Perhaps your New Year’s resolutions have been forgotten, but it’s never too late to set an intention. And you can do this every day! Your daily work and routine can be enhanced if you take just a few minutes every morning to start with noticing your breath and setting an intention to live out your day with ease, gratitude and joy.

Imagine a world where all your words flow out exactly how you intended them and you are fully understood. Visualize living in an environment that embraces all people – where all people are respected, appreciated and understood. Can you create this world? Can you be part of the reason that those you work and interact with experience equity and inclusion?

You can begin every day by setting your intention to create a kinder and more compassionate world. This intention practice is one that can help you start your day being mindfully aware and can set you up to succeed in creating the kind of environment in which you wish to live and work.

Follow along with Marcy B. Newman, the Employee Whole Health program manager at the Phoenix VA Health Care System, as she guides you through a one-minute intention setting practice.

 

The mind-body connection is very powerful, and intention-setting is just the tip of the iceberg! Research shows that mind-body approaches can be used as part of a personal treatment plan for many physical health conditions including – but not limited to – coronary artery disease, headaches, insomnia, incontinence, high blood pressure, chronic low back pain, general pain syndromes, fibromyalgia, symptoms from cancer and its treatment, surgery outcomes and self-care of arthritis.

Mind-body approaches may also help improve mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression and PTSD.

Highly trained athletes or warriors use the power of the mind to imagine success. Like them, you can learn to harness your brain’s power. You can do this by using one or more mind-body approaches that help your body relax. This can help manage the effects of stress on your body. These approaches are easy to learn, but they require practice to be most helpful. Using several of these approaches may be more helpful than if you use one alone.

Learn more about the Power of the Mind here.

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2 Comments

  1. Nat Wil February 12, 2022 at 17:55

    I am unsure what “Sheepdog” post from 11 Feb 2022 regarding the below quote is about as I don’t see it:
    “Regarding this post here, I am very disappointed that the VA is propagating the political fallacy of equity and inclusion in a whole health article about mindfulness and the mind-body connection. Appalling. Have we forgotten the Golden Rule? Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. No politics necessary.”

    As far as the article itself, it was short, direct, and can be helpful if used properly.

  2. Sheepdog February 11, 2022 at 11:40

    Here’s a link to an excellent interview with Dr. Joe Dispenza. He’s a brilliant scientist who makes common sense out of neuroscience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La9oLLoI5Rc

    Regarding this post here, I am very disappointed that the VA is propagating the political fallacy of equity and inclusion in a whole health article about mindfulness and the mind-body connection. Appalling. Have we forgotten the Golden Rule? Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. No politics necessary.

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