Yes, yes you are! Now say it out loud ("I am amazing!"....now saw it louder like you mean it "I AM AMAAAZZZIINNGG!!)
Was that hard to say it out loud? and then to say it even louder? Many people have a hard time accepting compliments and believe that they are amazing. We are often hesitant to step out of our comfort zone and admit that we are AMAZING!

We normally get compliments when we are out or around people. As the pandemic continues and we continue to spend most of our time at home, I thought it would reach out and put a smile on someone's face (or at least attempt it). I started the year off by sending affirmations with little notes of encouragement via snail mail.

How can you put a smile on someone's face? 

As we head into the new year, I use this opportunity to review treatment plans with clients and have them create or update their goals. I have always been a fan of the WOTY and have been including it into my practice. This year, I encouraged my clients to create a list of goals for each category of life and find the common thread between them. 

• Personal Development
• Health
• Relationships
• Finances
• Career/Education

You will be amazed that there is usually a common thread between the goals we set. Setting our goals is one thing, implementing them is a whole other aspect. As a homework assignment, I encouraged my clients to create a visual reminder of their word. There are so many ways you can create a visual reminder. Whether you chose to create a collage, painting a canvas or find or create a sign for your word.  If you are a bullet journalers, maybe you created it in a spread. Or perphaps you prefer to painted a terra cotta pot to remind yourself to tend to her plant just like you need to tend to your goals. 

What's your Word of the Year? How can you make a visual daily reminder to continue to work towards your goals?

I know most people were anxiously awaiting 2021's arrival in the hopes that there would be a magical change. Like a reverse Cinderella situation, when the clock strikes midnight, BAM!, a miraculous change would occur. Don’t we wish that was our reality!

Our reality is that CHANGE can happen. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen over night, in fact, change is more of a series of events. Similar to skipping a rock on a lake, it is not about the first impact on the water; it is more about the chain of reactions from that first impact. Imagine a coach taking over a football team, can we expect them to win the Super Bowl this season or will he need a season or two to adjust and transition his team. Change takes effort, motivation and work. 

What changes are you willing to make to have a future impact on yourself, family or community? What effort are you willing to put in to guarantee that change?
 
For myself, I have created goals for the year that center around 21 (for 2021) and created bullet journal spreads to keep me on track and motivated.

• Go on 21 hikes
• Watch 21 sunsets
• Create content for 21 blogs (yes, that means 1-2 blogs per month...get ready!)
• Read 21 books you’ve never read
• Find 21 ways to give back to your community
• Commit to 21 sustainable practices for the entire year

*(and posting it here, helps me stay motivated and accountable)

​Before the year started, I was excited and optimistic that 2020 would be a year of clarity, after all 20/20 means perfect vision. I don’t think that anyone could have predicted the chaos this year would bring. 2020 was a year of change for everyone, whether you struggled with finances or lost your job, became a teacher to your children, had to find your zen in the comfort of your home or experienced or lost someone to COVID 19. 2020 got everyone out of their comfort zone. Like with everything, we can’t control the situation, yet we have to choose how we react to a situation. That what keeps us in control, the ability to control our reactions to each situation. As we head towards the new year, I encourage you to look at the positives about 2020. Did you cook more? Did you spend less? Did you start family game night? Have you connected more with friends and family (scheduled zoom dates)? Did you create a home gym? Did you find a new hobby (coloring books, painting, woodwork)? Create a list of your 20 highlights of the year.

As we are in a few months into this pandemic, everyone has been more stressed out and ​anxious. Whether we are worried about finances, paranoid about contracting COVID 19 or struggling with dealing with finding our new normal, we can all use a little zen in our life. Meditation could be the calm to your chaos.  I challenge you to join me in a meditation challenge! I know I know, it feels like we can't possibly take on more than we already have right now; but trust me, I promise this will help. The answer to all of this chaos is to focus within and focus on what we can control...our thoughts. Meditation is an integral part of controlling your inner peace and finding your zen. Any behavior that is done 21 days in a row becomes a habit.
Now, before you make any excuses, hear me out. Meditation can be done anywhere and at anytime! There is no perfect way to meditate. In fact, mediation is a practice, the more you do it the easier it becomes. Some people like to create a zen space (candles, crystals, and cushions); while others go into nature and connect to Mother Earth. Is it your first time meditating or have you struggled with being consistent with your practice, you can benefit from this meditation challenge. And my girl, Gabrielle Bernstein, is here to make your meditation easy peasy for you. All you need is 10 minutes a day. When you sign up for this challenge, you will receive daily emails with directions on your daily meditation and an audio recording. I am on day 3 and already have noticed how dedicating 10 minutes of my day have improved my sleep and mood. Now, who doesn't want that? Let's find our zen together!

Essential oils can help support your body to reduce stress and anxiety by relaxing your mind and body. Like a favorite candle, essential oils stimulate the smell receptors in your nose. This then send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls emotions.
 
Essential oils like lavender, wild orange and roman chamomile can help to relax your mind and body after a long day. Ever wonder why spas use specific aromas in their facilities and aromatherapy massages? More than just a good smell, essential oils can have a positive impact on your mood.
 
4 Tips to Relax After a Long Day:
1.     Turn on your diffuser with a favorite uplifting or calming blend when you walk in the door. Fill your diffuser with water and add 5-8 drops of a desired oil or a combination of a few oils. Looking for something uplifting? Go for citrus and mint oils – lemon, lime, tangerine, grapefruit, peppermint, spearmint. Need something relaxing? Opt for florals and woods – lavender, geranium, white fir, cedarwood, vetiver, roman chamomile. Set the scene for your evening from the moment you get home.
2.     Take a relaxing bath. Place a drop of Eucalyptus in the corner of your shower for an invigorating shower. Or, treat yourself and enjoy a soak in your tub with Epsom salts and a few drops of essential oils like lavender, rosemary or bergamot. Play relaxing music and relax as the stresses of the day wash away.
3.     Add 1-2 drops of copaiba essential oil to water or tea to support the health of the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, nervous and respiratory system. Or, add a few drops to an empty veggie cap or take a ready-made copaiba softgel. Taking copaiba internally helps to soothe and calm the nervous system.
4.     Place a drop of lavender or doTERRA’s Serenity blend on your pillowcase for a night of restful sleep. Turn on your bedroom diffuser 10 minutes before bedtime with a relaxing sleepy time blend to set the tone for a night of blissful sleep.
 
Written by: Michelle Fujii
For questions on essential oils she can be contacted here. 

As we are adjusting to a new normal and constant health updates, we are all struggling with stress, fear and anxiety. With so many things being temporarily banned - the ability to eat in a restaurant, go to the beach, hang out with friends - we are all seeking ways to gain control of what we can. With hospitals reserved for COVID-19 patients and emergencies, the desire to stay healthy has become even more important.
 
Are you seeking safe and healthy ways to help cope with all these changes? Essential oils to the rescue! Essential oils are more than just a great smell, they can help to improve your emotional, mental and physical health. 
 
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are extracted from different parts of plants and are 50-70 times more powerful than herbs. Essential oils have provided simple and powerful solutions throughout history.
 
How to use essential oils?
There are three ways to use essential oils:
1.     Aromatically – Aromatherapy works by stimulating smell receptors in the nose. This then send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls emotions. (Ex: the smell of cookies baking = happiness)
a.     Open a bottle and take a deep inhale
b.     Place 3-5 drops in a diffuser
2.    Topically – Essential oils are nutrients that penetrate the cell membrane. Unique chemical structure allows oils to pass directly through the skin for immediate systemic response to topical application.
a.     Dilute with fractionated coconut oil and apply directly to area of concern or under the soles of your feet
b.     Mix with unscented lotion for a customized essential oil lotion blend
3.     Internally – Essential oils work with the body to address issues and root causes on a cellular level.They can affect the whole body – including the digestive system, mouth, throat, liver, and urogenital tract
a.     Place a drop under your tongue or in a gel cap
b.     Add a drop to your water, tea or favorite recipe
*Caution when taking essential oils internally. Not all brands are created equal, make sure the essential oils you are using are pure and safe to take internally.
 
Through these three simple ways, essential oils can quickly and effectively enter your body and improve your mental, physical and emotional health. The best part? Essential oils are derived from nature, and non-toxic and safe for you and your loved ones. 
 
Consider turning to essential oils for the additional needed support you seek during these unprecedented times. Stay tuned to the next blog for essential oil recommendations!​
Written by : Michelle Fujii

I have always loved board games and use them regularly in sessions and in my personal life. At home, board games provide an opportunity for everyone to get off their devices, sit together and make new memories. In sessions, I use board games to engage kids and teens, and voila, therapy isn't as scary for them. We are still talking and working on the same issues, but there is something about getting on the floor with a child and stepping into their world. On top of building engagement, board games help children use problem solving skills. Each game helps kids practice critical thinking and impulse control, some even have the added bonus of practicing math. 

I invite you during this pandemic to get on the floor with your children and step into their world. Play with them! Play can be way more than just a past time, it can be the avenue that opens up conversations, repairs/mends relationships and of course, builds new memories. 

All 5 of these games help kids (...and adults) to improve think outside of the box (cognitive flexibility) and wait their turn, stop and think what their next move will be (impulse control). Trust me, invest in these games to make new memories with your family, keep them busy during this quarantine and support your child's problem solving skills. 

What other games do you and your family play together?