5 Ways to Find Your Zen During the Holiday Season (and all year long!)

Time for the second edition of the Healthy for the Holidays series, which I am co-hosting with Christina at Love Yourself Healthy. We hope you're enjoying this series! Be sure to check out both blogs.

It is officially crunch time with only a few days left before Christmas. You can practically feel the level of stress escalating every time you enter a store. People are grabbing items off the shelf in a frenzied panic to finish up their shopping. Even if you had your shopping completed weeks ago, it's almost impossible not to let the panic affect you when you're surrounded by it.

Taking time to relax is important all of the time, but it's even more important in stressful times. Whether it be last minute Christmas shopping, rude comments that just keep coming from your in-laws, or watching your pocketbook shrink--taking time to decompress is just what the doctor ordered.

Here are five ways to help you find your Zen during this holiday season (and all year long!):

1. Spend Time Alone

As an introvert, alone time is critical for my sanity and maintaining a low stress level. It doesn't have to be an afternoon outing (although those are nice), but it can simply be as little as spending 10 minutes alone wherever it is that you happen to be. It is amazing how re-vitalizing it is to find a quiet space and spend just a few minutes in solitude. Take deep breaths, clear your thoughts, and simply be.

2. Blast Some Tunes

On the other hand, sometimes listening to the music that you love is good for the soul. Whether it be something upbeat to lift your spirits, or a slow and easy melody to calm your nerves--music is truly healing. Focus on the music and listen until you feel like the weight has been lifted from your shoulders and you're ready to face the world again.

3. Phone/Text a Friend

Pick up the phone and dial/text your person. You know the one. That special friend or relative who can always lift your spirits. You don't necessarily need to talk about what has you down, just talk about what you're looking forward to, share a funny joke you heard, or just call to say how much you appreciate him/her. The positive interaction will surely lift your spirits and help you relax.

4. Have Courage and Be Kind

That's right, sometimes being kind takes great courage. It takes strength to put your pride aside and humble yourself enough to be kind to someone you would rather share a few choice words with. You will come away from the interaction feeling a lot better about yourself if you just show kindness. Sometimes kindness means being the better woman and keeping your mouth shut. You can be kind in other ways too, like holding the door open for someone or letting a mother with a screaming baby check out before you. There will never be too much kindness in the world.

5. Enjoy a Cuppa Joe

This is by far my most utilized way to relax and is something I do almost every single day, twice per day! I like to add a flavored coffee creamer to my coffee at home, but I especially like to get a flavored latte (nonfat/sugar-free) at a coffee shop. Some people complain about the price of coffee but, if you think about it, there aren't too many ways that you can relax, de-stress, and find your calm for $4. If you're not a coffee drinker, try tea or an ice cold glass of water. Savor it.

To help you enjoy a Cuppa Joe, Christina and I are giving away a $25 Starbucks gift card this week! See Rafflecopter below to enter to win!

What's your go-to method of  de-stressing?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Update on my plan, psychiatrist visit, and life in general

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise that I have failed miserably at sticking to my new Simply Filling plan. But I’m still on board with following the plan.

This holiday weekend brought a series of unplanned events and outings and I ended up going way off track. Pizza, donuts, ice cream, cookies, pancakes…yikes. I felt horrible by the time the weekend was over.

But I have seen improvements in my food choices overall—not including those parts of the weekend where I was way off track. I went grocery shopping and did not buy any “junk” foods. The contents of my cart looked much healthier!

On Friday night, hubby told me to take Saturday and go out and enjoy some alone time. I don’t know why, but I was nervous about it and felt guilty. But once I was out the door and on the road I felt much better about it.

It is AMAZING what a little bit of alone time can do. This was my first outing by myself since baby was born. I cranked up my music and sang in the car, did a little shopping, ate lunch in the car, went to Barnes & Noble and sat at the Starbucks drinking an iced latte and eating a cookie while reading my book, and finally I went grocery shopping—ALONE.

By the time I got home, I felt so refreshed. I was able to be the patient and loving mother and wife that I want to be. I really needed a break—I see that now and so does hubby. Even baby girl seemed happier after having some quality time with daddy. I think we both needed a little break from each other!

Sunday, hubby’s dad invited us out for Chinese. And then that evening we all left on a little road trip to meet some of hubby’s relatives. That was completely unplanned.

Yesterday, I had an appointment with my psychiatrist and I explained everything to her. I don’t feel like she really hears me. I feel like I’m being rushed in and pushed out sometimes. She tells me the exact same things every single time. She asks me questions that I answer the same every single time. She obviously does not look at my file before seeing me and I find that frustrating.

Anyways, she tells me that of course I have chemical based depression and that means that I don’t have enough serotonin. But how does she know that’s what’s causing my symptoms? She’s just guessing. I tried to explain everything that happens, etc. and her answer is to up my anxiety meds and doubled my Xanax and told me to take it before I get anxious. Ummm? How am I supposed to know beforehand that I am going to be too anxious for my own health?

She says the buzzing feeling in my arms and my legs is the anxiety. She asks me abruptly, “Why do you feel like that?”—Well, I don’t know! That’s the point. Isn’t that exactly what depression and anxiety are? You have thoughts and feelings and you don’t know why or how to stop them. You’d think a psychiatrist would know that. Something isn’t quite right and I want to figure out what isn’t right before I just keep taking more and more medications.

I told her how it was like a flip of a switch for me and the depression comes on suddenly and can last for days or for weeks. Her response, “we all have times we feel sad, even on the medications”. DUH. There is a big difference between feeling sad, and feeling like you want to die, lacking all energy, crying all the time, feeling like a dark cloud surrounds you, and feeling hopeless. I know what it feels like to have a bad day—and what I feel is not just a bad day. But she doesn’t seem to hear me. Maybe it’s time to find a new psychiatrist.

Anyways, baby girl came down with a 102 fever yesterday afternoon. Poor baby. She went to bed last night at 6:30 and is still sleeping this morning at 10 a.m.! That’s a sure sign she doesn’t feel well. I’m glad she is resting though because that’s the best medicine. Hopefully it’s short lived.

9 Tips for Achieving Healthy Living Goals & Finding Life Balance

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SamsClubMag #CollectiveBias

Almost eight months have passed since you set those new year’s resolutions. Are you closer to achieving those goals or have you made steps in the wrong direction?

My progress has been slow, but I continue to make small changes with the ultimate goal of creating healthy habits that will last a lifetime and not just a couple of weeks.

With August being Health Awareness Month, it’s a good time to take a look at your health (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) and make sure that you are finding the right life balance. It’s a balance that takes mindful planning to achieve.

These tips are some of the ways that have helped me achieve success with my healthy living goals in the past and making this list has been a good reminder for me get back on track with my goals.

 

1. Do the Prep Work

There’s a lot to say for convenience. I am notorious for making bad food choices when I’m hungry. I’ll open the fridge and say, “There’s nothing to eat…”, and proceed to stuff my mouth with whatever is convenient.

Here’s the good news—with a little preparation, even healthy foods can be convenient.

For example, cut up fruits and veggies and have them ready to eat in the fridge. Fill small plastic storage bags (or small reusable containers) with the recommended serving size of your favorite snack to prevent overeating. Cook chicken or salmon on the weekends so that it’s ready to grab for a quick and healthy lunch during the hectic work week.

 

2. Prioritize Quiet Time

We live in an over-scheduled, noisy, and violent world. It’s important to take time to be quiet and listen to nothing other than our own thoughts. If you’re not used to this practice, it may seem difficult at first—but after a while you will come to treasure those peaceful moments.

There are a variety of ways that you can make the most of your quiet time. Sit down and read that book you’ve been meaning to read. Journal your thoughts and enjoy the therapeutic benefits. Meditate or pray to benefit the soul. Even just leisurely sipping a cup of coffee and taking in the scent and taste can be centering.

 

3. Take Vitamins/Supplements

If you’re already taking a daily multivitamin, give yourself a pat on the back! There are a variety of supplements that can benefit body and mind. Taking fish oil can have numerous health benefits, including supporting heart health. If you have trouble sleeping, melatonin supplements can often help. Consult your physician to find out what’s best for you.

When shopping at Sam’s Club, I love to browse the Healthy Living section. They carry everything you could possibly need to stay happy and well. And they have the most heavenly produce section that makes it easy to eat nutritiously. I love being a Sam’s Club member!

 

4. Lend a Hand

Doing good for others is a natural mood booster. There can never be too much kindness in the world. There are a millions ways to give—donate your blood to save lives, volunteer in your community, visit the elderly, drop off a freezer meal at a tired new mom’s house, hold the door open for the person behind you, or shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk in the winter. The possibilities are endless.

 

5. Hydrate

The average human is made up of approximately 65% water. Think about that—over 1/2 of you is water! It’s pretty amazing to think about and proves how essential hydrating with H2O is to human life and health. I feel a million times better when I am well hydrated and I feel even better when I’m using a reusable water bottle—saving the environment one sip at a time!

 

6. Checkup on Your Health

Getting a regular health checkup can save your life. I’ve heard countless stories of people who, during a regular checkup, find out they are in the early stages of cancer, and the fact that it was caught early meant that they were able to effectively treat it. I’ve also heard countless stories of people who ignore the symptoms and end up finding out they have a terminal illness by the time they go to the doctor for a check up. Make yourself a priority and keep tabs on your health.

Sometimes achieving good health means having a health screening done and facing the facts so that you can set goals for improvement. Once you meet those goals, monitoring your health is important in maintaining it. On September 12th, Sam’s Club is offering an in store free health screening—the perfect opportunity to check up on your health.

 

7. Make Physical Activity Fun

I struggle to find exercise that I love to do and I know that’s the secret to being consistent with it. I love to go for bike rides and explore nature trails. I love to swim. Sometimes being active just means that I do whatever I have to do to keep moving—such as going to the mall and walking around window shopping.

I have also enjoyed running numerous 5Ks and saving my race bibs to make a fun collage, which is displayed in my workout room. I’ve earned one medal for participation, but it is a goal of mine to someday earn a medal for placing in my age group. Setting goals like this can make exercise more fun because you have something to work towards.

But the struggle is real and that’s why finding an exercise that you enjoy doing is so important. You have to love what you do!

 

8. Be a Lifelong Learner

You literally can never stop learning. Isn’t the thought of that inspiring? There is so much more to learn and discover!

One of my favorite ways to continue learning is to listen to podcasts while I’m cleaning the house. It makes an otherwise dreadful task more bearable. I am a bit of a nerd, so I listen to a podcast about grammar, but I also listen to podcasts about finance, personal development, creative inspiration, current events, and healthy living. I know that I am better because of it.

I also love to read, whether it be literature, news stories, or light hearted essays. The Sam’s Club Healthy Living Made Simple Magazine is a great source for keeping up with healthy living topics.

 

9. Unplug and Unwind

While scrolling through social media is enticing, you can waste a lot of time reading about the lives of others while you’re completely wasting away your own. Every once in a while, completely unplug—put the phone down, turn off Netflix, and shut down your laptop.

Grab some friends and family and have some good old-fashioned fun. Go for a picnic, play a board game, toss a ball around, or even run through the sprinkler. Live life. Enjoy life. You’ll never regret it and I’m also willing to bet that you’ll be much happier with the memories of a good time spent with loved ones than you would be if you sat on the couch looking at your phone.

Making good memories will give you something to smile about later—it’s just simply good for your health!

 

These are just a few of the many ways to find life balance for physical, emotional, and spiritual healthy living. Sam’s Club has everything I need to work towards my healthy living goals.

What’s your favorite item at Sam’s Club that helps you work towards your healthy living goals?

P.S. Don’t forget to get your free Health Screening at Sam’s Club!

Methods to Relieve Sore Muscles

Whenever I am on my feet and more active, I start to get hip pain. Eventually it goes from my hip all the way down to my feet. My hips are almost always very tight and I would love some mid and lower back pain relief. It’s really uncomfortable and will even keep me up at night.

It seems that I am constantly popping ibuprofen and I don’t like to do that. I am interested in natural pain relief so I decided to take a look at a few options.

1. I have a foam body roller, like the Melt Method roller shown below, and it is very effective in relieving muscle pain. I found a lot of exercises on YouTube to help stretch my hip, butt and leg muscles. This is an invaluable tool.

2. I know that I need to stretch more in general. Yoga has been effective for me in the past and I used to enjoy doing it after a run when my hips and legs were sore and tight. I think that if I began a daily routine of stretching that I could improve my overall wellbeing because it would also be great for stress relief—and I definitely need help with that simply by nature!

3. I was really intrigued when I was introduced to the Melt Method, which offers a simple, proactive approach to maintaining a healthy, pain-free, active lifestyle. It is a natural self-treatment solution designed for anyone that wants to feel better, regardless of age, gender, or current activity level. Just 10 minutes, three times a week can help reduce stress on the body caused by daily living—I could handle that!

4. Last year for my first mother’s day, hubby told me to book a massage as part of my gift. Would you believe it has almost been a year and I still haven’t booked a massage? I can guarantee that a massage would definitely make my sore back muscles feel a lot better.

5. I also like to go to the chiropractor and it is effective, it’s just hard to be able to go multiple times a week and it does get expensive doing that. But maybe if I even went once a month it would make me feel better.

What are your favorite ways for to relieve sore and tight muscles?

Disclaimer: This post written in partnership with MeltMethod.com. All words are my own.