Why you’re lucky to be an introvert

Audra McDonie / Introvert's View / 1 Comment

Blessed are those who do not fear solitude, who are not afraid of their own company, who are not always desperately looking for something to do, something to amuse themselves, something to judge.
Paulo Coelho

Unfortunately, introverts have been done a huge disservice. Personality theorists historically portrayed introversion as an abnormal trait. They perpetuated a narrative that there was something wrong with a person who was introverted. Extroversion was touted as having all the positive attributes, including sociability and chattiness. This narrative definitely lives on in our world today. I have witnessed the negative connotations associated with introversion firsthand.

Introverts are one-third to one-half of our population and they include some of the worlds most gifted people.

Some Famous introverts:

Albert Einstein	J.K. Rowling	Emma Watson
Rosa Parks	Steven Spielberg	Meryl Streep
Elon Musk	Gandhi	Charles Darwin
Michael Jordan	Dr. Seuss	Audrey Hepburn

positive introvert personality traits:

Listen more than they talk.
Think before they speak.
Keenly observant.
Favor quality friendships and genuine interpersonal connectiveness over quantity of friendships.
Loving romantic partners, without being clingy or high maintenance.
Compassionate and inspiring leaders. They don’t step into the spotlight and take all the credit for group successes.
Highly selective of people. They don’t waste their time with just anyone.
Creative.
Lower threshold for small talk and superficialities.
Conserve energy for stimulating personal interactions, instead of ones that take their energy.
Ability to think outside the box.
Ability to overcome challenges in healthy ways.
Able to form genuine interpersonal connections.
Fiercely loyal.
Empathetic in nature.
Dreamers.
Intriguing and deep thinkers.
Problem Solvers

"There's zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas."
Susan Cain - Author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.

"Introverts...have more ways of protecting themselves and live longer. They appreciate a simpler life, plan and reflect on new ways of doing things and encourage others to develop self-reflection and to think before acting."
Carl Jung

I am an introvert myself and also the mother of two amazing introverts. It’s important to me that the negative narrative concerning introversion continue to change to a more positive one. Introvert’s and Extrovert’s both have amazing qualities, but many times introverts are made to feel like they are not as good or won’t be as successful as their extroverted counterparts. They are even asked or even pushed to be more extroverted by people who don’t understand introversion. This is ridiculous and I want all my fellow introverts to remember what a gift you are to the world and to know that you are perfect just the way you are!

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The Best Summer Playlist 2021

Audra McDonie / Entertainment / Leave a Comment

It’s summer! My favorite time of the year. I love the sunshine, the beach and the break from real life that summer seems to bring. I get a feeling of excitement when I know that summer is just around the corner. I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid it felt like summer was a year long. Unfortunately, now it seems like it’s over in a blink of an eye, but nonetheless, it’s still my favorite season! I thought it would be fun to share my summer music playlist with you. Music is one of my passions and I love making playlists for different occasions. A’s Summer Tunes 2021 Spotify playlist is below. I hope that you take the time to give it a listen!

Hopefully, you’ll discover a new artist or a new song or two! Have an amazing summer full of sun, fun and of course music!!

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Breath, Cold Therapy and Intention: wim Hof’s path to A new Life

Audra McDonie / Health & Wellness / Leave a Comment

The limit is not the sky. The limit is the mind.
Wim Hof

Wim Hof is a Dutch extreme athlete. His nickname is the Iceman because he has broken many records for cold exposure. He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in shorts, ran a half marathon above the Arctic Circle barefoot, and stood in a container of ice cubes for more than 112 minutes. He came onto my radar when I was watching Goop on Netflix. The episode showed some of Gwyneth Paltrow’s staff spending a few days with Wim Hof learning his method. Ever since, I have wanted to take the time to learn more about it. I decided to take The Wim Hof Method Mini-class, which is available on his website https://www.wimhofmethod.com/. In the class, he explains the three principles of his method; breathing, cold therapy and the power of the mind.

Wim is a unique and amazing human being. He does these extreme challenges so he can show people that we underestimate the power of our minds. He believes he has found a way to dramatically change peoples lives, and I think he is definitely onto something profound.

Class 1 – Breathing

In order to learn the proper way to do the breathing technique please go to the website and do the class. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/ Each class is about ten minutes and they are all free to watch..

Why should you take the time to do it and what are the benefits? Wim explains that one of the reasons that stress affects us is because we breathe too shallowly. This shallow breathing is affecting our body chemistry and causing our minds and bodies to suffer. This class teaches you how to regulate your body chemistry and allow it to become more alkaline through the breathing exercises. The human body is constantly monitoring the PH of blood and other fluids. It is important that our PH not be too alkaline or too acidic, but there are many health benefits to being a bit more on the alkaline side:

reduces inflammation in the brain, gut, skin and muscles
deeper sleep
increased energy
reduction in weight
more mental alertness and improved memory
healthier tissue
healthier heart
reduces risk of heart disease
detoxes the body

I am still in the beginning stages and trying to perfect the breathing technique, but I have noticed that I do feel more energized and alert. I am very excited to continue doing it on a daily basis, so I can enjoy all the other benefits!

Class 2- The Power of Cold Therapy

Again, I am not going to explain how to do the cold therapy, please go to the website: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/ and watch the class. Don’t worry the cold therapy is quite mild. You don’t have to jump into a lake or sit in a bath of ice cubes. It consists of adding cold therapy to the end of your shower. Wim repeats many times while he is teaching his methods that you always want to feel comfortable and never force yourself to feel uncomfortable. The cold therapy is a process, where you slowly build to the optimal amount of time.

Health Benefits of Cold Therapy:

speeds up metabolism
reduces inflammation, swelling and sore muscles
improved sleep
more focus
improved immunity
higher energy levels
relieves symptoms of depression

I am working my way up to the optimal amount of time of cold therapy. I have always been kind of a wimp when it comes to subjecting myself to cold water, so it is challenging for me. I am committed to learning his method because I really do believe that the principles Wim Hof has come up with are life changing.

Class 3 – The Power of the Mind

In this class, Wim discusses the brain over body concept. He believes that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to, if you do it with intention. He talks about our minds being our tool. He says that, “the mind is able to connect with the hormonal system and make the body do whatever we program it to do. That’s the power of intention.”

The ice bath or cold shower will show you if you are connected to your hormonal system. If you are able to to go into the cold shower and it doesn’t affect you, except in a positive way, almost to the point where it is enjoyable, then you are connected. The cold shower teaches us how to deal with environmental stress.

He goes on to explain in the class that stress is an impact, a power or force on the body and our being. The cold shower is an example of how we can learn to set our mind to deal with something that is uncomfortable or possibly even painful. The cold is just the teacher or the stressor. We tell our mind to go into the cold, that it will okay. That everything is okay, and it is.

If we can be okay with a freezing cold shower, then we can be okay with other stressors too. It could be another environmental stress, emotional stress, daily stress, worry stress, corporate stress or any of the other myriad of stressors that we come in contact with every day. If we are able to overcome the cold and be okay and happy with it, then we can deal with all the other stressors in our lives the same way we deal with the cold. We set an intention that we are okay with whatever stressor it is, and then we are okay. It’s mind over matter. Instead of letting our mind and body take on the stress and run with it, we use our mind as a tool and we tell it the intention we desire.

Wim says, ” that with these basic principles – the breathing (cardiovascular system), the cold and the power of the mind, plus commitment – you will be able to tackle anything.”

He explains that it is also important to write down your experiences with the method. You will be discovering new terrain about yourself and it will be helpful to keep a record of it.

I hope that you try out Wim Hof’s Method mini-class, and that you become as excited about it as I am. This method and way of thinking really resonated with me. I plan on continuing the techniques on a daily basis. I look forward to enjoying all of the health benefits and I am also looking forward to getting better at using the power of intent and my mind to overcome anything I choose to!

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balance technology with nature by Finding a Sit Spot

Audra McDonie / Health & Wellness / Leave a Comment

I first heard the word sit spot when I was watching the History channel program Alone. One of the female contestants used a sit spot while living on northern Vancouver Island. My curiosity was peaked after I heard her mention it, and I decided I wanted to know more. A sit spot is a place in nature that you return to on a regular basis. It doesn’t haven’t to be pristine and beautiful, but it has to be a place that has trees, birds and other living creatures. It should be easily accessible, so you can visit on a daily basis or at least a few times a week. Ideally, it shouldn’t be more than five minutes from your front door. By visiting your “sit spot” routinely, you will gain an increased sensitivity to nature, and your senses will begin to function on another level. This small act done on a routine basis will have a dramatic effect on your brain and your life.

Today, most people are programming their brains with technology. They immerse themselves in a world of smart phones, video games, social media and television. Nature has taken a back to seat to these technological activities. According to Brian Mertons, “the constant bombardment of chaotic data is very damaging to the human brain.” The prolonged use of technology affects our brains in very negative ways and is leading to a loss of human connectivity, creativity and communication skills, in addition to the loss of these essential human skills:

emotional intelligence
problem solving
self control and willpower
creativity
empathy and communication
ability to see the big picture
focus and memory
musical and artistic talent
overall success and happiness

For most of human evolution our brains were programmed by nature. Sensory stimulation came from knowledge of plants, trees, birds, animal tracking, and survival skills. In the last 50 years human beings have seen more changes in society than in the entirety of preceding human history. Most of those changes have been technological advances. There are people today that spend their entire lives looking at a screen and this is their only sensory stimulation. There are actually people who have never even been for a walk in the woods. There is nothing inherently wrong with technology, but it is imperative that there be a balance between technology and nature for human beings to be healthy in mind and body.

“Allow nature’s peace to flow into you as sunshine flows into trees”

-John Muir

Benefits of a sit spot:

Better sensory awareness
Improved critical thinking and problem solving
Improved creativity
Learn naturalist skills
Renewed sense of happiness, peace and joy
Releases pent up emotion
Allows time to step back and see the “big picture” and to see from a different perspective
Improved interpersonal skills
Improved connection to others

Where should it be?

It can be a place in the woods, in the suburbs or even in the heart of the city. I live in the suburbs and my sit spot is in my back yard. I have a shady tree and my backyard overlooks a pond and some woods. I got one of those little garden stools and I put it under the tree facing the pond. There are plenty of birds, trees, plants and other little creatures in which to observe.

Things to consider:

The most important thing to consider when choosing your spot is that you feel safe and that there is nature present. As I mentioned earlier, convenience to getting to your spot is important. Make it a place that is as easy to get to as possible.

What do I do when I’m there?

For 10 minutes to 1 hour, sit observe and be present
Get familiar with who and what you share your place with. Look around, notice what’s happening with trees & birds. See what most peaks your curiosity and observe patterns.
Notice the level of activity of the living creatures in this area (or lack of) and see if you can figure out the cause.
Close your eyes, what can you feel with your sense touch. What can you hear close and far away?
Tuck away this information in your memory so you can notice differences the next time you visit.
Don’t zone out – approach with intention and awareness
Take your shoes off and let your bare feet touch the ground. (this is actually called grounding/earthing – blog with more on this coming soon)

I believe that balancing out our technological habits with time in nature is essential for each and every one of us, and for our children and future generations. Spending time at a sit spot is an easy way for anyone to incorporate nature into their daily lives with very little effort. Teaching our children this simple practice is a gift we can give them that will benefit them in a very impactful way. My grandmother was a very wise woman and one of the things she would always say is, “everything in moderation.” Technology is fine, but it must be used in moderation and in tandem with time in nature. I hope that you have fun finding your own sit spot and that it will be an exercise that you will enjoy for the rest of your life!

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Minimalism is the way to happiness and freedom

Audra McDonie / Self-Help / Leave a Comment

“Minimalism is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from life’s path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of life; health, relationships, passion, growth and contribution.”
– Joshua Fields Millburn

Minimalism at it’s base is learning to live with less and embracing a life which is based on experiences rather than possessions. Today our lives are built around a consumer culture. We have so much stuff that 1 in 11 American households purchase self storage outside of their house and they spend on average $1000 per year storing their stuff. There is nothing wrong with material possessions, but I think there is a problem with how many we have and how much importance we place on them. Movies, tv, commercials, and pop culture impress upon us that being rich and having everything money can buy is going to make us happy beyond our wildest dreams. Go to college, get a good job so you can be “secure” and buy cars, houses, clothes, boats, jewelry, etc… We go after these things at the expense of our health, relationships, dreams and personal growth.

“Want to have a house, raise a family and have a career? Great. If these are important to you then that’s wonderful, minimalism simply allows you to make these decisions more consciously, more deliberately.”
“Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excesses in favor of focusing on what’s important – so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.”
– Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

I have been wanting to live a minimalist lifestyle for a long time. I’ve looked into it; learning about it through documentaries, books and blogs. Last year, I was forced to clean out my office because of a leak. I got rid of anything I didn’t absolutely love and anything that I didn’t use. Other than this, I have not committed to the minimalist lifestyle. Not surprisingly though, my office is very minimalist now, and it is my favorite place in my house. Starting out slowly seems to be the way a lot of people on the minimalist path begin. There are all kinds of minimalists – some have sold all their possessions to live communally on a farm. Some have listed all their possessions on a sheet of paper, and then eliminated all but a 100 possessions. Neither one of these options would be for me, but for every person it is a process, they didn’t just wake up one day and become a minimalist. Each individual has to find the minimalist lifestyle that works for them, it is ever changing and evolves over time. The minimalist lifestyle I would like right now would consist of getting rid of all the clutter in my home and having it be full of objects I loved and things that all have a use. The best way to begin is to think of how your life would look if you had less stuff.

"Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we value most and the removal of anything that distracts us from it." - Joshua Becker

According to Joshua Becker the author of the book Simplify, the best way to begin is to remove all the clutter from our lives, moving from room to room. Selling, donating and recycling everything that we no longer use. He says that the simplicity and order that this brings, will bring freedom, joy and balance. Your home will start to give life and energy rather than drain it. As you clear physical clutter you begin to clear emotional clutter, relational clutter and spiritual clutter.

Marie Kondo is a minimalist expert (although she prefers “tidying expert”) bestselling author, star of Netflix’s hit show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and founder of KonMari Media, Inc. In her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, she teaches that if you simplify and organize your home the right way, you will never have to do it again.

She believes in the KonMari Method: Instead of organizing room by room, you tidy by category – not location. It starts with clothes, books, paper, miscellaneous items and then sentimental items. She believes in keeping only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. This method places great importance on being mindful, introspective and forward looking.

6 Basic Rules of Tidying Using the KonMari Method:

Rule #1: Commit yourself to tidying up

Rule #2: Imagine your ideal lifestyle

Rule #3: Finish discarding first

Rule #4: Tidy by category not location

Rule #5: Follow the Right Order

Rule # 6: Ask yourself if it sparks joy

There are many different methods and ways to begin on the road to minimalism. It is just a matter of finding what resonates with you. I think I will be melding several of the methods I have learned to make a method of my own. I like the idea of moving from room to room within my home, and using the KonMari way of keeping things that spark joy in me and that are useful to me or my family. If it is doesn’t spark joy or isn’t useful it will get sold, donated, recycled or thrown out. I hope that I have inspired you to take a step toward a more minimalist lifestyle. Take care and have fun on your minimalist journey!

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30 Amazing and Simple ways to Pay it forward

Audra McDonie / Self-Help / Leave a Comment

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” -Aesop

We’ve all heard the saying “pay it forward”, but where did this idea come from and what does it really mean? It started with Catherine Ryan Hyde’s book Pay It Forward and then became more well known in 2000 when the book was made into a film of the same name. The movie is about eleven year old Trevor, ( played by Haley Joel Osment), who is inspired by his social studies teacher’s (Kevin Spacey), challenge to come up with an idea that will change the world. Trevor comes up with the idea of paying it forward, which consists of doing a favor that really helps someone, and then telling him or her not to pay it back, but to instead pay it forward to three other people who in turn each pay it forward to three more – and on and on into a global outpouring of kindness and decency. I remember seeing this movie and thinking this was an idea that truly could change the world, or at the very least make it a better place.

Catherine Ryan Hyde, the author of Pay It Forward established the Pay It Forward Foundation in 2000. According to their website, “she established it as a catalyst to inspire growth for the pay it forward philosophy, acts of kindness among strangers, generating a ripple effect from one person to the next, one community to the next.” Over its 17 year history the foundation has inspired countless acts of kindness and it has inspired people all over the world to make the philosophy part of their daily lives. The foundation has also published a young readers edition of the Pay It Forward book to be used by teachers in schools. If you are a teacher and you want to use the book as part of your curriculum, you can request a class set on their website: payitforwardfoundation.com. If you are a parent and want to buy it for your child it is available at Barnes & Noble.

I would like be a more giving person and I am planning to make the pay it forward concept part of my daily life. I can only imagine what kind of world we would live in if every person incorporated this simple idea into their lives. So I have scoured the internet to find many different ways each and everyone of us can pay it forward on a daily basis.

30 Great Ways to Pay It Forward

Compliment the first 3 people you talk to today.
Send a positive text message to five different people today.
Put inspirational notes around your office, school, neighborhood etc…
Tell someone they dropped a dollar, a five or even a ten and then give it to them.
Donate towels, toys or food to an animal shelter.
Let someone go in front of you in line.
Leave a gas gift card at the gas pump.
Leave an inspirational note on someone’s car.
Smile at 5 strangers.
Take flowers or treats to the nurses station at your nearest hospital.
Leave a box of goodies in your mailbox for your mail carrier.

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
-Winston Churchill

Give freely without expecting anything in return. Many people will ask how they can pay you back for your kindness. Tell them about the pay it forward concept. Tell them you don’t want anything, but you would like them to pay the good deed forward to someone else.

Bring a homeless person a meal.
Leave a good book behind in a cafe, train, bus, airplane, etc..
Pay for someone’s coffee.
Give blood.
Donate to a cause you believe in.
Listen to someone’s story. Many people have nobody to listen to them or someone who cares about them.
Give someone some words of encouragement.
Pray for someone in need. Send them love and pray that they have enough strength to get through what they’re going through.
Offer to take someone’s photo
Leave change where kids can easily find it.
Give up your seat to an elderly person or a woman.
Help someone pursue their dream.
Write a positive review for a good business.
Tell someone they made a difference in your life
Make a donation to your local food bank.

“None is useless in this world, who lightens the burdens of another.”
-Charles Dickens

Leave a toy in a shopping cart with a note that says, “please accept this gift for your child, to make the trip easier for both of you.”
Leave an envelope of money in a shopping cart.
Pay someone’s bill anonymously at a restaurant.
Create blessing bags for the homeless. They consist of non-perishable food items, personal hygiene products and clothing. To find out more about blessing bags go to Strongluv.com.

I hope that I have inspired you to incorporate this simple notion into your life. I really believe that if each one of us paid it forward (with these ideas or ones of your own) a few times a week, our world would be a kinder, gentler and more loving place. Take care and have fun on your pay it forward journey!

I would love to hear some of your pay it forward ideas! Please leave them in the comment box below!

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