Purrs of Wisdom with Ingrid King

We live in a crazy busy world, and without finding ways to counteract the stress caused by the fast pace of life and constant stimulation coming at us from everywhere, we end up stressed, depressed and anxious. For me, one of the best ways to decompress is seeking and enjoying solitude.

Solitude is not the same as loneliness. Even though they look alike from the outside, there’s a big difference between solitude, which is a positive state of being alone with yourself. Loneliness, on the other hand, is defined by a sense of isolation and a feeling that something is missing. Loneliness is about lack, solitude about feeling whole.Continue Reading

Connecting with our spiritual core is an important part of conscious living. We all have different ways of doing this, and there isn’t any one single method that is more valuable than another. For some, it may be through structured religious observations, often shared in the community of a church or other spiritual gathering. For others, this connection may happen during meditation. Others still may connect with spirit in nature. Watching a beautiful sunset or sunrise, walking in a deep green forest, or hiking in a striking desert landscape – all of these can help open a portal for a connection to something greater than ourselves.Continue Reading

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. ~The Dalai Lama

Kindness is defined as “the quality of being friendly, generous and compassionate.” It’s a quality that I look for in almost every person I form any kind of relationship with – it matters that much to me. Kindness to cats, and all animals, is the most important to me, but kindness to other human beings is a close second. One of my pet peeves: people who are unkind to waiters or other service personnel.

Research suggests that positive emotions help contribute to better physical and emotional health. And kindness shouldn’t just extend to others, it should also be directed at yourself. Continue Reading

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong.
The amount of work is the same. – Francesca Reigler

I usually offer tips and suggestions on how to live a happier life in this column, but sometimes, there is value in identifying what makes us miserable. Awareness is the first important step toward making lasting change, and becoming aware of self-sabotaging habits that get in the way of living our best life can help clear out negative mindsets.

It helps to understand that unhappiness is never the result of external circumstances, but rather, the way we react to those circumstances. Wayne Dyer had it right Continue Reading

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterwards. – Spanish Proverb

Sundays are for resting, and taking a break. And sometimes, the best way to spend a Sunday is to do absolutely nothing.

We live in such crazy busy times that stress has become the norm for most people, and because of that, most of us don’t even realize how stressed we are until we allow ourselves to slow down. It’s well known that the more stressed we are, the more damage we do not just to our mental health, but also to our bodies. Continue Reading