Tag Archives: mental health

Dec5

What’s The Skinny?

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What’s The Skinny?

Hi! Before we begin, I am going to put a trigger warning on this post for references to weight and eating disorders.

My weight and self image has always been something that I struggled with. I actually haven’t really thought about it in a while until one comment sent my mind back into a tailspin. With the holiday season in full swing now, I thought that it was high time to give everyone a friendly reminder so let’s get to it:

Due to COVID, it has probably been ages since people have seen their friends and family for a holiday gathering. In that time of everyone staying in and turning to video chat to connect, people’s bodies could change. Whether weight was gained or lost during that time it is NEVER your place to say anything. Why ruin someone’s day with a completely unwarranted comment?

Weight is a sensitive subject for many people and it is also something that can fluctuate for a multitude of reasons. Of course, it’s not anyone’s business but the person themselves and here are a few of many reasons for weight change: Medication, eating disorders, an illness, depression, PCOS, and so on and so forth.

I, myself, am well aware that I have lost weight thanks to everyone and their brother telling me. Just this past week, one of my old skating coaches who I haven’t seen since the start of the pandemic made it a point to tell me that I “trimmed down”. Little did he know, my weight gain came from a time of serious depression and a binge eating disorder. He also has no idea that I am a recovering bulimic.

What this person thought was a compliment hurt me deeply and it took me back mentally to when I could barely stand to look in the mirror. So, yeah, “you lost weight” is a statement that is filled with negative connotations when the person didn’t volunteer information like that they dieted or went to the gym.

Commenting on someone’s weight after you haven’t seen them in a while also can make it seem like the person’s self worth is directly correlated with how much they weigh. A true compliment if you feel the urge to say something would be that “you look happy”. And, if you’re unsure: Say nothing at all.

Words have power and as a writer, I know this firsthand. What my old coach deemed innocent enough has still been swirling around in my head days later. In fact, it originally made me not even want to go back to that rink at all. That’s pretty sad considering how much I look forward to my time on the ice.

This holiday season, I urge all of you to keep things merry and bright and leave comments about weight off the table. Chances are, your words are going to linger well beyond the holiday gathering.

Can anyone relate to the above sentiments? What is your favorite compliment to give? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov16

Improve Your Mental Health Today With These Steps

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Improve Your Mental Health Today With These Steps

If you feel as though your mental health isn’t as good as it once was, then you are not alone. Due to the pandemic, many people are in the same situation as you right now, but there are things that you can do to try and turn things around. Take a look below to find out more:

Treat Yourself with Respect:

It is so important that you treat yourself with both kindness and respect. Make time for your hobbies and any favorite projects that you might have. This is the best way for you to try and broaden your horizon and it will also help you to focus on yourself more. Do a crossword puzzle, try and start your own vegetable garden, or sign up for dance lessons. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something that makes you happy. If you can focus on the way that certain things make you feel, it’ll make it easier to seek out those enjoyable activities in the future.

Take Care of your Body:

If you want to be healthier, then you can start by drinking plenty of water. You also need to make sure that you exercise, as this can help improve your mood. If you don’t feel like you sleep enough, then you need to change this if possible. Lack of sleep can easily contribute to high levels of depression, especially if you are younger.

Surround yourself with Great People:

People who have strong social connections tend to be happier and healthier than those who do not have a support network at all. Make plans with your friends and seek out any activities where you might meet new people. If you can do this, then you will soon find your social circle expanding. This will help to boost your mental health more than you realize.

Deal with Stress and Find Ways to Relax:

You will never eliminate stress fully, but you can find new ways to deal with it. Try and spend some time with your pet or create a journal as this will help you to deal with your negative thoughts. Once a day, smile and see the humor in your life. Research has shown that laughter can boost your immune system and that it can also relax your body as well as reduce stress. You can also learn from the Eva Carlston Academy about ways to deal with stress through artistic expression, something which is very popular today.

Quiet your Mind:

Mindfulness, meditation, or prayer is a very good way for you to unwind and relax, not to mention that it can also improve your state of mind and your emotional outlook. Research has shown that meditation can help you to feel calm and more connected to yourself.

Break up the Monotony:

Routines can help you to be more efficient in the day to day happenings of your life. However, sometimes it does help to change things up. You can try something as small as altering your jogging route or as big as planning a road trip. Either way, if you focus on changing things up, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to support your mental health.

Seek Help:

Seeking help is a sign of strength and not a weakness at all. It is so important that you remember that you are not alone, and that people will always be there to help you if you need it. If you don’t feel as though you have anyone who you can talk to, then you should know that there are people online who specialize in helping those who are feeling down. If you feel like seeking counsel online isn’t enough for the problems you are facing, facilities like borden cottage (or similar programs in your local area) can be most helpful. Treatment centers offer a reprieve from your daily life so that you can focus on the most important thing, getting better.

If you have health issues, then make sure that you speak to your doctor. Your doctor will also be able to give recommendations for therapists to help as you navigate your illness. If you have a terminal illness, it may benefit you to seek support from Serenity Hospice Care. They can provide guidance and assistance with managing symptoms and addressing emotional needs. Seeking this type of support early on can help you and your loved ones prepare and cope with the challenges ahead.

The mental health treatment cost can be something that makes people avoid seeking help altogether. If finances are a factor in whether you get help or not, speak to your doctor and insurance for more viable options. When there is a will, there’s a way and it is so important to put yourself first if you are struggling.

Say No to People:

Sometimes the best thing that you can do for your mental health, is just say no. If you can say no to people who are asking too much from you or when you are just too tired, then this will help you to preserve your mental energy. It will also help you to feel more confident and it will increase your self-worth. If you say yes to people who always ask something of you, then you may find that your mental and physical energy ends up being drained. Saying no can be difficult, but if you want to start valuing your own time, then it is absolutely crucial.

Your mental health should be as much of a priority as your physical health and you can get started today with the tips above.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov9

Making Time For Me Time

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Making Time For Me Time

Hello! I am self employed and have been running two businesses for over half a decade now. Of course, I love my jobs so much but anyone who is their own boss can tell you that it can be highly stressful – especially because if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Two businesses means a demanding schedule with weeks feeling too long and the weekends, sadly, not being long enough!

I never really realize how much I push myself for my jobs until something as small as the common cold knocks me completely on my ass. On Halloween day, I woke up with an unbearable cold and it was a struggle to get out of bed. Thankfully, a scary movie day was on the agenda so not much movement was required but I had to call off of work on Monday, which is something that I rarely do.

For most people, a cold is something that they can usually still function through but for me, it was the polar opposite. This was pretty alarming to me and I knew that it was related to just how hard that I have been working for what feels like forever. Whenever I fall sick, I always tell myself that I am going to be more lenient with giving myself a day off if I need it. While it never happens, I actually mean it this time lol.

I will be taking time off for Thanksgiving and Christmas and in the new year, I am making it a resolution to give myself permission to give myself a break. This completely goes against my work ethic but I have now realized how important it is to give myself a mental and physical break from my work. I wish that meant lavish vacations to Paris but, in reality, it will be taking an afternoon off to get my nails done or spending a day playing Animal Crossing when I feel myself getting run down.

This, of course, won’t be a monthly thing but pushing through exhaustion isn’t healthy and I know that the next time I fall ill for days on end, I will be wishing that I gave myself a break. Chill evenings with TV and a face mask is great but it just isn’t enough after an uber busy work week and jam packed weekend.

My normal self care involves pampering of some kind but I have come to realize that it is so much more than that. I now know that a more effective form of self care for me would be being less hard on myself and allowing for a day of rest as needed. It will be difficult because it goes against everything that my brain is wired to think. However, I can’t have another half decade of success in my businesses without it!

What is your method of self care? How do you make time for you with a demanding schedule? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov5

Easy Ways To Start Elevating Your Confidence

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Easy Ways To Start Elevating Your Confidence

If you haven’t been feeling like yourself recently, you aren’t alone. In fact, 85% of adults deal with low-self esteem or confidence in their daily lives. While these figures are high, they are hardly surprising due to the fact that there are so many different factors that can inhibit our confidence. This could include societal pressures, the expectations of our peers or loved ones, or even a setback at work.

While so much of our confidence is impacted by external forces, it’s important to remember that true confidence comes from within. Furthermore, when you start to feel good about yourself, confidence will come naturally as you will no longer care about what other people may think. That being said, confidence is a lifelong journey – it’s not something that you can obtain overnight.

So, if you’ve decided that it’s time to get your confidence back, here are some top tips to get you started:

Start taking better care of yourself:

Our confidence levels are often greatly impacted by how we look (or rather, the way we feel about how we look). While it’s important to remember that beauty comes in many different shapes and sizes, taking better care of yourself can help you look and feel better in your daily life. For example, putting together a beauty routine can help to clear your skin. Additionally, making the most of dental services available to you can help you learn to love your smile once again, meaning that it will be impossible to keep a grin off of your face.

Start working out:

Exercising more frequently is a great way to boost your body confidence. However, it’s important that you don’t work out with the intention to lose weight but rather to change your relationship with your body for the better. To achieve this goal, you should not base your success on the scale or the size of clothing you are wearing but on your capabilities. If you were to start running every day, set yourself the goal of running a bit further each day and note how your body changes as you get stronger, faster, and more capable. Setting yourself small fitness goals will also help boost your confidence as they’ll show you that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.

Take a break from social media:

In a world where we spend so much time on our phones, it’s no wonder that social media can significantly impact our confidence. Social media constantly encourages us to compare ourselves to others, whether that’s due to the fact that every picture that your friends post looks perfect or they get a lot more likes on their latest upload than we do. If you want to challenge how you perceive yourself, it’s time to give yourself a break from the socials. Log out, deactivate, or even delete the apps from your phone, if only temporarily. When you return, you should ensure that you unfollow (or mute) any accounts that do not make you feel good about yourself.

As mentioned above, confidence is a lifelong journey and the tips above can help you get started on the right foot!

Featured Image By: Jordan Donaldson | @jordi.d on Unsplash

Oct25

How Not Sleeping Enough Affects Your Health

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How Not Sleeping Enough Affects Your Health

Not sleeping enough over any prolonged period of time will negatively affect both your mental and physical health. If you are regularly getting less than at least seven hours a night, you will fall into the category of not sleeping enough. Perhaps you already have started to notice some symptoms of lack of sleep. Or maybe, you are unaware of the consequences. Either way, if you, do not sleep enough, you should make a valiant effort to get more of it, and here are a few reasons why:

Your Immune System:

When you are asleep, your body gets to work on fixing and repairing any damage that has occurred during the day. Beauty sleep is called beauty sleep for a reason! The body is able to help strengthen the immune system and regenerate cells which are vital to helping you fight off infections. Over time, if you do not sleep enough, you will find that you fall victim to more colds, flues, and potentially worse infections.

Your Memory:

While you sleep, the brain changes short-term memories into long-term memories. You may find that not sleeping enough goes hand in hand with a bad memory.

Your Central Nervous System:

Not sleeping an adequate amount can disrupt the body’s ability to send, receive, and process information. Sleep deprivation will exhaust the brain just as much as the rest of you. It will affect your concentration levels and you might find it difficult to learn something new. It can affect your coordination, meaning that you are more prone to accidents. This can have drastically tragic consequences on things like driving, for instance. Your mental and emotional state will be in constant flux. You will have more mood swings and become far less patient. It will also affect your decision-making ability. If you have a chronic lack of sleep, you may even start seeing hallucinations or trigger things such as mania and paranoia.

Depression:

Lack of sleep can lead to depression. Having our mood affected in such a way can have very serious consequences. It may even lead some people to consider suicide or begin drinking or taking drugs. The irony is these habits negatively affect sleep even more. If this resonates with you, then maybe going to rehab centers may help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Your Heart Health:

The health of your heart is affected by your blood pressure. When you sleep, the body regulates blood pressure and helps to prevents heart disease. That means that by not sleeping enough, you may end up with heart complications.

Obesity:

Unfortunately, not sleeping enough may well be a contributing factor to obesity. Some people who do not sleep enough will find that due to their lack of energy, they eat more sugary or fatty foods to compensate. It is a false economy and does not work. Also, being overweight may cause you to wake up hungry in the middle of the night, resulting in more snacking.

A good night’s sleep, clearly, does a lot more than make you feel well rested every morning. Catch some Zs and let your body work behind the scenes to help keep you healthy.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct23

Shake The Holiday Time Stress – Plan Ahead!

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Shake The Holiday Time Stress – Plan Ahead!

Hi! While the holiday season can be the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be the most stressful. All you have to do is visit a store in October to know that the countdown to the holidays are fast approaching because Christmas decorations have taken over. Some people may thrive on leaving holiday preparations to the last minute and that is okay! But it is so not me and if that doesn’t work for you, either, try the tips below to sail smoothly into the holiday season:

Start Shopping Now:

One of the best ways to shake the holiday stress is, of course, starting your shopping early. In fact, I know some people who start shopping for the next Christmas with the end of season sales in January! You don’t need to be this extreme but shopping a few months in advance is a must. This will eliminate any anxiety about if your packages will arrive before your celebrated holiday. It also provides for extra time to return damaged or not as good as you thought presents.

Shopping in advance doesn’t just ensure that all of your prezzies will get to their designated giftee in a timely manner – it is better on your wallet too. Breaking up your buying between several months will also get rid of the stress of a huge credit card bill come January first!

Sort Out The Spread:

Maybe your holiday stress stems from having to prepare a big meal for the family and your guests. Although you can’t buy your food way in advance, there are some things that you can do now. How about sending invites to your holiday dinner that people have to RSVP to? Don’t forget to ask about any allergies! This way, you will know who all will be in attendance so you don’t end up cooking way too much or too little.

Once you have a firm idea of who is joining your holiday dinner and their food preferences, you can plan out your spread accordingly. It might not hurt to have some back up recipes in place just in case you can’t get your hands on a ham or turkey at the grocery store.

Know When To Excuse Yourself:

If you have a strained relationship with a family member or guest at your Christmas gathering, this can be a HUGE stressor. Develop a plan now for what you can do to protect your mental health if this is the case for you and practice it. This could be sticking with the cool cousins for the gathering, arriving after a triggering person has left, or simply knowing when to step away to compose yourself. You have every right to an enjoyable time and having a plan thought out prior to the big day will add a sense of security since you won’t have to wing responses or reactions on the spot.

The holiday season is a joyous time but can it be stressful? Big time. Plan ahead now to eliminate the mad dash feel. Then, when everything is in place: Sit back and relax – you have earned it! ❤

What are your holiday season stressors? How do you prepare for a family gathering? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep24

How To Cope With An Exercise Injury   

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How To Cope With An Exercise Injury   

The recovery process for sports injuries usually concentrates on physical rehab. But for athletes, it’s also important to incorporate sports psychology techniques to help them recover mentally. When you’re otherwise healthy and physically active, an injury can be frustrating. Resilience is needed both physically and psychologically to cope with injury stress.

Despite these feelings, it’s important to move forward and find more positive ways to overcome this setback. Athletes who can handle injuries gracefully will become more focused, flexible, and resilient. The following strategies can help:

Educate Yourself:

Ask your doctor, trainer, coach, or therapist the following questions to learn what you need to do to heal quickly and fully:

  • Do I have an injury (what type is it)?
  • How can I get treated?
  • Why am I receiving these treatments?
  • Can this be recovered in a reasonable amount of time?
  • During rehabilitation, what should I expect?
  • Are there any safe alternatives to traditional exercise?
  • If I get worse, what are the warning signs?

A second opinion may be necessary if you feel uncomfortable with the response from your care team.

Recovery Is Your Responsibility:

Your recovery can be impacted if you take responsibility for it. A greater sense of confidence can be found when you take control of your recovery process. The process also helps you recover faster than trying to return to the level of performance that you had before your injury. Making sure you have a first aid kit with medical ice packs is a start to taking responsibility and good care of yourself.

Stay Committed To Your Recovery Process:

Others may lose motivation and slack off on their therapy, while others may become discouraged and quit. To heal quickly, be committed to your treatment and listen to your doctor and/or athletic trainer. You can stay balanced as you achieve your healing goal by setting small daily or weekly goals that build momentum. You should also speak to yourself positively.

Stay focused on what you need to do and not what you will miss during your daily rehab. Work hard and maintain a positive attitude throughout it.

Get Support From Others:

Following an injury, it is common to isolate from teammates, coaches, and friends. You should keep in touch with others as you recover. They can offer advice or encouragement when you need to vent. Make sure that you are surrounded by strong, positive people who can encourage you during your recovery and boost your spirits when you are feeling discouraged. It can be very comforting to know that you are not alone when you suffer an injury.

These four tips should help you to look after yourself during recovery from an injury. Be good to you and get well soon!

Featured Image By: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Sep8

Pearly Whites

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Pearly Whites

Hi! Ever since I had an oral surgery gone wrong close to three years ago, I have had a HUGE fear of the dentist. But, let’s be real, I’ve always been kind of afraid of it and instead of facing my fears, I just wouldn’t go. In the beginning of February 2020, I finally worked up the courage to see a periodontist and had a handful of appointments with him. Then, the worst of the pandemic hit and I hadn’t been back since.

Although I hadn’t been to see the periodontist, I worked hard to keep up my oral hygiene with an electric toothbrush and tried my best to at least keep my problems stable. However, going so long without having any type of check up brought me back to my ambivalence of ever returning. Which is why I am proud to say that I actually had my first appointment with my periodontist since the pandemic this past week! 😀

You guys have no idea how nervous I was for this appointment because of my phobia in general and I was extremely worried that my issues had worsened. Which is why I am even prouder to say that thanks to my improved oral hygiene, the problems that I went in for had remained stable!! My worst nightmare would have been hearing the professionals say “What happened?!” so to hear that I had been doing as good as I could have been was such a big relief.

While the issues with my gums are by no means great, I am so motivated to continue making it better after this appointment. I have cleanings scheduled with my regular dentist and my periodontist. I also purchased a waterpik as per their recommendation as soon as I returned home. I like to think that even if the appointment didn’t go well, I still would have done all of that but it would definitely have made it much scarier.

I was all but traumatized after my surgery gone wrong and I think anyone would have been if they couldn’t eat for a month. I still can’t look at a bottle of Ensure without having flashbacks! But I am so happy that I am on the right track to keep improving and I plan to stay on it, no matter what my fears are.

I think I will always be somewhat afraid to go to a dentist or periodontist but this is a great first step in, at least, lessening my phobia a little bit. In fact, I might even be a little excited to keep going back and I feel hopeful that I will continue to make improvements. GOOD FOR ME! 🙂

What are you afraid of? How do you face your fears? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug27

Self Care Hobbies That Can Be Done From Home

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Self Care Hobbies That Can Be Done From Home

Hobbies that can be done from home are so much more likely to be practiced often. And if they are much more likely to happen, then it can be such a good thing for your self care and mental health. Looking after yourself and finding something that you love to do, outside of work or school is important. So with that in mind, here are some hobbies that you can try from home to help you relax. Which are you going to try first?

Knitting:

Knitting is a wonderful hobby to try. The reason being, is that it is not only a mindful and relaxing activity, but it also gives you an end result. Want to create a scarf or make something for your friend’s new baby? Then get knitting. Seeing that you have created something by yourself can be a real confidence boost. Not only is the act of knitting relaxing but it’s also fun to find new colors of yarn for your projects! You can shop sustainable supplies for knitting and crochet for an eco friendly approach without sacrificing quality. This is another way that your hobby can make you feel good because you will be doing good for the planet too.

Painting:

Painting is something that can be really relaxing and mindful, and you don’t need very much equipment to get you started. You can go wherever your imagination takes you or take inspiration from your favorite artist or pieces of artwork. You could look here for some inspiration: https://davidhartgalleries.com.au/pro-hart/. You could choose paint, acrylics, watercolors, chalks, or other mediums, it is all about being creative and making it up as you go.

Baking Bread:

Another hobby that is practical, as you get something good to eat at the end of it, but that is calming and relaxing at the same time. Baking bread in a traditional way, such as by kneading the dough by hand and waiting for it to rise can be therapeutic and so, so rewarding. You can get creative with the types of bread and the flavors like sourdough, which will need a starter, as stated here: https://feastingathome.com/sourdough-starter/. So there are a lot of options for you to play around with.

Reading:

If you don’t think that you have much time for reading, then you might not have been putting as much emphasis on it as you have in the past. Reading can be pure escapism, as well as a way to learn new things. If you want to read more, then block out the time in your schedule and it will make sure that it happens.

LEGO:

Building with LEGO is not just for kids! You can get proper sets and kits to create something as it is meant to be or you can use what you have to create anything else that you can imagine. Some kits can take a while to build, so it can be a real labor of love. The perfect solution when you’re looking for something to do to relax at the end of the day.

Everyone needs a hobby to enjoy so why not try some of these ideas? Have fun!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Aug17

Taking Care Of You, Too

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Taking Care Of You, Too

Between work, cooking, maintaining your household, and social engagements, making time for you can feel impossible. This can lead to burnout, break downs, and even more stress! When you are starting to feel the side effects of a constantly on the go lifestyle, it’s important to take a step back rather than push yourself harder. Today, we are going to look at a few simple things that can be done to make sure you are taking care of you, too. Let’s get to it:

Beauty Sleep:

A restful night of sleep is so crucial in so many ways. Not only does getting your full eight hours give your body time to rest and heal, but you will feel so much more active and alert every morning. It’s nice to start your day with some pep in your step rather than dragging your feet just to get out of bed. What is preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep and what can you do to improve it? Perhaps, your bedroom needs to be a more soothing place to lay your head after a long day, which can be achieved with these ideas.

Schedule Appointments:

While scheduling appointments for various things like the eye doctor, dentist, and general practitioners isn’t the most fun thing, it will help keep you feeling your best and that’s what is important. A professional dental lab in your area is a great place to start and don’t forget to tend to your mental health, too. An appointment with a counselor or therapist can be especially beneficial if you have been feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and over stressed as of late.

What Does Self Care Mean To You?

Self care won’t look the same for everyone and that’s okay! I, personally, love doing a face mask after a long day at work to unwind but that might not work for you. So what does self care mean to you? Is it going to the gym? Going on a long hike? Buying yourself some beautiful flowers for your kitchen table? Once you narrow down what makes you destress, you will know what options are best to turn to when you are feeling some type of way.

Positivity, Please:

Thinking positive thoughts is so important even if you aren’t feeling very positive. Do you have a mantra that you like to repeat to yourself? What about some positive affirmations on sticky notes to look at throughout the day? What’s that old saying – fake it till you make it? Sometimes you just have to give yourself the mental push for good vibes and, eventually, your positive outlook will become second nature.

Doing for others is an amazing thing but don’t forget to do for yourself, too! ❤