Mike's Christmas Musings: Another Take on Rudolph

What is that famous Albert Einstein quote? :-

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life believing that it is stupid.”

We all have different gifts and abilities to contribute. We all also have aspects that, were a light to be shone on them, would make us look lacking or silly.

“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” was a prime example. Poor old Rudolph was known for his “very shiny nose”. It was clearly an embarrassment as the other reindeer saw him as an object of derision and would laugh at him and call him names.

Whether or not Rudolph saw it that way, he was a victim of bullying at the hands of the other reindeer, and typical of bullying victims, he was excluded from joining in any reindeer games.

Rudolph was sorely in need of a break and it was left to good old Santa Claus to recognise his unique qualities and to give him the opportunity to show his skills in guiding Santa’s sleigh in his long trek from the North Pole.

Santa’s actions enabled the other reindeer to see Rudolph in a new light and suddenly, rather than the outcast, he was seen as the very able reindeer he was and quickly became the subject of much affection, some might even say a hero, as he pursued his worthwhile task and revelled in his new role.

Every day we meet people who seem downcast and lacking when judged by our often shallow human standards. Like Rudolph, all they often need is a break and the opportunity to display their unique talents and abilities.

Christmas is a time to recognise and unleash the good in others.

Like Rudolph, we all have the potential to be heroes as we navigate life’s journey.

Happy Christmas Rudolph, Happy Christmas Everyone.

(By the way, our capable panellists at Brisbane Mediations can assist with bullying issues.)

Getting' Hygge with it: 3 ways to get some Danish Hygge in your life

Hygge doesn’t have a direct translation in English, but it comes from a Norwegian word meaning “wellbeing”. But what exactly is it? And how could you benefit from it?

If you believe everything you read on the internet, you probably think Hygge is all about sitting round the fire in your log cabin in Denmark with your dog, wearing woolly socks and drinking Gluwein. But forget the stereotypes, the Danes say “Hygge” is about so much more than that. It’s an attitude to life which can make your home, and the people in it, happier.

In the northern hemisphere, Hygge is often thought of as a way to survive the long, cold dark, winters. “The Little Book of Hygge” refers to it as “togetherness, relaxation, indulgence, presence and comfort. So you’re asking, what does that have to do with me? (it’s 30 degrees in Brisbane today, right?)

Blogger Anna Lea West calls Hygge  “cosiness of the soul”. And we do like the idea of a cosy soul. Here’s our three top tips for introducing some Hygge to your life:-

Cycle everywhere – The Danes cycle everywhere. Literally everywhere. Did you know there are more bikes than people in Copenhagan? We’re not talking the Tour de France here. Grab yourself a vintage bike, go for a little jaunt round your neighbourhood, and see how happy it makes you feel.(we don't know about you, but this type of cycling makes us feel like kids again).

Don’t stay late at work – Danes have got the work life balance right. Time with family is of paramount importance. Why not try finishing work on time this week and heading home to do something fun with your loved ones?

Take lunch at 11am – with the sun coming up to early in Queensland, an early morning start can give you more time to fit things in before work. But it does mean you’re probably getting hunger pangs around 11am. So why not feed them? In many part of Northern Europe, lunching between 11am and 12 noon is normal due to the early morning starts. And eating lunch at this time gives you a great boost of energy to take you through the afternoon.

So there you have it. Your three step guide to getting Hygge this week.

Oh, and after feeling very pleased with ourselves over our play on words in our title, we’ve just been told “hygge” is prouncounced “hoo-gaa”!!!

Colour-me-calm

What does colouring in have to do with reducing stress? And how exactly could it help you?

They key to all of this is that colouring in is an activity which focuses the mind and the hands at the same time. Active meditation focus on simple, repetitive-motion tasks, and colouring in has the same meditative effects.

Concentrating on colouring in a picture or image:-

• focuses your mind on the present
• replaces negative thoughts
• blocks out intrusive thoughts
• creates a state of peace
• helps you find an inner calm

Colouring in not for you? How about one of the new crazes like dot-to-dot for adults, or  paint by numbers?

Still not convinced? We challenge you to try 10 minutes of colouring in for the rest of this week. Before you know it, you'll have switched off and done 30.

How to Handle Motion Sickness

The holidays are nearly over, and you've had a great time. You'll be glad to get home and back into your normal routine.

But the one thing standing between you and the place you call home is that long car journey. And for so many parents, that can mean only one thing - car sick kids.

Motion sickness can be common in children. It's basically caused when your inner ear tells your brain you are moving, but your eyes tell your brain you body is still. The problem can be worsened by things like reading books or tablets whilst travelling (bang goes YOUR plans to keep them occupied on the return trip home!)

So here are our tips for getting home in one piece this coming weekend:-

1. Eat before you leave - and avoid heavy, greasy, fast food. It's an excuse to be healthy.
2. Take frequent rest stops so everyone can get out of the car and walk around a bit.
3. Encourage kids to look out the window - remember the car games we suggested at the beginning of the hols? "I spy" anyone.....?
4. Fresh air can really help, so switch off the aircon and open the windows instead. The whole family can benefit from this one, not just the car sick ones.
5. Why not use the time in the car to interact with one another, instead of everyone switching off and doing their own thing? Talk about what you enjoyed most about the holidays, or set some family goals for the next school term.

If all else fails, then medication may be the answer. But it's worth exploring the alternatives first.

Welcome home!

The Importance of Transitional Objects

As any parent knows, kids all have a favourite blanket, toy or teddy-bear, and if it gets lost, all hell breaks loose. And don't even try replacing it with something else, because replacements just don't cut the mustard. So why is that rag-bag of a teddy just so important to your child, and what's the significance of it? Here's the psychology behind the fascination:-

It's more important to your child than even you are

Researchers have found that a child's "transitional object", be it a teddy-bear, a blanket or a scrap of muslin they have been trailing behind them since the year dot can sometimes we more important to kids than even their parents.

It becomes their coping mechanism

In psychology, a transitional object is an object which the child uses to soothe itself and which functions as a substitute for their mother. It is basically a prop used by the child in early efforts to test reality. The transitional object helps kids deal with a whole myriad of emotions, like fear, absence, separation, and how to calm themselves when they are upset. The reason that teddy bear is permanently sticky and smelly is that your child never goes anywhere without it. And his or her reason for dragging it everywhere is that holding it, smelling it, and cuddling it makes your child feel better, and helps them to become self sufficient and confident. 

It's their link between you and the big bad world

So if you ever notice yourself thinking it's time for your kid to stop taking that scrap of muslin everywhere, remember this : that object is your child's link between you and the big bad world. Children should never be stigmatised for their scruffy teddy bear or square of old blanket. It's where they find comfort when things get tough, and in that knowledge, you should find comfort too.

Kids in the Kitchen

Here are some kitchen day ideas that won't break the budget, and will keep your kids and their friends amused for a morning or afternoon during these school holidays. Heck, if you're feeling brave, you might even manage to keep them amused all day!



Get them involved in making their own lunch
Be sure to cook something they are going to eat afterwards! Pizza is usually a safe choice. How about trying out these pizza pinwheels? Head to kidspot.com.au for some fantastic recipe ideas. They even have a recipe for play-dough.



Make your own play-dough
And once you've made it, why not pick a theme and get eveyone to make a character? From Pokemon, to dinosaurs, to mythical sea creatures - the possibilities are endless.



Don't forget the treats
Yes, we are suggesting baking cookies, and we know you're concerned about the amount of sugar your kids are consuming. So why not try coconut sugar? It can be used in almost any recipe where you would normally use white, refined sugar, and because it has a caramel-y taste, it's perfect for cookies and biscuits.

So why not have a kitchen day these school holidays at your place? We'd love to see some photos of the things you make!

The Science of Reading - its a workout for your brain!

Ever find yourself saying "I need to put this book down and go and do other things"?

Life gets busy, and sometimes it's the things we really enjoy that get dropped from the "to do" list, like good old fashioned book-reading.

Next time, ease your guilt at spending some time with your latest "can't put it down" piece of fiction by reminding yourself reading is a workout for your brain.

Neuroscientists have discovered that reading novels can improve brain connectivity and function in ways similar to the effects physical exercise has on muscles and muscle memory.

Researchers have found that in much the same way as your muscles remember what you have done before, (and improve the more you use them), you can improve your brain function by reading more fiction.

So next time you're guilting yourself into ditching the reading, remind yourself flexing your brain is as important as your morning run or lunchtime gym session.

Go workout today - you deserve it!

Who you gonna call? Stress-busters!

Modern life gets busy. Infact it can often seem like it gets busier day by day, with more and more to cram into one 24 hour period. Pressures of work, running a home, looking after kids, household chores, commuting to work – the list goes on. All of these things can lead to stress.

Stress can be detrimental to your health because negative feelings create physiological changes in your body, which often you don’t even know about. Stress plays a big part in things like blood pressure, heart rate, immune system, blood sugar levels and hormonal balance.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Try making stress management part of your daily routine, and see the benefits. Follow our 5 minute stress-busting tips all of this week, and you’ll be reaping  the benefits by the weekend.

Stress-busters Tip 1 : Get outdoors. Research shows that spending even as little as five minutes in nature can help reduce stress and boost your mind. So get outdoors at lunchtime and eat that sandwich in the park, or spend some time in the garden with a cuppa when you get in from work. It only takes 5 minutes, your stress will be redcuded and your mood boosted.

Stress-busters Tip 2 : Breathe. Teaching yourself to breathe mindfully can have great restorative effects. Concentrate on inhaling through your nose and out through your mouth, and you’ll be oxygenating your body properly as well as correcting your energetic balance.

Stress-busters Tip 3: Do something you enjoy. Take time to play! Doing a hobby or something you enjoy can take your mind off stress and add some much needed fun to your day.