Free-Reprint Article Written by: Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin
See Terms of Reprint Below.


*****************************************************************
*
* This email is being delivered directly to members of the group:
*
* health-articles@yahoogroups.com
*
*****************************************************************



Article Title: Smelling the Roses: Better Living Through Savoring
Article Author: Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin
Article Copyright: 2004-2005

Article URL:

http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/d/k/conventional-wisdom-is-wrong.shtml

Article Autoresponder:
mailto:conventional-wisdom-is-wrong@...

Author Contact Email:
mailto:mmk@...

Formatted to 65 Characters per Line
Word Count: 491 words



-----------------------------------------------------------------

This article was written by Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin.

The only role of http://thePhantomWriters.com and
http://Article-Distribution.com is in the actual
distribution of this article to you.

At TPW, we are providing an additional free tool for
webmasters who reprint the articles we distribute. If your
software does not automatically hyperlink the URL's in your
site copy, please use our Text-to-Hyperlink Conversion Tool
to convert all URL's and Mailto addresses to the required
hyperlinked format:

http://thephantomwriters.com/link-builder.pl

-----------------------------------------------------------------

TERMS OF REPRINT - Publication Rules

This is a Free-Reprint article. The only requirements for
publishing this article are:

* You must leave the article and resource box unedited. You are
not allowed to change our recommendations, nor are you allowed
to change the context of the article.

* You may not use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email).
Email distribution of this article MUST be opt-in email only.

* We ask that you forward a copy of the ezine or newsletter
that contains the article inside to the author at:
mailto:mmk@...

* If you post this article on a website, you MUST set any URL's
or Mailto addresses in the body of the article and most
especially in the Author's Resource Box as hyperlinks. We
request that you also send us a copy of the URL where you
have posted this article.

We are providing free Text-to-Hyperlink Conversion Tool for
webmasters who need an easy way to convert the plain text in
this article to hyperlinks where required, for the purpose of
meeting our hyperlink requirements:

http://thephantomwriters.com/link-builder.pl


If you find any of the rules to be unsavory or unacceptable, please
do not publish this article. While we are happy to make the content
available to you for your own use, we must insist on having our rules
and *Terms of Reprint* honored in full.


-----------------------------------------------------------------

Smelling the Roses: Better Living Through Savoring
Copyright © 2004-2005 Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin
Spirit Quest Coaching
http://www.spiritquestcoaching.com



“Stop and smell the roses,” people often say. Then they smile
ruefully, because everybody knows there isn’t enough TIME to
stop or, as my daughter says, to “chill.”

This is the Conventional Wisdom – and I’m here to tell you that
the CW is simply WRONG. Researchers in Positive Psychology
find that people actually get more done if they take time out to
SAVOR their day. Not only that, but, over time, people who set
aside a few hours every week are likely to be healthier, more
relaxed, and better able to cope with the stresses of everyday
life.

Why not try it? Give yourself the gift of Savoring. (Hey,
stress is all you have to lose!)

To start, make a list of 10 things you REALLY enjoy doing,
whether or not you’ve made time for them lately. I’m talking
about stuff that gives you real pleasure. They may be things
you do alone, or with one other person, or with a group. Look
over the list, and see if one thing says “pick me.” Choose
one of those activities that you enjoy.

Now: Take out your calendar, and SOME TIME IN THE NEXT MONTH,
block out at least a 2-hour period that is JUST FOR YOU. Half
a day is better. A whole day is best of all. Do whatever is
needed to make that time free. Ask a neighbor to baby-sit.
Tell your spouse you’ll be busy. Say “no” to the half-dozen
requests that will almost certainly challenge your Savoring
Time.

And when Your Day comes . . . GO FOR IT, whether you’re making a
picture, walking in the woods, going to a movie, or just sitting
still. What matters is that you’re doing something you really
enjoy.


These tricks will help you get the most out of your day:

· Give yourself permission – this is Your Day. It is absolutely
100% okay for you to be taking this time. Leave your cell
phone at home, or at least turned off. When kill-joy thinking
comes along (and it will), play with it. Pretend it’s a
stick floating in a stream, and just let it drift away.

· Keep the day alive – collect a souvenir or take mental
photographs to help you hold on to this special time.

· Focus – as though you were taking a photograph, adjust the
“depth of field.” Focus on selected aspects of the experience
and let the others go.

· Immerse Yourself – Try not to analyze the experience, just
be there. You’re savoring, remember?

· Tell the story – Share your experience with a friend or
partner – the joy that’s shared multiples by ten.

· Write it down. Read it over as a reminder in a few days
or weeks.

When your Savoring time is over, celebrate! Pat yourself on
the back for challenging the Conventional Wisdom. And, while
you’re at it, why not take out your calendar and make another
date for Savoring Your Day?



-----------------------------------------------------------------
© 2004-2005 Maureen Killoran

Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin, is a Life Coach and Unitarian
minister, with a passion for helping people connect their
strengths with their vision. Maureen offers dynamic
individual and group coaching, work team empowerment training,
teleclasses, and a free monthly e-zine, "Seeds of Change."
http://www.spiritquestcoaching.com




--- END ARTICLE ---


Distribution Date and Time: Thu Jan 13 03:27:35 EST 2005


For more articles by this author, please visit:

http://thePhantomWriters.com/free_content/d/index.shtml#Maureen_Killoran,_MA,_DM\
in