'LIGHTEN LIFE' WELL-BEING TOOL KIT

Lighten Life's Well-Being Philosophy

1/10/2017

The 3 Main Principles I aim to live by & have also incorporated into my business philosophy are;
1. Holistically
2. Simplicity
3. Mindfully

1. Holistically
True health comes from taking care of yourself on all 3 levels - Your Body, Your Mind, & Your Heart/Spirit.

Below are some sources of “Fuel” for the optimum health of these 3 main aspects of our Being & which are the main aspects of this "Well-being Tool Kit" website;

BODY	MIND	HEART / SPIRIT
Meals & Munchies	Meditation & Inspiration	Love & Gratitude
Strength & Stretch (Mindful Movement)	Motivation & Inspiration (Wise quotes & teachings)	Play & Connect (with family, friends & nature)

Living "Holistically" to me, also means living in tune with Nature's Seasons & her 5 Elements (according to Traditional Eastern Philosophy).

This theme & theory is woven into the classes I teach & is the main structure of my Acupressure & Kinesiology sessions.

If you're interested to find out more about The 5 Element Theory & connecting to the Seasons, click on link below...

Connecting to the Seasons

2. Simplicity
Referring to 'Simplicity' on many levels - For example on a physical level to keep healthy, I don't believe we need to have a lot of equipment, or have a gym membership to keep fit & strong (unless you enjoy going to gyms of course).

I believe in eating clean & simply.... which means eating foods as close to their natural state (minimizing; processed, packaged & fried foods).

'Simplicity' on a Mental/Emotional level for example, means realising & experiencing that it is possible to shift the way we feel in a positive way by learning simple Breathing Techniques, which you can do any where & anytime when you're feeling stressed or over-whelmed.

Another method is focusing on a positive affirmation or quote. I have included some of my favourite inspiring quotes in the 'Lighten Your Mind' section of this website.

An example of simplicity on a Spiritual level, is noticing that what brings our heart "joy" & allowing ourselves to be fully present in those moments & soak it in!

And finally on an Environmental level, an example of 'simplicity' is de-cluttering your home & office. Keeping only what's important to you & what you actually use & value.

This process is not always easy & can take some time (in my case the past 10 years... & still going!). Though it's worth the effort, especially if you're feeling a bit weighed down & over-whelmed with life. The process can be so therapeutic & can make you feel so much "lighter"!

3. Mindfully
All of the inspirational beings who have inspired me over the years, such as; Lao Tzu, Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh, Swami Satchidananda, Eckhart Tolle, Tara Brach, Pema Chodron, Byron Katie, Wayne Dyer, & many more, all have a common underlying message...
True Inner Happiness & Health on all levels, begins with 'Mindfulness'

"Mindfulness is paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment & non-judgementally" (Jon Kabat Zinn)

Sounds simple in theory, but takes a lot of continuous effort to put into practice!

Scientific studies have proven Mindfulness to have many positive benefits, such as;

Reduces anxiety
Improves our concentration
Enhances decision making ability
Eases aches & pains
Improves our mood
Increases our level of resilience
Enhances our creativity
Increases our ability to feel empathy for others

The more Mindful we become in our daily life, the more positive changes we can consciously create within; ourselves, our lives & our relationships with others.

I find the easiest way to practice Mindfulness is when I'm doing body-based practices such as; Yoga, Pilates or when out walking. Noticing how I'm moving, breathing & how it feels within the body... this helps me to get out of my head (which is usually caught up with thoughts of the past or future, worries or constant planning!) & grounding back in the body, which brings me back to the present moment.... Where True Happiness can be found.

To find out more about Mindfulness click on the link below....

What is Mindfulness?

This web site is also a way of committing to my own Mission to “Live Lightly” & hopefully some of the information & ideas will also assist you along your path to enhanced; Health, Happiness & Lightness!

Namaste.
Taz xx

Lighten Life's Services

Strength & Stretch

25/9/2017

To be fit, toned & feel good, you don’t need to have a lot of equipment, spend hours in the gym or go for long, strenuous runs.

I worked as a Personal Trainer for many years & at the time enjoyed lifting heavy weights & doing high intensity cardio sessions & training others to do the same.

As I progressed with my studies & self experiments to keep fit & strong, I started doing mainly body weight exercises, Pilates, Yoga & more moderate intensity cardio. Incorporating only a few pieces of equipment, mainly; fit-ball, medicine ball, gym swing & a couple of pairs on dumbbells.

I love the freedom & simplicity of this type of method. I also find it more enjoyable & are less likely to make up excuses why not to do it!

“Our body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.”
(from Buddha's little instruction book).

Back to 'Strength & Stretch'

Meals & Munchies

25/9/2017

I absolutely love food! It’s never far from my mind! When I was growing up we use to eat a lot of what was considered “healthy” according to the traditional food pyramid, like pasta, sandwiches & other refined carbohydrates. These are delicious at the time of eating, but can leave you feeling tired, low in energy/mood & still hungry an hour or so later!

Over the past few years I have been reducing my intake of wheat, refined sugar & dairy. Experimenting with alternatives such as Ancient grains; quinoa, buckwheat, millet & other Whole grains like; brown or wild rice. As well as experimenting with alternatives for refined sugar, such as; coconut sugar, raw honey, maple syrup, rice syrup & dates. And substituting cows milk with unsweetened almond, rice or coconut milk. The meals & treats taste much more wholesome & have tones more nutritional benefits & leave you feeling satisfied, rather than heavy, hungry & tired.

I generally follow the philosophy that "food can heal & it affects how you feel". This belief has a major influence on how I look at food & what I choose to cook & eat....
Don't get me wrong, I also love a regular indulgence like an almond croissant & dark chocolate... Yummo! :)

Happy Cooking!

Back to 'Meals & Munchies'

Sweet & Simple

25/9/2017

I have a bit of a sweet-tooth.... & use to be a big coffee with a café muffin fan… absolutely delicious whilst eating it, but soon after felt; tired, wired & heavy... & craved more high carb-sugary foods within an hour or so.

I LOVE muffins & didn’t want to cut them out of my life, so this motivated me to seek out healthy muffin recipes, without processed/refined carbs, like white flour & sugar – which generally creates the "flat, tired" feelings afterwards.

This lead to lots of fun experimenting with all sorts of ways to get my sweet fix (raw desserts, bliss balls, bean brownies, etc) & to also feel energetic & satisfied afterwards without the sugar crash!

Happy Baking!

Back to 'Sweet & Simple'

Meditation & Relaxation

24/9/2017

My earliest memory of experiencing the benefits of meditation was during a random class in year 11 at high school. We had a fill-in teacher who got us to lie on the floor & close our eyes, as she lead us mentally through each area of the body. As a generally anxious & hyper teenager at the time, I discovered a wonderful feeling of peace & ease within my mind & body which I had never felt before. Later years I got to know this practice as “Yoga Nidra”, an ancient Yogic practice. but at the time, I just thought it was a nice break from the normal teenage worries, insecurities & confusion.

Learning to meditate has been such an asset in my life, especially during times of stress & anxiety, struggling with adrenal fatigue, early motherhood & other times when feeling completely over-whelmed. After a meditation session (even mini ones) I often feel like a “re-set” button has been activated within me, my mind feels lighter, quieter & happier!

You can find & read tonnes of very useful & interesting information on the web & in books on health & well-being, but it's not until you actually apply that knowledge to yourself & your life that you will FEEL & experience the positive effects & benefits.

I am also guilty of this.... I find it very easy to get caught up in collecting, gathering & learning more information (you could say it's a slight "addiction" of mine!). This is useful to a point, but it stays on an intellectual level, until you actually give it a go, experience it & put it into practice.

A classic example is meditation.... we can read all about it & hear all about the benefits & know it's good for us.... but until we actually set aside some time in our day to sit down & try it out for ourselves.... we'll never actually FEEL or experience the positive affects/benefits.

To find out more about the benefits of Meditation click on the link below...

Why Meditate?

According to yoga & other traditions, 'Meditation' & 'Relaxation' have slightly different intentions & desired outcomes, though for the purpose of these posts they will be combined as one in the same.

Different methods/techniques will work for different people at different times & some may not resonate with you at all. I encourage you to try a few, see how you feel, pick one that you enjoy & stick to that one practice for a while to receive the benefits.

Back to 'Meditation & Relaxation'

Inspiration

24/9/2017

I have a bit of a hobby (or you might call it an "addiction"!) collecting information on all things positive & inspiring to do with developing a happy & healthy Body, Mind & Heart.

Since about the age of 18, I started keeping scrap books of inspirational & insightful; sayings, quotes, affirmations, life lessons & the like, from various books, websites & workshops.

They range from motivational authors like; Louise Hay & Deepak Chopra... Ancient sages such as; Gautama Buddha & Lao Tzu... Yogis such as; Swami Satyananda & BKS Iyengar... Buddhist Teachers such as; Pema Chodron, Tara Brach, & Thich Nhat Hanh & other Spiritual teachers such as; Byron Katie & Eckhart Tolle.

The inspirational topics are tied into the essence of each Season according to Traditional Eastern Philosophy. If you'd like to find out more, refer to link below...

The 5 Element Philosophy

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Play & Connect

24/9/2017

I don't tend to spend a lot of money on entertainment or "toys". This may sound a little boring…. But I haven’t found this to be the case…. in fact I started to notice that my level of enjoyment experienced within, whether through a typical "exciting experience" such as a; holiday, festival or concert, was on many occasions the same as when I was doing something simple & "non-big-eventful" (my word!! :) ) such as going for a bike ride or a picnic with friends.

My love for nature, the outdoors & being active has influenced these ideas... though there are also some chilled indoors options included, which you can enjoy with friends & family.

Have fun! :)

Back to 'Fun with Family & Friends'

Attitude of Gratitude

23/9/2017

This might sound like a bit of a lecture, but I know I definitely need reminding of this…. So I thought I’d share this reminder in case you need it too!….

Living here in Australia we are so so privileged, all our basic needs are well & truly met & we generally have more than enough of everything! It is easy to take what we have in our life for granted (especially the simple every day things) & constantly desire more! It usually isn’t until something is taken away from us that we actually really fully appreciate it.

This can become very apparent if you’ve ever travelled to a third world country. In most places within Australia we drink water straight from the taps whenever we wish... however if you do this in a place like India or Thailand, you may end up spending the next few days very close to a toilet!

I am very grateful for all the opportunities I have had in my life to travel & experience other parts of the world. To discover how other people live, to meet people from different cultures & to learn more about myself.

One of the greatest lessons I've learnt from observing & spending time with people in places such as; India, Cambodia, Africa & South America, is that in comparison, on a material level they have very little, but seem so happy & content.

Common values they seemed to share are; strong connections & support from family & friends, a deep connection to a faith or spiritual belief, & gratitude for the seemingly small, simple things in life.

In this section I would like to share a few things that I am grateful for (both simple & significant) & hopefully in doing so inspires you to start your own Gratitude Collection (journal or scrap book).

"It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful".
(David Rast)

Back to 'Love & Gratitude'

Lighten Up!

23/9/2017

I am definitely guilty of taking myself & my life way too seriously at times. Getting so caught up in trying to tick items off my “to do list” each day just to feel like I have “achieved” something. Getting annoyed if I don’t get to finish what I had planned, or didn’t get to do what I wanted to do. Believing that the next thing on my “to do list” was the most important thing in the world!! Or getting frustrated at the little old lady driving 10 km’s below the speed limit when I need to get to the supermarket, or feeling tense when my chai I ordered was not quite hot enough! :)

Sometime I have to stop & remind myself to "Lighten up"!... & have a little laugh at my own little "dramas". A good question to ask from time to time is…. Does this REALLY matter?? Is it really THAT important?? Is it worth getting so tense & uptight over?? Anyway…. I’m confessing here that I’m certainly not a totally chilled, 'go-with-the-flow', cruisy-chick on a normal regular moment-to-moment basis..... however I am very AWARE of the times when I just need to "LIGHTEN UP!" And some of these ideas, suggestions, stories, clips, insights (of my own & others), which i have & will add to this blog, have helped me & may help you too (if you can relate to this) :)
I love this quote below... so true!

"Life isn't as serious as the mind makes it out to be" (Eckhart Tolle)

Tarryn's Personal Mission

21/9/2017

My personal mission is to “LIVE LIGHTLY”.... & to Be "LIGHT" !
At first this might sound strange, because the word “light” can mean so many different things to different people. Let me try and explain what it means to me….
“LIGHT” is a way of FEELING within my entire being;

PHYSICALLY	MENTALLY/ EMOTIONALLY	SPIRITUALLY
*Light in Body!*	Light in Mind!	Light in Heart!
Strong & Supple	Calm & Centered	Loving & Accepting

When we nurture all 3 parts of our being, not only do we feel happier & lighter within, but the care & respect that we've given ourselves naturally flows out & affects the way we treat & care for others.

"Lightness" is also a way of Living = LIVING LIGHTLY!..... or you may prefer to call it "Simple Living" - which is basically not needing a lot to be happy & content. Living by the age-old saying "Less is more"  (funnily enough I often find a lot of the cheesy sounding sayings actually ring true!!).

De-cluttering is an on-going process & not always an easy one, especially if you grew up with the belief you must hold onto what you've got because you never know when you'll need it one day! (though often that "one day" never seems to comes!).  Living Lightly doesn't mean depriving yourself, it means having things in your life, home & office, which you love, need & use. I have found living with less clutter helps me to feel generally more calm & centered.

De-cluttering not only refers to material processions, but also how much you put on your daily/weekly schedule (including; work, social stuff, family commitments, recreational activities, etc) as well as your daily "to do list". I still find it challenging to live this way.... as growing up with a belief that "more is better"... I use to jam pack weekends full of social & recreational commitments, believing the more I could fit into my life, surely the more fun life would be! (believing this was the meaning behind "living life to the fullest!").

However over time I realised the opposite to be true... I would often end up feeling anxious & tired, constantly rushing from one thing/place to another, not able to fully relax or actually enjoy what it is I was doing, because my mind was so busy thinking about, or worrying about the next thing I had to do, or place I had to be. This can make life feel so serious & "heavy"!

My background, studies & experience over the past 15 years has been centered around Health & Healing. My qualifications are; Diploma of Kinesiology, Hatha Yoga Teaching Diploma, Deep Tissue & Trigger Point Therapy Massage Therapist, Cert 3 & 4 in Fitness, Group Fitness Instructor, Reiki level 1 & 2, & on-going study of Shiatsu & Chinese Medicine 5 Element Theory.

I am not claiming to be an “expert” on anything in particular…. Just a “Holistic Health Enthusiast”..... In fact the more I learn, the more I realise I don't know! I enjoy researching, studying & collecting information on health & well-being on all levels & putting it into practice.... Now I've created this space to share this collection of "Lightness" with others.

Hope you enjoy!

Tarryn's Services