. Feel your body. The mind may tend to wonder off, but the body is in the present, so by paying attention to the feelings inside of you, you can better reconnect with the moment. How does it feel when someone gives you a gift? How does it feel to give a gift?
3. Listen to others. Being an active listener is not always easy and definitely keeps your attention in the present. During holidays, you may have a great opportunity to practice this valuable skill. Cherish your relationships with close ones by listening.
4. Reconnect through nature. Nature has a beautiful power to pull us back to the present. I went for a walk this morning and couldn’t but pay attention to the beautiful early morning sky, the smell of fireplaces in the air, the trees (at night they are beautifully lit up with all the lights). Notice the beauty around you by connecting to different elements: walking on Earth, smelling the Air, walking by the Water or Ice sculptures, gaze at the Fire in the fireplace, appreciate the vastness of the open Space. Sometimes, you even don’t have to be outside, you may just look out the window an notice the moon or sun shining at you.
5. Meditation helps bring our awareness to the present moment. The benefits of regular practice would help you experience more peace and desire to stay in now.

Wherever you are, whatever you do, experience this holiday time by being Present for everything: highs and lows, joys and sorrows, laughter and tears… Enjoy the ride!

Simplifying the Holidays

Welcome to Holiday Week at :simple:balance:! This time of year can pose a lot of challenges to finding balance; so we thought it would be helpful to tackle some of them head-on and early. The posts this week will be dedicated to finding balance during the holiday season… with a focus on simplicity, celebration, and priority placed on the things that are most important. We are looking forward to contributions from some of our guest writers this week, and as always, we welcome your suggestions and feedback, as well. So grab a cup of hot cocoa, turn on some holiday music, and join us throughout the week at :simple:balance: to get in the spirit simply.

To start off Holiday Week, we will be looking at some tips to scale down your activities, find enjoyment in the things you value, and relax during the hustle and bustle. There is no denying that this time of year can create pressure, throw all schedules out the window, and feel like a hurried celebration rather than a genuine one. The following are ten ideas for simplifying things, as well as examples of how I have been or will be implementing them.

1. Sit down with your family, your friends, or by yourself, and write out the top three activities you would like to participate in this holiday season. This is better done earlier rather than later because the rest of your planning will revolve around these three things. There will always be multiple parties, get-togethers, shopping trips, and other activities to choose from that will quickly fill up your calendar. To make sure you maintain your priorities and spend your limited time and energy where you want, decide ahead of time what is most important. [For me: (1) be at home Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, (2) spend an evening driving around town to see local holiday lights, (3) host a small get-together for close friends.]
2. Start planning your gift-giving early… really, really early. Maybe this means being on the look-out for gifts at sales you see throughout the year, or maybe it means talking with your loved ones about how gifts will be exchanged well before you see them at Thanksgiving. Plan your budget for gift-giving so you can save appropriately throughout the year. And stick with that budget when the time comes. (If you haven’t done that already, be realistic now with what you have to spend or give.) Write out a list of the people you will be giving to with notes about what they like or ideas for things you could give them. As you get a gift for them, write it on the list, go ahead and wrap it (if you’re really motivated!), and cross the person off your list. [For me: I maintain my list throughout the year, and as ideas come to me or I pick things up, I log it on my list so I don’t forget. When holiday time arrives, I feel more organized and like I am a step ahead.]
3. Consider handmade gifts for your loved ones. I have learned that the old adage, “it’s the thought that counts” is so, so true. I would much rather receive something handmade especially for me than some expensive store-bought thing. When someone takes the time and energy to make me something, I truly feel loved. Use your talents or learn a new hobby to make some gifts for your loved ones. Spend relaxing time at home on these gifts rather than hurried time in traffic or in a mall searching for the “perfect” gift. [For me: I am hand-making most of my gifts this year… from spiced nuts to kids’ music CDs to bath goodies. All simple, but love-filled.]
4. If you don’t have the time or the energy to hand-make your gifts, consider a charitable donation. We recently posted about a great organization you can consider, as well as more information about charitable giving. Check it out! [For me: My family is making a donation to a charity special to us in honor of our loved ones. We will write a letter to them describing what we have done and how the donation will be used; they will get that letter as their gift to unwrap. I am also encouraging my loved ones to do the same!]
5. Cook in bulk! When things are hectic, who has time to make a healthy meal at the end of a busy day? Running through a fast-food drive-through is not a great option, though, so make it realistic that you could eat something wholesome. Starting before the holiday season, double or triple the recipes you normally make, and freeze the extra in meal-size portions. Once the busy season hits, you will have some meals ready-made to thaw and enjoy. [For me: I am making a big pot of vegetable soup tonight… two-thirds of which will go into the freezer for use over the next few weeks. Yum…]
6. If you make holiday treats, use the same philosophy as in #5 above. To avoid late-night cookie factories in your kitchen, make dough or finished treats ahead of time, freeze them, and then thaw when you are ready to enjoy or share. [For me: I have some pumpkin puree frozen from last month that will soon be used in a yummy pumpkin bread recipe that is a tradition in my family.]
7. Find time for the things that nourish and fulfill you at other times of the year. Exercise, meditation, downtime with a loved one, and hobbies are easily neglected when the holidays are in full-swing. Schedule these activities for yourself and work the holiday business around them. In order to accomplish and enjoy all you want, you have to be nourished. [For me: This one is a poignant reminder! I’ve not been good about keeping my exercise routine lately, so this week is devoted to re-engaging in those early morning work-outs.]
8. Get enough rest and sleep! Parties and other late-night events may interfere with a normal sleep schedule, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get enough rest overall. Keep a regular sleep routine, as you are able, and pay attention to what your body is telling you. You won’t be able to enjoy the holidays if you can’t keep your eyes open! [For me: Another good reminder! I spent last week finishing a handmade gift that had to be delivered this weekend, so that meant a couple of late nights. I am getting back on schedule, and can already tell that my body is thanking me.]
9. Dress festively. This may sound silly, but it truly is a simple way to celebrate the holidays without much time or energy. Go through your closet or drawers and pick out some clothes that make you feel good about yourself and bring our your holiday spirit. Wear them whenever you need some holiday cheer. [For me: I got a pedicure this weekend and am now sporting red, sparkly toes!]
10. Create a holiday tradition for yourself and/or your family. Think back to things that you did with your family – do any of those hold value for you now? Would you like to repeat them with your family this year? Or consider something new that you can create as a time-honored tradition and symbol of the season for your family. Some examples include: making an ornament each year for your Christmas tree, singing holiday songs around the fire, baking holiday goodies and sharing with residents at a local nursing home, collecting gifts for a child in need, building a family gingerbread house, or volunteering at a local soup kitchen or food pantry. [For me: Cutting down a Christmas tree at a local tree farm, decorating it to the sounds of holiday music, while sharing a cup of hot cocoa or tea with my family.]

Happy holidays! What ideas or suggestions do you have for keeping them simple and joyous?


(Photos by ~*~...nicole...~*~, tamaskoszo, The Gifted Photographer)

Face Lotion Recipe

photo by rafaellmagalhaes

Winter is typically a very dry time of the year. Many of us forget
to moisturize our skin, which leads to rashes, cracks and many other skin problems. Do not forget that skin is our largest organ, so treat it with care and love. Many commercial lotions contain harmful ingredients. So, below is a recipe for a safe lotion. Not only your skin will be grateful, but you may even save a few dollars.


Ingredients:

• 1 ounce of cocoa butter
  
• 2 ounces almond oil


• 3 to 4 drops of rose or geranium oil

Place the cocoa butter and almond oil together in a small pan. Heat until the butter melts. Add essential oils and allow to cool. Enjoy!

Please share any other tips to keep your skin healthy during this time of the year.

Blog with Heart

Photo by ChildrensWishList

Simplifying my holiday plans is a hallmark step for me this year in achieving balance. Being overwhelmed with party plans, food menus, and gift shopping have, in the past, cast a shadow over the more meaningful reasons for the season. When I am running from store to store, digging deep in my pockets for uninspired or less-than-thoughtful gifts, and trying to make everyone happy, I forget why I am even celebrating. It all winds up as one big, stressful, fast-paced event that is over before I even had the chance to enjoy it. Whatever your tradition, this time of year offers the opportunity to sit back, reflect, and enjoy time with loved ones.

I don’t need a single material thing. I have a comfortable home, all of my necessities, and far more “extravagancies” than I really need. So when people have asked me what I want for Christmas this year, my genuine response is: NOTHING. I really do not want you to spend your hard-earned money on me; I do not want to have to find a place for some knick-knack that I don’t have space for; and I do not want to contribute to making the holidays about STUFF. Rather, I would appreciate your time, a visit, or just your thoughts.

My loved ones, probably like yours, aren’t going for it. They say things like, “Well, I’m going to buy you something anyway, so you better just give me a list.” Unfortunately, we tend to feel like we haven’t done enough if we haven’t gotten someone a gift for a special occasion. If they can’t or won’t do something homemade, another option is a charitable donation. (If you are one of my loved ones who cannot go without buying a gift, please, please, please continue reading!)

Some people in the blogging community have grouped together to provide a resource for all of those gift-determined folks who need an outlet for their cash. The “Blog with Heart Challenge” is being hosted by Mary Jaksch of Goodlife ZEN and Arvind Devalia of Make It Happen and starts today, December 1, 2009. The Challenge is joining forces with Kiva, a highly respected micro-lending non-profit organization, to challenge bloggers and readers to alleviate poverty throughout the world. Sounds like a pretty daunting task – much harder than just running to Target to pick up a sweater – but stay with me to see how easy and effective it is... and how you could get involved.

Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website. Its stated mission is to “connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.” You may have heard of the concept or the organization through testimonies by people like Oprah Winfrey or Bill Clinton or in FORTUNE magazine or on the Today Show. In fact, Muhammad Yunus founded his Grameen bank in 1976 as a resource for micro-loans to the poor; thirty years later, in 2006, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in eradicating poverty through his organization. You can learn more details about micro-lending at Kiva’s website, as well as information about the specifics of how the organization works. The basic idea is this: you lend a small amount of money (as little as $25) to a low-income entrepreneur in a developing country. They then use that money to start a business that they can grow and use to support their family and community. Most low-income entrepreneurs do not have access to traditional bank loans, and while they may only need a few dollars to get started, they are not able to build a business that would eventually sustain them financially… thus ending their struggle with poverty. Your loan would allow them to do that.

Kiva provides a forum for you to connect directly with low-income entrepreneurs. You can read about them, their business goals, and the progress they are making toward supporting themselves and their families. You can choose an individual and make a loan directly to them. You may have the opportunity to receive email updates about how that person is doing with their business and your loan, and stay connected to their progress. The Blog with Heart Challenge is one opportunity to get involved alongside other :simple:balance:rs. It is (no pun intended) simple:

1. Sign up and register with Kiva here.
2. Go to the :simple:balance: Lending Team and click the “Join Now” button.
3. Click on “LEND” in the navigation bar, and then choose someone that you would like to make a loan to. Browse the possibilities, read about people’s business goals and dreams, and choose someone (or multiple people) that you would like to help.
4. Boost the :simple:balance: team! On the “My Basket” page, in the upper right hand section, type :simple:balance: blog in the box.
5. Continue with the payment process.
6. Enjoy the feeling of helping someone to support themselves, their family, and their community. You have just taken a step towards ending world poverty.
7. After the loan you made is repaid, you can lend that same money to another low-income entrepreneur. Keep on enjoying the process!

Consider charitable gifts for the holidays this year. Inform your loved ones that you would prefer the simple route this year: a donation to someone who needs it would be much appreciated. You may have a favorite organization that you contribute to already – consider upping your donation this year in honor of your loved ones. If you want them to have something to open on the big day, write up a description of the organization, their mission and goals, and how your donation, in their honor, will help – wrap it up and present it to the people you love. Maybe you will even motivate someone else to do the same! If you are interested in taking a step toward eradicating world poverty, please check into the “Blog with Heart Challenge” and Kiva. It is amazing how fewer wrapped boxes and less money spent on gadgets can alleviate stress and foster a sense of balance… and appreciation for the holidays.

What do you think about charitable giving? Are you going to give the “Blog with Heart Challenge” a try this year? What other suggestions and ideas do you have?