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Browse every published article connected to Elizabeth Scala, with exact attribution and full-archive search.
Articles
Browse every published article connected to Elizabeth Scala, or search within this exact expert archive.
In my work around healthy balance, I teach a process that helps you figure out which areas of your life that you spend a lot of time in AND discover aspects that are getting a little less attention. One of these steps in this seven step process asks you to examine which areas you are feeling pulled to, drawn to.
Jon Kabat-Zinn has been coined the founder of modern mindfulness. He actually has a center and program with which he shares this information as it relates to health and well-being. It is a dream of mine to go to Massachusetts and study in one of his programs. To me, mindfulness means being fully present in the moment. It means not worrying about the past or planning the future. It means being focused and concentrated in the here and now. Now, how wonderful would that be if as nurses we could work in that way all of the time?!
When you hear the phrase “create a healthy body for myself”, what do you immediately think of? Weight loss. You may begin to wonder, “What kinds of diets will I have to do? How much exercise is this going to take? I’ve tried to lose weight before… it feels like a roller coaster ride to me…”
Let’s get moving and shaking! Now I’m well aware- you may have some quick objections to exercise. “I don’t have time for it. I hate the gym. I’m not athletic. I can’t stand to get sweaty.” I get it. I hear you. (I have some myself!) In fact, formal exercise may not be for everyone. But guess what? You need to get moving- in some shape, style or form. We all do.
What words are shaping your experiences? I was sitting at my desk around mid-day; my eyes feeling tired. I decided to walk away from the computer and get a drink of water. As I was standing at cooler filling up my jug, I overheard a shocking statement. A woman in another cubicle blurted out: “I’d estimate I have about 15 years left on this earth and that’s about it…” I hope my face didn’t show my surprise as I finished filling up my water bottle and walked away.
Have you ever been in a “food rut?” You eat the same thing every single day for lunch; salad, sandwich, and a piece of fruit. You love this lunch. It is easy to make, quick to prepare, and simple to bring to work. It can be stored safely in a jam-packed staff refrigerator. By bringing your meal you are less tempted to buy fast food or eat something unhealthy. So you make the healthy choice and, most of the time, really do enjoy a salad and a sandwich.
As I was driving home through the city today I was distracted by all of the commotion outside of my car. Tractor trailers were banging and clanging quickly past me. On the sidewalk, construction workers were shouting to one another, finishing up the day's work. Loud noise, such as radios and car horns, was invading my quiet space. My thoughts were scattered and I was having a hard time concentrating on one thing at a time. My mind was racing from topic to topic thinking of all the things I had to get accomplished. And then I realized; it all reminded me of a busy day at work!
I’m so excited to share a topic I enjoy so much: feeling the benefits of our efforts. Think about your work for a moment. How do you feel when you get through a task? Let’s say you have a huge deadline approaching. So your unit has been prepping and prepping… and prepping…
One thing that I love doing with family, especially with my sister, is laughing. I mean- belly clenching, tears rolling, sides hurting- laughter. She and I can just giggle and giggle for hours. In fact, we used to get “in trouble” for it when we were supposed to be in bed!
I used to want to control everything. I wanted smooth work days, timely appointments, and conversations that ended with my opinions as outcomes. I would get frustrated with co-workers who didn't see things my way. I'd get angry when people were late or meetings delayed. I'd feel uncomfortable and unhappy when things didn't turn out as I had planned; especially at work.r
Let’s see if today we can describe and discuss the term “consciousness”. There is a plethora of information out there pertaining to this concept. These types of concepts are ones that I can write about- but ones that you must investigate further and experience on your own (if you are interested in them) as I can only share from my experience, as each of us lives from our own experience and observation.
“The unaware life is not worth living” –Socrates. This month I aim to write to the theme “awareness”. What a task! “Awareness” in and of itself is often interchanged with numerous terms: consciousness, mindfulness, and/or presence. Even as I sat down today to write about what these terms mean, I realize there is so much to say… more so tha I can write in just this one article.
Health and career is related. Your level of job enjoyment impacts your overall well-being. Ever noticed how your body is linked to your profession? Have you ever paused to check in to see how you “feel” about your job? And when I say feel… I don’t mean what you think of your job. I mean how you feel. So let’s leave the ‘thoughts’ behind for a moment. When you call to mind your ‘work’ what happens in your body? What do you notice, sense, or feel? Do things tense up? Notice any aches or pains? Are you loose and relaxed?