The Mind, Body, and Spirit: The Balancing Act, by Marie Lavin, MSW, LCSW

The Mind Body and Spirit

 

 

In honor of the passing of Dr. Wayne Dyer, I am sharing my personal growth workbook, Manifesting Magnificence for free on kindle (till September 5th, 2015) . Dr. Dyer's publisher is offering his movie, The Shift for free too Serendipity Presents: Manifesting Magnificence . Please enjoy an excerpt from Manifesting Magnificence: A Personal Growth Workbook, by

Marie Lavin, MSW, LCSW.

Marie Lavin MSW,LCSW

Edited by: Susan Bierzychudek

© Divine Healing Energy 2015

Contributor to Manifesting Magnificence: A Personal Growth Workbook

© Serendipity Press, all rights reserved, 2015

 

 

 

The Balancing Act

The mind, body and spirit, in their perfect state, act to support one another. But in our stressed and scattered lives, that perfect state is not always the norm. Attaining a perfect harmony of these three will lead us to a peaceful inner balance, allowing us to open to opportunities that are presented, and to be our very best selves.

 

It is important to identify ways in which we can change our thoughts and behavioral patterns to bring our mind, body and spirit into balance. Recognizing patterns that may once have served, but no longer work for us, is a critical part of this work.

 

First let’s address how the mind, body, and spirit fall out of perfect balance. When we are not taking care of ourselves—not paying attention, not listening to our basic needs of hunger and sleep, or becoming overwhelmed by our everyday lives—we tilt off kilter. We lose our balance when we are involved with addictions to alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, gossiping or working, for example. When we are in those addicted states, we become distracted and lose our focus on balance. We may use those addictions because they feel comfortable, often because we’ve been that way so long that we simply don’t know another way to be. It’s like wearing old comfortable shoes that may be held together by threads, barely giving us the support we need. We may think those tattered shoes are better than a new pair of shoes that feel stiff and need breaking in. Old patterns feel comfortable and predictable, despite the fact that they’re no longer useful. New patterns of thinking or behaving may need the same gradual breaking in before they feel natural and right. But the result is worth the work, many times over.

 

One common example of a behavior pattern that may no longer serve us is avoidance. We may not want to examine our tendency to procrastinate. It may feel like too much work to change that pattern, in which we conveniently back-burner issues we’d rather avoid. Our old pattern allows us to think that we’ll deal with the issue or task tomorrow. But when tomorrow comes we feel disappointed in ourselves, often opting to do something that will distract us from that feeling—perhaps focusing on an addiction to gossip or alcohol or food. That distraction is just another pattern that is not serving us.

 

It takes work to balance our mind, body and spirit. It takes time and patience, and the desire to move to a more peaceful inner harmony. It also helps to identify what behavior and thought patterns need to change. At its foundation, this work is about self-love. But how do we begin to work on our issues? The first step is to recognize that our behavior and thought patterns are interfering with a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Then we need to take small, manageable steps to find ways to make the changes. Part of your success will be in discovering which healing modality works most effectively for you.

 

Looking at my own journey towards greater balance, it was energy work that allowed me to release the blocks of thought and behavior patterns that were not serving me. That modality was such a perfect fit for me that I found myself compelled to become a practitioner, helping to teach others how to become their best selves. Energy work may also be your key to a better balance of mind, body and spirit.

 

 

Buy Manifesting Magnificence: A Personal Growth Workbook

7 Steps To My Writing Process, Why I Write, by, Carrie Smith

Carrie Smith, a fellow Bewitched Television fan and friend, shares her thoughts on the writing process and candidly shares, "why and how she writes."

7 Steps To My Writing Process, Why I Write
By, Carrie Smith

1. I've always subscribed to the theory that anyone can write--and write well. What matters most is the idea; syntax and grammar is secondary. In that light, a vivid imagination is paramount and style will develop over time. When I write, I start by jotting down ideas first and worry about structure later. I have volumes of titles and opening sentences which I look back through for inspiration.

2. I give awesome feedback when asked to critique/edit someone else's work but I am my own worst enemy. I have a very hard time deciding when something I write is "done."
3. Learning other languages has helped tremendously with learning grammar.
4. I'm most comfortable writing creative nonfiction/memoir. Taking creative license with events from my own life is therapeutic and helps to give closure. Putting something funny or troublesome onto paper forces me to examine all the details and think about them from other perspectives.
5. I have a hard time sharing my work. I'm very protective of it because in my eyes, it's never good enough.
6. I wish I was better at writing fiction. I'm too consumed by the actions taking place and too often skip over smaller details which would help the reader understand why they're happening.
7. My first publication was a in 2004 in a local writers column in the Gannett News syndicate. It led to proceedings to appear on a talk show for public television. Unfortunately, the host died before my episode could be filmed...

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Manifesting Magnificence: A Personal Growth Workbook, 21st of the month exercise, by, Linda Ferrari

 

The 21^st of Every Month: A Plan for Keeping Your Life in Balance

(excerpt from Manifesting Magnificence: A Personal Growth Workbook, Serendipity Press, all rights reserved, copyright 2015)

By Linda Ferrari

Ever make a New Year’s Resolution and then three weeks later you realize you haven’t “kept” your resolution? Me too. Or, perhaps worse, you can’t remember what your resolution was? Or, perhaps worst, you decide to simply not even make a New Year’s Resolution?

For me, a New Year’s Resolution is a metaphor for positive change—changes—big and small. And I believe change is inevitable. So why not plan for change? Why not make a “New Year’s Resolution” once a month? That’s what this plan does—help plan for change on a monthly basis.

Another advantage of the plan is that it helps keep your life in balance. Have you ever found that when you concentrate on improving one area of your life (such as finding a new job) that another area of your life starts to suffer (such as then getting less exercise)? Me too.

So here is a plan that helps manage change while helping to maintain a balance in your life at the same time. I have practiced this plan myself and have shared it with a few others who have also found it useful. I hope you will find it beneficial to your life.

Here is how it works. I check in with myself once a month and see if I am keeping my life in balance while meeting goals I have set for myself, and then setting new goals as needed. It’s, therefore, a time for personal reflection.

I chose the 21^st of each month because the shortest day of the year (Dec. 21^st) is on the 21^st of the month and the longest day of the year is on the 21^st (June 21^st) and the seasons traditionally change on the 21^st (Sept.—autumn), (Dec.—winter), (Mar.—spring), (June—summer) but any day of the month will do. The main point is to choose one day a month and have it be the same day each month. I mark the day on my calendar so I will not forget.

This is what I do. I bought a pretty notebook with blank pages, and I write in the notebook on the 21^st of each month. I evaluate my life in nine areas and then sometimes add goals that seem especially important, or just notes or random thoughts or an overall evaluation of my life.

Here are the areas: Spiritual, Work/Career/Vocation, Family, Financial,  Physical, Mental/Education, Love, and Friendships. (You may add Social and Emotional to your workbook). Directions, print out the below wheel. Give yourself a rating for each area of your life and place a dot with pencil or pen on one of the three lines in each category. The line closest to the center is (below expectations), middle line is (needs improvement), top line is (pleased/satisfied with expectation). Once you do this for each area of your life, connect the lines and then ask yourself, "will it roll?" View this as a bicycle tire or a car wheel, is this stable or are one of the spokes in need of repair?

 

 

 

 

 

Manifesting Magnificence is a personal growth workbook with a series of exercises to promote positive benefits in the areas of mind, body and spirit. How would it feel if I took a hike to Yosemite one day and met a woman named Cecelia? It would feel exciting and serendipitous. While on that hike, I discovered that Cecelia is a Drama Therapist who has shared for this workbook her tips. How would it feel to have a book signing in Manteca and be seated next to a man named Richard? It would feel fun, energizing. While at that book signing, I found out that Richard is a Yoga Master and he has shared his meditation techniques in this book. How would it feel if I was looking for an online Dreamboard and met a woman named Anita? It would feel enlightening and wonderful. Anita is the Co-Founder of Dreamitalive.com and she has shared her Law of Attraction tips in this workbook. The stories behind the collaborators in this personal growth workbook are stories in themselves. Enjoy a bounty of rich information intended to uplift your mind, body, and spirit.

Buy here: http://www.serendipitymediagroup.com