The Power of One Resolution

 

The new year is just beginning, and already my email inbox is overflowing with suggestions about the importance of setting goals and resolutions. But for those of us living with ALS, the traditional goals and resolutions for self-improvement often feel empty and frankly, useless.

In truth, most of us are just glad to have made it this far and really have the goal - - to survive another year!

But living in “survival mode” is unhealthy and ALS research points out that this can lead to feelings of hopelessness and giving up.

Recently, while discussing resolutions and goals with a friend, he said, “The real challenge is to shorten the distance between our daily reality and the life we had hoped to lead.”

I agreed.

What am I doing to shorten the "distance?"

I practice active mindfulness. Let me explain.

As many readers of this column know, I’ve been a long-time supporter of practicing mindfulness; having taught it to others during my professional working years. And since learning about how mindfulness and meditation have been shown to be beneficial for persons with ALS, I’ve practiced both in earnest these past 12 years.

For example, a four-month study with 197 ALS patients showed that active mindfulness decreased anxiety, depression, burnout, and disease progression. In addition, active mindfulness can increase memory, and improve quality of life, coping ability, and psychological well-being.

In addition, an ALS News Today article, “Mindfulness May Improve Depression, Quality of Life in ALS Patients” by Joana Fernandes, Ph.D., describes how ALS patients in a 2017 study found improvements in their quality of life with mindfulness, compared with the patients receiving usual care.

Factors that enable hope, control, and coping are what create greater mental well-being when living with ALS. 

Combatting distractions

But during the past few months, I’ve given in to distractions and lost that “in the moment” mindset. Holiday activities, people, world events, and even my own mental inner critics all pull at my attention, and I often found myself coasting on autopilot.

My old methods of popping into mindfulness needed a tune-up, so I created a new mental prompt ... I now use the phrase, Own the moment.

How does being mindful "feel?"

The mental shift to being mindful can:

• Increase your awareness of the sounds around you, your surroundings, and what others are saying.
• Improve recognition of your body’s needs, such as thirst, hunger, or discomfort.
• Allow you to choose positive reactions to people, places, and things, rather than lash out or fall into a mental funk.

And finally, by reminding myself to Own the Moment, I feel I have more power to influence the direction of my life.

What’s my New Year’s resolution? I can proudly say I have only one, and it’s the only one I need: Own the Moment.

I invite you to try it for yourself. When your mind begins to wander, come back and own the moment. When you feel frustrated and angry, breathe, and own the moment. Whenever you forget to pay attention to what you are doing, stop, and own the moment.

Together we can live mindfully and well while living with ALS.

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To learn more about mindfulness and meditation, I suggest these posts:

How to Focus and Pay Attention 

How to Spend More Time NOT Thinking About Your ALS

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Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blog

“Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day” 

Michael Josephson

A version of this post first appeared as my column on the ALS News Today website.

How to Spend More Time NOT Thinking About Your ALS

 

Among the many challenges, I experienced during my early months with ALS was its effect on my perception of time. Before ALS, I pretty much meandered through life in full confidence that many more years lie ahead of me. But with the onset of ALS, all that changed. The elephant in the room became time. When I heard the words two- to five-year life expectancy, time suddenly became very important!

I had two immediate reactions

First, I fell into the common body-mind stress response of fight-flight-freeze. And second, I began lamenting, if only I’d known that was the last time I would ever (dance, jog, swim, etc.), I would have paid more attention!

Sound familiar? Here’s how I worked my way out of both states.

Flight-fright-freeze

I remembered from my wellness training that the body-mind stress response of fight-flight-freeze is hardwired into our brains. It’s there to help us react quickly to get out of or avoid dangerous situations. Brain chemicals such as adrenaline and cortisol are released, our bodies tighten up and we conserve needed energy, so our immune systems shut down. All helpful when having to, say, exit a burning building. But not helpful for the long-term stress of having to accept and live with a serious illness.

I knew that worrying, feeling anxious, and angry plus having a depressed immune system would be of no help to my situation. Neither was withdrawing from friends and family and just sitting, sitting, sitting.

My first step to stop my negative stress response was to go directly against the tide of emotions washing over me. I practiced deep, relaxed breathing, followed a daily routine of movement, and began following guidelines such as these found in Your ALS Guide, “ALS Self-care.” Habits include good nutrition, regular exercise, proper medication, use of medical equipment when recommended and attending an ALS clinic and its support groups.

Slowly, I changed my attitude from fighting ALS to learning to live with ALS.

Life on auto-pilot

We all fall victim to living each day on auto-pilot while life happens all around us. We pay attention instead to smartphones and the constant babble in our heads. Days are lost. Years are lost. Time is lost. Every single moment we spend worrying about the past or the future is a moment not paying attention to now.

I’ve heard it said that “My attention is a currency that I have to spend wisely,” and I took those words to heart.

No more not paying attention. No more lost memories. I decided to learn to live in the now and be mentally present for everything yet to come. Living in the now is also called mindfulness, and I knew that meditating was an excellent way to learn to be mindful. But, to tell you the truth, I didn’t feel I had the time to meditate! I had ALS! And the clock was ticking!

Luckily, I found the program developed by Ellen Langer, called “Active Mindfulness.” It’s a kind of fast-track method; instead of practicing how to be mindful, you just do it!

Here’s a quick example: While you are reading this sentence, allow your brain to be aware of the sounds in the room around you, feel the weight of your body on the chair underneath you, the temperature of the air on your skin. Continue to read while continuing to feel an awareness of sounds, the air, and your body. That shift in awareness you just felt is ‘active mindfulness.’ As opposed to just reading and blocking out what’s happening around you. Langer, a Ph.D., refers to that state of mind as being mindless.

She received a grant from the ALS Association to study mindfulness and ALS, and the results were impressive. Participants reduced their anxiety, depression, burnout, and progression of ALS symptoms. Better yet, participants increased memory, quality of life, their ability to cope, and overall well-being.

Setting priorities

I’ve since made it a priority in my life to manage my stress and practice active mindfulness. And, yes, I even have created newfound time to meditate! It’s all become a reinforcing loop. The more I pay attention, the more I notice and hold dear the deeply satisfying events happening in my life.

Make this year the one you are fully present for your most memorable moments. Not only will it be a gift of health to your body and mind, but also it will be a very wise way to spend your time.

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Want to read more on this topic? I suggest these posts:

"How to Focus and Attention; Mindfulness for pALS and the People Who Care for Them"

"How to Always Remember"

A version of this post first appeared as my column on the ALS News Today website.

Photo by Dagmar Munn

Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blogger

"Wherever you go, there you are"

Jon Kabat-Zinn

How to Focus & Pay Attention; Mindfulness for pALS & cALS

Note: 

This post is adapted from my presentation at the "Ask the Experts" seminar

held on 4-8-2017 in Tucson, AZ, which was sponsored by the Arizona Chapter

of the ALS Association

____________________________

Okay, Okay... I know, we ALL know, how to pay attention - - when we REALLY have to, that is. 

Like right now, you're brain is focused on these words, curious and anticipating learning something new and interesting. But soon, what you're reading will spark a memory and you'll drift off for a few seconds, maybe minutes...or even longer. 

Suddenly you're going down that rabbit hole of just plain tuning out.

Tuning Out?

We get stuck in a loop of mindless mental chatter. Going through our days on autopilot. And we all know autopilot works - - well, it sort of works!      

I remember I could coast a long time on autopilot - - easy-peezy! But soon after being diagnosed with ALS, I learned the hard way that even simple things like walking, drinking and eating … done without paying attention. Well, just weren’t safe anymore!

Why do we tune out? Our brains don’t like to pay attention to boring things. Even though you may be driving a car, running a sewing machine or cooking dinner - - all very important things - - your brain says, “I’ve done this a million times  - - bor-rrrring!” - - and tunes out; shifting your attention instead to all that “interesting” mindless chatter!

Think of it as, the part of our brain that loves to get immersed in a project - - be engaged, be in the flow, fully attuned and focused on what you’re doing right NOW - - gets pushed to the back - - and slouches. You could call it "bad posture of the mind."

What Can We Do?

The answer is to learn to be mindful; also called “in the moment.” It’s a feeling of awareness, calm and being attentive. It’s having a flexible state of mind and actively noticing new things around you.

You can learn to be mindful - - right now - - it’s simple and I’ll teach you how. 

But since most beginners can only stay in the present moment for about 15 seconds or so, I'll also share how to get better at being mindful for longer periods of time.

Here’s the quick method - - called Active Mindfulness - - there's only 3 simple steps. 

1. - - you need to realize you were lost in thought or, “not here;” snap out of daydreaming.  This usually happens when you wonder something like, “Why did I walk into this room?!”

2. - - immediately, in that split second - - notice 5 things that are around you.  

3. - - continue to keep your brain curious & alert by continuing to notice, feel, even hear what’s around you. (Read my previous posts on Active Mindfulness -- Try this one for a more in-depth explanation- - for a shorter version - - check out this one).

To lengthen our brain’s attention span, to be able to focus for longer and longer periods of time, we’ll need to hit the gym. The mental gym that is!

And meditation is the perfect workout!

Why Meditate?

Spending only 10-minutes a day - - to sit quietly and focus on something simple like your breathing, or relaxing your shoulders or listening to nature - - will strengthen your brain’s focus for more difficult things like - - driving a car or reading long blog posts!

Many years ago, at my wellness center we taught the Mindfulness Stress Reduction Program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Many of our students in this six-week intensive program had chronic health conditions and pain. Our results were so impressive that their private health insurers paid for the classes, in full! Jon Kabat-Zinn has led over 30 years of research on the health benefits of meditation. For instance, besides offering pain relief, meditation will also help you sleep better, support your immune system and help your brain process stress.

If you have never tried meditating, here is a link to a simple and easy 1-minute meditation. A quick search on YouTube will give you many more to choose from. Rather not watch YouTube? Then consider using one of the many free meditation apps (listed below) available for your phone or tablet. 

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/0fcdv0kFVMs

Ellen Langer, PhD, has spent over 40 years studying mindfulness theory and she is the one who developed the technique of Active Mindfulness. Recently she turned her attention to the benefits of mindfulness for the elderly, those with chronic diseases, cancer and now to ALS. 

In 2013, Dr. Langer received a grant from the ALS Association to study mindfulness and ALS. 197 subjects (pALS and their cALS) were taught how to use Active Mindfulness.  The study included pre- and post- testing and the results were pretty impressive!

Link to full research article: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25361013

Dr. Langer is now developing short training videos for an online program so more pALS and cALS can learn mindfulness.

Quick Check-in!

Are you still in the present moment? How do you know if you are? It’s easy, the secret is the “shift” - - when you notice you’re daydreaming - - then you’re no longer daydreaming!

As a person living with ALS, practicing mindfulness has helped me feel that I am in control, have more awareness and that I am moving safely. I’m also able to more fully enjoy the many experiences that come with each day. 

I encourage everyone to take advantage of this easy to learn technique; mindfulness brings many health benefits and is something we all can do to improve the quality of our lives.  

____________________________

Helpful Resources:

More on Active Mindfulness, Dr. Langer and her research:

ALSA research: http://www.alsa.org/research/research-we-fund/project-page.html?appId=220

and  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25361013

Dr. Langer's website:  http://langermindfulnessinstitute.com/

Books on Mindfulness: http://www.ellenlanger.com/books/  

More on Meditation: (certainly not the only source, but a good place to begin your exploration)

Meditation research: http://meditation-research.org.uk/ 

Jon Kabat-Zinn website: https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/

Books on meditation: https://www.amazon.com/Jon-Kabat-Zinn/e/B000AQ12GA

  

Apps, Apps & More Apps!

I have tried out and enjoy using the app: Calm (https://www.calm.com/) and Stop, Breathe & Think (http://www.stopbreathethink.org/)

What are your favorite apps? Please share in the comment section below.

Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blogger

"Wherever you go, there you are"

Jon Kabat-Zinn

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My Book: "Align, Lengthen & Strengthen Your Resilience; While Living with ALS

I'm excited to share with you my book: 

Align, Lengthen & Strengthen Your Resilience; 
While Living with ALS.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), or are facing any other kind of life-threatening illness - -I wrote this book for you!

Through numerous personal and humorous anecdotes as well as drawing on my background in wellness I share with you practical advice for creating a resilient life. 

This book is a guide for not only you, but for your caregivers, family, and friends. 

My book, Align, Lengthen & Strengthen Your Resilience; While Living with ALS is absolutely FREE. I will not ask you for your email or try to sell you something later on. This is my gift to the ALS community. Please share it with others!

Enjoy :-)


One reader's comment:
     "I wish I had a resource like this when I was first diagnosed. It was the worst day of my life when I found out about my diagnosis. It was so difficult to get up and start living again. I had so many of the same experiences and felt so along. The book is so positive" I love the concept of having to 'Show up'...it would be so easy for someone with ALS to shut down and stop enjoying life. I also appreciated how she described how she dumped her group of whiners, and the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people."

     "I was surprised by the humor as well. I read this while I was on a flight and I realized that everyone was staring at me whenever I laughed out loud!"

Warner Smith, former University of Arizona and NFL player

__________________________________________ 

DOWNLOAD:

You can download the book for free in these formats:

• PDF  (for computer)  click and save
• .ePUB (for e-readers)  click, download and save

After you've read my book do come back and share your thoughts about it. I'm interested in learning which chapters helped you. Share what you are doing to live a resilient life.

Dagmar Munn
ALS and Wellness Blogger 

"Wellness is more than being free from illness. It is a dynamic process of change and growth. A conscious self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential."


The National Wellness Institute

Using Active Mindfulness for ALS Stress Management

Recently, I learned how to pay attention!

I mean REALLY pay attention - - as in the ability to stay focused all the way through eating a meal, exercising or even chatting with a friend - - ignoring all potential distractions.

As a result of learning the technique I feel that I am in more control, have more awareness and am moving safely.

How? It's super-easy, and you can learn to do it too!

_____________________________________

We all do it. Spend way too much time relying on our body's autopilot while our minds are stuck in a nonstop mental chatter.

The constant babble often to blame for everything from misplacing the car keys, leaving the grocery list at home or that infamous question, "Why did I walk into this room?"

Most of us can navigate through life fairly well in this state of "semi-awareness." But for those of us living with ALS - - autopilot is no longer an option. Even little things, like a sudden step backwards or a quick gulp of drink can quickly turn into a dangerous situation.

The best way to pay attention is to be mindful. Pop culture calls it "being in the present moment." It's a neutral, relaxed state of mind that is taught by learning to sit quietly and observe one's own thoughts. This traditional method takes time, patience and is justifiably a very good mind-body pursuit. But with the onset of my own ALS symptoms I was reminded that my time should be used wisely. I needed something that worked right away.

Researching the topic, I found Active Mindfulness, a technique developed by Ellen Langer, PhD.
Dr. Langer is a Harvard professor who has spent the past forty years studying how we pay attention.

I highly recommend her book, Mindfulness, 25th Anniversary Edition Mindfulness, (LINK)  which provides an in-depth yet easy to read explanation of the entire process. A quicker way to become more familiar with Active Mindfulness is through one of her many excellent video interviews. (LINK).

Her version of mindfulness allows us to be mentally active and fully engaged with our surroundings and - - whatever activity we're doing at the time. It's based on tapping into our brain's sense of curiosity and is accomplished through three simple steps:

Here's a quick example:

Say, you walk into the kitchen and can't remember why.
Step 1, is thinking something like, "Hey...I must have been daydreaming!"
Step 2. is to immediately look at your surroundings and identify five things.

In the photo, there's a white handle on the microwave, a blue pot on the stove, a white bear in the corner, a flower on the wall and finally, the red bowl in front of you.

Congratulations!
You are now in the present moment!

For Step 3, continue your awareness of your surroundings - - as if you're looking at it for the first time; a brand new space that you've never visited before.

The most important part of the sequence is Step 1; that is,catching yourself in the state of mindless semi-awareness. I like how Dr. Langer puts it: "When you're not there, you're not there to know you're not there!"

The challenge is to lengthen the time spent being actively mindful. For instance, a wonderful experience is to be fully present during an entire conversation with another person. No tuning out, losing interest or wandering thoughts.

Now for something very interesting:


Dr. Langer has been involved in research (LINK) studying the mental and physical benefits of Active Mindfulness for persons with ALS. A recent four-month long study with 197 participants produced pretty impressive results.*







Results impressive enough that the ALS Association (ALSA) recently awarded
Dr. Langer a grant (LINK) to continue her research with ALS patients!

Once further information is posted as to how we PALS can participate I'll share it here.






Active Mindfulness does more than boost my memory and well-being. I use it during any activity that involves my personal safety such as, standing up and taking a step forward or entering and exiting the car. With the increased awareness, I'm also better at listening to my body; catching the early stages of being tired, thirsty or small physical changes.

If you are living with ALS, I encourage YOU to give Active Mindfulness a try as well - - and share your experiences in the comment section below.

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*Psychol Health. 2014 Nov 26:1-15. [Epub ahead of print]
Mindfulness, physical impairment and psychological well-being in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Pagnini F1, Phillips D, Bosma MC, Reece A, Langer E.

For more information:
Book:      Mindfulness, the 25th Edition
Video:    Ellen Langer, PhD interview on mindfulness
Website: www.langermindfulnessinstitute.com
               www.ellenlanger.com