Posted in Brain Injury Awareness, Caregiver Matters, Self-Care & Mindfulness
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Stressed? Anxious? Over-Worked? Meditation is the perfect cure for 21st century malaise.
Meditation is an incredibly powerful panacea that can help anyone to become calmer, happier, more productive, more creative… and ultimately just a better version of themselves.
Studies show us that meditation can help to increase alpha and theta brainwaves to help induce states of calm.
It can improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, and it can thicken grey matter in the prefrontal cortex to boost focus and creativity.
This ebook, The Calm Mind, will guide you through everything you need to know, putting the tools in your hands to use as you need.
Highlights
The different types of mediation and how they differ:
From kundalini meditation, to transcendental, to nada, to mindfulness. Each does something different and unique, and you’ll discover some fascinating examples.
How to choose the right kind for you:
With so much out there, how do you know where to begin? We’ll simplify things.
What all meditation has in common:
Meditation comes in lots of flavors, but it remains the same at its core. Learn the one key ‘truth’ of meditation, that matters most.
The powerful benefits of meditation:
Meditation does FAR more for you than you might realize. This book will help you see just what an exciting and potent tool this has the potential to be.
Simple steps to get started:
No confusion. No nerves. Just a simple, straightforward plan that anyone can follow.
The role of mindfulness:
Mindfulness is adjacent to, but distinct from meditation. Learn how to use it here.
How to use mindfulness to overcome anxiety:
More powerful still is cognitive behavioural therapy. When paired with mindfulness, this can eradicate anxiety and stress.
How to improve your lifestyle and mindset to drive anxiety away:
Meditation is just one part of your holistic approach to health. You’ll learn how to use minimalism, a healthy diet, better sleep, and much more.
The end result?
You feel your best ever.
Get your ebook today by clicking here for our BEST Superhero Shoppe Online!
Posted in BEST Wishes, Caregiver Matters, Our BEST Stories, Quote Of The Week, Self-Care & Mindfulness
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Posted in BEST Updates, Brain Injury Awareness, Caregiver Matters, Community News, Education, Our BEST Stories, Press Box, Second Life, Self-Care & Mindfulness, Special Events, Support Groups
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The Brain Energy Support Team (BEST) is excited to share two new online opportunities for our community.
The Wallingford Brain Injury Support Group, a program of the Imaginal Network, in partnership with the Brain Energy Support Team, are offering an 8-week online yoga class for people living with brain injury.
The dates are Mondays from 1- 2 pm PST beginning June 1 and going through July 20.
No matter what your experience with yoga or your physical ability, we welcome you to class. We’ll be building very basic breathing, movement, and relaxation skills and adapting all the movements for each student’s ability.
If you are interested in attending one or all of our classes, the first step is to email Janet Novinger: janet@explorationsconsulting.
The form only needs to be filled out one time. After that, we will send a link out for every class.
This class is no charge; however, donations are gladly accepted for those who are able.
Check out the flyer below! 
There’s more.
Have you checked out our revamped BEST Learning Center?
We currently have two FREE online courses available in the center. Learn all about how to use Zoom, the popular teleconference app, in our easy to follow class.
Are you a Washington State support group facilitator? We have a special online course just for you.
We will be continually adding additional courses and resources, so bookmark the education page and check back often!
Other notes:
BEST in Second Life: BEST has created a virtual presence for reaching out to those with brain injury and their caregivers. BEST hosts a variety of free social events, small group discussions, workshops, and skills training. Our goal in Second Life is to support those with brain injury engage in alternative and meaningful learning and peer support. Our office can be found on Etopia Island in Second Life. Click here to learn how to join us (it’s free!) and click here to learn about our activities at the PEER Center.
Shop for Good: Visit our NEW BEST Superhero Shoppe Online! Currently we are featuring goods by BEST Community makers, e-books and journals. Better? Proceeds benefit the services provided by BEST. We’ll be continually adding additional products and superhero gear! Thank you for your support in advance.
How to Start Meditation in 3 Easy Steps
More and more people are now beginning to appreciate the amazing power of meditation. No longer does the average Joe or Josephine view meditation as being black magic – it is now understood as a highly scientific and practical tool that anyone can and should use for better brain health.
But how do you start? It is still a daunting and somewhat abstract concept. So, to help you overcome that notion, here is how to start meditation in 3 easy steps.
Find a Quiet Place
Meditation can be done anywhere, but it is certainly easier when you are free from distractions. And that is especially true for beginners. So, find a quiet spot, and if you want to make this a regular practice, try to make it somewhere that you will be able to come too often.
Now sit down however is comfortable. Do not lie down though – only because you risk falling asleep if you do!
Set Some Time
The next step is to set yourself some time out. You can do this by setting a timer – which means you will not need to keep checking your watch or worry about overshooting and missing some appointment.
If you are starting out for the first time, then ten minutes is more than enough. But in all honesty, you can even get benefit from just five minutes. This is what many people do not realize when they make excuses for not starting. We all should be able to find five minutes of quiet in our day. If you cannot, then the issue is deeper routed than perhaps you realized.
Focus
Finally, the next step is to focus. That means focussing on something like breathing or perhaps repeating a word or phrase. You can also try focussing on something in the environment around you. A popular practice for instance is to focus on a single flame.
Then there is the option to focus on emptying your thoughts, or perhaps to focus on reflecting on those thoughts in a dispassionate manner.
Whatever the case, all you are trying to do is to take conscious control over your attention and to direct it towards something that is non-stressful, and that will help you to recover a little energy and mood.
That is all there is to meditation and it is rather simple.
If you are still struggling, then at this point you may wish to consider using a guided meditation. Guided meditations talk you through a script that will help to direct your attention for you.
Click here to learn about free guided meditation options.
Note: Want to learn more about calming the mind and meditation? Launching tomorrow, Friday, May 22, 2020, our new BEST Superhero Shoppe Online will feature ebooks and tools that cover this topic. Take a sneak peek by clicking here.
Posted in Brain Injury Awareness, Caregiver Matters, Education, Our BEST Stories, Second Life, Self-Care & Mindfulness
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Words. Pictures. Video. Virtual Platforms.
BEST Online Resources are at the ready! Here’s your guide to getting started.
Words:
At the Brain Energy Support Team (BEST), sharing our personal stories and journeys are important to us. Finding the words and putting those words to the keyboard or to paper, makes a difference, not only for us as individuals, but to us as a brain injury community as a whole.
Stories matter.
Here’s a list of writers and links that we think are just the BEST. We encourage you to read and share their words.
Isaac Peterson: Isaac Peterson is a journalist, public speaker, instructor and stroke survivor in Washington State. Isaac has penned a number of poignant, powerful and clever articles right here on the BEST blog. Click here to see a catalog of his blog work.
Michelle Munt: Michelle Munt is a writer and survivor from the United Kingdom that has become one of our favorite BEST social media friends and supporters. Her honest and thoughtful writing has touched the lives of many in the brain injury community and beyond. Her blog is at jumbledbrain.com.
Debbie Hampton: Is having the best brain possible, possible? According to writer, blogger and author, Debbie Hampton, the answer to that question is a resounding, yes! Hampton is the creator, writer and moderator of The BEST Brain Possible, a comprehensive website of resources, strategies, tips and information about brain health and overall wellness. Hampton, a brain injury survivor and mental health and wellness advocate, has shared her own personal story and her journey forward to healing and happiness.
Rod Rawls: Rod Rawls is the creator, writer, blogger and moderator of A Changing World: How One TBI Survivor and One Family Caregiver is Trying To Keep Up . Rod sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a motorcycle accident several years ago. In his writing, he documents his journey forward after brain injury and offers tips and strategies for fellow survivors and caregivers. He is also a caregiver himself for a close family member and offers his words and wisdom on caregiving, too.
The Caregiver Warrior (Susanne White): Susanne White (Caregiver Warrior) is a caregiver, caregiving and caregiver advocate and supporter, writer, blogger, and podcaster. For additional caregiver and caregiving resources, tips, strategies, and inspiration, visit her website at caregiverwarrior.com and on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.
Dr. Jannine Krause: Dr. Krause is a doctor of naturopathic medicine, an acupuncturist and podcast host dedicated to empowering people to take charge of their own health. Her unique approach is simplifying natural medicine and healthy habit formation. She believes that health starts with what we eat, how we move and how well we manage stress. She wants to help prevent little health issues from becoming big ones down the road. Click here to read her BEST blog article exclusives. Learn more about Dr. Krause here.
Marc Macialek: Marc Macialek survived a traumatic brain injury in spring 2012. After struggling to find good resources to help with his recovery, he was able to connect with a doctor who gave him tools to make the most of his recovery. Now he works to help survivors and caregivers find the resources to make the most to survive and thrive through the recovery journey. You can find more of his writings at his site recoveringfromtbi.com.
Jeff Sebell: BEST friend, Jeff Sebell, penned the highly acclaimed and groundbreaking book, Learning to Live with Yourself after Brain Injury, which was released in August of 2014. He also writes a blog at TBISurvivor.com.
Evie (Redefining Normal): Evie is a Dutch blogger who is the creator of the blog, Redefining Normal (Finding a New Normal, Living with a Brain Injury). Follow Evie as she lives life, tries new things and tackles new challenges. A terrific read!
Maggie DePuye-Phillips: Maggie is a caregiver/care partner for a disabled veteran with a TBI/PTSD. Maggie is passionate about caregiver issues and is an advocate for veterans and individuals with disabilities. She is also a BEST guest blogger who pens articles on caregiving.
Kirsten Short: Kirsten she suffered a concussion in February of 2017. However, she manages to stay positive despite her post-concussion symptoms, chronic migraines and visual snow. When not working on her rehabilitation, Kirsten takes full advantage of her good hours by advocating for brain injury survivors and their families; this is a new passion of hers. You can read more about her story on her blog: Concussions and Lawn Chairs.
Pics and Video:
Visit the BEST YouTube channel to check out our video collection. Click here to view. Here you’ll find educational video, slideshows, and other material. Enjoy!
Second Life:
BEST has created a virtual presence for reaching out to those with brain injury and their caregivers. BEST hosts a variety of social events, small group discussions, workshops, and skills training. Our goal in Second Life is to support those with brain injury engage in alternative and meaningful learning and PEER support. Our office can be found on Etopia Island in Second Life.
Click here to get started. It’s free and all are welcome!
More resources and activities
Looking for a terrific library of brain injury awareness and caregiver articles? Try these sites (click on the words below to view):
Lash and Association Publishing
View:
Our wonderful BEST friend, the Tacoma Art Museum has a terrific at-home program right online. By clicking here, you can view exhibits, learn about art, get art resources, and create your own DIY project.
Looking to do some more art museum tours? Click here for a few of the most iconic (and free) virtual art museum tours in the world.
Looking for the ultimate staycation, where you can travel the world virtually? Click here to do just that.
Enjoy poetry? Our BEST friend, brain injury support group facilitator and instructor, Jennifer McCarthy, shared her poetry for a special poetry challenge at her college, Big Bend Community College in Washington State. Check out the beautiful virtual book of poetry the school is putting together by clicking here.
Learn:
Virtual field trips are a great way to learn and have fun! From theme parks to zoos, take a trip from the comfort of home by clicking here.
Listen:
Listen to a book. Click here to learn more about libraries of free audio books.
Love listening and/or watching musical or theatrical performances? Check out this article by clicking here for some great links and ideas on just that.
Move and Breathe:
The Love Your Brain Foundation has free yoga videos to check out. Click here to view.
Interested in meditation? Click here to learn about beginning mediation classes that are online and free.
Check out self-care programming from spas, including virtual spa retreats, as well as yoga and wellness programs by clicking here.
So, we will leave it here for now. We know there’s a lot to digest here.
Have additional ideas? Share them by email with BEST Communication Manager, Kim Thompson at kimt@brainenergysupportteam.org as we are going to continue to expand this guide or create additional guides in the future. Thank you!
