Author: kvanness01

Hi, I'm Karen Van Ness, founder of Resilient Edge Wellness, Best Breathing Exercises, and Mind-Body Resilience. If you're looking beyond conventional wellness, fitness or health coaching programs and wish to tap into the vibrant health and energy already within you - to overcome chronic pain or a frustrating health condition, increase your fitness and energy, overcome trauma or vicarious trauma, or better manage stress – then this is the place for you. My goal is to help my readers, clients and students become more resilient, healthier, and happier.

It’s Here Already!

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It’s here already.

Thanksgiving, I mean.

Is it just me or did the year seem to fly by?

This time of year is always a great time to discuss the magic of
gratitude. Because one of the most powerful things you can do to
improve your overall health and feeling of wellbeing is to cultivate
an attitude of gratitude.

Here are some thoughts on how you and I can apply this concept to our
breathing and our health.

This is a great time of year to express appreciation for the people,
things and events in your life.

As you take stock of all the good things that have happened to, and
for, you over the past year — and yes, there were good things, no
matter how poorly your year may have gone — you feel full of
positive energy. You feel expansive and happy.

The feeling of appreciation is probably the most profound you can
have. It’s actually a lot like love – a pure form of love.

You vibrate on a higher level. You feel more in harmony with the
world. You feel your energy skyrocket and you become less
self-centered and withdrawn.

When you suffer from any kind of chronic problem, whether it’s
health related, stress related, relationship problems, you name it
— you tend to get too wrapped up in yourself and your problems.

You view your world through the patina of pain, disappointment,
or frustration brought about by your present condition. Trouble is,
this does nothing to relieve you of your condition. In fact, it
just makes it worse.

To snap out of this negative cycle, you need to “get outside
of yourself”.

What I mean is, you need to focus your thoughts and feelings
outside of yourself and your personal problems, even if just
for a few minutes or hours.

And the easiest way to do this is to express appreciation.

The holiday season provides a perfect opportunity to do that.
In fact, it’s what Thanksgiving is all about…so what are you
waiting for?

Start to look outside yourself and your present problems or
frustrations. Count your blessings, both large and small.

Doing this can help get you into a very positive and relaxed
state of mind. It cancels out the negative energy you may be
feeling due to health problems, stress at work, stress about
the holidays, and so forth.

We’re staying in town this year – for the first time in several
year. So I’m looking forward to a nice long weekend and some
relaxed time with my family. And I’m grateful that we have
this opportunity to take a mini-vacation and share this
holiday time.

This same mechanism – of feeling gratitude for your blessings,
both great and small – is used in many techniques that combine
visualization with deep breathing. These techniques are used
to improve breathing capacity, counteract breathing disorders
such as asthma symptoms or attacks – even to control pain.

The visualizations may vary, but the goals are the same: to
(1) move your attention and focus away from your ailment;
(2) make your breathing fuller and freer; and
(3) energize and relax you.

It only takes a few minutes of thinking gracious thoughts to
begin to relax and free your breathing. ‘Tis the season —
take advantage and try it!

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. One of the best ways to achieve a relaxed, calm state and
focus on what’s important is through your breathing. In the
Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume I:
Invigorate and Rejuvenate, I teach you how to breathe completely
AND how to coordinate your breathing to simple but powerful
movements that spread energy effortlessly throughout your
entire body. To experience the sensation of being relaxed,
in rhythm, and in control, order your copy of program today.
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Staying Younger Ain’t So Hard

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In your previous tip, I discussed the importance of muscle mass in
determining your longevity and quality of life.

If you have good muscle mass, it’s an indication of a healthy
metabolism and enhanced anabolic capabilities to build up your body,
better handle stress, and rapidly and efficiently repair and rebuild
tissue – which means slower aging.

Building up your body’s anabolic capabilities and building up your
strength – through deep breathing, proper exercise, good nutrition,
and adequate rest – is one of the two major factors you control.

The other factor is mental: staying curious, always learning and
doing new things, and being enthusiastic. In other words, keeping
your inner child awake and alive, rather than buried under adult
pressures and responsibilities.

Recently, some amazing studies have been done which shed even
more light on the exercise and aging equation. These studies
indicate that it doesn’t take much, in terms of time or effort,
to slow the aging process and extend your life.

As an example, in 2009, the American College of Medicine and the
American Heart Association conducted a study on the relationship
between a walking-based exercise program and life expectancy.

Subjects who engaged in a program of moderate walking (30 minutes
a day, five days a week) found their risk of death decreased by
27 percent. In addition, the study found a significant reduction
in deaths from heart disease, as well as a somewhat lower
reduction in deaths from cancer.

Here’s another one for you: the famous Framingham Heart Study,
which has been in progress since 1948, tracked a group of adults
over decades to try to identify the common factors associated with
cardiovascular disease.

Among their findings was a distinct correlation between decreased
respiratory capacity and increased mortality.

In other words, if you stop moving, stop pushing yourself, stop
enhancing your breathing abilities and capacity…you can expect
to age quicker. AND you’ll be more likely to succumb to heart
disease or the other dis-eases of our time which are tied so
closely to lifestyle factors.

So….what does this mean to you?

Well, from my point of view, it’s pretty simple. Starting (or
maintaining) a well-rounded exercise program is one of the
smartest things you can do, if you are interested in living
longer AND having more life in those years.

Aerobic exercise is important for your heart and breathing
capacity. Resistance exercise is important for building muscle
mass and healthy bones that resist osteoporosis. Alternating
these two types of exercise on a daily basis is a great way to
fit exercise into your routine while providing some variety in
your training.

JUst as importantly: Breathing coupled with specific types of
movement and stretching is ideal for quickly and enjoyably
increasing your lung power and vital capacity, as well your
resistance to stress.

Greater lung power and capacity equals health and longevity!

This is one of the reasons I emphasize breathing and energy
exercises in my own health and fitness regimen, and recommend
it so heartily to you.

It’s an approach that is time-tested and proven.

In both Eastern and Western traditions, breathing in tandem
with specific types of exercise were considered a sure path to
enhanced health, wellness, and personal power. The Indians
and Chinese were to on this centuries ago. As were the ancient
Greeks.

To them, exercise was a tool used to harness even greater
potential than simply physical skills and benefits. If designed
properly, it can also be used to integrate your mind, body and
spirit, resulting in enhanced physical capabilities and health,
as well as a greater ability to focus on and enjoy your work
and your daily life.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The programs available at the Best Breathing Exercises
website will help you improve your breathing, your fitness and
your health — as well as bust through any limitations that 
current conditions or challenges may be placing on your life.
Visit http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com to learn more.
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

How to Stay Younger Longer

kvanness01

What is the biggest, most major, number one factor in determining
your longevity and quality of life?

According to research over the past 5 to 10 years, it’s your muscle
mass.

Your muscle mass is determined not only by the quantity and quality
of your physical activity. It’s also determined by your metabolism.

More than even your genetics, it’s your metabolism that determines
how quickly you age. Metabolism is the sum total of your body’s
processes of converting food and drink into energy for building up
your body, less the breaking down and getting rid of old cells and
waste products.

The greater your metabolic drive – that is, your body’s ability to
rapidly and efficiently repair and rebuild your tissue – the slower
your body ages.

Building up your body’s anabolic capabilities and building up your
strength – through deep breathing, proper exercise, good nutrition,
and adequate rest – is one of the two major factors you control.

The other factor is mental: staying curious, always learning and
doing new things, and being enthusiastic. In other words, keeping
your inner child awake and alive, rather than buried under adult
pressures and responsibilities.

You – yes, you! – have the power to make profound changes in your
body composition, mental clarity, vitality, and sense of personal
power.

In fact, from studies on identical twins, scientists have learned
that aging is about 35% genetics, and 65% how we live.

I remember a great example of this from one of my biology courses
in college. (I was a Psychology and Biology major, and have always
been fascinated by these subjects.)

The professor was discussing the fact that lifestyle and other
external factors, such as life events, have more influence on our
health and aging than do our genetics.

He held up two pictures of two different women. One looked like she
was old enough to be the other woman’s mother.

We were shocked when the professor told us that both women were
exactly the same age, born in the same month in the same year.

Wow!

As they get older, people tend to allow their level of physical
activity to decline. Or they may avoid activity altogether,
especially if faced with a health challenge.

Then they wonder why they feel so tired, stressed and worn out
all the time, with aching backs and joints. They have forgotten
that our bodies operate under the “move it or lose it” paradigm.

Cultivating energy through dynamic exercises…building and
maintaining muscle mass…and maintaining your range of motion,
particularly through the spine and core, are keys to ensuring
enduring vitality.

Not only will you slow the degenerative processes of aging. You
will also provide yourself with a higher quality of life.

Bottom line: if you haven’t already, begin today to take action to
build yourself up. You have more control than you think in how
well – or poorly – you age. Simple lifestyle choices can make all
the difference.

I’ll have more to share with you on this in coming tips.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Reduce Stress With Big Picture Thinking

kvanness01

What kind of approach do you take when it comes to stress in your
life?

Modern life comes with a lot more complexity, including a faster
rate of change and a more intertwined social and economic fabric
across the globe.

Not to mention, people feel like they are working harder and doing
more, with fewer resources. And this is no longer the exception. It
has become the standard in the corporate world.

Yes, increased complexity and demands can cause you to feel out of
control and even powerless when it comes to certain areas of your
life.

But I don’t think it has to be that way.

For one thing, you can take a look at your perception of these
changes and demands in your life.

You can also consider how you respond to them.

When you take a step back, are the things that you find most
stressful really such a huge deal in the big scheme of things?

And even for the stuff that is or seems important, are you reacting
too negatively to it? Versus seeing it as a game, and responding
to the challenge.

When it comes to what really matters in life, one of the most
helpful things you can do is to look at the big picture.

First, take a step back. Literally. Give yourself a little time
and space to think about this, and tap into your inner wisdom and
intuition.

Take a minute or so to focus on your breathing. Gradually lengthen
the cycles of your breathing. Calm down. Chill for a moment.

Notice how your feelings change, and how the built up tension in
your body begins to dissipate.

One of the side benefits to breathing consciously, in this way,
is that it forces you to “be in the moment”, at least for a few
minutes or so.

You stop thinking about what happened in the past, and you stop
fretting about what may happen in the future, or what you need to
get done by x hour or date.

You simply are.

Now, introduce into this the “Big Picture”. What is the big
picture of your life? What truly matters?

For an unfortunate, nevertheless inspiring, example of doing just
this, consider the people here in Central Texas who have had to
flee from their homes because of the crazy wildfires we have been
enduring.

As I noted in yesterday’s tip, over 1,600 homes have been destroyed
in our area. Thousands of families have been displaced. Most have
lost everything.

Despite this calamity, to a person, the people who have been
interviewed by news crews – even those who had been notified that
their homes had been lost – expressed tremendous gratitude that they
and their families had made it out without harm.

And they also expressed appreciation for the firefighters and other
first responders who have been valiantly battling the blazes.

Talk about focusing on the big picture.

At this moment, in the midst of their own personal and family
tragedy, the most important thing to them is that they are OK. They
are alive, they are healthy. And they will rebuild.

Hopefully, you and I won’t ever suffer such an acutely tragic event
in our own lives. But we can still be inspired by the attitude of
these people.

For example, consider a problem, stressor or irritation you are
currently grappling with. Think about whether this will even register
in your brain or in your life a month from now…or a year from now…or
five years from now.

If you do this honestly and objectively, you’ll soon find that most
of the stressors in your life are things that you won’t even remember
or think about a few months from now.

Let alone five years from now.

So erase these from your stress list. Promise  yourself that you will
no longer stress – or at least limit your stressing – about these
challenges.

Now you have a considerably smaller list of things that, hopefully,
are far more critical to what matters most: your health, your family
and friends, your ability to make a contribution, and your ability to
achieve satisfaction and happiness in your life.

So give yourself the luxury of a moment and a few deep breaths once
in awhile.

Use your breathing to get yourself into “Big Picture” mode as often as
you can, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

With time, you’ll find “Big Picture” thinking leaves you a lot less
stressed and irritated over the small stuff…and helps you focus on
and complete a lot more of the important stuff more easily and
effortlessly.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you’d like to learn more about how breathing and “Big
Picture” thinking can help you reduce and even transform stress,
please visit the Best Breathing Exercises website.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Wildfires in Texas

kvanness01

Whew! What a week it’s been here in Central Texas.

Wildfires seemingly everywhere. Hundreds and hundreds of homes
destroyed – literally incinerated. Thousands of families displaced,
not able to get back into their homes yet…or knowing there
is no home left to go back to.

And 30,000 plus acres of beautiful Bastrop State Park, home of the
awesome pine forests, gone up in smoke and ash.

And it ain’t over yet.

Even as fires are being controlled and most put out, new ones seem
to pop up each day. This is happening because of the extreme
drought we have been suffering since the end of last fall.

I am very thankful that my family, my neighborhood and my small
town of Lago Vista have not been impacted. Sunday through Tuesday,
we literally were surrounded by major fires on all sides of us.
Smoke and ash floated into our yards. The smoky smell and haze
floated about until yesterday.

But… we are safe. For now. And the town’s efforts are mobilized
toward collecting and delivering donated items desperately needed
by our fellow citizens who have been impacted by the fires.

You know, I write often about stress and how we can take steps
to not only manage it, but transform it — from something we may
see as a negative to something we come to see as a force for
good in our lives.

Often, half the battle is relaxing just a bit and taking a step
back from the daily hustle and bustle to consider what is really
important. To get a little clarity and perspective.

But I can tell you, even I, the typically calm one, was feeling
apprehensive for several days.

I think it was the sheer randomness of it all.

We all know how important it is to focus most of our psychic and
emotional energy on those things we can control….and worry
less (or not at all) about those things over which we have no
control.

But…I can tell you for myself, and from talking to neighbors
and friends here, we all were worried and concerned, precisely
because we had NO control.

Yes, we prepared by having “go bags” packed for us and our pets;
by having evacuation routes figured out; and by planning in
advance which items would get packed into the cars first if
we received an evacuation notice.

But even preparing like this was small comfort. Who knew where
next a fire would flame up and begin to rage out of control?

So, now I know how those folks in California feel. Now I have
experienced for myself our version of the infamous “Santa Ana
winds”, those warm winds blowing through the hills, turning small
flames into raging infernos.

And I’ve also experienced the resilience and action orientation
of my fellow townspeople and Texans. People have mobilized to
help. Comfort is being given. Families who have lost their homes
thank god they and their loved ones came out unhurt and vow to
rebuild.

Gotta go. I’m off to drop off some supplies to one of the
donation collection spots in town. It’s the least I can do.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

“Beat the Heat”

kvanness01

Whew! What a furnace out there!

Here in Central Texas we have had a long, hot, brutal summer.

A severe drought has evaporated our beautiful lake into a small
river. I think we’re on day 67 (or some ridiculously high number)
of 100-plus degree days. As in 107, 108, 109 as our daily highs.

To top it off, everyone I know is having major allergy problems.
Seems the air is so hot and dry that any little thing like molds
or pollen that may be out there is causing even more problems
than usual.

Many hardy souls – including yours truly – continue to soldier on
through the heat. We are determined to go to the park and play
with our kids outside. We continue to do our daily runs and walks.

But – we are also trying to be smart about it.

For me, this means playing or exercising outdoors has to occur in
the morning. Afternoon and evenings are just too tough.

It also means that anyone spending any amount of time outside needs
to be realistic about the intensity and duration of their workouts.
Shorter and less intense is mandatory to avoid heat exhaustion.

To “beat the heat” (which is a bunch of BS really, you can’t
actually beat the heat, you have to accommodate it), you should
ensure you are adequately hydrated. Drink water, juices, decaf
teas, etc., all day long.

Here’s the other substance you should pay attention to: salt.

Salt consumption is surrounded by controversy and differing
opinions within the health and medical industries.

It’s well-known that over-consumption of salt can lead to high
blood pressure and increased chances of heart disease. Problem
is, most of the research on salt has been done on refined salt,
not on natural, unprocessed sea salt.

I think salt gets a bad rap.

Besides improving the taste of your food, here are just a few of
the things salt does for you:

-Aids in balancing blood sugar

-Aids in preventing muscle cramps

-Clears the lungs of mucus plugs and phlegm

-It’s a strong anti-histamine

-It helps maintain the structure of your bones.

Of course, if you eat a lot of processed foods, or salt your foods
with regular table salt, then you need to watch your consumption.
Regular salt has chemicals such as aluminum and acetate added
during the refining process.

I highly recommend you switch to a natural sea salt, such as
Celtic Sea Salt. Trader Joe’s also sells a good natural product.
Natural sea salts are dried in the sun and retain the iodine
content from the sea (versus refined salt, where the iodine has
to be added back in). Sea salt also contains many trace minerals
that are beneficial to your body.

In hot weather, you should (of course!) drink a lot more filtered
water throughout the day, even if you’re not that thirsty. Stay
ahead of your thirst. If you are thirsty, you are already
dehydrated. The heat causes you to sweat more, whether you
exercise or not. And you lose a lot of minerals through sweating.

Try adding a pinch of sea salt to your water. It will help
replenish and refresh you better than water alone. It can also
help restore your energy levels, especially if you have been
exercising.

You know, there are a lot of foods that get a bad rap…that
conventional “wisdom” says are bad for you. (I hammer on some of
these misconceptions about food and dieting in the “Fire Up Your
Metabolism” Program.)

We have all been mislead and sold a bill of goods when it comes
to eating in a way that supports our health, wellbeing and energy
levels.

The truth is, you don’t have to deprive yourself and feel lousy
all the time to boost your body’s natural fat burning, muscle
building mechanisms.

Imagine that: you can actually eat “real food”, enjoy yourself,
and feel and look great.

But I digress…

So, get out there and work out, even in this heat. Just be sure
to time your workout during the morning or late evening hours;
pace yourself while exercising; drink lots of water; and add a
little extra salt to your food.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Put Yourself in Time Out

kvanness01

That’s right. I’m not talking about that staple of parenting:
putting your kids into Time Out.

I’m telling you to put yourself into Time Out.

But first, let’s talk about your state.

What state are you currently in? Not where you live. How do you
feel?

Right now, I feel pretty good – BUT – mildy irritated. A call that
was supposed to start at 2pm was moved – after the 2pm start time,
mind you – to 2:30pm. Now I just got an email that it may be
moved again.

To top it off, it’s not a call I typically enjoy. So having to
accommodate to the change in schedule is even less appealing.

Hey, I got things to do and places to be! I had my afternoon all
mapped out in terms of what I wanted to work on – including this
email to you. And now I have to “recalculate”, as my GPS system
sometimes tells me when I am driving.

Most of the time, you are either in a positive state or a negative
state. There’s rarely any neutral time in your life. Unfotunately,
many people report being in a negative state the majority of the
time.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the stress and pressure of your
day. You may start the day with great plans and positive
expectations. But invariably “stuff” pops up that takes you out
of that “constructive” mindset.

That “stuff” may derail your plans for the day. So you planned on
eating a healthy lunch. But that noon meeting was scheduled at
the last minute. So you grabbed something quick or – worse yet –
ate something out of the vending machine. (Been there, done that!)

Or you planned on working out after work. But the babysitter is
sick, so you have to be home with the kids.

It’s easy to get frustrated when these things happen. It’s hard
enough sticking to a nutrition plan, or an exercise program, as
it is. When life throws in all of these extra obstacles, it can
make achieving your goals seem quite daunting, if not impossible.

Well, I don’t have the magic answer that will make all those
obstacles, energy depleters and time wasters go away.

But I do have a suggestion for how you can “take back” most or
all of your energy and focus.

The quickest, easiest way is to take a Time Out – yes, put
yourself in Time Out – and practice a few minutes of deep
breathing.

Doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just sit (or stand) and
gradually slow and deepen your breathing.

At the same time, focus your thoughts internally, on how you are
feeling.

You can actually breathe into the stress and tension by breathing
into the tight spots in your body.

As you breathe into these tight spots, imagine that every breath
is chipping away or unlocking them, piece by piece. Every
inhalation is surrounding them. Every exhalation is releasing
them or carrying pieces of them away.

Just a few minutes of this type of breathing and visualization
will naturally relax you. It will help you focus more positively
and constructively on what is really important in life.

And it can help short circuit any destructive behaviors. Like
eating a candy bar instead of something more healthy because
you’re stressed out. Or yelling at the kids because you’re cranky
because you missed your workout. Or letting you blood pressure
and heart rate elevate because you choose to be angry and
frustrated.

Again, this is no panacea. And it’s not always going to work
100 percent of the time.

But it’s a lot more pleasurable than the alternatives. And it
helps you assert control over your life and your behavior in a
very powerful and intelligent way.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Whether you want to improve your energy levels…enhance
your ability to manage stress…or you really want to lose
weight and finally stick with a healthy nutrition and fitness
program….

An effective strategy is to center and focus with the help of
deep breathing. Best Breathing Exercises programs can help you
do just that.

Copyright

, Karen Van Ness, 2011

The Case For Mindfulness

kvanness01

I was driving around yesterday, running some errands. I realized
at one point that I had totally zoned out.

You know how it is when you are in the car, perhaps listening to
some good music, and you get completely tranced out.

Before you know it, you are five miles down the road and don’t
remember one bit about your trip.

This was brought to my attention by none other than my son, Miguel.

He notices everything. He often sees something that I have not
attended to, then asks me questions about it. of course, this
compels me to respond and pay better attention.

The adult is tranced out, while the child is totally excited and
immersed in the world around him.

Hmmmm….I think Miguel is trying to teach me something.

Not that it’s wrong to daydream or lose yourself in your thoughts.
Quite often, you are working out problems and coming up with
solutions to challenges during these ruminative periods.

But there’s a lot to be said for mindfulness as well.

For example, I believe that the more focus and concentration you
put into your workout – whether it’s breathing exercises, or
cardio, or lifting weights, or yoga – the better the results you
will achieve.

If, as you exercise, you think about the beautiful physique you
are sculpting, or the high levels of energy and health you are
developing, or your increased ability to handle challenges and
manage stress…well, not only will you enjoy your workout more.
You will also create a positive energy that will stay with you
after your workout.

And you will truly feel your body as you put it through its paces.
This body awareness, this sense of self, is very empowering.

One of the reasons I admire the Japanese is because they practice
mindfulness as part of their daily lives.

Let’s take something as simple as a cup of tea.

Here’s my method: boil the water as I do something else. Let the
tea steep for five minutes as I do something else. Drink the tea
as I read or work or watch TV. Finish it within five minutes
and move on to something else.

Contrast this with the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Everything is choreographed down to the smallest detail. The host
and the guest each have a role. Nothing is hurried.

The participants enjoy the delicious tea. And they benefit from
this wonderfully tranquil and uplifting respite from their hectic
lives.

See if you can create these wonderful moments of total attention
and mindfulness for yourself. Totally focus on the activity of
your choice – whether it’s drinking a cup of tea, or reading a
good book, or exercising.

I think you’ll find these moments will add to your appreciation
for, and enjoyment of, life.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Would you like to improve your energy levels…better
manage and even transform stress…or “finally” lose the weight
you’ve been trying to take off?

Your best strategy is to begin by getting centered and focused
with the power of deep breathing. The Best Breathing Exercises
programs can help you do just that. For more information on the
program that could be just right for you, visit
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Psychology Over Mechanics

kvanness01

Recently we enrolled our son Miguel, who just turned 7, in
tae kwon do classes.

He’s excited and enthusiastic. And I’m quite proud, since one of
my life-long loves and passions has been martial arts. A chip off
the old block, as they say!

Miguel in his fighting stance, ready for action. How's that for enthusiasm?
Miguel in his fighting stance, ready for action. How's that for enthusiasm?

One of the most important lessons we are seeking to teach Miguel,
with his TKD lessons as well as with his other activities, such
as soccer, is the importance of showing up.

You’ve heard that saying, “Ninety percent of success in life is
just showing up”.

It’s attributed to Woody Allen, and I believe he actually said
50 percent. People grabbed hold of the thought and embellished
a little.

But he has a great point. It’s true that, very often, we avoid,
dismiss, or shy away from the meetings, classes, events and so
forth that could really make a difference in our lives.

Could be that we think we are too busy. Or we are intimidated or
afraid. Or we are not ready or willing to make the commitment
required.

I know the feeling well. There have been plenty of times over the
years when I didn’t feel like participating in a meeting. I knew
it would be boring, would go on for too long, and might not
achieve any sort of resolution.

But I went anyways, because I knew I might have one piece of
information that could move things forward, or get others thinking.
Or I could add moral support to someone else’s position. Or I
might make a new contact that would prove to be beneficial.

Same thing happens when it comes to your efforts to improve your
fitness or health, lose weight, or better manage the stress in your
life.

You may avoid doing anything because you are afraid of “showing up”.

You are not yet ready to make the commitment to follow through –
to be an active participant and put forth your best effort into
getting better.

Well, when you find yourself hiding or retreating from the
meetings, the classes, the workouts…or from getting the
information and programs you need…or from making the lifestyle
changes that could really move you forward….think about what
Woody had to say.

Just show up. Attend that meeting or class. Do that workout. Order
that book or program. Make a few simple changes to your diet.

Don’t put excess pressure on yourself. And don’t expect perfection.

Guess what: you don’t have to be perfect. In fact, you don’t even
have to be that good to begin reaping the benefits.

For example, Miguel isn’t that good yet. Although he and I have
“trained” together and I’ve shown him some basic stuff, in truth
he is just startigng out. He has a lot to learn.

BUT — he’s enthusiastic. If he shows up regularly for classes,
if he focuses and participates during class, and if he practices
a little each day outside of class…the sky’s the limit!

The truth is, all achievement, all self-development rests on a
very basic principle: “Psychology is 80 percent, mechanics is
20 percent.”

The mindset and attitude that you bring into the endeavour is far
more crucial to its outcome than the specific skills or knowledge
you bring.

Holding positive expectancy firmly in place can help accelerate
your efforts, especially when it comes to the major challenges
that so many of us face, like improving our breathing, losing
weight, better managing our busy lives, or regaining that vital
energy we used to have.

I’ve seen it time and again when working directly with clients
and students.

The ones who are positive and excited get the best results. They
improve their breathing. They reduce their levels of stress. They
lose weight (or gain weight if that is their goal). They feel
energetic and alive again. They begin achieving major goals in
other important areas of their lives.

AND — they enjoy the process.

The ones who are negative or feel like they are being imposed
upon do not get as good results – even if they are already in
better shape to begin with.

And they are the ones I very quickly cut loose. I have better
things to do, and other people to help.

I’ll leave you with some words of wisdom by Norman Cousins, from
“Head First: The Biology of Hope” (1989):

“Hope, purpose, and determination are not merely mental states.
They have electrochemical connections that play a large part in
the workings of the immune system and, indeed, in the entire
economy of the total human organism….

“The modern physician, therefore, will prescribe not just out of
the pharmacy or his little black bag, but out of the magnificent
apothecary that is the human brain, which can activate and
potentiate the healing system.

“The rosters of emotion are hope, faith, love, will to live,
festivity, playfulness, purpose, and determination. These are
powerful biochemical prescriptions.”

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Save Yourself From the Scrap Heap

kvanness01

“Many men and women go to the human scrap heap….They have not
known just how to pump the human bellows – the lungs; get energy
out of every ounce of fuel, keep their arteries and veins clean,
kidneys and liver from being poisoned.”

That’s a quote from an old book on breathing.

Even in the “old days”, when the importance of breathing for good
health was more widely accepted, the doctor who wrote this book
felt compelled to do so. He was concerned about the diseases and
conditions he observed in his patients, as well as the people
around him.

Today, it seems like we are even more removed from the natural
healing and invigorating results of proper breathing.

I think a lot of this has to do with the advent of modern medicine
and all the wonderful medications and drugs that have been
developed.

Coming down with a cold? First action for many people is to take
medicine to help tamp down the symptoms.

Got a headache? Take two aspirin, or extra strength this or that.

There’s even a headache product you roll on your forehead, like
deodorant. Not sure how it works, but the commercials sure are
funny.

I’m very grateful for the wonder drugs and medicines that help
relieve our illnesses, whether acute or chronic. They have
reduced much suffering and helped alleviate much pain and
discomfort. But they have also caused us to forget about our own
natural instincts and intuitions..to move away from more natural
methods of handling illness and pain.

They tend to make us focus on the symptoms, and treat those,
rather than determine the cause of the symptoms and truly get
to the root of the problem.

If you have headaches on a regular basis, taking aspirin or
Tylenol may help you get through your day. But you better be
concerned about what is causing those headaches, and what you
can do to prevent them.

One chronic illness that hits home with me is asthma. When I was
first diagnosed, I was totally into the “give me medicine, and
more medicine, until this thing is controlled”. Problem was,
the more medicines I took, the worse my health became.

Mortality rates from asthma are increasing in modern times,
compared to times when they did not have asthma medications.

Why is that?

Given all the fancy medicines used to treat asthma, shouldn’t
mortality rates be declining? What did the oldtimers know, and
do, that we don’t?

One thing they knew about was the importance of deep breathing,
and regularly practicing proper breathing and getting lots of
fresh air.

As a (former) asthma sufferer, I made it my mission to find a
better way to overcome my asthma and get healthy again. That
initially self-centered motivation to gain back my health and
energy lead me to learning more and more about the power of
our breath. I placed more focus in my own training on breathing
and energy disciplines.

And I began to share my knowledge and experience with hundreds –
actually at this point, thousands – of others who, like you,
also want to improve their health, energy and sense
of control.

Seems simple, but it’s true: you can live longer and live better
by knowing how to breathe properly.

Learning – and regularly performing – proper breathing is almost
an art in itself. But it’s actually not hard to do.

It just takes a little time and patience. But I encourage you
to take the time to breathe. It’s time well invested.

As the good doctor said, “Save yourself from the scrap heap!”

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Get a crash course in proper breathing and how to breathe
completely and fully with the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy
Exercise Course, volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate.
Invest just a few minutes of your time and you will feel relaxed,
rejuvenated, more calm and in control.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011