Go Hug A Tree!

Have you ever felt disconnected from the world and even the people you love? We are surrounded by machines but we are creatures who need to interact with one another. A machine cannot give us the warmth that we crave. Touch is such an essential part of the human experience. It is restorative and it connects you to other people. Hugs are fantastic! Find someone to hug! Smile. Take a moment and do something silly.

Your body craves to touch the earth, to smell the air, to feel the wind. We are inside so much of the time! Whether I want to or not I have to spend time outside at least twice a day so that my dogs can do their business. It doesn't matter how cold or hot, wet or dry the weather is because we are going to take a walk one way or another. I've learned to embrace those moments as my time to convene with nature. I look at the sky, the moon, the stars and in the morning the dew on the grass, the deer grazing and my dogs sniffing everything possible!

Another thing I try to do is actually touch the earth. When I stand near a tree I make sure to gently place my hand on it and connect with its energy. Everything is made of energy and you can feel it if you just clear your mind and allow the connection to unfold. There are a lot of unkind phrases for people who revere nature so much but there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking your shoes off and feeling the mud on your toes. In fact, it has now been scientifically proven that hugging a tree is good for you!!! Shocking? Not really! We have so much in common with trees, plants, insects and animals so that is why we must share this vast earth together.

I'm a big advocate of taking even a few minutes a day to be outside. This time you should get out there and hug a tree, speak to a plant or a bird, marvel in the colors around you and touch nature!

For more information on tree hugging check out the article below.

http://www.themindunleashed.org/2013/07/tree-hugging-now-scientifically.html

Stay True

Working in a diverse environment can provide for an alluring flow of knowledge and energy. Everyone comes from various backgrounds and experiences. They have so much to offer one another if they are willing to do so. There are a few complications in this realm because it’s always wise to keep personal and business separate as it can lead to various issues. My philosophy is to go in to work with kindness and the willingness to do my best. Keep your personal problems in your personal realm. I would never take out my bad mood from some personal situation on a co-worker. Sadly, I know many people that do in fact take out their aggression on unsuspecting coworkers.

In fact, I was one of those unsuspecting co-workers at one point. I came in early one morning and was grabbing some water, internally repeating my mantra and preparing for a great day at work. A fellow coworker walked in and I greeted her with a cheerful hello expecting a similar response. Instead, she blew up on me and cursed me out. I stood there in shock for a few moments and searched her face for an answer. All I saw was anger and frustration. So I said “excuse me?” in a genuinely confused voice and she repeated her tirade. I took one look at her and abruptly walked away. I was not going to engage in her vile attitude and I decided to simply go back to my desk.

Several hours later I heard that she had had a very bad evening and I was the first person she saw in the morning. I was the unfortunate individual that she took all of her emotions out on from the night before. The reason that I decided not to engage in her unprofessional behavior was because I did not want to meet anger with anger. Not only that but I was not going to allow her behavior to alter my attitude. I was in a great mood and nobody was going to disturb that!

She eventually apologized but the issue with this young woman was that she had a history of unprofessional dialogue at work and she was very negative. I pulled myself away from her path and ensured that her energy would not touch me. I have no hard feelings for her unwarranted attack.

The lesson that I learned was that because of the diversity in the work place; we must learn to adjust and sometimes even move away from individuals who don’t share our values. I don’t mean religious or political ideology. I believe in spreading happiness and knowledge at work instead of negativity and hate. Some people do not and when I interact with those people I am careful that they do not damage my state of mind. It is certainly easy to fall in to the trap when everyone around you is miserable or complaining. My suggestion is to get up from your seat every hour and take a few minutes to stretch, breathe and remind yourself why you are doing the work that you do.

Remember that NO one has the power to change who you are and who you want to be EXCEPT for you!