Best Self Help

Love Thyself!

Whitney Houston sang that learning to love yourself is the “greatest love of all.”

It can also be the hardest.

Sometimes, it’s tough being in your own skin. But you can learn to love who you are, just as you are.

Here are some tips and reminders to help you love the skin you are in.

1. Meditation and prayer are wonderful ways to get inside your own mind and learn to love it. When you meditate, you are spending time alone while being quiet. Meditation helps you learn about your inner self.

2. Spend some time alone. Even if you are not meditating, take some time just to be by yourself. Plan a day with yourself as you would a good friend.

3. Write in a journal. Recording your innermost thoughts and feelings is a good way to take a more objective view of the things that are happening in your life. Get in the habit, daily – if possible, of putting your own thoughts and feelings onto paper. Read them each day. You may find yourself pleased with your insights. You will certainly get to know yourself this way.

4. Describe who you are. When you are writing in your journal, go beyond the daily events. Ask yourself questions and answer them in writing. How would you describe your personality? Maybe start with a simple list of things you like and dislike and then gradually move into descriptions of more complex character traits.

5. Accept that there are some things you can’t control. You can’t control your body type; you can’t control what talents you have or don’t have. Let it go and realize that everyone of every level has value.

6. Cut back on your media time. Looking at “perfect” people in magazines, movies and television will only make you more insecure. Such images are a false reality. Limit your exposure to such things and you will find your self-esteem improving.

7. If you don’t have a pet, get one! The way pets offer unconditional love really helps a pet owner to love him or herself. Taking care of an animal will give you a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.

8. Get in touch with your values and beliefs. Write them down, then question their origin, reason, logic, and so forth.

9. Take care of your body. Exercise, keep fit, eat well, and do little things to make you feel good about our appearance. It’s not good to obsess over how you look; just do something regularly that makes your feel attractive, whether it’s a new hairdo or just painting your nails.

10. Practice positive self-talk. Learn to recognize negative, self-abasing thought patterns and re-wire them into positive thoughts. This may take some therapy or counseling, but it’s worth it to learn how to confront those inaccuracies and replace them with the truth about yourself.

Breathing Meditation

There are many different ways to meditate. Find the one that works for you; all you need to do then is get started.

Might we suggest breathing meditation?

The purpose of meditation is to relax the body and the mind. Through constant practice, you can learn to control certain functions of the body with the mind. This works well for athletes who are trying to increase their performance. When you can control your thinking and how your body responds, you can overcome many obstacles – not only in the sports arena but in life in general.

So how do you get started? Meditation is not that hard to learn. You already know most of it. The first thing to do is find a comfortable place to begin. You don’t want to be interrupted so don’t sit in the middle of the living room if the kids are about to get home from school.

Also, be sure you are well rested and alert. Meditation shouldn’t make you fall asleep, but should teach you to relax your mind and body.

You don’t have to sit with crossed legs if that is uncomfortable. Meditation is more effective, however, if you have good posture. It is hard to breathe if you are slouching. For those who don’t sit up straight, it may take some getting used to. Sit against a chair or wall at first.

Breathing meditation is about just that – concentrating on your breathing. Instead of chanting, you use your breathing as the focal point of the exercise. Once you have found a comfortable spot where you won’t be interrupted, begin to breathe. This is focused breathing so it needs to be fairly regular.

There are guides and books on breathing meditation that may suggest different breathing techniques. However, to get started it is okay to breathe in and out slowly. This can be done through the nose and mouth, mouth only or nose only. Pay attention to your breathing technique. The even rhythm will begin to relax your body.

As long as you are focusing on your breathing, other thoughts stay at bay in your mind. This isn’t to say that you may not become distracted at times, but when you notice it, return to your rhythmic breathing. As you get better, you can breathe deeper – from the diaphragm, and use different breathing tempos. You don’t have to meditate for long. A fifteen minute session is a good starting point.

One thing that you are accomplishing is building a discipline to relieve stress, increasing oxygen supply to the body and learning how to quieten your mind. Once you have gotten used to breathing meditation, you can move up to other more disciplined forms that teach deeper mediation techniques.

Inner Peace: How to Be at Peace with Yourself

We all have our ups and downs.

But if we can cultivate a deep and abiding sense of inner peace, which holds even amid life’s ebbs and flows, we have come close to mastering the art of living.

Inner peace starts with cultivating a healthy perspective and acceptance of yourself.

Here are 13 tips to help you in be more at peace with yourself.

1. Don’t try to be somebody else. Recognize that you are uniquely designed for a specific purpose. You will only frustrate yourself trying to be like someone else. Besides, even that person you envy has his or her private struggles. It has been said that the only perfect people are the ones you don’t know.

2. Separate societal accolades from what really matters. Some of the people you may envy are idolized by society, but social standards are not the only ones. Character is what counts, and you may well have much more character than someone who is popular.

3. Nobody’s perfect. Internalize this truth and adjust your expectations of yourself accordingly.

4. Don’t focus on what you lack; be grateful for what you have received.

5. Appreciate nature. Look at the trees, plants, animals, starry skies, sunrises and sunsets as gifts to you.

6. Don’t feel like you have to be productive every moment of every day (and night!). Recognize the importance of “down time,” and don’t feel guilty about taking some.

7. Reduce mess and clutter in your home. You will feel more at peace in general if you do this.

8. Manage your time effectively. While you needn’t feel like you have to work every minute, a good schedule where you feel productive and that allows for leisure time can give you a great sense of peace.

9. Make lists so you don’t have to hold everything in your head at once. Nothing undermines peace like a bunch of jumbled thoughts! Your lists should include long-term projects and immediate to-dos.

10. Let things go that you can’t control. When it comes down to it, we really can’t control nearly as much as we would like to.

11. Keep a journal or scrapbook. For some, just the act of organizing their thoughts and keeping a record of their lives brings peace. For others, getting their thoughts out on paper is therapeutic in itself.

12. Let the past go; it can not be changed. Learn to embrace past experiences as learning opportunities. Share with others what you have learned from your mistakes. Your sense of peace will increase if you use your negative past to have a positive impact on your (or someone else’s) future.

13. Spend time with yourself. You can’t be at peace with someone you don’t know.

The Indian Head Massage: Try a Champissage Massage

Most massage techniques start with the neck and work their way down. The head is cradled on the table but gets no special attention at all. So even after the massage, there can be some areas of healing that have not been addressed.

Indian head massage is also called champissage massage. The phrase was coined by an Indian massage therapist named Narendra Mehta. He grew up in India and had the benefit of the Indian head massage throughout his life.

Mehta resolved to bring the benefits of this massage to the Western world, and it became a reality in the nineties in London. He developed a technique that involved the head, neck, shoulders and back. In Ayurvedic medicine, the body has several chakras, or points of light. Each chakra helps to balance the body. When one is not properly functioning, working with that chakra can restore balance to the entire body.

During an Indian head massage, three chakras are addressed: the third eye (forehead), the master chakra (crown of the head) and the vishuddha (located in the throat). The massage begins with the upper back and shoulders and then extends upward to each chakra.

People carry much of their tension in their neck and their head. During the champissage massage, various techniques can help the body release those tensions, fatigue and pain. And, depending on the client’s complaint, different chakras are concentrated on during the session. The ides is that rebalancing the chakras can allow the natural healing nature of the body to take over and repair itself.

After an Indian head massage, many people are pleasantly surprised that simply working from the neck up can bring so much relief.

Champissage has been known to relieve headaches and muscle tension throughout the body, increase blood flow to the scalp (your hair will grow), relieve eye strain and increase overall well-being. Practitioners have found that working with the third eye can bring clarity and focus. It is as if the entire body was massaged and not just the head.

For a relaxing listen, try this Indian Head Massage CD:

True Champissage: Indian Head Massage

1. Ayurveridic Influence,
2. Firm & Gentle Rhythm,
3. Tranquille Entrancement,
4. Ascending Sensation,
5. Headspace,
6. Temple of the Senses,
7. Relaxation & Release,
8. Shampoo for the Emotions,
9. Cleansing Champi,
10. Balanced State of Being,
11. Transcendence of the Soul,
12. Euphoria

Try samples of each of these tracks here >

Essential Oil – Beginners Best of the Best Set

Essential Oil – Beginners Best of the Best Set (14)
Where to buy: www.amazon.com

Essential oils play an important role in modern life, not only to create a calming and relaxing atmosphere after a busy workday, to use as household cleaners, but also to ease various ailments and pains the natural way.

I like this set, which calls itself the Beginners Best of the Best Set. It includes fourteen 10ml bottles of different natural oils. They are made from 100% pure and natural high quality oils without any additives or chemicals. It gives you a great selection of well-known oils, such as patchouli, lemongrass, tea tree, peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus and lemon.

Overall, the beginner essential oil set is a great way to get started in aromatherapy and experience the many benefits of natural oils.

It is always advisable to check with your doctor before using any aromatherapy products or supplements, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Relax with Khan’s Music Therapy Stress Relief

Product Recommendation: Music Therapy Series: Stress Relief (mp3 download)
Artist: Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan
Review by: ACHMOM
Where to buy: www.amazon.com

Music can have a tremendously positive effect on both body and mind, especially in times of stress or unhappiness. Listening to the right music can lift your spirits and improve your overall well-being.

The musician is Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, a world-renowned sitar player. In this audio, he creates a feeling of what he describes as shanti (inner peace). When music touches you to the core and creates inner peace, you will feel calm and peaceful. Life doesn’t seem so unbearable anymore. The mp3 covers tracks entitled “Strings of Peace” and “Unwind with Melody,” all played on the sitar.

This Stress Relief Music Therapy mp3 download delivers healing and calming music. It’s a cinch to download it into your mp3 and enjoy the soothing experience of Khan’s music anywhere. If you are a nervous traveler, take this stress relief download with you on the go.

Try a sample by clicking here and see if this music doesn’t bring a little calmness back to your life. And if you like it, consider it for a thoughtful gift for your loved ones.

Homemade Fruit Facials: Perk up sallow skin with these ideas

When it comes to taking care of your skin, the treatment may be as close as your kitchen.

Natural ingredients can be used to help you keep enhance your skin without harsh chemicals. After all, early Americans didn’t have a Walgreen’s or the name brand skin cleansers. They learned about natural remedies.

If you have sallow skin, you can perk it up with some home-made remedies.

Sallow skin is skin that is dull looking. Anyone can get it. It lacks the shine and luster that is often seen in healthy skin. To return that luster is to change something about the internal environment that will cause the skin to return to a normal coloring.

Skin is the largest organ of the body. It needs certain vitamins and minerals to keep it doing its job – protecting the internal body. Skin can be oily, dry and flaky or a combination of both. Without the proper nutrition, you can see blotchiness or blemishes from excess oil.

One way to return your skin to a moisturized state is to boost it with topical facial masks. These aren’t just any masks; these are fruit facial masks that anyone can create at home with the right foods. The fruit mask works in combination with activities like exercise and proper eating. Exercise can increase circulation, which in turn increases oxygen consumption and nutrient utilization.

Maybe your skin is not looking its best because it is not being taken care of properly. The mask will work to remove excess oils, retain moisture and remove dead cell layers so healthier skin underneath can shine through.

Here are some ingredients that you can use to make fruit facials.

* Strawberries – They are filled with antioxidants. For sallow skin, the seeds can gently exfoliate the outer layers without being harsh. You can also use raspberries and blackberries.

* Oatmeal – All masks need to have filler that holds the mask together. Oatmeal is good to absorb any excess oil in the skin and soften its feel. Try to find oatmeal that is ground to a fine powder instead of the big rolled oats.

* Bananas – And you wonder why babies have such shiny skin. Bananas are added for help in retaining moisture in your skin.

* Grapes – They contain antioxidant substances as well. See your skin tighten and tone.

* Cucumber – They are not just for your eyes but your entire face. Cucumbers reduce swelling and puffiness while soothing and cooling your skin.

Need help for your skin? How about a fruit facial mask? You can make it at home whenever you need to improve the look of your skin.

For homemade facial recipes, check out the All-Natural Facial Recipe Book

The All Natural Facial Recipe Book
by Dawn M. Waldock

How to Bounce Back from a Failure: 7 Steps

Failure is a human experience.

It’s one of those things that we have all done, at some time or other.

Some of us handle the experience well; others not so well.

What’s the trick? How do some people bounce back so successfully after failure?

Here are 7 techniques for rebounding after a failed attempt.

#1 Don’t take the failure personally. Failure isn’t a personal attack or a sign of any type of character flaw. There is a cliché that says something along the lines of “failure means you tried.”  People who are actively pursuing goals and dreams fail often and they perceive it as part of the process. Instead of feeling unworthy or like a failure, they reevaluate their strategy and try again.

The next time you experience failure instead of feeling badly about yourself, feel good about the fact that you tried, and try again.

#2 Use the experience as a learning tool. Failure happens, right?  Why not learn from the experience. Analyze what went wrong and why? What can you change or do differently next time?  How can you use your failure to succeed?

#3 Realize that sometimes we fail for a reason. Maybe our heart really wasn’t into the effort. Maybe a limiting belief prevented us from achieving success. And sometimes it wasn’t the right opportunity. Generally when we fail there is a reason. Look around and evaluate why. Look for new opportunities and experiences that may bring success.

#4 Be grateful for the experience. Gratitude is a powerful emotion. Feeling gratitude for the failure and the experience will help you move forward with resolve and enthusiasm. Sometimes writing or journaling your thoughts in a positive manner helps you embrace failure as a positive experience rather than a negative one.

#5 Realize it happens to everyone and don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice. One of the great things about failure is it is an equalizer. Know that the most powerful people in the world, the most famous people have all failed thousands of times. When you fail instead of internalizing it and struggling again and again, ask for help and advice.

#6 Embrace your inner child. Remember being a kid and running with your friend? Sometimes you’d fall right?  What would you do? You’d jump back up, not even really think about the fall and return to running, right?   Children have a knack for focusing on the fun and not letting the failures or falls stop them. Do as the song says, “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.”  If you love what you’re doing, you won’t even give a failure a second thought.

#7 Laugh. We all make mistakes and those who can laugh at themselves and their mistakes get over them much faster than those who cannot.

Failure is a part of life. Embrace it as openly as you do success. Enjoy it, learn from it, and welcome it as a lesson and an opportunity to grow.

Recommended Reading:
Your Destiny Switch: Master Your Key Emotions and Live the Life of Your Dreams, by Peggy McColl
Read our review of Your Destiny Switch

Product Recommendation: Homemade Medicine

Product name: Homemade Medicine ebook
Where to buy: www.homemademedicine.com
Product Review by: ACHMom

More and more people are turning to home remedies instead of drugs in order to treat common ailments. Not only do they cost less, they also use natural ingredients.

The Homemade Medicine ebook is a great resource that gives you easy and quick access to all kinds of natural cures and home remedies to treat any health problem you might have. I like this ebook as it provides home remedy recipes that are easy to make, safe to use and proven to improve your condition. Pretty much every health condition you can think of is covered in this book – Whether it is a treatment option for insomnia, poison ivy, warts, glaucoma, high blood pressure, dog bites, or sunburn.

Learn to make your own inexpensive and safe oral mouth wash, a natural mouth spray for oral thrush, a toner for oily skin, a herbal conditioner for dry hair or even your own diaper rash cream. The book also gives clear dosage instructions depending on age and weight.

Overall, this book provides you with very detailed treatment options of all kinds of health issues. In my opinion, it is an essential book to have at home in case illness strikes and you are looking for a cure.

Obviously, as with all herbal remedies and supplements, it is always advisable to speak to your doctor before taking or applying any medication or herbal supplements. If you have a potentially serious health condition, please see your doctor instead of relying solely on home remedies.

Learn more about Homemade Medicine >

Product Recommendation: Max Strom – Learn to Breathe

Product Recommendation: Max Strom – Learn To Breathe (DVD)
Review by: ACMom
Where to buy: www.overstock.com

Learn breathing techniques directly from the master with this great DVD. The master is Max Strom, an internationally recognized yoga teacher and teacher of proper breathing. He says you can “learn to breathe and heal yourselves and your relationships.”

The DVD covers his breathing workshop that he gives worldwide to sold-out audiences. In his DVD he guides you through various breathing exercises and movements. You learn about the effect of our sometimes improper breathing on stress levels, sleep, other health issues, body and mind and our relationships. Once you integrate your learned breathing techniques into your daily life, you’ll  experience a new sense of inner calm, energy and focus. It might also give you the strength to stop certain bad habits and behaviors, such as smoking or drug addiction.

Overall, this DVD provides a good starting point to grow into a happy, calm and empowered human being by implementing his teachings and techniques into your daily life. Max Strom is a very inspiring teacher with a wealth of knowledge and insight. I think that this DVD would make a great gift to anybody who wants to change their life and relationships for the better.

Learn more >