Tag: Self-Care

Laughter is the Best Medicine — It Relieves Stress

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Flow, Happiness, Health, Hope, Inspiration, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Positive Psychology, Positivity, Stress Management

What consumes your mind consumes your life

We live in a world weighed down by tragedy and adversity.

And we have been conditioned to believe that tragedies require tragic mindsets and hardships demand hardened spirits.

We also live in a world overflowing with abundance and joy.

But we cannot see the good from the bad when we are blinded by what weighs us down. Often resulting in one-sided fixed perceptions of reality.

Solution

Shift your focus

Change your life

How?

A shift in focus can happen in a number of ways.

Laughter. Gratitude. Awe. A long deep breath.

Laughter Yoga: Watch Here

Why Laughter?

1. Laughter breaks the panic spell.

The not enough mindset. The woe is me attitude. The negativity downturn.

2. Laughter melts the stress away.

3. Laughter connects people in present time.

Friends and strangers! Think of the last time you laughed out loud with a cashier in the grocery line. For me, it was last night.

4. Laughter is good for our health.

It benefits our mind and our body.

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Today’s Homework

have fun

Be kind to your mind

Remember who you were before life weighed you down.

Dance a little dance. Be a goofball with friends.

Respond to hard times with a light heart and an open mind.

Nourish your soul.

Leave room for grace.

Laughter is an instant vacation to a better place!

Video of Post: Watch Here

Twelve Days of Self-Care — The Drive Magazine

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Happiness, Health, Hope, Inspiration, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Optimism, Peace, Positivity, Psychology, Relaxation, Self-Care, Stress Management, The Drive Magazine, Video47 Comments 
Original Source
The Drive Magazine

Twelve Days of Self Care

You, as much as anyone else, are worthy of your love and attention.

I am a strong believer in keeping things simple.

The less complicated things are, the more likely we are to repeat the behaviour.

Especially when it comes to health and happiness habits.

Try for yourself, starting with Day 1 of self-care:

Day 1: Mindful Mornings

Add five to ten minutes of relaxation to each of your morning routines. Time expands when you savour your smoothie mindfully.

Day 2: Soothing Stretches

Wherever you are right now – stand up. Put your arms to the ceiling and take a long breath. Bring your arms to your toes and hold them there. Repeat five times throughout the day. Show your limbs some love today.

Day 3: Lingering Lunches

When was the last time you took a break during lunch? No phone. No computer. Just you and your turkey sandwich. Today is that day. Cherish your lunch. Enjoy every bite. Give yourself the gift of a lunch break.

Day 4: Movement is Medicine

My favourite way to improve the day is through movement. Whether it be a stroll around the block, hugging a tree in the park, or a one-hour cardio session at the club. Do what works for you, independent of everyone else. Commit to moving one extra step today.

Day 5: Fresh Air

Immerse yourself in fresh air today. Especially when you hit a roadblock in creativity. Go outside. Look up at the sky. Watch the clouds float by.

Day 6: Silence

When was the last time you sat in silence? Today is that day. Set an alarm on your phone for three hours from now. Start with seven minutes of absolute silence. Write down what you find out about yourself.

Day 7: Reading Time

Devote one hour to reading today. Including this magazine!

Day 8: Blissful Boundaries

When you are available to everybody all the time, you are unavailable to yourself. Start by setting a boundary between you and technology. Turn off your phone and computer for 12 hours straight.

Day 9: Soothing Scents

Out of all five senses, smell has the strongest link to emotion and memory. Which is why a scent like peppermint can transport you instantly to another time and dimension.

Day 10: Ground Yourself

Cover the floor with all your favourite blankets. Take a long deep breath and take in the view of your house from a different perspective.

Day 11: Matinee Movie

Take yourself to a matinee movie today! Spoil yourself with popcorn and ice-cold pop.

Day 12: Mirror Affirmations

Write a love letter to yourself and post it on your bathroom mirror. Read it out loud, every chance you get.

Merry Christmas Everyone! May peace be with you. All 2022 long.♥️

Peace Video Watch Here

Honour Your Limits

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Emotional Awareness, Health, Mindfulness, Psychology, Self-Care, Time and Energy Management

Today’s Reminder That You Are Human

Honour Your Limits.

In every area of your life.

It’s not a race.

It’s a lifetime.

Pace Yourself

The world needs what you have to give — long-term.

In every area of your life.

It’s not a race.

It’s a lifetime.

Helpful Resource:
Energy Awareness and Management

5 Mindfulness Techniques

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Mindfulness, Nature, Peace, Relaxation, Resilience, Self-Care, Time and Energy Management

Our point of power is always in the present moment.

1. Be Here Now

Stop

Take a breath

Observe

Proceed

2. Create Space

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our freedom.” Viktor Frankl

3. Find Your Flow

In psychology, flow, also known as being in the zone, is the mental state where a person is fully immersed in the moment. Flow often occurs during sports and creative activities such as writing, painting, and teaching. In this state, people often report enhanced well-being, focus, and joy.

4. Commune with Nature

“Nature has the capacity of making us become one with the universe. Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. How still they are, how deeply rooted in just being. When you look at a tree and perceive its stillness, you become still yourself.” Eckhart Tolle

5. Practice Loving Kindness

“Be kind to yourself. And let your kindness flood the world.” Pema Chödrön

Enjoy Daily

Let Your North Star Guide You

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Hope, Mindfulness, Nature, Peace, Relaxation, Video50 Comments

The sky connects us to something bigger than ourselves.

Challenges appear small in comparison to the vastness of the sky.

Solutions seem plausible. Answers come more easily.

In the presence of stars, we embrace the profound and surrender it all.

Look, up at the sky. There is a light, a beauty up there, that no shadow can touch.

J. R. R. Tolkien

Related Post: Always Looking Up

CPR: Sustainable Resilience & Mental Health Habits

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Change and Transformation, community, Coping Strategies, Emotional Awareness, Health Psychology, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Peace, Resilience, Self-Care, Stress, Teaching, Thriving, Video32 Comments
Dr. Andrea Dinardo MENTAL HEALTH HABITS
sus·tain·a·bil·i·ty
/səˌstānəˈbilədē/

The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

Catch Pause Repair (CPR) is a Framework for Sustainable Mental Health & Resilience Habits.

CPR includes three simple steps as outlined in the video below:

1. Catch

Catch yourself before a stress response escalates by becoming more aware of what triggers you.

2. Pause

Pause and take a 60 second time out when you feel the physical sensations of stress begin to escalate.

3. Repair

Repair the root source of the heightened stress response which is often physiological in nature.

DrAndreaDinardo.com QUOTE

Supporting Student Health

Requested by

The CPR Presentation  was developed for the St. Clair College Student Sustainability Group as part of their initiative for supporting the health and wellbeing of college staff, faculty, and students.

New Opportunity

This was the first time I’ve been approached to make a video for a third party. And it was so much fun!

Taming Your Monkey Mind

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Coping Strategies, Happiness, Health Psychology, Mindfulness, Peace34 Comments

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Nature is a beautiful way to stop the monkey mind in its’ tracks.

What is the monkey mind? 🐒 🧠

“Buddha described the human mind as being filled with drunken monkeys, jumping around, screeching, chattering, carrying on endlessly. Fear is an especially loud monkey –  screaming out all the things that could go wrong.” Source: HuffPost 

When we’re caught in a loop of anxious thoughts, our amygdala goes into overdrive. Causing us to get stuck in the basement of our brains (the limbic system) where our stressful thoughts go around and around. With no end to the downward spiral in sight.

B R E A T H I N G    S P A C E

Time in nature gives us a chance to catch our breath, to see the light, to realize there’s a way out of this never-ending rumination loop.

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The Healing Power of Nature

The impact of nature on the human spirit is so profound that a hallmark study in 1984 showed that patients who had a room with a view healed faster than patients without a view. A mere glimpse of nature was enough to enhance their resilience.

Hope

Nature shifts our thoughts. Expands our awareness. Gives us hope. Lifts us up from the basement of our brains (amygdala) to the penthouse (cerebral cortex) where all solutions are possible.

“And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.” 

Related Video: Five Grounding Techniques

Catch your breath.

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Coping Strategies, Empowerment, Mental Health, Nature, Peace, Personal Growth, Self-Care, Stress Management, Thriving, Video55 Comments

flowingriver

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, not what’s left of you.”

Pause.

Be still.

Catch your breath.

Take a rest.

Practice self-care.

As often as you can.

Pause at the end of my video ⬆️ for 30 fun self-care ideas.

Do you practice daily self-care?

Please share in the comments below.

Work hard. Rest. Repeat.

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Empowerment, Mindfulness, Motivation, Psychology Class, Self Reflection, Self-Care, Stress Management, Student Success35 Comments

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To All Nursing Students, including my own:

If I were to assign any homework this week it would be to take a break.

10 minutes at a time.

5 times a day.

Because you have all worked exceptionally hard the past five weeks.

And a good rest is half the work.

Although things may not have gone your way.

Not exactly as you had planned.

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You are still here.

This is something to celebrate.

Because showing up and being fully present is the essence of being a spectacular nurse.

And training to be a nurse is as much about the journey as the knowledge itself.

Take a breath.

Take a rest.

Give yourself credit.

For ALL that brought you here.

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Focus on the ENTIRE process.

Not just one paper. Or one test.

Because the only way to finish a marathon is to take the water from the sidelines, eat the food along the way, and most importantly celebrate every step in the journey.

No matter how small.

No matter how challenging.

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I am sending you all good vibes.

All day long.

Every step of the way.

YOU GOT THIS !!

Dr. D 😊

And if you need an extra boost in the first semester of the second year of your BScN collab nursing program:

https://drandreadinardo.com/2018/01/12/reigniting-motivation

It’s ok not to be ok.

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Mental Health, Mental Health Education, Personal Growth, Self Reflection, Self-Care, Stress Management56 Comments

As a positive psychologist, I often write about the bright side of life. Including harnessing strengths, enhancing motivation, and flourishing in the wake of adversity.

Not the whole picture

While strengths are vital to realizing one’s full potential – it’s not the whole picture when it comes to living a balanced life.

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Embrace the downside

We must also create a safe place to welcome the parts of ourselves (and our life) that weigh us down and cause us despair.

In doing so, we soften the grip of its pain. Whether it be suffering from years gone by or a hardship in current time.

Give pain room to breathe.

its ok to not be ok.

Give disappointments, conflicts, and lost dreams room to breathe.

You are not inadequate because you have depression. You are not unworthy because you’re divorced. You are not unloveable because you have anxiety. You are not undesirable because you’re unemployed. You are not undeserving because you’re broke.

You’re perfect just the way you are

light Rumi

Life ebbs and flows, comes and goes. Like the waves on the ocean shore. You are forever. Your potential grows. It’s ok not to be ok. What comes – also goes.

Welcome it all.

From Fear to Love.

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Affirmation, Empowerment, Love, Mental Health, Peace, Positivity, Resilience, Self-Care23 Comments

How do you talk to yourself?

Have you ever noticed that the more challenging life gets the more critical you are of yourself.

And the more critical you are of yourself the more challenging life becomes.

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It’s a fearful, exhausting, repetitive loop that feeds on itself.

When you’re under extreme pressure, the last thing you need is another self-talk rant of why you’re not good enough.

What you do need is a boatload of unconditional love.

 Resilience is built on love.

And so are you.

Today vow to give yourself the gift of more love, more kindness, more generosity.

A gift that will keep on giving.

Long after the stress is gone.

Find an affirmation or a positive quote that makes you stop, take a breath, and feel your heart beating deep inside.

Something that reminds you of how magical you truly are.

Post it on your fridge.

Write it on your mirror.

Save it on your phone.

Stress is surviving.

Love is thriving.

The next time you start beating yourself up over the smallest thing, take it as a sign that you need some extra love and tender care.

The more love you give yourself, the more generous, authentic, and compassionate all of your relationships will be.

Including the relationship you have with your innermost self.

Related: Mirror Affirmation Exercise