Tag Archives: body

Apr5

The Cause Of Your Depression Might Not Be What You Think

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The Cause Of Your Depression Might Not Be What You Think

Dealing with depression can be really tough. We all go through a range of different health struggles in life, and some are always easier to put up with than others. When we’re sick, doctors can also diagnose us based on the physical symptoms we have. But when it comes to mental health, we all seem to find that it is so much harder to deal with.

It’s not always easy to know why you feel so down or what’s causing it. However, if you’re sick of feeling that way and you want to change things, you’re going to want to take control. And to do this, it is going to help you to figure out what the cause of your depression might be in order to put it right. So let’s take a look at some of the things that could be causing it:

A Negative Mindset:

Negativity can really impact how you feel mentally. Our brains are programmed to feel negative and to react to external forces in different ways. But, if you tend to focus on negativity and the bad in life, this will bring you down. It may be tough at first, but if you can start to focus on the good things, practice gratitude, and being more positive, it may be the first step to dragging you out of your depression.

A Hormone Imbalance:

Sometimes, there can be a chemical reason for why you’re feeling the way that you do. When this is the case, you’re going to want to consider supplements such as eurycomanone to combat low mood and depression. But it’s important to consult your doctor to work out the best approach to finding a balance before you try it out for yourself. Prior to your doctor’s appointment, take the time to make a list of your symptoms that would point to a hormone balance as opposed to having depression. This could include weight gain primarily in the midsection, fatigue, or a decreased libido. Your doctor will be able to put you on a path to Optimize your Hormone Health so that you can get back to feeling like your normal self. Be sure to take note of any positive or negative experiences with the plan your doctor worked out so you can easily make adjustments.

Poor Diet:

You’ll also find that a poor diet is going to really impact your health levels. Because, in short, a poor diet makes us feel depressed! When you’re eating junk, you will feel like junk. Try making sure that your diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and you will find that your body and mind will start to feel good.

A Lack Of Exercise:

Similarly, a lack of exercise is also going to harm your mental health. When you exercise, you’re able to get your body and mind into a much better place. So perhaps your lack of activity is what is bringing on your depressive spells? Find a work out that you genuinely enjoy doing and get moving. It’s even better if you are working out outside as you can reduce depressive symptoms outdoors to improve both your mental and physical health.

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Yoga is a great choice!

Lifestyle Choices:

And finally, you may find that the reason you’re feeling so low is that you’re not really in control of your life. Maybe you’ve been pushed in the wrong direction by your parents from a young age, you’re in the wrong relationship, or you’re not following a career that you love? These may all seem like very small issues, but they can all negatively impact your mental health. Maybe it’s time for you to use what you’ve learned in point one (and everything else) and get the strength to make the right lifestyle choices that will make you happy and kick your depression for you.

Getting Help:

Making positive changes in your life can certainly help improve your depression. However, you might not be able to do it without support and that is okay. You might want to consider seeing a therapist or a counselor to begin discussing these feelings. If you find you need something more intensive and structured, you could begin researching for an iop in southern california (or your local area). Intensive Outpatient Programs can make a huge difference through building community, understanding, and integrative therapy to help you live your best life. Seeking help can transform your life and there is absolutely no shame in it.

Depression is no joke, and kicking it in the butt can only help to improve your every day life.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Apr3

Is Nutrition Just A Balancing Act?

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Is Nutrition Just A Balancing Act?

A lot of times when we read articles about nutrition or see a nutritionist terms such as “balanced” and “in moderation” show up. Yet, surely nutrition must be a little more complex than one big balancing act? Not necessarily. We as humans like to over complicate things due to our intelligent and ego driven brains when nutrition, like so many basic aspects of life, is a very simple equation.

You’ve probably heard of the saying “you are what you eat”. Indeed, this may have been drilled into you from an early age – but how much attention do you honestly pay to this principle? You don’t need GI doctors to tell you that all that sugar, saturated fat, and caffeine is bad for your health and well being. We all know that excessive sugar, fat, and salt are bad for our hearts and can cause Type II diabetes… yet, we keep on doing the same thing.

Rather than beat yourself up and make all sorts of rules about what you can and can’t eat, the best way to approach the great balancing act of nutrition is to picture a bank account. With a bank account there are deposits and withdrawals. The deposits nourish your bank balance while the withdrawals deplete it. If there are too many withdrawals, the account becomes overdrawn, and you end up in financial trouble.

Using this metaphor as a parallel for nutrition, it’s clear that deposits and withdrawals exist. As an example, drinking a vitamin filled smoothie could be considered a deposit because you are investing nutrients that are going to replenish and revitalize your body. Whereas eating a chocolate bar would be considered to be a withdrawal because it is not doing anything for you.

Making the occasional withdrawal is fine, as this way, there is still an equilibrium. If you are to withdraw more from this bank account nutritionally then you are putting in is when you run into problems. That’s when serious diseases start to occur. The word disease represents that your body is in a state of dis-ease; meaning it is out of balance.  No matter what your current condition of health is, the best way to ensure a long and healthy life is to keep your bank account in credit and balance the books!

Nutrition is important. And what is equally as important to what we put in our mouths, is how often and how intensely we move our bodies. Just a twenty minute walk at a moderate pace with some good music will do the trick to get you into the “aerobic zone”.  One of the most universal and all around forms of exercise that requires very little equipment, and is accessible for all, is swimming. It is easy on your body and it sure is fun.

The bank account of your health depends primarily on two things; the food you eat and the amount of exercise that you complete. Hopefully, this simple metaphor of the bank account will inspire you to make better day to day choices and keep on top of the balancing act that is nutrition.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Mar31

Are You Struggling With Your Health?

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Are You Struggling With Your Health?

Are you constantly feeling run down, as though you’ve got no energy left to do anything at all? It’s a common occurrence for people to start feeling like that. There are so many things that we could be doing to potentially harm our bodies, yet we carry on doing them. Even the littlest things like how much sleep we’re getting can dramatically reduce our health within a few weeks. But to get to the point where you feel as though you’re struggling with your health can be pretty worrying, so we’ve got some ways to solve the most common ways that people could be damaging their health:

Toxins:

The main reason why so many people struggle with their health is due to the many toxins that they’re including in their diet. It can be a range of things, but one of the most common ways we’re doing it is through the abuse of alcohol. A cheeky drink at the end of every day can so easily turn into an addiction, and an addiction can be hard to crack. One thing you might want to consider doing if you ever got to this point would be addiction counseling. It is one of the easiest ways to get out of the habit that you’re in, and it is always good to talk to someone about what you’re going through.

Depending on the level of your addiction, you might need something more intensive than counseling alone like an outpatient treatment center or a live in rehab. If this is the route you want to take, be sure to find a facility that fits your preferences. It could be a program that’s out of state, a rehab specific for men or a rehab for women, or a facility with a pretty view to inspire. You want a place that you can thrive so make some calls and take tours to find your best fit. It can feel scary to make a big change and taking tours of different facilities can help ease your mind. That way, you will know exactly what you’re getting into. Take the time to research different Drug and alcohol rehab centers and be proud of yourself. This is a big step!

Other toxins that so many of us are putting into our bodies is through food. We’re going through a time where people are skipping the vital vitamins and minerals from their diet, and replacing them with foods that are high in fats and sugars. If you want to get back on track with your health, consider changing to a diet that includes a lot of leafy greens and fruits.

Aging Problems:

Some things we can’t help, but it is just something that we go through as we get older. For example, menopause for women is not a nice experience to go through. A lot of women actually really struggle with the process, and it can make their health feel really low. There’s the sweats, mood swings, and fatigue, among many others to try and cope with. But, it is a natural aging process that can’t be stopped. Another, possibly more crippling problem, is arthritis. Again, something that can’t be avoided, but can be managed. The best thing to do is use anti-inflammatory gels to reduce inflammation and, more importantly, keep the joints active so that it doesn’t seize up.

Work Related Problems:

The work that we do sometimes can cause us the biggest issues. Even something that might seem so easy as sitting at a desk can cause us to struggle with our health. For one, you’ve got the postural issues to contend with. Sitting at a desk for hours a day will no doubt affect it, but you can get foam cushions that will support your back to keep it up right. Then, there’s the issue of weight gain if you’re a snacker at the desk. It might not seem bad in the beginning, but the lack of exercise during the day coupled with a poor diet will eventually equal weight gain. Try and stay as active and healthy as possible by walking around the office and standing every hour to stretch after a stint in your chair.

Lifestyle choices can be altered and can improve your health for the better, one simple change at a time.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Mar28

Introducing Sleep Hygiene To Your Life

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Introducing Sleep Hygiene To Your Life

If you’re someone who struggles to get to sleep at night, or you’re the kind of person who lays awake for hours just waiting for sleep to catch up with you, then there’s a good chance that you do not have the best sleep hygiene. This is a relatively new concept that’s been getting a lot of attention recently, with more and more people complaining of insomnia and research into sleep disorders becoming a wide medical field.

If you want to introduce it into your life, because let’s face it, at this point you’ll take anything to make sure you get a good night’s sleep, then here’s some basic tips. It’s important to remember that not everything works for everyone before frustration makes you give up on the entire premise!

Get Relaxed Before Bed:

It’s all well and good that you can fall onto the softest mattress from Sterling Sleep Systems, but you need to get properly relaxed before that to make sure that sleep takes hold of you in the shortest time possible. The best way to do this is to implement a routine for the nighttime that gets your body used to switching off and falling asleep, and gets your brain to remember that sleep is its friend!

Make sure that you’re washing in warm water before you head to the dream world, as a bath or shower can release tension from your muscles and give you a very refreshing feeling. You could also try stretching yourself out before you sleep; yes, a bit of exercise before saying goodnight could help you. Your body doesn’t need to settle into a lethargic position before you fall into a restful slumber, after all.

Keep it Dark:

Your brain needs to focus and only focus on trying to get to sleep, and that means your sleep environment needs to be calm and quiet for you to slumber away in. Making sure it’s dark is a good way to indicate to your open eyes that it’s time to rest. This isn’t something everyone finds relaxing, of course, but you can easily minimize the effect of harsh lighting before you go to sleep by turning off the phone or the TV, or dimming these screens down.

Try Not to Nap:

Everyone needs to nap from time to time, but if you’re taking two to three hour naps in the middle of the day, you’re going to suffer at bedtime. This is because your body doesn’t feel tired due to the extra energy, and let’s face it, you already know this is a problem you have to conquer. If you do need to nap, try to limit the time to 30 minutes, with 20 minutes being the optimum. It can erase the tiredness behind your eyes and really boost your mood, so feel free to take these shorter naps.

Sleep hygiene is quite effective to practice and can make going into the land of nod a lot easier.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Mar28

Eight Confidence Boosting Tips For Every Day

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Eight Confidence Boosting Tips For Every Day

We’re all dreaming of the day when we wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and are happy with what we see. Until that day arrives, we can work on our self-esteem and confidence, so we can learn to appreciate the beauty on the inside and the outside, and become more aware of our flaws and best features. Confidence can help you find the best ways of creating your own style, achieving your goals, and becoming more successful. From learning to appreciate your skills and knowledge to working on your limitations, there are plenty of ways that you can boost your confidence to look and feel better every day. Here are a few tips for you to consider:

1.   Positive Affirmations

To build your confidence, you might want to find some positive affirmations that you can repeat to yourself every day. When you don’t feel like meeting people, or you feel like you look ten years older than you are, you have to acknowledge the thoughts and focus on the positives. Some people call this the “fake it till you become it” attitude, but you shouldn’t try to pretend to be someone else. Instead, find positive things about yourself and focus on what you have achieved instead of what you failed at.

2.   Self-Compassion

If you fear rejection or failure, you are likely to have inner frustrations and anger to deal with. The best approach is to learn self-compassion through meditation and mindfulness training. You will find that you have to love yourself and recognize your value before others would. Self-compassion is an approach that helps you become the best you can by looking after number one, and focusing on your self-image instead of what other people think about you. Chances are that you are not happy with plenty of things in your life, but if you focus on what you are doing right, you can find a helpful solution.

3.   Goals and Achievements

Once you have learned self-compassion, you have to list your goals and achievements. Think about what you have done well in your life and acknowledge your personal strengths. To develop yourself further, you could set yourself SMART goals. They are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-relevant. This will help you stay focused on your long term goals, whether they are related to your career, personal life, or your appearance.

4.   Congratulate Yourself

Once you have achieved a goal, you need to congratulate yourself. You can set yourself a reward for completing each task or achieving the goal, depending on what works the best for you. If you happen to be a maximalist, you need to learn to settle for “good enough” instead of perfect all of the time. Even if other people don’t acknowledge your achievements, you have to look after your confidence and emotional balance, by congratulating yourself. You might even print off some motivational certificates and display them on your wall whenever you achieve a new goal.

5.   Changing What You Can

Sometimes we have problems with our behavior, emotions, or appearance that impacts our whole life. If this is the case, you should seek professional help. Counseling can aid your self-discovery, and help you find the reasons why you have low confidence. If you can fix the issue, you should. Some women benefit from breast augmentation and feel better and more confident in their skin, while others opt for exercise or skin treatments. Find what you want to change and start actively seeking the solution.

Should the surgical route be the one you wish to take, then that is perfectly okay! There is nothing wrong with opting for plastic surgery as long as you are safe about it. The most important thing you can do is find an excellent surgeon and it can be helpful to schedule a few consultations at different practices. To get started simply enter a search for “Top Breast Augmentation Experts Philadelphia” (or your local area) and shop around to find the best fit for you and your needs. Your safety and comfort are paramount so do not settle for anything less than the best.

6.   Managing Your Frustrations

It is important to deal with your frustrations. If you don’t feel good about how the dress looks on you or would like to improve your mental health by learning to accept yourself, you can change how you feel. While it is important to better yourself, sometimes you are too critical with yourself. Ask for feedback from your friends and family members to find out whether or not your assumptions are founded on facts or your imagination. You might feel like you are not looking your best, while most of your friends will be jealous of your style.

7.   Focusing Less on Impressing Others

It is important that you learn to realistically assess your looks and behavior, and not try to impress others with everything you do. Simply put, you should do what makes you happy, instead of what impresses others. Likewise, wear what you feel good and confident in. If you’re not checking the feedback from others every minute, you can focus on developing yourself. There are several methods to help you achieve a higher confidence level and doing your own thing instead of fearing criticism. Tell yourself that if someone doesn’t like you it is their problem, and don’t try to be friends with everyone.

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Eloise Ambursley Image

8.   Daring Not to Fit In

If you feel better having tattoos and piercings, do so. In some lines of work this is a taboo, but if it fits in with your career choices, nobody should tell you what not to do. Some people wear purple or blue hair with confidence and are happy that they can express themselves. If you talk a different way than others, have a unique humor, or are a “new type of weird”, don’t be ashamed; be proud of who you are. Whatever makes you feel good in your skin is allowed. If you can express who you are by how you speak, act, and dress, take the opportunity, and you’ll find that many people will find you unique and interesting.

Being confident and feeling good in your skin is an ultimate way of becoming a happy person. You should ignore the negative inner voices and criticism. Dare to be yourself, and express your personality. Use positive affirmations and learn self-compassion. Accept your limitations, but make changes that increases your confidence and well-being. People who have a good relationship with themselves are more likely to have true friends and meaningful relationships with others.

Featured Image By: George Bohunicky

Mar23

Feel Better, Look Better

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Feel Better, Look Better

We all have this obsession with wanting to look perfect. We want to have that killer body, with those pearly whites, and flawless skin. But have you ever thought that in order to achieve those things, you need to ensure that you’re healthy and well on the inside? The healthier that you are, the better you will not only feel, but look too. Ever heard of that saying “my body is my temple”? Well everyone should think this way about themselves – you should worship it and want to do all that you can in order to be better.

Rather than focusing so much on how that girl’s body looks on Instagram and how she got her hair to look that shiny – think about how you can make yourself feel good. One of the biggest mistakes that every woman (and man) can make, is to compare themselves to others. Especially when it comes to a photograph. You need to realize that things aren’t all that real anymore. Those models you see in the magazines – they’ve been picked apart and had all their ‘bad’ areas photoshopped. That means no more cellulite, stretch marks, freckles, scars, or spots. So you can’t possibly compare yourself to that. Even Instagram nowadays is hard to decipher what is real and what isn’t, as there are so many filters and edits that are made within a mere few clicks of a button on a phone – you just can’t win. So put all of that attention into focusing on yourself – you haven’t got time to waste on negative thoughts.

Strengthen your mind:

You may think that improvements are to be made on your appearance, but the first place that you should be giving some love to is your mind. This is the place where all of your thoughts and feelings come from. So you know when you look in a mirror and hear those nagging voices in the back of your mind that tell you you’re not good enough? That all comes from your brain, so you need to work on changing your perception of things. One trick to doing this is telling yourself that you’re beautiful every single day. Out loud. It doesn’t matter if you feel silly. Stand up tall, look at yourself, and declare your beauty. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it yet – you will. Say one beautiful thing about yourself, but this doesn’t necessarily mean in terms of your looks. Think more about your traits and qualities. “I am beautiful because I’m kind.” “I am beautiful because I’m compassionate.” These reinforce the whole meaning of what beauty really is.

Give your body what it needs:

Your body needs certain nutrients and vitamins in order for it to function to the best of its ability. You should feel energized and, well, not tired and moody. All of these things are affected by what you put inside your body. Every different vitamin provides you with an essential source. This is why supplements are a good idea for people that are on the go a lot, because they don’t have to worry about not getting exactly what they need if it’s all there in a capsule, instead. KetoMCT is very good at fueling your brain and keeping it focused and alert, as well as supporting your weight management and boosting your immune system. All of these things are vital if you want to live a healthy life. Another trick that you can do is to eat as much of a colored variety of fruits and vegetables as you possibly can. The bigger the array, the more selection of goodness you are making available to your body.

Keep yourself in shape:

If you have noticed that you’ve gained some extra pounds and you aren’t happy about it, then it’s simple – do something about it. One of the biggest things to battle is laziness. We all suffer from it at one time or another, and finding the motivation to fight it can be very difficult. But, this is where you need to start being strict with yourself. If you expect to see a difference, then you need to put in the work. There are plenty of great exercises out there that you can do that are easy, and don’t necessarily require you to go to the gym. If you like the water, then swimming is a great workout, especially if you are a little heavier, because water makes you weightless, as opposed to if you were running. This is why it is so great for practicing mobility without the worry of straining yourself or causing an injury. Then as soon as you feel ready to push further – add some weights to the mix for added resistance.

Support one another:

Us girls need to stick together, not hate on one another. So spread the love and all of that positive energy that you know you have within you. Go out with your girlfriends, shop together, and give each other some tips to update your style a little. Let’s face it, shopping is a lot more fun when it’s done with your besties. Make a whole day of it and put on a fashion show with tons of different looks that you have all picked out. You may learn a lot about yourself that you would have never known if you hadn’t have tried on that weird frilly dress that looked gross on the hanger, but ends up making you look like a true woman. Then, after your long shopping spree, you can hit the fancy restaurant in your just-bought outfit and enjoy your new found confidence thanks to the awesome company you have around you.

Now, of course, you can’t expect things to miraculously change overnight. But with a little bit of patience and persistence, you will have a brighter outlook on yourself – and for good reason!

Featured Image By: Google

Mar22

Confidence Boosting Secrets You Can’t Deny

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Confidence Boosting Secrets You Can’t Deny

If you are looking to improve the way that you think about yourself, it is a good idea to be aware of the many options there are available for you to do just that. The more that you know about how to boost your confidence, the more likely it is that you will be able to maintain a real sense of it for longer. In this article, we are going to look at some of the secrets to boosting your confidence, which you can’t deny are powerful. Give all of these a go if you want to feel as confident in yourself as possible. You might be surprised at the power that these methods really do hold:

Improve Your Appearance:

People often get confused or upset about the subject of improving your appearance. The fact is, that you don’t need to try and make yourself fit into a typical beauty standard in order to be confident or happy. It’s not about looking in such a way that society wants you to look, or even about trying to attract the opposite sex. It’s all about looking the way that you personally want to look, despite what others might think. For some people, the only thing they want is a breast augmentation. For others, all that is required is to dress differently or slim down a little. Whatever your own idea of beautiful is, follow it with your heart and it will lead you to a place of better self-acceptance in no time.

Go Outside Of Your Comfort Zone:

Probably the single most powerful way to build your confidence is to engage in acts which you find difficult or scary to engage in. In other words, you generally need to go outside of your comfort zone regularly if you are to try and feel as confident in yourself as you would like to. This can be done in a variety of ways. It might be a case of trying to complete a new kind of project – or maybe you just want to get involved in a new sport that you haven’t tried before. Whatever it might be, trying new things and becoming generally more adept at them will make you feel like you can do anything – which is absolutely true. You can.

Smile:

It’s a proven fact that smiling regularly boosts endorphins and helps you to feel better about yourself. If you are struggling with any other confidence-boosting method, then a simple and powerful one could be to just smile and relax. Even if you don’t feel like it, giving a great big grin could sometimes be the best thing to do. What’s more, doing it regularly will help you to change what you think of yourself in a profound way, so it’s definitely something that you should try out. You might be amazed at just how much of a difference it makes – and how fast it happens, too. For that reason alone it is something to consider, regardless of whether you have thought to do it before or not.

In this world, confidence is key and boosting it could be the best thing that you do for yourself.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Mar17

Pick Up The Pacer

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Pick Up The Pacer

Howdy! While it may not be warm enough to run outside at the moment in Ohio, I do try to walk as often as I can. Whether that be a quick walk around the block with my dogs or walking around the room during my TV time, I try to stay active. I am one of those people that love to have numbers. How many steps did I take? How many miles was it? How many calories did I burn?

Since warmer weather will be among us soon and that means tiny shorts and crop tops, I have been trying to get in the best shape possible. And since I love numbers, I decided to download the Pacer pedometer app. And, I have to say, I’m obsessed.

I’ve been using Pacer for the past week or so and have really been enjoying it. It gives you your step, calorie, and distance count, which is all of the information that I want to know. The counts update every time you view it and, believe me, I view it often. When I see the numbers going up and up during the day, it gives me such motivation to increase it even more to get to that next mile or next thousand steps.

Thanks to Pacer, I can definitely say that I’ve been more active and it’s only been a week of using it! When I’m watching TV, I almost look forward to the commercial breaks so that I can get up and begin my walks around the room and hallway. I even take my steps in place during the actual show so that I can get my walk on and still view my guilty pleasures! It’s not much, but I sure feel good about it!

How do you increase your activity during the day? Who else uses a pedometer to monitor their movement? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Lollipuff

Mar12

Pregnancy & Mental Health: Overcoming Your Insecurities

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Pregnancy & Mental Health: Overcoming Your Insecurities

Pregnant women go through a lot of both physical and mental stress, which leads to so many insecurities popping up. People often talk about how your physical health suffers when you’re pregnant, but the mental side of things is rarely discussed in detail. As a result, we want to break the stigma and speak about the common mental insecurities you face while carrying a child. Hopefully, this helps any women out there going through pregnancy and feeling some of the things talked about in this piece. Take a look at all of the insecurities, down below:

I Look Disgusting

You wake up, haul yourself out of bed, and look at yourself in the mirror. One thought pops into your head; I’m disgusting. You feel like you look horrible and have just become so ugly. It makes you unbelievably self-conscious, and you don’t want to be seen in public. As a consequence, you retire to the sofa where you comfort eat all day, which fuels these feelings of insecurity.

Needless to say, this is all a mental issue. In fact, many people think women get more attractive when they’re pregnant, and that they have a special glow to them. There are a few things that you can do to overcome this insecurity, some are in your head, others are more practical.

First, change the clothes you wear so you feel more comfortable and aren’t trying to squeeze into your old jeans and tops. You can actually buy loose-fitting maternity scrubs from various websites, and these are great when you’re pregnant as they don’t really show your figure. So, you don’t see anything bulging, your clothes don’t feel tight, and you’re instantly in a better frame of mind.

Second, you need to think more clearly. Understand that you might not look your best because you had a rough night’s sleep or because you were up with morning sickness. Carrying a child is no walk in the park, it takes its toll on your body. So, there will be natural things that happen, which can make you – temporarily – look a little worse for wear. But, you often find you’ll look and feel a lot better after a nice long shower or bath. Try this every morning, and you’ll overcome this insecurity.

I’m Not Ready To Be A Mother:

This is probably one of the toughest insecurities you face when you’re pregnant. Almost all expecting moms go through a phase where they freak out and think they’re not ready to be a mother. For some, it’s right at the start, when they first find out they’re pregnant. For others, it’s right near the end when it suddenly dawns on you that you could be a mom at any moment. Of course, it can happen at any time in between too, and it may last for weeks, months, days, or minutes.

It’s common to feel this way because you’re entering the unknown. As humans, we mentally recoil whenever we’re faced with something that’s not known to us. It’s like walking into a dark cave, our brain sends out warning signals because we have no idea what lies ahead. If you’re pregnant for the first time, you’ve got no clue what could happen. You have no idea if you can be a mom or even how to be a mom, so it’s normal to get some prenatal jitters.

The only way to overcome this is through reassurance. Reassure yourself that you can be a mom and that you’ll make a great one, at that. Often, having others around you tell you that you can do something will make you think more positively, too. Also, get advice from other moms, read books, resources, and just brush up on your knowledge. This helps you learn what to expect, which prepares you for motherhood and helps banish the nerves. If your anxiety is particularly overwhelming, it is a good idea to look into different options for counseling. Read some online reviews, seek recommendations, and visit websites to learn more about their therapy services. Don’t be afraid to shop around for the right counselor or therapist for you so you can get the best help possible for your situation.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgOrGqDFjyv/

I’m Overweight:

Normally, if you’re insecure about the way you look, you’re also insecure about your weight while pregnant. Now, we’ve decided to separate this insecurity from the first one because they are two different things. Being insecure about the way you look can mean you’re not happy with your hair, face, body; whatever. But, being insecure about your weight means you’re very self-conscious about feeling fat.

It’s dangerous, because feelings like this can often lead to eating disorders. You may refuse to eat food because you think you’re fat, which ultimately starves you and your baby of vital nutrition. The reason most women are insecure about their weight is because of the fact that they look bigger when they’re pregnant. But, this is natural. Another person is growing inside of you, you’re obviously going to look bigger!

You can put your mind at ease by doing some light exercise and trying to follow a healthy diet. At the very least, this will keep you healthy during pregnancy, leading to a healthier birth. On a mental level, the fact that you’re doing exercise and aren’t binge eating will help you come to terms with your extra size being down to the baby and not you being fat.

The mental side of pregnancy doesn’t get discussed much. Hopefully, this has shone a light on how your mental health is affected when you’re carrying a child. Also, we hope it helps you overcome these nagging insecurities if you suffer from them!

Featured Image By: Max Pixel

Feb24

Trying Something New

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Trying Something New

Hello everyone and happy weekend! Saying that this winter has been below average would be putting it nicely, because it really freaking sucked. But, life goes on, and sometimes you just have to keep pushing through until your next big exciting break happens. To keep myself from going insane, I have been trying to incorporate some new things into my life to keep my mental health in check and to have some fun.

One thing that I love to do is learn new languages. I speak English and pretty above decent French, if I do say so myself. Learning new languages has always been a fun thing for me, rather than a chore. So, to add to the fun, I began teaching myself American Sign Language about two months ago and I’m really enjoying it. I try my best to practice for at least a little bit every day and am proud of the progress that I’ve made. I also like to watch French films and TV shows or movies with sign language in it to keep myself sharp.

The great thing about learning a new language, is that there is always something new that you can learn within the language that you’re practicing. Constantly gaining knowledge helps keep my mind off of some of the bullshit, and it is one of my favorite ways to pass the time. I plan on learning Spanish next because, despite taking it for eight years in grade school, I can’t remember a darn thing and I’d like to have it in my language arsenal.

Another new activity that I have been trying, as per recommendation of my therapist, is yoga and meditation. I have taken yoga classes before and really enjoyed it, and with my therapist pushing it every week, I decided to give it another shot. I found free yoga and meditation classes at one of the local libraries and have had nothing but good experiences so far. And, since I ball on a budget, you can’t beat free!

Although I haven’t been having the best of times in life by any means at the moment, I am proud of myself for getting up and trying to learn something new instead of giving up and doing nothing with my day. I always feel good when I activate my mind and body and now, I just need to remind myself to keep doing it because I know that it works.

What is something new that you would like to try? Are you taking any classes or teaching yourself about a subject that you’re interested in? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pinterest