In This Issue
November 2007 Issue 21
Hello %$firstname$%
Welcome to this week’s issue of Weekly Wellness Wisdom! I’d like to especially extend greetings to our new subscribers with gratitude that you’ve joined our community of Wellness Seekers.
If you have trouble reading this, read today’s issue online.
Each week we explore the process of following our paths toward Authentic Wellness: Essentially this is an ongoing experience of growing into a place of balance and renewal which also honors our unique perspective and spirit.
I emphasize emotional, relational and spiritual well-being, with the awareness that when these dimensions of wellness are supported, the other aspects of well-being (such as physical health, our relationship with food, etc.) tend to follow more naturally. We inspire ourselves and feel pulled toward a place of balance; we are no longer “pushing” ourselves.
If you find this newsletter helpful and supportive, please share it with your friends and colleagues. Simply forward this email and invite them to subscribe. Thank you for passing it on! I grow through your recommendations and I’m grateful for it.
What’s New from Centered Living
Complimentary Teleclass! Have you participated in a Teleclass? If so, you know this is a fun and convenient way to connect to folks all over the globe! If you haven’t tried a Teleclass, this is the perfect introduction. It is as simple as making a long distance phone call (and this is your only cost).
The 60 minute Teleclass will take place on December 6th at 7pm, EST. If you’re unable to attend live, you’ll be sent an audio recording via email. We’ll explore “Holiday Wellness” and clarify how you can best experience authentic wellness through this joyous and sometimes hectic holiday season. I hope you’ll join!
Simply send a blank email to lori.boothroyd-273698@autocontactor.com (you don’t need to fill in any details) and your interest in this Teleclass will be registered! There is no cost and absolutely no obligations. This is a gift from me to my readers. Stay tuned for more details.
Wellness Wisdom Feature Article: Emotional Touch and Authentic Wellness
Last week I wrote about the essential need for us to be touched, to have physical contact in nurturing and supportive ways. Our spirits become listless when we are hungry for touch. We often attempt to compensate through overeating, aggressive and self-defeating behaviors. Other less damaging but still painful side effects are: Boredom, a sense of disconnect, tension, shyness, fear of intimacy and isolation. We often (aptly) describe these states as “losing touch”.
We need psychological touch in the same way; these touches are expressed through attention, acknowledgment and affection.
Attention is a universal human need. To feel seen, heard and recognized by another is profoundly healing and supports our well-being. Do you remember the earliest games of “peek-a-boo”? I still remember hearing my Mom say: “I see you, Lori Ann!” How gleefully I loved feeling recognized by her. Though more subtle as adults, the need is still great, the glee is deeply nurturing. Attention may mean simply being present, sharing silence without the need to exchange words.
Acknowledgement is a verbal (perhaps non-verbal) expression of appreciation for another (and for ourselves). I often ask my coaching clients: “What do you want to acknowledge yourself for in this situation?” This gets to the heart of the best self within us and each other. Saying to another “I really want to acknowledge your courage” or whatever quality we are appreciating is profound and powerful. Take a moment right now to acknowledge yourself for displaying a strength or behaving in a way that you deeply appreciate; notice how it shifts your emotions…
Finally, affection is the glue that creates and sustains connection in all our relationships. The expression and reception of affection is diverse, but the impact gives the “warm fuzzies” that support us. Whether through a wink across the room, a gentle murmur in the ear, a compliment shared or a squeeze of the hand, energy is exchanged. The beauty of this is simple: Giving feels as good as getting. It is a symbiotic flow of emotional energy.
My wellness challenge to you this week is two-fold: First, identify and ask for the emotional touch you need. You must recognize and take responsibility to ask for this nourishment. Second, take a moment to identify a relationship you could nurture and support in more active ways through the three A’s: Attention, Acknowledgment and Affection. The attunement and sense of connection that comes from giving and receiving emotional touch is nothing short of transformational.
Personal Reflections
I experienced an unusual exchange of emotional energy this week. I hope it was symbiotic, but I can’t know for certain. Here is what happened:
Last night I was walking through our woods in Northern Michigan and right next to the path I heard some leaves rustling. When I paused and turned to look, I realized a porcupine was walking along with me. This was a first for me, though I’m a frequenter of the woods and its inhabitants. The porcupine didn’t seem to mind my company at all. It was bumbling along, pondering each thing that appeared under its soft face. The quills were laying flat, a sign (I hoped) of relaxation and feeling safe with me. I watched, smiling and feeling a lightness in my heart, a comfort. Never before had I equated sharp quills with “warm fuzzies”!
I was most struck by what appeared to be the porcupine’s sense of savoring, of appreciating each discovery along the way. It reminded me to do the same. After a few minutes of watching, I left the porcupine to its peaceful evening and walked home to mine. Though brief and not typical, I certainly left the encounter with my heart and spirit lifted; and I hope my new friend did too.
May you have symbiotic exchanges of energy (in all their myriad forms) this week.
Lori
About Lori
Dr. Lori Boothroyd is known as the “Coaching Psychologist”. She has served her clients and students well over the years through integrating her knowledge from earning a Ph.D. in psychology, as well as her advanced training in coaching and wellness psychology. Appreciated for her warmth and down-to-earth style as much as her expertise, Lori is a dynamic speaker, author and coach. She lives in Traverse City, Michigan with her husband, Dr. Gregory Boothroyd. Together they authored the book “Going Home: A Positive Emotional Guide to Promote Life Generating Behaviors”.
For a complimentary coaching consult, to inquire about programs or to ask any questions, please email: lori@loriboothroyd.com
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