Mend your heart
Reframing
Photograph courtesy of Tungphoto
Differentt frames will bring out different aspects of a picture. Reframing is a cognitive technique which can be learned that allows us to reframe events to have different meanings. Positive reframing allows us to see other people and/or events in a different light. For example, when faced with a conflict, view it as a golden opportunity to reach a deeper understanding and more meaningful relationship.
Yes....it takes practice to make perfect but don't underestimate the powerful influence it can have on your life. Remember, you are not pretending the negative does not exist. You acknowledge the negative while placing your attention on the positives you can control.
Use this practice not only in situations with life outside, but life on the inside. Listen to the voice in your head, the one giving you advice and direction. Are the things you are hearing accurate? Are they helpful? Do http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1708
they move you forward? If the answer is no to any of these questions, ditch the thought. Replace it by positive reframing.
Light a Candle Photo courtesy of Nuchylee
"Ritual can be seen as 'any activity, sacred or secular, public or private, formal or informal, traditional or newly created, scripted or improvised, communal or solitary, prescribed or self-designed, repeated or one-time only - that includes the symbolic expression of a combination of emotions, thoughts, and/or spiritual beliefs of the participant(s) that has special meaning for the participant(s)"
(Running, Tolle, & Gerard, 2008, p. 305).
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Take time for YOU
Photo courtesy of Boaz Yiftach
Being of service to others is our work. Being of sevice to ourselves must come first. We cannot offer what we do not have. So ... no matter how busy the day, how hectic the schedule, or how many people need you at this moment...STOP. Take a few breaths.
Take a few minutes just for you.
Meditate. Pray. Walk.
Sing. Dance.
Do whatever is perfect at this moment.
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Keep a Journal
Photo courtesy of Nuttakit
An Attitude of Gratitude
"In their groundbreaking study, Emmons and McCullough (2003) employed daily diary methods to experimentally determine the effect of gratitude on mental health over time and found that those who wrote about the things they were grateful for improved in modd, coping behaviors, and even physical symptoms" (Lambert,, Graham, Fincham,, & Stillman, 2009).
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LAUGH
Photograph courtesy of Clare Bloomfield
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