Self-Therapy Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Indecisive Traits Keeping You Stuck?

Indecisive traits do keep us stuck. Instead of moving forward or going back, we stay in place.

Indecisiveness is one way to describe how Ayurvedic Vatas act often. This could be new news to you. It was new to me too up ’til 2008 when I learned about Ayurveda. The information in this article can help you learn a new way and so you can take more better risks.

Indecisive moments are found in common daily decisions like choosing to go right or left. — Indecisive – which path will you take?

…That’s when it clicked and made sense as to why I had indecisive and other Vata tendencies.

You can read my back story here about when I went to go get help for my immediate Pitta mind-body symptoms. And I also came out with knowledge and awareness on why certain Vata ways were natural to me. I’m naturally a Vata with some dominant Pitta mind, but like all of us… sometimes tired Kapha kicks up.

…And whether you tend toward uneasy, annoyed, or listlessness it all ties back to your balance.

If you’re wondering if you have Vata traits, this article shares more and how you can benefit from knowing.

Growing up, I always felt hesitant about small decisions. Do I want an orange or crackers? Do I want pink or blue to wear? This could easily be chalked up to the fact that most of us like more than one food or color. …or I’m a female, so being indecisive is typical.

But in reality it’s not about the color, food, or gender. Or even about how you were raised.

It’s about our natural makeup, that’s unisex. We have Ayurvedic orientations called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha inside us. Or wind, fire, and earth if that’s easier to remember. 💨🔥🌎

Earth, Wind, and Fire is already taken. 🥁🎹🎺

Vata is the wind element with some common tell-tale Vata signs.

But keep in mind, we’re often dominant in one or two of those elements in body. And same goes for the mind. Putting those two parts together, you get the mind-body connection that affects so much of our lives and behaviors.

Indecisiveness is one way that’s mostly a mind situation that you can easily pinpoint from an Ayurvedic lens.

When you can do that, you can restore the healthy balance back in awareness to your calm and confident decision-making.

Being decisive all around not only saves time, but leads to better decisions and outcomes.

How Being Vata Indecisive Can Hurt

At the heart, indecision is second guessing your first decision that comes from gut instinct and clear minded processing. So in a way, being Vata indecisive is being confronted with a brain fog moment.

Indecision can lead to worry that Vatas lean into already. And that state of mind can lead to staying stuck in a cycle of unproductive thoughts playing as an undercurrent in the back of your mind. 🌊That’s added stress that doesn’t need to be there.

Feeling anxiety also can cause indecision as body symptoms make it more difficult to clearly process thoughts.

Vice versa, indecision can lead to anxiety (that’s another common Vata trait).

Depending on the body symptom severity, anxious feelings lead to poor decisions and outcomes.

It numbs awareness of what is real.

And making matters worse, that pause can linger and keep you frozen from making a decision or in “fight or flight” that can cost.

For small things like daily preferences, that’s not such a big deal… but if it’s deciding on taking a right or left or making a quick life threatening decision, that can be concern- elevated.

Vata indecisive traits can compound into feeling uncertain about other areas in your day when those moments could be better spent enjoying yourself or even better… being in the moment in peace and mindfulness.

That’s when stress melts away for whatever is in your life eating at you. Those anxious feelings are traded in for feeling calm and joyful.

That’s the ticket for your healthy and happy life. 🎟️

And that can be your norm or new norm! I know because my life did a 180-turn from stress to peace when I got rid of the triggers. I became self-employed.

And I became more clear-headed… more like a human and less walking around like a busy Bot. There are too many of those already roaming our internet spaces.

How to Get Back To Your Vata Mind Balance

And in learning from my balanced seasons where I could disconnect and detox, I’m more decisive.

I’m my balanced Vata (the way that is naturally greater and my optimal best) 🧘🏻‍♀️

I don’t teeter back and forth. I can catch myself in the act of hemming and hawing and doing what I know to do to restore any Vata imbalance that tries to creep back in.

It’s not difficult or unnatural. It’s simply being intentional daily doing the specific balanced steps that turn the tide around for a better life. 👣

No one is doomed to the “I’m just indecisive” label. That’s putting a stamp of acceptance that’s not the way it has to be or stay.

And you can start by doing these two balanced healthy steps:

1) Get self-awareness in the moment so you can be next step-intentional.

2) Then, breathe the calm back into your mind-body as soon as you can so you can feel the calm pause in the next moments.

Finding ways to have a calmer life, I believe is underrated. And not what Western culture aims for although we’ve wised up post-2020.

As mentioned, calm allows for clearer, confident decisions.

Calm is also better for your healthy outcomes.

But if you don’t have that life now because of situational triggers you can’t avoid, then restoring daily when you can with what you do have as calming resources will be the next best way.

Use your surroundings: calming activities and scents, music, yoga, and a nature walk.

Do this daily and often.

They’re not time wasters. It’s like taking care of your teeth. It’s always minutes well spent investing in your daily smile. 😁

If you feel you’re daily Vata indecisive for what to do (such as jumping from task to task), get back to your breathing awareness.

We often forget, yet another Vata common trait. Not picking on Vatas as we’re a creative, enthusiastic bunch… but in your remembering moment (or in the slight gap pause), recall there is calm balance and no anxiety.

Let the weight of the world you live in go by letting all that out in deep inhale and exhale breaths. That’s an activity you can do anywhere, anytime… and wise to do all the time.

Set a reminder if that helps. ⌚️

And when you do your breathing exercise, you’re able to work your way out slowly in the gap or one moment at a time.

And this date recipe that you can make for your daily self 😊 can help restore your Vata especially if you add the orange and cinnamon tastes.

Print Recipe

Low-Sugar Date Cookies

You can make these ahead of time and in any oven including an apartment oven. And enjoy.

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

coconut flour and plain flour combined
a few pats of butter (or coconut oil)
chopped dates
water as needed
orange zest and cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

Prepare and chop dates filling. Tip: since dates are sticky, it's easier to use a serated chopping knife with edges. Add cinnamon and orange zest if you'd like more Vata sweetness.
Mix cookie ingredients: flour, butter or oil, and water as needed to make a cohesive cookie dough disc. You can make this in advance and freeze the dough if you like.
When dough is slightly cooler than room temperature is the ideal temperature to work with this dough. Roll out cookie dough to about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick (doesn't have to be too thin).
Add date filling to center of dough.
Roll up and cut into small, even pieces.
Bake on 350°F for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Music Inspiration Daily For Slow Waiting Seasons

Music inspiration can be a saxophone that calms and is bright and cheery. — Music inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes!

Music inspiration can be therapy to your mind-body, like it is for mine. This article is all about building in some audio inspiration to your life, to get your mojo back or make it through your slow waiting seasons.

And a healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie 🍪 that can be prepared in 5 minutes (ready in 30) with 40 chocolate chips, a 4 oz. applesauce container (that is a good pantry stocking item to have on hand and you can buy in a 6-pack in the dried fruits and nuts grocery food aisle).

[Someone already took a bite out of this one 😊…]

healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

Because getting yourself daily happy is going to help you in tough seasons…

Where life can be unexciting and underwhelming and you wish would speed up and you could fast forward.

If you were to add up those days and years in your life, they would be most of life if you have lofty goals.

And they can feel heavy, like a hangover.

Those are the times when routines and ruts can run our lives. We can feel like we’re not growing as much because we’re not learning as much. Or we’re not running around feeling as light and bouncy.

And all that can show up as a mood funk and stress in the mind-body.

Bringing the calm and loving thoughts back in the moment helps bring our mind-body balance back despite life’s chaos.

We want to feel healthy good, and without this balance, we feel off and that slows down our productivity jam, creativity flow, and daily rhythm.

And, music inspiration is an easy way to snap our minds out of unrest, and gradually move us out of seasonal rut feelings day by day, and get our bodies to dance around a little.

I was feeling one of those weeks that felt imbalanced in moods.

There were storms outside that didn’t help to bring out the sunny feelings. And my body was off sleep schedule. I usually naturally wake up at the same time every morning within minutes.

Now I found myself setting the alarm again, that I hadn’t done as a routine since I worked for an employer.

Was it post-holiday blues?

That’s what I chalked it up to.

But I was determined to not let that settle into another day or the weekend.

So instead of my weekly routine, I did one easy test move. I turned on the television.

And this time of year is when ice skating competition shows are aired. I hadn’t seen one this year, so it took me into a new loop as I watched the triple toe loops manifest in front of my eyes. From the 20 minutes or so of watching, I had a new verve again.

I was inspired again. My mind had those happy hormones that felt like they kicked back into drive.

And all it took was a few minutes.

What just happened?

My mind went somewhere else. I saw something different, and it was exciting to my mind that drives the bus and matters most in changing moods.

And the subtle backdrop instrumental music put me in a new place mood.

Music is therapy and that’s why it’s called music therapy.

Changing our daily rhythm sounds is what we often need for simple imbalance changes based on our lifestyle choices (like food and drink, sleep patterns, etc.)… and doesn’t take that much effort to help change our moods.

You just turn it on and there it is.

And if you’re trying, that can be the slight switch you make in your day today that gives you a new pep in your step.

…as you’re counting on every new step that can turn your season around for change.

Finding the right daily music inspiration is an important part of having daily joy.

…Even if we woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Or we were rattled with sad news. Or we’re in a nothing new season… music will help snap us out into a better mood because the effect it has on the mind.

And if that’s what you’re facing today, then know you’re one baby step away from making a change in your day… if you choose the right tunes to help change the mood tide.

The right music for the mind aren’t the same yummy bubble gum music or jams we hear daily on our stations, but ones that have moody sounds like snares and percussion instruments…you know, those odd looking small instruments like fun triangles and xylophones you had or probably played with in an elementary school music class.

I’ll never forget a Music Appreciation course I took in college where “Black Magic Woman” was one oldie song we analyzed.

Whether you listen to the Santana or Fleetwood Mac versions, you’re gonna hear some drama from the music…

You’ll notice when there’s a dramatic movie scene about to come on, they play suspenseful music to rope you in to add to the effects.

And the effects go straight to your head where your mind is. So in that small instant, you’re put in a different mood.

And if you can create your own momentary drama with music inspiration and musical instruments, that may dramatically wake up your dull mind up if that’s what you need. It’s the healthy way without creating real life drama, if ya know what I mean 🎭

And here are a few artists and songs to turn on for daily inspiration:

Al Green

B.B. King (or any Blues music)

And a few modern songs:

Magic (Coldplay)

Latch (Disclosure with Sam Smith)

Or have a home Christmas concert in July or anytime of year.

Seasonal Music Inspiration

Then there are times when you feel uninspired in general over a season. That’s when yo find new music 🎶 to gain your pep in your step.

And realize that’s an opportunity to recognize the need to welcome in a Life transition. Something great is going to come in. It could be a fresh start over.

Instead of adopting a why me attitude, turn on the why not me? And the why not me is about being chosen for your life mission and great activities ahead.

So recognize that seasonal blaise is meant to be a bridge or a transition.

Those seasonal feelings can overlap with the daily need for doses of inspiration. But they are not the same.

With those seasonal feelings, I know in my life that means it’s time to shift in another direction or do something different. It’s the Universe giving a clue to look up and out, instead of simply looking at what was.

And that can be how you approach your seasonal moods!

In growth preparation, finding inspiration (that can start with music inspiration) can get the wheels turning in the new direction.

And if music isn’t enough…

While listening to nostalgic music or getting music therapy, take a break and look at those daily photos, sports coverage, skating… or whatever gives you that temporary joy that snaps you outta your funk.

Try to find more appreciation or contentment to help your way through.

Transitioning is our life’s theme.

And of course, life never tells you or gives you a road map of where to transition shift to (…that would be waaayy too easy!). But if you listen to your inner guides, you have a better chance to figure out the next best step.

So it’s not always as much work as it sounds and if you cooperate with yourself.

Because in those tough moments, you know (or can believe!) that where you are will produce something GREAT on the other side.

And that’s how you can better embrace challenges and changes.

A belief, that’s fully in your control, improves your outlook and attitude.

And when we re-adjust those to help us get through and grow, then we’ve set ourselves up to more smoothly enter a new season with our good intentions.

And when you look back out next time, you’ll be in a different place because the moment has passed.

So what are you waiting for… turn on some good tune vibes 🎶 and ask yourself: what are you inspired about today?

And while you’re needing a sweet break, you can enjoy a healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with exactly 40 chip morsels in case you need to give someone a small job. This is an easy recipe that you or your young ones can make.

heathy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in one bowl

Simple Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

4 oz applesauce (easy grocery plastic container size)
2/3 cup oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp maple sugar, honey, or molasses
2 tbsp chocolate chips (or 40 chip morsels)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup almond milk or milk of choice

Instructions

Combine ingredients and pour onto baking pan forming a roundish shape.
Bake on 350°F for about 20-25 minutes until well baked.

De-Stress Holiday Habits (Part 1)

De-stress is highly called for come holiday season. Below are 5 good mental habits to keep in mind for a less stressful holiday. Plus a bonus habit to make “dummy proof” white rice or your favorite rice for your holiday (and everyday cooking) like my mom served every weeknight dinner meal when I was growing up. Rice cooking steps below.🍛

total fluffy rice method.

De-stress is a good wellness move year-round and especially during holidays when stress, irritations, and anxiety can creep in around our work, travel, family, and loss situations. Your mind-body is put to the test. And that can send us to needing some body balance therapy and mood restoration.

But,first things first, hiking therapy steps are a good mind-body way to de-stress. 👣

Last-minute changes are never fun. And not to mention, the uncertain feelings of setting yourself up for a new year can bring nervous sensations. You can have looming internal questions like: will it be a good new year?

The answer can always be yes! if we choose. Because what’s happening to us is all relative to our lives. And there’s always something good that comes out if we fix our eyes on our perspectives.

Instead of magnifying and putting energy into what didn’t go right and the hardships we endured, focus on what did go right. And that will change your outlook in your life.

Moments become blurs in your life as you distance yourself over time from specific situations.

Through those times, you grow as a person. And when you’ve had enough time to process, you become stronger and wiser if you focus on the better perspectives and attitudes.

And over time, you can realize avoiding stress isn’t a measure of your life success… it’s how you process your stressful situations and what you learn about yourself in the process. Staying cool, calm, and collected always pays off for your mind-body balance.

Recently in my processes, I was hit with a travel planning situation to face where I had to work with loved ones who did the planning. And then a day later, faced a work situation that needed repair. There, I was put in a position to fix the issues between an employee and boss.

I had to create some stress to get to the bottom of what the messy middle was. I also had to bring up heavy conversations and discuss touchy areas, so I could help temporarily restore what was broken.

Testing the waters, that delivered better results the next day than if I hadn’t stirred up the conversations. Had I decided to sugar coat or dance around topics, both would have led to long and drawn out unease. Being direct, I knew the outcome I needed for everyone’s happy sake.

I thought with the end in mind. I wanted both situations to end well in happy endings.

Fortunately, both stressful situations were fixed by end of week. But, I needed de-stress therapy from the heavy moments.

And I realized those stressful moments were setups for what my mind-body would have to face for another stressful situation closer to the holidays.

So, fresh on my mind, these are some helpful tips you can also use to de-stress in your holiday situations.

How to De-Stress Around Holidays

1.Look for loving happy endings, first.

Consider the alternatives. Usually there is miscommunication in play whenever there are sour grape situations with people involved. And instead of trying to attack through ego walls, it’s better to put the loving hat on. Putting fleshly feelings aside, we think of what will be best for the situation. And sometimes that can be as simple as we just agree to disagree (and leave in peace) or figure out how to fix what’s broken. And then with those attitudes, inadvertently the language of what “we” can do slips out instead of just “me” and my agenda that never wins.

2.Be fearless.

Fear is the opposite of love. Proceed with your plan if you know what to do. Your gut instinct is usually always right for higher, and more loving ways. But if you react in doubt and fear, then you create more negative energy for yourself that adds more stress. When you trust the best outcomes, then you can eliminate fear. The worst that can happen is you’re no longer in those stressful situations because of a loss. And when you have loss, that’s the opportunity for growth and a new door.

3.Look for how to correct a wrong way quickly.

Fix quickly and then get past quicker. Resentment only results in your unhappiness. You don’t want to have sour feelings lingering and then that turns into a stressful season. In both my situations I mentioned, they could have lasted for a month longer and hung around like gray clouds. But with swift and fearless action, all that was mitigated instead of trying to sugar coat or dance around topics that could’ve been easily misunderstood. You can’t always predict what others will do, but you can predict your actions so you can more quickly de-stress.

4.Get rid of baggage and replace with happy ways.

Assume no trauma. Work out your frustrations same day as you experience them. If it’s sadness, then cry. And if it’s anger, then work off your anger at the gym or on your yoga mat.

But don’t act like nothing is wrong. And don’t assume unhappy traditions such as a guilty mourning ritual every time you see a sign that reminds you of a sad situation. Because those are self-imposed obligations to hold onto stress and what doesn’t have to be. It’s an unnecessary burden and for those around you who have to dance around the day or situation. Life is too short to hold onto past sad memories, and not create new happy ones instead. My book Empowered Happiness is all about that.

5.De-stress routine.

To de-stress, get out of the daily routine. Purposefully decide not to engage with those people in your daily stressful situations for a few days so you can gain new perspectives. Start your detox as you’re going through.

In my case, I didn’t lose additional sleep. I planned self-care. And I took healing steamy showers, spritzed lovely bergamot scents, and enjoyed calming tea. I didn’t wait until the dust settled. There’s no need to withhold daily joy from your life.

The goal doesn’t have to be to get through the sufferings, avoid the stress, or only seek happy moments. When you learn how to be content, that’s when life gets easier.

And that can help you get back to present moment awareness faster where the calm is.

In my situations, I sang along with calming music that’s therapy to the soul. And to get out of routine, I listened to a little Aretha Franklin that brought me to a mood that helped bring me back to present moment awareness. I also did 4-7-8 breathing: inhaling in the gratitude and exhaling stressful negative energy.

So even when I felt the weight of my situations, I made sure to re-center myself with yoga and think about what I would be looking forward to later in the week and at nights. I had a focused reminder of what I’m grateful for. We all have something to be appreciative of in any of our situations.

And basically I did all the activities that bring my mindfulness back (that destroys the unhealthy ego from growing). Mindfulness revived me. It’s one of the secrets to mind-body balance.

And I believe we all have this in us so we can de-stress our negative energy away and turn into healthy, growth, productivity, joy, and creativity that lasts through the holidays and into the new year.

Have a Merry Christmas! 🎄

holiday de-stress moments enjoying the views. — Where my young story began growing up near this village center.

My mom never wrote down any recipes or cooking methods, but she also never worked on a computer 🖥️.

She passed down her white rice method in my memory and I added a few healthy ingredient steps. Rice makes a good side, is a good filler, and has many healthy nutrients (vit-mins).

The Perfect Mom Fluffy Rice Method

Cooking rice directly in a cooking pot can leave you with inedible scorched, overcooked rice, or sticky rice if you're not watching closely. This consistent "dummy-proof" Fluffy Rice Method will actually free you up so you do not have to watch your rice every few minutes and worry about if it will come out edible for your meals. This method is inspired by my mom's white rice that always turned out perfect. She never measured amounts or wrote down recipes. 🙂

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Chinese

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

microwave/oven-safe soup size mug
cooking pot with lid larger than mug

Ingredients

white rice or rice of choice (brown or wild rice for whole grain healthy)
water
olive oil, drizzle (healthy fat)

Instructions

Add tap water to the pot that goes up half way up the outside of the mug.
After rinsing rice, add rice to the mug. Add up to 2/3 to the top of the mug (leaving 1/3 of the mug unfilled).
Then, add filtered water to the rice-mug leaving about 1/2" from the brim top so it doesn't boil over.
Cook on medium (or medium-low) heat with covered lid for about 30 minutes or until rice is soft, almost cooked done to liking, and water is almost absorbed. Add a little filtered water as needed to the rice to finish off cooking (usually a few additional minutes) and an olive oil drizzle if desired for perfectly moist rice.

Christmas Songs Therapy – List of 30

Christmas songs therapy is real. See a balancing list below good for your Ayurvedic moods. Plus a healthy Christmas tree cardamom recipe to balance out the holiday eating celebration. 🌲

christmas songs therapy can come with warm lights and festive concert colors.

You can get in holiday merry cheer with music that brings you back to the warm-and-fuzzy under-the-mistletoe feelings. 🎶 Ed Sheeran & Elton John have a “Merry Christmas” special duet and happy video to watch along to give you just that…

Peppy Christmas music can wake you up and help restore your mind and body’s anxious moods. If you have anxiety, brain fog, or need some joy, you can year-round get instant healing through the power of sounds, to calm and balance.

Below are 30 selected soothing Christmas songs therapy savers to help you relax your worried Vata, soothe Pitta, and wake up your Kapha sides. 🧘🏻‍♀️👯‍♂️

So often we think listening to music is nice entertainment, but it’s so much more as it’s used to heal the mind, body, and soul.

Music will do that faster through the ears to the mind, than food that can take the long route from the digestive body to mind.

And if you have setbacks, looming worry, or stress, know that it starts in your mind and shows up on your body in the mind-body connections.

If you have stress, the first warning signs can be a stress pimple, wrinkles, early gray hair, or other visible signs. And if you’re feeling depressed or the blues, you could hold onto extra pounds.

This is common around the holidays and winter months when seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can kick in.

You hear many stories of heart-related diseases around the holidays. The body usually gives earlier warning signs, but the holidays present a stressful time to many hearts.

So, using Christmas songs therapy and instrumental sounds is one totally healthy and often overlooked preventative way to keep your holidays happy and bright (from the start of the Advent to the end of the year).

Just a few minutes listening can be all you need to restoratively calm an anxious mind or soothe an irritated soul that needs rest and peaceful healing. And on then on the mend you can restore all your anxious, irritated and tired symptoms this season. Take the quick body balance quiz to see what you can do about these sour moods.

Christmas Songs Therapy For Calming Relaxation

Christmas songs therapy includes soothing songs, instrumental, classical music, and calm sounds.

1. Choral Classics (ethereal music) has a way of bringing peace-filled feelings, like the deep sound of a bell ringing that resonates.

When you hear classic Christmas songs in general, like “Noel,” sung by a melodic chorus in synchrony, they provide harmony to your mind. Even in a world of chaos, they can bring a feeling of peace and order, especially when feelings of uncertainty permeate.

2. “Noel” – Lauren Daigle has a modern twist to this classic Christmas song

3. “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” – Sarah Mclachlan (Wintersong Album)

Soothing Pitta From Irritation/Angry Feelings

4. Christmas Canon – Trans-Siberian Orchestra

5. Christmas Jazz – Kenny G Winter Wonderland

6. Dr. SaxLove – Snazzy instrumental saxophone

7. Kenny G saxophone – if you’re irritated, his instrumental music is known to hold the high notes longer that reach and impact your mind in a healing/soothing way

8. Ocean sounds – in real life, ocean waves are moving year-round (something for us to be grateful for as they affect the world climate). I have fond memories of going to the local beach in the winter when it’s off-season (and maybe you do also where you are). The waves are calm, and the beach uninhabited when everyone is indoors in hibernation

9. Tibetan Singing Bowls – these are used to start and end meditation sessions. Yoga instructors use these bowls for intentional yoga sessions. You can feel like you’re in a place of solitude (like monks).

Christmas Songs Therapy For Anxiety

Find indie music and off-beat music and chants.

Get out of the common everyday music and go into worldly music… in America, it’s easy to stick with the popular music bands that are advertised and played over and over again on television, radio, and half-time shows. You’ll get better mind-body satisfaction if you step out and explore other music. For a Vata especially, discovering fresh variety is going to be a breath of fresh air that awakens the mind if there’s a little Kapha going on.

10. “One Toy Solider” song And Winter Came Album – Enya

11. Amaratine Album (Special Christmas Edition)- Enya

12. The Reindeer Room – A Christmas Chillout Album – Most of the artists you won’t recognize but the instrument twists are not your usual beats. They have a futuristic vibe that you may detect. They are remakes of classic songs such as Sleigh Ride, White Christmas, and Little Drummer Boy

13. Gregorian chants that can make you feel like you’ve been whisked back in time

14. Chamber music (Saint-Saens Chamber music) – You feel like you’re listening from inside a music chamber

15. Crystal singing bowls. These sounds are so light and airy and can make you feel enlightened. They’re good to use while meditating or journaling and can be restorative for panic attacks

16. Waterfall or rain instrumental sounds that have varying tempos. Those light background sounds (including fire crackling) can restore stubborn moods

17. Christmas blues songs – unlike jazz, there are greater varied ranges and moods

18. Dee Yan Key – snazzy, upbeat instrumental that you can find in Music Archives to help you create or compose your own music

Waking Up the Tired Kapha or Depressed Mind

Find inspiration and music with heavier beats.

19. “Little Drummer Boy” – Pentatonix

20. “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (1984) – this is an oldie but goodie with a couple of George’s… Boy George, George Michael, Duran Duran, and a bunch of the famous rock singers of the past. So nostalgic (when the Brat Pack on film were popular…I digress), but you just can’t recreate the same 80’s happy music and the time period it represented

…if you start singing along to your favorite songs, you’re doing double good. You can’t be depressed and joyful at the same time. Singing no matter what you sound like, off-key or not, will make you feel better and open up your throat.

Another one…

21. “So This Is Christmas” – John Lennon (if you’re a Beatles fan)

22. Andrea Bocelli – “The Prayer” duet will wake up your heart and soul with the opera-esque components. Andrea’s amazing singing quality holds onto long high notes. Return to Love is a beautiful video where Andrea Bocelli serenades with a chorus, to his wife, that can remind you of fleeting moments. As a blind musician, Bocelli started his young career as an attorney. But he could sense the happiness and smiles that his singing brought to crowds and that’s what tipped his decision to become a professional musician

23. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a classical classic, that’s good for balance. The violin in the spring concerto is going to be light and help wake up your senses. Summer is going to be fast and dramatic. Fall is light. Winter is best for Kapha imbalances, as it’s a faster tempo.

24. Another classic is listening to the music from The Nutcracker. You’ve probably seen the dreamy fairy tale performance before and can watch it online. The varying instruments piped into the drama is good for getting your mind out of routine.

25. Bret Eldridge – a cross between a big band, country, and Harry Connick, Jr.-esque. His fresh, modern take on class Christmas songs can awaken your senses

26. “Amazing Grace” – The Il Divo tenors are captivating to watch as they sing their parts of the same song

27. “Hallelujah” – Pentatonix has a chorus that’s refreshing to listen to especially if you’re in a mood funk. It’s like throwing a splash of warm water on your face as the singers echo melodies and imitate sounds

28. “Christmas Tree Farm” – Taylor Swift jingles can be a reminder of a jolly and hopeful time that Christmas is.

29. “Christmas Valentine” – Ingrid Michaelson and Jason Mraz (maybe he can add a Dancing with the Stars dance to his video?)

30. “Please Come Home For Christmas” – The John Mayer modern version with high guitar riffs, Jon Bon Jovi sultry version, or original Charles Brown oldie blues version can bring different moods. See if you can find the version that makes your day a couple minutes happier.

Just remember if you’re fatigued in any way, Christmas-y songs lift up your spirit. They will stay classic, as long as you want to remember them that way. We all grew up hearing the classic songs sung by different artists and repurposing an old song to a new version. Or are sung in collaboration with other artists. New re-made versions and meditative healing music are good for restoring different imbalances that your body is quietly thanking you for.

May your Advent season be happy and bright! 🌲

Print Recipe

Healthy Christmas Tree Cardamom Cookies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 cup flour (coconut flour or almond flour and AP blend recommended for healthy)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cardamom
1/2 cup softened butter or coconut oil
cinnamon and orange zest (optional for sweetness)

Instructions

Mix ingredients together to prepare cookie dough.
Form a disc and wrap in plastic. Let rest in refrigerator.
Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut out tree shape or desired cookie shape.
Bake on cookie sheet on 350°F for about 12 minutes.

Anxiety vs. Nervous – Are You Out of Balance? (Part 2)

Anxiety vs. nervous feelings can be better calmed with deep breathing but they show different body symptoms…

Wellness prescription if you’re feeling exceptionally Vata body: a comforting warm soup with calming mint for body aches 🌱

With back to school air and a new season, we can easily get out of balance. In transitions, we can have a Vata anxiety vs. nervous complex happening in our connected mind-body.

But we can lean into restoring our natural balance whether we’re naturally and mostly Vata mind-body. And below I share some valuable tips for your work, school, arising family situations, and other transitions you may be facing.

When we prepare for Vata season, our Vata runs the ship if we’re naturally mostly Vata or if Vata is our dosha balance we need to restore.

Naturally Vata bodies feel at home with outdoor cooler temps and leaves changing and falling. But external situations and transitions in a new season can especially cause anxiety and wreak stress havoc on our bodies keeping score.

And that can add to a strong Vata worry mind to stir up the Vata complex situation. If you’re naturally a Vata mind-body (that is, mind and body), all things equal, you’re naturally better with change than a Kapha mind-body who resists change.

But any of us can get the wind knocked out of our sails in life’s complex situations that shows us and our ever changing bodies what we’re made of.

And life has shown us young and old if we’re naturally Vata, by how we react with uncontrollable symptoms of panic or anxiety. These are classic signs of high Vata.

And if we keep that internal to us, then we can be high functioning but still Vata is our natural way.

And since this Part 2 week of the Ayurvedic series is about Vata, being aware of the obvious problematic anxiety characteristics below can save your from a season of aches and unenjoyment.

Some are more subtle. For example, one that can happen to any of us humans (with any dosha profile), is getting a headache even if it’s harmless and temporary.

One friend I was recently talking to said she had a specific headache feeling that she had experienced before. My first reaction thought was, did you drink enough water today? I know Vatas are on the dry side, and I know this person is a Vata.

…which by the way, I know everyone’s Vata, Kapha, Pitta (dosha) natural and imbalanced dosha current profiles based on a few simple answers, that’s 100% much easier to diagnose than a headache.

…unless it’s just lack of drinking water, which is what we discovered in this friend’s case that was immediately solved.

But some people won’t research these small body signs or they just pop a pill without thinking twice…

To me, as a health nut 🤪 in a sensitive body, knowing a snapshot dosha profile (balance and imbalance) is a lifesaver because some things are easily restored from that perspective that need no pills or medical intervention. But most Western world people aren’t daily Ayurvedic aware, and certainly not at a preventative level.

And in our lives, if we choose healthy and happy ways for our primary doshas, then we prevent less than optimal daily living. Joy could be ours sooner and everyday with an awareness in our lifestyle choices as culprits.

We’re creatures of habit programmed to do the same even if it’s to our detriment, unless and until we’re aware there’s a better proven formula or something worth making the change for.

And when we’re aware in this moment (and every waking moment), we get to feel sensitized and as best we can. And that takes us to a creative place! We ‘re running on a higher, conscious energy frequency. And that just makes me want to sing 🎶

I’ve grown in deeper spirituality, but I couldn’t tap into these higher places until I got out of the daily, imbalanced culture and corporate work lifestyles I was repeating in my life, that didn’t agree with me.

…It was like, I was air and earth mingling with oil and fire. It was only after I took some life risks that I could see I needed to run to fresh air to thrive. I had to step out from some of the proven ways and do things my way that didn’t have a guide.

And before that I saw signs that showed up as stress, anxiety, and worry. And if I didn’t remind myself of how those feelings felt when I had a good season, I would easily get roped back into those incompatible situations staring me in the face as my surrounding opportunities.

And I’m sharing this because I know that’s how it is for many of us who don’t want to turn down opportunities or fight what culture teaches us is respected (and sounds good on paper), or disappoint people who have influence in our lives.

Our feelings toward letting down is temporary, but our regrets in unhappy life choices is permanent. Maybe that’s just the encouragement you need to make a leap.

If we listen and say yes! to ourselves to taking higher risks, then we’re fulfilling our highest calling. And I don’t know what’s higher than highest… where if these were our last days on earth, we would still be showing up in those fulfilling areas that ease stress.

Occasionally feeling stress and nervous is healthy and means you’re trying in life. If you had no stress or life hurdles, that means you’re leading a life where there are no challenges or growth. And that would eventually become a dull life, leaving so much purpose-filling potential on the table.

Our goal is to have joy and not to have everyday stress (or in every fiber cell of being).

If it’s a season of anxiety vs. nervous situations, then finding an exit would be your better bet.

The difference I like to describe between anxiety and nervousness is that with nervousness you have a new opportunity ahead of you.

Many go into an interview with sweaty palms or a presentation with butterflies or summersaults in the stomach.

Those nervous feelings often disappear in the first few minutes after breaking the ice or at the start of the event, and then your body gets back to its normal rhythm.

Nervous situations get you one step closer to something bigger. You grow because you’re putting yourself in situations that looking back become your memorable lessons learned experiences. It gets easier over practice.

With anxiety, your anxiety doesn’t improve each time you are encountered with a similar situation. You aren’t meant to be in that situation and your body is screaming to get out, as though a bear were chasing you. 🐻 Sometimes your body is reacting to your old brain signals, and when aware you can rewrite those thoughts.

Your anxiety vs. nervous feelings are a good way to remind yourself next time you’re put in those decision moments of do I do this again or do I change course?

And here are some more characteristics to consider…

Vata Anxiety vs. Nervous Feelings

Anxiety intensity and duration: anxiety takes over (e.g. anxiety or panic attack). It can last for minutes, hours, or days, and settle in longer if no measures are taken to improve the situation. For example, if you’re in a new social situation, often the nervousness goes away after you find someone comfortable to talk to that’s different than high-functioning social anxiety feelings where you can’t wait to exit.

Anxiety feelings: there’s nothing good in anxiety except seeing that it’s a warning. The healthy goal is to get away from what’s triggering the anxiety, and not trying to overcome anxious feelings that are naturally pointing you in another direction.

Anxiety lingers uncomfortably in the foreground or background of the mind-body until the threat is completely gone.

Unlike a threat, a nervous response often turns into obvious relief and/or joy for putting yourself in the situation after it’s over. And leads to excitement or thriving on another favorable opportunity level.

Anxiety and Worry

If you have anxiety and worry running at the same, then that can be debilitating in daily functioning, like a physical symptom can.

Awareness is the first step to get you out so you don’t suffer a season. Re-shuffle your life, change route, or take bold risks.

But if you can’t get out of your situation, think of what you could gain out of the situation when you’re on the other side. Use your past situations as a reminder to what positively can come out of an anxiety vs. nervous or worrisome situation after the fact. 🌈 And use your anxious situations to victoriously learn how to be calm and get joy in any season.

✅If you want to see what your body is trying to tell you this season, take the 2-minute Body Balance Quiz. And if you recently did that or need more, a next easy 10-minute step you could do, is to get your personalized mind-body calm recipe.

Print Recipe

One-Bowl Orange Date Muffin For Calming Anxiety

If you're feeling anxious, the orange zest and dates will be great for you.

Course desserts

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

3 finely chopped dates
3/4 cup flour (can combine with gluten-free flours) + 2 tbsp flour
1 egg
1/4 cup milk (or almond milk)
orange zest from an orange

Instructions

Combine ingredients. Bake on 325°F for about 25 minutes or until set.
Add orange zest for zhugh.