Are You a "Worrywart"?

The world we live in today has so many fundamental issues for us to worry about, with one overriding concern: the pandemic. Here is why being present or in the moment reduces the stress and anxiety caused by this situation…

Awareness, Worry, PandemicSaundra SchrockApril 5, 2021Worry, Stress, Pandemic

Declutter Your Mind

You know the feeling. You walk into a room and forget why you went there. Or, your mind goes blank mid-sentence. In other words, your mind gets overloaded and has reached its capacity. The ability to actively hold information for short periods in our minds is known as working memory. Here is what it looks like, and how you can “train” your working memory….

The Awe of a Child

Do you remember the holiday season as a child? Can you recall the anticipation and excitement of what Santa might bring you? Or better yet, if you have children now, can you feel their excitement for the upcoming holidays? When I think of my childhood holiday experiences, the word that comes to mind is “awe”. This year, many of us may not be feeling full of awe, however. So, how do we get these feelings back?

Awareness, Holidays, Perspective, PositivitySaundra SchrockDecember 14, 2020Mindfulness, Happy Holidays, Awe, Awareness

Small Things Matter

It’s incredible how much research is coming out on the psychological impact of Covid-19. Today alone, I found twenty new peer-reviewed studies. A helpful study in the Behavior Analysis in Practice offered straightforward advice for successfully dealing with the pandemic's psychological effects. Here are some of the highlights.

Awareness, COVID-19, Healthy Living, PerspectiveSaundra SchrockOctober 12, 2020COVID-19, Awareness, Perspective

Managing Team Conflict

With so many of us working remotely in a highly stressed world, it is quite likely that we’ll be faced with occasional conflict with the people we work with. And even without the additional stress, most of us aren’t very good at handling it. So, how do we improve our ability to manage conflict?

Need a Reason to Smile?

A common comment related to my blog on mask-wearing was that people missed seeing other people’s smiles. It’s understandable that we feel this way. With the need to wear a mask, others can’t see our smile and we can’t see theirs. Perhaps without the prompt of seeing others’ smiles, we may be smiling less, which may have the effect of compounding a negative mood.

Awareness, COVID-19, Masks, SmilingSaundra SchrockAugust 17, 2020Awareness, COVID-19, Masks, Smiling

What I've Learned About Wearing a Mask

For months now, I’ve been wearing a mask when I cannot socially distance. And, I have worn it enough now to start to notice things about myself and others. If you are an observer of human behavior as I am, this highly unusual phenomenon offers an abundance of opportunities to gain insights. Here are some of mine.

Mindfulness, Awareness, COVID-19, MasksSaundra SchrockAugust 10, 2020Mindfulness, Awareness, COVID-19, Masks

Ironing: A Mindfulness Practice?

I’m no domestic goddess. Because of that, there’s usually a long list of things I would rather not do around the house. But recently, I’ve noticed that I have a newfound urge to clean and organize. Perhaps it is a welcome break from everything that is going on. Or, maybe it is the appeal of getting something completely done and the satisfaction that comes with that. But I think the primary reason is that I have incorporated these routine tasks into my daily mindfulness practice.