Vicki, Author at Inner Power Mindset

Stress Busting Tips for the Holidays

Since this is supposed to be a “happy” time of year, what to do if you feel stressed out, unhappy and depleted? During this time of year, many of us feel stressed. According to a survey in Consumer Reports, here are the top “Holiday Stressors: crowds and long lines, gaining extra weight, getting into debt, gift buying, and seeing certain relatives.” Sound familiar?

While stress may seem unavoidable, you can change your response to these stressors with a few of my favorite stress busting tips. But you may also need extra help to find out what is keeping you in worry and stress-mode all of the time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a therapist or coach. I have reached out and it has made all of the difference in my life and the lives of the amazing people who I now mentor.

Book your Inner Power Breakthrough Session with Vicki

When you take time for calm, you’ll be more available for yourself and your family. It’s that airplane warning to put the oxygen mask on yourself first and then your child. Please enjoy my favorite Stress Busting Tips for you and your family.

1. Breathe slowly and deeply.
Before reacting to the next stressful thing, take three deep breaths and release them slowly. If you have a few minutes, try out a relaxation technique such as a brief meditation or guided imagery.

2. Get outside for a break
Feel the healing power of fresh air. Feel the vibration of being alive and the beauty of nature or the bustle of city life. Don’t be deterred by foul weather or a full schedule. Even five minutes outside can be rejuvenating.

3. Move your body
We all know exercise can provide an outlet for frustration. Even a quick burst of exercise can help. These may include a quick run up several flights of stairs, doing gentle stretching, or dancing to a favorite tune.

4. Include a joy booster
Plan something rewarding for the end of your stressful day. Enjoy a relaxing bath or read a good book. Turn off your screens and cell phone 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. Avoid thinking of your to do list for tomorrow. Let yourself fully relax.

5. Give yourself a good laugh
Laughing helps you feel better in a matter of minutes. It boosts endorphins and other feel-good hormones. It can also put things in perspective. It’s hard to feel fear or anger when we’re laughing.

6. Count your blessings.
Gratitude is a great way to raise your energy and open your heart. Think of three good things, even if this day has been full of stress or disappointments. Close your eyes and focus on your heart when you think of three good things. Make sure you also write them down.

7. Love yourself more!
This is the best medicine. Do the things that make you happy and add more joy. This is a great way to take care of your needs and reduce stress long-term. Sometimes we become more stressed when we forget about self-care. Spread Loving Kindness to yourself first and then to others.

Wishing you and your family the best!
Vicki

PS: Are you ready to let go of fear and live a better life in success, health, and happiness? Are you ready to make 2023 your best year? Book your Inner Power Breakthrough Session with Vicki or give this gift to someone you love.

Vicki Atlas Israel is the Author of #1 Amazon Bestseller “Inner Power NOW.” Order the book at InnerPowerMindset.com. Contact Vicki if you’re interested in having her speak at your next event. As a Best Mindset Coach and Certified Guided Imagery Specialist, Vicki’s purpose is to bring more love, joy, and healing to children and families. You can connect with her on Facebook or email her at Vicki@InnerPowerMindset.com

Thanksgiving for Your Health

Mindset

Thanksgiving may be one day a year on the calendar, but giving thanks may be one of the more powerful things you can do for your health year-round. Let’s explore how gratitude can improve health.

Studies show that a regular gratitude practice enhances your overall wellbeing, physically and mentally. These include reduced inflammation, lower blood pressure, less pain, and better sleep. It’s like going to the gym. The more you work out your gratitude muscles, the more your brain changes. Thankfulness also releases the bonding hormone oxytocin, which lowers stress and triggers a cascade of feel-good hormones.

The things for which you are grateful don’t have to be big, like a new job or relationship. They can be as simple as the aroma of your first cup of coffee. The tingling of water on your skin as you take a shower. The sun peeking through the clouds, or the birds singing outside your window.

Make Gratitude a Daily Practice

To take full advantage of the health benefits of gratitude, make it part of your daily routine. Send a “thank you” to people who don’t expect it. Keep a gratitude journal. Give someone an unexpected compliment. Or how about sending random texts and emails of appreciation? One powerful practice to do with your children and family is saying three things for which you’re grateful every day.

One of the things for which I am personally grateful for is you and this beautiful community we are building. Together, we can help reduce stress and pain to make the world a better place. For this, I am so grateful. Make gratitude not just about one day a year—like Thanksgiving— but about the privilege of being alive and appreciating our blessings.

With love and gratitude,

Vicki

PS: I have included a FREE gratitude meditation to enjoy! See below.

Vicki Atlas Israel is an Author, Speaker, Training Consultant, and Meditation Mindset Coach. #1 NYTimes Bestselling Author Jack Canfield, co-creator of “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” wrote the Foreword to Vicki’s book, “Inner Power NOW.” Vicki is passionate about helping high-achieving professionals, parents and children to stress less and add more joy.

Mindfulness Versus Antidepressants

Mindfulness, Visualize Guided Imagery

New research finds a mindfulness-based stress reduction program is as effective as an antidepressant in treating anxiety disorders. For years, researchers have been touting the benefits of a meditation and mindfulness practice for anxiety and depression.

This is one of the first to compare mindfulness to using an antidepressant called Lexapro. Led by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, the findings have been published in JAMA Psychiatry November 9th.

“Our study provides evidence for clinicians, insurers and health care systems to recommend, include and provide reimbursement for mindfulness-based stress reduction as an effective treatment for anxiety disorders because mindfulness meditation currently is reimbursed by very few providers,” says Elizabeth Hoge, MD, director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program and associate professor of psychiatry at Georgetown.

Anxiety can be highly distressing. They include generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder and fear of certain places or situations. Drugs that are currently prescribed can be very effective. Yet, many patients do not respond well to them or dislike the side effects (like nausea, sexual dysfunction and drowsiness.)

According to Georgetown University Medical Center, the clinicians recruited nearly 300 people between June 2018 and February 2020 from three hospitals in Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C., and randomly assigned people to either MBSR or the anti-depressant.

“It is important to note that although mindfulness meditation works, not everyone is willing to invest the time and effort to successfully complete all of the necessary sessions and do regular home practice, which enhances the effect,” Hoge said.

As you may know, I wrote a book called Inner Power Now about the benefits of practicing meditation, visualization, and mindfulness for children and adults. If you want to learn how to use the power of your mind and body to create your best life, book a complimentary “Inner Power Breakthrough” session with me. Learn how to relieve stress, anxiety, and pain to empower a better life. Book your FREE session today.

Wishing you peace!

Vicki

Fall and Letting Go

Mindfulness, Mindset

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. The crisp cooler weather and the beauty of the leaves can also be a teacher. As we see the trees let go of their leaves, fall can also be a time of personal reflection.

We can take a lesson from nature on how to release and let go. With the change of each season comes a new way of approaching our days. There’s a slowness in fall that feels good to me. Sitting in nature is good for the soul. A few days ago, I had the pleasure of being in the leaves during their peak season. I invite you to go to a nearby park, like Des Peres Park featured in this image, and reflect about what this season has to teach.

Letting Go to Flow

This fall, I encourage you to try a few things to help you let go of what no longer serves.

1. Go through your belongings and give away whatever you aren’t using. If it’s not being used and it doesn’t make you happy, pass it along or recycle it. Clearing clutter feels so good because it opens up more space to allow in what will serve you better. As we see the trees let go of their leaves, fall can also be a time of personal reflection. We can take a lesson from nature on how to release and let go.

2. Sit with yourself and write down the answers to these questions: What am I proud of this year? What do I want to say goodbye to? What do I still want to complete before the year is over? The challenges and obstacles have brought new insight. This year I realized how much I was trying to wrestle with life, forcing outcomes, instead of allowing grace and something higher to help lead the vision. My need to control is not helping me relax into the flow of life.

Cycle of Renewal and Growth

During fall, the trees shed their leaves as part of the cycle of renewal. This is a universal principle – in order to grow, we must release something. This is true of our own bodies in ways we don’t even notice; we are constantly shedding old cells and creating new ones.

Many of us are able to compost the leaves and twigs we rake up at this time of year for fertilization. You have an inner garden that needs that same compost. We’ve all made mistakes and choices that we wish were different. That’s really what fall is all about. It’s letting go of what’s completed in our lives—or no longer serving us—and preparing for what’s ahead.

Take time this fall to slow down and make space in your life for nourishing and restoring yourself. Recognize what the present offers and create the foundations for an abundant life.

Be Brave – Co-Create Your Best Future

If you need help releasing and letting go of what no longer serves to build a better future, take advantage of my complimentary Inner Power Breakthrough Session. You’ll create a clear vision, uncover hidden challenges, and leave the session feeling renewed and inspired.

Wishing you peace!

Vicki

Forest Bathing and Building Resilience

Mindfulness, Mindset

Feeling overwhelmed by the news of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and the economy? There are plenty of things to stress about. Where can you find resilience and why is resilience important? Resilience is needed to process and overcome hardship. Those lacking resilience may get easily overwhelmed, and may turn to unhealthy coping skills. Resilient people tap into their strengths and support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems.

The following list offers some ways to activate your brain to the release of feel-good hormones. These self-care practices are grounded in neuroscience. They will help you go from feeling overwhelmed to feeling calmer.

Take some time to be in nature, whether it’s a walk or an outing to a park. Research shows that the chemicals produced by trees and plants can have a healing effect. Japanese call it “Forest Bathing.” A new study from the University of Nottingham finds “Forest Bathing” can boost immunity and help keep your heart and lungs healthy.
Gratitude is one of the best ways to destress. Close your eyes and call up an image of someone for whom you are grateful. Take a moment to immerse yourself in the feeling of receiving what they bring you, even putting your hand on your heart. Stay with it until you feel the gratitude and appreciation.
Stop and connect to your breath and your five senses. This grounds you in the present moment and breaks the chatter and worry in your brain. Spend two minutes breathing deeply and slowly. As you stop to take a breath, take in what you see and hear, taste and touch.
When you need a break from the negative chatter, put on uplifting music or movie and become present to really hearing and seeing the movie. This helps ground yourself.
Add movement like taking a walk to shake off uncomfortable emotions or get up a dance with fun music. Get out of your head and into your body helps eliminate fear and worry.
Take a moment to find the awe and wonder in your day. Looking up at the night sky is an easy one. Or imagine the joy of a young child exploring her world.

These joy boosters will help you balance out negative news and to build resilience. Make time to add a few to lift your spirits.

Wishing you and your family the best!

Vicki

Visualize to Create Your Future

Mindfulness, Mindset, Visualize Guided Imagery

How do you visualize to create a new future? Through imagination, the great athletes do this to visualize their future and win the gold . So do successful entrepreneurs. You can too! Guided Imagery and visualization are a powerful combination to practice.

Over the past 30 years, numerous studies have found that the power of the mind can influence almost every major system of the body–from breathing and heart rate to digestion and immune response. Guided imagery is a tool for focusing your imagination on behaviors or events you’d like to have occur in your life. These can be for better health, more prosperity, better relationships, or for more peace and calm.

Psychologist and Best-Selling Author Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., believes that visualization is one of the most powerful tools for change. “Many people are propelled by events of the past, but visualization is an act of projecting the present into the future,” says Hendricks. “Visualization changes the dynamics of personal change by pulling the person toward a visualized healthier future.”

“Visualization is the human beings vehicle to the future – good, bad or indifferent. It’s strictly in our control.”Earl Nightingale

Using all of your senses, you picture and feel a detailed movie in your mind of what you would most like to experience in your life. What do you see? What do you feel? What do you hear? What does it smell like? The practice of Guided Imagery is based on the idea that your body and mind are connected. By providing positive pictures, creative imagery and self-suggestion, visualization can change emotions that affect the body. Research shows the brain acts on these suggestions and does not know if the imagery is real or in your mind.

For myself, I have experienced a great reduction in stress and better sleep since I’ve been practicing Guided Imagery. My clients also notice real change. One person who felt anxiety and major agitation at work now sees the world differently, and things that used to bother her, no longer does. And her road rage has vanished, as well.

Author and Chiropractor Dr. Joe Dispenza has seen the results from participants in his Advanced Guided Meditation Workshops—some even experiencing spontaneous remission from serious conditions. He is now conducting studies with Neuroscientists that show the impact of Advanced Meditation in brain scans and energy changes at his week-long events.

To begin seeing your own positive change, download one of my favorite gratitude meditations below. When you are in gratitude, you eliminate stress and anger in that moment. Or, book an Inner Power Breakthrough Session to learn how you can use the power of visualization in your own life.

Wishing you peace!

Vicki