Relaxation
Guided Imagery for Stress Relief and Well-Being
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Let the practical wisdom of Joel
& Michelle Levey guide you on your inner journey of self-discovery.
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Relaxation Tips Information and Inspiration to Help You
Relieve Stress and Find Balance in Life Monday, July 14, 2003
Relaxation Tip of the Week
Commitment brings balance by giving more
focus and clarity of purpose to your life. It operates like a plumb line, helping
you stay tuned to what has meaning and importance, increasing your energy and attention
while reducing distraction. When you know what you are committed to, you’ll be better
able to set and stick to priorities, to recognize and honor limits, and to live with
integrity.
I just returned from a weekend of volunteering at a wonderful conference entitled
"Cancer as a Turning Point" sponsored by Healing Journeys. It was an
inspirational and moving (and free!) event that lifted the spirits of hundreds of cancer
survivors, family members, caregivers, and health professionals. (If you know someone
whose life has been touched by cancer, please encourage him or her to check out Healing Journeys.)
One of the presenters, musician Linda Tillery, led the group in a simple and fun
sing-along that at one point included "The Hokey Pokey" dance tune. You may
remember the silly moves that go along with this song, starting with "you put your
right foot in, you take you right foot out" and so on.
As the song progressed and inhibitions loosened, many folks really got into the fun and
spirit of the song and dance.
And at the end, Linda reminded us of an important lesson embedded in the song. It ends
where you "put your whole self in" – a powerful metaphor for personal
commitment.
If you want to anchor your commitment to the things that matter in your life, learning
to harness the power of your mind is an important step in that process.
In their book Living in Balance, Joel & Michelle Levey describe this
connection:
"With practice we learn to
turn scattered distraction into momentary concentration, and then to sustain that
concentration as a flow of mindful awareness into action. The more wholeheartedly
present we are with whatever we are doing, the more our mind will function in balanced
ways. This translates into moving into and through the world in a more peaceful,
powerful, energy efficient, kinder, and wiser way."
I encourage you to "put your whole self in" to whatever you do, and see what
happens in your life.
"You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage --
pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically -- to say 'no' to other things. And the way you
do that is by having a bigger 'yes' burning inside. The enemy of the 'best' is often the
'good’."
– Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Featured Product
Living in Balance
by Joel Levey & Michelle Levey
Conari Press, 1998
$17.95 + shipping
In these pages you will find a wealth of inspiration and practical
guidance, and strategies and skills for living with greater mastery and faith amidst the
many mysteries and uncertainties of your life, work, and relationships.
"Joel and Michelle have constructed a text of sheer brilliance. Every page offers
new insights and truth. No reader could be disappointed by this book!"
-- Caroline M. Myss, Ph.D.,
author of Why People Don't Heal and How They Can and Anatomy of the Spirit.
