Fasting allows your body to rest.

My Refocus Workshop Journal


Daily Quote:​ It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. Author Unknown.

Body:​​ Fasting allows your body to rest. Digesting solid food literally taxes your system. A one day fast can improve both your physical and mental functions,(Note: Always get the permission of your physician before doing any dietary program). During your one-day (2 meals) fast, drink lots of water. At the end of the day, have some vegetable or lentil soup.

Mind: ​​Your blood pressure is one of the best barometers of your overall health and one of the best predictors of your risk of illness. Recently, the American Heart Association changed the definition of normal blood pressure to less than 120 / less than 80.”

Spirit:​​ Give away a dollar or more without judgment. Genesis states that man was created in God's image (1:27). Some rabbis have interpreted "image" in terms of God's attributes. We have been created with the ability to emulate His qualities. God is only kind and merciful. God is good to all and His mercy is upon all living creatures (Thallium 145:9)

Emotional: ​Keep daily or weekly gratitude journals for three weeks or more feel better physically, having a more optimistic outlook on life, exercising more and even sleeping better.

Day Fact: ​Fasting combined with sincere prayer can strengthen us spiritually, bring us closer to God, and help us prepare ourselves and others to receive His blessings.

DWP Quote:​ Men consume gifts from God without appreciation… and yet they come.

“Belief-O-Matic”

My Refocus Workshop Journal ​

Daily Quote: ​It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. E.E.Cummings

Body:​​ Walking day 25 min. A JAMA study found that regular exercise and a good diet reduced hypertension rates by as much as 69% among patients who had a family history of the condition.

Mind: ​​Move often. According to the American Council on Exercise, one 30-minute exercise session generates 90 to 120 minutes of relaxation response.

Spirit: ​​For a bit of enlightenment on what spiritual paths or practices might be of interest to you, take a look at the fascinating, in-depth “Belief-O-Matic” quiz on Beliefnet.com. It’s a thoughtful exploration of how your personal beliefs reflect the tenets of myriad philosophical systems, just about all the world’s religions and many denominations within them. Your “score” will give you a 1-to-20 lineup of how your way of seeing things stacks up against these various teachings. If you find, for example, that you already think like a Buddhist, looking into Buddhist meditation might be just what the doctor ordered

Emotional: ​Be in the present. You may be ruminating about the future or anxiously review the past. Being mindful is like hitting reset in your brain, and be achieved in as few as five slow deep breaths. Try it today; you will be amazed at how much stress you can dissipate.

Day Fact: ​Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil, sunflower oil, nut oils, linseed oil etc., are healthier for you. Olive oil is one of the healthiest forms of oil available and it is considerably better for you than more traditional cooking oils. The main benefit of olive oil is that it contains the omega-6 essential fat which is vital for both cellular and cardiovascular health. Unfortunately all fats and oils are still a high energy food, and are significant contributors to weight gain.

DWP Quote:​ Keeping one's mouth shut opens one's mind.

​​​​​​Who am I,​​​​​​​​​ Where am I going,​​​​​​​​​​​ Is this all there is?

My Refocus Workshop Journal

Daily Quote: ​The challenge of life is to change worry into thinking, and anxiety into creative action.

Body: ​It is a throw away day. Get rid of all the junk foods... processed foods and sugar drinks. Replace them with real food. You need to be able to understand all of the words on the labels.

Mind:​ Serotonin is a hormone that controls your moods, and when there is not enough serotonin flowing throughout your brain, you may feel depressed. Since serotonin is created by your body's digestive system, poor eating habits can be a contributing factor when levels are low. Eating right and getting plenty of exercise can help raise serotonin levels and keep you feeling your best.

Spirit: ​Test what you believe in against the “great questions.” ​​​​​​1. Who am I?​​​​​​​​​​​​2. Where am I going?​​​​​​​​​​​3. Is this all there is?​​​​​​​​​ A true belief system of faith will give you an acceptable answer to these ancient questions or at the very least, where to go to find answers.​​​​​​

Emotional: ​Practice active self-care. You are the only one that can or will do it.​​​

Be friendly to all that you meet. Show respect for different customs and beliefs. Greet people with a smile. It will make you feel better and those who you meet. Celebrate the individual differences in people. Accept who you are and what is important to you. Real friends will respect the ideas, interest and talents that you make special.

Day Fact: ​Perception is reality when it comes to your stress. What we hear, smell, feel and think immediately triggers our bodies’ chemical response. The body, mind and spirit are not separate. What we think controls what happens in our bodies.

DWP Quote:​ There is no rest, just slow work.

Balance life with work, sleep, and service to others.

Daily Quote: “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Mark Twain


Body: Walking Day (20 min.) A recent study just confirmed that moderate exercise of walking 20-30 minutes; 5 days a week will reduce your chances of catching the common cold by 60%. Write down three or four goals that you can stick to. Be specific. First one might be "I will stick to My Refocus goal of drinking 5 glasses of water a day."

Mind: Games involve logic. Play a game checkers, chess, bridge or even solitaire. Avoid playing the same games all the time. Play a game. There is an app for that to keep this exercise fresh. Limit game play to 30-45 min.

Spirit: Practice meditation and prayer and you might say;” I am willing to release and let go of my old negative energies. Meditation can be as simple as monitoring your breathing.

As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand? with God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children) then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive. (Matt. 7:7) Problems arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act that brings the will of the Father and the will of the child closer together. The object of prayer is not to change the will of the Father but to secure for ourselves and others blessings that God is already willing to grant. Blessings require some work (Law of the Harvest.) Prayer is a form of work and is the means for obtaining the highest blessing of all. (Inspired by the LDS bible dictionary)

Emotional: Seek constructive criticism from people you trust and respect. We all need to check our thinking with people that we know have our best interests at heart.

Day Fact: 7 out of 10 people on a weight loss program felt more satisfied with less food when it was served on a salad plate instead of a regular size dinner plate.

DWP Quote: Balance life with work, sleep, and service to others.

Spend more time with positive, supportive, and kind people.

My Refocus Workshop Journal

Daily Quote: “Every day has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety or by the handle of faith.” Author Unknown

Body: Three of the many benefits of 8-10 hours of sleep*

1. Sleep helps to repair your body.

2. Sleep reduces stress.

3. Sleep improves your memory.

Mind: The 5 senses: Feed your senses with the very best you can afford, The best images the best music, the best foods, best materials and a fresh clean environment. List in your journal the good things you treated your senses to today.

• Sight

• Hearing

• Smell

• Taste

• Touch

Spirit: Spend more time with positive, supportive, and kind people. People that improve your attitude will determine your altitude.

Live with an attitude of gratitude. In your journal, list the things for which you are grateful.

Emotional: Being helpful shows that you care. Be willing to volunteer. The old Boy Scout ideals will serve you well. “Be prepared”, to help other people at all times and do a good turn daily. We do these things because we want the best for everyone and we are ready to act to make it happen.

Get your body involved when you’re feeling good. Jump up and down or dance around when you're in a good mood. Just a simple "woo hoo" and fist pump tells your body, mind and spirit you're winning! Celebrate your successes.

Day Fact: Leverage activities-Try to do two or more elements together. E.g., listen to positive and uplifting audio while walking.

Quote: “Commitment isn't a shackle but a means of efficiency.” D.W.Patterson

*www.better-sleep-better-life.com

Call an old friend and reminisce.

My Refocus Workshop Journal

Daily Quote: "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it." Chinese proverb

Body: Today is walking day (15 min.). At one meal today, leave the last mouthful on your plate. This is a signal to your brain that you are ready to act. Commit to leave some food on your plate at every meal. If it you makes you feel better take less, leave it in the pot!

Mind: Call an old friend and reminisce. Friends give life depth and meaning. Stay positive in your discussion.

Spirit: Examine your spiritual values. Do you believe in a higher power? Write your answer in your journal. How does it look in print?

Emotional: Today, just observe the people, without judgment. Enjoy their company and style; note how they pass through your day. Thoughtfully examine them, be positive, and do not judge them. Judging others is never your job! This little exercise helps you to get out of your own head and to enjoy the world around you.

Day Fact: Seventeen hours of sustained wakefulness leads to a decrease in performance, equivalent to a blood alcohol-level of 0.05%. It is illegal to operate a car with a blood alcohol level of 0.08%

Quote: “Do not deprive yourself of a good experience through a poor choice.” D.W.Patterson

Loyalty starts with you!

My Refocus Workshop Journal

Daily Quote: “A good friend is cheaper than therapy.” Author Unknown

Body: No thirty minute walk today. (10,000 steps still in force) Drink 5 glasses of water and feel the five benefits.

1. Lose Weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes out the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories.

2. Helps in Digestion: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion.

3. Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You will look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increase skin elasticity.

4. Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better.Water the true lubricant for your brain.

5. Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. You’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises and water helps to fuel your muscles.

Mind: Keeping a journal has been shown to improve our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional lives. If you are not keeping one, please seriously consider it. No! Start one now! Experts tell us that a great personal power is unleashed when pen touches paper to record your thoughts. Record how many steps on your pedometer, how many glasses of water you drink or just how you feel about these things. No one else can do this for you.

Spirit: Sit quietly for 15 minutes in the out of doors. Nature can be a great source of balance. Notice the sounds, the colors, the smells of life. Drink it all in. Take a couple of deep breathes, be in the moment, even if just for a moment.

Emotional: In your mind, without negative judgment, review the quality of your relationships. How long or short they, how many do you have. Assess them. Are they how you want them? Could they be better? Are you Loyal? Loyalty is being true to yourself, your family, your beliefs, your work, and your community. Loyalty starts with you. Through your actions, the people around you learn that you can be counted on. Your success, the success of your family, and work depend on your willingness to pitch in and do your share. Your loyalty to the ideals of these institutions will create a positive experience for all involved. Express your loyalties often to those around you.

Day Fact: My Refocus takes faith, hope and patience in its principles.

Quote: “Always challenge the wrong, accept the right.” D.W.Patterson