Thursday, October 15, 2015

Other side of the story

How often do we make judgments on bits and pieces of information?  


Pretty often!  

We think we have enough information and we feel pretty confident we know enough to criticize or condemn someone else's actions.  

This week the story of an Aunt sueing her nephew for breaking her arm was EVERYWHERE. Instantly this woman was made infamous for being the worst Aunt ever!
I admit that when I saw the facebook feed with the headline I had similar thoughts about this story.  
Today, having heard her interview on the Today Show provided some more information about what really was behind this lawsuit and made me realize that I jumped to judgement like many others. 
Take a look at the human side of this story.  Whether you believe that the actions were justified or not, the truth is there is a young boy and his aunt who are being targeted and bullied in the media.  So much so that they had to appear on a national television show to speak to the world about their side of the story.  

Let's stop and think about the fact that there is never just one side to any story or situation. 

What does it say about us as a society that we are so quick to bully and judge a stranger in such a public way?
I realize that making judgments on situations will always happen, however I would like to work on taking a moment to think about the fact that there are always more sides to every story.  

Stop and recognize that "truth" is subjective.

 Peoples lives can be very negatively affected by our comments and judgments.
Remember this next time you start typing away about someone or something based on a media blurb...
Cara 

Monday, October 5, 2015

My Mindful Pumpkin Spice...


I love getting my starbucks pumpkin spice soy latte this time of year. Today I enjoyed my coffee mindfully thanks to Melli O'Brien & Susan Albers from today's  Mindfulness Summit.  If you are interested in learning more about incorporating mindfulness into your life, this is a great resource worth checking out the Summit!
Today Susan Albers, clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic and one of the worlds leading experts on mindful eating provided six tips for mindful eating that I was excited to try with my favorite coffee.
Here is what I learned:

Sit down

This one may seem obvious but it made me realize how often I eat standing at the counter instead of sitting down.

Slow down

Go slow!  Try using your least dominant hand.

Savor

Smell your food, look closely at it, listen to the sounds it makes.  Take time to savor and not multitask as you are eating.

Simplify

Make it easy to eat healthy by putting healthy options in your sight and other options tucked away.  For example, put fruit on the table and snacks in a cabinet.

Smile

Enjoy your meal, smile!

After listening to today's interview I set my weekly goal in my Kick Ass Plan to use these tips to eat mindfully for at least two of three meals a day for the next seven days. No more standing over the counter or working while eating...  wish me luck!
:-) Cara