Losing a loved one and helping cope with life

My father passed away on the 22nd of February 2014.  He is, needless to say, terribly missed.  As anyone who has lost someone close to them, you can't put into words how much you miss their presence in your life.

I alway try to look at the positive side of everything that happens in life - even tragedy.  When I think of my dad I consider that I was so lucky to have had him for so many years in my life - I am in my 48th year.  My dad had heart trouble though out his life with heart attacks and cardiac arrests, so I could have lost him when I was 12 years of age.

My father was also a very religious man.  When he realised his heart was growing weaker, he asked that his pace maker was turned off so he wouldn't have to worry about being "shocked" when his heart started to fail.  He also wished to be at home.  So, in short, he got his two dying wishes.  To die at home and peacefully - so peacefully - in his sleep.  I was so happy for him.  He couldn't have asked for a better way to go, nor could I for him...

At his burial, the owner of the funeral home recited a poem that I found comforting and would like to share with you all.

God bless.

Book recommendation: Super Brain

I would highly recommend you read Super Brain by Deepak Chopra and Rudolph Tanzi. It is fantastic at explaining our how we start our negative talk and understanding how anxiety is created in our minds.

It also gives useful suggestions on what to do to stop it.  It is a book that should be savoured chapter by chapter.

Super Brain is available to buy on Amazon or at any good bookshop.

Your own World Cup

Whether you like the World Cup, or couldn't care less, it is a nice reminder to focus on exercise and get involved with something that inspires you.  People who exercise regularly look better, feel better and have greater energy.

Every day there are new exciting fitness classes, but it doesn't have to be the boring gym routine. Dancing lessons, kick boxing, jungle fitness, 8 week challenge, and so many more.  Enter yourself into a personal world cup and win!

You can also combine it with something new like learning about Juicing and Detox.  The Putney Clinic of Physical Therapy is running a workshop on 21st June from 1- 4pm. You had better hurry up and book now as spaces are limited.

Smoking cessation for 2014 – e-cigarettes?

Electronic cigarettes... really?!  Why?  If you are going to stop, stop.  It's like choosing low fat cookies; they don’t really exist.  It is an illusion to think changing to e-cigarettes are going to really help you stop.  I don't know anyone who has tried them and not gone back to the real thing.

The reason you wanted to try to stop should be your focus to help you quit for life.  If you focus on what you will gain in the end, not what you "think" you will lose from them, it will make it easier.  At the end of day, what you think was great about smoking was just an illusion you created in your mind.

It does not relax you, makes you look cool or anything else. It is killing you as the pack says. Just STOP!

Children and exams

Children and parents can both suffer from exam anxiety.  We all want our kids to do well, but sometimes the pressure a parent puts on their child can result in them doing worse than they would have if you had left them alone.

The pressure to do well during a test can make students anxious during exams, which results in them not being able to think clearly.  The body goes into the "fight or flight" response and concentrates on getting blood to the heart.  You study in a relaxed state, therefore, in order to test well, the student needs to be relaxed with finding the answers.  Teach them to take 6 deep breaths before they ever start an exam.