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Staying mindfully present has become increasingly difficult. That’s why we hope our Belden-Stratford community members in Chicago, Illinois, find these mindfulness audiobooks helpful.
1. The Voice of Knowledge: A Practical Guide to Inner Peace
Created by Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills, this audiobook encourages listeners to adopt a single truth that is the pathway to reducing our daily suffering. We must look deep inside ourselves and recognize that we believe the lies, mostly about ourselves, and we must stop thinking them. This groundbreaking work culls from ancient Toltec wisdom and blends that with ordinary common sense. “We are born in truth, but we grow up believing in lies. One of the biggest lies in the story of humanity is the lie of our imperfection,” Ruiz says.
2. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
This cleverly titled work by Jon Kabat-Zinn blends Eastern and Western meditation practices for Americans. Published in 1994, this classic mindful meditation work has resurfaced to influence another generation with an audio version. Yes, our culture reads less and listens to more online resources. The work provides pragmatic information about basic breathing techniques, enhancing your focus, and allowing stress to wash through your mind and body rather than consume you. The title is also loosely quoted by Peter Weller in the off-beat movie, "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension."
3. The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
This 2015 publication turned audiobook may be the perfect mindfulness selection for the workout warrior. In this audiobook, created by George Mumford, top athletes such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and others pay homage to his philosophy. The audiobook shares personal stories and techniques that were used to help elevate athletes into champions. It’s pure inspiration.
4. Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection
Created by Sharon Salzberg in 2017, this audiobook connects with the many people who harbor feelings that they are not worthy of being loved. The narrative helps shift the mind away from negatives and develop a deepening love for yourself. That can be parlayed into a more fruitful connection with intimate partners and loved ones. Salzberg is widely considered an expert in lovingkindness meditation. This form of meditation focuses on purging seemingly negative habits and thoughts. "Real Love" is like a toolbox for fixing our less than mindfully loving habits.
We hope our Belden-Stratford residents find these audiobooks useful. If you or a friend would like more information about our Chicago apartments, call us today.
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Tourist traffic and airport layovers may not sound like a relaxing way to spend your vacation. If that’s the case, we hope our Belden-Stratford residents in Chicago, Illinois, enjoy these staycation suggestions.
Unplug Your Life
Time away from the hustle, bustle, and stress of work is bound to follow you if bosses and coworkers believe you can be contacted. There are colleagues who take the job home and want to share. There’s the boss who never takes a vacation and doesn’t respect personal time boundaries. And, of course, the disgruntled coworker who wants to text and email about daily gripes. The fact of the matter is that we are all electronically accessible unless we fully disengage our electronic devices. Yes, that means everything. You may discover peace and tranquility on your staycation.
Binge Watch a Series
The whole binge-watching phenomenon can be a terrific way to spend uninterrupted downtime alone or with friends. Consider ordering snacks, finger food, and beverages of your choice and settle in for a popular or off-beat series. These are some suggestions.
- Game of Thrones
- Grey’s Anatomy
- Friends
- Final Destination movie franchise
- Star Wars franchise (in chronological order)
- The Blacklist
- James Bond movie franchise
- Madmen
- Doctor Who
- Monty Python’s Flying Circus (TV or movies)
The point is to embrace total mindless entertainment and recharge your batteries.
Check Out the Local Free Scene
It may seem odd, but plenty of people are not entirely in tune with the great free things in their local area. Guide pamphlets and social media posts sometimes feel like nuisance advertising. But it may surprise you just how much fun and relaxation you can get nearby without spending a dollar.
Consider checking out free art gallery nights, museums, parks, sightseeing, and outdoor concerts. There’s an entire network of people who further the fellowship of living and enjoying the local community. Take a moment and simply Google “free stuff near me” and see what turns up for your staycation.
Plan a Personal Pampering Day
Spending a leisurely staycation ought to be topped off with some time devoted to pampering yourself. Consider booking a spa day, three-hour massage or some personal indulgence. Whatever pampers your boat, book it. You deserve a dream staycation after all.
We hope our Belden-Stratford community members find these staycation tips helpful. If you or a friend would like more information about our Chicago apartments, call us today.
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One of the best things about having your own place is being able to entertain guests when the mood strikes. If you are thinking about having friends and family over this summer, you may be looking for some ideas for the event. We believe residents of The Belden Stratford apartments in Chicago, IL will get a kick out of the following summer party ideas.
Throw a Decade-Themed Event
Give your guests a reason to get dressed up in their favorite throwback costume by having a party aimed at a specific decade. Here are some ideas on the type of party you could throw.
Decade-Themed Ideas
- A 20s party with jazz playing
- A 50s party complete with poodle skirts and leather jackets
- A 70s party featuring bell bottoms and lots of crazy prints
- A 90s theme complete with grunge clothing and those fun ski hats
Choose any period that gives your guests the chance to be creative. Make it more authentic by serving foods that also suit the era.
Put Charity at the Center
You can have a good time while still giving back to the local community. Find a local charity in need and ask your guests to bring items to donate. That could be anything from old clothing to items like deodorant that charities have a hard time getting themselves.
It is an excellent way to keep others in mind while enjoying the company of your favorite people. That doesn’t mean you should cut back on having some good tunes playing to get everyone dancing! Cap things off by announcing a final tally of everything collected and thanking your guests for their generosity.
Have a Mid-Summer Christmas Party
Sometimes Christmas can seem too far away with the sun shining so brightly. Who says you must wait until December to start enjoying eggnog and gingerbread? Put up some Christmas decorations and ask people over to enjoy your mid-summer Christmas festivities.
Have Santa hats at the ready along with plenty of candy canes to give out. Take things up a notch by having a White Elephant event, where guests can spread around (or get rid of!) Christmas gifts or other items from years past. Adding a little mistletoe at strategic points can also make things fun!
Let us know how the party went or contact us for any other needs you have by calling The Belden Stratford at (866) 452-6177.
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