The Importance of Daily Practice

Practice, noun: the repeated exercise in, or performance of, an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it. A foundational tenet of our program is that in order to change habits, a person must have “a practice.” We borrowed the idea of a practice from the Eastern traditions of yoga, meditation, and… Read More »

Mindful Life Interview: Judy Wine, Artist and Teacher

The Mindful Life Interviews highlight members of the community who are living mindfully. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview program participant Judy Wine. Judy is a lifelong fine artist and teacher. She creates vibrant scenes from nature, specifically the joyous beauty of flowers. However, words and descriptions do not do her work justice—her work must… Read More »

How to Make Your Health Goals a Priority

One of the most common problems we see in our groups is not having enough time. People’s lives are filled to the max, and sometimes overflowing. Times are tough. We frequently hear people say they are “stretched thin,” “putting out fires all day,” “don’t have time to breathe,” and “pulled in all directions” — and… Read More »

The Power of Patience

 Patience: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. “Patience guards us against losing our presence of mind so we can remain undisturbed even when the situation is really difficult.” 14th Dalai Lama The field of psychology does not contain many references to patience, but the spiritual traditions… Read More »

The Secret to Staying Positive

I was recently told “You’re so positive” by a client. That is a very nice compliment, but the surprising truth is that the road to staying positive is paved with honoring the negative. I’m a big fan of Carl Jung. My take on his teachings is that mental and spiritual health involves the integration of… Read More »

How to Navigate the Phases of Habit Change

Habits don’t die quickly. Especially habits related to binge eating or emotional eating. These habits cling on for dear life, gasp for their last breath, and keep on going. They are like a movie villain who is left for dead, but then pops up with renewed vigor later in the movie. But eventually, these habits–like… Read More »

How to Start a Mindfulness Practice

Think of any skill you have ever learned. Whether it was cooking, dancing, or driving a car, it was necessary to practice that skill regularly to see improvement. Mindfulness is a skill like any other, and needs the same type of regular practice. The first step toward learning mindfulness is to find a good teacher. Start… Read More »

Self-control?

There is a common belief that if people could just “control themselves” they wouldn’t gain weight. This ties in closely with our American ethic of personal responsibility. As a self-reliant, individualistic society, we don’t like to blame others for our problems. It is no surprise that public discourse around food so often lands squarely in… Read More »

How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Does this sound familiar? You have encountered a fair share of obstacles along the way. Your weight loss journey feels like two steps forward and one step back (well…maybe five steps back). Your motivation started high, faltered a few times, and still feels kind of anemic. Maybe you have have walked away from the whole… Read More »