Chronic Illness

All About My Wellness Journey

My wellness journey really began back in 1986 when I made the decision to start living alcohol free. There were lots of things that lead up to this decision, but one that I remember the most was a simple picture. (which I don’t have anymore!)

I looked like a boozer. My face had the flushed look of a young woman who spent too much time at the clubs.

It wasn’t pretty.

Taking that first shaky step was the most important thing I ever did for myself. As it turned out, it was the last one I ever had to do alone. Anything that’s positive in my life today is because of that decision I made 32 years ago.

My recovery journey has taken lots of twists and turns. I had a lot of inner crap to wade through. But I’ve learned a whole lot about balancing mind, body and spirit along the way. Managing the stresses of special needs parenting while wrestling with my inner demons took a toll on me and years ago I began to suspect I had autoimmune problems.

Cervical Dystonia

In 2010, I was diagnosed with cervical dystonia, a neurological movement disorder similar to Parkinson’s disease. I was in devastating chronic pain and desperate for help.

That’s when I found yoga. I could only start with basic chair yoga but little by little, I began to inch my way back.

Over time I regained my mobility and some normalcy but it was always a thorn in my side. I felt like I was on the sidelines and unable to function like the rest of the moms around me.

Ulcerative Colitis

Just because you have one chronic condition doesn’t make you exempt from getting anything else. Last December I started noticing some abdominal pain when I was doing yoga. My initial gut reaction (see what I did there!) was that something was very wrong.

Still, it took me a while to get to the gastro and finally to the fateful colonoscopy that confirmed a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis in April of 2018.

This is some scary stuff. I have pancolitis, the form of ulcerative colitis which affects the ENTIRE large intestine. Which explains the pain I was getting under my ribs..and here I was worrying about liver problems.

My Wellness Journey

As a special needs mom, I had some familiarity with the GAPS diet and was able to source a few things right away. Seeing pictures of fellow Crohn’s & Colitis sufferers in the hospital made me scared to try to do this holistically, so I reluctantly took the two week course of prednisone and then began the course of meds and hoped for the best.

Despite my continuing on GAPS, some of my symptoms got a little more distressing.

Like incontinence. Sorry, I’m too young for this.

This last weekend after crapping my pants for about the 20th time, I decided to go off the meds. (Be assured that I have a gastro and a primary doctor that I won’t hesitate to use if things worsen!)

Am I scared? Yes. But I know via anecdotal evidence that many Crohn’s & Colitis patients were able to do this holistically and get rid of most, if not all, the meds. Nutrition, stress relief and cannabis can go a long way.

Doing My Research

I’m not against traditional doctors at all. You need the diagnosis, the tests and at times, the meds, the antibiotics, the traditional treatments and the surgeries.

But many times they just send you off with a bunch of expensive prescriptions with frightening side effects with no real answers.

I’ve learned to network with others and find out what works for them. I follow what some might consider sketchy alternative health social media pages.

In this day and age, you have to become your own advocate.

The learning is never going to stop.

Moving along..yes, I’m a little scared. But if things begin to escalate I know I can get into my doctor’s office right away. But so far I’m slowly feeling better OFF the meds than I was ON them.

And I did check the formulary for what the next meds to be considered are. They cost from hundred to over a thousand dollars.

That’s motivation enough for me!

Disclaimer: As always, I like to remind my readers that I’m not a health care professional, just a graduate of the School of Hard Knocks. I’m only sharing my journey. Always consult with a trusted health care professional before making any life changes.

This blog post contains affiliate links.

Figuring. Completing. Boring. Cuddling.

This week’s been weird. No sooner do I have a routine that I think I can stick with then life throws a curve ball at me.

I woke up with a minor cold on Monday but when you live with ulcerative colitis and dystonia, nothing’s minor. I started bleeding a bit and a quick check in with my UC groups confirmed that this is something I can expect going forward.

Luckily it seemed to pass quickly but then the end of the week got messed up by a couple of consecutive nights of bad insomnia, probably menopause induced. So by Friday I couldn’t really think straight and today (Saturday) I realized there was a kids’ party that I forgot to enter into the calendar and I realized it at 10:50–the party started at 11:00 about 25 miles away. The Cuban is not too happy with me right now.

And needless to say, my blogging schedule get messed up.

Anyway, this month I’m participating with the August Link Up Party for people with chronic illness. Go check it out and read some of the great posts from other chronic illness bloggers!

Figuring.

This is wildly appropriate for this month because that’s pretty much all I do is figure things out. Here’s just a few of them.

Ketogenic Gaps
My Fitness Pal
How to navigate my daughter’s transitional years after high school
Training my dog
Getting my son with Down syndrome ready for the new school year and trying to figure out why the hell he’s been so difficult lately.
What tattoo I really want to get.

BTW, I just figured out that I already used my carb allotment for the day and it’s only 12:00 as I write this.

Completing.

I wouldn’t know. I have yet to complete a household chore. Luckily my family pitches in. Taking my own advice about boosting my mental health with hobbies, I got my lettering stuff together and am trying to spend a few minutes every day working on hand lettering. It’s a perfect way to detach from digital everything and is reminiscent of what I used to enjoy doing before life took over.

Boring.

I sure wish things could be boring. There’s nothing I like more than just being home. But the reality of having two kids with special needs is that Mom and Dad have to be available for Uber duties. It’s exhausting and I really appreciate the days that I can just stay home.

Cuddle.

I’m notoriously standoffish about hugging ANYONE. But I always have lots of love for my dogs. I like to call them my little antidepressants.

Here they are!

Lilly the Jack Russell

A post shared by Marya (@chronicmomlife) on Aug 24, 2018 at 9:54am PDT

Belle the Aussie

A post shared by Marya (@chronicmomlife) on Aug 9, 2018 at 12:21pm PDT

New Arrival Gordita the Bulldog (aka Deeta)

A post shared by Marya (@chronicmomlife) on Jul 14, 2018 at 7:24am PDT

The Pain Companion {Book Review}

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of The Pain Companion to review. The opinions below are completely my own. I am not being paid for writing this review.

If you live with chronic pain from injury, autoimmune disorders or any type of chronic illness, you understand that the challenges are far more than physical. Not only are the physical aspects challenging, but the mental and emotional struggles are very real as well.

As a chronic illness blogger, I received a copy of The Pain Companion to review. I took it along with me when I was on vacation at the beach which helped to really focus and meditate on it.

This is one of the most important books I’ve read since I began my chronic illness journey. It will occupy a place on my nightstand because I know I’m going to refer back to it again and again as I navigate the complexities of living with two major chronic illness conditions.

Review of The Pain Companion

“In the twenty-first century, one might wish that pain were an easily treatable nonissue. It is not. Millions of doctor and emergency room visits stem from pain, and addiction to pain medications, rampant in the United States, often takes root in an attempt to manage unremitting discomfort.

In The Pain Companion: Everyday Wisdom for Living With and Moving Beyond Chronic Pain (New World Library, June 12, 2018), author Sarah Anne Shockley, who has personally lived with chronic pain since 2007, offers fellow pain sufferers a compassionate and supportive guide for living with pain that can be used alongside their ongoing medical or therapeutic healing programs”

“I cannot know your personal suffering, of course; only you can,” writes Sarah. “But I do understand the experience of being in significant and relentless pain for long periods of time, and I understand the fear, sadness, and frustration associated with long-term physical debilitation. So I can say that this book has been written from inside of pain, a perspective on the experience and the healing of pain that we are seldom offered.”

Part 1: Pain Moves In. I can totally identify with the feelings of chronic pain being an unwanted visitor that moved in unannounced!

Part 2: The Emotional Life of Chronic Pain. The Pain Companion addresses the complex emotions that we face as learn to adjust to our new and unwanted normal. It gives a voice to thoughts and feelings that we may not realized that we even had! Naming and understand these emotions has been an essential part of the coping process for me.

Part 3: Meditative Approaches to Physical Pain. I can’t overstate the importance of meditation practices to people living with chronic pain and illness. There are about 15 different meditation techniques here that you can incorporate into your day. I like to think on them slowly. Don’t rush through this section!

Part 4. When Pain is the Teacher. Chronic pain and illness has been a journey that I never asked for but I work hard to remain teachable even as I feel powerless over my symptoms at times. One of the most important lessons that I’ve personally learned is having compassion for myself. As a woman in recovery I’ve always pushed too hard and been too hard on myself, even when my mind and body were telling me otherwise. Living with two debilitating chronic pain conditions has taught me to be kind to myself.

Living Better While Living With Chronic Pain

I had so much identification with Ms. Shockley. While I’m not a single mom with chronic pain as she is, I am a special needs mom and can completely identify with the overwhelm of being a caregiver while having physical struggles and limitations of your own.

She speaks of a different approach to chronic pain – one of not running away from it or resisting it. She also talks about writing as a way of processing everything and again, I was able to identify with it because that’s what drives my own writing and blog.

Do give this a listen!

The Pain Companion is an excellent book for both the newly diagnosed chronic pain patient and for those who’ve been on the journey for a long time. There are so many nuggets of wisdom and insight that you’ll want to refer back to it over and over again.

This blog uses Amazon Affiliate links.

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How to Cope with a Chronic Pain Flare Up

If you live with chronic pain, you’re probably all too familiar with chronic pain flare up days – when the pain that you already live with on a daily basis intensifies and completely levels you. In order to help minimize bad chronic pain flares, it’s helpful to know what triggers your physical symptoms and that can help you to cope with a chronic pain flare up.

How Does Weather Affect Pain?

When the weather changes to an extreme, whether from atmospheric changes or temperature fluctuations, it can affect certain types of chronic pain. This is especially true when your pain is related to your joints, such as with arthritis or fibromyalgia. If you start to keep a pain journal and record everything that occurred on the days when you had a flare-up, you might notice that your neck or knees hurt a lot worse when it rains or gets extremely cold. For others, extreme heat can trigger symptoms. Journaling can help you see what weather changes might be triggering you and help you to prepare for them in the future.

The Relationship Between Chronic Pain and Stress

Everyone experiences stress. Some women are living with chronic illness, multiple caregiving responsibilities, work demands and more. It’s overwhelming for sure but we’ve got to learn how to manage it. No matter what chronic illness you’re living with, stress will probably impact your pain levels and cause flare-ups. But be assured that while we can’t eliminate stress completely, effective stress relief methods can help to reduce chronic pain.

Hormones and Chronic Pain

For women, a big flare trigger for chronic pain might be as a result of fluctuating hormonal levels throughout the month. This might be related to PMS, where your pain is worse when you are about to start your period, or you might be experiencing more pain as you head toward menopause. This is yet another reason to keep a pain journal, since it helps you to notice these patterns. The more you know, the more prepared you’ll be for these potential triggers.

Nutrition and Chronic Pain

Eating inflammatory foods such as refined carbs, and sugar can increase symptoms for many people. Others might need to eliminate dairy and gluten. They key is to know yourself and track your symptoms. Again, a journal is going to be helpful here to track your symptoms.

How to Cope With a Chronic Pain Flare Up

Despite your best intentions, chronic pain flare ups can happen at any time. If you’re having a bad day, week or month…just step back and regroup. Think about what absolutely has to get done and let the rest go for now. If you need to spend a few days in bed, that’s perfectly fine. There are things you can do every day that help you cope with your chronic pain. Some things you might already be doing, while others are good to start getting into the normal practice of. It is important that you keep trying to make changes in your life for proper chronic pain management and mental health.

Take Intentional Action to Reduce Stress

Stress has such a large impact on nearly every facet of your life, including your chronic pain. No matter where your pain comes from, stress is likely to trigger chronic pain flare ups and make everything worse. The best thing you can do is figure out what is causing your stress and work to reduce it. Limiting time with toxic people, not taking on extra tasks at work, reducing unnecessary spending and just living a more organized life are a few ways to begin to reduce stress.

Get Those Endorphins Going to Ease Chronic Pain

You may not love exercise, but exercise definitely loves you! We all know it’s great for weight management, but it can also help to promote blood flow that helps to reduce your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. Working out also helps to release endorphins, the happy chemicals in your brain. When this happens, you not only reduce stress, but your mood will improve and you’ll probably find that you can handle your chronic pain much better. And some types of chronic pain are reduced when you are moving your body more often, like mild forms of arthritis. (This has definitely been true for me in managing the pain from cervical dystonia.)

The Danger of Using Alcohol for Pain Relief

Drinking alcohol may temporarily reduce your pain, but it is only hurting you in the long run. Not only is there a risk of addiction, but alcohol can get in the way of your sleep. Sleeping is extremely important when you are trying to cope with chronic pain, so you don’twant to get into the habit of putting a Band-aid on the pain with alcohol every day. Plus, alcohol is a depressant, so it can make your mood highs and lows a lot worse. And don’t forget how miserable a hangover can be! Finally, mixing alcohol with other meds is extremely dangerous and can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Join a Support Group for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is serious business. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by it and let it ruin your life. Unfortunately, even those who love you might not understand what it’s like. Finding a chronic pain support group might be one of the best things that you can do for yourself, whether online or local. You’ll feel less alone and much more empowered.

The Effects of Chronic Pain on Family

Chronic pain can cause a lot of family stress including social isolation, marital conflict, and feelings of anger and resentment. Be patient with each other. Let your family know where you’re struggling and ask for help with what you need. Let them know that you appreciate their support. Keep meals and expectations simple. Don’t take on any additional responsibilities. Finally, when you’re feeling awful…just do whatever nourishes your soul. Binge on Netflix, journal, listen to music that you love, take a long bath or spend some time outside. How do you like to regroup during a chronic pain flare up? SaveSave

How To Stop Stressing Yourself Out and Find Peace

So far in this self care challenge we’ve talked a lot about reducing stress by focusing on relaxation and other stress reducing techniques. But what’s even more important is find out and at least try to reduce the craziness that’s stressing you out in the first place. That’s how you find real peace in your life.

What’s Really Stressing You Out?

Begin by taking the time to figure out just what’s stressing you out. You’re going to have to dig deep here, so carve out some quiet time to do this so you can really think it through. For example, if you’re constantly looking for things and going crazy in the process, the root cause of it is probably lack of organization.

Go through all of your stressors until you can identify the root of the problem. Write it down in your journal, if you have one. You’ll be using this list to work through and cut out as many stressors as possible going forward.

It’s probably a good idea to make it a running list. As your life and your circumstances continuously change, new things and people will pop up that stress you out. Add these stressors to your list and review it regularly to see what you can do to get rid of or reduce the stress.

What Can You Get Rid of to Reduce Stress?

Go through your list again with the intent of find some quick fixes. One great place to start is with a solid morning routine. It’s something that you can implement right away to greatly reduce the stress it’s been causing you.

Think about what you can let go. If you’re hustling to make some extra money for extras and it’s causing even more stress in your life, then ditch it for now. If you’re an entrepreneur and you have that one client that creates constant stress and havoc, then go ahead and break up with him. There’s plenty of other clients out there!

How to Make a Long Term Plan to Reduce Stress

Now that you’ve tackled the basics and hopefully created a big of margin, you can begin to take a look at the bigger issues. Again, go through your list and see what you can start working on right way.

Some examples of big issues that stress you out could be that you’re juggling too many responsibilities. While many of them are a part of life, look for what the non essential activities are and reduce them.

For example, if you’re a busy mom, you might be overwhelmed with the pressure of getting your kids to every activity. Pick one or two activities for your family to be involved in. Then teach your kids how to occupy themselves (preferably screen free!) so you can get some much needed downtime for yourself.

If you work, you might have someone that you continually butt heads with. Finding work at a different company is certainly an option, but you might also consider looking into moving to a different department or possibly working from home.

More Ways to Stop Stressing Yourself Out

Adopt a healthier lifestyle. This can’t be said often enough. Taking time for your own good health will help you to handle whatever stressors life throws at you.

Stop worrying. I know, easier said than done. Try to live one day at a time and stop the future tripping as much as you can.

Stop running late. Don’t wait until the last possible minute to get to work, school or family event. Prepare as much as you can before, so that you eliminate the last minute stress of looking for your glasses or keys.

Keep an organized home. Again, this is going to be a process. Develop a basic routine to keep your home in order and spend a few minutes getting rid of clutter every day.

Have a regular bedtime routine. Many people try to decompress by drinking wine or vegetate in front of the TV or their tablet. A few hours before you go to sleep, shut down the electronics and indulge in a bath, reading a book, journaling or some gentle yoga. This will help to prepare your body for a good night’s sleep.

Keep working through the list and do what you can to get closer to cutting out those remaining stressors.

Natural Remedies for Anxiety Relief

Helpful and natural remedies for anxiety relief. #anxiety #selfcare #depression

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.

Natural remedies for anxiety relief #anxiety #mentalhealth #depression

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Books and Movies to Distract Yourself from Stress

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?

The Fine Art of Doing Nothing

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

30 Days of Self Care Challenge #selfcare #selflove

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!

As women we’re juggling family, 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?

30 Days of Self Care Challenge

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.

Remember, 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!

I’d love to see you there!

Instant Stress Buster: Take a Walk

Instant Stres Buster take a walk

Ready for an instant stress buster that you can do anytime or anywhere? Go outside and take a walk. Did you know that you can walk yourself out of a bad mood? Studies have shown that just a 10 minute walk immediately boosts your brain chemistry that increases happiness.

Think about it..how often do you actually go out for a walk when you’re feeling stressed or need to recharge? If you’re anything like me, it isn’t your go-to when you’re feeling stressed out.

There’s lots of health benefits to taking a walk. For one thing, it’s easy to do. Just head outside with some sneakers on and you can get in a quick ten minute walk no matter where you are.

Best of all, you don’t need any special equipment!

You can certainly walk inside, but there’s nothing like walking outside in nature when you can. The fresh air and sunlight will increase the benefits you’re getting from your walk.

Take a walk and your health will benefit in so many different ways!

stress buster take a walk

Walking Clears the Mind

It gives you a chance to get away from whatever it is you are doing for a few minutes. You’re walking away from everything for just a bit. Doing this allows you to come back to your task with a fresh outlook when you get back. This can work miracles when you’re feeling stuck, are working on a tough problem, or need to proofread something.

It also gives your mind a break from whatever it is you were working on. You get to focus on simply moving your body and admiring your surroundings outside for a little while. Often when we take a break from thinking consciously about what we’re working on, our unconscious mind takes over and comes up with ideas and solutions our conscious mind couldn’t find.

Stopping work for a bit and allowing the subconscious to take over is often what brings that big breakthrough you’ve been hoping for. The rhythmic act of walking helps this process along.

Walking for Anxiety and Depression

When anxiety and depression get overwhelming, moving your body is a great way to get your mind off your thoughts. For one thing, unused energy in the body can help to create anxiety in your mind. The mind-body-spirit connection is very real.

Anxiety tends to feed off itself. When you’re worrying about how anxious you are, it creates even more anxiety.

Moving around is one of the best ways to alleviate anxiety. By doing this, you’re not thinking about your symptoms because you’re focusing on walking. This in turn reduces the amount of energy you’re giving to your anxiety and as a result, you’ll feel a lot better.

Walking Benefits Your Body

Walking is a great form of low impact exercise you can do anytime, anywhere. It gets you moving, helps to relax your body, pump more blood throughout your system, and thus more oxygen into your cells.

When you walk outside in the fresh air, this rejuvenating effect even more beneficial. A quick walk will help to reenergize you and makes you feel better.

Not only that, but walking can be an effective part of your weight loss program.

Take Your Dog on a Walk

Walking is great exercise for both of you and just being outdoors with your dog is a great way to have fun and reduce stress. Not only that, but it’s a great way to bond with your dog.

Have I convinced you? Give walking a try the next time you need to clear your head.

stress reduction for busy moms