Month: December 2023

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Originally posted at: Whitney Rose’s Black and Gold Aviator Sunglasses and Logo Tote

Originally posted at: Angie Katsanevas’ Pink Sweater Dress & Sneakers

Well, it’s here! That activity packed month of the year associated with the celebration of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other occasions around the globe. In my homecourt, time is traditionally spent decorating, shopping for gifts, attending holiday parties and religious celebrations, cooking holiday meals, and spending time with family.

That’s a lot of activity, and sometimes it is accompanied by the not so pleasant side effects of stress, anxiety, depression, burn out, and even illness due to the increased risk of contracting a virus via closer contact with others during indoor activities. Yuk! So, what can we do to help navigate the pitfalls of the season and better yet, to help us thrive throughout the remaining months of the year?

Just Breathe!

Let’s begin by sitting tall, then relax and take a deep breath in through the nostrils. Make sure the inbreath fills not only the lungs, but that it expands down into the belly. Hold for a count of four. Then, audibly release the breath through the mouth, dropping the shoulders and relaxing the muscles during the exhale. Doesn’t that feel good?

That is what I call a cleansing breath, and you can use it as a general reset or reframe any time, any place. This type of breath, or some version of it, is used regularly at the beginning of Hatha Yoga classes for that very purpose.

It is a means to release pesky thoughts from the mind, together with the resulting tension stored in the body, thus bringing the mind, body and spirit into the present moment. So simple, yet so beautiful and effective!

Did You Know?

It has been estimated that, on average, a person at rest takes about 12 to 16 breaths per minute. This means we breathe about 960 breaths an hour, 23,040 breaths a day and 8,409,600 breaths a year. At this rate, it is estimated that if we live to be 80, we will take about 672,786,000 breaths over our lifetime.

Unfortunately, many of us are not breathing in a manner that allows us to optimize each breath we take. Shallow breathing, also known as chest or thoracic breathing, is very common and engages the chest and intercostal muscles only. Deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing moves the inbreath on into the stomach as the diaphragm contracts.

Benefits of Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is reported to have many benefits including:

• May lower heart rate, which helps manage stress.
• May help regulate blood pressure.
• May improve digestion.
• May improve immunity.
• May improve circulation.
• Helps support correct posture.
• Mind/body connection/creativity.

Breath Is Life…

Just sit with that for a minute. Without breath there is no life for humans. Yet many of us never stop to consider our breath since it’s an involuntary, automatic process, provided our bodies are functioning properly.

My journey learning about the breath began with a search for tools to help manage stress, anxiety and burnout. Read on and find out how you can improve your health and well-being, which is so important as we continue to navigate our sixties and beyond.

Educate and Empower Yourself!

I invite you to learn more about the breath and various breathing techniques at the following resources:

• Physiology of How Breathing Works
• Anatomy 101: How To Tap the Real Power of Your Breath (Yoga)
• Deep Breathing Exercises to Reduce Anxiety
• How Deep Breathing Techniques Can Boost Your Immune System
• The Healing Power of the Breath
• Nose Breathing: Benefits, How To, Exercises to Try

My Breathing Anthems!

Just for fun, the following are links to some of my favorite inspirational anthems that include reference to the breath. After all, music is like a breath of fresh air! Please comment on your favorite song or songs that pertain to the subject.

• Breathe (2 A.M.) by Anna Nalick
• Every Breath You Take by The Police
• Catch My Breath by Kelly Clarkson
• Just Breathe by Willie Nelson (with his son Lucas)

The most powerful tool for healing lies within you – your breath.

—Deborah Davis

I leave you today with the beautiful quote above and I encourage you take it to heart as this year comes to a close and we begin our journeys into the New Year. Wishing many blessings to you and yours during this holiday season! And don’t forget, JUST BREATHE!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What are your experiences with breathing? Have you done any real breath work? Are there any particular breathing tools or methods that have been especially helpful to you?

Imagine discovering a location in the United States where you can experience savannah-like landscapes, luscious waterfalls and green mountain valleys, expansive moonscape terrains, and a coastline adorned with wild beaches featuring warm water and sand in shades of green, black, and white – all in one place. Would you believe such a place exists? Welcome to Hawaii’s Big Island.

Since the destructive August fires on Maui, many travelers to the islands – sensing that Maui residents are still very much in the throes of recovery and reconstruction – are opting to visit the biggest island of them all and are finding themselves fascinated with the diversity of Hawaii Island, a magical place to consider exploring over the holidays.

Go East or West

When traveling to Hawaii’s Big Island, you’ll have a choice of flying into either Hilo on the east side (what some refer to as “old Hawaii”) or Kona on the west side (where considerable new development is ongoing). Beach enthusiasts and surfers prefer landing in Kona on the Kona Coast, as it boasts a number of stunning beaches, among the most popular being Kekahai Kai, Makalawena, Manini’owali, Anaeho’omalu, Hapuna, Mauna Kea, Mau’umae, and Spencer.

If you drive north along the Kona Coast into South Kohala, home to Puako, Waikoloa Village, Waimea, and the unincorporated town of Kawaihae (you’ll see that savannah-like landscape here, not to mention ubiquitous rainbows), you’ll eventually enter North Kohala, home to Mahukona Beach Park, a place where University of Hawaii professors and their students come to study the returning reef – no runoff from golf courses or agriculture – and where swimmers and snorkelers revel in its crystal clear waters. It is the site of a former wharf used during the plantation days.

Driving farther into North Kohala along Highway 270 through the charming towns of Hawaii and Kapaau, where the prominent statue of King Kamehameha stands, the road will end after several miles. Park and hike down into Pololu Valley for a dramatic seascape that weds a black sand beach with deep verdant canyons.

Were you to fly south-easterly from Pololu, you’d find yourself at the Waipio Valley Lookout, accessible by car only from the Hamakua Coast on Hawaii’s east side, a 15-minute drive north from the quaint town of Honoka’a. Years ago, the Hamakua Coast was the location of Hawaii Island’s first coffee plantations. Today most visitors travel south of Kona to enjoy coffee tours. The Hamakua Coast also features Akaka Falls and Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve & Garden, a wonderland of tropical plants and trees.

Have We Forgotten Something?

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, of course (where you’ll see that moonscape terrain). Here you’ll find Kīlauea, the most active volcano on Earth, known for its frequent eruptions; and Mauna Loa, a shield volcano that has erupted 33 times since its first well-documented eruption in 1843, the largest volcano on Earth in terms of volume and area. The artsy town of Volcano near the park is an ideal place to have lunch and pick up unique island gifts to take back home.

Accommodations

Regarding accommodations, your best bet is staying with family, a friend, or an acquaintance, if you’re fortunate in this regard. Hotels can be pricey, so in recent years, tourists have been searching for lodgings on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO that are more budget-friendly.

On the other hand, if you have come to Hawaii’s Big Island to unwind, regroup, heal, and find balance and don’t mind paying more, high-end hotels such as the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Mauna Lani, and Mauna Kea, will pamper you royally. Vacation packages that include the flight, a car, and a hotel would be the most economical if you’re coming to luxuriate.

The Big Island offers lots of variety for the foodie: from the exclusive Roy’s and Huggo’s to Island Gourmet Market with popular island entrees and sweet treats (be sure to try the malasadas, a type of Portuguese-Hawaiian donut). A little-known secret is the mini-marts island-wide that offer home-made sushi and Hawaiian-style lunches, an excellent choice for grabbing a tasty bite on your way to the beach.

And it’s not called the Big Island for nothing! Measuring over 4,000 square miles in size, a trip around the island via highways 19 and 11 totals 222 miles. Roads are mostly two-lane and winding, so don’t expect to travel anywhere near the speed you’re used to on the mainland.

Besides, isn’t this one of the reasons you come to Hawaii in the first place: to slow down and absorb the natural beauty surrounding you in every direction?

Visit GoHawaii for more information.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you been to Hawaii? Which island have you visited? Would you return and where would you go this time?

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Originally posted at: Whitney Rose’s Orange Tie Crop Top and Skirt