The Daily Mind

Daily Steps To Mindful Living

wellbeing

The power of kindness

Inspiration, Life

We all know that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you do someone a good turn. Whether it’s helping an old lady across the road or helping someone to pick up the shopping they’ve dropped. That’s the power of kindness.

Apparently, according to research, being kind does much more than give you that warm, fuzzy feeling – it actually benefits your health and wellbeing. Indeed, according to the results of a US study of 3,296 people, 95% of those studied reported feeling good when they helped someone, whereas 21% actually felt euphoric.

This is often referred to as the “helpers high”. This is because the brain releases serotonin – the body’s feelgood hormone – when we do something kind for others. This lifts our mood and makes us feel more positive and optimistic. Perhaps being kind could become addictive!

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Originally posted on August 24, 2012 @ 7:14 pm

5 foods to boost your mood

Home, Life, Recipes

I’ve been working to a pretty tight deadline this week, which has meant several long days at my desk. It’s been pretty tiring work and I must confess that I’ve been reaching for the coffee pot and the biscuit tin one too many times.

I’ve noticed that my intake of sugary, caffeine-filled foods and drinks has been making me feel jittery and on edge. I’m also pretty tired and struggling to focus. I’ve therefore decided to give my diet an overhaul and do a bit of research into foods which are said to help boost your mood naturally. I hope you and I will both benefit from what I’ve learned.

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Originally posted on July 24, 2012 @ 2:18 pm

Boost your mind, body and spirit

Body, Inspiration, Meditation, Mind, Personal Growth, Spirit

Sometimes the pressures of life can take their toll on our minds and bodies, leaving us exhausted, depressed and lacking in energy. Here’s how to give your mind, body and spirit a lift.

Mind
Make sure you start every day on a positive note. Instead of reading the papers or watching the news which, let’s face it, generally leaves you feeling pretty miserable, read a book that inspires you instead. You can catch up on the news later in the day, but make sure the first thing you read leaves you feeling uplifted.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Anders.Bachmann
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Originally posted on February 17, 2012 @ 10:33 am

Is there a link between our emotions and physical pain?

Mental Health, Mind

When we think about pain, it is generally to do with the physical causes – such as an injury caused through a fall, or a headache caused by staring at a computer for too long. But how often do we consider the fact that there could be an emotional reason for our ailments?

There is a growing belief among complementary therapists that our emotional state can often hold the key to the pains or illnesses we suffer from, and this is a topic I’m going to explore in this blog post. [Read more…] about Is there a link between our emotions and physical pain?

Originally posted on January 28, 2012 @ 8:14 pm

How to use the power of positive affirmations

Inspiration, Mental Health, Mind, Personal Growth, Spirit

Since recently coming back from my travels around south east Asia, I’ve been feeling a bit unfocused and unsure of what the future holds. In order to tackle this, I’ve started practising positive affirmations; something I’ve always found useful in focusing my mind and combating any negative thoughts that creep in. So, for this blog post, I’m going to talk about affirmations: what are they, why should we practise them and how can they help us?

A thinking Man
Creative Commons License photo credit: Klafkid

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Originally posted on January 18, 2012 @ 11:40 am

How to fight fatigue naturally

Body, Natural Medicine

Every day you can guarantee that around 3pm my eyes will start to droop and I’ll struggle to stay awake at my desk – that’s when the dreaded afternoon slump kicks in. It’s so tempting to reach for a cup of coffee or a chocolate bar, but these can play havoc with the body’s blood sugar levels.

So, for this particular blog post I thought I’d suggest some of my favourite natural pick-me-ups to help you get through the daily grind still feeling fresh and raring to go.

Enjoying the Park
Creative Commons License photo credit: JPott

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Originally posted on December 15, 2011 @ 8:24 am