LIFE IN FOCUS

FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE LOST IN THEIR MINDS,  SO MUCH INVOLVED IN THEIR THOUGHT PROCESSES, THE ONLY MOMENTS THEY HAVE WHEN THEY ARE NOT TRAPPED IN THAT IS WHEN THEY ARE RELATING TO THEIR ANIMAL; THEIR PET.  -Eckhart Tolle Creating a lifestyle that includes shared space with a companion animal is one of life's most rewarding decisions and adventures. The bond we share with our pet(s) transcends the boundaries of language and love. When we invite a pet into our lives, we are inviting a love that will touch our heart and soul.  Lovingly and responsibly caring for a pet simply brings out the very best in us and improves our lives in profound ways. This article will take a deeper look at how this occurs.  Let's first examine the neuroscience behind this bond and relationship.  THE NEUROSCIENCE  Simply speaking, loving a pet is good for your nervous system and brain. Most of us do not need research to support this claim. We know firsthand the benefits we feel when petting, interactin

QUIET YOUR MIND   ENERGIZE YOUR BODY   RECLAIM YOUR SENSE OF PEACE  Recently, I heard the following quote and it both resonated with and deepened my understanding of how we end up asking ourselves:  How did I get here?     From Ernest Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises, one character asks the other:  "How did you go bankrupt?" The response:  "Two ways;   gradually and then  suddenly."  How did I end up here? This self-reflection question is usually associated with a negative outcome. We do not tend to be curious about how we achieved a high level of success because built into the success model is the incremental stages of disciplined and focused work that led one from point A to point B. Success follows a formula and there is a conscientious effort that advances life in an onward and upward fashion. However, when life spirals downward, it usually follows this formula —> gradually and then  suddenly.  This trajectory is applicable to stress .  When our liv