Many people find this question difficult to answer. May be because we tend to compartmentalize our lives. Our work, our health, our kids, our marriage, our relationships, our social lives… every one of these lies in a separate compartment. So when you ask me if I’m happy? Which compartment are referring to?

Our life has become more and more stressful. We are constantly running, striving, and struggling; we are rushing against time and fighting against stillness. We are fighting our way to a better life? And, how could we possibly win?

Stress, depleted energy, and chronic dissatisfaction have become common complaints among all people, rich or poor, young or old, men or women. We are always in some kind of struggle or fight; sometimes not even knowing what we are fighting against or what we are fighting for.

We broke up our lives and world into tiny little bits and pieces scattered here and there, difficult to grasp and impossible to master. We fail to see a Bigger Picture, a higher meaning that connects all the dots and preserve our sanity in an ever hectic world.

But, what is the Big Picture? What is the real meaning of life? Where does happiness, health and wellbeing reside?

The answer is closer than you think. May be that’s why we tend to miss it all the time as we look outside ourselves and get lost in the wilderness of our daily lives. Our happiness lays inside our hearts, in the purity of our souls!!!!

There is no more doubt now among scientists, religious scholars, health gurus, physicists and metaphysicists alike that spirituality is an important element in finding heath and healing, in reaching happiness, fulfillment and achieving self-worth. Still, the question remains: What is spirituality?

There is no standard definition for spirituality. Ordinary people and scientists alike could not agree on what exactly spirituality is. If you ask 100 persons on what spirituality mean to them, you are probably going to end up with 100 answers, if not more. This is because spirituality is so personal and subtle, like the human essence itself. To make our journey easy, let us agree on some common perspective or common ground.  Spirituality, according to most spiritual coaches, religious scholars, scientists and gurus, is the answer to the question ‘Why?’ Why am I here? Why am I doing what I am doing? Why do I live? Spirituality is what gives your life a meaning beyond its material aspects; it is what gives it a holistic shape and form that is essential for human happiness and wellbeing and, according to thousands of scientific studies, that is essential for human physical and psychological health too. It is your spirituality that connects you to the Higher Power, to Your Creator. And it is your spirituality that gives your life its meaning and support.

Unless you have your own convincing answer that you live and hold on to, unless you have a higher meaning, a true purpose and genuine intention in your life, you are missing something really important for a healthy, happy and balanced life.

So on your journey towards finding happiness, don’t forget to answer the most important question: 'Why?'

Have a wonderful day.

I love journaling. It is an essential tool in all my workshops, be them about stress management, dieting, finding your path in life, self exploration…
I’ve always kept a journal. Sometimes my busy life didn’t allow me to visit it every day, but it was always there, faithfully waiting for me. My journal is my venting nozzle, my self- exploration tool. Within its pages, I develop ideas, understand myself and others, find my voice, and learn to slow down and ponder.

Recently I started experimenting with nature journaling. With our urban high tech life, we tend to drift more and more apart from nature and this kind of journaling was a reminder, a restorative measure for this essential relationship.

Nature journaling allowed me to deepen my relationship with earth and nature. For me, it was a safe place for meditation and deep thinking. Putting my thoughts, ideas and observations on paper helped me developing those ideas further gaining wisdom and insights on nature and its beauty, and on the magnificence of the creations around me. It taught me hidden wisdoms and precious lessons and drew me closer my Creator by awakening my senses and touching my spiritual insight. Connecting to nature helped me connecting to my roots and my deeply held feelings. Exploring my outer environment was a step towards exploring my inside world. My  nature journal was a great opportunity for personal growth and spiritual enlightenment.

How to keep a nature journal?

Your journal is your personal sanctuary where you write about the beauty of nature, you write about your feelings, your reactions towards natural places, living and non-living creatures, plants, rocks, shells, mountains, bees, spiders and ants… In your journal, you express your gratitude, awe and wonder…In your journal your draw sketches, gather information, take phonographs, stick down samples of leaves, petals, feathers, or insects; or glue down ephemeras or photos of rocks, insects, and animals… Through your nature journal, you gain insight into Nature's beauty, and into your Creator’s power, wisdom and blessings.

How to start:

Ø  Observing nature is the most important step in connecting with it. Stop and watch with a keen eye. Take your time. Slow down and relax. Describe the grass in our backyard, the tree on your sidewalk greeting you on your way to work; listen to the tiny rocks, to the crunchy autumn leaves; admire the ants in the cracks of the pavement and the beetle on the shady petals… describe them as you feel them, as you deeply see and understand them.

Ø  Listen to Nature's voice. Listen to the wind, the trees, the songs of the birds and the   whisper of the insects…describe these sounds and voices in your journal; write about what the birds were saying, what the flowers, the trees, the sea, the waves and the shells told you…Interact with the natural world and consider how you are part of that ecosystem and that diversity.

Ø  Touch the sand, the grass, the lakes… build sand castles, feel the texture of the shells and leaves…walk barefoot on the grass, on the seashore, feel the ground and connect with it.

Ø  Notice different smells and aromas around you; good or bad, sharp or faint… Describe them in your own words. Raw them in your own colors.

Ø  Whenever and wherever it is safe get a taste of nature: taste the honey of the bees, the nectar of edible flowers, the salty water of the sea, the bitterness of the unripe olives…

Ø  Incorporate your feelings, mood, make it personal let it speak through your soul. Let it touch it and heal it.

Ø  Put all your observations, thoughts and feelings in writing. Don’t worry about grammar and vocabulary just let your writing flow, you can edit later if you wish. Use whatever style you like: lists, paragraphs, dialogue, stories, similes…

Ø  Don’t forget to record the date and the location. Give it a title.        

Ø   Incorporate drawings and sketches into your journal. You do not have to be great artist; you can use simple stick figures, abstract images or mere colors to convey your mood.

Ø  Add photographs or press a leaf or a flower between pages of your journal. Collage pictures from related magazines or articles about the topic that interests you.

Ø  Revisit a place in different seasons, record the changes, and contemplate your feelings about those changes, which time is closer to your heart and soul, why?

I love salads. They are actually my speciality at any dish party. This one is a very healthy fresh salad. As I will share more of my recipes with you, you will notice that I don't like to actually measure the ingredients, I hate accurate measurement in cooking. It makes me feel like I'm preparing medicine again in my long forgotten pharmacy labs. The amounts of ingredients are totally up to you. I believe that cooking should be fun. For me, it is relaxing and enjoyable. If I start measuring, it loses its charm. I prefer to play, mix and match and see how it ends up (fortunately, it usually ends up fine). I rarely cook the exact same dish twice. Most of my recipes are very simple and need minimum time and effort. As I believe that we should eat healthy, I also believe that we shouldn't spend most of our life in the kitchen. As Molière said it: "Il faut manger pour vivre et non pas vivre pour manger (We should eat to live and not live to eat)."


Ingredients and method of preparation:
Dressing: olive oil, red grape vinegar, salt, pepper, finely shredded fresh mint, dried oregano leaves, mustard powder, mustard, teaspoon honey ---shake well in a jar and leave to percolate and infuse for at least 2 hours.
Salad:
Cut  and mix together fresh lettuce, cabbage, dill, and parsley
Dice some tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, colored bell pepper, and raddish  into small cubes. Add the to the leafy vegetables.
Add some pomegranate seeds and a can of sweet corn.

mix the ingredients well together and add the juice of ½ lemon.
Dress the salad just before serving.

Bon Appetit

I love art and craft and I love fabric. I always wanted to learn how to sew. My mother was a great sewer. Maybe that’s why I didn’t even dare to try it. I believed deep inside that I’ll never be good enough (it’s all in your mind again!!!). Well, in the past two months, I decided to give it a try. I joined a quilting guild and beyond the guild, I enrolled in a quilting workshop for beginners. I just love it. It’s wonderful to learn a new skill, engage in active group activities and even go home with loads of homework to finish.
Learning is essential for our brain function and mental wellbeing. For years, scientists thought that it was impossible for brain neurons (nerve cells) to regenerate. Now, we know this is not true. Our brains have a tremendous power for regeneration and plasticity. With every new piece of information you learn and every new skill you acquire, more of your brain neurons are firing together and thus wiring together creating millions of new branches and connections like the World Wide Web. The more connections you have, the better memory and cognitive function you acquire and the more protection you give to your brain against old age memory loss and dementia. Brain plasticity is not restricted to young age; you can generate new connections, empower your thinking ability, and boost your memory functions at any time of your life.
Scientists are convinced that the learning experience is more memorable and productive if it is enjoyable and involve powerful emotions. That’s why choosing the skill, the hobby or the knowledge you want to acquire is very important. My love for fabric, art and craft besides adding spices and enjoyment to my learning experience, it added a boost to my mental power.  The new quilting skill I learnt, despite being easy, still involves considerable amount of mental concentration for calculation and precision. It also helps improve dexterity with lots of needle work and machine sewing. And, when all calculations and made, fabric prepared and strips cut, I can relax my mind while piecing the quilt with my two young children, an invaluable relaxation time with my kids, that decluters my mind and even sometimes serve as an enjoyable meditation experience.

Another great value of having a new hobby is enjoying a healthy social environment. I was lucky to join a very friendly and helpful quilting community. I’m always waiting for our meeting to exchange ideas, gain support and socialize in a friendly environment. I love surfing the old souks hunting for the right fabric (women favorite hobby). I just love my new hobby!!!

Now, it’s your turn. What’s your hobby? What new skill did you always dream of learning? What’s old experience did you neglect because of your busy life and stresses? 
Find your hobby. Learn a new skill. A skill that helps you connect, relax, learn, and engage; that uplifts your spirit along with boosting your mind powers.
Wish you the best!

In his book, Deep Healing, Emmett Miller, taught how awareness is a key point in dealing with food cravings and weight issues. Over and over again we keep hearing the call: It’s all in your mind. But still, some of us keep seeing only the empty half of the cup, torturing themselves about their own responsibility about any problem that keeps appearing in their lives; while, others challenge their mind and rewire it in their favor.
Dr. Miller sees food cravings in two main categories: Foods that hum and food that whistle.
Foods that hum are foods that your body really needs, they usually have the nutritional value missing in your diet and the craving is just a warning signal from your inner wisdom to alert your conscious mind that you need these nutrients. I remember when I was in first year in college, our physiology professor used to ask his famous question in the end-year oral examination:  Why chicks in poor rural areas walk next to the wall? We didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. The answer, however, was very simple; they are nibbling on plaster pieces covering the wall as their little bodies need calcium. When you experience low blood pressure, you crave salty foods; when you need a boost of energy, you crave sweets; when your body needs B vitamins, you see yourself drawn to freshly baked bread (unfortunately our bodies do not know that our white bread is just empty calories); when you feel down due to low serotonin levels in your brain (the feeling good neurotransmitter), you crave chocolate, and so on.
On the other hand, there are foods that whistle. These are foods that you feel drawn to due to emotional attachment or some kind of mental connection (pop corn and movie for instance) or just due to appealing ads on TV and in magazines. These are usually high calorie, highly flavored, but nutritionally empty foods like fast foods, fatty desserts, highly flavored salty crackers…
Whistling is everywhere around us, in TV, magazines, on the streets, in the malls… Whistling became so loud that we can’t hear the hum anymore. You do not need to be a nutrition expert to understand the difference. After all, who taught those chicks that plaster wall contains calcium? You only need to tune in to your inner wisdom: to listen to your body. It deeply knows how to differentiate between the hum and the whistles, between our needs and our wants. Turning off the auto pilot and learning to live fully aware and mindful help us to know “when we are being seduced (whistled at)” as Miller puts it. Tune to your emotions: Are you feeling lonely, bored, aimless, angry, frustrated…? Then, you can stop and reflect: Do I really need this?
Happy humming!!!!!!!