As David Letterman’s legacy of entertainment is in review, I found myself reviewing the interview that I did for Better TV in New York City. It was one of those windy days in the big city that chilled your bones and kicked up just enough dust to cause a look-away while walking the long blocks to the television studio. But my fate was not on the line, it was David Letterman’s, so the weather was a minor inconvenience compared to what he was facing.
Whether you are watching Lady Mary’s suitors on Downton Abbey, or checking out the latest heart-throb on TV, you may find that their romantic gestures are highly desirable and wish that your partner would adopt some of them! But did you know that the partners you see on the screen influence your expectations unconsciously?
Join Dr. Nancy on KDKA-TV Pittsburgh Today Show on CBS December 23, 2014 at 9 AM to learn more about having a Real Conscious Holiday!
The reel holiday is the one you see on TV, and in the movies. When you see the perfect dinner, decorations, gifts and family gatherings, you may feel that yours doesn’t measure up. You may start to feel that what you have is not enough and that you must do, bake, buy and be more to have the perfect holiday. But you can manage all of it and even resist the ads, and have a r-e-a-l holiday instead of a r-e-e-l one.
“If someone has technical skills, they like to be able to show them off and say, ‘Hey look what I did,'” she said. Mramor likened this kind of hacking to the paparazzi who follow celebrities on the street taking photos of their every move.
“This is just a new level of privacy invasion,” she said. The idea that “the public has a right to know” and the belief that celebrities should not expect privacy might be a motivation for that as well, she said. Read More
Psychologist Nancy Mramor says we sometimes feel intense grief because we allow ourselves to become so invested.
“Once you connect with characters and let them into your living room they become, in your mind, like a part of your family, and you begin to develop the kinds of emotions you would have toward a family member,” said Mramor, who studies the impact of media and film and is in private practice in Pittsburgh. “So when they do something you don’t like, you are more forgiving. They can act badly and you let them off the hook. Once you start making excuses for a character on screen, you know you’ve identified with them.” READ MORE
Did you know that there are ten top ways discovered by researchers to create long lasting happiness? Listen to Dr. Nancy on the Motivation Marathon, to learn how.
Ways-to-fulfill-lasting-happiness
Exercise “When you exercise, chemicals are released in the brain that cause happiness,” explained Nancy Mramor, Ph.D., a psychologist with a private practice in Pittsburgh, Pa. “Fifteen to 20 minutes of walking and the chemicals start kicking in, and the more you do it, the stronger that reaction in the brain becomes.” For a double-whammy, take your walk in nature (or at least, in relatively fresh air and sunlight if you’re a city person). Studies show that putting one foot in front of the other outdoors … even for just a few minutes … can help boost mood.
Eat something healthy. “Hungry” people are not happy people, and sometimes the simplest mood-upping-fix is a quick nosh on something relatively healthy, Mramor said. “Dark chocolate, in moderation, is a good thing,” she added. “Eat a balanced snack with proteins, carbs and fats, which balances blood sugar and improves mood.” Maybe grab an apple with some cheddar cheese or peanut butter, spread an avocado on toast or dip into a greek yogurt with whatever fruit topping suits your fancy.
Do Facebook and Twitter help or hurt our happiness? It depends on how you use them. If the person has a certain inner strength, a certain confidence, then it is no problem. But if an individual’s mind is weak, then there is more confusion. You can’t blame technology. It depends on the user of the technology.
The Dalai Lama, Time Magazine, March 2014
Turn off your iphones, TV’s and other devices now and focus on this message. Is it hard for you to do? Can you log off after reading this post and shut down for a while? Or will you experience nervousness, distractibility and even anxiety of you put all of your technology aside?
When a random act of kindness occurred in New York City, many were shocked. The journalist “Asked Dr. Nancy” why people don’t help more and how they can.
Click here to read the full article.
Originally appeared in Community Health Magazine February 2014.
You are readier than you may think you are for the New Year! To tap into this readiness, look back at your accomplishments of the past year and make a list of them. Appreciate what you are grateful for and what you have attained in all areas of your life. Really acknowledge yourself for your growth and self-acceptance in all areas of your life. Then list the things you prefer not to bring forward and make a ritual to release them. You can write them down and tear them up or shred them. Then write a list of your truest intentions for yourself and the new year. Energize them by saying them out loud, and doing a ritual to charge the intentions. Some ways to charge the intention include lighting a candle, saying them to your truest friends who will assist you in your goals, and ….. much more! Join us to learn more about starting a truly new year full of Real Conscious Living.