Podcasts

Three Myths of Meditation

Today in episode 9 we’ll bust the three myths of meditation and I’ll share my three favorite types. I also reveal what kind of meditation is the very best for your health. Plus, stick around because there is a bonus for you at the end!

00:01:10 Can you think of one person that has such a deep peace in their spirit that you feel calmer just by being around them? Finding that level of peace is something I’ve been working on lately. I’ve always thought one of the best things we can do for our friends and family during a time of stress is to have our own reservoir of inner calm, ready to share with others. If you’ve been interested in meditation but you have some questions, then its time to find out what’s keeping you from having this peace in your life. 

00:02:35 Myth #1 It’s not going to work for me. There are many types of meditation out there; it’s important to find one that syncs with you and your background. The best meditation is the one that you want to come back to, day after day. Just remember: Don’t Give Up. Everyone’s mind wanders during meditation, but if you bring your focus back to your breathing and keep moving on, you’ll see the results over time. 

00:03:53 Myth #2 There’s no time; there’s no place. Meditation isn’t defined by a place, a pose or a practice. It can be as simple as just focusing on having a steady, slow breath for a few moments in the middle of a hectic day. There are many ways to gain this peace and calmness in your life, but my favorites have always been these three: walking meditation, controlled breathing and scripture meditation. If you would be interested in finding out more about my podcast on scripture meditation, you can go to restingintheword.org.

00:08:17 My other podcast is a guided scripture meditation to aid in sleep. You can find it at restingintheword.org

00:08:43 Myth #3 You can’t prove it works. Yes, scientific studies have proven that meditation does work to reduce anxiety and depression, heart disease, diabetes, improve sleep and your immune system. Want the facts? Here’s the scientific research you need!


When Perspective Outranks Attitude


Welcome to episode 8 of Positively Life After Fifty, and Day 2 in my quest to podcast for 30 days straight, in honor of the National Podcast Post Month of November.
Am I ever getting off to a rocky start! In fact, if you were able to hear my podcast yesterday, you are one in a million. In fact, you and I both know that you are already one in a million whether you listened to my podcast yesterday or not because there is no one quite like you.
My episodes will be shorter, but another reason why this show is so different is that I don’t have any opening music today. I also don’t have any quotes today because I am in the middle of a podcaster’s biggest nightmare right now, at least it is for me. I worked on problems until 1 am and when I came back to it today, there were 20 more new bugs needing to be squashed. So today hasn’t been different. Here it is almost 11 pm, and I’m still up writing this.

However, I did take some time out earlier and had dinner with a friend who is still teaching, still facing many of the same problems I used to have:As I was eating dinner with my former colleague I was listening to some of the things she is dealing with–not just in the classroom but also the committee presentations, her teenagers and also elderly parent issues. It all reminded me of a time, not very long ago, when I was still teaching. I was working 10 to 12 hour days six days a week and dealing with all those problems and more. So it kind of puts my current problems into perspective.

I also think about the news of the past months; all the shootings, fires, and floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. I’m not trying to make light of this; it is a serious issue for so many.There are people without electricity and people who have lost loved ones. As I think about all these issues, suddenly my problems of getting my id3 tags onto my audio file and getting my media player to look not weird on my web page don’t seem that big of a deal. Suddenly all those issues just don’t seem important.

The work will get done, the problems will get solved or they won’t, and I’ll find a way to make it work somehow. What’s more important is that I make time for friends, I take time for family, and I even carve out some time to take care of myself. To regain a needed sense of balance and perspective. And I’ll tell myself that I’m worth it, because yes, in fact, I am one in a million.

And so are you, and so are the people you love.

And tomorrow’s going to be a better day. It will.
I’ll see you tomorrow. Until then keep looking up, and never give up.

National Podcast Post Month Challenge


Feel like a challenge? I do! I’m not running a marathon or climbing a mountain, but I might as well be! This episode marks the first of the 30 day challenge where I podcast every day for the month of November. I’m accepting the challenge at #NaPodPoMo to become a better podcaster, and to help celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the “birth” of podcasting!

You can join me! It doesn’t have to be in podcasting, unless that’s a goal you have, too. No, just think about this…has there been something you’ve been wanting to learn, a goal you’ve put off achieving? Well, do something positive for yourself, something that inspires you to be a better you…commit to taking your own challenge as I take on mine. Do that for the next 30 days and positively change the direction of your life.

We can do this!

Quotes included:

One day you will thank yourself for never giving up. Unknown

Set a goal SO BIG you can’t achieve it…until you turn into to the person who CAN. Unknown

 

Three Simple Things That Blessed My Grief


Some of the hardest times in life are also some of the most difficult times to be a friend. What can you do to help a family who is caring for a terminally ill loved one? I’ve lost family members recently and being on the receiving end of this compassion has left me with a heart full of gratitude. Today I’ll share the most precious gifts my friends gave, and what you can do to help those going through heart-breaking times.

Every day on my drive to work, I would see a sculpture of eight arrows, seven of which were pointing down and the eighth on pointing up. Curious about it, I found out that the artist titled it, “Seven Down, Eight Up.”
It is based on a Japenese saying, “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” This sculpture was inspirational to me each time I drove by it.
The reason why I am telling you this story is because it took me eight times to finally record this episode! But I eventually got it accomplished because my mom always said: “Never give up.”
I’ve had my mom on my mind a lot lately. In fact, that’s the reason why I have been away from the microphone for several weeks. My mother passed away recently. I’ve tried to let you know what’s going on, but I couldn’t make it through an entire recording without breaking down. Sometimes the grief is just too fresh to share it with the world. I eventually will, but for now, I just wanted to let you know that I now have my “arrows” pointed in the right direction! And more than anything else, I want to be here for you and help you find the end to those “downward facing arrows” in your life.

Sometimes you have to reach some of the lowest points in your life before you can rebuild yourself into the person that you’ve always wanted to become. I believe that when you begin to focus on bringing positive peace into your life, you will see it happen.

This week I want to share with you the things that blessed me during the days leading up to my mother’s death.

Three things that you can do to bring comfort to a grieving family:

1. Food is more than comfort, it’s essential. My friends offered to send meals, but I kept trying to “be strong.” Finally, nearly broken after many days of very little sleep, I asked them to bring meals. Their response was immediate, and even though I didn’t think I had an appetite, the food tasted amazing!
Another thing I found is that paper products are a must-have. Normally I’m not a “disposable” product user, but when a loved one is terminally ill, I would rather be spending time with family than in the kitchen any day. Here are just a few helpful items:
Paper towels and plates, wet wipes, tissues, (there were lots of tears) and even toilet paper (there were lots of visitors in the house;)
2. Ask questions, but accept the answers that they can give you at the time. Whether we’re on the asking or the telling end, we are there to offer kindness, caring, and support.
3. When you visit, take a memory to share. Is there a story that you can tell the family member that exemplifies how special their loved one is/was? Heartfelt stories and memories are priceless to the grieving family.

One more thing I want to add:

Everyone grieves differently according to their upbringing, how close or estranged they were to the deceased, and even according to where they are in life right now. How someone handles the death of a loved one, or how he or she responds to any grievous situation, is a highly personal issue. Our differences make us who we are, but we are also the same: We all have people we love and people we miss who are gone from us. Realizing that made it easier for me to accept the many different reactions to death.

No matter what you’re facing today, remember to never give up. Whatever positive thing you want in your life, don’t give up.

If there’s someone you can visit today, or send a card, or give a call, please do that: Your heart will be so much fuller, and they will have received such a gift from hearing from you. You’ll bring something positive into your life AND someone else’s.
Until next time keep looking up but never GIVE up!

Quote:

“We underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, or the smallest act of caring. All of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
~Leo Buscaglia

Check out this episode!

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