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You are safe and loved.
Published January 9, 2012 | 
What made you feel safe and loved as a young child at bedtime?
Was it your soft fuzzy “blankie”?
Perhaps your mom or dad reading you a bedtime story, saying your prayers with you, and tucking you in?
As you get ready to go to bed tonight, I invite you to think back to a time when you felt safe and loved. If you were afraid, loving arms were there to hold you. When you were cold, blankets and a teddy bear or raggedy ann doll were there to cuddle.
You are still that child deep inside. You are still safe and loved.
Goodnight.
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A gentle day of yoga for the day after Christmas
Published December 26, 2011 | 
I have been feeling the need to stretch. There has been family in town, dinners to cook, meals eaten out, and lot’s of yummy sweet treats to indulge in.
Great parties, wonderful family gatherings- but work outs at the gym have not been the top priority this week.
I need to stretch. Gentle stretching when I can steal a few moments here and there does a body good.
Today, I was fortunate enough to attend a yoga class at my gym. My father who is visiting us out of town asked if we could work out. I said sure!
I had forgotten there was a noon yoga class offered on this day. This was a substitute instructor. I did not even get his name.
From the moment I laid my mat down I was glad I was there.
Peace. A break.
For the next 55 minutes this lovely young man led us through a very gentle session of breathing and basic poses. I appreciated the easy pace. I was
not ready for anything too strenuous today.
At the end of the class the lights were dimmed. We were asked
“what do you really want for the new year?”
We closed our eyes and lay there in corpse pose and meditation for quite sometime.
Before parting company, our teacher said one more thing:
“If something you want is not in your life or you have something in your life that you do not want, it is better to do nothing rather than to continue to do what you have been doing”.
Something to think about…
In peace,
Debra
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STOP
Published December 23, 2011 | 
Once in a while during the busy-ness of this holiday season, remember to stop.
Stop and BE
Stop and SEE
Stop and LISTEN
Have a very blesed day.
Debra
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Posted in Meditations, Spirituality, stress | 
be in the now, busy holidays, rest, stop | 
Leave a commentPutting stress to rest so that we can get our rest at night.
Published October 27, 2011 | 
Stress is one of the leading causes of losing sleep at night. We aim for a restful night of sleep here at The Warm Milk Journal. It is time to put Stress to rest!
Three main sources of stress:
1. Job
2. Family
3. Health
In your journal this evening (or morning), write down anything that is causing you stress right now. There is a very good chance that it will be one of the three sources listed above: job, family, and health.
Once you pinpoint some areas in your life that are causing you stress, put down your journal and close your eyes and breathe.
Continue to breath, be still, quiet… just be with yourself a while.
Now, open your eyes and your journal and write down anything that comes to mind.
Some questions I ask myself when I do this exercise that are helpful are:
1. Is this something that will really matter tomorrow, next week, next year, or five years from now?
2. What if I were to remind myself of the fact that “this too shall pass”? All things good or bad will pass. This will too in due time.
3. What action steps can I take now to deal with ______ ?
4. When dealing with family issues, what is more important: to be right or to make love be my guiding principle and have peace and harmony in my home?
5. When dealing with something very large, sometimes I just have to ask myself: “Have I done everything I can do?”. If yes, then I truly may just have to focus on my faith and “let go and let God”
Other things that really help with stress?
Take a walk/bike ride/ jog around the block a few times (I have a great music playlist on my Ipod shuffle for this purpose)
Watch a funny movie with loved ones.
Be in the now and appreciate what you have all around you NOW.
In peace,
Debra
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Posted in Breathing exercise, Depression, Family life, Getting a good night sleep, Happiness, insomnia, journal writing, Meditations, Positive living, stress, The Warm Milk Journal, Tips to help insomnia, worry | acceptance, action steps, journal writing to relieve stress, meditation, peace, sources of stress, stress causing insomnia | 2 CommentsWhen your to do list seems overwhelmingly long… a healthy perspective
Published October 3, 2011 | 
You have an active full life. You have many things to do, people whom you are responsible to, duties as a spouse, parent, employee, and business owner…
You have dreams and aspirations. You are ambitious and working hard to create the life of your dreams…
CONGRATULATIONS! You have an incredibly rich and full life!
Does this rich and full life leave you feeling overwhelmed at times?
Do you ever feel like you can’t possibly get it all done?
Do you feel pressure? (from others, society, and especially from yourself)?
I am going to ask something of you right now: TURN IT OFF
Yes, turn the shoulds, and must dos, and everything on you never ending list and inbox on off.
Unplug for a few minutes, please…..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay,
now…. soften or darken the room a bit if this is night time for you. Light a few candles. Even if it is daylight, just close your eyes for a minute and breathe. If the weather is nice sit outside. Be still.
Keep focusing on your breathing.
Don’t think about anything. If your mind wants to start thinking about something, stare into the candle flame or close your eyes and imagine fluffy white clouds in the sky gently floating by. Those are your thoughts. They come. They go. Let them sail on by. That’s right… goodbye thoughts.
When you have been still for a while you may open your eyes.
I will close this post with a few parting ideas:
1. You are magnificent. If you were not, you would not have such a rich life.
2. Life will not stop happening if you don’t get everything done today. Lighten up a bit. Yes, you are doing and creating important things for yourself and the fortunate people around you… it’s all about the pacing though… you won’t be much good to anybody (especially to yourself) if you are exhausted and burned out. Let up a bit. Be at your ease…. things will happen and be accomplished at your ease.. (the alternative is at your dis-ease and you or nobody around you needs or wants that!).
3. The universe abhors a vacuum. If you let up a bit you will create space for great things to come to you.
4. Give your body and mind and spirit a chance to recharge and renew: take that walk, take that bath, turn the computer off, the work you brought home from the office? Bless it and go about your business of life.
I truly believe that whatever our jobs are: whether we are business owners, teachers, corporate employees, homemakers and stay at home parents…. we will do our jobs better if we permit ourselves to HAVE A LIFE. yes, that is right: have a life!
I encourage you to not fall into that trap of feeling like you have to work all the time. That kind of workaholism ethic will only deplete and drain you.
The alternative?
- the candle
- the music that wants you to turn it on
-the bath that beckons
-the spouse or lover that awaits you with tender arms
-that juicy novel that has been sitting patiently near your bedside while you are checking your emails…
In other words, your LIFE is waiting for you.
In peace,
Debra
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An easy technique to stop your monkey mind
Published October 1, 2011 | 
When your mind is spinning on stuff, worrying about the bills or the to do lists or just thinking about stupid things, it is hard to have much peace.
Here is a simple technique to do to stop the monkey mind.
When you find your mind is controlling you, take back control by simply stating: “I Am consciousness”.
It might take a few times to get used to saying it but this statement will effectively stop your mind. It immediately gets you in the now and more present.
Write it down a few times in your journal.
I Am consciousness.
Breathe. Be still for a few moments. Just BE
I have been experimenting with this technique for the last two days and it really works! Try using it right as you are drifting off to sleep too.
In peace,
Debra
Resource: The Power of Decision by Raymond Charles Barker
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Focusing on our power with the help of the moon: a meditation and journal writing exercise
Published September 13, 2011 | 
Confidence.
Take no prisoner attitude-
You are enough. Believe it. Own it.
I truly believe that believing in ourselves and loving ourselves is the best cure and medicine for anxiety.
Tonight, I invite you during your meditation and journal writing time to focus on your strengths and your power.
Close your eyes and get silent. Breathe. It is a full moon time so harness that energy. Think of the moon light shining on you. Breathe.
Be in that special space for as long as you wish. Don’t think. Empty your cup and bask in that wondrous moonlight.
When you are ready to, open your eyes.
Here are a few journal prompts for your journal writing…
1. What are your strengths?
2. What makes you feel strong?
3. When people compliment you what do they compliment you about?
4. What thoughts put spring in your step?
5. Are there any times when you feel like you are giving your power away? (to circumstance or other people for instance)?
A blessed evening to you,
Debra
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Posted in Affirmations, anxiety, Benefits of Journal Writing, Breathing exercise, Journal Prompts, journal writing, Meditations, Positive living, Self-empowerment, Visualization | confidence, focus on our strengths, full moon, journal writing, journal writing prompts, meditation, moonlight, our power, power of the moon, what do people compliment you on | 6 CommentsLetting go with Indigo, a simple meditation technique
Published September 10, 2011 | 
Five years ago, I was really working on getting a handle on my anxiety. I learned about meditation which helped me tremendously. Meditation is a wonderful tool to train, focus, and calm your mind.
There are many meditation techniques out there. This morning I would like to share with you one that is very simple to do and has worked very well for me.
I discovered indigo when I began to meditate on the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet….
I always sensed a greater concentration when I focused on indigo. Perhaps it is because blue has always been my favorite color and indigo is a very rich shade of blue. Some say indigo is a very spiritual and powerful color. At the end of this post I will share some links to sites about indigo if you would like to learn more about it.
My meditation technique is this: Letting Go With Indigo
I will close my eyes and simply visualize the inner deep indigo layer of a fire flame. That is it.
If I am taking a bath I will burn a candle and focus on the flame. In our living room we enjoy lighting candles or using our fireplace too.
Even if you are not near an actual burning flame, this technique works very well.
Recently when I had an uncomfortable medical procedure done, I had the nurse hold my hand and I closed my eyes , breathed, and concentrated on the indigo in a candle flame the entire time. I was surprised when my doctor told me it was over. The dreaded procedure went by much quicker and painless than I had imagined.
The power of indigo! Try this meditation when:
1. You are feeling afraid
2. You are feeling anxious
3. Your mind is overly active
4. You feel disconnected
5. You wish to develop your intuition or need an answer to a question
6. Anytime you want to be calm, focused, and in touch with the divine and your own power.
I find you can reap the benefits by doing this for only a minute or two. It is truly amazing.
Some resources if you want to learn more about indigo:
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Posted in anxiety, Breathing exercise, Depression, Meditations, Self-empowerment, Spirituality, Visualization, worry | calming anxiety, calming fear, connecting, developing intuition, fear, focusing the mind, getting answers to questions, indigo, meditation, meditation candle, power of indigo, the Divine, your power | Leave a commentSeventeen things to let go of to get a good night sleep
Published September 7, 2011 | 
To get a good night sleep, here are 17 things to let go of as you turn off your light and put your head on your pillow:
1. Let go of any resentment you are feeling. Just let it go!
2. Any hurt feelings you may have. Let it go. You are safe. You are loved. You are enough. If you need to share something with your spouse or partner, do so. Have them listen. They can hold you. Then let it go. If you are feeling hurt by someone who is far away or not with you, consider writing a letter (just the process of writing itself will be healing). You may or may not decide to send it. Write it, let it go, and go to sleep.
3. Anger
4. Worry about what others are thinking of you. None of your business. Let the whole people pleasing thing go. You can’t please them all- never will.
5. Fear. Imagine the worst thing that can happen and the outcome. Then see yourself deal with it. Now, let it go.
6. Worrying about the future. No reality here. It doesn’t exist. Let it go!
7. Fretting and regretting the past. Again, this is not your reality. This is not your life. This is your mind wanting to play with your peace.
Let it go!
8. Your mile long to do list can be a real sleep thief. Before you turn in, Cross off everything except for maybe the 1,2, or 3 most important things on that list. Tell yourself that even if you just do one of those things the next day, you will have a wonderfully successful day and the rest of the items of the list don’t matter or can wait- yep, let them go!!
9. Criticism of others. It is easy to fall into the blame game. Know that we are all trying our best. Putting our energy into wanting to change others is only setting us up for disappointment and insomnia. It won’t do much for our relationships either. If you are tempted to think or say a critical thought about another, imagine them as an innocent five year old child.
10. Criticism of yourself. Don’t spend another tortured night beating yourself up. It is cruel. You don’t deserve it. Give yourself the love and peace you deserve. Let the critical self talk go. Now!
11. Inhibitions. Are you holding yourself back? Consider letting go of the voice that is always telling you “no”. Go to sleep tonight with a smile at the thought of doing things you want to do.
12. Let go of clutter, anything that no longer serves you.
13. Let go of perfectionism
14. Let go of over committing yourself or your family. Your kids don’t have to be involved in every extracurricular activity your community has to offer. You don’t have to bring work home.
15. Let go of needing to be in control all the time
16. Let go of high expectations. This can be exhausting! Let things be as they are. Let them go.
17.Let go of caring too much.
Let it go. Breathe. Let it go. Ahhh… Let it all go… Your life and peace of mind and getting a good night sleep are much more important than any of the nonsense listed above.
Good night.
In peace,
Debra
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Posted in anxiety, Family life, Getting a good night sleep, Happiness, insomnia, Positive living, Self-empowerment, stress, Tips to help insomnia, Visualization, worry | bringing work home, control, criticism, fear, going to bed angry, hurt feelings, letting go for a good night sleep, overcommitting, peace of mind, people pleasing, perfectionism, saying no, to do list, worrying | Leave a commentI Am the composer of my life, a special composition: this morning’s verse
Published September 3, 2011 | To compose: To write or create
A composer: is one who writes or creates
Composition: the way in which a whole or mixture is made up, or the action of putting things together.
To be composed: to be serenely self-possessed, calm
As the composer of my life, what can I do to compose what I want in order to have the most beautiful composition (my life!) possible?
I Am composed
I Am peace
I Am listening with grace and confidence; calm and poised
Smiles
Love
Peace
Excitement
Knowing the way from deep inside….
I am creating something very special
and I Am thankful.
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