Mind, Body & Soul Sessions (#39)

Boost your Mood

Are you unhappy, depressed, down or just in a bad mood? Don’t worry this too shall pass, it’s not like you are doomed to feel like this the rest of your life. Believe it or not, but the way you perceive things is a learned skill. Everyone can learn how to look at the world through more optimistic eyes. Over the next few weeks I will give you some tips which will hopefully improve your mood and make you feel more optimistic and upbeat.

Exercise - get sweaty.
You've probably heard it before, but here it is again: aerobic exercise like walking, biking or jogging will cheer you up no matter how bad your mood is or how miserable you may feel.

Just thirty minutes (or an hour, if you feel like it) of exercise, at least three times a week, releases feel-good chemicals such as beta-endorphins and dopamine. Workouts like these also influence the activity of serotonin (a molecule of happiness) and norepinephrine, which can mimic the effect of antidepressants like Prozac.

Have a sweaty and lovely Sunday!

Next week in MBSS: Tip five!

Look what I found (#3)

Okay, I think it’s time for some light entertainment so here is another instalment of Look what I found



Ever wanted to create your own Simpson? Well, here is your chance. When you visit The Simpsons Movie site you can create your own Simpson Avatar. You can also tour Springfield or play little mindless games like Wrecking Ball in which you have to help Homer save his family from police quarantine by using the first thing at hand……. A wrecking ball!



Will it blend? That’s the question.
The iPhone experiment!

For other blending experiments, go here
This one is probably not for everyone, but have you ever wondered what that guy in the movie just said? Well, if it was an (good) insult you can probably find it right here in the list of winning movie insults. How does a movie insult become a winning insult? When it can be used by every man according to the site!

I forgot the cartoon on Tuesday, so ………
And finally one more commercial.
Love your heart!
I don’t like Becel, but I do like this commercial and the message they try to get across.

There might be a lesson in there somewhere.

The other day I was talking with someone about the lousy autumn like weather we are having and then, out of the blue, she started talking about what a lousy life she was having at the moment. Actually, the whole first six months of this year were filled with tragedy, according to her. Now you must know, she is known for making a mountain out of a molehill, but this time around I actually felt for her.

In the beginning of the year her best friend suddenly died of an Aortic aneurysm. Only a month after that, one of her relatives died of a cancer related disease and just last week her brother (she lost her Mum and sister in the previous years) died of Esophageal cancer. And just when you think that’s enough tragedy for one person, her son got sick (a thing that comes and goes over the years) and she finds out that her daughter might have Hodgkin's disease. Well, I think it’s only fair to say that her life has been quite dreadful over the last six months.

We talked a little more and she told me how all these people passed away while their heads were still filled with all their hopes, plans and dreams and how they were never going to be able to fulfil them. She also told me how she had cancelled their holiday and was thinking about cancelling their wedding anniversary family trip later this year. Okay, I can imagine her not wanting to go on holiday right now, but I think they still should go on that family trip (if/when her daughter turns out to be just fine). Isn’t there a lesson to be learned from all that tragedy? Like: Life is too short and time is fleeting! Or: Carpe Diem quam minimum credula postero! Or: You should live your life to the fullest! Or: Memento mori! Or: eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die!
Okay enough of that, you get the point I am trying to make here. I hope she gets it too. I tried really hard to get the message across, but I still feel like she didn’t hear me.

Still, I hope the rest of the year will treat her a lot better and that she will be able to go on that trip. I really hope she is going to live a little.

Mind, Body & Soul Sessions (#38)

Boost your Mood

Are you unhappy, depressed, down or just in a bad mood? Don’t worry this too shall pass, it’s not like you are doomed to feel like this the rest of your life. Believe it or not, but the way you perceive things is a learned skill. Everyone can learn how to look at the world through more optimistic eyes. Over the next few weeks I will give you some tips which will hopefully improve your mood and make you feel more optimistic and upbeat.

Get rid of emotional vampires.

What is an “emotional vampire”?

There are many definitions but for the most part, an “emotional vampire” is anyone who seems to be determined to “feed on you” emotionally in an attempt to build up their own self-esteem and emotional strength. They are a drag on your life and they will keep you from being successful in whatever you do. They are negative people who are willing to destroy your life because they want you to be as miserable as them. They tend to put you down, criticize or mock you and sabotage your hopes, dreams and aspirations. They tend to complain and not just once, they usually have one issue that they repeat 10 times. They just can’t stand to see anyone happier in their lives than them. They tend to hunt for empathetic, caring, compassionate and unselfish people.

So, do you attract “emotional vampires” or losers into your life? Are you a vampire magnet? If the answer is yes, read on!

“Emotional vampires” and losers slow us down and make us feel less happy, they literally drain our batteries. If we want to be happier, more optimistic and energetic we have to avoid “emotional vampires”. Depressed and negative people allow “emotional vampires” to suck their positive feelings right out of them.

Take stock by making a list of people, habits and situations you expose yourself to. Try to place everything and everyone in two categories in other words, try to find out how they make you feel a) happy/optimistic/energetic or b) unhappy/negative/drained.
Then, dispose of or limit people, habits or situations that keep you from feeling optimistic and happy. That may well mean you have to burn some bridges, but sometimes you do have to take some drastic measures to achieve your goal and boost your mood. Remember: Happy and optimistic people hang around with personal cheerleaders, and we all want those. Unhappy people tend to surround themselves with “emotional vampires”.

So, try to avoid “emotional vampires”, burn bridges if necessary, but if you can’t, below you will find some tips on how to deal with “emotional vampires”:

• Remind yourself constantly that their behaviour is their problem and not yours.
• When a complainer starts complaining over and over again, listen once, and say, ‘I hear you. Now what are you going to do about it?’ Help them come up with a solution if you like, but dump them where they stand when they only can come up with even more problems.
• Don't get sucked into their everlasting series of melodramas.
• Limit your interactions with them as much as possible. Don’t go looking for them if you don’t really have to.
• Always keep your cool.
• Use a tone of voice that is not cold or cruel, but that does send the message that you be determined to keep your emotional distance.
• Once they see that they cannot simply engage you or bug you, the “emotional vampires” will likely figure out that you are on to them and chances are that they will stop targeting you for emotional harassment.
  
  
  Next week in MBSS: Tip four.
  

They don’t make me go weak at the knees…….

but they do have a certain something! Let’s call it attractiveness.

Since DoGGa asked so nicely, I am going to answer his question in this post. For those who missed the question in the comment section of the previous entry: “I think you should add a 'woman'! If you were to, who would it be?”

Good question, isn’t it?! So here is my answer (again in random order) in another weird and scary selection ;)

Anouk


Sela Ward


Anne Heche (Marin Frist - Men in Trees)

Sandra Bullock

Charlize Theron


So there you have it, another scary (or boring) selection! Now that I showed you mine, why don’t you show me yours :)

I am actually quite amazed that I could come up with five women, so I took a little Dutch test. De result said: You may think that you are heterosexual but you are also attracted to the same sex. You are probably bi-curious. I never knew that, it’s news to me!

OMG, those eyes and that smile, she thought, her knees weakening…...

Okay girls (and boys too if you wish), Aoj is a bit bored today and fancied being a bit mindless. So now she wants to find out which celebrity sets your spine a-tingling and your knees a-weakening.

So, here is my weird and wonderful selection ;)
(in random order)

Scott Patterson (Luke Danes - Gilmore Girls)


Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd – Dr. McDreamy - Grey’s Anatomy)


Josh Holloway (James 'Sawyer' Ford - Lost)


Johnny Depp, need I say more…….


George Eads (Nick Stokes – CSI)


Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, better know by his stage name Sting


So there you have it, my scary selection! Now go off, enjoy yourself and ehmm…. oh yeah, consider yourselves tagged!

Cartoon Tuesday: Getting older......

Yep, no S1ngle this week. Hope you enjoy this one just as much.

Mind, Body & Soul Sessions (#37)

Boost Your Mood.

Are you unhappy, depressed, down or just in a bad mood? Don’t worry this too will pass, it’s not like you are doomed to feel this way the rest of your life. Believe it or not, but the way you perceive things is a learned skill. Everyone can learn how to look at the world through more optimistic eyes. Over the next few weeks I will give you some tips which will hopefully improve your mood and make you feel more optimistic and upbeat.

Tip two: Detox.

As most of you probably know, a lot of people detox their bodies. But did you know you can detox your mind too? Believe it or not, you can get rid of toxics that like to live in your mind. When you want to get rid of bad, negative and interfering thoughts, in other words toxics, you have to remember this golden rule: You can only keep one thought in your mind at a time and it’s you who decides what type of thought you focus on. You have two choices.

Option one: You can focus on the unhappy/pessimistic thoughts
or
you can go with option two: focus on happy/optimistic thoughts.

See, you do have options and the choice is completely yours!
Happy and optimistic people focus on solutions and always expect the best. Unhappy and pessimistic people focus on complaining and worst-case scenarios. So, when disaster strikes, problems or setbacks pop-up, it’s up to you to put a stop to every negative thought that pops in your mind. Don’t waste time by complaining or working on doom scenarios, it will only get you down. Instead, stay calm, don’t panic and focus on finding a solution because there is a solution for almost everything.

Cleanse your mind, steer your thoughts in the right direction and boost your mood!

Next week in MBSS: Tip three.

How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

We all post, read and comment on blogs. To some of us blogging is a way of life and others might even see it as an addiction. Are you one of the addicts? How addicted are you compared to the rest of us. Find out and take the test :-)

56%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

June 29 – iPhone will be released in the USA.

Unfortunately, I don’t live in the USA so I won’t be able to get an iPhone today, or at least that’s what I thought. Today I discovered that there is a way to get an iPhone today.

Want one too? Just visit this website and get your own iPhone today :-)

Cartoon Tuesday: Not Alone.

Back by popular demand ;- ) Mind, Body & Soul Sessions (#36)

Boost Your Mood.

Are you unhappy, depressed, down or just in a bad mood? Don’t worry this too will pass, it’s not like you are doomed to feel this way the rest of your life. Believe it or not, but the way you perceive things is a learned skill. Everyone can learn how to look at the world through more optimistic eyes. Over the next few weeks I will give you some tips which will hopefully improve your mood and make you feel more optimistic and upbeat.

Tip one: Stand tall.

Did you ever notice how happy and energetic individuals seem to radiate an endless supply of energy? They stand taller, walk faster and take bigger steps than unhappy and pessimistic people who have the tendency slouch, shuffle their feet and walk slowly. It’s like their batteries have gone flat and there is now way to recharge them, but there is! Pay attention to the way you carry yourself. Do you slouch? Do you take tiny steps? Well, now is the time to change that and to change you body posture. Look at the happy and optimistic people around you, how do they carry themselves? Lift your head, walk straight, walk tall and look the world right in the eyes. Of course you can look down if you are looking for cash or something (or feel insecure), but you would be missing a lot of the beautiful things that are all around us.
Take bigger and more powerful steps and try to walk a little bit faster than your usual pace, this will make you feel more energetic and with that energy your levels of happiness will increase.

Alternatively you can try a sport like Nordic Walking, if you don’t mind walking around with a set of funny looking ski poles. Nordic Walking will give you better posture, more energy and you are forced to walk faster.

Next week in MBSS: Tip two.

Komt een vrouw bij de dokter, or…….

translated in English: A woman goes to the doctor, sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s not. It actually is the title of a book I just finished reading. In my opinion the best book I’ve read this year. A book that has been on my to- read- list ever since it was first published, but also a book you need to be in the mood for. That sounds a bit strange but for certain books you need to be in a certain mood. When I am down and depressed, I like to read funny, romantic or inspiring books. When I am sad, but not able to let the emotions out, I like to read moving books. On all other days I like to read just about anything. SF, fantasy, thrillers, horror, literature, history….you name it and there is always a day for a certain type of book.

Like I said, I just finished it and I wasn’t going to blog about it because, hey, it’s a Dutch book and not a lot of Dutch books are translated in other languages, but this one has and it’s available on Amazon. They have changed the title to Love life, which is a shame really, but still a very suitable title.

What more can I say about the book? I could tell you the whole story, but I don’t want to spoil everything, so just go here and read more about the book itself.
As you can see, this isn't a fluffy love story, it’s more like getting on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s real, honest, raw, open, sincere, fast, confronting, about ethics and morals, life, cancer, death, planning, relationships, family and it’s sad and very moving. You can burst into tears one moment and laugh out loud the next. But it’s also about courage, love and the amazing power people have.

Read it if you want (with a box of tissues at hand), skip it if you don’t, but at least keep the most important message (IMO) of the book in mind Live every day like it is your last so you won’t have to look back in anger or with regrets.

Back to life, back to……….blogging ;)

Guess what people, I am BACK! All the celebrations (and the organising that comes with it) are done and dusted, so I can resume “normal” activities again and that also means, bore you all to death :-)

My Mum had a great b-day (thanks for asking, Boo). The Saturday before her actually birthday we boarded a river boat for a moonlight river cruise. My Mum had a lovely time being wined and dined, did a little dancing, watched the entertainment, the fireworks and enjoyed the scenery. According to my Mum it was her best birthday ever (and it wasn't even her birthday yet). And oh, in case you are wondering, her other guests and I (who would have thought) had a fun time too.

On her actual b-day, we had a small surprise party. She thought I was just dropping by to give her some flowers and her present but when I rang her doorbell she was surprised to see my brother, my SIL, their kids with spouses and all her (much older) sisters too. It was a fun evening with a lot of reminiscing; a special moment to remember my Dad and 75 funny little presents (like a toothbrush, shampoo, anti motion sickness pills, earplugs, perfume and so on and so on) leading up to a bigger present.

So what did I give her in the end? Well, I donated some money to two of her favourite charities (thanks for suggesting that people) and we all chipped in to give her (what we think was) a special gift, a holiday! We are not sure where she is going to go just yet because she has to pick a destination from 75 suggestions :-). Anyway no matter where she going to end up, I bet this was a birthday to remember

Cartoon Tuesday: Two minds....

Reclaim your Brain.

Like I said earlier this week, I am a bit busy these days but I don’t want you all to get bored (as if!), so here is an interesting site I found earlier.


“Lumosity is the brain fitness program designed by neuroscientists that is scientifically demonstrated to improve your memory, attention and processing speed.”
Interested? Just give it a go, and if you are not ready to sign up yet, just find out your LumosIQ. No matter what you do, it’s free :) Oh, and it’s a fun experiment too!

Time sneaks up on you, like a windshield on a bug.

I know I haven’t been around much this past week. Let’s blame life, it just gets in the way ;) No not really, I am just too fricking busy. I had to go to hospital with two of my friends last week. One got the all clear and the second one has to get more tests done. Then I got sick on Saturday and the icky feeling stayed with me most of the weekend. And now my Mum’s birthday is coming up and I am trying to arrange all sort of stuff at the last moment. So,

but I'll BBL!

Cartoon Tuesday on Wednesday: Nice Idea; Poor Execution

Look what I found (#2)

A site where you can create your own little games like this one:

A site where they offer e-cards with a difference. Some might be a little bit sarcastic, others macabre, but hey, some are just plain funny ;)


A story* about one of the strangest disasters of the 20th Century, which starts with this: “On the morning of August 22, 1986, a man hopped onto his bicycle and began riding from Wum, a village in Cameroon, towards the village of Nyos. On the way he noticed an antelope lying dead next to the road. Why let it go to waste? The man tied the antelope onto his bicycle and continued on. A short distance later he noticed two dead rats, and further on, a dead dog and other dead animals. He wondered if………..”
(* probably not for everyone)

A site where you can download an art magazine (in PDF or .exe), it’s actually an art showcase for global artists. Very interesting!


Another Dutch commercial
Just call us - Centraal Beheer. The insurance company in Apeldoorn.

Progress!

As most of you know, I’ve been running for a couple of weeks now and I finally feel I am getting the hang of it. Yeah, I know, it took me a while :) But like I said in my first post about this subject, running isn’t a thing that comes easy to me. I always thought I couldn’t do it, but hey, here’s a newsflash…..I can!

The first couple of weeks were quite horrible at times though. You have to remind yourself of so much like: keep your arms low and relaxed, breath in and out (duh!) and keep your breathing relaxed and regular, don’t run too fast (you are not running a race!), don’t land on your toes – heels first and so on and so on! A lot of stuff to take in and keep track of, but hey, I am doing it. Hooray! Even my personal (uhum…. Online and not so personal) coach/motivator is telling me I am doing great and that I should keep going!

I am keeping a log of my runs and here is a graph that shows my progress. I started out at fitness level 10 and now I am at 40 after completing one-third of my schedule. Hooray again!

There is a downside though; I am starting to feel better and look healthier but I am gaining weight. That wasn’t supposed to happen :( At first it got me worried a bit but then I realised that it actually made sense. When I started running I stopped doing my other work-outs on the running days. In the first weeks I didn’t run for very long period’s of time (and was eating the same) so I was burning lesser calories then normal. *sigh of relieve* nothing to worry about! Pretty soon I will be burning calories like before and probably even more. I think I’ve to put off buying new clothes for a while :) because like I said, I am gaining weight but I am loosing centimetres already :) Well, isn’t that a nice advantage?!