Change Something, ANYTHING, if you want to Reduce Stress!

Recently I have had the privilege of teaching stress reduction as part of a cardiac study being conducted at Yale. The protocol draws from solid research in the area of cognitive behavioral therapy, which tells us that changing any of the following: the stress-inducing situation (if possible); the automatic stressful thought that pops into our minds; the negative emotion, or our body's response to a stress-------will reduce stress. You don't have to change all of these at once in order to regain a peaceful, healthy state of functioning. One will do nicely, thank you. You can change the way you look at a situation, concentrate on positive emotions, deep breathe to relax the body. All of these tools are wonderful ways to maintain inner serenity in times of turmoil. Then of course, you might want to read my next column for the Italian Tribune--and see why taking time to notice a rainbow works well, too, in improving the quality of life.

How do YOU reduce stress? Or don't you? Let me know by posting your comments below.

Till next time.. a presto!
RAeleen

The Word Diet

Parole, parole, parole. Most of us use way too much verbiage; often just to hear ourselves talk. We throw words into a conversation that have no meaning ("well"; "you see", "ehm"), or bad meaning (like gossip, where acid words about others do nothing but sell us out in the long run)

What would happen if you made a decision to cut your verbal output by 1/3 by getting rid of excess and negative talk? You would then learn to rely more on eye contact, observation of others' actions and body language--and above all, you would make sure that whatever you said was productive, encouraging, positive, and kind.

So let's beautify our verbal output from here on it. Use it for Truth, Light, Insight, and Wisdom. You ARE your word, so let all of what you say reflect your goodness.

How to Flirt, Italian-Style

From Rome to Catanzarro, flirting is an effortless and graceful art in the Meridionale, Southern Italy. Or in the North, your Amore might take you to the Eurochocolate festival in Perugia, where he will hold a dark chocolate baci between his lips and invite you to help him melt it with his kiss. Italian men and women are not ashamed to artfully appreciate each other with their eyes. Seduction all’italiana is gentle and enjoyable; not aggressive, or invasive. It is a reciprocal dance of possibility. You may notice a slight gleam to the eye, a barely perceptible smile at the corner of the lips, an appreciative turn of the head to follow a slow saunter down a long corridor. Italians see nothing shameful or unnatural about finding ways to make the heart flutter. Amore, after all, is what makes the world go 'round.

NEW LOVE GROUP FORMING! If you are looking for ways to attract love into your life--- dolce vita style--then sign up for the next group telecoaching series: AMORE! HOW TO FIND, KEEP, OR START ALL OVER IN LOVE. To put your
name on the waiting list for a Thursday evening weekly series, write Info@dolcevitaseminars.com with the words "love coaching" in the subject line.

Perfect Happiness is a Moment Away

Having studied the dolce vita lifestyle habits for many years, my conclusion is that people who say perfect happiness doesn't exist are just WRONG. To me, happiness is in the worry-free zone of the present moment.

The reason that time seems to stand still in the Bel Paese, is that there is a natural tendency to linger fully immersed in each moment before one lets it pass by. The focus is on the immediate--and nothing behind or ahead of it.

When you ask nothing more of yourself than to focus on what you are doing right now right here, you will finally discover the gift of freedom. Freedom from worry about your past, or about what will happen to you in the future. Each moment, when lived fully IS perfect happiness. Full immersion living will pull you out of emotional pain and into emotional relief. NOW is that wonderful moment in time in which you can just BE.

As you read this blog post you are neither ruminating over your past, nor fearful about your tomorrow. You are simply thinking about what you are reading, right? Nothing more. Nothing less. Happiness is really simple, isn't it? All you need do is consider the moment.

Make Today a Day of Favorites!

Living a "Dolce Vita" or sweet life is about creating and celebrating as many moments of joy as you can squeeze from a day. One way to start is by making a long list of your FAVORITES:

• song,
• meal,
• beverage,
• friend,
• outfit,
• TV show,
• poem,
• book,
• fragrance,
• sport
• etc.

NOW, fill your day with as many of these as you can. The more the better. Immersing yourself in favorites is like treating yourself to a day of celebration and abundance, and it won't cost you a cent. Get into the "favorites" habit each day and you will clear out mental negativity to make room for a life that fulfills you on every level. It is about honoring YOU.

If you'd like a free sample life coaching session to get you on your way to a dolce vita of your dreams, write info@dolcevitaseminars.com

Give Your Talent (and Love) Away!

One of my most treasured gifts is a sapphire-blue shawl that my zia Elizabetta (I call her "mammina") crocheted for me with her two little hands. Another are the two baskets that my almost 90-year old zia Cristina wove for me from the dried leaves of the wheat plants in the fields that she farms (even now at this age, she weaves beautiful baskets without eyeglasses!).

I don't know how hand-made gifts came to lose value in our eyes next to factory-made store bought replicas of each other, but somehow this sadly happened, and it is up to all of us to bring back the value and appreciation of making or receiving something made with a persons energy, time, thoughtfulness, and love.

Whatever your talents are (writing poetry, pet care, painting, playing a musical instrument, baking. knitting, etc), list some ways you can turn them into gifts of love for the people you care about. You don't have to wait for a holiday to do this. Value the time and thought you put into this expression of your soul, and when others give you gifts that express their own spirit, honor it and thank them graciously.

In this economy homespun gifts save money and convey a warmth far greater than something made in an impersonal factory line.

The dolce vita way of life is all about going back to simple and authentic. Express who you are through the fruition of your unique talents. You will find that your light in this world shines a little bit brighter, each time, and will put a smile on many an appreciative face.

Need a little help in living a life of simplicity, balance, and fulfillment? Tell the Dolce Vita Life Coach about your dreams and goals, so we can come up with a plan to make them a reality. www.dolcevitaseminars.com

NEW: Teleclass for job-seeking skills starting soon! www.dolcevitaseminars.com Click on Get Job Teleclass.

3 Dolce Vita Tips for GETTING HIRED!

I know how frustrating it can be to send out resume’ after resume’ to no avail; but instead of giving up, try making yourself stand out from the crowd by following these “sweet life’ tips:

1. Be respectfully persistent. Begin by bookmarking your favorite job sites—websites that announce jobs in your field, or the type of job you want to have. Now make sure you answer at least one ad every day, which fits with your skills, abilities, and interests. After a week or so, drop an email or give a follow-up call. Be courteous, not desperate. If the employer has still not made a decision, ask if and when you may follow up again. Your conscientiousness and respectfulness will be appreciated and remembered—even if you don’t get the job with them this time around.

2. Clean up your resume’. Remember, when employers see a cluttered resume (filled with bits and pieces of accomplishments and experience that have nothing to do with the job announcement), they associate YOU with disorganization. Here is a great resume’ tip. Bounce off of the job announcement itself. Use some of the same words as the duties and skill requirements of the job announcement itself. Of course, you must tell the truth and really possess these skills, but if you do, use the same language to express them that the employer has expressed in the ad

3. Mirror yourself confident. Get in front of your mirror and check out your appearance, the way you carry yourself, the way you talk. Now smile into the mirror to get the right attitude and refine all of it from square one. Go put on something that makes you feel good and look great. Practice standing tall and worthy. Talk with a full voice at the right volume and pace.

NEW TELESEMINAR!! If you’d like even more focused job-seeking strategies, join me for my 2-hour GET THAT JOB! : Job-Seekers’ Teleseminar.
Learn:
· job confidence skills
· interviewing strategies
· ways to explore part-time money-making ideas,
· resume’ efficiency
· and more.

In short, I will teach you all I know about getting the edge in this seemingly impossible market. SPECIAL DISCOUNT PRICE.

Fee: $25
How to register: www.dolcevitaseminars.com (click on Get Job Teleseminar) or to the left of this blog!
Date: Monday, June 8th
Time: 7-9 EST