March Into Health

Mindfulness is a state of nonjudgmental awareness of what's happening in the present moment, including the awareness of one's own thoughts, feelings, and senses. Mindfulness is living in the present, rather than regretting the past or worrying about the future.

Here are 5 simple ways to practice mindfulness in your daily life:

Focus intently on the task at hand

Observe your thoughts and feeling without judging them

Taking 5 minutes several times a day to close your eyes and breathe

Walk outside, close your eyes, and listen to the sounds of nature

Notice when your mind is in the past or future, and gently return to the present

Awareness. During a state of mindfulness, you will notice your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as they happen. The goal isn't to clear your mind or stop thinking - it's to become aware of your thoughts and feelings, rather than getting lost in them.

Acceptance. The thoughts, feelings, and sensations that you notice should be observed in a nonjudgmental manner.

Benefits of Mindfulness

• Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety
• Greater satisfaction within relationships
• Improved memory, focus, and mental processing speed
• Reduced rumination
• Improved ability to adapt to stressful situations
• Improved ability to mange emotions

Thank you to the over 70 people who attended the most recent Smola Consulting Wellness Event on Mindfulness at Locust Hill Country Club on February 4th. A special thank you to our presenters Erica Ebert (Balance Yoga & Fitness), Marla Pelletier (Inward Office), and Danna Justis (MVP).

We are excited to hear that many have brought back the information and programs to their worksites!

Please contact Jen Noce at Smola Consulting if you would like our presenters contact information.

4 cups vegetable stock

2/3 cup quinoa

2 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

10 oz. corn (frozen or fresh)

1 small clove garlic

2 pinches cayenne pepper

1 tbs. lime juice

cilantro or parsley to taste

salt to taste

Soak quinoa for 6+ hours in water and a bit of vinegar and then rinse before cooking.

Bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Add quinoa, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add mushrooms and continue to simmer for 2 more minutes.

Add corn and then continue to simmer for 3 minutes.

Turn off heat and add lime juice, cilantro or parsley to taste.

Foodlink

Volunteers are essential at all levels of food bank operations, from sorting and repackaging food to helping at fun raising events. They welcome more than 100 volunteers to assist with our nutrition education programs. The Curbside Market, Foodlink’s mobile market truck, is currently seeking volunteers to assist our drivers in day-to-day operations. The Curbside Market travels to more than 80 sites per week in Rochester, as well as outlying counties in our service area, and attracts nearly 30,000 customer visits per year. Click here to learn more.

St. Patrick's Day Parade Seeks Volunteers!

The Rochester St. Patrick's Day Parade needs volunteers 11:00am - 2:30pm on March 14, 2020 to carry sponsor banners in the parade. Volunteers may wear whatever family-friendly apparel they want to promote their organization. Click here to learn more.

Have an event you'd like highlighted in a future Positive Pulse Newsletter? Submit your information to Jennifer Noce at noce@smolaconsulting.com.

Email: noce@smolaconsulting.com
Website: www.smolaconsulting.com
Location: 1 South Washington Street, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 5857774080