Work to Live, Don’t Live to Work
Are you constantly working before or after work hours? Are you checking your phone for emails or messages all the time? Are you working through lunch? Are you feeling burned out? Are you not taking a vacation? When you take a vacation, are you still working? Are you not going to doctor appointments because you don’t want to make up the hours? Then this article is for you.
3 Ways To Practice Meditation
Meditation is widely recognized as an effective tool for managing anxiety and stress and for increasing feelings of well-being. Dr. Dhillon reminds us that there are many things that we know are “good for us” but often the details of our lives make it difficult to find time to actually get them done. The struggle with meditation is that many people find it difficult to concentrate for even five minutes, so 20-60 minutes feels overwhelming.
Let’s Talk About Money – A Partnership
Welcome back for another conversation about money! In my last blog we talked about the importance of self-reflection and knowledge of one’s own money habits and influences. This installment is going to expand on that and address talking with your partner about money— date night, anyone?
Struggling with Re-Entry
This past year has tested us as individuals and a society more than we ever could have imagined. We have endured long months of isolation, unemployment, remote learning, limited social and physical contact, missed celebrations/milestones, and so much more. Some of us sunk into deep depressions, experienced intense anxiety, and felt more fearful than we ever had of the outside world. Some of us contracted the virus, while others watched people close to them grow sick or pass away from COVID-19.
Let’s Talk About Money – First Thing’s First
The reality of experiencing financial hardship and all the associated stress and negativity has been more prevalent this past year, but it’s not a new thing at all. The goals now are to explore how we make financial decisions, identify the connection between money and our physical and emotional health, and chart a path to self-discovery. It’s a journey!
What is your body telling you?
Something felt off this month. My period was ultra-late, later than it’s ever been. I took a pregnancy test and waited— it came back negative, so it had to be something else, but what? Is this my body telling me, “You’re stressed out! Slow Down!”? I had to investigate.
Self-Care: Sane or Selfish
In the past few years, the #selfcare movement has taken off in the States, with sister hashtags like #treatyoself and #loveyourself, all echoing a clarion cry to type-A workaholics across America.
“Baby Blues” or Postpartum Depression?
When I was pregnant, I couldn’t wait for my baby to be born— to hold her, bond with her, smell her. I thought there would be a natural transition into motherhood, given how excited I was. But, it didn’t happen quite how I expected. After a four day hospital stay due to a C-section, we headed home. With family helping out the first two weeks or so, it wasn’t too bad. But once I was alone, it was harder than I imagined. I felt sad.
“If Mom is good, baby is good.” — A Maternal Mental Health Journey
"If Mom is good, baby is good." — I heard that quote somewhere and it clicked— if I'm feeling good, my kids are good and, therefore, my household feels good. Everyone is grounded.
Thunder Does Not Grow Flowers
The four tenets of Gentle Parenting include empathy, respect, understanding, and boundaries. With this comes different practices for certain scenarios but, for example, if your child is having big feelings, the gentle parenting practice has you show up for your child from a grounded place and let them feel their feelings before naming what happened. Another example would be to sandwich "no" with a yes— that might look like "We can't have another snack right now, but we can have lunch" or "I can't let you play with this, but you can play with that". So basically, you self-regulate yourself and then keep your child safe as their big feelings run their course before assessing the situation and trying to find resolution, all while talking to your child as an equal.
The Beauty of Order
As a creative free spirit, I have often shunned structure, routines, and rituals as confining, boring, and stifling to the imaginative soul. However, now that I have reached my late twenties, I am beginning to see that an undisciplined life leads to chaos, confusion, and inaction. I’m learning that order is the necessary foundation for building a beautiful life.
Practicing Self-Compassion
As Valentine’s Day fast approaches, I’ve been thinking more and more about self love expressed through self compassion. For a long time during the pandemic I struggled to feel a sense of purpose, to enjoy life, to get out of bed, to dig myself out of the hole of depression and anxiety that I felt myself sinking into. There were weeks that bled into months where doing simple tasks like brushing my teeth, putting on something other than the sweatpants I had been wearing for days, or channeling even an ounce of productivity felt insurmountable. I was tired all the time. I wasn’t doing the things I usually loved to do. I looked forward to going to sleep each night because being awake felt like a constant state of stress and guilt for not accomplishing more.
I’m Done Apologizing
Do you find yourself saying “I’m sorry” all the time? You forget to text your friend back. I’m sorry. You accidentally bump into someone at the grocery store. I’m sorry. You sneeze in the middle of a meeting. That’s right—I’m sorry. If you’ve said yes to any of those statements, this blog is for you. (Also, if you deeply relate to Demi Lovato’s hit song “Sorry not Sorry” this is your kind of blog.)
These Are Not Normal Times
No one can prepare you for the loneliness that accompanies motherhood. It can be extremely isolating. One minute you are a single person in the world and the next minute you are expected to keep a teeny tiny human fed and alive— without a user’s guide or manual.
New Year's Resolutions are BS
When I was younger, my friends and I always asked each other what our New Year's resolutions were. They typically revolved around getting rid of acne, working out more or getting better grades in school. Honestly, it sometimes turned into a competition to see who had better resolutions (I’m not even joking). However, these goals we set for ourselves were only important for that first week or two of the new year; after that, the resolutions would be forgotten.
A Self-Care Menu to Help You Survive the Winter Blues
Ever since quarantine started back in March, I subconsciously feared the winter months that would inevitably return. I think what gave so much of us hope (especially on the east coast) during the beginning of the covid outbreak was that summer was on its way, and we would, at the very least, be able to spend time outside under the sun. We needed those hot summer days with iced coffee, evening drives with the windows down, socially distanced park picnics that provided much needed in-person human connection.
Dressed in a Cloak of Vulnerability, I win
Last year, I met someone and fell for them… hard. I thought I had met my person, which I think sounded a little crazy to some of my friends considering I had just met the guy. But in my heart, I felt connected to him - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love
A teacher I had once told me to walk down the street and smile at anyone I see and think “I love you” as I walked by them.
When she first told me to do this, I could only giggle. I thought, “Tell strangers I love them? How awkward.” But then I found myself walking through the city trying this out. I’m not going to lie, I felt extremely uncomfortable and totally silly the first few times I tried this practice, but as I kept moving forward with it I started to actually find a love in my heart for all the people I passed on the street.
From Panic to Peace
These past few months have been some of the most difficult many of us have ever experienced. From escalating racial tensions, a divisive presidential election, and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, modern-day living seemed to morph into a crisis of apocalyptic proportions from the moment we crossed into the year 2020.
It's My Party And I'll Spread Kindness If I Want To
I turn 31 this week. That’s right, I’m officially going to be an official “30-something” of the world. And you know what I want for my birthday this year? For us all to spread a little kindness.