Tagawareness

9 Awesome Facts That Will Boost Your Respect for Plants

Plants are integral to life. They do so much more than provide us with oxygen! In this article we will take a look at how plants can help us to practice mindfulness. In a world where people spend more and more of their time indoors working on computers or attending meetings (or attending meetings on their computers), it’s important to create an environment that is conducive to good health and productivity. One way to achieve this is by adding plants to your home and workplace. Let’s take a look at these 9 facts that everyone should know about plants!

1. They Purify the Air

We will start with the obvious one that comes to mind for most people. Indoor air pollution can be a real problem, especially in many workplaces. The chemicals released from furniture, carpets, paint and cleaning products can cause headaches and respiratory problems. Plants are natural air purifiers that absorb toxins like formaldehyde and benzene while releasing fresh oxygen into the air.

2. They Relieve Stress

The presence of greenery has been shown to reduce stress levels. Studies have found that simply looking at plants can lower blood pressure and heart rate while increasing feelings of calmness.

two pink and green orchid flowers
Photo by Anthony : ) on Pexels.com

3. They Boost Your Immune System

Plants release negative ions which reduce internal stress and strengthen the immune system. The humidity created by indoor plants also helps to prevent dry skin, colds, sore throats and dry coughs by keeping mucous membranes moist which makes them less susceptible to infection.

4. They Improve Your Mental Health

With the combination of benefits from reduced stress and increased oxygen, plants improve your mental health. A study done at Washington State University showed that when plants were added to workspaces there was a 70% reduction in sick leave due to depression or anxiety related illnesses over six months compared with those without plants.

5. They Improve Your Physical Health

The presence of indoor plants has also been linked with reducing eye strain, headaches and fatigue. The calming effects plants have on our nervous system help us feel less stressed and more energized throughout the day.

6. They Increase Your Productivity

It seems like everything about plants help us to create a mindful experience. Research has shown that the presence of plants in the workplace can increase productivity by up to 15%. This is because they help to reduce distractions and create a calmer, more relaxed environment which allows employees to focus on their work better.

woman using laptop
Photo by Jopwell on Pexels.com

7. Plants in the Workplace Can Improve Employee Satisfaction

In addition to improving health and productivity levels, adding plants to your workspace can also improve employee satisfaction. When employees feel good about their surroundings, they are more likely to be happy at work and stay with their company for longer periods of time. Keep plants in mind for your list of tools for reducing stress in the workplace.

8. Plants Are Alive and Constantly Communicating

Another benefit of having plants in your workspace is that they are alive! Not only do they communicate with each other, but plants are constantly sending out electrical and chemical signals. A part of this electrochemical communication is through changes in color or texture making them an interesting addition that adds life into any space! Plants even have the ability to teach each other how to make different types of signals – meaning plants can teach each other how to make different molecules. So respect plants and the environment, or they might start turning against us!

9. Plants Bring us Back to Nature (Or Bring Nature to Us)

Plants remind us of nature. This plays a huge part in regulating our nervous system. White lights, angled corners, and straight hallways of most buildings are inherently stressful. Most people have become accustomed to these things, but nature does not usually move in straight lines. Witnessing plants’ colors and unique shapes helps to break the monotony and eeriness of the man-made world. This is likely why they help to reduce stress and induce a feeling of calm.

green grass field
Photo by Baskin Creative Studios on Pexels.com
interior of hall and kitchen in office
Photo by Max Rahubovskiy on Pexels.com

Conclusion

a laptop and houseplants on a desk in an apartment

There we have it – 9 Reasons to pay more attention and respect to plants. They can improve any space and help to reduce stress, purify the air, increases productivity, and improves overall health and wellness. With all these benefits to be gained from adding plants to your home or workspace, consider adding some greenery!

How To Add Plants To Your Space

  • Choose how and where you want to place your plants (hanging, at the end of a hallway, integrated with other fixtures, etc)
  • Determine what kind of lighting you have available (natural light or artificial)
  • Select appropriate plants based on lighting conditions
  • Create a watering schedule
  • Add fertilizer as needed
  • Clean leaves regularly
  • Enjoy!

Subscribe & Follow

Expand your consciousness with JAH Advisory Updates and discover health, wealth, & happiness!
Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates!

and
Connect with us on social media.

Mental Health: How to Promote Well-Being and Reduce Stress

We know that taking care of our mental health is essential for leading a healthy and fulfilling life. But what does that really mean? Many people are familiar with the concept of mindfulness, but don’t understand how it can help promote overall well-being and reduce stress. In this post, we will explore various ways in which mindfulness practices can be used to foster optimal mental health.

We’ll discuss several tools that we can share with our community, such as meditation, journaling, mindful eating, yoga and more – each of which has been shown to have positive effects on reducing stress levels and promoting emotional balance. Whether you’re just beginning your journey into mindfulness or are looking to deepen your practice, this will provide insight into the many benefits of sharing these techniques with others.

Understand what mindfulness is and how it can improve mental health

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is the practice of present moment awareness. It is about observing and accepting thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. When we are mindful, we are not trying to change anything or get rid of anything. We are simply witnessing what is happening in the present moment. If you want to learn more about the specifics of what the practice of mindfulness is, check out this post.

There are many benefits to mindfulness, including reduced stress, improved mood, increased focus and concentration, and enhanced well-being. One of the most important benefits of mindfulness is its ability to help us manage difficult emotions in a healthier way.

The benefits of mindfulness:

  • Reduced stress
  • Improved mood
  • Increased focus and concentration
  • Improved immune system
  • Greater sense of self-compassion
  • Improved overall well-being

When we are caught up in negative thinking patterns, it can be hard to break free from them. Mindfulness allows us to step back from our thoughts and see them for what they really are – just thoughts. This can help us to respond to our thoughts in a more constructive way, rather than getting caught up in an emotionally charged reaction. It also helps us to break out of downward spirals that destroy our mental health, such as rumination or depression.

Make time for mindfulness

shallow focus of clear hourglass. Make time for mental health
Photo by Jordan Benton on Pexels.com

It doesn’t take much time to practice mindfulness– even a few minutes a day can make a difference. You can do it anywhere, at any time. Just find a comfortable place to sit or lie down, and focus your attention on your breath. Once you’ve settled into your practice, you can start to explore other ways of being mindful, such as paying attention to your senses or thoughts and emotions. The breath is a great starting point to get in the present moment.

While it is possible to reap some benefits from mindfulness by practicing it for just a few minutes each day, the more time that is dedicated to mindfulness, the greater the rewards are likely to be.

Dedication to the practice is all that is required. Just like exercising improves our physical health, mindfulness is a practice that strengthens our mental health. Make it regular. Stick to it, and it will become easier over time.

Try mindfulness exercises with friends and family

Here’s a couple of exercise you can try with friends and family to get started with mindfulness. Practicing with another person gives you an accountability partner for consistency and quality of the practice.

Breathing

An easy way to practice mindful breathing is to focus your attention on the expansion and contraction of your abdomen as you inhale and exhale. You can do this sitting, standing, or lying down.

Here is a mindful breathing exercise you can try!

Journal For Mental Health

Journaling for mental health is a form of mindfulness that can be done anywhere at any time. The goal is to focus on the present moment and write about your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

Start by writing for 5-10 minutes about whatever is on your mind. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling, just let the words flow. Once you’re finished, read over what you’ve written and see if there are any patterns or themes.

This exercise can be done with friends or family members to help improve mental health and well-being. You can discuss any relevant themes or even use the journal to write something that you have wanted to say to a friend or family member but don’t feel comfortable sharing. Writing it down can give you another perspective on your thoughts and feelings.

Mindful Eating

Eating mindfully is another form of mindfulness that can be used to improve mental health and well-being. The goal is to pay attention to the act of eating, without distractions like TV or your phone.

Start by focusing on the taste, smell and texture of your food. Chew slowly and savor each bite. Notice how your body feels as you eat, including any changes in hunger or fullness.

group of people eating together - a positive mental health experience
Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com

If your mind wanders, simply bring your attention back to your food. Journaling about your experience can also be helpful. You may notice patterns in your eating habits, such as overeating when you’re stressed or not paying attention to what you’re eating when you’re tired.

Try a yoga class

Next, you can try a yoga class (and bring a friend!). This is self-explanatory. Go out and find a class that you like. Many of the tools used to practice mindfulness are also a part of yoga practices.

Benefits of yoga:

  • Reduce stress
  • Strengthen body
  • Increase flexibility
  • Find balance and support healthy habits in life
  • Learn to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations

Learn more here.

Discuss Mental Health

Discussing mental health with friends and family can feel difficult. The good thing is that once we overcome those difficult feelings of not wanting to be vulnerable, then the conversation(s) can be much easier.

It’s so important to have people to talk to. Sometimes we just need to vent and get something off our mind. Sometimes it is nice to have neutral feedback. And it’s okay to ask for help.

If you don’t feel comfortable discussing your mental health with anyone you know, there are plenty of live and online communities to connect with (For mental health and other hobbies and interests). Find people who you can feel comfortable developing a strong bond with.

Here are a few other resources that may be helpful:

Play a Game!

  1. Pick an object in the room and spend a minute studying it intently. Then, describe the object to your partner in as much detail as possible. Take this a step further and have them repeat the description back to you. This tests our presence, awareness, and mindful listening skills.
  2. Play the ‘I Spy’ game, but instead of saying the name of the object you’re thinking of, describe it in terms of its color, shape, size, etc. For example: “I spy something that is round and red.” This is a simple one to force us to be present and aware of our surroundings.

Let go of perfectionism and be kind to yourself

We can’t beat ourselves up if something doesn’t work out according to plan. Life is full of surprises and not everything will go our way. If we’re too hard on ourselves, it’ll only make us feel worse. Remember to show yourself love and grace.

When something negative happens, try to find a positive spin on the situation. For example, if you didn’t get the job you wanted, think about the opportunity to learn from the experience and use it as motivation to keep applying for jobs until you find one that’s a good fit. Everything is a learning experience.

Staying positive can be tough, but it’s important to remember that we all have bad days (or even bad weeks) sometimes. Just because things aren’t perfect doesn’t mean we’re doing a terrible job at life – we’re just human!

Mental Health By Example

Whether it is at work, at home, or anywhere else, live by example and take care of your mental health. Be mindful with all your interactions. Encourage others to make healthy choices!

If you’re interested in developing your emotional intelligence and sharing mindfulness with those around you, this is a great place to start! The lessons in the Transformational Mindfulness: The Handbook for Self-Mastery gets you started with the most important tool (mindset) that we can have in achieving a happy and fulfilled life.

Transformational Mindfulness: The Handbook for Self-Mastery ( A book on mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and mental health)

Subscribe & Follow

Expand your consciousness with JAH Advisory Updates and discover health, wealth, & happiness!
Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates!

and
Connect with us on social media.

How to Prevent School Shootings

It pains me to write this, as there is so much controversy around the subject. But this subject is one of the reasons that JAH Advisory exists today. One of our goals (or signs of success) is to prevent school shootings. I noticed the issues and the chronic stress that people of all ages and backgrounds experience. Most people don’t have the tools to deal with the constant stimulation of today’s world. Too often do we move through the days, weeks, or months without return to a baseline nervous state. We are constantly being stimulated and rarely get a chance to return to rest. This chronic stress builds and builds and builds until one day someone has an outburst, or becomes depressed, or even ill due stress weakening our immune system.

That is why today, I must clearly state what I see happening in our society. One of the biggest questions I had when I began this journey is how do we prevent school shootings? In University, I learned that if you want a lasting treatment to an ailment, then you have to get to the root cause of the issue. In this case it is clear that mental health issues are a huge factor in ALL of these violent situations. What are these issues? It depends on the individual, but many often have deep underlying traumas that have not been addressed. Let’s look at how we can address some of these issues no matter where we are starting from.

Student stressed from working

Educate staff and students – Everyone together makes our community

Staff and students in schools can work together to build a better community. Often times we hear about talking to a specialist or a counselor, but every relationship has a capacity for us to better understand ourselves, be accountable, and overcome difficulties. If we wait to go to a specialist then we are waiting for issues to come up and by that time it may be too late to prevent a tragedy. We must learn to be present with each other, to practice non judgement, and gratitude for each other. Only then can we thrive in a collective community that is physically, mentally, and emotionally safe.

Group working together

Teach emotional intelligence and mindfulness

Emotional intelligence (EQ) and mindfulness are important in understanding and managing our emotions, thoughts and behaviours. They can help us to better relate to others, cope with stress and make more positive choices.

We all have a role to play in promoting emotional intelligence and mindfulness in our community. Educating staff and students about these concepts is a good place to start. By raising awareness, we can create a more supportive and understanding environment for everyone. To prevent school shootings we need to direct our energy not towards guns and shooting, but to how we can grow together as a society. Let’s put our energy towards the things we DO want, not the things we don’t want. Ultimately, it begins from within. That is why if every human learned to improve the 5 aspects of emotional intelligence: self awareness, self-regulation, internal motivation, empathy, and social awareness; then the idea of blaming others for our problems or wanting to arbitrarily hurt others becomes a thing of the past.

Foster a positive school climate and open communication

Communication is important. It is especially important to have difficult conversations and not blame others. In order to have a positive school climate, we should open up the lines of communication and be available to talk about anything that is going on.

We should also encourage our students to be emotionally intelligent and mindful. We can do this by creating an environment where it is safe to express emotions and feelings. We should provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice emotional intelligence and mindfulness throughout the day. Allow students to have a moment to check in with themselves or each other and be honest about how they are feeling.

Monitor social media

And not for the reasons you think. Yes, you can check for threats on social media to prevent school shootings sometimes. However, the signs come much before that. Isolation may be a factor and those who seek to escape from their reality through excessive consumption of tv, video games, or books. If someone is spending excessive time on social media, it usually means they are addicted or avoiding something. It might be worth it to check in with them and see what is going on.

We should also make sure that we are modeling the behavior we want to see from our students. If we are constantly checking our phones, then they will think it is okay to do so as well. We should put away our phones during class and have face-to-face interactions with our students. It’s about being present with each other and having stronger relationships that we can place our trust in.

Family Mindfulness

It Takes Work

These are just 4 ways that we can take action to prevent school shootings. When everything is considered, it is always an internal battle. If someone wants to do harm, they will find a way. Any conversation otherwise (like gun control) is only distracting and diminishing the mental health crisis we are facing. It’s illegal to kill people, but people who are SICK will do it anyway. These individuals are mentally ill. There is a lack of presence, accountability, and overall mental resilience. And that’s why we as a society need to get back in the mental gym.

Practice mindfulness, stop looking for a dopamine kick every time we put our hands in our pocket and grab the phone. Learn to be with difficult emotions and overcome them. That’s how we understand ourselves – not by wanting everything around/about us to change and then throwing a tantrum when we can’t get what we want (which is what so much of society deems acceptable today). So let’s step up!

 

Mindfulness Resources

We have several resources available for anyone who wants to practice mindfulness and learn more about emotional intelligence.

What is EQ? 5 Aspects To Empower Your Success

What is emotional intelligence? What is EQ? It is simply an abbreviation for Emotional Intelligence (compared to Intelligence Quotient or IQ). But before we get into any of that…

What is intelligence? Man plays chess against computer.
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com

What is Intelligence?

Firstly, what is intelligence? This is an important question especially in 2023 as we are discussing intelligence in different forms, such as AI (Artificial Intelligence). Intelligence has no widely accepted scientific definition. If you ask 100 different scientists what the meaning of intelligence is, you just may get 100 different explanations. For our purposes, we we will use the following definition:

Intelligence – The ability to adaptably acquire and apply information.

This refers to our capacity to learn and apply what we learn in new ways.

And what are emotions exactly?

Emotion – A mental state that causes a change in our physiology meant to drive us towards a change in behavior regarding circumstances, mood, or relationships.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to adapt to and apply our emotions. It is to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. It involves the ability to be aware of and express one’s own emotions. People with high emotional intelligence are able to effectively communicate and interact with others, and are able to use their emotions to make positive contributions to their personal and professional lives.

Emotional intelligence is often thought of as being distinct from intellectual intelligence, or IQ. While IQ measures a person’s cognitive abilities, such as their ability to reason and solve problems, EQ measures a person’s ability to understand and manage their own and others’ emotions. IQ is what most people think of when discussing intelligence. Research has shown that both IQ and EQ are important for success in life, and that people with high levels of both tend to be more successful in their personal and professional endeavors.

EQ Heart Brain

What is EQ?

The key components of emotional intelligence are:

  1. Self-awareness: the ability to recognize and understand one’s own emotions and how they affect one’s thoughts and behaviors.
  2. Self-regulation: the ability to manage and control one’s own emotions, rather than being controlled by them.
  3. Internal Motivation: the ability to use emotions to drive personal and professional success without the need for external inputs or circumstances.
  4. Empathy: the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of others.
  5. Social awareness: the ability to effectively communicate and interact with others.

Emotional intelligence can be developed and improved over time through learning, practice, and self-reflection. It is a valuable skill to have in many different settings, including personal relationships, work, and education.

In closing, I hope that answers the question of “What is emotional intelligence?” or “What is EQ?”

Practice mindfulness and develop your emotional intelligence with our free course on the power of intention or delve deeper with the Transformational Mindfulness book. Stay tuned for more information and activities related to mindfulness, EQ, and self mastery.

Subscribe & Follow

Expand your consciousness with JAH Advisory Updates and discover health, wealth, & happiness!
Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates!

and
Connect with us on social media.

Mindful Minutes – 5 Minute Practice to Master Your Mind and Reach Your Goals

In this episode of mindful minutes we jump in with a powerful shamanic heartbeat and set our intentions on a subconscious level. Mindfulness minutes is your time to reset your mind and set your intentions for the day. This short mindfulness practice improves our emotional intelligence and ability to focus on our intentions. This is one of the greatest tools we have to unlock our potential.

Mindfulness Program for Students

Mindfulness is a practice that has been gaining more and more attention in recent years, and is now being recognized as an important tool for young adults to unlock their potential and develop emotional intelligence. In this post we examine the importance of mindfulness for students, how it helps them, and outline the benefits, activities, and outcomes of our 6 Weeks to Self Mastery for Students program.

Mindfulness for Young Adults: Unlocking Potential and Developing Emotional Intelligence

Mindfulness is a way of being present in the moment, and can help young adults become more aware of their thoughts and feelings. It can help them to manage stress and anxiety, and to develop a greater sense of self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Mindfulness can also help students to develop better relationships, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities.

people giving high fives
Photo by Yan Krukov on Pexels.com

How Mindfulness Helps?

Mindfulness helps young adults to better understand their emotions and how to respond to them in a healthy way. It can help them to develop better coping skills and to increase their focus and concentration. It can also help them to become more self-aware, and to better recognize their personal strengths and weaknesses.

6 Weeks to Self Mastery

6 Weeks to Self Mastery series for middle and high school students starts in January! What’s it all about?

The program includes a series of classes and activities that focus on teaching young adults the principles of self mastery through mindfulness. The classes include breathing exercises, yoga, sound therapy, and mindfulness activities such as conscious games, guided discussions, how to journal, and reflective practices.

These activities are designed to help young adults to become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions and how to respond to them in a healthy way.

Mindfulness with high school students

Outcomes: The program is designed to help young adults to better recognize their personal strengths and weaknesses, to gain greater insight into their thoughts and feelings, and to develop better self-awareness and emotional intelligence. It can also help them to learn better coping skills, to reduce stress and anxiety, and to develop better relationships, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities.

Conclusion: Mindfulness is an important tool for young adults to unlock their potential and develop emotional intelligence. Our mindfulness program can help students to become more mindful and aware of their thoughts and feelings, and to develop better coping skills, stress reduction, and problem-solving abilities.

6 Weeks to Self Mastery

Help your teen/young adult reach their full potential!
For students in the Palm Beach area (North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach, Jupiter)

Register Now

See full program details

Mindful Minutes – Powerful Visualization Practice to Center Your Mind

In today’s mindful minutes we jump right in and complete the practice with a color visualization to center the mind and strengthen our ability to picture our goals.

Get the Transformational Mindfulness book here: https://jah.life/product/transformati…

Or on Amazon: https://a.co/d/d8gYa8T

Mindful Minutes – Reset Your Mind In Less Than 10 Minutes

In this episode of mindful minutes we jump right in with a mindful presence exercise. Get present and refresh your state of mind in less than 10 minutes with this practice. Manage anger, stress, frustration, lack of motivation, and direct your energy to reaching your full potential!

Mindful Minutes – How to Use Singing Bowls For A Mindfulness Practice

In today’s mindful minutes, we talk about singing bowls. Sounds are extremely therapeutic and can be used for anything from mindfulness to cancer treatments!

treatments! Learn more about sound at https://Easternvibration.com

Subscribe & Follow

Expand your consciousness with JAH Advisory Updates and discover health, wealth, & happiness!
Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates!

and
Connect with us on social media.