Words Impact Our Health

June 4, 2013 By 3 Comments

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Photo of Hannah Young

 

By Elizabeth Scala

 

What words shape your life?

I was sitting at my desk around mid-day; my eyes feeling tired. I decided to walk away from the computer to fill up my water jug. As I was standing at the cooler, I overheard an outrageous statement. A woman nearby blurted out: “I’d estimate I have about 15 years left on this earth and that’s about it…” My jaw dropped to the floor as I finished filling up my water bottle and walked away.

And yes, I looked up and see who made the statement… just by looking at the woman’s outer physique- she did not look that old! Yet, those were her words that came out of her mouth. And she sounded completely serious. “I have about fifteen years left and that’s about it…”

Our words are powerful things. Our words create our experiences and shape our reality. What comes out of our mouths is our truth. Then our truth becomes our experience.

Behind our words are also our thoughts. What we think has the potential to empower or break us down. Think we can do it- we can! Think we cannot- guess what? We are less likely to. There’s an old saying by Henry Ford that goes: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t- you’re right.”

I recently went through a six week course called “How to Manifest Anything” with a spiritual teacher. In it we went through several steps of manifestation. I recall that many of the exercises we did we actually said the words out loud. State our affirmations, speak them. Not just in our minds, but aloud in our voices. Other techniques included having conversations between parts of our “selves” out loud… actually letting each part have a voice to break down blocks.

There is power in our words. How do you choose yours? Do you invite health and well-being to your life? Or do you say things like “I’m too fat… I’m stupid… I’m ugly… I can’t do it…” When it comes to making, setting, and reaching health goals you have to believe you can do so. Then you have to state those beliefs out loud: “I can do this… I am beautiful… I am healthy… I reach my goals.”

Instead of wishing life away with stating how much time you have left; how about enjoying every moment and living as if you are a child again? Strive to do this each day you are blessed with on this earth! Enjoy yourself and speak of the health you desire. Bring the lifestyle of wellness, peace, and joy into your everyday experience- just by carefully choosing the words you speak.

 

Nurse Coach Elizabeth Scala is a certified health and wellness coach, master’s prepared RN, and Reiki Master. Besides being the owner of Living Sublime Wellness and the founder of the RejuveNation Collaboration, Elizabeth is also an inspirational and motivational author and speaker. She presents workshops, educates organizations, and helps people live holistic lives of well-being. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit Coach Scala at www.elizabethscala.com and receive your special gift, “I Don’t Have Time: The Number One Barrier & What to Do About It”.

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Awareness: How can being mindful affect your health?

May 2, 2013 By 4 Comments

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“The unaware life is not worth living” –Socrates

Photo of Hannah Young

By Elizabeth Scala

I have read several books on the concepts of awareness, presence, mindfulness, there here and now, being in the moment, etc. There’s a lot of great information out there. Jon Kabat-Zinn is often seen as the founder of the “mindfulness” terminology. Anthony DeMello and Michael A. Singer are two other great authors in terms of these concepts.

 

This brings me to a concept I read in DeMello’s book, Awareness. He doesn’t ever really lay out one definition of awareness, but rather dedicates his entire book to the subject. From reading it and from my own experiences, I share with you some of the ideas around awareness and how this affects our health.

 

To me, awareness means observing, self-observation without judgment or interference. Just simply observing and noticing. It is not labeling or thinking or remembering or any of that. It is not bringing in what we have already experienced or know. It is simply watching the present moment. DeMello writes:

 

“Self-observation means to watch everything in you and around you as far as possible and watch it as if it were happening to someone else. It means that you do not personalize what is happening to you. It means that you look at things as if you have no connection with them whatsoever.”

 

So how can this affect our health? What does this have to do with our personal and professional lives? Well, I don’t know about you but I hear things at work, have conversations with friends and family, and observe my colleagues struggles or challenges. Common themes tend to arise:

 

  • I don’t have any time for myself;
  • I’m just too busy for my health;
  • I’m miserable, unhappy, or irritated with my career/situation/home life.

 

I believe that sometimes these issues are self-inflicted. People that are unhappy, dissatisfied, unhealthy, or restless (in their minds)… are more likely to choose certain paths when it comes to their communication, relationships, and activities. Again, “awareness” is not the answers to all problems, but it can resolve some.

 

Here’s an example: A nurse arrives at work and receives her assignment for the day. She looks around at who is working and thinks to herself, “This stinks; Sally’s not here today. No one is helpful. I’m all alone. I’m unhappy…” Well, that is not the truth. Sally is not “unhappy”. Instead, to be more accurate, she might say “I’m experiencing unhappiness right now.” She is not her unhappiness. We are not our emotions. Unhappiness may be inside of you right now, but it won’t last. It keeps changing. Our emotions always change.

 

What we want to do is passively observe our thoughts. We are not to interfere. We are not to repair or correct anything. We are just to watch and observe. Instead of trying to “fix” everything; understand things. Understand by observing. Understand them and they will change.

 

How can we try this? Well, a simple technique is to just observe you. Even as you read this, be aware of how you are feeling right now. What are you experiencing in your body? What is happening in your mind? Are you reading these words with concentration, focus, and a clear mind? Or are you thinking of what else you have to do today or tonight or tomorrow? What is your emotional state? Be aware of your presence in this room. It is as if you are outside of yourself looking at yourself.

 

Practicing this technique of observation each day will enhance your awareness of self. Once we are more aware of ourselves we are more able to observe our thoughts and how they are making us feel. We can take control of our thoughts and emotions. We can empower ourselves to enhance our experience. We can bring these techniques to our lives and our work so that we are healthier, happier, and more productive in our roles.

 

 

Nurse Coach Elizabeth Scala is a certified health and wellness coach, master’s prepared RN, and Reiki Master. Besides being the owner of Living Sublime Wellness and the founder of the RejuveNation Collaboration, Elizabeth is also an inspirational and motivational author and speaker. She presents workshops, educates organizations, and helps people live holistic lives of well-being. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit Coach Scala at www.livingsublimewellness.com and receive your special gift, her 3-Part Video Series: “Here’s Time for Your Health”.

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Reiki

April 2, 2013 By 7 Comments

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Photo of Hannah Young

 

By Elizabeth Scala

 

…I walk onto my unit and can cut the air with a knife.  The patients are milling around the day room, looking bored, tired, and irritated.  As I enter the nurses’ station I am greeted with grunts, grimaces, or not at all.  Staff from evening shift looks exhausted and drained, as if they were ready to leave four hours ago.  I enter the back room, where we give report, and have a sense of what lies ahead of me for my impending night shift.

We have a woman who has bipolar disorder, substance abuse problems, and is delirious from her medications.  She yells and screams for hours on end.  Everyone is tired.  The patients want rest.  Because of the noise, they can’t sleep.  The staff wants a break.  They cannot focus on their work because sometimes it takes all hands to help calm this woman down…

Reflecting on this experience, I transport myself about three years back in time.  I feel the anxiety, uneasiness, and frustration.  I hear the noise, chaos, and confusion.  I see the body language, facial expressions, and unhappiness.  I am weighed down by the heaviness.  My spine tenses as my whole body contracts.  My eyes narrow and my brow wrinkles.  I feel terrible.

We’ve all experienced it. We have a week, a day, or even an hour… where things go anything but smooth.  We are faced with sadness, anger, worry, and tragedy.  We must “be strong” through the unknowns of life.  We are expected to act professionally and do our best in every situation.

What can we do to break free from stress?  How can we lighten the heaviness of tension?  What can we do to shift our own experience?

As someone who has had a very intimate experience with taking terrible care of myself and my health, I have been on my own healing journey.  My path has led me to embrace and understand many modalities of wellness: from eating well to exercising, from journaling to reading, from meditation to acupuncture.  Yet I have found, healed, trained, and embraced one modality above any other: the healing energy of Reiki.

Reiki is a Japanese healing modality that shifts energy on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level so that your whole mind-body-spirit is in balance.  Reiki helps clear blocks so the energy can flow smoothly.  When our energy is free-flowing, without disruption, we are healthier and more whole.

Where and when can this practice tie into my career as a busy professional? How can I use Reiki in my personal life? Here’s how Reiki can be experienced and used:

  • Reiki as a self-care modality: At the first level, Reiki is only to be used on the self.  Practicing self-Reiki can be a great way for anyone to recharge, heal, rebalance, and grow.  Doing Reiki on the self allows one to bring a state of peace and healing to any situation.  So like my story above, when we walk into work and feel the tension in the air, if you have been practicing Reiki on yourself you have the ability to shift your energy within so that you assist the outer circumstances and environment in a healing process.
  • Reiki with our work: As the more advanced levels are learned, Reiki can be used as a complementary addition to the standard and usual care practices of every professional role.  Since Reiki energy can do no harm and only is used for healing and good, it can be given to a co-worker to help reduce stress, ease pain, and aide healing.  Reiki can rekindle the bond between yourself, your team, and your clients. Reiki can bring a gentle, healing touch to our career.
  • Reiki in your world: Once one person embraces and accepts the healing energy of Reiki into their life- their thoughts, feelings, and actions will shift.  Others will take notice and question how or why that person is so patient, loving, and trusting.  The people around you in your world will desire the balance, peace, and joy that you exude.  When the vibration of energy is raised, an entire system has the potential to shift.

 

Coach Elizabeth Scala practices, teaches, and gives talks on the healing energy of Reiki.  Please contact her at coachscala@livingsublimewellness.com if you have questions or would like to know more.

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How do you maintain a healthy weight?

January 25, 2013 By 1 Comment

hannah

Photo of Hannah Young

 

By Elizabeth Scala

 

Lately at work, colleagues and nurses have been talking about weight loss.  I can see how this is appropriate as with the holidays passing us by and the New Year ahead this is the time of the year when folks start to reflect upon their bodies.  What I have heard more and more than usual is that people are “doing” so much to try and lose the weight, but are not achieving the results they desire.

I talked with one nurse who questioned everything she was doing saying, “I am eating practically nothing and working out every single day!  Why can’t I lose any weight?”  I overheard another group in the bathroom having a similar discussion, contemplating getting their thyroid checked to see if their body could be contributing to their lack of results.

Recently I saw a fabulous documentary, Killer at Large: Why Obesity is America’s Greatest Threat, which shared more than just the fact that the food we eat can be causing us to gain weight.  One of the things that resonated with me the most was the linkage between stress and weight.  Now I have heard of and read about this issue before, but it struck me… could this be why the nurses I come in contact with -who are exercising and eating well- are still struggling with losing and maintaining their weight!?  Could it be that they are doing everything that they can, but their own lifestyles are getting in the way?

Here are some ways that the stress you are feeling might be impacting your weight:

  • Metabolism: When we are stressed our body produces and releases too much cortisol.  That cortisol builds up within the body.  This can slow your metabolism, causing weight loss to be difficult.
  • Cravings: Nurses experiencing stress, pressure, and tension are more likely to crave more fatty, salty, and sugary foods.  These types of foods are less healthy and lead to weight gain and/or the lack of weight loss.
  • Fat storage: Excessive stress affects where we tend to store fat.  Greater stress levels are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat.  And as nurses we know, fat around the abdominal area is linked with greater health risks.

So what can you do to ensure that you are reducing stress… and consequently maintaining a healthy weight?

  • Cook your meals: Many times when people are rushed and stressed they opt for the perceived “easiest” choice: fast food.  When you can, make time to prepare healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner at home you will be able to have more control over your weight.
  • Measure your portion of food: A lot of the problem is that when we are stressed we tend to overeat.  We are angry, sad, or worried and so we sit unconsciously just eating out of the chip or candy bag.  Instead read the label and measure out the portion size.  Put the bag away and take just the portion to where you are going to be eating at.
  • Ensure proper and adequate rest: One thing you can do to release stress is get enough quality sleep.  Sleeping between the hours of 10pm-6am is ideal, but as nurses working shift work sometimes that is tricky.  If you can find a way to get on a sleep routine, cut out distractions as you rest, and ensure ideal sleeping conditions this can help reduce stress.
  • Practice awareness: Take a few moments out of your day, even if it is just 5 minutes, just to sit and breathe.  Observe your breath and let go of any thoughts.  Practicing mindfulness in this way is a mental and emotional exercise.  Doing this can help you release tension and stress and help with relaxation.
  • Identify your supports: When we have people we can go to for help life becomes much easier.  Instead of trying to do it all reach out for and receive assistance.  Find family, friends, co-workers, or even a support group to go to when you are feeling unable to cope with all the stressors of life.  These resources are available to us… we just have to know where to find them, ask, and then be open to receiving.

 

 

Elizabeth Scala is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Master’s degrees in both Business and Nursing. You can find all the services she offers on her website Living Wellness Sublime. You can contact her via email at coachscala@livingsublimewellness.com , facebook, twitter or subscribe to her blog.

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7 Ways to Get Proper Rest

November 30, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Liz Scala

 

One of the greatest challenges that every nurse faces at one point in their career is lack of sleep.  Working as a nurse, we are sometimes put on various shifts.  We are asked to swing back and forth between days and nights.  We get brought in for on-calls, which could be a random night shift mixed into a run of 12 hour days.  Or we are placed on permanent night-shift, even when undesired, to help unit staffing when resources are scarce.

Not only does the professional staffing model of nursing create sleep disturbances, but our own experiences as a nurse often adds fuel to the fire.  When I worked on my unit, I would lie awake for up to 2-3 hours, unable to fall asleep.  I would get up at 3 or 4 am with my mind racing about staff, patients, and work issues.  I would toss and turn or go into my other bedroom in an attempt to change the scenery as a way to trick myself back to sleep.  I was constantly thinking about my job and had trouble letting go and drifting off.  Then in the mornings, as the alarm clock would get ready to ring, I would be wide awake watching the minutes and seconds go by wishing it was not yet time to get out of bed.

We take care of difficult patients.  We observe death and pathology.  We work with challenging personalities.  No wonder we have a lot on our minds!  But sleeping, or not sleeping, in this way can lead to terrible problems.  Mistakes can be made at work if our concentration is poor or our minds are foggy.  Moods can swing as we feel irritable, exhausted, and overwhelmed.  Illness can exacerbate as inadequate rest can lead to depression, weight gain, and decreased immune function.

So what do we do with all of this?  How can we ensure we receive proper rest?  Well, there are a couple of things.

If you can, try to get on a schedule.  I know with shift work sometimes this is impossible.  But the more you can get onto a schedule of bedtime at 10 pm and waking up at 6 am each day, the easier it will be for you to quickly drift off.

Keep your bed and your room just for sleeping.  Do not lie in bed while on the computer.  Do not watch TV and try to “fall asleep.”  Read in a comfortable chair before bed, but not in the bed itself.  You have to train your body to know that when you get into the bed; it is time for rest.  (And I have heard people say that TV or radio helps them sleep- it might feel that way, but it is not the restful rejuvenating sleep you need because your subconscious is still tuned on listening to the background noise).

Journal in the evening.  I find it helpful to write out what I am grateful for, what I got done each day, and what I plan for the next day so that when I lay down it is not inside my head thus causing my mind to race.  Getting it out onto paper gets it out of our minds.

Do not eat or drink too close to bedtime.  I notice when I cut off my water intake at 6 pm, I do not get up those nights to use the bathroom at all.  Same thing with food; if you eat too close to bedtime it will cause issues like indigestion and strange dreams.  Not to mention your body might be awake because it has to work harder to digest all that food so close to bedtime.

Get activity and movement in each day.  If you don’t do anything physical during the day, that gets your heart rate pumping, your body isn’t really going to be tired or need any rest.  It didn’t do anything!  So get outside and get moving.  Fresh air is a great way to charge up during the day so that you can rest well during the night!

Try aromatherapy or oils.  I spray a bit of lavender chamomile mist onto my pillow some nights and notice those are the evenings that I really drift off quite quickly!

Create an environment conducive for sleep.  Keep a dark, cool room.  The worst thing is to wake up seating and hot.  Turn down the lights to prepare for peaceful relaxation and quiet time.

 

About the Author: Liz Scala writes about Health and Wellness monthly for AMSDaily. You can visit her  blog at Living Sublime Wellness to read more on these topics. She is also one of the authors of the book, “The Best Inspirational Storie I Ever Read: Guide to a Purposeful Life”.

 

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