Brain Food: A Healthy Dose of Resilience

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Dr. Gail Feldman

Staying on the road of resilience as we age requires that we trick the brain into thinking we’re still young. How do we do that? Three letters: N. E. W.

Researchers Bunzech and Duzel at University College London have shown that the brain ignores the old but gets sparked by the new. In short, the brain loves novelty- play, adventure, a new hobby.

When presented with something unexpected that triggers emotional arousal or the need to respond with a new behavior, the brain releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, which scientist Russell Poldrack calls the “gimme more” drug. Suddenly, the brain is totally focused on learning and memory.

So accumulating new knowledge and experience actually causes happiness!

Seeking a mid-winter boost, I came to Rancho La Puerta, Mexico, and after a few days of acting classes, cooking classes, and Latin dancing, my brain has no time to get bored and feel old.

Before jumping back into work and my daily routine, I plan to continue exercising my brain and dosing myself with dopamine by confidently taking on every hike, lecture, and class I can manage. I plan to feed my brain “buddy” all the novelty I can find on the menu.

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Eat Less, Pray Lots, Love Well

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Dr. Gail Feldman

Imagine, living to be 100! Not something I’ve aspired to, but the statistics say that twice as many of us could become centenarians than just twenty years ago. The U.S. leads the world in the largest number of people 100 years and older- 72,000 and this is expected to double by 2020! Especially if you’re female, you could very well live to 100 and beyond. Currently, the oldest men and women in the world are 114. Japan is another country with long life expectancy. Eighty-three percent of their 47,000 centenarians are women, so… if we women are on our way to super old age, it’s that much more important we live our very best lives. Now, it’s never too late to change careers, take up kick-boxing, ballroom dancing, horseback riding, orchid-raising, oil-painting, cello-playing, whatever harmonizes with your heart.
What correlates with longevity? Good genes, yes, and also a positive attitude, good health decisions, spirituality, love of life, and courage. If we’re gonna be one of the ancient ones, let’s be happy and healthy! Make choices that support your mind, body and soul. See a multitude of self-care methods in my latest book, Midlife Crash Course! Choose three ways to be optimistic, healthy, spiritual and loving, and practice them every single day.
Maybe you’ll join the ranks one day of the joyous, vital centenarians!

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Animal Messengers on your Hero’s Journey

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Dr. Gail Feldman

During times of stress on your life journey, recognize every resource as guidance- as the Universe bringing you strength on the road of resilience.  While we’re used to consulting experts and written materials during health, relationship, or financial crises, powerful messages can come from animals showing up in our inner or outer landscape. In Midlife Crash Course, I share my delight when a hummingbird flies into my bedroom one morning. An accident had left me with broken bones, a head injury, a possible heart problem… and panic attacks. After I helped the little bird back into the outside air, I read about the hummingbird – the smallest creature with a four-chambered heart, a heart the size of a baby’s fingernail, a heart that beats ten times a second and powers the tiny bird to fly more than five hundred miles without rest! I got the message that there was nothing wrong with my heart. It was fine- strong and healthy. The hummingbird represents “joy.” It brought me a happy, reassuring message that turned-out to be true.

Another time, when I doubted my ability to heal my body in time for a trip to Vietnam to give a talk, a very large hawk appeared on my front terrace looking right at me. Hawk asks us to look at things “from a higher perspective,” and doing that had me realize that I’d had my nose to the ground only aware of the current pain. From a broader perspective, I could see and believe that I would be well enough to travel. I took Hawk’s power with me to physical therapy from then on (and had a fabulous trip to Asia).

Shock and surprise is the only way I can describe my reaction to sitting up in bed one morning to see a snake stretched-out on the carpet staring at me. Snakes represent “transformation” and the ability to transmute life’s “poisons” into creative energy. This rebirthing is also exemplified by the Snake’s shedding of skin. I thanked Snake for giving me the message that I had the power, vitality and perseverance to leave my fears behind and become the “wise warrior” for love that I intended. But, you’ll have to read my book Midlife Crash Course to find out how I got the snake to leave the bedroom, and about a second snake visit. What animals show up in your life? And what messages do they bring?

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Resilience, Responsibility & Faith

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Dr. Gail Feldman

 “Tomorrow belongs to God….It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad,
   but rather regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow.”
- Robert J. Hastings 1980

Regret and fear are hallmarks of the Ego, that survival mechanism that would keep us  “safe” and small, and have us forget our commitments. The ego would rob us of the joy of the present. What can we do to stay present-focused and engaged with our dreams and desires? What can we do to show up for life each day coming from our Core Essence, our Authentic Self? First, remain active. Active meaning,  “actively conscious,” aware of what you want and where you are going. Second, write down and check off the “actions” you are taking each day and each week to  move you toward your creation, the manifestation of your goals. And third, have a structured self-care program to support you in the spiritual, physical, mental and emotional areas of your life. Standing firm in being responsible for yourself in every way in every day means you truly can let “tomorrow belong to God.” You are flexible, faithful, and resilient.  All is well. As they say in Australia, “No worries.”

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Your New Year’s “Revolution”

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Dr. Gail Feldman

It’s time to revisit our new year’s resolutions and make them a “revolution,” an evolution toward our life dreams- put some muscle, some powerful intention to them! Assuming you haven’t already achieved all of the goals and aspirations for your life, now’s the time to find your boldness of purpose and let the Universe know that you’re ready to be a “kick-ass,” make-things-happen person coming from a huge, brave heart.

There might be a few things to overcome first, so find the courage to grieve, so that you can grow beyond past disappointments. Write a letter of reconciliation to the person or situation that hurt you. Make sure you express all of your grievances, resentments- every bit of anguish. Then burn the letter and as it goes up in smoke know that you are freeing yourself from the prison of the past. In ancient Aramaic the word, “forgive” means “to untie a knot.” Forgiving yourself and others means that you release yourself from that tie.

From this space of freedom you can find the resilience, the energy to commit to your new goals and live from your values. Research shows that those who are most successful at achieving their new year’s resolutions are those who are completely committed to change and willing to reinforce their declarations with daily structured behaviors. Intention plus action = accomplishment. So create two to three actions each day that will move you forward in your life and find a “promise partner” or an “accountability partner,” who will help you stay on track with what you have affirmed you truly desire to produce in your life.

Maintain your confidence by visioning your inner flame, the “fire in the belly” that fuels your drive to achieve your heart’s desire. Reinforce this flame by expressing gratitude for all that you already have and reward yourself along the way for accomplishing any part of your goal. Let your inner fire burn brightly- and be optimistic. Optimism can add two years to the longevity of your life!

 

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Celebrate a Bold New Birthday

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Dr. Gail Feldman

My state of New Mexico is celebrating its 100th birthday! A rich heritage we have here-of multiple cultures, diverse landscapes- “enchanting” red earth, white sand dunes, sage and pinon deserts, high forested mountains, the legendary Rio Grande- the playground where my daughters, Megan and Niki, learned to hike and ski and become the mountain and river girls they are, and Niki passing her love of the outdoors on to her sons. We can boast that our state aircraft is the hot-air balloon and the state bird, the wild and crazy roadrunner. Pancho Villa and Billy the Kid became infamous through their shenanigans in southern New Mexico. Artists like Georgia O’Keefe led the way for many other fine artists, craftspeople and performing artists to join with our creative indigenous peoples to make “the light” of New Mexico home. The first film here was shot in 1898 at Isleta Pueblo and then in 1940 the legendary Grapes of Wrath, staring Henry Fonda.  Our film industry has recently exploded, so that it’s not unusual to find movie stars hanging out in Santa Fe or Albuquerque. I have to mention our historic scientific community at the Labs in Los Alamos and Sandia Labs. Then there’s the Santa Fe Opera and the Carlsbad Caverns… I could go on and on. I’m really just taking this opportunity to be super grateful for my state, my country and my family and friends. If I live to be 100, I hope my life reflects the richness and generosity I’ve been so fortunate to have experienced here over the years.

Start making your own history and create a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Blessings,

Gail

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Re-Creating Your Self “The Morning After!”

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Dr. Gail Feldman

What do we do the morning after an alcohol or eating binge, the final completion of a long-haul project, a move, a wedding, or maybe a successful or not so successful New Year’s party? Well, typically there’s a physiological let-down, exhaustion, the hamster-wheel mental reviewing of the whole experience (aka obsessing), and a few, or if you’re like me, many judgments about our performance. Depending upon how hard we worked, or how much we drank, or the type of feedback we received about our behavior, the judgments can be in the realm of self-loathing and the feelings desirous of death rather than facing the world anew with a smile on our face and a bounce in our step.

I’d like to suggest that moving into a new year, we take time to get complete with the old one.  One way to do this is with a writing exercise, a simple three-step process: First, write about all of your Achievements during the year. Look in each area of your life- work, family, friendships, recreation, hobbies, personal/internal growth. Find the gifts. Second, write about the “missings,” the disappointments, the things that just seem to have gone wrong and stayed wrong. After each one, write a  Declaration of your intention to handle that issue. See each item as a challenge you intend to take on. Choose to be responsible and effective rather than a victim. Third, Design how you envision your life to unfold over the next twelve months. Be bold in your thinking. It’s your life. Make it happen. As Emerson said, “Insist on yourself.”  In every way that you stand firm for your goals and values, you will be taking on this year from a position of power and you’ll be automatically birthing abundance.

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Light & Wonder

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Dr. Gail Feldman

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”  Plato

 

As a psychologist, I see many people this time of year who are standing in a shadow cast by loss, conflict or lack. It’s not that they fear the light, but may feel that light is only shining on other more fortunate souls.  Imagine you’ve begun a walk on a beautiful path, but it’s pre-dawn and dark. You know it’s lovely because you’ve been here before, but you can’t see the small wonders until the sun starts to slowly come up. As the light breaks through the trees, you begin to notice the magnificence- tiny dew-drops on the end of each pine needle, shades of green you never distinguished before, birds you didn’t realized lived in this area. On this day of the Winter Solstice, know that as the light returns, your light of faith can emerge and grow to nourish your soul and radiate light to others around you.

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Holidays- Stress of Time, Money, Family & Food

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Dr. Gail Feldman

 

  1. TIME Stress- Added to regular schedule, errands; kids’; additional family.Pretend you’re Santa- you have a long list, but what fun to check off each item- And, Who are your Elves? Your Helpers- How can you delegate?
  2. FAMILY Stress- Who’s with you that you’d rather Not have around? Who’s Not with you who you’re missing this year?  And then, who’s with you that you’re soo grateful for?  What is the gift of learning from all of these people?  Patience; Acceptance; Setting Boundaries Forgiveness…
  3. MONEY Stress-  This year more than ever- Get Real about what you can Spend. Time to get creative. Make something, Card is enough- from the Heart!
  4. FOOD Stress- Remember, You are the CEO of your Nutrition Company. You get to choose every thing you eat. (Not the little kids inside who wants Every single sweet on the buffet table). As the CEO, you get to eat like a gourmet- choosing only small bites of certain foods- enjoying the flavor and texture fully. Fill up only on the fresh stuff. Make sure to keep your exercise program going and ramp it up a notch-Try something entirely new!
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Celebrate Your Sacred Self

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Dr. Gail Feldman

Only five days left to a sacred birthday celebration. What in your life will you grieve and release this Christmas, and what will you give birth to that will bring you joy and connection with those you love? Count all of the qualities you have created in yourself that have brought you to this time and this place and light a candle to yourself this Christmas day.

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