Chronic Mom Life

Chronic Illness Blog

Self Care

31 Days of Thriving at Home Challenge

Learn practical tips for self care, mental health, mindfulness and more so that you can thrive at home during this uncertain time of pandemic, quarantine, lockdown and isolation.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed and anxious about what’s going on in the world right now, a 30 day plan of intentional self care might just be what you need to help balance out your mental health. 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.

This Thriving at Home challenge will help you to get start thinking about balancing your mind, body and spirit in a gentle and doable way. I don’t want to overwhelm you with stuff to buy and more things to do. Even if your time is limited, with a little intention you can still reap the mental and physical benefits of intentional self care and learn the art of thriving at home.

Like most other families, we’ve been living on lockdown for the past three weeks with no end in site. Our world has been turned upside down in some ways, not so much in others. The biggest unexpected change is having my 18 year old son with special needs home all the time. Though I had homeschooled my other three children, I was a little overwhelmed when I tried it with him and because of my struggles with chronic illness, felt it was better that he went to school. He is supposed to graduate in June. Though nothing has been announced yet, the writing is on the wall and now we’re also considering doing his transition at home because of the uncertainty of covid-19.

In an odd way I feel like my entire life has prepared me for this time of extreme challenge. I was a latch-key kid in the 70s and was used to finding my own entertainment (for better or worse) and learned to become very resourceful. After a very misspent youth I found myself in 12 step recovery rooms at age 23 and I’ve been living sober ever since.

The spiritual principles I’ve learned in recovery have served me well throughout my marriage and my challenges as a special needs mom who also lives with chronic illness. I know what it’s like to be housebound, to feel depressed and isolated and downright scared that my body was going to betray me if I went out. Since my situation made it difficult for me to get to meetings, I had to learn how to practice those recovery principles in my day to day life so that I didn’t lose myself in the stress of it all.

How to practice self care and thrive at home during times of quarantine, lockdown and isolation.

About the 31 Days of Thriving at Home Challenge

Once you sign up below, you’ll get daily emails for 30 days with self care, mental health and stress reduction tips that will teach your how to relax more and live more intentionally during these difficult days. I’ll also send fun printables for you to use in planning your day and coloring.

You’ll 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 that like any new habit, it will take time and consistency for it to take root and become a lasting part of your life. But if you don’t plan and take action, it will never happen.

Quick disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, mental health professional or even a life coach. I’m just a mom who wants to share her experience, strength and hope with other people who are struggling during this unprecedented time.

What have been some of the obstacles you’ve faced in establishing a good self care routine? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

11 Wellness Podcasts and Audio Books to Transform Your Life

 

wellness podcasts

As a mom with chronic illness, I’ve come to understand that body, mind and spirit are deeply connected. For example, stressful situations have an almost immediate impact on my mental and physical wellbeing and it’s become essential to check in with my health daily and continually look for ways to keep growing. Here’s a few wellness audiobooks and podcasts I’ve discovered that can help anyone to lead a more balanced life.

Wellness Books and Audiobooks

Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World 

Mindfulness, also referred to as living in the now, is a particular form of meditation practice that can help people with a range of issues, including stress, anxiety and burnout. Meditation means to think. Mindfulness meditation only takes a few minutes each day, and you can do it almost anywhere. Following the 8-week program carefully will lead to remarkable results.

Yoga: The Top 100 Best Yoga Poses: Relieve Stress, Increase Flexibility, and Gain Strength

 There are thousands of yoga poses. This beginner’s guide teaches 100 poses which can help you see results in terms of strength, pain relief, and an increase in inner calm. Yoga counts for both aerobics and strength training, making it the perfect workout to do at least a couple of times per week. Yoga also counts as a moving meditation because it requires such focus. 

How to Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness: A Mindful Guide

Chronic illness creates many personal challenges, from relationship issues to financial issues as well as mental health concerns. Author Toni Bernhard addresses these challenges using practical examples to illustrate how mindfulness, and compassion can help her readers make peace with a life suddenly turned upside down.


Wellness Podcasts

TED Talks Health

https://www.ted.com/topics/health

TED talks are incredibly popular and with good reason. The idea behind the acronym is to have Technology, Entertainment and Design all merge. TED talks are short, sharp, and to the point. Listen and learn more about the topics of healthy eating, the latest in cancer research, and much more.

Bulletproof Radio

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bulletproof-radio/id451295014?mt=2

This podcast was founded with the goal of looking at every aspect of how humans can improve their health and learn to be the best they can be. In particular, these programs look at ways to add technology to our live to help us get fitter, and the body, mind and spirit connection that propels people towards their goals.

The School of Greatness Podcast

https://lewishowes.com/sogpodcast/

Hosted by Lewes Howes, this is an inspirational podcast about health, wellness, and being all that you can be. His special guests are successful & influential figures in their profession or industry. Listen regularly and you’ll be on your way to transforming your body, relationships, and more.

The Cabral Concept

https://stephencabral.com/podcasts/

Host Stephen Cabral practices traditional Indian medicine (Ayurveda), and takes a holistic approach to health. Learn about organic foods, juice fasts, easy circuit training, and more.

Bee the Wellness

https://beethewellness.com/podcast/

Primal living is a very popular topic right now. Bee the Wellness is popular podcast that talks about getting back to basics, with a Paleo or Primal diet It also emphasizes adding activity to your daily routine so you are not sitting in a chair all day, but are up and moving like our hunter-gatherer ancestors.

The Daily Boost

https://player.fm/series/the-daily-boost-best-daily-motivation-life-career-goal-setting-health-law-of-attraction-network-marketing

This podcast will give you a wonderful boost in all areas of your life, health, wellness, and more. The focus is on balance in life even as you go for your goals and strive for success. 

Inspire Nation

https://player.fm/series/inspire-nation-daily-inspiration-motivation-meditation-law-of-attraction-health-career-spirituality-self-help

This podcast encourages listeners to aim for the life of their dreams. The host offers various insights based on his new-found appreciation of life after two near-death experiences. If you’re feeling stuck in a rut, this podcast can help you set goals and transform your life into the one you’ve always longed for.

The Jillian Michaels Show

https://www.jillianmichaels.com/podcast

Jillian Michaels rose to fame through her work on the TV show “The Biggest Loser,” and has inspired and motivated countless people to lose weight and keep it off. Her work stems from her own struggles with weight. If you’re keen to transform your body and life, this is a good place to start.

wellness podcasts

Wellness Podcasts Can Inspire Your Health Journey

Many of us are so busy with work and family matters that we don’t pay enough attention to our health—until we get an expected diagnosis. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Wellness podcasts can help to both  inspire you and keep you on track with your health and fitness goals. You can also create your own reading and listening list and track your progress to a brand new you.

You can listen to audiobooks and podcasts you can listen to almost any time or anywhere. You’ll be encouraged to pay  more attention to your health and take the action steps you need to meet your health goals.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, physically transform yourself or live more comfortably with chronic illness, there’s an audiobook or podcasts that’s just right for you.

11 Wellness podcasts you don't want to miss

 

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How to Practice Self Love

HOW TO PRACTICE SELF LOVE-6

Self love has become a major buzzword in recent years. Some might consider it a sign of selfishness or narcissism and while that may be the case for some people, it is still very much needed for busy and often struggling women.  So how to practice self love? It can simply mean that you make your own health and wellbeing a priority, even if you only have a few minutes a day to do it.

Many women in our crazed digital times struggle with overloaded schedules, family responsibilities and work. In my own case, self love never entered my mind. I wanted to be a good mom in the face of many challenges including being a special needs mom as well as a sober mom in long term recovery. That meant lots of self sacrifice which was supposed to be a good thing.

But I didn’t know how to properly handle the stress that came along with it. As a result of a toxic childhood, I was accustomed to holding all of my emotions and feelings in. I never let people know what was going on. I couldn’t get to meetings because of parenting responsibilities. I struggled with anxiety, depression and emotional eating. Now, I strongly believe my lack of self love and self care lead to the development of the autoimmune health struggles that I have today.

How to practice self love-1

Signs You Need More Self Love

  • Feeling constantly stressed out
  • Extreme emotional ups and downs
  • Frequent colds and flu
  • Struggling with assertiveness
  • Holding on to anger and resentments
  • Losing interest in hobbies and activities you used to love
  • Personal care suffers – bathing less frequently, letting yourself go

How to Practice Self Care on a Budget

Make your daily hygiene a daily priority. When life gets busy or you’re feeling depressed, your own self care can wind up on the back burner. Taking some intentional time to take care of your personal needs can be just the boost you need to pull yourself out of that dark place. Simply taking some time out to have a soothing bath can lift anyone’s spirits.

When you start taking better care of yourself, you look and feel better. You won’t cringe when you look at yourself in the mirror when you know that you’ve been taking time for yourself.

Get organized

Do you procrastinate about getting the laundry done and find yourself going through piles of clothes to find the least offensive item of clothing? Take a few hours to catch up on your laundry…your own clothes and bedding. When you’re done, go and take nice, hot shower. Then go and put something clean and comfortable on from the clothes that you just washed. The wonderful feeling of clean clothes against your clean body as well as clean bedding will be an instant boost.

Now move on to your living and workspace. When life is busy it’s very easy to get caught up in the hustle of daily life and home organization winds up on the back burner. Having a cluttered environment gets very stressful over time. Make a priority of spending some time every week to declutter and tidy things up. You might take a few minutes every day to get rid of useless things that are just taking up space. Once the clutter is gone, you’ll feel far less stressed as you go through your daily life.

Improve Your Diet

Healthy food and snack options abound these days yet many women still struggle with emotional and binge eating, usually with the unhealthiest food items that are sitting in our pantries even if we’ve bought salad and veggies that week. You might want to consider purging your house of foods that could set off a binge. Shop for healthier treats, or set aside a few hours once a week to make yourself some healthier options that you can just grab when life gets busy.

Are You Sleeping Well?

A good night’s sleep is essential. This is the time when your body repairs and rejuvenates itself. If getting to sleep or staying asleep is a struggle, you’ll want to reevaluate your habits. Some things to consider:

  • Don’t consume caffeine later in the day.
  • Be mindful of what you watch before bed. If you’re easily stimulated, don’t watch crime dramas before bed!
  • Don’t eat after 6pm.
  • If you can, turn off the tech a couple of hours before bed. Read from a physical book.
  • Practice some gentle yoga or other exercise to signal your body to calm down
  • Use guided apps and meditations to help calm your mind down and induce sleep.

Take Up a Hands on Hobby

Physical hobbies like cooking, baking, crochet, needlepoint, painting and model building are great ways to creatively express yourself and reduce stress.

Don’t Forget About Exercise

Exercise should be essential for everyone, but many people avoid it because they haven’t found something that they like. If your thing is going to the gym for a sweaty cross fit or power yoga session, then go do it. But if this isn’t your thing, or you just don’t have the time, there are lots of other ways that you can get some quality exercise in. It could be as simple as going for a walk or hike, or finding an exercise or yoga video on YouTube that you can do in the privacy of your own home.

Remember that studies have shown for ages that getting some exercise can be a great way to help your deal with stress and improve your mood. You’ll look and feel so much better. And the endorphins that you get from physical activity can also make it easier for you to sleep.

Wake Up Early to Start the Day Right

How do you begin your days? Do you sleep until the last possible minute and then hustle out the door to your car or bus or subway? That’s a lot of stress to begin the day.

Instead, try setting your alarm clock earlier. Use the first minutes of the day to meditate, read some devotions or poetry and possibly do some gentle yoga. Don’t look at your phone until after you’ve done this! Spending those first few minutes of the day focusing on your mind, body and spirit will make all the difference in the way you handle the rest of the day.

Journaling for Self Love

If you’ve been struggling to find more focus and clarity in your life, journaling is one of the most therapeutic things that you can do for your mental health and practice self love. Writing in a journal daily helps you to learn more about yourself and process your feelings. Here’s some simple ways to start a daily journal practice.

The List Journal

A list journal is an easy and non threatening way to begin your new journaling habit. Getting started can be as simple as a brain dump or a bucket list. You can also create a list of accomplishments you’ve achieved recently. This will give you a good sense of positive things you’ve done lately and will boost your confidence.

Start a Gratitude Journal

Do you struggle with chronic discontent and find  yourself becoming impatient and envious about the things you wish you had? For some people, it’s easier to focus on what they don’t have instead of what they actually have. Taking some intentional time every day to write down a few things you’re grateful for can help to put things into perspective.

We all need a gentle reminder at times that life hasn’t dealt us the worse hand, though it may seem that way on some days. But even in the worst of times, there is always something to be grateful for. Try to write down what you’re grateful for this month, this season or this year.

Create A Free Thought Journal

Don’t let journaling become one more regimented to do task, or you’ll never get to it. Sometimes you may want to just free write and say whatever is going through your mind. This type of journal is typically called a free thought journal. This type of journal can help you to get rid of the mind clutter and clear your head. Jot down your random ideas and thoughts. Be unfiltered, you’re the only one who is going to read it!

Later on, you can always go back and review what you’ve written down to help push you closer to clarity about the situation.

Journal to Chronicle Your Emotions

If you’ve been journaling for awhile, you know that it’s pretty enlightening to revisit the past to see what kinds of emotions you were experiencing in your life years ago. The written word is honest because it was written during the moment those things were being experienced instead of trying to recall from memory years later. This also will help you to find clarity about difficult events.

Writing to Create Intention

Dedicate some time to creating a vision board or journal.  It will help you to visualize where you want to go and set a course for your life. When you don’t set an intention or target, you won’t know if you’re doing all of the right things that will make your dreams a real possibility.

Set Boundaries with Toxic People

This may be the hardest part of self love to implement, especially if you live or work with toxic people. If you have to keep contact with them, learn to set proper boundaries and don’t let them invade your space. Step away when you need to. Cut off uncomfortable conversations. Don’t feed into someone else’s anger. If you’re struggling with resentment, try a simple lovingkindness meditation to release the negative emotions.

How to practice self love-4

Evaluate Your Use of Social Media

Our phones and tablets area a daily necessity aren’t they? And they do have their benefits. But it’s so easy for them to take over our lives. Instead of being present with our family and friends, cleaning the house or working on a hobby, we mindlessly scroll Facebook and Instagram, or get caught up in the argument of the day on Twitter. (Yes, I’m very guilty thank you very much!) Here’s a few quick tips to get started:

  • Don’t begin your day with your phone..and shut down a few hours before bed.
  • Set limits to your social media usage. Consider removing the most offending apps from your devices.
  • When you’re online, remember that you don’t have to attend every argument that you’re invited to. If you see something that bothers you, just scroll on by. Don’t engage with trolls who are just looking for attention or to start drama. If someone on your list repeatedly posts things that trigger you, just unfollow them for awhile.
  • If you’re really struggling, consider a social media detox.

Do you have any favorite ways to practice self love or other self care tips to share? I’d love to hear them!

How to Create a Gratitude Mindset

how to create a gratitude mindset

Having an attitude of gratitude means that you make it a daily intention to express thankfulness in every part of your life. Gratitude is essential to staying in the now. And it’s good for you. Gratitude can help to relieve stress, reduce anxiety and depression, and decrease overall chronic pain levels. Read on to learn how to create a gratitude mindset no matter where you are in life right now.

Why Gratitude is Important

Gratitude Relieves Stress. It’s hard to be both stressed out and grateful at the same time. While you can’t always choose your circumstances, you can choose a positive in the midst of it by practicing gratitude every day.

Gratitude Focuses You. In our technology and social media driven society, it’s very easy to to look at what others have and feel like we don’t measure up. Maybe you’re on disability and struggling to make ends meet. Or maybe your friends get to take fabulous vacations every year. Or you look at the carefully curated social updates on your feed and think that everybody has a great life except for you.

But when you embrace gratitude, it helps you to stay in the present and focus on the most important things in life, such as your family, friends, pets and community. Remember, your relationships matter far more than any material thing you might want.


Gratitude Energizes You. Without gratitude, it’s easy to slip into the victim mindset. You tell yourself things like, “I’m just destined to be a loser. I can’t have an amazing life. I’ve never had it easy, so why should I expect anything to change?”

Gratitude empowers you. Instead of being the victim in the story, you become the hero. You write the ending. You’re one who overcomes the odds to build a fulfilling life.

How to Create a gratitude mindset

More Positive Benefits of Gratitude

Gratitude is so much more than a mood booster. It can transform every aspect of your life if you’ll allow it to. Here’s some ways that gratitude can help to improve all of your relationships.

Gratitude Heals. In long term relationships, it’s easy to focus on what your spouse is doing wrong or how you feel your friend is never there for you. But harboring these types of attitudes can create a negative loop of thoughts. Maybe you think your husband is lazy. And you keep letting him know. But the more you tell him this, the less he tries. This can set a negative pattern that goes on for months.

Instead of focusing on what others should or shouldn’t doing, think about how they care for you and what you love about them. And then let them know. For example, you might say to yourself, “Yes, my husband just plops on the couch when he gets home from work. But he works so hard to provide for our family and I’m so thankful for that.”

Gratitude Strengthens. You may not realize it but when you’re grateful, it shows up in your relationships. For example, if you’re grateful for your husband, you’re likely to demonstrate this without even realizing it. You take the time to listen to listen to him and make the time to do enjoyable activities together.

When you express gratitude in your relationships, the other person feels valued and heard. As a result, they want to bless you, too. Often, this creates a continuous cycle of generosity that contributes to positive feelings on both sides.

So let your loved ones know how much you appreciate them. You can do this by thanking them for something they’ve done or who they are. For example, you might thank a friend for bringing you cookies after surgery. But you could also thank her for being so thoughtful when you were in the middle of a difficult time.

Relationships are precious and irreplaceable. Spend some intentional time letting a loved one know you care.

Create a Gratitude Mindset

How to Create a Gratitude Mindset

A gratitude journal will not change whatever’s going on in your life, but what it can do is to alter your life perspective.  A gratitude journal is a worthy investment of intentional time and effort. A gratitude journal is simply a space to record what you are thankful for.

By simply writing down the things that you’re grateful for, positive energy is fostered and increased.  While the mundane and unpleasant aspects of life will still exist, they may become dim in the light of a heightened awareness of goodness and wonder. Keeping a gratitude journal can make life burdens feel lighter, or at least more balanced.

If you’re on a mission to start journaling this year, a gratitude journal is a great place to start. With this type of journal, you can write as much or as little as you want every day, use any type of notebook, and just write down what you are grateful for.

Gratitude journals are simple by their very design and are often quicker to write in than full out personal journals. If you don’t have time to write out a full journal entry, just scribbling down some quick thanks is perfect. When you are feeling depressed or are having trouble seeing the light, go back and read your previous entries and gain a new perspective on all that is right with your life, both past and present.

How to Get Moving to Manage Stress and Anxiety

Does exercise help manage stress and anxiety? Read on to find out out simple ways to incorporate daily movement into your life. You'll experience improved physical and mental health benefits! #fitness #health #mentalhealth #selfcare

 

We all know that physical exercise is an essential part of maintaining good health. However, exercise is also a great way to improve mental health. In fact, exercise is one of the best natural stress busters around. Getting in an intense workout to release tension and get those feel-good endorphins pumping through your body is a great way to manage stress and anxiety. But if you’re new to the idea of exercise and the idea of working out makes you cringe, I encourage you to give it a good try. Once you see how much a good workout can help to relieve stress, you’ll be far more motivated to make it an ongoing habit.

Is Exercise Good for Stress and Anxiety?

A good workout releases endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that function as natural painkillers. Endorphins are an immediate mood booster and not only that, they also help you sleep better! A good night’s sleep will also reduce stress and improve anxiety. Exercise will energize and refresh your body, leaving you feeling great during your workout and afterwards. Feeling better all around will help to reduce the physiological and psychological symptoms of anxiety.

Anxiety can quickly consume your thoughts and without intervention, can lead to panic attacks.. Engaging in physical activity that you find both challenging and enjoyable is a great way to get distracted from obsessive, harmful thinking. You’re literally burning the anxiety away.  While your body is working, your mind gets a rest as you focus on something else besides what you’re worrying about.

How to Choose the Right Workout For You

Now, you’ll want to be sure to pick an exercise that you enjoy and isn’t a chore, or it might make your anxiety even worse. We all look at the perfectly toned bodies on social media and think that we need to do CrossFit to achieve that level of fitness. If CrossFit is your thing, then go for it. But if you hate the very idea of it, you don’t have to do it. Find what you love and makes you feel good! It might be as simple as a walk, gardening, a swim in the pool, or some gentle yoga. Do you you can and don’t compare yourself others. Good exercise is simply about getting your heart pumping and your mind off worries.

You don’t need a gym membership or expensive equipment to get started. Give a boost to your everyday activities and you’ll feel much healthier. Anything that you do during the day can be an opportunity to strengthen your mind and body. Set a simple goal of more physical activity will help you to feel more accomplished and boost your confidence. These are both really beneficial at kicking anxiety to the curb, since most anxiety is rooted in inner conflict.

Walking Outside

A walk outside is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. It helps promotes more neural activity in the brain. It is believed that blue skies help to relax the brain. The fresh air that the brain receives from outside promotes circulation, which can increase your cognitive abilities.

If you’re just starting out, put on a pair of sneakers and just go for a walk. Walking is a simple workout that’s accessible to most people. It’s low impact and you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment or special training to do it. Just get out there and do it. Start out with a simple stroll around the block after dinner. It can be as easy or as challenging as you want it to be. After a few weeks you’ll be up to longer walks, picking up the pace, or even tackling a small hill.

Health Benefits of Hiking

We could all stand to get outside more. Hiking is a fantastic cardio workout that can be adapted to any fitness level. It lowers your risk of heart disease, and can help to improve your blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Not only that, but as a weight bearing exercise it will boost bone density and increase strength in your core, glutes, quads, hamstrings and hips which are essential to optimum mobility as we age.

Yoga for Stress Relief

Yoga and meditation are enormously popular and with good reason. They help to heal and relax mind, body and spirit. A regular yoga practice will also help you to incorporate breathing exercises (pranayama) that you can use any time of the day. Breathing exercises are a fantastic way to reduce stress and anxiety and you can use them no matter where you are! When the body releases stress hormones, the parasympathetic nervous systems activatesm which results in rapid breathing. When you get your breathing under control, it will go a long way to alleviating stress and anxiety.

Yoga will also help you to feel more grounded and confident, which you can then take with you into every area of your life. Any yoga practice will help you to develop those important core muscles. Improving the core muscles will naturally give you better posture, which will help you to project confidence.

There’s lots of great free yoga on YouTube. These are a few of my favorites:

Sleepy Santosha (for chronic illness)

Caroline Williams (worried about Christian yoga? Read why I practice without guilt!)

Yoga With Adriene (fun!)

Yin Yoga with Kassandra (yin is one of the most relaxing forms of yoga you can do…check it out!)

Weight lifting

Weight lifting can increase the production of testosterone. This hormone is known to inhibit the production of cortisol and regulate hormonal levels. The body also releases a surge of endorphins during a vigorous exercise. Weight lifting tones and improves physique. This can also help to improve self confidence for many women. It’s particularly important for women as we age to keep our bones and connective tissue strong, so that we can continue with daily tasks of living.

You don’t have to go to the gym to incorporate weights into your life. I like to use light weights during walk aerobics and a resistance band. That helps me to stay relatively toned. Do I look like a CrossFitter? No…but that’s okay!

How to Stay Motivated to Exercise

As I mentioned earlier, the most important thing is to find something that you love and that is realistic to your lifestyle. Then, start to visualize the results that you want, like improved overall physical and mental health. Doing this will help to carry you through on the days that you struggle with the idea of getting yourself moving.

If you’re having a rough or busy day, remember that a little bit of movement is better than none. A simple stretches, a walk around the yard with your dogs or even parking a little further away from the store still count as healthy movement.

 

6 Simple Morning Routines to Start Your Day

6 Simple Morning Routines to Start Your Day #selfcare #mindful #intentional

At the beginning of the New Year or when spring arrives, we often think about resetting our body and life. The best way to begin a new and healthier lifestyle is to begin an intentional morning routine. That first hour can make all the difference in your mindset, focus and energy levels throughout the day.

Morning routines set the tone for the rest of your day. Think about what you need to do to get ready for work, your family out the door and what you need to do for your own self care. If you begin each day in a state of panic, overwhelmed by your to-do list and running out of the house late, then the rest of your daily will likely be chaotic as well.

Set a Morning Intention

While it may be tempting to check your phone the minute you get up, this is never a great way to start the day. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the news drama of the day and lost track of your good intentions. Use your first minutes to listen to calming music, read some devotional literature or poetry. It will fill your mind with positive thoughts that will sustain you throughout the day.

Start a Morning Journal Routine

Try setting your alarm 20-30 minutes before you need to get up. You can use this time to yourself to get up slowly and participate in activities like journaling that are just for you. Sit quietly and write in your journal, whether it is a gratitude journal, you are writing what you plan to do that day, or simply try stream of consciousness writing.

Try Some Gentle Yoga

Another excellent practice for your morning routine is to do yoga or another relaxing physical activity. By getting your body moving in the morning, you naturally increase your energy and get some mood-boosting endorphins going as well. Morning exercise lots of physical and mental benefits, even from getting it out of the way (so  you don’t need to worry about it later!) to boosting your metabolism for the remainder of the day. Get up a just little earlier to have time for yoga, Pilates, or just a brisk walk around your neighborhood. If you’re super groggy when you get up, take 5 or 10 minutes to do some yoga right in bed. You’ll be amazed at how much more grounded you feel.

Herbal Tea for a Body Reset

If you enjoy a nice cup of tea, why not try one that is not only delicious, but can help heal your body and mind as well? Instead of starting the day with a hard caffeine jolt, try some gentle rejuvenating tea such as green tea, rooibos tea or matcha tea.

Start Your Day with a Green Juice

Getting healthy nutrients into your body is another aspect of having a healthy morning routine. When fresh produce is in season, it’s a great time for juicing, especially with a green juice or green smoothie. You can easily incorporate your favorite fruits and healthy greens like kale, spinach and broccoli. You can even add additional herbs and spices for more vitamins and minerals and boost your energy without needing half a pot of copy.

When you start your day on a healthy note, you’re far more likely to continue with your good intentions throughout the day.

Bulletproof Coffee

Being honest here, while I love the idea of a healthy start with herbal tea or green juice in the morning, I need caffeine when I get up. Bulletproof coffee is a great way to get a healthy energy boost without adding sugar or processed creamers. It’s simple to make with grass fed butter and MCT oil. I like to add some collagen for its nutritional benefits.

I’m not suggesting that you do all of these at once! Try one idea out at first and see how it changes your attitude and outlook for that day. Later on, you can always add more.

5 Tips to Overcome Negative Thinking

 

5 TIPS TO OVERCOME NEGATIVE THINKING

Low self-esteem is the major cause of negative thinking. Negative thinking can lower your self esteem even further creating a vicious cycle where you’re constantly feeling bad about yourself.

But the good news is that you don’t have to stay in this rut. You can overcome the vicious cycle of negative thinking and low self esteem. When you’re able to overcome negative thinking, your self esteem will naturally improve. You’ll boost your self confidence and feel far more optimistic about your life, no matter what you might be going through.

If you’re ready to break the cycle of negativity, you need to understand these essential truths.

Recognize Negative Thinking Patterns

Your actions always begin with your thoughts. If you think you’re hopelessly overweight and destined to stay that way, then it doesn’t matter how many diet books you buy or blogs you read, you’re still going to struggle. The fact is that you’ll stay overweight because you haven’t changed your mindset.

If you want to change something in your life, you’ll have to change your thoughts first. Instead of thinking that you’re destined to be overweight, work on changing your thinking. Try saying to yourself that you’re in control of what you eat and how much. Doing this changes the story you’re telling yourself. You just went from the victim in this story to the victor.

Change Your Mental Outlook

You are the only one with the power to change your mental soundtrack. Just because you have some negative thoughts doesn’t mean you have to listen to them. You alone have the power to change your focus.

Instead of concentrating on the terrible day you had, start thinking about a simple pleasure – a serendipity – that you’ve been anticipating like getting to change into your yoga pants or flannel pants tonight or hearing your son’s laughter during a silly bedtime game. By focusing on what’s positive, you’re teaching yourself to let go of negative thoughts.

Remember Garbage In, Garbage Out

It’s hard to stay positive if you’re constantly consuming negative information. Watch your social media consumption. If you really want to change your negative self-talk, then you have to focus on consuming good stuff. You want to read and watch content that lifts you up. Not only will you feel better, you’ll notice that your self-talk is more optimistic when you focus on the good.

Practice Mindfulness

Stay aware of your present environment and what’s going on around you, whether you’re at home, at work or out running errands. It can be very easy to get sidetracked by negative thoughts if you don’t stay present. If you’ve found your mind going off on auto pilot, take a minute to focus on your breath and refocus. No judgment, just regroup.

Practice Positive Affirmations

What you say about yourself will become your truth. That’s why it’s really helpful to practice positive affirmations every day. Begin by looking in the mirror and telling yourself something like “I’m in charge of how I feel today and I choose happiness.” When you speak these positive affirmations out loud, they’ll begin to affect how you talk to yourself and how you live out your life.

Everyone struggles with negative thinking at some point in their life. The important thing to remember is not to beat yourself up when you’re in a mental rut. Accept that you had a negative thought, then just push it away and replace it with a positive one.

No matter how ingrained your negative thinking patterns might be, you can overcome it. Think of it as building new mental muscles. It will be hard at first but just like any other good habit or intention, it will become ingrained if you stay with it.

How to overcome negative thinking #mentalhealth #selflove

 

10 Symptoms of Stress You Should Know

10 symptoms of stress you should know & how to reduce stress with relaxation techniques. #stress #mindful

Stress really isn’t a bad thing. It’s actually a natural process designed to protect or at the very least prepare us for imminent danger. Stress is what helps us run from threats or push through chaotic situations. But it’s important to recognize the symptoms of stress because they can sneak up on you without your being awareness of it. We get used to that feeling of constantly being over worked and over stimulated.

In small doses and for a short time, stress is a good thing. It becomes a problem when we are totally stressed out and it’s constant. Chronic stress is what causes things like adrenal fatigue, high blood pressure, belly fat and heart disease.

If you have a constant wired, tense feeling, more than likely you are stressed out.

Many times we don’t even realize just how stressed out we are until something major happens and our body then forces us to slow down. Don’t let it get that far. Learn to recognize the early signs you are stressed out. Learn to control the stress, work on reducing the stressful situation, and most importantly make time to rest and relax so you can recover from the unavoidable stress and pressure life throws at you.

Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” – Khalil Gibran

signs you're stressed

10 Symptoms of Stress

  • A general feeling of anxiety and feeling unwell.
  • Trouble sleeping.
  • Lack of concentration and focus.
  • Mindless eating and snacking throughout the day.  (Sweet and salty foods are particularly appealing!)
  • Needing a nightly glass of wine or beer to unwind.
  • Feeling overwhelmed.
  • Hair loss
  • Compromised immunity.
  • Depression and loneliness.
  • GI symptoms including nausea, dizziness, and diarrhea.

The problem is that these symptoms of being stressed can stress us out even more. We may respond by pushing harder, which makes us feel even worse.

What Happens To Your Body When You’re Stressed?

Stress may cause emotional distress such as depression and anxiety. Not only that, but you may start having physical issues in your body. You may even notice certain issues that are more long-term problems from ongoing stress in your life. Here are some ways that stress affects your entire body and a few relaxation techniques to help you manage stress more effectively.

Ongoing Tension and Pain

One of the most common ways that stress can affect your entire body is by causing tension. This tension may show up in your muscles, neck, and other mysterious aches and pains. The tension can lead to chronic pain as well. This pain can be in the form of severe headaches or body aches that require medication to heal. If you have ongoing stress and tension, you may find yourself experiencing issues related to inflammation and even serious body issues like Fibromyalgia.

Eating Disorders

When some people are stressed they may experience eating issues that lead to severe eating disorders. You may find yourself binge eating. Or you might even find yourself experiencing so much stress that you can’t keep food down. This can lead to an emotional and mental connection that drives you towards anorexia or other related issues. Learning to live more mindfully and and developing strategies to reduce anxiety is one of the best ways to manage disordered eatings. (If disordered eating is making your life unmanageable, please seek professional help.)

Heart Issues

Another thing to consider is stress can affect your heart over time. Unchecked stress can lead to high blood pressure. When this happens you can experience shortness of breath and possibly even stroke or heart attack if it is ongoing and happens often. If your blood pressure or stress are out of control, it’s essential that you seek professional help right away in addition to stress management techniques.

You will find that as you remove stress from your daily life, you will start to find the long term effects will reduce. To remove them completely, you will need to focus on each aspect and work to make sure that your stress does not get to a level that the long term issues rise again. Regular exercise routine, meditation, and healthy eating can all help with this.


Stress Management Techniques

The only way to break the cycle of being stressed out all the time is to address THE problem… the stress.

We can do this by making a conscious effort to cut (or reduce) stress, learning simple relaxation techniques, and learning to give ourselves the time and rest that we need to recover.

  1. Limit caffeine.
  2. Don’t drink to relieve stress. Alcohol will likely make things worse.
  3. Increase physical activity
  4. Try meditation
  5. Talk to a friend
  6. Keep a journal or try adult coloring
  7. Improve your time management
  8. Know when to say no.
  9. Take a day trip out in nature.
  10. Join my 30 day stress reduction challenge for easy to implement, actionable tips to reduce stress in your life!

In this life, we’re all going to experience stress. Unchecked it can contribute to poor health.We can’t always control everything. But we can control how we respond to it.

You can’t always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.” – Wayne Dyer

 

10 symptoms of stress you shouldn't ignore #stress #selflove

Do You Need a Social Media Detox?

 

Do you need a social media detox? Reducing online stress just might change your life! #selfcare #selflove

With so much going on in the world, many of us feel we have a responsibility to stay up to date on world events that can potentially impact our families. But consuming a steady stream of sensationalized headlines and political conflicts can leave us feeling overwhelmed with social media overload.

Sometimes I find myself missing the “old days” when we read the newspaper in the morning and just watched the evening news later in the day. Now there’s a 24 hour news cycle of news stories, headlines and images that are carefully designed to make us react!

The next time you’re consuming media content, whether you’re scrolling through your Facebook feed or watching the news, be aware of how each story is impacting you. What kinds of stories are you drawn to? Now think about what impact they’re having on you.

Do you feel discouraged or depressed after you close the browser tab? Mark Manson states the following in his excellent article In the Future, Our Attention Will Be Sold:

Social networks are the business model of the attention economy. They are wholly dependent on eyeballs and clicks to make all of their revenue. To do this, they design algorithms that show you the most interesting and attention-grabbing information available in your social network. If your newsfeed was full of the boring and drab day-to-day stuff, you’d stop looking at it. So instead, Facebook shows you the most extreme occurrences in your social network for the simple reason that the extreme events draw the most attention.

This has drastic effects not only on our perceptions of society as a whole, but also on how we perceive our personal lives.

social media detox

Why Is Information Overload a Problem?

Have you ever started a new project and tried to learn ALL the information to the point that it feels like your brain might explode? That’s what information overload feels like, and it’s a daily reality for most people due to fast access to information from social media. Information overload be the cause of a number of stress related symptoms such as: * Headache * Stress * Moodiness * Overweight * Cardiovascular issues Not only that, but it often causes problems in relationships with family, friends and colleagues. When you post something that stirs up contention, that’s what will come back to you. If you struggle with information overload, remember that it’s an intentional choice you make to be connected all day. You don’t have to watch all the news and all the talk shows to stay current.

Don’t Go Down the Rabbit Trail

Anytime you want to learn something new, it’s incredibly tempting to start gathering tons of information. And with multiple platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and all the rest, it’s easy to get sucked into the due to the social media mob mentality and wander down the rabbit trail of never ending information. After awhile you don’t even recognize what’s good information and what’s bad.

Overload Leads to Poor Information Filtering

When you are bombarded with nonstop information and news headlines,, your brain can’t filter and process it all properly.. Your brain starts to generalize all information as being the same, instead of filtering information in terms of importance. This is makes wise decision making a real problem.

It Also Leads to Black and White Thinking

The older I get, the more I realize that the world is not black and white. The world is colorful, black, white, gray and everything in between and more. The same can be said for a lot of issues. There are very few issues that are either right or wrong, black or white. There are always many perspectives to consider.

If you have too much information at your fingertips and are rating everything the same, it’s easy to see things as black and white, which can make it hard to negotiate a happy life and successful business. And if you filter your newsfeed to read only the stories and opinions that you agree with, that only worsens black and white thinking.

Does Social Media Affect Your Health?

Social media addiction can lead some people to experience mental problems such as short-term memory issues and even depression. If you find that you’re just feeling mixed up a lot, forget appointments and aren’t doing your best in real life such as home or work, you probably want to consider information overload as a potential culprit.

The impact of social media addiction affects all of us. Families have forgotten how to talk to each other. People are wrecking their cars due to not being able to turn away from looking at their text messages. Many people are overwhelmed, unfocused and stressed out from the 24/7 news cycle and endless notifications.

social media detox

But Can Social Media Help You?

For me, social media used positively can be a good thing but I’m learning how to implement boundaries. As a special needs mom with chronic illness and a woman in recovery, it’s easy for me to feel depressed and isolated at times and social media offers a great place to connect with old friends and those who share my interests.

Not only that, but it helps me to stay current with disability advocacy issues. But when I find myself using it to procrastinate about other things that I really should be doing, numb out or if I feel depressed after getting online, it’s time to  reevaluate how I’m using it.

Learning how to practice mindfulness in my social media consumption has been really helpful. I’ve learned how to implement boundaries. For example, in 2008 when I first got my Facebook account, I got into a few stupid arguments that placed a strain on real life relationships.

I don’t always want to know my friends’ political leanings but I’ve had to learn to live and let live. I very rarely comment on public threads or memes that I know are designed to provoke. I hide people from the news feed who constantly post stories that are triggering. I do try to stay informed on what’s important but don’t get sucked into everything.

How to Stop Wasting Time on Social Media

If you’re not ready for a detox, learning to use social media mindfully can help reduce the screen time that may be stressing you out. Here’s a few suggestions:

Check in twice a day at set times. It’s a good idea to avoid it completely before lunchtime. Checking into your accounts with your morning coffee will cloud your productivity and getting caught up in the day’s drama will cause you to lose focus.

Focus on what matters most. If you’re a blogger or online business owner, when it comes to doing tasks on social media, money-making tasks should come first, then relationship building, then personal activities. If you focus on just whatever is in front of you when you check your social media, you’ll get sucked in. Develop a plan of attack.

Outsource. Find someone to help you with social media if you’re using it for business. There are many social media managers who are good at helping you do the job properly. If that’s not your main money-making activity, let someone else do it. (Shameless promo: I’m a virtual assistant and can help you lighten your social media load. Learn more here!)

Turn off notifications. If you use Facebook for business, turn off the notifications so that you’re not tempted to respond every time one of your friends posts something. If you’re a member of Facebook groups (which certainly serve their purpose) turn off the notifications and mindfully check in once a day.

Give yourself a set time limit for scrolling. 10 or 15 minutes tops is a good boundary to set.

Unfollow the people who stress you out. Seriously, even if it’s a family member. For me, I don’t need to know people’s politics or what crazy conspiracy theories they’re into. And I don’t have time to watch dozens of videos. You can always check in periodically so that they don’t think you’re completely ignoring them.

Be honest. Many times being busy feels good. It feels like you’re doing something and accomplishing something. But, the truth is, not all activities that make you busy are productive.It’s important that you develop the ability to be honest with yourself about why you’re really on the phone.

Be mindful. Whereever you are and whomever you’re with, be fully present with them. Practice the presence instead of being distracted by your phone. And when you do get online, take note of how you’re feeling first.

Do You Really Need a Social Media Detox?

For those of us who work online, doing a social media detox isn’t terribly practical. But if it’s a non-essential activity for you, you feel like you might be addicted and you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, doing a detox would be a really good thing for your mental health. Take the apps off your phone and tablet. You just might be surprised at how much better you feel!

Remember, if you’re already feeling stressed, anxious or depressed, it’s probably a good idea to do something else for awhile..something physical and tangible like going for a walk, journaling to get out of your head. If you’re looking to numb yourself, remember than social media can be abused just like any other substance like alcohol or food. And when you’re using it for the wrong reasons, chances are you’ll feel even worse afterwards.

The Amazing Health Benefits of Mindful Coloring

 

The amazing health benefits of mindful coloring include reduced stress, peace of mind and more! Grab your free coloring book. #coloring #journal #bulletjournal

You’ve probably noticed that coloring books have been a thing right now, and an extremely popular one at that. Coloring seems like the perfect antidote to our stressed digital lives. It takes us back to a simpler time. There are many health and psychological benefits of coloring.

When I was a kid, my favorite thing to do was hide away in my room and sketch and draw for hours. With no digital distractions, it was easy to get lost in it. But as I grew older, I grew dissatisfied with my work and never felt like it was good enough. To make things worse, I tried to get into an specialized art school but didn’t make it, and I stopped after that. However in my midlife years, I’ve begun to take it up again.

Mindful coloring is really a very simple concept. It is the art of coloring while practicing mindfulness. Being mindful is all about being in the moment, being engaged and involved in what’s going on around you. Unfortunately, mindfulness has become a lost art in our day with the ubiquitous presence of cell phones along with social media and a 24 hour news cycle. We sadly miss out on the basic pleasures and simple joys of life because we’re so busy multitasking.

Have you heard of the amygdala? If not, you’ve certainly heard of a fight or flight response.  This is what happens when you’re overwhelmed, overworked, and anxious. It gets worked up and leaves you feeling panicked. Coloring can help to calm the amygdala, which can help you focus on a more positive life experience.

Coloring is a no-stress creative outlet that anyone can do with just a few inexpensive supplies.

mental health benefits of mindful coloring

How is Coloring Mindful?

Mindful coloring is great for stress reduction. Think about it..when you’re busy coloring, you’re just doing one thing. More than likely, you just want to focus on coloring and not check your phone, do housework or watch TV. As you focus on one thing, you’ll clear your mind of everything as you pick colors and focus on what you’re doing.

Mindful Coloring Can Be A Teaching Tool

Coloring is a form of mindfulness meditation.  The simple act of coloring can teach you to create better habits in other parts of your life. Mindful coloring allows you to learn to clear the junk out of your mind and focus on the task at hand, the act of coloring. And as you learn to focus and be mindful while coloring, you’ll learn beneficial tool to practice mindfulness in every area of your life.

Mindful Coloring Relieves Stress

One of the biggest benefits of mindful coloring is the way it relaxes you. You’re no longer focused on all the things that overwhelm and worry you. You’re focusing on something simple and childlike and it greatly reduces whatever’s troubling you. One of the big reasons for the popularity of coloring books is that it’s a great way to calm down and find focus.

Coloring is beneficial for anyone. It isn’t just for kids! Once you realize how beneficial mindful coloring is, you’ll return to it for stress relief, as a creative outlet and simple meditation. Coloring can be a great part of your self care toolbox, but if you live with serious mood disorders, please seek the help of a competent professional.

mindful coloring

How to Get Started With Mindful Coloring

There’s so many options available not it can be a little overwhelming. And if you don’t like coloring mandalas, there’s lots of options to choose from that are completely adaptable to your skill and mobility needs. Don’t think you’re limited to just coloring mandalas. There are dozens books on almost every theme imaginable. Here’s a few ideas to get you started!

Coloring Supplies for Adult Coloring Books

There’s no rules for adult coloring. Don’t be afraid to experiment and feel free to color outside of the lines! Two of the most popular options are colored pencils and markers. Each one has its own advantage.

With colored pencils, you can change the intensity of the color by varying the amount of pressure you put on the pencil, which gives you more control over how your coloring page will appear.

Markers can give your picture an intense, vibrant look. They’re also a faster way to color, if you’re low on time or energy. However,they don’t allow you to vary your hue. So if you want to color a flower several different shades of pink, you’ll have some difficulty with that. And you’ll also have to check any new coloring books you buy to ensure your markers aren’t ‘bleeding’ onto the next page.

But don’t be afraid to experiment with coloring tools that are out of the box. Some people really using gel pens to color, while other people might prefer to use a box of crayons. Try out a few options and see what you strikes you as the most fun.


How to Choose a Color Palette for Adult Coloring Books

If you’ve ever become frustrated with how your pages come out, try working with color palettes to give your adult coloring books a more uniform look. You can find inspiration for color palettes in nature or around your home. Any time you’re out, if you see a color pattern that inspires you, just take a quick picture of it. For online inspiration, you can do a Pinterest search of color palettes, this inspirational brand palette guide from Canva, Design Seeds, or Color Collective.

Mindful coloring books for adults

The Best Coloring Books for Adults

There is science to support coloring for adults, and even Crayola is excited about the social trend. The brand now carries markers, colored pencils and their own label of Coloring Escapes for grown-ups.

With the explosion of adult coloring, the subject matter of coloring pages for adults is almost infinite. Look for what motivates you and helps to express what you might be thinking…even your darkest thoughts or edgy humor. Nobody has to see it but you!


 

Still Coloring Book Picks

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The amazing health benefits of mindful coloring. A great way to practice self care! #journal #mindfulness #selfcare

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