Do you ever feel as if your on one of those moving walkways at the airport and there’s no way to get off? It’s one thing after another. And, just when you think you’ve cleared everything, boom, an avalanche strikes (I know I’m mixing metaphors, LOL). I’ve read articles that encourage people to take a day or two off a week. I’ve found when I’m jammed packed with things to do and take a day off I spend the day thinking about how much I’ll have to do when I start up in the morning – it’s not as relaxing as promised. A different way may by to rethink the day. Sure it’s busy. One way to bring the hectic pace down is is to rethink how we eat our meals. Set aside the digital media and enjoy the meal. Resist grabbing a coffee and a quick meal and eating it on the train, bus or in the car. Make dinner time special where everyone has a chance talk about their day. Everyone should get a chance at debriefing. If you must work at night, set a time when work stops Make it an hour before you go to bed and chill (watch something relaxing).. If we put our creative caps on, we can think of multiple ways to step off the treadmill and avoid the avalanche .
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Feel Good Tip of the Day ~ Just Roll With It
We’re in for a stretch of scorching heat in south Texas. Temperature may climb up to 106 F in the city and much hotter in the desert lands to the west. I like the heat. I don’t have much of a choice. There are some things in life you have to roll with if you want to be happy. Why let the little things knock you off balance? Roll with what you can’t change. Focus on the gifts you have and be grateful and you’ll discover today and each day following will be a great day.
Inspiring Quote for Today ~ Take Time Out to Step Into Nature
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.
Wash your spirit clean.
Feel Good Tip for Today ~ Gardening is Good for You
Did you know that gardening has psychological benefits? When we work in a garden our stress lowers, we’re more mindful, our moods improve, and we have a sense of purpose. It’s not the size of the garden that matters, it’s caring for plants and nurturing them to maturity. In effect, we are giving of ourselves, our time, and our energy to another living entity. There’s still time to put plants in the ground or a pot if you live in the northern hemisphere. C’mon, get off the sofa and get gardening, you’ll feel better.
Feel Good Tip for Today ~ Lowering Stress
How does your lifestyle contribute to your stress level?
Sometimes, if we’re not careful, our lifestyle can impose an unhealthy level of stress. We can make adjustments to our lifestyle and lower our stress level. It’s not easy when we are bombarded with ads encouraging us to live beyond our means. Learning to say no to the temptations to live beyond our means is a good step to lowering one’s stress level. A minimalist lifestyle is one way of easing the stress from pressures associated with consumerism.
Here are some resources to check out if you’re interested in a minimalist lifestyle:
- The Minimalists: A Documentary About the Important Things – This documentary follows two friends as they embark on a journey to simplify their lives. It is a great introduction to the minimalist lifestyle and provides some valuable insights into the benefits of living with less.
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing – This book by Marie Kondo is a popular guide to decluttering your home. It provides a simple and effective method for getting rid of the things you don’t need and keeping the things you do.
- Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life with Less – This book by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus is a comprehensive guide to the minimalist lifestyle. It covers everything from decluttering your home to simplifying your finances.
Health Tip of the Day ~ Is It Time to Practice Self Care?
“Self-care is just another name for taking care of yourself, which is vital for your health and well-being. . . . More specifically, self-care means identifying and meeting your needs,Self-care means taking care of yourself, which includes making time for ongoing habits like keeping up with your doctor’s appointments, moving your body and eating foods that will keep you nourished and thriving.
But it’s also important to engage in practices and activities that help you center yourself. Dr. Darling recommends starting your self-care routine by simply taking some time each day to pause. One study found that even just 15 minutes of alone time can help lower stress, so go solo in ways that will help you unwind. “Find an activity that promotes inner peace and calm,” Dr. Darling says. “This will allow you to unwind from stress and get in touch with your needs.”
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Want to Be Happier Today?
Begin Each Day as a Celebration
Celebrate the fact that you are alive. Take a few moments every morning to simply enjoy a few minutes over a cup of coffee or tea and breathe in the aroma, feel the warmth, and enjoy the comfort. Give thanks for the day that is coming your way. When you begin your day with a sense of gratitude and celebration, you are bound to have more joy for the rest of the day.
Note: Make the start of your day unhurried. It may mean getting up a bit earlier; however, it will be worth it. Moving slowly through the early part to our day tampers the stress down and allows us to focus on what is important, the people we live with.
Power Thought of the Day ~ Take an Emotional Shower and Wash the Stress Away
It’s a windy day in south Texas. It feels good. The air is clean. A light spring jacket is all I need for the morning. I can shed the jacket this afternoon. I like to stand facing the wind. I close my eyes and visualize myself being cleansed of any stress that accumulated in me. In a few minutes I feel as if I’ve taken an emotional shower. I feel great. Try it the next time you have a windy day.
Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Don’t Stress Over Things You Can’t Control
You Can Choose to Let It Slide
There are always going to be people elected into office whom you don’t like, taxes that you don’t want to pay, idiot drivers who refuse to move out of the left-hand lane, and a person ahead of you in the check-out line who won’t stop chatting with the clerk. The great benefit of being human is that we get to experience all of what life offers us, the good, the bad, and the ugly. To live stress-free is to learn to deal with this fact.
Dwelling on your frustration with a situation, person, place, or thing that can’t be changed doesn’t do anything other than drag you down. You can choose how to respond to negative situations. Choose to be happy and not angry or frustrated.
