22
Nov

Brook and Heather’s Mindful Relish Recipe

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In many households, frazzled Thanksgiving cooks (Grandma comes to mind) put out a relish tray to keep hungry but idle hands out of the kitchen. These trays are loaded with goodies, each tucked into its own compartment: pimento-stuffed green olives, whole black olives little ones canstick on their fingertips before eating, radishes, celery stuffed with peanut butter or cream cheese, carrot sticks, equal portions of two kinds of pickles (sweet and dill) so there’s no fighting….


Here’s our recipe for a Thanksgiving relish tray:
A spoonful of Mindfulness
A dollop of Awareness
Equal portions of Family Dynamics and Deep Breaths
Lots of little Inner Smiles
A heaping portion of Blessings
Serve on a platter of Gratitude and Love

TheKitchn.com has some great ideas for updating Grandma’s Relish Tray

31
Jul

My Newest Mindfulness Practice is a Purple Bracelet

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Maybe you saw it on Oprah? It is part of an international project called Complaint Free Living. I’m finding it requires a high degree of mindfulness!

The process is simple: You put a bracelet on one wrist and wear it there until you complain about something. When that happens, you switch the bracelet to the other wrist. Remember, gossip and criticism are forms of complaining! Each and every time it happens, you switch the bracelet. The goal is to keep the bracelet on the same wrist for 21 days in a row.

(more…)

20
Jun

Being Present to the Process of Becoming

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“What you get by reaching your destination is not as important as what you become while reaching your destination.”

This quote from Dr. Robert Anthony is a good reminder that each moment is a precious opportunity to be completely mindful and present to the unfolding or our essence.  Perhaps the moments of “becoming” are actually the destination?  As Eckhart Tolle says – our primary goal is to be present to evolving consciousness, and everything else is secondary.

16
Jun

Think straight to stand straight!

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Mindfulness of the body:  I’ve recently learned from Katy Santiago of www.RestorativeExercise.com that over time, our minds may very well trick us into thinking our posture is good even when it’s not.  The impact of this is profound since posture has everything to do with longevity.  What’s important to note here is that we need to always question our beliefs, what we think, because it may not be reality at all.

13
Mar

A Hospital CEO “First Does No Harm”

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Hard times can bring out the worst in people, but I think more often it brings out the best.  When we truly look at our own fears and struggles, we can’t help but see the struggles of those around us.  Over and over, I hear from clients and friends that they hope this economic crisis will bring us closer together as families, communities and as a nation.

Beth Israel Hospital in Boston is taking this idea to a new level:  Rather than laying off staff to protect the hospital’s bottom line, the CEO, Paul Levy, proposes to trim the salaries and benefits of the higher-paid staff to protect the jobs of the “lower” ranks.  He sees that the janitors play as important a role in the function of the hospital and in the well-being of the patients and their families as the surgeons do.  He sees that the people most at-risk in this economy are already struggling to get by – they are the immigrants and the under-educated who have served us well in a service-based economy.  Now he sees that it is his turn to serve them.  (more…)

10
Mar

Weathering the Uncertainty

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If Chicken Little showed up on your doorstep crying, “The Sky is Falling!  The sky is falling!” what would you say?  Would you jump right in and list your woes and fears, or would you help her change her perspective?  A little gratitude can go a long way toward changing perspective, as can helping others.  As part of my commitment to a Mindful Life Community, I will be hosting a FREE conversation titled “Bridge Over Troubled Water – An Emotional Survival Kit for Uncertain Times,” on Wednesday March 18.  I’d like you to be there!  I’ll provide some mindfulness coaching to help with emotional reactivity.

I’d like to know ahead of time what specific emotional concerns the changing times are bringing up for you.  I’d also like to know how you are being called to Be the Change, to be a contribution in your own community right now.  What mindfulness practice might help you contribute?

07
Mar

A Toast to Women Caregivers

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March 8 is International Women’s Day.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (a division of the World Health Organization), “Some 80 percent of home health care in the Americas is provided by women, but this critical work is neither recognized nor remunerated.”  In fact, they say, “this invisible work is rarely even recognized as a skill.”  Their statement to the world could not be stronger:  “If the women of the world went on strike and suspended their community work in health for just one day, the consequences would be catastrophic for global welfare.”

Ready to extend a helping hand?  The Courageous Heart Program is a Self Confidence Coaching program that includes mindfulness practice and is designed just for women in the helping professions: Nurses, Therapists, Educators and anyone else who makes her living by giving.  The program helps build self confidence and improve self esteem for greater success in life.  It is now being offered in a small group setting.  Learn more HERE, and help a woman you know take care of herself so she can continue to make a difference in the lives of others.

And make a virtual “toast” to these women – tell us about them and the light they shine in the world!

15
Feb

Open Thread – Mindful Creativity for Stressful Times

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This coming Wednesday, we’ll be talking about Creativity and Play in the face of life’s challenges, large and small. Here are some quotes to get you thinking about the topic……

     “You are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self.”  ~Richard Bach

“The Paleolithic hunters who painted the unsurpassed animal murals on the ceiling of the cave at Altamira had only rudimentary tools. Art is older than production for use, and play older than work. Man was shaped less by what he had to do than by what he did in playful moments. It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the optimal milieu for the unfolding of his capacities.”  ~Eric Hoffer

“Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous.  That has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor.”  ~Paul Hawken

These quotes are good mindfulness practice reminders and as a Spiritual Life Coach, I’m often encouraging clients to play more and relax for greater creativity.

15
Feb

Interview with Brook Montagna, Mindful Life Coach

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Phoebe Chongchua, Editor of LifeFitMagazine.com, spoke with Brook Montagna, Personal Life Coach, around New Year’s about Mindfulness Practice and Setting Intentions.  You can listen to the interview here and learn some strategies to gain clarity, joy and meaning in your life!  Self Improvement never seemed like so much fun!

If you are ready to re-vision your life and need some life coaching, you can experience Brook’s work by listening in on Ring In 2009!  Any day is a good day for personal growth!