Stress starts in our brain, and stress management starts with brain enhancement.  This is because how we think about ourselves, and how we interpret various situations determines how stressed we feel.  If we think a situation is dangerous, then we feel fearful, and our brain sends a signal for “fight or flight” flooding us with stress.  One technique says that we can shift this perception and change the information that has come into the brain, by literally shaking it away.  Simply shake your head back and forth, and up and down, redistributing brain waves. This is called “Brain Wave Vibration” and it helps the head and neck to relax, and the relaxed vibration can travel down to the rest of the body.  You can add visualization to this process to make it more effective, seeing in your mind the muscles and organs relaxing and the stress and tension leaving the body.  More info at www.brainwavevibration.com

Mental exercise is as important to keeping our brains in shape as physical exercise is to keeping our bodies in shape.  Mental exercise helps to strengthen those neural connections, and maintains or even increases our mental abilities as we age.  Crossword puzzles, chess, and jigsaw puzzles stimulate our mental facilities.  It’s best to change it up and alternate among a variety of these games.  Ping-pong, billiards, and even video games can help with eye-hand coordination.  Play the memory game with yourself with your shopping list – write everything down and put the list in your pocket.  As you go through the store, try to remember the list in order, as you wrote it.  You can make up a story with the list items to tie them all together.  Visualize the items to stimulate your memory.  We have both Sudoku and Solitaire to help exercise your brain on a regular basis!

Books are still the best entertainment bang for your buck.  Think of the hours of pleasure they give, and what a joy and comfort they can provide.  And books tend to have a life of their own as we pass them on to friends, or donate them to libraries.  One great way we can share the experience of reading books is with a book club.  In this setting we can exchange opinions with people who are genuinely interested.  We can socialize easily because they’re always something to talk about.  You can find a book club in your area at several websites, including readerscircle.org, greadinggroupchoices.com, or greatbooks.org.  If you’re like to start your own club, think about keeping it small, about 6-8 people, so that it is easier to schedule meetings.  This also makes it easier for everyone to have a chance to talk and be heard.  You can ask your friends to join, or post on one of the websites to meet new people.  You might also check out your local bookstore and post a notice on their bulletin board.  You can rotate which members choose the books to read, or draw out of a hat from suggestions.

Chi” in Chinese is an energy, or life force, that animates all things.  Chi flows through the mind, body and spirit.  Chi Walking is a kind of exercise where you workout your body, and also gain balance and alignment in your life.  It’s about using a good form so that chi flows freely through the body.  In this way, you walk more efficiently, with less wear and tear on the body.  Chi Walking teaches us to align the spine and engage our core muscles and relax everything else.  Walking becomes fluid and easy.  We choose to walk regularly, and choose to create health.  With Chi Walking, walking is a practice, a regular, mindful activity that enhances the quality of life.  It’s more than physical exercise, it’s a way to focus your energy and channel your thoughts.

  Chi Walking: The Five Mindful Steps for Lifelong Health and Energy – on amazon

In the stock market, there
are two different ways of choosing what, and when to buy or sell.  The first is technical analysis.  With technical analysis you look at the
charts, the patterns and trends of the movement in price, keeping emotions
entirely out of the equation. So much so that there is even software that you
can set to automate your buy and sell points.

The second way is
fundamental analysis – where we look at the businesses, how they are run, and
what they do.  Socially Responsible
Investing has become an important topic of conversation.  We are interested in investing in
companies that promote positive change in the world.  In this way we are being smart with our money, and making a
difference, too.  But how do we find
these companies?  There’s a new
book called “Investing for Change: Profit from Responsible Investment” that
helps us to sort it all out and make better decisions.

Best Chart Software

It’s Valentine’s week. Do you know what you’re getting your honey?  Sometimes these holidays can be stressful – we want to do something special, and we’d like it to be a surprise, but we don’t want to waste our time and money on something that is going to fall flat.  This is where something I like to call “practical romance” comes in.  My sister had this idea years ago.  She created two books, one for him, and one for her, that answers all kinds of questions that help to solve the gift-giving dilemma.  It’s also a great way to get to know each other!  Besides listing sizes and colors, it also lists favorites in dozens of categories, friends, wishes, and dreams.  There are places to write about memories, emotions, and how best to handle various moods.  This is a nice reference to go back to whenever you need it – and it’s fun to go back in and update your own books as time goes on.  In many ways, these questions help you to know yourself, too.

All About Him

All About Her

Those “empty nest” feelings begin when your teenagers start driving, and are more independent.   They are spending less time at home, and more time at school, or working, or with their friends.  They’re making decisions on their own, and planning for life at college.  Before the kids move out, this is the time to prepare for what this new phase of life is going to be like.  Remember that being a parent is just one of the roles you play, it’s not your entire identity.  The empty nest years don’t have to feel empty, they can actually be really fun!  You’ll have lower grocery bills, plenty of hot water, less laundry to do, a cleaner house, and a lot more privacy.  This is a great time to re-connect with your spouse.  Here are some tips:

-Plan a trip.  You have the freedom now to travel!

-Adopt a pet.  If you miss care-taking, there are plenty of animals at the shelter who could use your tlc.  It will be like having a new baby.

-Start an exercise program together.  Join a gym, or invest in some home gym equipment.

-Take classes together.  Check out your local community college or community recreation department.

-Socialize.  Connect with other couples and hold dinner parties.

Don’t Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships with Your Adult Children

Valentine’s day is approaching – a day to celebrate love and romance!  Love makes the heart sing.  But for some, finding that certain special someone can be elusive.  Not anymore. My friend Arielle Ford, who met her soulmate at the age of 44, has found the formula, and put it all in her new book: “The Soulmate Secret: Manifest the Love of Your Life with the Law of Attraction.”  Arielle talks about how she found her happily-ever-after in her husband Brian and reveals that finding true love is possible at any age if you’re willing to prepare yourself – spiritually, mentally, and physically – to become a magnet for love.  Arielle uses a series of processes that have to be felt in every cell of your being to create the outcome you desire.  This practical guide also includes prayers and techniques to help clear out emotional baggage from the past and make room for true love to manifest itself. The person you are looking for is also looking for you!  If you’re ready to be loved, cherished and adored, this may be the most important book you read all year. 

Happiness is often called psychological wealth.  But what does it take to achieve this?  There is a definite connection between material wealth, spiritual wealth, and psychological wealth, and it’s well worth exploring, as Ed Diener, and his son Robert Diswas-Diener (called the “Indiana Jones of psychology” because of his research adventures around the world) do in their book: Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth.  The book is filled with practical advice, and backed up by solid research.  It explains how we are not necessarily “born” happy, but that we can and do change our levels of happiness.  It also says that happiness alone is not enough, we need to be happy for the right reasons, which extends beyond material riches, emotional intelligence and social capital.  And the authors also provide a model for a happy approach to life, based on Attention, Interpretation, and Memory (AIM).  Happiness is indeed the journey more than the destination, and how we react to the world.

There’s a new trend in birthday parties.  And especially significant parties like Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah’s where lots of gifts are given.  Kids are now choosing to forego presents for themselves in lieu of contributions to their favorite charity.  Young children and teenagers across the world are getting involved in philanthropy more than ever.  New technologies are often credited with the rise of the trend, as young people are much more exposed to and connected with the problems of the world via the internet and television.  Parents are also finding new ways to instill in their children the value of giving.  Websites like Club Penguin have made it easy for children to give.  Another site, ECHOage.com, manages to pool gifts of money so that half goes to a single charitable cause of the birthday child’s choice, and half goes towards one special gift for the birthday child.  Invitations to the party are sent via e-mail, and guests may make a secure online donation.  No shopping, wrapping, or returning gifts – so the gift is environmentally sound, educational, and cause-oriented.