How do you answer: Who are you?

Do you say your name? Tell about your job, career? Parent? Husband? Daughter? Hobbies? Interests? Explain where you're from?  

And they're necessary, right? How else are you going to introduce yourself to someone? 

But after years of describing ourselves, we begin to slowly think that these labels are really us. They become more important for us to uphold and show to the world than who we really are. They begin to cover our authentic selves.  

..labels become more important for us to uphold and show to the world than our authentic self...

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And we begin walking around trying to meet the demands of these labels.

3 Effective Ways to Ease Anger 

Finding yourself blowing up at inappropriate times? Taking your anger out on innocent family members or coworkers? Do you find yourself yelling while driving - perhaps at the radio or at other drivers?  

I’ve been there. I remember getting so frustrated and angry at work when my solutions to issues were ignored because I was new. Only listening to my idea after all of the other ones failed. And then, never getting credit for the solution I provided. I was so aggravated.

I let mounting bills and financial stress strain my family relationships. I was so angry about finances that I put them before the people I loved.

It was difficult. But when out of control anger affects work life, home life, relationships, and contentment, it’s time for a shift.

Our culture is geared to push forward, grow, make things happen, produce. All of this can culminate in a need to force things to happen! Get the promotion at work. Upgrade the phone....

How can essential oils that you rub onto the skin affect the liver? Gently and easily!

When you massage these essential oils onto the skin it's drawn into the body and the bloodstream. Always use a carrier oil like coconut, jojoba, grapeseed, sweet almond to name a few. Pure essential oils can irritate the skin. The blood flows through the liver and the liver is gently stimulated, supported and even cleared by the chemical components of these natural essential oils.

Essential oils have a lot of different therapeutic qualities that the liver is able to recognize. These assist the body, supporting the immune system, digestive system, endocrine system, and help remove toxins that are floating around.

The interesting thing is that every organ has emotional ties to it.

The liver is deeply affected by kindness and anger. In our culture, anger is generally seen as "bad" and kindness as "good." But we really need a balance. Frustration and anger are part of life. So is kindness and peace....

Know someone who easily pushes your buttons? You’re absolutely fine until they just target a few words at you and bam, you're ticked off.

And do you find yourself revisiting the conversation and going back to feeling frustrated each time?! 

That ping-pong effect is something our physical, mental and emotional states get used to. And we find ourselves living away from our center, away from ease, peace and feeling angry, frustrated and unhappy.

There are three simple steps to get back to center. They are simple and effective:

STEP 1 - BREATHE

Breathing is the one bodily control we have that can affect EVERY system: respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, lymphatic, endocrine. Breathing gives the body a rhythm to live by. Do you want that rhythm to be slow and patient, or short and panicked? Allow yourself to pattern your breath to how you want to be in your life.

Breathing allows us to train ourselves to not react immediately to whatever is happening. There is time. You...

Most people have the idea in their heads that we are held upright by the bones in our structure. But without fascial tissue (fibrous connective tissue that holds structures of the body together) we'd be a helpless bone-filled heap on the floor.

Hard to do laundry that way.

We are supported, bound together, and held upright by the tensile strength of fascia. So it's probably a good thing to take care of it. 

Caring for and strengthening the net of tissue that connects so much of our body is just starting to become a clear and important part of physical training. Practices like tai chi, yoga, qigong, pilates, massage therapy, bodywork are all great practices for creating a strong system of connective tissue in the body. Bottom line: it prevents injury by increasing elasticity in the fascial body network.

So many injuries are the result of putting too much demand on tissue that isn't prepared for it. Luckily, connective tissue is amazingly adaptable, we're finding out. It changes...

Spring is telling.

It shows us if we allowed for Winter's stillness, listening, and absorbing.
From that Winter cultivation, Spring is the growth that naturally occurs.

When we've cultivated a rich foundation what comes through the earth from the stillness of winter grows because that's just what it does.

It feels like wonder. Like a curiosity that asks to be followed. It has no agenda, no expectations, no demanding result.

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"When winter months haven't cultivated stillness,
we tend to the smaller garden that spring."

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The growth that happens with the element of Spring is fortified by the rich soil we've planted it in.  But that growth and planning can get trapped in a voice that limits us.

Here are some examples:

-You quit your job! How stupid can you be? How are you going to pay bills next month?  

-You lowballed that offer on the house, you'll never have a home.

-Only you talk to your children in such an angry voice!...

So you're taking a walk down a beautiful path in the woods. The scent of the air is lightly touched by earth, by subtle blooms. It just feels clean. 

You notice a bright raspberry bush beside you and pause to pick a few. 

They are fresh, ripe and just the idea of this being in your mouth makes you feel part of this world in a much deeper way.

You notice movement and look up. A small, baby bear. It's almost unbelievable, this experience. Until you look up and notice the mother bear.

Your pupils dilate. Heart rate increases. Blood sugar (glucose) rises.  Blood pressure skyrockets. Cholesterol shoots out into the bloodstream to help white blood cells if clotting is needed. Brain activity heightens. Breath quickens and is shallow. Digestion is put on hold. Elimination immediate. The immune system backs off because all systems are focused on immediate healing.

This is what your body does when you're under stress! It's readying itself! What are you going to do? Run? Stay...