The stress and strain of constantly being connected can sometimes take your life -- and your well-being -- off course. GPS For The Soul can help you find your way back to balance.
GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony, or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to look at the GPS Guide below, visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.
In her GPS Guide below, Heidi Hanna shares the tools, techniques and inspirations that encourage her to recharge.
1. Schedule a few three to five-minute "brain recharge" breaks through out the day to shift your mind out of task mode and into feeling mode. This allows you to cross train your brain instead of constantly breaking down one area or neglecting others. Set a timer, close your eyes and simply pay attention to the physical sensations of your breath: Your chest and belly expanding and contracting as you just focus on the present moment.
2. Start your day by writing down a few things you feel grateful for. This is a simple way to put on a lens of optimism; as you go about your routine you'll be more likely to focus on the positive around you. Set a reminder to reflect on these gratitudes several times throughout the day to create a habit of noticing what's good in life.
3. Meditate first thing in the morning: This can help to set the stage for a quieter, more creative mind throughout the day. Spend 10 to 15 minutes concentrating on a unique "focus phrase" -- something specific to you that helps you feel positive and focused like, "be here now," or "clear and present." Find some more focus phrases in the slideshow below.
Heidi Hanna's GPS Guide
As an experienced speaker, Heidi Hanna has been featured at many national and global conferences, including the Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women in Business Summit and the ESPN Women’s Leadership Summit. Heidi Hanna is the New York Times Best Selling author of The SHARP Solution: A Brain-Based Approach for Optimal Performance (Wiley, 2013).
Heidi has a master’s degree in mental health counseling and a Ph.D. in holistic nutrition. In 2011, Heidi was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Stress, and she currently serves as Editor of their publication, Contentment.
Clients have included Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Cisco, Dell, Intel, Proctor & Gamble, Qualcomm, Janus Capital Group, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise, ESPN and Starbucks, as well as professional and amateur athletes.
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