Marya

Natural Remedies for Anxiety Relief

June 13, 2018 by Marya 4 Comments

Stressed out? Try these natural remedies for anxiety relief

If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks but are leery of pharmaceuticals, you might want to consider natural remedies for anxiety relief. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking medication if you feel that’s your best option, but natural remedies and lifestyle changes can also be a big help in managing anxiety symptoms.

Essential Oils for Anxiety

One very popular way to treat anxiety naturally is with essential oils. Essential oils are extracted from flowers, herbs, and plants, and then you can use them to help calm you down and reduce your panic and anxiety symptoms. Certain essential oils are better for anxiety, creating a calm environment and reducing the amount of panic attacks you experience. Here are some essential iols to consider using for stress:

*Cedarwood
*Wild Orange
*Lavender
*Chamomile
*Frankincense
*Bergamot
*Vetiver

Create a calming atmosphere in your home by diffusing some essential oil, adding some drops to your bath or applying them to the bottoms of your feet.

Omega 3 Relieves Stress

You probably already know that proper nutrition is an essential part of treating your anxiety naturally. One of the more important supplements you’ll want to take are omega-3 fatty acids. Try to aim for 2-3 grams of omega-3s every day, as they will help you to lower stress chemicals, which help to decrease anxiety and panic symptoms. While you can take a supplement, it’s better to get nutrients from natural food sources. For omega-3 fatty acids, this means fish like salmon and tuna, as well as whole grains, flax seeds, and walnuts.

Get More Vitamin D

Another nutrient you need to treat your anxiety naturally is vitamin D, but you don’t have to take a supplement or even eat a lot of foods with this vitamin. The best way to get more vitamin D is actually through sunlight. Try heading outside for 15-20 minutes a day to soak up some vitamin D, and you’ll soon start feeling much better. Vitamin D will not only help with your anxiety, but will also improve your mood and energy. Try going outside for quick walks or taking your lunch break outdoors when you can.

Lemon Balm Tea

Like many herbal teas, lemon balm tea can be really helpful if you’re struggling with anxiety. It’s a great remedy to calm your mind and body. Perhaps you have a lot of work or financial stress, are overwhelmed by all your responsibilities at home, or are dealing with the stress of making major decisions. You can drink some lemon balm tea and feel more at peace, which helps you to de-stress and sleep a little better.

Not only does lemon balm tea help with insomnia, but it can also help to make you more alert. When you drink it in the morning, it can boost your energy and make it easier to concentrate.

Besides the mental health benefits, lemon balm tea is also great for your skin! It’s often been used for skin purposes, from anti aging, to having youthful and glowing looking skin. If you’re struggling with early signs of aging, try drinking more lemon balm tea to smooth out those wrinkles and prevent more from forming prematurely. The lemon balm can also help to soften yours skin and work to reduce blemishes.

Some other herbal teas to try for calming purposes include peppermint, chamomile and passion flower.

Exercise Can Calm Anxiety

A great way to combine sunlight and exercising is to go for a walk outside, go hiking, or find another outdoor activity. Even if you’re not able to get outside, getting more physical activity is great for anxiety. You get your blood pumping, distract your mind, and can de-stress as well.

How to Stop Panic Attacks

What you should know about putting a stop to a panic attack is you have to find the right method for you, and that might take a bit of trial and error. The following include some different things you can try to stop panic attacks in their tracks:

*Pray
*Listen to a guided meditation
*Find an object to focus on
*Use a body scan or muscle relaxation technique
*Visualize your happy place
* Count backwards from 100
* Say No! out loud as many times as needed
* Listen to music
* Watch a movie or television show
* Call someone on the phone who can calm you down

Use Serenity Lotion

I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers Network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.

I’ve tried so many different lotions at this point I’ve lost track. But I was happy to give Fay Farm’s Serenity Lotion a try after reading so many positive reviews about it. Fay Farms developed Serenity Lotion to provide those living with anxiety and stress a natural alternative. It’s made with organic ingredients including essential oils, organ oil, 50 mg hemp oil extract, chamomile, passionflower and skullcap. It also includes magnesium oil for relief of inflammation and nerve pain.

Fay Farms has a wonderful line of popular CBD topicals (hemp oil derived and legal in all 50 states) including a muscle rub and healing hemp lotion.

About Fay Farm

The Fay Farm is a family run farm on Whidbey Island, outside of Seattle, Washington. On the farm the family raises Nubian Goats and use the milk from the goats along with the herbs they grow from their greenhouse to infuse into their natural body care products. None of their products contain parabens, alcohol, mineral oil, or phthalates. Many of their high quality ingredients come right from their farm. The Fay Farm is dedicated to creating quality natural body care products.

Sound yummy? Let me tell you it works. One of my favorite quick stress busters now is to put some Serenity lotion on the bottom of my feet and then spend 10 minutes listening to a guided meditation. Instant relief!

Know When to Seek Help for Anxiety

Anxiety is not a normal way of life and not something you should just suffer with. If it has you avoiding social situations, affecting you at work or school, or impacting your personal relationships, then it’s time to get professional help.

There’s no shame or stigma in this. Talk to your family doctor, a therapist, counselor, or anyone else that has experience with anxiety and panic attacks to find the best treatment options for you.

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Books and Movies to Distract Yourself from Stress

June 8, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

Getting lost in a movie or a good book is a great way to distract yourself from stress, whether it’s everyday stress, stress from caregiving or stress from chronic illness. Sometimes when we find ourselves in a particularly stressful life situation, we need a little time-out.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a break to spend a few hours forgetting about your troubles and problems. You’ll come back out of your break refreshed and ready to tackle whatever life might throw at you. You’ll quickly make up the time you spent on this stress buster with improved focus and productivity.

And even when it doesn’t work out that way, it will still have been worth it to get some peace for a little while and reduce stress.

Disclaimer: I’m a Boomer…I grew up in the 70’s and my taste in books and movies certainly reflects that!

10 Movies to Watch When You’re Feeling Depressed

Inside Out
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Good Will Hunting
Forrest Gump
The Blind Side
Up
Life of Pi
It’s a Wonderful Life
Grease
Cool Runnings

10 Feel Good TV Shows

60s Classic TV Shows

The Adams Family
Andy Griffith
The Avengers
Batman
Dick Van Dyke
Father Knows Best
Gilligan’s Island
The Honeymooners
I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
Mister Ed
The Munsters
My Three Sons
Star Trek
The Twilight Zone

70s Classic TV Shows

Welcome Back Kotter
The Odd Couple
Good Times
The Brady Bunch
Diff’rent Strokes
Get Smart
Green Acres
Happy Days
I Dream of Jeannie
All in the Family
The Jeffersons

80s Classic TV Shows

21 Jump Street
Bosom Buddies
Cheers
The Facts of Life
Family Ties
The Golden Girls
Growing Pains
Mork & Mindy
The Muppet Show
Night Court
Seinfeld
Taxi
Who’s The Boss
WKRP in Cincinnati
The Wonder Years

Books to Distract You From the World

Now let’s talk about books. Start by growing your bookshelf…maybe you have some unread forgotten books just waiting for you!

Or you can head on over to library or bookstore or Amazon Prime and find something good to read, or listen to. For audiobooks, Audible.com is very popular.You can also find and download all sorts of great books to your Kindle or smartphone from Amazon and even your local library.

You have tons of options. Your hardest job right now will be to just pick something!

10 Books to Get Lost In

The Magician’s Nephew
The Wind in the Willows
The Hobbit
The Color Purple
Lake Wobegon Days
The Stand
The Help
Pride and Prejudice
Anything Harry Potter
The Hunger Games

10 Books for Depression

Now, sometimes the best therapy for stress or depression is simply to face it and read a good about it. It’s your call! Sometimes understanding the mental processes that you’re going through are the best way to cope with depression.

Here’s a few good titles that I found:

When Darkness Will Not Lift
When Someone You Love Suffers from Depression or Mental Illness
Rewire Your Anxious Brain
Reasons to Stay Alive
A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled
Running for My Life: How I Built a Better Me One Step at a Time
The Anxiety Solution: A Quieter Mind, a Calmer You
Broken: Finding Joy in Every Day and Letting Go of Perfect
Depression & Other Magic Tricks
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

Distract Yourself From Chronic Pain

There are have been many times that I’ve been homebound since my first chronic illness diagnosis in 2010. Sometimes all you can really do is just sit in bed.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you just need to be still so that your body can focus on healing. Books, TV Shows and movies are a great distraction during times like these.

And remember, don’t complicate it. When you find something you think you’ll like, just go for it. If it’s light and fluffy, that’s perfectly fine. Don’t judge yourself. If reading the occasional junk novel or a watching a zombie movie is is your thing, go for it.

This downtime is for you and for you alone. It’s supposed to be a mental health break. Please don’t use it try to educate yourself or make it a cultural experience.

Remember, you want something you can completely lose yourself in for a little while and not worry about anything else.

So find what works for you.

This list is just a jumping off point..what are some of your favorite books, TV shows and movies that help to distract yourself from stress?

How to Get Rid of Too Much Clutter

June 7, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

Many of us have too much clutter laying around the house, the yard, the garage, the office, and quite possibly extra storage units that we had to rent because we ran out of room. Clutter has a negative effect on your life and can create stress, anxiety and depression. There’s no way around it – too much clutter is stressful.

The minimalism movement is gaining in popularity, and with good reason. There’s a lot of peace and tranquility to be found when you know where your stuff is! When you have too much clutter, you have to keep mental tabs on it all.

And the more clutter we pile up, the more heavily the responsibility of taking care of and keeping track of it all is stressful and exhausting.

Who needs that?

Just the simple act of cleaning one drawer or cluttered spot in your home and throwing away anything you no longer want or need is incredibly freeing, like a weight was lifted off your shoulder. Not only that, but you wind up with more space.

A Bigger House Often Equals More Clutter

Speaking of space, that’s a big part of the problem. Our houses and apartments are bigger than ever. Think about your childhood home by comparison or go even further back in history and look at the average house and room size 50 years ago.

These dwellings were absolutely tiny compared to what we’re used to today. And don’t forget to include the huge amounts of storage space built into modern homes.

We tend to fill our homes with stuff as long as we can find a place to cram it in. Then when we start to run out of space, we start looking for container and organizer solutions that allow us to shove even more stuff into the same amount of space.

That’s the main reason we have “container stores” now and professional organizers. The amount of worldly possessions we own in first world countries has grown out of control.

Clutter takes its toll on our physical and mental health.

How to Get Rid of Too Much Clutter

How can you reduce the stress your clutter causes you? Get started by tackling one drawer, one closet, one box, and one drawer at a time. Start with one spot, set the timer, and go through and declutter.

Keep the stuff that’s truly important to you and either toss or donate the rest. Then rinse and repeat.

Be patient with yourself. This process will take time. It can be emotional and exhausting.

Don’t be tempted to get rid of everything in one major session unless you’re the type of person for whom this is the only way it will get the job done.

Instead work on one room at a time. Then when you’re done, go through it all again. This time it will go much faster, but you’ll be surprised about how many more things you’ll find that you can easily live without.

The Mental Benefits of Decluttering

Once you get past the initial hurdle of getting started, you’ll be amazed how energized you start to feel, and that will help you to feel more competent in all areas of your life.

Cleaning and decluttering will help to reduce anxiety. You’ll no longer waste time looking for misplaced items and have more productive time to spend on the important parts of your life.

The fun part of decluttering is often when you find lost moments such as kids’ memorabilia or pictures you may have forgotten about.

50 Things to Declutter From Your Home

1. Junk mail
2. Broken or ugly jewelry
3. Old Calendars
4. Duplicates of anything
5. Nearly empty perfume bottles
6. Old makeup
7. Outgrown toys or games
8. Socks with holes
9. Boxes from electronics or small appliances
10. Unused paint
11. Kidsclothes that no longer fit
12. Non-perishable food items you haven’t eaten
13. Excess shopping bags
14. Outdated holiday ornaments
15. Broken laptops or devices you’ve been meaning to fix
16. Unused blankets
17. Old trophies or memorabilia you no longer value
18. That collection of buttons you never sewed back on
19. Unnecessary receipts
20. Unused or old spices
21. Accessories for hobbies you’re no longer interested in
22. Frozen foods past their use by dates
23. Stretched-out undergarments
24. Vacation souvenirs you never look at
25. Purses long out of style
26. Instruction manuals for things you no longer own
27. Last year’s calendar or planner
28. Craft supplies for projects never begun or completed
29. Pens that don’t work
30. Beauty products that you don’t use.
31. Stuff that’s been in your junk drawer forever
32. The clutter at the bottom of your purse
33. Pantyhose or tights with runs
34. Gift you never liked in the first place
35. Anything you forgot you even had
36. Pet supplies from animals that have long passed
37. Chipped dishware or cookware
38. Home decor that no longer fits your personality
39. Earrings without a mate
40. Games with missing pieces
41. Old magazines
42. Books you’ve read once or will likely never read
43. Expired medicines
44. Electronics chargers without a device
45. Excess or mismatched glassware
46. Toys from fast-food childrenís meals
47. Videos you no longer watch (anything VHS not a collector’s item~)
48. Kitchen gadgets you don’t use (sandwich press, ice cream maker, etc.)
49. Scraps of or faded wrapping paper
50. Swimwear with snags

So go ahead and start getting rid of your clutter. It’s a freeing feeling and even the act of decluttering itself is a great way to reduce stress.

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Living with Depression in Recovery

June 6, 2018 by Marya 19 Comments

Living with depression in recovery isn’t easy. And as a person who has struggled with addictions and depression throughout my life, I took the news of Robin Williams’ passing in 2014 hard. Like the passing of Philip Seymour Hoffman earlier that year, it hit very close to home. It reminded me that long term sobriety is no guarantee of freedom of relapse.

I staggered into my first twelve step meeting in 1985 with depression and constant suicidal thoughts running through my mind. The cumulative effects of a dysfunctional childhood, years of binge drinking and PTSD were proving too much for me carry by myself anymore.

I wanted out. Twelve Step meetings were my last ditch attempt to help myself.

At first I wasn’t so sure I even wanted to stop drinking. But I wanted the pain to go away so I listened to what was being said. I put down the drink and went to meetings. At some point during that first year I understood that I had been given a gift and from then on I pursued recovery as hard as I had pursued the high.

It took something like a year to learn to feel comfortable in my skin. I will always remember with gratitude the unconditional love and support I received from the motley crew at the Brooklyn meetings I got sober in.

Because of the rooms of recovery, I started to learn to believe in a Power that was greater than myself. For a while GOD = Group Of Drunks worked for me and a couple of years later I became a Christian. In the rooms I learned “first we came, then we came to, and then we came to believe.”

I’ve been blessed with four children in recovery. We decided to start homeschooling in 1996. With no healthy frame of reference to draw from, I bought many of the recommended parenting books at homeschooling conventions and tried to follow it all.

It all seemed good.

There was only one problem with this…I was slowly trading the unconditional love and grace I got sober with for a lot of rules and “shoulds.” Amidst the constant drone of biblical womanhood, godly families and purity talks, I stopped talking about my past and present struggles. I just pushed it to the background.

No one needed to know. Like the frog slowly simmering in the pot, I didn’t see the danger I was putting myself in. I never felt like I really fit in.

I secretly felt like damaged goods.

You see, “in the rooms” they told me that I could only keep what I had by giving it away. But I had hidden it all away for fear of gossip and judgment. I didn’t talk about the bad memories that I was struggling with or the depression that was engulfing me at times. Three of my four children have special needs of some kind.

Without any supportive extended family, I was completely overwhelmed.

In 2010 I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder similar to Parkinson’s called dystonia. The symptoms came on fast and furious. I was crippled and unable to do much of anything for myself.

Searching online for answers, I found a few stories about people who started drinking upon their diagnosis as well as lots of talk about oral medication. With my past history, I really afraid of risking another dependency.

I also became aware of the suicides in the disability community.

I was in terrible pain and the depression and anxiety went through the roof. I was horrified and wondered where God was in all this. But I set my face to the path ahead of me and was determined to push through this thing.

Living With Depression in Recovery

Since my diagnosis my spiritual journey shifted. I wanted to find the authenticity and grace I knew before. I felt God speaking to my heart that it was okay to be just myself; that I wasn’t going to be able to help anyone else if I was not going to be transparent and real.

Inside I still struggle with bad attitudes, depression, anxiety and fear. But I’m slowly learning that it’s okay to talk about it. I’m not a failure as a Christian, a wife or a mom.

I know that the grace of God is magnified in my struggles and weakness.

Robin Williams’ death has hit me especially hard because he has always been a part of my life and because I understand some of what he was struggling with. I’m also thinking about friends from long ago who were also unable to escape their turmoil. Many of us tried hard to reach out to them but we could see them just slipping away.

Thanks to years of holistic self care, I’m doing physically better now and lead somewhat more of a normal life. I’m always mindful that there is no cure for depression. It’s the monkey on my back now and it’s managed one day at a time.

I still struggle with negative thought patterns, but over time I’ve learned to forge my own path on this journey in a way that works for me. For me that means daily prayer and meditation, living a healthy lifestyle, journaling and resting when I can.

While we can’t always control the depression, we can learn to manage it one day at a time.

My Other Posts about Living With Depression

5 Natural Ways to Overcome Depression

A Mom’s Guide to Coping With Depression

(this post was originally posted in 2014)

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Instant Stress Buster: Start Journaling

June 3, 2018 by Marya 4 Comments

Journaling is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you might be feeling worried or even scared at some point in your day or week. Those feelings can get overwhelming! Journaling can be a lifesaver to anyone who is struggling with stress. Here’s how to get started with journaling.

Journal Writing for Stress Relief

One of the key benefits of journaling during times is that getting your thoughts out helps you to process and deal with them. If you struggle with anxiety, you know it usually starts off with racing thoughts and fears of some kind. This is because anxiety is generally something that is triggered by an outside source and that triggering is hardcore and fast.

Writing down your thoughts as they come to you can help you slow your mind down and get rid of the mental clutter while your nervous system comes down. It also helps to bring you back into the moment.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s three simple journaling prompts:

Write about what you did today.
Write about what’s making you anxious.
Write about what decisions you need to make.

Writing About Emotions

When you journal during an times of stress and anxiety, you’re actually removing those negative thoughts from your mind. Yes, you are voicing them, but you would otherwise be doing that internally. By writing your emotions and thoughts down, you’re removing them from an internal space to a concrete, open space. Having it out on paper can help you sort out the issues and keep them from bottling up in you.

Like my other stress busting suggestions, journaling is something you can try out with what you have on hand then if it works for you, then start incorporating into your daily habits.

How to Start Journaling for Therapy

It doesn’t matter if you go 20th century with a notebook and a pen, use a Word document on your computer, or even start your own blog. Just go with whatever medium works best for you right now. The only difference is the tools and mediums you use to collect and organize your thoughts.

Don’t make yourself crazy getting started. Journaling is simply about getting your thoughts on paper and in the process you’ll be able to work through your thoughts. Not only does journaling help you work through anything that’s happened during your busy day, it’s also very therapeutic and can help to reduce stress. And later on, it’s fun to go back through your journal later and see how far you’ve come.

Tips for Keeping a Journal

There many ways to journal. What style and medium you choose is entirely up to you. There’s no wrong way to do this. If you find it easier to be at a computer, then go for it.

What you’ll want to do is to find the journaling method that you most enjoy and feel that you can stick with for. It’s during those longer stretches of time when you’re journaling regularly that you’ll see and experience the full benefits of journaling when it comes to helping you relax and reduce stress.

Here’s a few ideas to started. Grab any old notebook you have laying around and a pen and start writing down one or two sentences about your day.

If you feel more motivated by a cute journal and a fun gel pen, go out and get them, by all means. If you find typing easier than handwriting, start on your computer. Or start a blog.

You can even use Instagram as a micro blogging platform and start with a picture followed by a few sentences about your day.

Online journaling options can always be can set to private so you don’t have to worry about just anyone online being able to read your posts if you don’t want to go public with it.

Figure Out Your Best Time for Journaling

You should figure out what time works best for you to make sure you journal regularly. Some people might prefer to do it first thing in the morning, others at night before bed. Anything in between works just as well. There’s no right or wrong time to journal.

But that being said while you’re getting in the habit of journaling, it’s a good idea to stick to the same time each day until it’s an integral part of your daily routine. After that you can be a little more flexible.

How much or how little you write is also up to you. Start with short entries, or even give bullet journaling a try. You don’t want to set the bar so high in the beginning that the thought of having to sit down and write a 500 journal entry each day stresses you out.

Keep in mind, journaling is supposed to help you relax and reduce stress, not create more!

Do you keep a journal? How do you stay with it?

The Fine Art of Doing Nothing

June 2, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

Is doing nothing ever okay in our crazy, busy and always connected world? As a matter of fact, when was the last time you did nothing?

And by nothing, I don’t mean Facebooking or binging on the latest episodes of your favorite Netflix show…not that there’s anything wrong with that!

I mean just sitting or lying quietly and not doing anything. No checking the phone, social media, games, or email.

It seems kind of crazy that doing nothing is actually a skillset that many of us need to learn.

But think about it, there’s lots of value in doing nothing at all on a regular basis. If you’re the type of person who likes to continuously multitask, this will probably present a challenge to you, as well also for the person who can only focus with background noise and lots of craziness going on around them. If this is you, I’d encourage you to still give doing nothing a try.

How to Learn the Art of Doing Nothing

If being in a quiet room by yourself doing nothing is an entirely new concept to you, start slow. Set a time to do it for just 5 to 10 minutes a day. Don’t stare at any electronic devices while you’re sitting there. Set an alarm on your phone or use a timer and then set it out of site. Trust in the fact that you’ll hear the alarm go off when your downtime is up.

You might be wondering is what exactly you should be doing while you’re sitting there doing nothing. It’s very simple…let your mind wander a bit. It will work out whatever it feels is most important. You don’t need to give the thoughts any direction, but if there’s something you’re struggling with, feel free to nudge your thoughts into that direction.

When you ask me what I’m doing today and I say nothing, it does not mean I’m free. It means I’m doing nothing.

Don’t feel guilty what you’re thinking about and mulling over. This downtime is a time to relax and go where your thoughts take you. It’s as much to give your mind a much needed break as it is to encourage creative thinking.

If you feel so inclined, this isn’t a bad time to try meditation. This can be as simple as focusing on your breath, or meditating on a simple prayer.

Now, this quiet time is probably going to feel a little strange at first and maybe even a little stressful. You might feel tempted to check your phone! If it’s that much of a struggle, leave the phone in the other room. But at the very least, silence it and lay it upside down so you can’t see or hear alerts pop up.

As time goes by you’ll begin to welcome this downtime. You can then start extending the time you spend each day in quiet free form exploration. Spend 20 or more just sitting quietly and thinking.

This down time of doing nothing will reap wonderful benefits. You’ll feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready to get on with the rest of your day. Think of it as a kind of siesta for your brain. Just remember that your mind never completely stops working.

The Importance of Doing Nothing

Doing nothing can be a great way to boost productivity. As a matter of fact Google even has a company policy that emphasizes the importance of taking free time. Sometimes you just need some time to step away from a situation to see it in a new light. Letting your mind unravel can be a really good thing for your overall mental health.

However, if your downtime starts to stretch into weeks or longer and you’ve lost interest in everything, it could be very possible that you’re depressed. If this is the case, please seek the appropriate help to cope with depression.

Like everything else, there’s a balance to be found here. We can’t just sit around waiting for opportunity to come knocking at our door. But there’s nothing wrong with taking some time to do nothing and let go.

When I take this “do nothing” breaks, I usually come out of them feeling a little more refreshed and ready for the rest of the day.

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30 Day Self Care Challenge

June 1, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

The ultimate 30 day self care challenge. Reduce stress & find a calmer you.

If you’re feeling like you need a bit of a reset lately, this 30 day self care challenge might be just what you need. We’d all love to get away from everything for a good, long retreat but life and responsibilities beckon. But you don’t need to leave home to get in the habit of intentional self care.

Self care is the intentional practice of caring for our physical, mental, and emotional health. Self care isn’t selfish. It’s essential for us to refuel our minds and bodies so that we can carry out our work and responsibilities without burning ourselves out.l

This self care challenge will help you to get start thinking about balancing your mind, body and spirit in a gentle way. And chances are, you probably have everything you need to complete this challenge around your home!

Even if your time is limited, with a little intention you can still reap the mental and physical benefits of self care. I’d love for you to come along for this 30 day self care challenge!

Why I Created This Self Care Challenge

It’s so important for women in every walk and season of life to practice self care and as a special needs mom who lives with chronic illness herself, I have to practice these principles every single day or my health suffers. I’m personally convinced that my own autoimmune issues partly came as a result of years of frenzied living without taking the time out for proper self care and relaxation.

We live in a crazy busy world where we’re always reachable, a 24 hour news cycle that doesn’t let up and is seemingly engineered to provoke us, as well as endless email and text alerts.

Not only that, but social media puts us under a lot of pressure to document the perfect Instagrammable or Pinteresting life!

Some of us might be special needs moms, juggling family and caregiving responsibilities and careers while trying to pay off student debts and mortgages.

Is it any wonder that we’re more stressed than ever and stress related illnesses are on the rise?

About the 30 Day Self Care Challenge

Once you sign up below, you’ll get daily emails for 30 days with self care and stress reduction tips that will teach your how to relax more and live more intentionally.

Begin today to learn how to relax more and take a more intentional approach to stress reduction. You’ll reap the benefits of improved mental health, reduced stress and a better outlook on life no matter what’s going on around you.

However, you must be intentional about it. Like any new habit, it will take time and consistency for it to take root and become a lasting part of your life.

Believe me, if you don’t plan it will never happen!

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Instant Stress Buster: Gardening to Reduce Stress

June 1, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

Here’s another instant stress buster for you…gardening! It’s very relaxing to play in the dirt. Not only that, but it’s incredibly rewarding when you can make a plant thrive (in all honesty, I’m still working on this!) Gardening to reduce stress might be new to you, but give it a try and see if even a quick 20 minutes spent playing around in the garden helps to you to feel better.

Spending times outside in the fresh air and sunshine is very relaxing. Just having your hands in beneficial soil is very grounding and the microorganisms in the soil are beneficial. It can also help fight depression. That alone is a great reason to give planting and gardening a try.

One of the best things about gardening is that it can come in many different forms and shapes. Make it work for your life situation. Don’t make it stressful! You don’t need a big plot of land or even a yard at all to benefit from gardening. If time and space are limited, you can plant something on your kitchen counter, your window sill, or your balcony. Let’s take a closer look.

Where To Plant Your Garden

You can start very small with just a few containers on your counters or in the window. From there you might want to add a few larger containers on the patio, or window boxes. For some of us, this is about as much gardening as we want to do. And that’s okay..it’s a great place to start for anyone. You get your hands dirty, have something to go water and tend to on a daily basis and then you’ll get the satisfaction of seeing your plants grow and thrive.

Raised garden beds are a great introduction to larger scale gardening. Raised bed gardening is also adaptable if you’re physically limited. Start slow and see what you like and don’t like. Then expand your gardening project every year until you reach a maintenance level that you’re comfortable with. You’ll be amazed at how much more relaxed you’ll feel as well as enjoying the fruits of your harvest.

What To Plant in Your Garden

When it comes to what types of plants you want to grow in your garden, you have lots of options.. If you’re looking for something simple, just plant a few herbs and keep them on your kitchen sink. If you enjoy flowers, create a little flower bed in your front yard, put up a window box, or buy a hanging planter to enjoy.

If you’d like to get started growing some edible plants, how about creating a salad bowl that can sit on your counter and grow fresh lettuce for you? Tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries also do very well in containers that can just sit on your patio or balcony.

If you decide to go bigger and move out into your yard for larger scale gardening, you can look at different types of vegetables including beans, potatoes, peppers, zucchini, squash and more. Planting a few fruit hedges or trees are another fun option and it will bring bring you much joy and produce for years to come.

Health Benefits of Gardening

Gardening provides essential physical activity, both burning calories and possibly reducing the risk of heart disease and other chronic health conditions including osteoperosis.
Being around flowers helps to relieve depression.
Gardening may lower the risk of dementia.
Gardening can help to boost your immune system.
The act of intentionally focusing on something outside of yourself will help to calm your nervous system, reducing anxiety and depression which will help to boost your mood.

Remember, the important thing isn’t what you plant or how much you produce. That would be stressful! The most important benefit of gardening is that you enjoy the process and that you find it relaxing. Play around with planting different types of plants in different places and containers and see what works well for you.

Do you enjoy gardening? I’d love to hear what works for you!

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Work Hard, Play Hard

May 31, 2018 by Marya Leave a Comment

work hard play hard

Whether you’re one of those driven, Type-A people who love to give everything they do a 110% effort, or if you simply enjoy your work and are passionate about what you do, I suggest you not only work hard, but play hard.

Up to this point in the stress reduction challenge we’ve talked a lot about rest and relaxation but they are just one part of creating balance in your life.

Work Hard

The reality is that many of us have to work, whether it’s in our homes, as caregivers, serving in the community or at a job. We want to work hard, be successful and see the fruit of all of our labors.

Don’t be afraid of the hustle. You just have to learn how to pace yourself so that you have some downtime after working.

I’m learning this lesson myself. Running a blog means lots of learning and toiling away for months before seeing any real fruit from my labors.

Play Hard

Downtime can be playing hard at what you love or sleeping all day. It’s an essential part of self care. You’ve got to have that time to recharge your batteries! You’ve certainly earned that time to unwind and destress.

Don’t ever feel guilty about some taking this time, especially if you’ve been going, going , going for the past day, week or even months.

You need to time to unplug from everything and recharge.

This means that if you’re the type of person who likes to stay busy and on the go, then playing hard is your best way to recharge. Sitting on the beach or sleeping in and taking a nap in the afternoon aren’t for everybody, and they aren’t the only ways to relax and reduce stress.But if that’s what you love, then do go for it. Go ahead and plan that relaxing vacation with absolutely nothing to do and no obligations to anyone.

But if getting quiet and doing nothing makes you antsy, remember that it’s not the only way to unplug and recharge your batteries. There’s much to be said for working hard and playing harder.

Even if you love your family, your job or your business, it’s important to take some time to step away from it, even just for an afternoon.

Scheduling or taking some time away from your responsibilities will remind you why you work so hard in the first place!

You want to able to enjoy the fun things in life with the people you love the most. After taking a fun vacation or even just a few hours out and about doing fun things with your family, you’ll be reminded of this. That will keep you motivated in the future to keep on working hard so that you can provide for your loved ones.

And let’s be real…being able to go on a cruise or buy a fun new toy like a kayak is great motivation to keep on working hard so that you can bring in extra money!

Playing is necessary for healthy brain function. It’s okay to walk away from the day to day responsibilities of work. Doing this allows your brain to wander and think things over in your subconscious.

Then don’t be surprised to come back after few days of play or vacation and find that you’re coming up with a great solution for whatever problem that’s been bugging you for weeks. Or perhaps you’ve come up with a great new idea for a product or business idea.

Taking some time off from everything will ultimately help you to create more momentum in every area of your life.

work hard play hard

Pray Hardest

Reality check. Some days I can’t work or play. Living with chronic illness will do that to you. Or I’m having to play Uber driver for my kids and there’s no time for anything extra. It can get exhausting. Sometimes I feel completely powerless over everything and wonder if I should keep on trying to meet my business goals.

When I can’t do anything, even on the days when I’m stuck in bed, I can always pray and understand that God sees the big picture. I can work to the best of my limitations, but the end result is up to Him. I’m still learning to rest in His care and provision for me when I’m down.

What are your favorite ways to rest and recharge after working hard? How do you find hope when you’re down?

Instant Stress Buster: Meditation to Reduce Stress

May 30, 2018 by Marya 2 Comments

Instant stress buster meditation to reduce stress

Here’s another instant stress busting tip for you….try meditation to reduce stress. You can implement this anytime or anywhere. As a matter of fact, give it a shot as soon as you read about them! This way you can take note of what works best for you and implement it whenever the stress becomes overwhelming.

Give meditation a try. I’m sure you’ve probably heard of meditation, but have you actually tried it? It’s really much simpler than you might think. Once you get a little practice with it, you can do it no matter where you are. Every little bit helps. Even taking a minute or two in the midst of a stressful situation can be very helpful.

But to get the most relaxation and stress reduction benefits, you should make it a part of your daily routine.

meditation to reduce stress

Meditation to Reduce Stress

There are many different types of meditations you can explore. One of the easiest places to start (and my personal favorites) are either guided meditations or breathing meditations. For guided meditation you should investigate apps like Calm, Abide or Headspace on your smartphone or tablet.

All of these have free daily guided meditations you can use to give it a try. Each app also has a paid option for even lengthier meditation practices. This is probably the best option for you if you enjoy the daily practice of this type of meditation. The meditations will gradually get longer and more intense. I like to use the body scans and sleep stories on hard days.

Another easy meditation to try is breathing meditation. I love it because it’s so flexible and something that can be done at any time once you know the basics. To begin with, sit or lay down in a comfortable in a quiet space. It may be helpful to use your headset for this!

While you do your first few breathing practices, you’ll want to cut out as many distractions as possible. Close your eyes and focus your entire mind on your breath. Pay attention to how the air feels flowing in and out of your nose. Or focus on the rising and falling of your abdomen as you breathe. The idea is to tune out everything else and only think about and feel your breath. Guided meditations are the best way to do this, or your mind will probably wander.

If you struggle with “monkey mind”, you’re not alone.When that happens, gently bring your focus back to your breath. Start by meditating this way for five minutes per day and gradually work your way up to a level you’re comfortable with.

Make meditation a daily habit and also do it for 30 seconds or a minute or two whenever you find yourself in a tense and stressful situation.

Remember, any type of daily activity can be done mindfully and meditatively. For example, when you’re driving in your car, keep the radio off for a few minutes and take a few mindful breaths. When you’re cooking for your family or cleaning in the kitchen, keep yourself in the moment and try not to let your thoughts wander to whatever may have happened earlier in the day or the week. Get outside for a few minutes and be fully present (don’t look at your phone!)

Practicing meditation is a great way to build some margin into your day. We all need some space with the daily influx of information that we all have to process every day.

Do you have a favorite meditation tip or technique? How do you work it into your day?

practice self care