May 6 2017

Never Underestimate the Healing Powers of……

swirly

Life can throw curve balls at us, some days are tougher than others. We are all in need of healing as long as we are living in these bodies, in this world. I thought it would be fun to make a list of what has helped me in healing myself from the struggles life can seem to make. I would love if you added activities/actions that have helped you to heal your mind, body and soul in the “comments” section below. Hope you enjoy! 🙂

Never Underestimate the Healing Powers of…..

–Curling up under a blanket and getting lost in a book.
–Waking up in the morning and drinking a full glass of water.
–Getting a back massage from a friend.
–Finding a new park or neighborhood that you have never been to and going for a walk in it.
–Writing three full pages of whatever is on your mind and not stopping until you get to the third page.
–Savoring a warm cup of hot chocolate/tea/coffee, drinking each sip mindfully.
–Sitting for twenty minutes, doing nothing but focusing strictly on each in-breath and each out-breath.
–Volunteering in your community.
–Playing music with others.
–Cooking a meal that you have never cooked before.
–Running/jogging for twenty minutes without stopping.
–Writing down what you dreamt of the night before.
–Drawing a picture.
–Painting a picture.
–Photography (check out my photos from Freak Alley in Boise, Idaho if you have time: Freak Alley.)
–Writing a story.
–Catching up with a friend that lives near you over a bowl of steaming Vietnamese pho.
–Hugging others fully, with two arms and for longer than three seconds.
–Caring for a furry friend.
–Having life conversation with an elderly person.
–Having life conversation with a child.
–Watching a good movie.
–Traveling to a city that you have never been to before, alone.
–Listening to music.
–Being here, NOW, over and over remembering to come back to right here, right NOW.
–Playing a childhood recess game with your adult friends.
–Getting a new haircut.
–Going for a hike in nature.
–Biking.
–Skating (roller skating, roller blading, skateboarding.)
–Working in a garden.
–Sampling new beers or wines.
–Blogging.
–Exploring a new city with friends.
–Walking alongside large bodies of water.
–Writing down three things that you are grateful for on a daily basis.
–Learning a new skill.
–Having a phone date with a friend far away.
–Kissing a good kisser.
–Going on spontaneous road trips/drives/car rides with music blasting out of the car speakers.

60 comments on “Never Underestimate the Healing Powers of……”

    • Yayyyy! Glad you like that…ever since I started doing that a couple years ago, my skin has been super clear and it just feels really good! It’s become such a habit that I feel strange if I don’t do it…

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  6. I usually like to take a hot bath and write a scene from my ideal life that I’ve imagined in my head, it usually helps to have a notebook that I don’t care gets wet. Or writing love letters to myself. This is a beautiful post. 🙂

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  11. What a fantastic entry. Isn’t it amazing how simply being appreciative of small moments like this can really put everything into focus. The simple act of sharing, what a beautiful concept. Sending you all sunshine and good vibes from Miami.

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  12. This long list makes it seem that healing is available 24/7 with everything else we do. Of course that is precisely the essence of a healing life. Here, in the Healing Garden, we are fortunate to do one thing at a time. It is not much. It is what we can do.

    Please cast our one vote (and one enthusiastic vote only) for “working in the garden”. This is a good place to start. Under the snow and ice something green is nice. Cover it back up and keep it warm until the thaw. We here enjoy your posts. Thank you.

    Rereading, it seems you are inviting suggestions for healing, too. From the Healing Garden: “Dedicate an activity of some community benefit to a healing wish. Let each tangible act or product represent the image of your healing endeavor. When you have finished, with sweeping a sidewalk, installing a garden, tidying a park, then you have a memory palace for healing focus and reminder.” — The Healing Garden gardener

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  13. … the scent of Lavender oil.

    I had a headache and toothache yesterday, after a challenging day where much of my energy was zapped, and taking some deep breaths with a few drops of Lavender oil rubbed into the palm of my hands, worked miracles.

    Lovely blog ilonca, thank you for stopping by mine, the ‘like’ and the follow 😉

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  20. I would just add a few things from my own life:
    1. Going back to grad school and studying your passion in depth.
    2. Being married to you best friend, whose smile still makes you go weak at the knees after ten years of marriage.
    3. Keeping a photo-a-day gratitude photo journal. (There’s even an app for it, called The 365 Project, and a group on Instagram.)
    4. Getting halfway through your forties and discovering, much to your surprise, that you actually like the woman you’ve become.
    5. Having a home filled with love and laughter.

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  21. Pingback: Never Underestimate the Healing Powers of…… « StarkravingInsanity

  24. I like going for a long walk in the snow or snowshoeing. It is especially quiet and peaceful after a freshly fallen snowfall in Minnesota. This brought to my mind a memory of walking with our dog, Diamond (now in heaven). I loved walking with her after a fresh snowfall and though a beautiful park in the old neighborhood we lived in. Thank-you for this list Ilona. This quiet memory of a beloved pet and enjoyable activity brought peace to me this evening.

    I am so very proud of your Meditation Essays my beautiful and insightful daughter….so wise beyond your years!

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    • Thank you so much for stopping by and for the sweet comment :). So true, more and more I have noticed that simplifying my life in so many ways and being grateful for the “small” things, the happier and happier I have become…

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    • My information mostly comes from the heart, but of course….I also have gotten a lot of help with help and healing through great self-help books, friends and family too. I keep on learning more and more on this journey of discovering the self. I am so grateful for your kind comment and stopping by to read!

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  28. Breathing in the sound of a stream through your heart. Talking to a wise old grandfather pine tree. Singing frogs on a rainy April evening.

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  29. Pingback: On the Cheap, a List of Ways to Have Fun While You are Broke. | My Meditation Challenge

    • Thanks for reading and stopping by to comment! I have become more mindful of my alcohol consumption as well, I have definitely taken a 180 since my younger drinking days, but I still enjoy a beer or cider after a nice long run or hike :). I can’t wait to read more of your blog, I love your recent one about meditation!

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  31. Thanks for following my blog! My blog is my release, when I had a really bad day recently, all I wanted to do was get into bed and write! I find it helps, it seems as I write about upsetting and stressful situations the stress leaves me, or at least eases. I would never ever expected that, back in my school days, sat in English lessons lol
    And meditation is a thing high on my list to start doing.

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    • That’s awesome Faith 🙂 thanks for commenting! I know, writing for a class compared to writing for yourself as a release makes a huge difference 🙂 I will have some guided meditations that I am going to record, so keep an eye out on my future posts!! I hope they help you!

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