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Life is a Gift

Sep24

Life is a gift, you guys!  Do not take it for granted.  Every day you wake up, every breath you take, every moment you get to enjoy…it is all a gift!

I’ve posted memes about this countless times on my Facebook page, but sometimes situations arise that really remind me how true this is.

Last weekend, I was out mowing the lawn and doing yard work.  I got stung by a bee – a yellow jacket.  I had also been stung by a yellow jacket earlier in the summer, and I’ve been stung many times before that by our backyard honeybees.  No big deal – or so I thought.

I went inside to run cold water over the sting, and then I rubbed honey over it since that is what has worked for me to relieve the pain the past few times I was stung.  After a few moments, the pain subsided, and I decided to go back outside to put the trimmer away.

Within minutes, I was unconscious.

My last memory was stepping onto the front porch.  As I neared the edge of the steps, I felt very dizzy and breathing became a little labored, although not to the point where I was scared.  I knew something wasn’t right, but it all happened so fast.

In my next memory, I was tumbling down the steps…

then I remember hearing my husband run to me in a panic from the garage…

I remember telling him I was stung by a bee…

then I remember silently and calmly sitting on the bottom step praying for guidance…

I asked my husband to get me water…

I remember saying, “I’m ok,” while trying to convince him and myself that it was true…

he asked me if I could see…

I told him no…

I heard him say we needed to get to the ER…

I listened to my 18-year-old daughter dial 9-1-1…

I was in and out of consciousness in between all these memories.  I have no idea how long this lasted, but by the time the ambulance arrived, thankfully I had regained full consciousness. 

Five hours later, I returned home from the ER with just a bruised ankle, some steroids, an Epi-pen, and a whole lot of gratitude!  I can’t stop thinking about how lucky I am! 

I am grateful that my husband and daughter were right there for me…I’m grateful my throat didn’t close or my breathing never got to the point where I was scared…I’m grateful for the first responders who took amazing care of me in the ambulance and the nurses in the ER who cared for me…I’m grateful my fall down the stairs only resulted in a bruised ankle…I could go on and on about all the things I am grateful for!

Life is a gift!  Every now and then, a situation arises that makes me stop and realize the truth to this.  While in the moment, everything was happening so fast, and I didn’t really know what was going on.  I remember being calm and having no fear while I was in the situation, and I am deeply grateful for that.  The scary part is re-living the scenario in my head and thinking about what could have happened.  While I’m not one to worry or to dwell on what might have been, I do think it is important whenever faced with an unfortunate situation to ask myself what lessons I learned.

So, what lessons or reminders did I take away from this?  Of course, now I need to be more aware of bees and keep my Epi-pen nearby and other practical things like that, but the main reminder I got from this experience is to never take life for granted.  There are many things out of our control in life, and the reality is any of our lives could end in an instant without any notice.  But, there are many more things in life that are IN our control.  Cultivate your precious life and spend your time dreaming, creating, helping others whenever the opportunity arises, sharing your own experiences to help others, and using your talents to make this world a better place.  Life is far too short to spend time worrying about things that might happen, hating or resenting anyone, or even arguing with people who don’t share your beliefs.  This situation reminds me that I CAN handle anything in the moment, and so can you.  We are all survivors.  Let’s never forget to live each day in gratitude!! 😊

Daily Planner for Quarantine – May 2020

Apr30

I modified one of my journals to help myself and my daughters to keep our days balanced during quarantine.  Although I can’t say my teenage daughters have been interested in sticking with it for more than a few days at a time, I personally use it every day and find it a helpful way to keep my life balanced. 

I have created a separate PDF of this journal for the month of May 2020. If you think you or your children may find this helpful, feel free to print it and use it!

To access the full PDF, click on either image below or the link at the bottom of this page. To print this in booklet form and save on paper, open the PDF in Acrobat Reader. Once in Acrobat Reader, click on the Printer Icon at the top of your screen, select your printer, Under “Page Sizing & Handing” select “Booklet”, then select “Print.”

I hope everyone is staying safe and keeping healthy in mind, body, and spirit during this time! Love and blessings to all!

Stacy

https://journeytocompletewellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Quarantine-Daily-Planner.pdf

Finding Peace

Jul7

If you are reading this today and struggling in some way, I want you to know:

✨You are NOT an accident! You are here for a very important reason, and the world needs that unique combination of gifts that only you can provide! Your purpose here on this earth is to BE YOURSELF and use those talents to spread love to others. If you choose to do that, the world will be a better place because you were here.

✨Peace begins with SELF-LOVE! If you want to be at peace, you need to begin by learning how to love yourself unconditionally. Know that you were perfectly created! Stop giving yourself negative labels or believing the negative labels others have placed on you throughout the years. Get to know yourself and learn to be comfortable with who you are, and the world will be a much better place because of it!

✨GRATITUDE is the secret to happiness! You have SO much to be grateful for! Try to focus on all of the blessings in your life rather than the things you don’t have right now. If you need help recognizing those blessings, please ask someone to help you.  Keeping a gratitude journal might be a good way to help you begin to recognize the blessings in your life.

✨YOU are the creator of your own reality. If you don’t like the way your life is going, you have the ability to change that beginning right now. Every action you take, every word you speak, and every thought you think is a choice.  Each one can be done out of love or out of fear…if you want your life to improve, choose love every time!

✨Every situation you have ever experienced in your life has happened FOR you. Try to view EVERY situation as a gift. Know that there IS something good in EVERY situation, so always look for the good! The seemingly unfortunate situations you have been through have made you stronger and shaped you into the person you are today. Some of the toughest situations in our lives turn out to be our greatest blessings. Once you overcome them, you can use those experiences to help others!

✨You must allow yourself to fully feel your emotions.  There is a time for everything.  When it is time to be sad, allow yourself to be sad, and let the tears flow.  Do not suppress it or try to numb it, or it will remain within you and continue to eat away at you, and eventually it may manifest itself as a physical or mental illness.

✨YOU ARE NOT BROKEN!!!  You may feel broken, but the REAL YOU can NEVER be broken! You are a spiritual being in a physical body.  In the spiritual sense, you are complete.  You have everything you need inside of you right at this moment, and you do not need anyone or anything else to complete you.  Underneath all of those layers of hurt and pain that have built up within you throughout the years in your physical life, you will find the only part of you that is REAL, and that part of you never changes. It is the place where God resides within you, it is pure LOVE and infinite wisdom, it is the voice that guides you to help others and spread love in the world, and it is the part of you that will go on living forever because what is real can NEVER be destroyed or broken. When you are able to completely FORGIVE (yourself and others) for all of the things that have happened “to” you in your life, you will be able to get through all of those other layers and access that REAL part of you, and then you WILL find peace…and love…and infinite wisdom!

✨You WILL get through this. Just remember, darkness always comes before the dawn. This will not last forever. Hang in there!

✨If you want help, please reach out to someone you trust and ASK for it! There are plenty of resources out there and people willing to help.

Know that you are never alone, and you are loved unconditionally for who you are! ♥

October Unprocessed 2016: 31 Days of Real Food – The Results

Nov1

october-unprocessed-2016

The Results

This year was my 4th attempt at this October Unprocessed “real food” challenge.  I certainly did not stick to this challenge 100% of the time, but I feel like I did better than my previous 3 attempts at the challenge and I learned more than ever this time around!  I also participated in a few Clean Eating challenges throughout the month, so that helped me to stay on track.  My weight did not change at all as a result of this challenge, but I didn’t expect it to and that wasn’t one of my goals, so that is completely fine with me.

I did find myself feeling exhausted a few weeks into the challenge because I was having to make 2 completely different meals much of the time – one for me and my husband, and then something completely different for the kids.   The last few weeks of the challenge, I just decided to compromise and make something I knew the kids would eat, and then I would make a healthier version for me to eat (for example, when the kids had tacos in taco shells, I just had the taco meat over rice.)  I let go of my need to have everything 100% unprocessed for simplicity (for example, the first time I made our favorite meatball recipe this month, I modified it to use oats instead of breadcrumbs.  As a result, the kids didn’t like it.  I didn’t feel it was worth the effort to make it 100% unprocessed and have the kids not eat it, so the next time I made it, I used the usual breadcrumbs, and I ate it.)

This year, my husband decided to join me in the beginning of the challenge, and that made it so much easier because he wasn’t bringing unhealthy foods into the house.  I think the first step to clean eating begins in the grocery store.  If you don’t buy it and you don’t bring it into the house, then you’re not going to eat it.  If you can get other family members on board, then that is a huge help, but I am not a believer in forcing anyone to take the challenge with me, especially the kids.  I believe they will learn by example and be more open to trying new foods the more they see me eating them.

This year, I’m in no rush to go back to eating junk food.  I actually WANT to continue on with the challenge and continue to find some new, healthy recipes.  Right now, I don’t even crave the Halloween candy that has filled my kitchen, and that is a big deal for me and my sweet tooth.

What Did I Learn?

I found some AMAZING new recipes this month, and I’m so excited to add them into our meal rotation and share those recipes in this post!   Continue reading →

October Unprocessed Challenge 2016: 8 Days of REAL Food

Oct13

october-unprocessed-2016

We are almost halfway through the October Unprocessed Challenge (eating only REAL food for the entire month of October)!  This is my 4th year taking the challenge, and I am still learning so much every day!

My greatest accomplishment so far this year was finding a recipe for taco seasoning that my whole family loves!!  Taco Tuesday is so much better now, and I feel great knowing exactly what is in the seasoning!  If I get nothing else out of this challenge, I will be happy about my new taco night discovery! 🙂

This year has seemed the easiest so far of all the years I’ve attempted the challenge (last year I only lasted a few days, and then I gave up!).  This blog is what is keeping me accountable this year, and knowing that I’m going to post everything I eat is one of the main reasons I haven’t given up.  Although it seems easier than previous years, this challenge is still a LOT of work and takes a lot of planning and prep, since I often have to make 2 meals for dinner since my kids will not eat some of these new foods (although I do make them try everything.)

Below is a list of EVERYTHING I have eaten for the first 8 days, along with links to many of the recipes.  It’s not 100% unprocessed (chocolate chips are my weakness), but I am happy with my progress so far.  I am surprised that I have not really had any cravings for sweets, and I have not felt hungry at all.

For more real-food recipe ideas each day, check out the Journey To Complete Wellness Facebook page.

If you have any favorite real-food recipes, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post or on the Journey to Complete Wellness Facebook page!  I’ll take all the help I can get! 🙂

October Unprocessed 2016

Saturday, October 1

Breakfast: Omelet with Peppers, Onions, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Snack:  Grapes ,cashews, raisins
Lunch: Salad (Romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, raisins) w/balsamic

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Dinner: Honey Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken

This is delicious!  I will be making this again (maybe a few more times this month)! 🙂

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Sunday, October 2

Breakfast: Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes

I love these, and my 12-year old daughter does, too!

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Snack:  Celery Stick, Raisins, Grapes, Cashews
Lunch: Leftovers from Dinner and  Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

The soup is so tasty!  My 13-year-old daughter loves it as well!
Dinner:  Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

This was good, but my family was not crazy about it.  I had a lot of leftovers that I froze in individual portions to use later in the month.

 

Monday, October 3

Breakfast:  Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

chocolate-banana-smoothie
Snack: Plain Greek Yogurt w/1 T honey & 1T chocolate chips, Popcorn
Lunch: Leftover Chili
Dinner: Mozzarella-Stuffed Slow Cooker Meatballs

This is a favorite in our house!

 

Tuesday, October 4

Breakfast: Leftover Banana Pancakes/Kiwi/Slice of Boar’s Head Deli Turkey
Snack: Fuji Apple, 5.3oz Greek Yogurt, ½ T Honey & 1T chocolate chips
Lunch: Leftover Chili
Dinner:  Taco Meat w/Jasmine Rice, Lettuce, Tomato. Taco Seasoning

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Wednesday, October 5

Breakfast: Leftover Banana Pancakes with Grapes
Snack:  Grapes, Chocolate Chips
Lunch: Raspberry Peanut Butter Green Smoothie (I used grape juice)
Dinner:  Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup (w/brown rice noodles)

 

Thursday, October 6

Breakfast: Scrambled Egg w/Diced Tomatoes;grapes
Snack:  Peanut Butter Cookies, cashews

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Lunch: Leftover Chicken Soup
Dinner:  Pate Chinois

 

Friday, October 7

Breakfast: Leftover banana pancake, PB cookie
Snack: Yogurt w/honey & cc; apple; cucumbers,celery,dip,chips,salsa
Lunch: Leftover Tomato Soup
Dinner: Leftover Pate Chinois

 

Saturday, October 8

Breakfast: Leftover chicken soup
Snack: Kettle corn; Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Lunch: Strawberry/banana/yogurt/milk smoothie
Dinner: Baked Haddock,rice pilaf, and Roasted Broccoli

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5 Questions to Ask Yourself Each Morning to Help You Live Intentionally and Create Your Ideal Life

Jul15

Do you want to live a more intentional life?  Do you want your days to be happier?  More exciting?  More productive?  More meaningful?

To achieve our ideal life, we must first recognize that each of us is the creator of our own reality and we are responsible for our own happiness.  In each moment, we have the ability to choose love and happiness.  Although we are not the master planners of our life, we have the opportunity to create our lives through intention and our daily practices.

intention leslie schwartz

Each morning, I begin my day writing in my journal.  This practice brings me a peace that I have never experienced in any other way.  When I write, I connect with my soul and I feel a deep connection to God. Writing has helped me to realize that the answers are ALL within us. We do not need to look to others or look outside of ourselves for the answers.  We just need to allow ourselves to be silent and to listen.

When I do not begin my day writing, I often feel scattered and rushed, and my day often feels unproductive.  When I do write and set my priorities for the day, I find that I am able to stay focused throughout the day. Throughout my years keeping a journal, I have discovered that there are a few things that I write about each morning that set the tone for my day and get me off to a great start. Specifically, there are 5 questions I find myself answering each morning:

1. What am I most looking forward to today?  Life is short, and we need to make the most of each day we have here.  If you want your days to be exciting, you need to make that happen.  There should be something in the day ahead to look forward to every single day.  Something other than your alarm clock should be getting you out of bed each morning.  If nothing comes to mind right away, be intentional and come up with something to be excited about for the day.  Maybe you could plan to do an act of kindness that will brighten someone’s day.  I guarantee that will make your day as well!

2. What are my top 3 priorities today?  List the 3 things you would most like to focus your attention on today.  If you are looking to make your days more productive, I would definitely recommend setting your top priorities at the beginning of the day. I have found this practice to be especially effective in my own life.  When I do not set my priorities at the beginning of each day, I find myself feeling scattered and often running around in circles.  When I do set my priorities, I feel more focused, and as a result, I get much more done.  Do recognize that life and distractions do happen, and even your top 3 priorities may not get completed.  I find that it happens often that I don’t accomplish everything on my list, especially with it being summer and my kids are home with me.  I have found that it is important to remain flexible and to think of these things as a guide for my day rather than a rigid task list that must get completed.  Also, I have learned that it is important to recognize distractions as a gift, because they are.  It’s great to set goals for our day to help us remain focused, but ultimately, we need to recognize that we are not the master planner of our lives.

3. What am I most grateful for right now?  I personally believe that gratitude is the secret to happiness, and it is essential to spend some time in gratitude each day.   It is so important to stop and recognize all of the blessings in our lives each day.  We are ALL surrounded by so many blessings.  Many of us take so much of what we have for granted, and we often don’t recognize the gifts in our lives until they are gone.  I try to come up with something different each day, and I try to include those things that I often take for granted. (i.e. a warm bed, the cool breeze of a fan on a hot summer day, etc.)

4. What would I like to learn today?   I love to learn new things!  I think life is so exciting, and there are so many things to explore and learn about.  We all learn new things each day, but every morning I choose something that I would like to intentionally learn how to do, or something I would like to learn more about. (YouTube makes this very easy.)  I have found that this practice makes my days more exciting.

5. How could I spread love into the world today? / How may I serve?  We are here on this earth to love one another and to help one another.  We were all born with unique gifts and talents.  They were given to us so we could use them to serve and to help make the world a better place. We need the help of others to survive, and others need us and all of the gifts we have to offer.  Our actions do not need to be complicated to be effective.  A simple offering of a hug or a compliment can make someone else’s day and have more of an impact than you may know.

Other ways to phrase this question might be:

  • What are some acts of kindness I could do today?
  • What are some things I could do to help others today?
  • How could I use my natural gifts and talents to make a positive difference in the world today?

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”  ~Rabindranath Tagore

If you begin your day after answering those five questions, your day will be off to a great start!

If you would like to start your days with these questions but find yourself intimidated by a blank page in front of you, I have created a Daily Planner and Journal that will ask you each of those questions. You simply need to fill in the blanks.  (It is currently available on Amazon for only $3.99)  This daily planner and journal prompts you to answer the 5 questions each morning so you can live your days more intentionally and more productively.  It also provides a nighttime review to help you review your day and to keep a log of some of the activities that are essential in living a healthy, balanced life.  Click the book cover image below to find out more about the Daily Planner and Journal.

August 2016 Daily Planner and Journal Cover

Click cover image to learn more

 

May all your days be filled with love, excitement, learning, living, laughter, kindness, and all things good!

Peace, Love, and Blessings

Stacy

Recipe: Avocado Smoothie

Apr28

avocado smoothie jtcw

I love this smoothie!  To be honest, I did not expect to like this the first time I tried it.  I had an avocado that I wanted to use up, so I searched the web for a recipe, and I found this Avocado recipe from Allrecipes.com.   To my surprise, it was creamy, cool, and delicious!  Since then, I have made a few modifications to suit my taste and preferences, and it has become one of my favorite smoothies.  This smoothie is a nice change from my usual smoothies that contain banana.  My other recipes usually use at least one frozen ingredient, so ice is not necessary, but I think this one is perfect as is with the ice.  Even if you’re not a huge fan of avocado, I think you may be surprised.  Give it a try and let me know what you think! 🙂

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 6 oz. strawberry yogurt (or flavor of your choice)
  • 2 Tbsp raw honey
  • 8 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

Add all ingredients to blender.  Blend until smooth.  Enjoy! 🙂

 

12 Ways to Use Essential Oils

Mar11

12 ways to use essential oils jtcw

“…And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” ~Revelation 22:2 NIV

Essential oils are a wonderful gift that nature has provided!  I was first introduced to essential oils when I started to take an interest in making DIY personal care products a few years ago.  I used them once in a while in my fabric softener and for cleaning, but I never REALLY started using them until just a few months ago when I took an Essential Oils 101 class and learned about their wide variety of uses and health benefits. Here are some of my favorite ways to use these gifts of nature:

  1. Aromatherapy.   Put your favorite oils in a diffuser (this one is my favorite), and enjoy the healing benefits of the oils through your sense of smell.  This is a great way to help ease stress. Lavender and Stress Away are great oils for this.  Diffusing oils is also very effective at removing odors in the home.  I love to run Purification whenever I am cooking fish for dinner, and it really does take the fish smell away.  Purification is also great at clearing the air and keeping the germs away when someone in our home is not feeling well.
  2. All-Purpose Cleaner.  Fill a spray bottle with half water and half white vinegar.  Add your favorite essential oil (mine is lemon.)  Clean away without worrying about exposing your family and pets to harmful chemicals! 🙂
  3. Removing Stickers.  Lemon oil and Orange oil are both excellent at removing glue, stickers, etc.  I use it in place of WD-40.
  4. Toothpaste.  Add a few drops of peppermint oil (or orange or clove oil) to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.  Brush and feel how clean your teeth are!  Orange oil helps to whiten them, too!  Just keep in mind that this toothpaste does not taste or feel like a traditional toothpaste (it will not foam), so it may take some getting used to!  But it’s a great feeling to not have to worry if I (or my kids) swallow some of this.  Young Living also sells toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash that my daughters and I have used.  My daughter went to the dentist in early January and they said she had a cavity.  She began using this toothpaste daily.  7 weeks later, she got her braces off and went back to the dentist for an x-ray.  The cavity did not show up on the x-ray, and it was nowhere to be seen.  I can’t say for sure whether it had anything to do with the toothpaste, but it was sure good to hear that her cavity was gone and she doesn’t have to go back to the dentist until her next cleaning.
  5. First Aid.  I’ve used lavender oil on cuts and scrapes, and sometimes on burns as well (although coconut oil is usually my go-to for burns.)
  6. Get Rid of Lice.  Unfortunately I did have the opportunity to test this one out recently.  With three girls and a “super-lice” outbreak hitting my town in recent months, I knew it was just a matter of time.  I mixed tea tree oil with olive oil, rubbed it on their scalps and combed through their hair, covered with a shower cap and let it sit for several hours, and then combed through thoroughly with a lice comb.  Luckily this happened over a school vacation week, so we had plenty of time to take care of it.  This procedure worked beautifully, and I was happy I didn’t have to put dangerous chemicals on their heads!
  7. Internally.  I don’t recommend taking oils internally unless you have done your research AND you use an oil from a reputable brand that is meant for internal use.  The only oil I have used internally and have given to my family to take internally so far is Lemon from Young Living.  Some people take this every day, but I reserve the use of this for when we are not feeling well.  I gave my daughter 1 drop of lemon in 4 oz of water when she had a sore throat, and the next day her sore throat was gone and she felt much better.  My husband and I have also had similar results taking lemon internally.
  8. DIY Personal Care Products.  There is no limit to the amount of personal care items you can make with essential oils.  From homemade shampoos, soaps, deodorant, toothpaste, face wash, bug spray, and much, much more.  Check out this post at Homemade Mommy for some wonderful DIY Beauty Recipes using Essential Oils.
  9. Fabric Softener.  Add white vinegar and a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine for an excellent, natural fabric softener.
  10. Headaches.   I have personally used peppermint oil for tension headaches, and it works wonders!  I simply applied a drop to my temples.  Just be careful because it is very strong and will make your eyes water.  Headache relief is just one of the many benefits of Peppermint oil.
  11. Pain Relief.  In the Essential Oils 101 class I took, we made a Pain Relief cream.  In a small glass jar, we mixed together 1/2 cup coconut oil, 5 drops Valor, 5 drops Panaway, 5 drops Peppermint Oil, and 5 drops Copiaba Oil.  Rub it on the bottom of the feet or the area of the body that is in pain.  It works great!
  12. Cold/Flu Relief.  Combine 5-10 drops of Thieves or Fighting Five with 1 Tablespoon Coconut oil.  Apply to the bottom of the feet to help boost the immune system.

There are many, many more ways to use essential oils.  The ways I listed above are the things I have personally tried in just a few short months.  Frankincense is also an amazing oil with wonderful healing properties, and I have heard some wonderful stories of how it has helped cancer patients.  I personally mix it with coconut oil and use it as my daily moisturizer.  I have also diffused it, but my family did not care for the scent.

What is your favorite way to use essential oils?

How Our Attitude Affects Our Health

Feb15

by Amanda Collier

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It is a true honor to introduce our very first guest blogger on Journey to Complete Wellness.  Amanda Collier is a writer and blogger with a public health background.  She has been at the helm of Murray Insurance Agency‘s Blog for the last 10 months.  Amanda is a talented writer with some very good advice, and I think you will like what she has to say.

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We’ve all heard the saying “attitude is everything,” but we rarely think of this in relation to our health. It is generally accepted that illnesses and injuries are something that happen to us, regardless of our attitude. Research and data is beginning to discount this outmoded belief, however. With the backing of studies, it is coming to be more widely accepted that attitude actually has a huge impact on resistance to disease, healing abilities, longevity, and overall wellness.

Attitude and Lifestyle

Your attitude has a direct impact on your lifestyle, but this may not be easy to see when you are living through it. If you feel positive about the day ahead and see yourself as competent enough to handle whatever comes your way, you may be more likely to engage in healthy habits. Walking, working out, drinking water, eating healthy, all of these behaviors seem possible and easy to do when your outlook is positive. A negative outlook may make these activities seem overwhelming and impossible.

Coping with Challenges

The way that we perceive challenges and the way that we choose to cope with those challenges can be improved by facing obstacles with a positive perspective. People tend to improve quicker and see better results when facing health challenges like illnesses and injuries with a positive outlook. While an optimistic approach can have some benefits in itself, people that have a positive outlook also tend to be solution focused and more committed to treatment plans.

Dealing with Emotions

It is impossible to bottle up emotions and stay positive. Freely expressing emotions can be therapeutic and can help individuals to live with a strong positive outlook. In some cases, it may be helpful to see an emotional counselor in order to work through difficult emotions and regain a bright outlook. Emotional counseling may sound like something that is out of reach, but many health insurance plans now help pay for these services because of the indisputable link between emotional and physical health.

Focus on Improving Attitude

A positive attitude is something that can –and should – be cultivated. Shifting to a positive outlook takes thoughtfulness and diligence, but can have lasting benefits on all areas of your life. Over time and with practice you may eventually find that you default to positivity, your first thought in any situation is a positive one.

The following are a few ways that you can work to shift to a more positive attitude:

  • Be conscious of your immediate thoughts and whether they are positive or negative
  • Identify some things that you think negatively about, such as body image or your job, and work on engaging in more positive thinking about those areas
  • Exercise regularly so that your excess energy does not turn into internal stress and negativity
  • Eat healthier so that your body feels better and your mind does not have discomfort to dwell on
  • Banish negative self-talk and work on replacing it with positive self-talk
  • Socialize often and make sure that your circle is filled with positive people

20 Ways to Love Yourself More

Feb5

20 Ways to love yourself more short

Taking time for your own self-care is one of the greatest things you can do for yourself, for those closest to you, and for your community.  Once you are able to love and accept yourself unconditionally, that love eventually pours out to others in an authentic and loving way.

In the case of an emergency on a plane, you are told to put on your own oxygen mask first before you assist others.  That is because you will not be of any help to anyone else if you run out of oxygen.  The same is true in other areas of life.  Loving yourself is the first step to loving others.  When we care for ourselves first and make our own needs a priority, we are better able to help those around us.  Here are 20 ways to love yourself more:

  1. Make sleep a priority in your life.  Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, or the amount of sleep your body needs to wake up refreshed.  If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, here are some tips to help you get the sleep you need.
  2. Drink more water.  Water is required by every cell of the body and it keeps every part of your body working properly.  Do you get the amount of water your body needs?  Guidelines for the amount of water you should drink every day are controversial and vary depending on the weight, gender, and level of activity of each individual, but the old standby of 64 oz per day is still a popular recommendation.
  3. Take a yoga class.  Yoga is a fantastic tool to help improve your health in body, mind, and spirit.  In addition to improving your flexibility, building muscle strength, and perfecting your posture, yoga can help you in so many different ways.
  4. Go for a walk outside.  Go with a friend, go with your dog, or go by yourself.  What is important is that you get out in the fresh air and reap the benefits of nature.  Nature restores health.  From the sun providing you with Vitamin D to the minerals in the rocks on the ground and everything in between, everything in nature is medicine!
  5. Observe one day of rest every week.  On this day, you will do no work.  Instead, you will take the time to slow down, relax, live in the present, enjoy time with your loved ones, and be grateful for all of the blessings surrounding you.  Personally, I feel this practice is the best thing I have ever implemented in my life.  It is not easy to do in this world that promotes busyness 24/7, but the rewards are many!  Give it a try, and see what happens.
  6. Plan time for creativity.  We were put on this earth to create.  Whether you want to believe it or not, you ARE an artist.  We all are.  Whether you like to paint, sew, draw, write, take pictures, or create music, it is time to honor that artist within you and make the time to let yourself create.  Ideally, it would be great if you could set aside some time every day, but if that is not possible, schedule time at least once a week to let your inner artist come out and play.  Don’t worry, those things that you think you “should” be doing instead will still be there when you have finished.  Try it.  Schedule time on your calendar right now.  You will thank yourself later.    “Creativity is God’s gift to us.  Using our creativity is our gift back to God.” ~Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way
  7. Embrace your uniqueness.  Accept yourself exactly as you are.  Recognize that you were born with the personality traits needed to help you fulfill your purpose here.  Nobody else is here for the same exact purpose as you, so there is no need to compete or compare yourself to anyone else.  Although our society praises some traits over others, know that your personality traits are not weaknesses.  Learn to accept and embrace what society defines as your “imperfections,” and use the natural gifts and talents you have to help make the world a better place.
  8. Take a Real Food Challenge.  Decide to fuel your body with only REAL foods for a day, a week, a month, or any period of time you wish.  You will be surprised at how much energy you will have.  100 Days of Real Food is a fantastic resource for some great real-food recipes!
  9. Practice Gratitude.  View every encounter and experience as a gift.  Even the seemingly bad situations are a gift in the end.  Try to recognize and appreciate these gifts every day.  Think of three things you are grateful for RIGHT NOW.  Keep a gratitude journal.
  10. Move your body.  In any way you wish.  Find something you love to do, and do it!  Dancing, cleaning, walking, gardening, hiking, or swimming are just a few examples, but it could be any activity you enjoy.  The important thing is that you get up and get moving.
  11. Surround yourself with those who love, support, encourage, and inspire you.  Be kind to everyone at all times, but spend the majority of your time with like-minded, positive people.  Let go of draining friendships, stop hanging out with people who are negative or those who spend their time gossiping and complaining, and do not tolerate disrespect from anyone.
  12. Practice doing one thing at a time.  Do not multitask.  Do one thing at a time, give it your all, and be fully present in everything you do.  Heaven on Earth happens in the moments when you are fully present.  I know this isn’t easy to do.  Especially if you are the primary caretaker of a young child who requires your care 24/7, I recognize that you NEED to multitask.  I’ve been there.  But even a few minutes of focused presence can make a big difference.
  13. Learn something new.  Make the time to learn something new that interests you.  Were you always interested in learning how to decorate cakes or Irish Step Dance, but you never found the time?  You need to MAKE the time.  Take one step toward that today.  Get a book at the library, watch a You Tube video related to your interest, or sign up for a class.  Get out your calendar now and schedule some time to do this.  You will thank yourself later! 🙂
  14. Keep a journal.  You may be surprised at some of the insights that go into it.  The wisdom is all inside of you.  You just need to take the time to be still and let it flow.  Writing in a journal can also be very therapeutic and help you to release some of your worries and fears.
  15. Forgive.  Let go of all bitterness you have toward others.  It is not hurting them at all.  It only hurts you, and the longer you hold onto it, the longer it eats away at you.  If you don’t let it go, eventually those emotional issues can manifest into physical illness in your body.  Choose to set yourself free and forgive everyone now, including yourself.  Remember, everyone is just doing the best they can with what they have in the moment.
  16. Practice Mindful Eating.  How often do you eat while doing other things?  If you’re like me, it is most of the time.  I find myself eating while I work or while I drive to save myself time and increase my productivity, and as a result I end up eating more than I realize because I’m busy doing other things.  I think a lot of health issues our society faces today are due to an unhealthy relationship with food, and I believe mindful eating could help with that.  When you eat mindfully, this means you are sitting down at the table and doing nothing else but focusing on the food you are eating.  The television is not on, you aren’t working or checking your phone or e-mails.  If you want to appreciate your food more and enjoy it more fully, give mindful eating a try.
  17. Say no.  And don’t feel guilty about it.  When you do anything out of guilt or obligation, that is not acting in a loving way.  Be honest with yourself and others.  Your time is precious, and it must be guarded fiercely and spent only on those things that are important to you.
  18. Spend some time in silence every day.  Meditate.  Pray.  Write.  Create.  Do whatever it is that helps you to be still and listen.  God speaks to you in the silence. Recognize that downtime is never wasted time.  Downtime is necessary to help you to develop your most important relationships of all – with yourself and with God.
  19. Stop trying to be perfect.  In this physical world, there is no such thing as perfect.  Just do the best you can, have a positive attitude, and view every mistake as a learning experience.  Every mistake you have ever made in your life has helped to shape you into the person you are today.  Recognize that as a gift!
  20. Plan your days, but not your life.  Remember, you do not set the master plan for your life.  Make daily to-do lists to help keep yourself on track and improve your productivity, but stay flexible.  Embrace distractions and view them as gifts.  Everything is happening in its own perfect time, so stop trying to rush everything.  Stop trying so hard and just let go and allow God to work through you.

BONUS idea:  Take a Self-Love challenge.  Get to know yourself, recognize your accomplishments, and learn to identify your goals and priorities and what is important to you at this point in your life.   Learn to honor your time and achieve the balance in your life that you have been looking for.

For more ideas on how to love yourself more, or if you would like help implementing some of these ideas into your life, check out my book, The 31-Day Self-Love Challenge.  The book expands upon many of these ideas and provides step-by-step guidance to help the readers implement them into their lives. 🙂

For more self-care tips and inspirational stories and quotes, please like my Facebook Page, Stacy Rancourt

What is YOUR favorite self-care tip?  Please leave a comment below.