Monday, February 25, 2013

Attitude Shmattitude

Resistance to change is found in many ways.  Our attitudinal choices and beliefs can make a huge difference in the way we see life and how we experience our lives and health.

As an example, I often encourage my clients to begin their day with a glass of lemon water.  Some insist that it is the most disgusting idea since colonics.  With the proper attitude you can enjoy, even look forward to your lemon water.  I choose to see the lovely lemon water as a wonderful elixir which goes into my body and draws out all of the toxins that my body does not need.  It wakes me up even more than a cup of joe!

With a simple attitude shift we can make the changes we need to make in life with minimal discomfort.

Attitude is a choice.  It is seeing the cup half empty or half full.  We have all encountered the negative nelly who can't even look at a baby and see the beauty and smile.  Don't become this person... make a different choice.  Choose joy over sadness; choose hope over despair; choose life over mere survival.

Obviously there are events in life which can temporarily take our choices away, as in extreme sadness or loss.  However, in the day to day, we do have this choice.  Why not make the choice today to be positive and live a more balanced, healthy life?

Our beliefs and our attitudes are what prohibit us from making needed and lasting change in our lives.  These beliefs keep us from happiness and keep up from our god given gift of joy.  Some of these beliefs have manifested since our early childhood and are nasty little buggers to deal with or transform.  The first step is in identifying what attitudes and beliefs are holding you back in life.  From there we must rewrite the past and banish the false beliefs.  Here is an example... I grew up with brown hair and brown eyes.  In my very Italian family of origin, blond hair and blue eyes were a mark of great beauty.  I grew up feeling less than pretty due to this false belief.  Now these beliefs run much deeper than this and can cause great pain.  Do you struggle with not being good enough; smart enough; rich enough; worthy enough... fill in the blank.  Learn to identify your false beliefs.  Replace them with a new truth and make it your mantra until it sinks into that beautiful soul of yours.

From there comes the real transformation and change!


In Gratitude,    Suzanne

Peace in your community; peace in your home and peace in your heart.


Suzanne Nicklas, RN, E-RYT, HHC, is owner of Shanti Yoga Studio in Troy, NY and is a Registered Nurse, Registered Yoga Teacher and Holistic Health Coach.  She holds workshops on wellness and stress management and also offers corporate classes and workshops.  You may contact her at suzannenick4@hotmail.com or visit www.shantiyoga.ws.



Friday, February 22, 2013

Is Stress Making You a Hot Mess?

If you are like most Americans you are struggling.  Struggling to pay bills; struggling for time to spend with spouses, family and friends and struggling to live your life in an authentic way.

All of this struggling leads to the big "S." Stress.  And the big "S" leads to big illness.

To stay off of the stress roller coaster and begin enjoying your life again, here are some simple tips. Although I use the word simple and they may seem simple, they are actually quite difficult. Our tendency is to resist change and anything new so you must enter into this with an open heart and playful spirit.  

Here are my top 5 tips for stress reduction.

1. Meditate - Even if only for five minutes a day.  In a seated position, ensure that your feet are grounded and your spine is straight.  Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath.   From here, as thoughts arise, without judgement, bring your attention back to your breath.  You can set a quiet timer if needed and you can start out at only a few minutes a day working your way up.

2. Get creative - Spend some time doing the things that bring you joy.  Begin something new or reignite an old passion.  Write, draw, sing, dance, take a class, begin journaling... whatever floats your boat.

3. Eat well and drink plenty of water - Simple right?  Not in this fast food, way too busy world.  Some days its hard to even remember to drink water.  Begin by making this a priority in your life.  Keep it simple... add more veggies to your diet and you will automatically cut down on the items your body does not need.  Instead of grabbing the afternoon soda or coffee; grab a big glass of H2O.

4. Get 8 hours of sleep - Easier said than done.  To help with this sometimes challenging issue, begin your nighttime routine 1/2 hour earlier than normal and spend some time meditation or stretching before bedtime.  It is also helpful to "turn off".  Turn off the television, the phone and the computer.

5. Get active - Spend 20 minutes a day walking, running, cycling, dancing, doing yoga or anything else that turns you on.  JUST GET MOVING!  This will assist in decreasing your appetite and increasing your energy.

I challenge you to take just one of the recommendations and do it for one week.  In time, you will begin forming more healthy habits leading to less stress and more calm in your life.  Stress is one of my favorite subjects to teach and write about.   I consider myself an expert as I have struggled with it just as you do.   Stay tuned for many more blogs on ways to reduce stress and create a calm, joy filled life.

In Gratitude,    Suzanne

Peace in your community; peace in your home and peace in your heart.


Suzanne Nicklas, RN, E-RYT, HHC, is owner of Shanti Yoga Studio in Troy, NY and is a Registered Nurse, Registered Yoga Teacher and Holistic Health Coach.  She holds workshops on wellness and stress management and also offers corporate classes and workshops.  You may contact her at suzannenick4@hotmail.com or visit www.shantiyoga.ws.





Thursday, February 21, 2013

Welcome to Health, Wellness and Yoga!

My name is Suzanne Nicklas. I am a Registered Nurse, a certified Holistic Health Coach, a Registered Yoga Teacher, and owner of Shanti Yoga Studio in Troy. This blog will be about everything health, wellness and yoga.

I'm excited to share tidbits of information from my medical background and holistic health background. Yoga is a particular love of mine and I will be sharing philosophy as well as my own personal insights into the practice.

Stay tuned for a wealth of information including fun and healthy recipes, how to relieve stress, yoga tips and tricks, and healthy lifestyle recommendations.

I would love this to be a space where you can share your ideas in the comments and hopefully we can learn from each other in the process! Read with an open heart and playful spirit.

Peace in your community, peace in your home, and peace in your heart.
Suzanne