Mountain Views News Saturday, December 20, 2025 
1212 
SPORTS, FITNESS &SPORTS, FITNESS & 
HEALTHY LIVINGHEALTHY LIVING 
Mountain Views News Saturday, December 20, 2025 
1212 
SPORTS, FITNESS &SPORTS, FITNESS & 
HEALTHY LIVINGHEALTHY LIVING 
SURVIVING RELATIVES 

UNLOCK YOUR LIFE 


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 
professional who offers semi-private/virtual fit-
ness classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit. 
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness. 


The holidays are supposed to be about joy, laughter, and 
maybe a little pie. But sometimes, they come with somethingless fun: relatives. You know the ones. The cousin who 
lectures you about life choices, the aunt who criticizes your 
cooking, or the uncle who insists on debating politics. If 
family gatherings feel more like a mental marathon than 
a celebration, you’re not alone. The good news? Handling 
them can actually be a workout—if you treat it like one. 

Think about it: stress affects your body just like a tough gym 
session. When your cousin comments on your career for 
the fifth time, your body releases cortisol, a stress hormone. 
Too much cortisol can mess with sleep, energy, and even 
weight. That means mental tension has a physical impact. So 
why not approach holiday family time like a fitness routine? 

Warm-Up: Start with some breathing exercises before you 
arrive. Deep breathing slows your heart rate and calms your 
mind. Try inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and 
exhaling for four. Repeat a few times. You wouldn’t start a 

run without getting your body warmed up, right? Treat your brain the same way. 

Set Your Boundaries: Just as you wouldn’t lift a weight too heavy, don’t let anyone push you 
past your limits. Politely excuse yourself from conversations that are getting tense. Step into the 
kitchen, check on the dessert, or take a quick walk outside. Setting boundaries is like proper 
form in the gym—it keeps you safe and prevents injury. 

Mindful Movement: If tensions rise, don’t sit there stewing. Walk, stretch, or go play with the 
kids in the other room. Even ten minutes of movement helps release endorphins—your body’s 
natural stress relievers. Treat it like a mini-break between workout sets: you’ll come back calmer 
and more focused. 

Family Cardio: Let’s be honest, holiday gatherings are endurance events. You might spend 
hours listening to opinions you don’t share. Especially today. Just making it through the day 
without a physical or verbal altercation can be tough. Think of it like running a marathon. You 
wouldn’t start a race without pacing yourself, and the same goes here. Take breaks, hydrate, and 
give yourself permission to step away when needed. 

Resistance Training: Some relatives are like heavy weights. You can’t avoid them, but you can 
train your mind to handle the load. Use positive self-talk: “I can do this. I am calm. I am strong.” 
Repeat it silently when someone starts nagging or critiquing. This is mental conditioning—
you’re strengthening resilience. 

Healthy Fuel: Holidays are full of snacks and sugary treats. Eating without thinking can make 
stress worse. Fuel your body like an athlete. Choose foods that give you steady energy, like 
fruits, nuts, and lean proteins. If you’re going to enjoy a treat, do it mindfully. Savor it. Don’t let 
stress drive your snack choices. Or provoke you into stuffing your mouth full of sweets just to 
cope with what you’re listening to. 

Visualization: Before tricky conversations, picture yourself handling them calmly. Imagine 
smiling, listening without reacting, and staying relaxed. Visualization is a favorite technique 
among athletes—it works for family stress too. You can even imagine your relatives as a friendly 
obstacle course, where each challenge helps you get stronger. 

Recognize Toxicity: Sometimes, the “weights” are too heavy—year after year, the stress doesn’t 
improve. If family gatherings are toxic, it’s okay to skip them or limit your exposure. Choosing 
peace over obligation is part of your fitness plan too. Protecting your mental health is like 
resting your muscles after a hard workout, it’s necessary for long-term strength. 

Cool Down: After the event, take a few minutes for yourself. Stretch, meditate, or go for a 
short walk. Reflect on what went well and what you can improve next time. Just like in fitness, 
recovery is crucial. Your body and mind need it. 

Remember, you’re training for more than just surviving family gatherings. You’re strengthening 
mental toughness, improving emotional control, and boosting physical health. Look at it as 
a total-body workout without any expensive gym membership. And here’s the best part: the 
more you practice these strategies, the easier it gets. You’ll walk into holiday gatherings feeling 
calm, confident, and ready to enjoy the season, no matter how many irritating questions and 
comments are thrown your way. 

This holiday season don’t just survive—train. Treat family stress like a fitness challenge. Warm 
up your mind, pace yourself, lift your spirits, fuel your body, and cool down properly. Your 
relatives may not change, but your reaction can. And that, my friends, is a win you can measure 

in both peace of mind and physical health. 

ALL THINGS by Jeff Brown 

JESUS & BUDDHA 

Jesus Christ and Siddhartha Gautama, known 
as the Buddha, are two of the most influential 
spiritual teachers in human history. Emerging in 
very different cultural, historical, and religious 
contexts, they founded traditions that have shaped 
the beliefs, values, and moral frameworks of billions 
of people. While their teachings share important 
similarities, especially in ethics and personal 
transformation, they also differ in describing the 
nature of reality, the divine, and the path to ultimate 
fulfillment.

 One of the strongest similarities between Christ 
and the Buddha is their emphasis on compassion 
and ethical living. Jesus taught love as the highest 
commandment, calling his followers to love their 
neighbors as themselves and even to love their enemies. 
Forgiveness, mercy, humility, and care for 
the poor and marginalized are central themes in 
his teachings. Similarly, the Buddha emphasized 
compassion and loving-kindness as essential virtues. 
He taught that harming others ultimatelyharms oneself and encouraged nonviolence, generosity, 
and mindful conduct toward all living beings. 
Both figures challenged the social norms of 
their time and rejected rigid hierarchies, stressing 
that moral worth is not based on wealth, power, or 
birth.

 Another key similarity is their focus on inner 
transformation rather than mere external ritual or 
law. Jesus criticized religious hypocrisy and taught 
that true righteousness comes from the heart, not 
simply from outward observance of rules. He emphasized 
repentance, sincerity, and a renewed inner 
life aligned with God’s will. 

Likewise, the Buddha taught that suffering arises 
from inner causes such as craving, ignorance, and 
attachment. Through meditation, wisdom, and 
ethical discipline, individuals can transform their 
minds and free themselves from suffering & discover 
their ultimate identity. In both traditions, 
personal spiritual growth is central to moral living. 
Another similarity is the emphasis on purity and 
virtue of the mother. Mary is portrayed as humble,
faithful, and chosen by God to give birth to Jesus. 

Likewise, Queen Māyā is described as virtuous 
and pure, often depicted as morally exemplary and 
worthy of bearing an enlightened being. One major 
similarity is that both births are presented as extraordinary 
and meaningful, not ordinary events. 
In Christianity, Jesus’ birth is understood as miraculous, 
involving divine intervention through the 
Virgin Mary by the power of God. In Buddhism, 
the Buddha’s birth is surrounded by miraculous 

signs and 
symbolicevents. Both 
traditions 
signal that 
the child 
would grow 
into a figure 
of immense 
spiritualimportance.
Despite 
these shared 
values, the differences between Christ and the 
Buddha are profound. The most significant difference 
lies in their understanding of God. Jesus’ 
identity and mission are inseparable from belief in 
a personal, loving God. In Christian theology, Jesus 
is the Son of God and, for many believers, God 
incarnate, whose life, death, and resurrection offer 
salvation to humanity. The Buddha, in contrast,
did not teach about a creator God or divine savior. 
His teachings focus on direct insight into reality 
and emphasize self-effort rather than reliance on 
divine grace. Another big difference is Jesus is seen 
as suffering on the cross and Buddha is seen smiling 
on a lotus flower.Their description about salvation 
also differ greatly. In Christianity, salvation 
is understood as reconciliation with God and the 
promise of eternal life, achieved through faith in 
Christ. In Buddhism, liberation (nirvana) is freedom 
from suffering by finding wholeness attained 
by following the Noble Eightfold Path and releasing 
desire and ignorance.

 
In conclusion, Jesus Christ and the Buddha 
share ethical teachings centered on compassion,
humility, and inner change, yet they differ in many 
ways though both emphasize in the end a connection 
to our ultimate source. Together, their legacies 
continue to influence spiritual thought, moral 
values, and human understanding across cultures 
and centuries.All humans are intrinsically one with 
the entire universe but grow up and conditioned to 
feel separate & unfulfilled. We seek religious icons 
to reconnect to the divine & the oneness of everything, 
as Jesus and Buddha have done though their 
cultural descriptions of it all can seem so different.
As Jesus said in John 17:21& 22 talking about his 
disciples.”I pray that they will all be one, just as you 
and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am 
in you. And may they be in us so that the world will 
believe you sent me. I have given them the gloryYou gave Me, so that they may be one as We are 
one.“ Happy Holiday to All!!! 

Lori A. Harris 


WOULD YOU LIKE TO FEEL BETTER? 
Sing A Song! 

Singing is one of the oldest and most universal ways humans 
connect. But beyond its cultural and artistic value, singing in 
groups, whether in choirs, classrooms, or community halls, has 
real, measurable benefits for health, well-being, and social life. 

At a basic level, group singing lifts the mood. Studies show that 

singing with others helps lower stress, reduce anxiety, and im


prove people's overall mood. It works on a chemical level too: 
singing triggers the release of oxytocin and endorphins, hormones linked to bonding and 
pleasure. It also lowers cortisol, which is tied to stress. In one recent study, people with 
chronic respiratory conditions who sang in weekly sessions with caregivers saw noticeable 
improvements in both their mood and their sense of connection. 

The social benefits are just as powerful. Singing with others builds trust and a sense of belonging 
faster than many other group activities. When people sing together, their breathing 
and heart rates often fall into sync, creating a shared rhythm that builds closeness. 
This has practical uses: schools use music and singing to reduce bullying and help students 
develop empathy. Singing also works well in care homes and senior centers, where 
it helps people feel less alone and more engaged. 

The physical impacts are significant. Singing, especially slow, rhythmic singing, improves 
breathing, posture, and heart rate variability. Singing at around six breaths per minute can 
actually help regulate the nervous system, which is useful for conditions like high blood 
pressure and anxiety. One study showed that even quiet humming at this pace had measurable 
benefits for the body. 

This Week 

I went holiday caroling this week with a small group of friends. We bundled up, knocked 
on doors, and sang classics like “Silent Night,” “Deck the Halls,” and “We Wish You a 
Merry Christmas.” It was so fun. People smiled, some sang along, and many thanked us 
just for showing up. It reminded me how rare and meaningful a real face-to-face connection 
has become. For an hour or so, we were part of something shared, joyful, and simple. 

That night made this whole topic feel more real. I didn’t need a study to tell me how good 
I felt afterward. But it’s reassuring to know the science backs it up. 

The most important part of group singing is that it brings people together in a way that 
feels natural and real. Singing is something anyone can do. It doesn’t require fancy equipment 
or training. It doesn’t matter if you’re “good” at it. In community choirs, people often 
find not just a hobby but a support system. In schools, daily singing improves focus and 
teamwork. In workplaces, it can help build trust among colleagues. 

Group singing also reaches across generations and cultures. In some programs, children 
and older adults sing together, sharing not just songs but stories, memories, and time. 
These moments help break down stereotypes, reduce loneliness, and create a sense of 
continuity across age groups. 

All of this makes singing more than just a fun activity. It’s a tool for health, for connection, 
and for community. In a time when many people feel disconnected, burned out, or 
overwhelmed, singing together offers something simple but powerful: a way to feel human 
again. 

Lori A Harris is an Integrative Change and Transformation Coach and podcast host. Learn 
more about her at loriaharris.com. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com