Over the last year, I saw many people searching for crystals or gemstones, wondering if they have to define themselves as spiritual to use the stones effectively, if they need to believe in energies, or if it is wrong that they only see crystals as pretty rocks. Well, there is no wrong answer to this.

Spirituality can mean different things to different people. It can incorporate various practices, such as using crystals for healing, praying, or journaling. Still, it can also include more simple things, such as enjoying the present moment, spending time in nature, or respecting all living beings.

Besides helping you build meaning and sense in life, spirituality and spiritual practices can contribute to your overall quality of life. Many studies have highlighted spirituality’s positive effects on health, disease recovery, and mental well-being.

So whether you define yourself as a spiritual person or not, consider the benefits of some of the contemplative practices associated with spirituality that I will mention below.

Meditation

Meditation, whether in a group or alone, lying down or in a lotus position, with tools such as singing bowls or palm stone crystals, can help you have a clearer mind and better focus while inducing feelings of calmness and relaxation.

Mindfulness meditation is known to increase the brain’s gray matter density when you practice it long-term. This can reduce your sensitivity to pain, relieve stress, help you better deal with difficult emotions, and enhance your immune system.

This type of contemplative practice has proven to be helpful for people struggling with depression (about 1 in 7 baby boomers were treated for depression, according to a Gallup Poll from 2015), anxiety, chronic pain, and people suffering from cancer, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. Meditation also protects the hippocampus, the brain area involved in memory, in individuals who meditate for at least 30 minutes a day for a period of eight weeks.

As a person who is passionate about crystals and tries to meditate regularly, I recommend experimenting with palm stones crystals for better focus during mindful meditation and for improving present-moment awareness.

Journaling

Journaling is another contemplative practice that is kind of overlooked and not necessarily associated with spirituality. But if knowing your inner world better and reflecting on your experiences and emotions through writing is an essential part of your spiritual life, then who can tell you journaling is not a spiritual practice?

Expressing yourself by journaling can help you become more connected to yourself and the world around you. It can help you better understand your desires and struggles, and a gratitude journal can tremendously help with getting out of a spiral of negative thinking.

Whenever I write in my journal, and not superficially writing about how my day went, but really taking time to journal about unexpressed feelings and thoughts, I feel much lighter afterward. Those words I lay on the paper exist as something exterior to me and no longer take up so much room in my head.

There are many studies about journaling highlighting that individuals who regularly write about their inner world experience reduced symptoms of chronic diseases and need fewer doctor visits in the following six months.

So, whether you like to think of journaling as part of your spirituality or not, writing about your experiences could help you in difficult times and improve your overall well-being in general.

Prayer

Prayer is a contemplative and spiritual (and religious) practice that can elicit a relaxation response, bring hope, compassion, and gratitude into one’s life, and make the one who prays feel heard.

There are various forms of prayer, but most of them are related to the belief in the existence of a higher power holding some level of influence over your life. Whether this belief lies at the core of your spiritual life or not, it can provide a sense of support and may be comforting in difficult times.

There is something emotionally comforting in believing that your prayers are heard, especially when you struggle with a health condition. Prayer can help us be more resilient and keep a positive perspective on life; it can help us feel less alone in our suffering and hope for better days.

Yoga

You may know yoga is an old spiritual practice and that its purpose is creating a sense of union in the practitioner. This sense of unity is achieved through physical posture, breathing techniques, visualization exercises, and ethical behaviors (though we often see yoga in the mainstream wellness culture separated from moral percepts).

Historically, yoga was a practice adopted in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, but it is compatible with any religion and with non-religious or spiritual people. Practicing yoga on a regular basis is said to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and stress hormones, induce relaxation, and improve one’s mood.

Yoga is also great for the body as it improves flexibility, strengthens muscles, and improves coordination, balance, and reaction times.

If your physical condition allows it, you can try doing yoga for beginners and see if this contemplative and spiritual practice is for you.

If you are already practicing yoga and wish to know how to bring new elements into your experience, I recommend incorporating some healing crystals into your yoga routine.

Spirituality Can Bring People Together

It is true that one’s spiritual identity can be something personal, and many people prefer practicing spirituality in their intimacy. And that is understandable and totally okay. But on the other hand, being part of a spiritual community or simply sharing your spiritual experiences with others can improve your well-being.

A spiritual community or group can provide support, bring more meaning into your life, and make you feel connected to others. Strong social networks and qualitative relationships are proven to increase life expectancy and well-being.

Being part of a community that shares some of your spiritual beliefs and values can act as a buffer against stress, protect from loneliness and bring validation and improved self-esteem.

So whether you take part in meditation retreats, go to church, or stay connected to people who love to spend time in nature, finding a sense of belonging and building deep relationships may help you stay healthier and more satisfied with your life.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What does spirituality mean to you? Did any spiritual practices improve your well-being? What ideas related to spirituality or religion have helped you the most in your life so far?

Ariana Madix’s Yellow Boys Lie Sweatsuit on Instagram

Vanderpump Rules 2023 Instagram Fashion

The way my eyes were glued to my phone yesterday with it being Vanderpump Rules reunion filming. Not too much came out of the cyber stalking at first except getting to see Ariana Madix arrive in her yellow Boys Lie sweatsuit. And I mean we’re all thinking the same thing… AIN’T THAT THE TRUTH. Though certain boys **cough cough Tom Sandoval** may be liars, I am not. Which is why you should believe me when I say you need a sweatsuit like this. So go ahead and move on to the Style Stealers below.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to See Her Boys Lie Sweatshirt

Click Here to See Her Boys Lie Sweatpants

Click Here to Shop More from Boys Lie

Click Here to Shop Her Ugg Slippers

Click Here for Additional Stock

Photo: @pagesix

Originally posted at: Ariana Madix’s Yellow Boys Lie Sweatsuit

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If you’ve ever wondered what luxury skincare feels like, wait no more. La Mer, a top luxury beauty brand, has attracted the likes of Kim Kardashian West and Chrissy Teigen, and the source of most of this celeb attention is none other than the brand’s coveted Crème De La Mer moisturizer. However, there’s a new sheriff in town, and thanks to Amazon’s post-Cyber Monday deals, her price tag is $365 cheaper. Yes, you read that number correctly, and no, we’re not that bad at math.

Crème De La Mer is a celeb of its own because of its ability to do just about everything good for your skin. It has an ultra-rich formula that deeply moisturizes, heals and protects. It even minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. But all of this is no match for Mario Badescu’s way more affordable alternative, the Seaweed Night Cream. It calls on similar ingredients like seaweed extract, glycerin, collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid to give your skin all the moisture it deserves—but at a fraction of its competitor’s price. 

If you haven’t already, make sure you’re signed up for a Prime membership or free 30-day trial to take advantage of this stellar deal.

If you still can’t believe that a $22 moisturizer could mimic one that’s $380, head over to the reviews section where more shoppers swear it’s as good as La Mer.

“La Mer is my fave cream, but it’s super pricey and I can’t afford it all the time, so I use this instead,” wrote one shopper. “It works; I’m 50 and get mistaken for 30 all the time.”

RELATED: The $10 Oil That ‘Helps With Hair Growth’ & Yields Results In ‘a Couple of Weeks’ Is on Sale

Courtesy of Mario Badescu.

The oil-free formula is suitable for combination, oily, and sensitive skin types, which is a major bonus since you’ll wake up with a more nourished and illuminated complexion. Not only does it hydrate your skin with hyaluronic acid, but it also gives your skin a plump bounce that you’re definitely going to want this summer and beyond. Collagen and elastin, in particular, are packed with proteins that help smooth lines.

“I use it because it’s a GREAT nighttime moisturizer for someone with dry skin. That said, this is comparable to the La Mer face cream,” wrote another shopper. “I feel moisturized right after putting it on and when I wake up. I have been using it for over a year now. I had no reactions like pimples or rash irritation like I often get with new products.”

Now that we’ve hopefully convinced you of this moisturizer’s irresistibly good ingredients and unbelievably effective results, it’s time to check out. Soon, you won’t even remember the name La Mer and will instead be basking in the glory of having healthy, glowing skin all thanks to this Mario Badescu moisturizer.

I have always had a love-hate relationship with London. It’s the city I have lived in (almost) all my life. As a child, I found it horribly restrictive; I was never allowed beyond the front door on my own. When I went to stay with friends in the country – I went to a boarding school – I could not believe the freedom of being able to step outside the house unaccompanied; to be allowed to romp in the garden without fear or supervision.

How I longed to escape the dastardly streets of London with its noise, its fumes and its unknown hazards lurking at every corner.

Later, as an actress with aspirations to appear on the West End, I resented my city for not inviting me into that illustrious place (I got close but not close enough). London began to represent Failure.

It Took Strangers from Overseas to Open My Eyes

When I found myself teaching theatre to visiting students from the US, I had to gen up on my city’s history, most particularly its theatre history and more specifically still, Shakespeare.

I learned about the old rivalry between the original City of London and the West End; how the City itself, otherwise known as the Square Mile, was – and still is to some extent – administered separately from the rest of London, and in Shakespeare’s time by the City Fathers, who as puritans banned all form of fun and games, including theatre, from their precincts.

Which is why the first ever purpose-built theatres were constructed in remote suburbs such as Shoreditch and Southwark.

The Enthusiasm of My Students Was Inspiring

Even in January, the worst month of the year, my students showed enthusiasm. They told me things about my native town I did not know. (Not all of which, such as the best night clubs and Jack the Ripper tours, was strictly relevant to their ageing teacher.)

They did all the usual tourist things, they even found joy and delight in old favourites like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. I took them on a Shakespeare tour of the back streets of the City and Bankside, where Shakespeare hung out.

I learned and passed on the fascinating history of St Paul’s Cathedral, London’s most iconic building, which survived the Blitz in WW2 only because our PM Winston Churchill insisted it be saved for the sake of morale. So firefighters were installed throughout the building during the bombing in order to smother the fires before they took hold. (It is now one of very few pre-war buildings in the City still standing.)

I Could Go On

About the ancient Roman temple of Mithraeus, uncovered during building works in the City and now restored and open to the public. Of astonishing recent discoveries of the foundations of original playhouses dating back to Shakespeare’s time. Of the excavation only last year during building works of a huge Roman mosaic floor near London Bridge. Of the plethora of ancient artefacts that wash up on the foreshore of the Thames every day.

And That Is Just the History

There is so much more. There are not enough hours in the day to visit all the new and old wonders of this amazing city. A trip down the Thames at night-time to see the wonderful light displays on the bridges – an American creation by the way, and apparently the longest art installation in the world.

Every spare moment I have I will join a group to investigate the hidden museums that very few people know about, or to fossick on the riverbank at low tide for ancient treasure. I never used to have hobbies, but I sure do now: discovering the place where I live.

Like All Cities London Is Crowded

And expensive, and stressful, and partly polluted. But thanks mostly to visitors to the city of my birth I have grown, albeit grudgingly at times, to love it.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you live in a big or small city? Have you taken the time to be a tourist in your own city? What new have you learned about it?

We all desire a smooth and fulfilling life path after 60. But what if living the life you desire requires you to become a trailblazer?

And what does being a trailblazer after 60 even mean?

In this new, five-part series for Sixty and Me readers, we are going to explore how to blaze a new path for yourself after 60 through these four empowering steps:

STEP 1: Get clear on what a trailblazer means for you.

STEP 2: Go inward.

STEP 3: Change your perspective on what is possible.

STEP 4: Be carefree.

I will share a little bit about each of these in this article but will cover more of them in greater detail in the forthcoming articles and videos in this series.

For now, we will focus on what defines a trailblazer.

What Defines a Trailblazer?

Whether you are aware of it or not, your perception of what a trailblazer is may actually keep you stuck in a rut more than it inspires you to try a new path in life after 60.

There is a good chance you have looked up to and have been inspired by people who defied the odds and whom society defined as trailblazers.

But what is a trailblazer?

Traditionally, trailblazers have stirred people’s imaginations for thousands of years. They have served as empowering examples to dream bigger, to go beyond the rules and restrictions of society by embracing your true, authentic self.

These individuals seem to possess an inner drive and a fearlessness that makes venturing into the unknown and achieving the impossible doable.

But there is another side to being a trailblazer that has an even bigger effect on society.

Shame and Blame

The effect of shame and blame is rarely spoken about in regard to the negative side of being a trailblazer. It is, however, at the heart of why many people over 60 have a difficult time blazing a new path in life, even if they want to.

Trailblazers don’t just inspire us to be, do, and have more out of life. They can also influence us to be, do, and have less than what we deserve.

This is because they also serve as cautionary tales for what happens when you disrupt the status quo and want to try something new.

For as much as trailblazers are necessary for society as a whole to grow, they encounter varying degrees of negative attacks by those who seek to keep the status quo undisturbed.

While the severity of these attacks vary, what they all have in common is shame and blame.

What can you do to blaze a new path after 60 without conforming to the negative opinions of others?

4 Steps to Blaze a New Path After 60

To be a trailblazer after 60 takes more than just the desire for living your life to the fullest. It also requires more than inner bravery or a fearlessness to overcome the effects of shame and blame.

To be a trailblazer after 60 you will want to have a clear understanding and embodiment of the four steps I am going to guide you through in this five-part series.

For now, here is a brief explanation of each one.

Get Clear on What a Trailblazer Means for You

Following the path other trailblazers take, even if it looks appealing, may not be the best thing for you. That is why to embody what it looks and feels like for you to be a trailblazer requires being more of your true, authentic self.

Go Inward

Going inward is the process of inner discovery through self-introspection. This might sound easy until you get the urge to bypass this all-important step. For it is here that you will get to know more of your true, authentic self and chart the new path you want to go on.

Change Your Perspective on What Is Possible

The road to becoming a trailblazer after 60 can get a little bumpy. To make it a smoother journey, you will want to recognize and release ‘fixed beliefs’ that disempower you. This step involves developing a growth mindset, where new, more empowering beliefs can clear the obstacles on your new path.

Be Carefree

If you desire to be a trailblazer in your life, being carefree and enjoying yourself after 60 is not a luxury, it is essential. You may have your own ideas about what being carefree means. But when it comes to being a trailblazer being carefree means three specific things, which you will learn about in the final article and video of this series.

Join me in the video where I will share additional insights and also guide you through three journal prompts to help you integrate what you are learning.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

In what areas of life have you seen yourself as a trailblazer? In what areas of your life do you desire to blaze a new path for yourself?