Mental Health Week

How often do you take those? I define "mental health" week as time just for you to recalibrate, rejuvenate, rejoice, redo, reflect, or whatever "re" you want to do. We all need them, we all define them differently but it's definitely needed. In an era where time seems to be accelerating at a pace faster than we can keep up, it's important to slow down. I work with type A executives (OK, OK, you're thinking, hey look in the mirror, gal) but it does remind me to practice what I preach. So yes, I do work hard, travel is not always glamorous but I do enjoy my down time, whatever it looks like. For me, it's reading, cooking, dancing, exercising, lying in the sun, shopping, hanging with friends, learning something new. What's on your mental health calendar this week?

If the shoe fits...buy it in every color

OK, OK, I love shoes, does that make me a bad person? Some people love cars! Me? I'd rather wear it or eat it. Great shoes, good food and oh yes, fab' jewelry make this gal very happy. Why write this? I went to my first Flea Market today in FL, yes, I am a virgin FM gal. What a hoot? Did I write that? It was alot of fun, great bargains and I got to pull out my NY bargaining shtick. South FL is rather quiet at this time of year but I am loving the solitude and having a complete mental health week, oh yes, work too but in a relaxed way. Normally, Sunday night is riddled with anxiety for alot of people, moi aussi, at times but here in Paradise as the natives call it, it is much easier to exhale and joyfully anticipate Monday. So Carpe Monday all!

The Bicycle Benefit

One of the points in my signature keynote is entitled The Bicycle Benefit because of what it implies. I believe that continuous learning is an integral part of a healthy work life balance. It rattles me when people say they don't have the time. In my humble opinion, there is no such thing as "time management," it is "choice management." You choose to sleep in or you choose to get up and work out. You choose to go to bed or you choose to stay up and read. You choose to go to work on the weekend or you choose to stay home and play with your kids. Last time I checked we all had the same 24 hours, so we choose how we spend it. That's not meant to be a statement of judgment but one of reality.

Auntie Mame said in the Broadway show, "Life is a banquet and most poor son of a guns are starving to death." When are you going to pull your seat up to the table? Balance is about mind as well as body, how many books have you read lately, how many DVDs have you watched, CDs listened to, seminars enrolled in, trips taken, hobbies pursued...?

The Bicycle Benefit: "Life is like a 10-speed bicycle and some of us have gears we've never used."

DElicious, DElectable, DElightful, DE-Tox

Well, when you eat all those delicious, delectable, delightful delicacies, it's time to consider a de-tox. It's very "in", haven't you heard? Decades ago, I used to go to the New Age Health Farm in upstate NY, not even sure it's still around. I would go to cleanse and detox mind and body. Then when I started my business, Six Degrees of Wellness, selling natural health products and studying to be a natural health practitioner, I used to detox on my own.

I take more supplements a day than most people take in a month, I believe in them passionately. So when my son, Jason and my good friend, Lisa both told me they were on a detox I got curious. I bought the books, Jason is on Clean by Dr Junger and Lisa is on the Martha Vineyard Detox. I am finishing the second one tonight then deciding which one to start this week. I remember how I felt. You feel lighter, more energetic, clearer skin and eyes, clears up symptoms of just about everything and overall is one of the healthiest things you can do for mind, body and spirit. So stay tuned for the "new me".

I Love My Audience!

Dana Borowka, Lighthouse Consulting Services, has seen me SIX times and is still getting something from my presentation! That's truly what it's all about for me. Thanks you, Dana, for the kind words.

He Who Laughs...Lasts

I recently gave this program to a large retailer. We all know how hard the retail industry has been hit in this economic downturn, but the executive team had the vision to realize a program like this was timely and would help boost morale. The value of humor in the workplace is never more evident than when you suddenly realize you're not having fun, not laughing very often and not feeling energized enough to manage your business and personal life (if you still have one). What you need is a little stress management, a little humor perspective. What you need is some inspiration and self-development that can enhance productivity. I showed my audience that it's PWP (possible without pills)!
Positive thinking is to welcome each day with interest and curiosity, as a new adventure. It is seeing opportunity in every situation and identifying with others' positive characteristics to find them interesting. It is to be conscious of an expanding dimension of life, realizing that the greatest achievement of human spirit is to make the most of one's resources. Such thoughts, held in the mind, become attitudes. And attitudes infallibly shape one's life. So life itself really is - an attitude!
 Most of us suffer from childhood programming, negative thinking, common failure patterns that seem impossible to overcome. The good news is that you can break out of these molds to repeatedly create success by changing the way your mind is programmed. Through the use of humor, you can enhance relationships, relieve stress, deal with change and become more productive. I worked with my client to give them a perspective of opportunity rather than one of obstacles. Humor is the great diffuser, the great equalizer. The best way to gain control of your life is with “humor resources.” So come to your “senses of humor.”

Positive Psychology aka Happiness

Read the book, "Happier" and you will be:-) Wherever you are in life, the author believes you could be "happier". He is a researcher at Harvard, who in the course of his research found an alarming statistic regarding how many Americans were on anti-depressants. He thought, "Why aren't we happier?" This led him to more research and finally to his best selling book. One of his questions that particularly resonated with me was around rituals in your life. His research proves that rituals add to your happiness quotient. I did some self exploration in regard to that and found that the ones I did have certainly did contribute to my overall happiness. What are the rituals in your life?

Experience Junkie

Yes, I am...and proud of it. Forget Bucket Lists, things to do before you die, too negative. I've always had an Experience List, things to do while fully alive! My list has experiences such as waltzing in Vienna, tango in Argentina, ride the Orient Express, have a Mint Julep at the Kentucky Derby and many more that I have done and want to do. So, this week I did something that is not on my list but what the heck, I was in Vegas and my friend Sherry met me after a week of four speeches, she gave me my birthday present, Stripper 101 class. As they say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas:-)

To Be or Not to Be...

The challenge is that most of us are human "doings" instead of human "beings"...myself included. BUT, in this never ending quest for quality of life, I continually do things that will contribute to that state of "being." Yes, I do affirmations in the morning and prayer at night. I listen to music as much as possible, thank you Pandora:-) I walk and take in the beauty of nature. I make time for friends and fun. What do you do on a conscious level to achieve that balance for you?

Quotation 7 from Mikki Mouth

City Chick/Country Gal?

I am a city chick! Every once in awhile that declaration gets challenged...but in a good way. Born and raised in NYC, did the family thing in chi chi Westport, CT, third quarter of life, back to being a city chick in the all time best city of Chicago, (I am THE poster child) and now acquired a second home in Naples, FL. What does all that mean? I could be corny and say, "home is where the heart is" but what I really mean in my continual quest for quality of life, there is beauty and joy everywhere.

I just spoke in Breckinridge, Colorado, 9000 ft up and yes, I was gasping for air, thankfully not during my speech. I was lightheaded, queasy and headachy for that first night but magically the drop dead views snapped me out of it. I spoke for an executive retreat (they were all going to climb to 14,000 feet the next day and celebrate the lives of two of their brethren who are facing terminal illnesses by photographing banners in their honor at the peak.) What a feat, what an honor, what an inspiration.

It only serves to reaffirm my belief and to quote myself (which we know I love to do)..there is inspiration all around us...in the people we meet, nature, music, we just have to stay aware... to smell those proverbial roses. Start sniffin'

Quotation 6 from Mikki Mouth

Another quote from my little book: Mikki Mouth: Quotations I Wish I'd Said and Some I Did Say!

Quotation 5 from Mikki Mouth