At the end of every year, it is a common practice for radio stations to review the top songs of the year.  I have decided that you might find it helpful for me to review my top FIVE tips of 2008.  The countdown is as follows:

1. “C” level people or “energy vampires”.  One of the cornerstones of the Journey Back to Self CD is the identification of “C” level people in one’s life. A “C” level person can be a good person and someone you love very much. In order to avoid any confusion, I want to remind you that your experience of a person as “C” level has nothing to do with your love for them. It is more dependent on the person’s attitude toward life and your relationship with them.  

   It is their glum outlook on life and their negativity that can leach out, smear you and deplete your energy. “C” level people may be critical and complain, depressed, or just view life pessimistically and as a result, you usually leave an encounter with them feeling drained.

 A clue that you are with a “C” level person is somatic or emotional symptoms. Your body may feel tension, you might get a headache, a stomach ache or feel tired and listless. Emotionally, you begin to feel somewhat incompetent, bumbling and, self doubting as you go from feeling strong and confident to small and insecure. 

 In admitting that a person is a “C” level, it does not mean that you care for the person any less; quite the contrary, the more you care about a person, the more vulnerable you are to their negativity.  For ways to protect your self when with a “C” level person, please read the January tip.

2. In the April tip ideas on how to change your thought pattern to increase positive thinking are explored fully.  One technique is called reframing and it is helpful to use you are not pleased about a situation or person. Rather than give it lots of energy, practice saying the least negative statement that would still be true and you will find that it does not bother you as much. An example would be to remove the word “hate” from your vocabulary and substitute “I don’t like” or “I don’t care for it”. These are gentler words that are still true but evoke less energy.

   Also begin to make neutral statements about challenging situations. Decide to eliminate the words: “have to” and “I should” from your vocabulary. Try this exercise, think about something that you are going to do tomorrow. Put that activity into this sentence, “I have to______________”.  How does your body feel? Now try repeating it using the phrase, “I am going to____________”.   Notice how much more relaxed you are about the same activity.   

  Finally, let the word “should” become a red flag and another word to avoid. It tends to create guilt and pressure and is often motivated by unrealistic expectations. When you say the word “should”, question whether the action is one that you need to be doing at this moment in your life.

3. The Importance of Meditation is the March tip and one of the easiest ways to increase your intuition. When you are in a state of prayer or meditation, you can ask a specific question to a problem, empty your mind and you will often receive a spontaneous response with a creative answer.

  Meditation is also emphasized in the October tip, as a way to reduce stress.  How do you pray/meditate?  The first thing you want to do is to make the decision.  It is helpful to choose the same time of day because it assists in developing a conditioned response. Sit down, focus on a spot or close your eyes and begin to breathe slowly as you silently repeat a mantra. Begin by dedicating at least 3 minutes a day to being still and if your thoughts distract you, take a deep breath and refocus on your mantra.

4. Discipline your mind to live in the present moment by focusing on the task at hand because it is the only thing that you can control. It is fine to make plans for the future, but once those plans are made, do what you can to achieve them and then stop obsessing. Begin to live out The Serenity Prayer as you change what you can change, accept what you can’t change and ask for the wisdom to know the difference. When you release your thoughts from unnecessary worry, you begin to enjoy God in the present moment and you are able to stay creative and adaptable to any necessary, unexpected changes that might arise. When your thoughts are stuck in obsessive “to do’s” and there is nothing more that you can do about a situation at this particular time, write them on a piece of paper. Or if you are doing a little “what if” dance in your head, give yourself a little shake and refocus your attention on something positive in your life.  For more, read the June tip.

5. Commit to a Healthy lifestyle (Nov tip) and make the commitment to live differently in 2009.

   Formulate a plan for healthy eating: Make every effort to eat three healthy meals a day and if you need a snack choose a healthy alternative like nuts, cheese or fruit.  Minimize your caffeine intake because it will keep you wired and avoid all caffeine after 3pm because it will prevent you from having a restful sleep.

  Exercise or any movement relieves physical stress and clears your brain. (May tip) Try to get 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise at least three times a week. If you are under intense stress, you might want to incorporate an intense workout in your week to pump additional blood and endorphins through your body.

 Sleep is a key element to help you meet the day with energy and a sense of well being. Establish realistic sleep patterns and rituals. Go to sleep at the same time every night, that will get your body conditioned to fall asleep.  Substitute suspenseful television shows or books with more relaxing venue. (May tip)

As and we move towards the Christmas season, I invite you to take a moment to stare at the stars and remember….

All that you have been given,

All that you have,

All that you still can become,

May the peace of Christmas be in your heart.  

Blessings!