The other night my grandkids roasted marshmallows over a fire pit we have out back in the yard. I watched them laugh with delight as they grabbed the chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers (while doing much finger licking) and assembled their favorite summer dessert….S'Mores.

I had just returned from a speaking tour that took me from the Palm Beach Convention Center in Florida to the Shaw Convention Center in Edmonton, Alberta Canada… and along the way many people had expressed fear and concern about today's difficult economic realities.

Suddenly, I thought to myself, "I think this is the kind of moment my friends across North America need. Adults also need to "break into summer" and find something that will take their minds off what they see as stressful situations.

We can all eat only so much chocolate (as hard as that is to believe) and I am sure medical experts would not like it if we spent the summer gorging on
marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers!

But we could spend some time each day having a "Virtual S'More! Maybe a yummy "Dessert for the Mind" is what we need to help us remember that we all need to take a break and have some fun!

"So, I made myself a "Virtual S'more." And sure enough …I started laughing. I forgot about the pressures of the day. I was just living in the moment…and laughing!

So, here's my recipe….. I hope you like my "cooking." (Trust me…my virtual cooking is way better than the real thing!)

Dr. Teena's "Dessert for the Mind"
Virtual S'mores!

S…Stress is part of life. The trick is to learn to manage the stress so that you feel less DISTRESS.

'….OMMM…Put thumb and for fingers together and "hum" while creating a relaxing picture of yourself sitting cross legged on a beautiful sun filled mountain top.

M...Myths…. such as the idea of having balance in life are unrealistic. Toss this myth off the mountain as you head back to your home base. Smell the aroma of nature, and replace
the myth of balance….. with the model of resilience.

O…Opportunity can usually be found within adversity. Pay attention to the moment and listen to the wind…and you may see or hear "hope"…which is the first step to opportunity.

R…Resilience is our innate ability to bounce back from adversity. A resilient life is about trying different paths. We are capable of turning adversity into advantage…we just need to keep trying until we find the right path.

E…Engagement in life, caring about others, and weaving our "webs of connectedness" is one way we can increase resilience, while making a positive contribution to those around us. Look for a way to contribute, and remember…"The Wider our Webs of Connectedness…the Higher we Bounce!"

S…Strengths that are unique to us, are often are our greatest assets in tough times. Look at what is right, not wrong, with yourself and the world around you…then build on what you see. www.teenacahill.com
I HOPE YOU LIKED DESSERT!

This information is for educational and informational use only, and is not meant as a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a psychologist or other qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a mental problem or disorder, or medical condition.)
Copyright, Wisdom and Beyond, LLC © 2009, Princeton, NJ