Raines Realm

There seems to be an unfortunate trend in today's society of individuals going about their day in sleepwear and yoga pants. Now before I discuss the issues with this, let me start by saying that this is not about judging people for what they wear. This is about how our individual choices affect us long-term as well as affecting those around us. There seems to be a focus on self-love and self-care lately and it is wonderful to see. What some don't seem to realize is that this is directly related to getting dressed in real clothes every day. When we wake up in pajamas, spend the day in pajamas, and then go to sleep in more pajamas; it can have a negative effect on our psyche. What is the message that we are telling ourselves? That we're not worth the effort? This can permeate other areas of our lives. If we can't muster the energy to get dressed, how can we find the energy to be social or have the motivation to reach for and attain our goals? Not to mention the fa...

I know that there are people who are genuinely not morning people. I used to be one myself. Then I started learning about subtle shifts that I could use to make all of the difference. How we start our day is crucial. When we first wake up, our bodies need time to reboot and generally speaking, most people don't get that time. If at all possible, when you first wake up, do some light stretching in bed or lay there for a minutes saying your positive affirmations. Above all else, wait to pick up your phone or device. The importance of mornings should be respected by being present. When you're present in the moment, you are ruling the day instead of the other way around. When your present in the moment, getting dressed, having your coffee or tea, helping your children, you get the opportunity to set a positive tone for the whole day. When your rushing around, stressing about the next thing that you have to do to be able to leave on time, it causes the day to be ruled by neg...

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -George Santayana Today I finished reading  Everybody who was Anybody (a biography of Gertrude Stein).   As I’m putting together the plans for hosting my first salon, it was brought to my attention how valuable it could be to have some background on one of the most famous salons of all. Her story is amazing and I see a great many parallels between her life and my own. I also see quite a few differences. But the thing that resonates the most is seeing how the choices that she made led her to such a glorious life full of the kind of success that most dream of. It’s crucial to our success in life, both personal and professional, to read biographies. To see life through the eyes of those that lived it. To hear personalized accounts from people who were actually there instead of getting all of our historical information from generic history books. Whatever interests you, seek out th...

There is still so much mystery around Reiki and the amazing benefits that come with it. The core fact to keep in mind is that when our life energy is flowing freely and our body is in a relaxed state, our health and wellness can improve. The daily stresses that we all face make sustaining a relaxed state very challenging. By getting regular Reiki sessions, we can ensure that we are enabling our body to maintain that state that benefits us the most. When our bodies are in a relaxed state, all of our systems can function at an optimal level and these are tangible and undeniable results. Take this article  for instance: "The multileveled, rapid response to Reiki suggests a complex process that engages many body systems, simultaneously or in quick succession, shifting the body from domination by the "fight or flight" (stress) response to the relaxation response, and supporting the body's own healing mechanisms." So, when we are doing all of the t...