Emy Minzel

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

Affirmations for your spirit!

December 24, 2018 emyminzel

What’s an affirmation and how can they help me? Much like Mantra’s (a sound or word that directs our brain waves into higher consciousness like OHM) an affirmation is the same but a little different. It is usually a sentence or phrase that helps keep your focus on your intention. I find it much easier to meditate and have a better day, when I have an affirmation that reiterates my intentions for that period or moment of meditation.

For example, when I am feeling down, or things aren’t going my way or maybe I am not as self-assured as I would like. I would say something like this (below) to myself several times throughout the day.

“The world is my playground for positive experiences of adventure and miracles in action. Nothing is impossible. I got this.”

This affirmation takes my mind off any worry of the past or future and leaves me open to experiencing my life right now. I believe that, to some extent, we do manifest the day we experience. We all have the free will to think and do what we choose. If we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and don’t figure out how to brush that energy off, your whole day ends up like an uphill mountain climb.

When I wake up mad, (Hey, it happens, some of us aren’t morning people!) I usually try to shake it off and hope a strong cup of coffee and the sunrise will help put a new perspective on things. But on those days that a warm shower and coffee aren’t enough, I do my best to give myself an attitude adjustment with an affirmation.

“Thank you for this day! Please guide me to do only good. I am open to divine guidance and love. I am the light.”

Repetition seems to be necessary, because I get distracted and find myself slipping into lower vibrational thoughts. When that happens, I need to repeat my affirmation and the intention of energy I wish to give and receive from the world around me. Sometimes something as simple as “I am safe.” Or “I am enough” is all it takes to remind me to get back into the here and now of my day.

I am a fan of Louise Hay’s work. She has a book called Heal Your Body. In it, Louise offers insight to buried mental issues that manifest into physical ailments. For example, if you wonder why am I having this back pain? Louise’s book says:

Lower back pain means: Fear of money and lack of financial support. She then offers an affirmation to say to yourself throughout the day to help your mind heal your body. “I trust the process of life. All I need is always taken care of. I am safe.”

Middle back pain means: Guilt, stuck in all that stuff in the past, “Get off my back.” The affirmation is “I release the past. I am free to move forward with love in my heart.”

Upper back pain means: You could be experiencing a lack of emotional support. Feeling unloved. Holding back love. The affirmation for upper back pain is “I love and approve of myself. Life supports and loves me.”

It is a very interesting book that has helped me and many people I know acknowledge the emotions that have physically manifested into ailments. It helps us put words to our mind, body, spirit connection so that it makes sense to our logical minds that rationalize everything. This book has helped me to feel confident in writing affirmations specifically for me. I do recommend you check this book out!

I have always believed that “thoughts become things!” and we should do our best to keep our thoughts busy manifesting goodness. Working with affirmations helps me to guide my active mind; to a peaceful and positive contentment.

There is no harm in coaching yourself to keep your thoughts positive to have the best day possible. Even if unconventional ways may seem a little ‘woo woo’ I suggest you give it a try! What’s the worst that can happen? You’re still ornery and have a crappy day? It happens to us all. But we can do our best to change the direction of our thoughts and steer them in a more hopeful direction.

I would like to state I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I am a human who has a very active mind and I like to share my tips and tricks I use to keep my thoughts positive and productive. If you feel like you need psychiatric help, do it! There is no shame in taking care of yourself.

For those of us who like to practice selfcare to keep that mind, body, soul vibes flowing positively, I think I am okay in sharing my experiences, from one friend to another. I hope this has helped you in some why and opens your mind to alternative practices that help us be nice to ourselves and others.

With love,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

Make New Friends

December 18, 2018 emyminzel

It’s been a whole year and many more new friends since this blog!

Emy Minzel

When I was a small girl, I joined the Brownies (The introduction group to Girl Scouts) where I learned to; Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other gold. Did you sing along with me? It’s a good tune and good advice. After four decades I am blessed with a handful of precious friends I love dearly. Some friends I see and talk with as much as possible, others I haven’t seen in years.

Sometimes as we get older life sweeps us away. We are afloat in kids, careers, errands, and responsibilities, making time a precious commodity. It can seem something always comes up, people move farther away, schedules just don’t match, and/or months turn into years. Before you know it, their kids are half grown, and you think “Well maybe we can get together in a couple more years.” Keeping them in your heart…

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6 Alternative ways to Meditate

December 18, 2018 emyminzel

Many of my friends are curious about meditation and its benefits. Who doesn’t need a little mental health break occasionally?! Yet, many are intimidated by the thought of trying not to think. This is nearly impossible for most of us to do but I am about to tell you a secret; you do not have too! There are many ways to mediate and you don’t even have to do it cross-legged on the floor while listening to ocean waves and pan flutes.

For those of us who have a hard time ‘sitting still’ or quieting our mind for an extended amount of time. Here are some alternative ways to get the same relaxing benefits of traditional meditation by just using intentional mindfulness. The best tip I can offer, for keeping your mind in the here and now, is to focus on your breathing. Make sure you are taking in deep belly breaths, then notice and relax any and all areas in your body that feel tense.

Walking Meditation: Getting out into nature and fresh air helps to clear our minds. It is also almost automatic that we become more alert and in the here and now, when outdoors. The whole point of meditation is to be here, right now. Most walks are pleasant, if you aren’t thinking of something that happened in the past or will in the future. Try to only focus on where your next footstep will fall and how beautiful that sunset is, your mind will be at peace.

Shower/Tub Meditation: Water is a very healing element. When you step into the shower or tub, do your best to keep your mind in there with you. Don’t think about what you are going to have for breakfast later or all you have to do today. Just enjoy the blessing of indoor plumbing and hot water; while thinking thoughts of gratitude. This is one of my favorite ways to start the day and to ‘fit’ meditation into my schedule.

Guided Meditations / Yoga Nidra: To be honest, I sometimes prefer guided meditation over regular meditation, when I am trying to clear my energy. It takes the pressure off when trying to keep my thoughts in check, because it keeps your mind busy listening to instructions. Stacy recommended to try Yoga Nidra last year on a very particular hard day I was having and I have been hooked ever since. It helps me get into a deep sense of relaxation by suggesting you focus your energy on different areas of the body.

Cleaning: Believe it or not, cleaning is an excellent mediation. Doing dishes, vacuuming and dusting; demands our focus. When doing an activity, that is not too challenging, we tend to pay attention to our task at hand and this allows us to stay in the present. Plus you get instant gratification results, which is always nice!

Massage/Acupuncture: Any practice that leaves me feeling like I am in an alternative universe for an hour or two is much like meditation. Some people fall a sleep on the massage table (sleeping is not meditation) but most people slip into a state of Zen; if they feel like they don’t have to fill the silence. Some people like to talk and that’s okay, but the ones that do not seem to get more than physical relief, they get mental relaxation. Feeling warm, safe and completely relaxed is a form of mediation that leaves us feeling blissful.

Coffee and Car rides: Believe it or not, even a quiet cup of coffee in the morning or a car ride can feel like a short meditation, if you can stop yourself from mentally running through your list of daily chores, just for a bit. Try instead to give thanks for the day you are about to embark on. You will be amazed at the peace it can bring. Turn off the noise and just breathe.

These are just a few tips and tricks I have learned on my journey to heal. I realize that we cannot be healthy without the body, mind and spirit connection flowing together as they should. So, to all of us who have a hard time with traditional ways of meditation, please do not give up! There are many ways to go within and give yourself time to destress!

I hope some of these suggestions will help you see meditation in a less intimidating way! Wishing you a blissful state of mind and a relaxing state of being in the here and now. Namaste!

With love,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

Why is it so hard to relax? Turns out I was doing it wrong!

December 15, 2018December 15, 2018 emyminzel

I recently wondered why it was that I was feeling down about not having the ambition to do all the things I want to do. My willpower seemed to have taken a winter vacation but didn’t have the courtesy to tell me first. Turns out that the things I was trying to take a break from where actually what were keeping my mood positive. Why would I want to take a break from that?!

For some reason when I think of relaxing; I think of blissful effortlessness, meditating in nature, hiking, camping, reading, napping, or even floating in the water somewhere. However, in everyday life of work, family, and chores what relaxing ‘looks like’ is much different. I am not on vacation while home, so the activities that relax my mind are going to be different.

This seems simple enough, now that I see it. Yet why did it take me so long to acknowledge and accept what truly relaxes me? Truthfully, I believe it is because I have finally had the time to process and examine my thoughts and feelings now that I am not working so darn hard. The time I have been blessed with to go ‘within’ is something I don’t want to take for granted.

During this time, I have had to look at why some of my actions don’t always match my beliefs or words. I have had time to dig deep into why I am doing the things I am doing. Working on making changes where necessary.

I have been wondering why it is that I keep striving so hard to get ahead and questioning why I seem to be taking the hardest path possible to get there!

All I know is what I ‘do’ must be meaningful to me and it is important that I help others in some way. But, do I really need to take the adventurous path everywhere I go?!

As an Adventure Sister, I say “Um yeah! You see and experience a life you normally would not on the unbeaten path!”

As a regular woman just trying to make it in this world, some days I think to myself. “Hmmm… are you sure this is the right way?! I think I know a shortcut.”

For some reason the words work and relaxing did not jive in my head! I am guessing it was past work history that has jaded my perception. I have not always been so lucky to work for myself. It has taken me a lot of years to understand that phrase.

“If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” This is so true! And it’s meaning completely snuck up on me.

Anyway, the point is, I discovered that being busy doing what I enjoy and ‘working’ on projects, is in fact, relaxing for me! I had no idea how joyful my work is. I find joy in my Massage Therapy and Energy Healing Practice because, I know how fortunate I am to retain loyal clients who appreciate me as much as I appreciate them.

Also writing my heart out and building a positive online community of adventures with one of my best friends Stacy, brings me relaxation and happiness. As we continue to work on our own separate spiritual growth paths, we still hold common goals of publishing our books and going on more Adventures together! I am so blessed to have a friend like Stacy!

When I got involved in my community pursuing the improvement of environmental issues via local politics, I also got to work with like-minded friends who have similar goals. We were all there because we wanted to be, not because we had to be! It has been a great deal of effort and work, yet it was exactly what I needed to feel to be the best me.

The whole journey of pursuing interests that make me feel good, is turning out to be a really great thing! While binge-watching Netflix and eating an abundance of my mom’s homemade delicious Christmas cookies is only relaxing occasionally. The times I am multi-tasking with blogging or researching serves only as a disturbance which makes me feel the opposite of peaceful. No wonder I have taken to enjoying a quiet house!

I just wanted to fill you in on my new-found discovery of what relaxing can truly mean. It does not have to look like a vacation, it only must feel like one to you!

Have you found something that relaxes you that seems like ‘work’ to others?

*photo taken in Glenwood, Minnesota

Wishing you an abundance of joy and blessings,

With love,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister