Bring out your inner child and avoid house cleaning–it just might be good for you.

Housework will always be there. It’s like death and taxes; no one escapes. It’s easy to get caught up in the humdrum routine of everyday life, but life is so much more than going to work, food shopping, and house cleaning. While you can’t shirk off work or food shopping–you’ve got to eat!–housework can wait, though.

So let it go until next weekend and do something fun instead. Remember, all work and no play makes us all too stressed out! Instead, refresh, destress, and bring out your inner child by doing any one of these activities instead of house cleaning. Future you will thank past you!

Put Off House Cleaning with These Fun Ideas

1. Take an Art Class – Always wanted to learn how to paint or throw pots? Look into art classes at your local art center, or try online sites like Skillshare.
2. Make Water Kefir – Water kefir is a delicious lightly fermented sweet beverage. Get started with making your own by buying a starter set of the grains. Cultures for Health is an online resource.
3. Volunteer at a Local Animal Shelter – Did you know that many animal shelters are looking for volunteers to spend time with the kitties and puppies? Sounds way more awesome than house cleaning, right?
4. Enjoy Nature with a Peterson Field Guide – Get out into nature and learn about the big wide world around you with a Peterson Field Guide for your region.
5. Be a Big Sister or Brother – Give back to your community. Providing mentorship to girls and boys is way more important than cleaning your house.
6. Take up Bodyflow – Bodyflow is one part yoga, one part Pilates, and another part Tai Chi–and all set to music. You can find classes at many health centers, or look for videos online. Bodyflow will change your life.
7. Read a Good Book – This time of year is a great time to discover new books via best book lists. NPR just recently came out with the Best Books of 2015–that’s a good place to start.
8. Catch Up on Your Netflix (and Chill) – So many TV series and movies, so little time–unless you avoid cleaning the house. “Jessica Jones” and “Master of None” are two series that you could waste away an afternoon watching and cuddling up with someone special.

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Image: Toddler Doing Housework via Shutterstock

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If meditation benefits aren’t on your radar yet, they may soon be–and at the urging of your doctor.

Meditation has long been my stress reduction tool. When life begins to move to fast it causes tension and a lack of flow in my body. And while yoga was helpful at first, it wasn’t long before I noticed that truly settling the mind called for sitting in meditation.

Stress causes the release of cortisol, a hormone that’s a coping mechanism. Cortisol isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s the hormone that helped us to survive in the caveman era when we were being chased by a lions and tigers. But in our more modern existence, unless you spend your days being chased by lions and tigers, it’s likely that you’re not often in life of death situations. But even still, the release of cortisol can be artificially caused when we’re late for meeting, get pulled over for speeding, or are unable to meet a work deadline. An overproduction of cortisol from these small, routine triggers, can have an impact on our health increasing rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death.

That’s why science is taking an interest in meditation. Its unique ability to stave off stressors makes it a versatile treatment for a host of ailments from post traumatic stress disorders in soldiers, cancer survivors, and those suffering from depression. Companies like Google, General Mills, and Goldman Sachs are using the benefits of meditation on their workforce as well to improve focus and help manange stress.

“We know that it causes changes in the brain and we’ve seen people change their behavior, but we don’t necessarily have a firm grasp on the connection between those two yet. But there is definitely solid evidence that these (meditation) practices do impact the brain,” Dr. Steve Hickman, director of the University of California, San Diego, Center for Mindfulness said to the Las Vegas Review Journal.

There are a number meditation methods from which to choose like Vipassana meditation and Transcendental Meditation. Vipassana is a form of Buddhist mindfulness meditation that uses a focus on the breath to bring meditators into the present moment. By focusing on the present moment, you’re better able to let go of worries for the future and regret from the past. Transcendental Meditation is practiced two times per day for 20 minutes. The meditation uses a repeated mantra to improve focus.

“Everybody comes through the doors because they want something more out of life and that, quite often, is under the category of health in some fashion, whether it’s, ‘I want to sleep better’ or ‘I want less stress,’ whatever that category contains … but it’s also about developing the whole individual,” a meditation practitioner said to the Las Vegas Review Journal.

Perhaps the best part of meditation is that it taken be taken with you where ever you go, and for the most part, it’s free and easy to do.

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Image of a people meditating from Shuttershock

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There’s no denying that this time of year can be stressful. Learn how to meditate to combat holiday stress and enjoy its benefits all year long.

Have you hit the holiday slump yet? The jolliest time of year can bring late nights, a busier than usual schedule, and an imbalanced lifestyle. Time to do something good for yourself.

Information on meditation seems to be everywhere right now. Mindfulness is definitely on our hot list for 2015. It seems like everyone from professional athletes to corporate leaders are taking up the practice. But why?

Yes, meditation can be a religious practice. But most people taking up meditation today are looking to clear the mind, sharpen mental focus, and boost their health. Here’s how getting mindful can make your life better:

Hush Your Mind // Meditation calms monkey mind, that constant loop of thoughts most of us have going in our heads. A regular practice helps us to feel more focused, quiets the mind, and promotes better sleep.

Grey Matters // A study from 2006 showed that meditation can alter the physical structure of the brain. In brain scans, areas of the brain that tend to become thinner as we age were actually thicker in older people who meditate than the brains of young people. The research here indicates that meditation promotes beneficial changes in areas of the brain that deal with cognition.

Heal the Heart // We know that chronic stress can contribute to cardiovascular disease. So it makes perfect sense that lower stress levels and clearing mind clutter are beneficial to its prevention. The American Heart Association even advocates taking up the practice.

Anti Inflammatory // Getting your zen on can keep inflammation at bay. Inflammation is thought to be the catalyst of disease in many cases. Meditation has been shown to suppress the genes that prompt inflammation. Another reason to believe that our thoughts affect our physical body.

Boost Your Immunity // Meditation may also help to ward off seasonal colds and flu. Studies show that the practice positively affects parts of the brain that help the immune system to function more effectively. So take your vitamin C with a shot of meditation.

Slows Aging’s Roll // Get this. Meditation is said to slow aging. Harvard psychiatrist Elizabeth Hoge led a 2013 study on meditation and its effect on aging. The research showed women who meditate have longer telomeres (protective caps at the end of DNA strands indicative of cellular age) than women who do not.

Because We’re Happy // Certainly not least of all, meditation increases positive emotions, feelings of satisfaction, and makes us feel happier.

Bet you can hardly wait to find out how to meditate and bring mindfulness into your life pronto. Still, who has the time to sit cross legged and chant Om for any length of time each day? Especially this time of year?

No worries. Meditation has made its way into the now. The great thing about meditation is that you truly can tailor your practice to your lifestyle. If you only have a few minutes, take that time to meditate. Some is better than none.

Mindfulness meditation is the new way to meditate. It simply means being in the moment. Focus on what is happening right now. If your mind jumps to past events or future possibilities, bring yourself back to the present moment. Even if you have to do this over and over. And you probably will at first. Like most things, the more you practice the better you will get.

If you have trouble getting into the mindful zone at first (and you won’t be alone) try focusing on your breath. Breathe in and out at your own pace. It doesn’t have to be timed or super controlled. Just breathe normally. Focus on how your breath feels going in and out. Or give alternate nostril breathing a try.

Give yourself the gift of mindful meditation this holiday season. Find a practice for that works for you. Some results will be instant, others will last a lifetime.

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Image by Chris Sardegna at Unsplash

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‘Quiet Time’ sounds like disciplinary tool for toddlers, but several San Francisco schools prove that daily meditation can make a world of difference for teenagers as well.

Visitacion Valley Middle School deals with issues common to many inner-city educational institutions: gang activity and shootings are common in the area, and students suffered poverty, unrest, lack of support, and the behavioral issues that come with the territory. School officials tried all the usual tricks to combat truancy, slumping grades, and disrespect for teachers and property, but to no avail. Then, in 2007, they tried something different.

VVMS became the first school in America to implement the Quiet Time program. Launched by the David Lynch Foundation, Quiet Time uses daily meditation to help students improve academic performance while reducing stress and violence in the school environment.

Through this daily meditation program, students and teachers participate in two 15 minute sessions of Transcendental Meditation each day. It’s a ‘quiet time’ during which they simply sit with eyes closed, reflecting on themselves and their day. It does not involve any religion, philosophy, or change in lifestyle. And it’s been a smashing success.

“In the first year of Quiet Time, the number of suspensions [at VVMS] fell by 45 percent,” reports SF Gate. “Within four years, the suspension rate was among the lowest in the city. Daily attendance rates climbed to 98 percent, well above the citywide average. Grade point averages improved markedly.”

No fancy educational consultants. No threats of punishment or bargaining for academic performance. Just daily meditation–giving kids who have very loud, chaotic lives the chance to be quiet and reflective–and the level of stress reduction was palpable. “…in the annual California Healthy Kids Survey, these middle school youngsters recorded the highest happiness levels in San Francisco,” continues SF Gate.

In the years since, three other schools in the San Francisco Bay area have adopted Quiet Time. This daily meditation practice has resulted in student reports of significantly less stress and depression, and greater self-esteem. When compared with schools not participating in the daily meditation program, students have demonstrated rapidly accelerating English and math skills, while teachers report they’re less emotionally exhausted and more resilient. Similar achievements have been reported by school systems in other states as well.

Would your child’s education benefit from daily meditation? Share your thoughts on this program in the comments.

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Image: David Lynch and Russell Brand meditate with students during Quiet Time via delightmakers

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Self-doubt causes us to shrink instead of living life to the fullest. Don’t let it steal your joy.

When times get tough we often close ourselves off to the universe. You can almost feel your entire being contract instead of expanding. Cut off from our true potential, we can wither and die emotionally. Trust in the universe, stop worrying, and start living. Here’s are seven ways to stop self-doubt today:

1. Remember that everything happens for a reason

The universe does not make mistakes. How many times have you been able to look back on a negative experience years later and realize that it was really a good thing? Banishing self-doubt begins with implicitly trusting that everything, good or bad, happens for a reason.

2. Connect to the source

Part of letting go of fear and self-doubt is tapping into the universal source through daily meditation. Meditate on the infinite kindness of the universe. Prayer is another great tool for opening up the lines of communication with the cosmos. The only moment that you can control is the one that you’re living in at this very moment, not the past and not the future.

3. Smile!

Smiling triggers an instant endorphin release when the shadows of self-doubt start to cloud your path. Laughing is another great tool because it reminds us not to take ourselves quite so seriously. Fake it until you make it through a mighty grin and lots of laughter.

4. Eat well

Don’t cloud your mind with substances that harm your health. Keep your food as free from chemicals as possible. Cut back on caffeine and alcohol, both of which impact your nervous system and can cause self-doubt.

5. Count your past accomplishments

Not sure if you can get this accomplished? Just look at all the things done in the past! You can do it. You’ve risen to the challenge and done great things before.

6. Surround yourself with love

Surround yourself with the love and support that you need in your life. Friends and family should lift you up, not bring you down. If acquaintances are contributing to self-doubt, distance yourself.

7. Go for it

Sometimes you just need to dive right in. Stop thinking so much and learn to live. After all, the only moments that you truly enjoy are the ones that you were fully immersed in. No excuses, no self-doubt, just go for it.

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Image: wickerfurniture

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Being patient is a lot harder than it looks, trust me – I’m the most patient impatient person I know.

Do you feel a constant sense of urgency? Do you push and push to be productive as quickly as possible? Do you bulldoze your way through every experience and miss it in the process? Yep, me too. Worst of all, I had no idea I was even on the instant gratification roller coaster until I was too burnt out to continue.

I’m what they call a “patient impatient” person – my mind tells me to fill every moment of my day with tasks, while my body counters the constant nagging by taking a nap (kind of like my ex-boyfriend). Being patient is not my forte, but when you look back on your twenties and your only reaction is, “WTF?” you know it’s time to make a change.

Fair warning: Being patient is an art. Since society won’t be changing with you, you’ll be up against a constant “new you” versus “old you” tug-of-war until you’ve conditioned yourself to stick it out. Being patient takes… well, patience. From time-to-time your life’s going to feel like an after-school special, but your health will thank you for the extra effort.

Continue doing what you’re doing and you’ll be well on your way to a life of chronic hypertension, high blood pressure, maybe even heart disease. Yuck, right? Take the following secrets to being patient to heart, and it will make a big difference to your overall well-being:

1. Keep track of your impatience.
Knowledge is power – every time you feel impatient, keep track of when it happened and why. This will make you aware of what your stress triggers are so you can work toward being patient in these moments.

2. Stop looking at the clock.
Obsessing over what time it is or how long you’ve been waiting takes you away from the present moment and distracts you. Sure, racing against the clock might get things done faster, but probably in poor quality.

3. Stop checking your e-mail/phone every 35 seconds.
Sorry, but nothing is that important! Turn off instant notifications and only check for new messages when it’s actually time to.

4. Accept the present moment.
When you’re stuck in traffic, stuck in line, or basically stuck anywhere you don’t want to be, it doesn’t mean the universe is against you. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to practice being patient, so you’re putting the time to good use.

5. Chew your food slowly.
Do you remember the last time you really tasted  and enjoyed your food? Neither do I. Eating slowly (and seated at an actual table instead of in front of the TV) will encourage you to stay in the moment while focusing on one thing only – a habit that will translate into other areas of your life.

6. Talk slower.
The faster you talk, the edgier you feel. What starts out as an adrenaline rush turns into a surge of cortisol (the stress hormone). Being patient means saying bye-bye to your motor mouth. Also, there’s something to be said for listening more.

7. Talk to yourself.
I know, weird, but hear me out: When your mind’s putting all of your thoughts into a proverbial blender and you’re starting to freak out, the best thing you can do is give yourself a quick pep talk. By talking through it, you’ll cut your psychotic break short and get back to the business of one step at a time.

8. Take up hobbies that require being patient.
Activities with a steep learning curve can’t be mastered without being patient. Yoga, gardening, painting – any activity that requires your full concentration will help you appreciate being patient and how rewarding it can be.

How has being patient enhanced your life?

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Image: vwynx

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A weekly round up of EcoSalon’s top stories.

It’s been a week of mindfulness and bigheartedness here at EcoSalon, as we looked at:

Jonathan Harris and his happiness project, Balloons For Bhutan.

Passports with Purpose, a travel blogging fundraiser aimed at raising $80k to build two libraries for children in Zambia (Newsflash: they’ve done it!).

30 famous quotes to bring you firmly into the present, where you belong.

Seven of the really, really bad kind of do-gooders….

And in preparation for next week’s Xmas-fest, we gave you 11 DIY alternatives to traditional Christmas trees.

The post The Friday 5: Do-Good, Feel-Good Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.