Heart and Sole

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Heart and Sole
November 2000

Reflexology and
Relaxation

During the years I have had my Reflexology business, it has been a pleasure to introduce its relaxation benefits to others. If someone is unfamiliar with Reflexology, they might anticipate receiving a foot massage, but it is much more. It is a specific pressure technique which works precise points on the feet or hands.

The International Institute of Reflexology teaches the original Ingham method. Eunice Ingham (1889-1974) is recognized as the founder of Foot Reflexology in the United States. Her nephew Dwight Byers continues her legacy by conducting seminars in the United States and other countries. The certification exam consist of a practical and written exam. The prerequisite for taking the exam is one year of study of Reflexology theory, technique, anatomy and physiology plus documented client Reflexology sessions. Little did I realize the day I passed the exam to receive my certification, what was in store for me.

The feed back I receive from clients is one of the most rewarding aspects of my business. A client might call and make an appointment because they realize they need a break. Others call because they have received a gift certificate for Pampered Feet and Reflexology or a Reflexology session. I hear numerous responses from first time clients. I am astonished at how calm and relaxed I feel. I never realized Reflexology could be such a stress reliever. I needed this intermission. I plan to tell others about Reflexology. Word of mouth is how my business has been built and I appreciate all my clients.

Either session is a unique gift to give to someone nice, who needs a break or perhaps a gift for that someone special, “YOU”.

Eight Meaningful Gifts We
Can Give to Others

1. The Gift of Listening ...
     But you must really listen.
     No interrupting, no day-
     dreaming, no planning
     your response. Just listening.


2. The Gift of Affection...
     Be generous with appropriate
     hugs, kisses, pats on the back
     and handholds. Let these small
     actions demonstrate the love
     you have for family and friends.

3. The Gift of Laughter ...
     Clip cartoons. Share articles
     and funny stories. Your gift
     will say, “I love to laugh with
     you.”

4. The Gift of a Written Note...
     It can be a simple “Thanks for
     the help” note or a full sonnet.
     A brief, handwritten note may
     be remembered for a lifetime,
     and may even change a life.

5. The Gift of a Compliment...
     A simple and sincere, “You
     look great in red,” “You did a
     super job or “That was a
     wonderful meal,” can make
     someone’s day.

6. The Gift of a Favor...
     Every day, go out of your way
     to do something kind.

7. The Gift of Solitude...
     There are times when we want
     nothing better than to be left
     alone. Be sensitive to those
     times and give the gift of
     solitude to others.

8. The Gift of a Cheerful
     Disposition...
     The easiest way to feel good is
     to extend a kind word to some-
     one, really it’s not that hard to
     say, Hello or Thank You.

Thanks to Barbara Ryan for these thoughts.

Not long ago a friend and I were discussing how a person had done or said something that touched our life. As a young girl she and her family relocated to a new town. She felt so alone. On this particular day, she met a woman on the street, who gave her a big smile and a cheery how are you today? She said it was hard to describe the warmth she felt and this feeling is etched in her memory until this day. This friendly person probably was not even aware that she had touched someone’s life in such a positive way. When I received the above article from a newsgroup, it reminded me of my friend’s conversation. These types of gifts are free and might just make someone’s day.

Heart Thoughts

“To handle yourself, use your head,
To handle others, use your heart.”
..........Eleanor Roosevelt

Balance the Scale

Work and Play

Work and play go together like eating and drinking. They are each necessary for our well being.

Work a part of our being:

Work is a part of our being. It is necessary to put food on the table and clothes on our back. It can also be individually fulfilling when we see a successful conclusion.

How we view work comes in stages. When we are in our twenties and getting ourselves established in the work place, it might require more of our time, but we are excited about the potential and are willing to devote the time.

If we get married and have children, then we work because of our responsibilities to others. We want to take care of and support our loved ones. This then becomes our motivation.

The work side of the scale becomes unbalanced if we see the scale dipping, dipping or perhaps reaching the tabletop. This is sometimes referred to burnout and it is our indicator that it is time to take the time to play.

Play is also a part of our being.

Play is also a part of our being. It is necessary to energize, renew, and restore. Play time can be one of our fondest memory makers. I remember the time I took a Saturday to do something fun, but seem to forget the Saturday I spend the day cleaning. Cleaning can be rewarding at the end of the day, but to me it is not a memory maker.

Play can be:

A day at the beach.
Browsing antique stores.
A day of Golf.
Several sets of tennis.
Learning a new hobby or working on a present hobby.
Time at the park to read a book.

Work and play go together like eating and drinking, both necessary and complimentary to each other. Balancing the scale in these areas of work and play is important and at times tricky but we need it as individuals.

Journal Writing . . . . A Stress Reliever

Journal writing has been suggested as a tool to help reduce stress. Have you ever written a letter to complain about poor service or shoddy merchandise? Didn’t it make you feel better just to get it off your chest? Or perhaps you wrote a love letter to someone special. Sometimes just expressing the feelings on paper can bring about renewal. It can serve as a purification and elimination. A journal can be a friend which is readily available day or night when we wish to express our feelings or thoughts.

The beauty of journeying is that it requires no special gift for words, no lofty message, not even good spelling. It is something that you do just for you.

A researcher at Southern Methodist University has come up with what looks like concrete evidence that keeping a journal is a way to cope with stress, and may help us stay healthy. In his third large-scale study of journal writing, psychologist James W. Pennebaker, Ph.D., compared two groups of freshmen students. One group spent 20 minutes a day writing about how they felt about the transition to college life. Common themes included isolation, loneliness, homesickness, or worries about their studies or their future and similar concerns. A second group kept a simple log of their daily activities--what they did when they woke up, where they went, their plans for the day--without mentioning their emotions, feelings, or opinions.

After four or five months, the students who kept a journal of their deepest feelings were rated healthier--they had visited the college health center less frequently than students who simply logged in their day’s activities. Also, blood samples showed that the journal writers benefited from an enhanced immune response.

I would like to share a few ideas and suggestions I found about Journal Writing.

Pretty Cover. Choose a book with an attractive cover, it might motivate us to write often.

Same Area and Timetable. If possible, try writing in the same locale each time and set a regular timetable, whether daily or weekly, or even monthly.

Start Small & Keep it Simple. Commit to one or two thoughts or feelings at one time.

Be creative. Write lists (dreams, plans, things to do). When we pour out our hopes and dreams on paper, the simple act of rendering them in ink serves to make them more real, and therefore more manageable. The first step in making something happen is to define it.

When disappointment or frustration unbalances our day, our journal is a way to take a deep breath and right ourselves. It can also be a way to preserve joyful and happy times and occasions in our life. Taking a few minutes of our time to write in our journal might prove to be just the stress reliever we have been looking for.

Recommended Reading:

Opening up: The healing power of expressing emotions.
by: James W. Pennebaker, Ph.D

Who moved my cheese?
by Spencer Johnson

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