Natural Wellness

Spring has officially begun.  We made it through all of the winter holidays while working full-time, coaching a varsity sport, and having 2 children playing basketball.  Winter is a bit rough, especially when you throw in all of those holiday expectations… holiday decorating, school parties, buying gifts, making memories at home, baking, and the list goes on.  After 10 years of coaching a winter sport I have learned to do what I can and look forward to the spring when things open up a bit for us. just when i think life is going to slow down Well, now it’s Spring, and while we have a little more time, I still feel the unending expectation to keep up.  First comes St Patrick’s day (my girls attend St Pat’s school, so this is a big deal), then Easter, and Mother’s Day, and spring break (which isn’t ever really a break), and the list continues.  I feel like I spend a good part of my life trying to “keep up”. But why? Please know that I am not writing this because I have anything figured out.  In fact, I am writing this because I have had an incredibly hard week and I need to remind myself what is truly important.  Oftentimes I get myself into survival mode, and I need to remind myself how to keep living real life. Survival mode is a real life, real hard situation to get out of (more on that another time). BALANCE It’s mostly about balance right? everything in this life is balance. I recently attended a webinar for coaches, and the keynote speaker talked a bit about this topic.  He mentioned that many people think of balance as 50/50, but really balance is about figuring out when to give and take.  This has made me start looking at balance in a whole new way. Balance is making the commitment that no matter how many things we have going on we make time for what matters most. Balance is about allowing myself grace to not get everything done, and to allow one ball to drop because Something else was more important. We don’t have to always keep up with everything. It is ok to set something down in order to prioritize. The things I choose to prioritize over all else are my family, my sanity, and my students. Everything else will survive without me if I cannot keep up this time. STOP THE COMPARISON GAME I don’t like to admit it, but this is probably the one thing I struggle most with. Especially with social media! It is so hard not to compare ourselves to other moms, professionals, wives, etc.  I see someone on Instagram going on a hike, or making special Easter cookies for their kids’ class, and I instantly feel like I’m not keeping up. If we compare ourselves to those around us, we begin to feel inadequate, and this makes us feel the need to keep up. What can we do about this? STOP APOLOGIZING no one is perfect, and I certainly don’t claim to be. So why am I constantly apologizing to everyone around me. Don’t get me wrong, if I need to apologize for something then I should, but I am talking about the little things I have guilted myself into feeling bad about. I am a people pleaser at heart and have a strong passion to make others feel better (even if that is at the expense of my own feelings). Therefore, I am committing to try and make a conscious decision of not apologizing if I did not directly…
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Between being a teacher and a mom there are many days I make it to the evening and wonder when I’m possibly supposed to take care of myself. I’m sure I am not the only woman in the world who takes care of everyone else throughout every day. In today’s world the term “self-care” is becoming a very popular phrase. However, if you’re anything like me you probably think that’s just something people on Instagram and TikTok actually have time for. Let Them play. I try really hard to try and live a lifestyle where I am not constantly orchestrating play and activities for my students or children. The time we just stay out of it are the times when real discoveries tend to happen. After feeling very spent, especially throughout the holiday season, I decided to come up with a list of my go to activities I know my children can enjoy on their own. I hope this helps bring a little quiet to your days. Take a moment to blow dry your hair or drink another cup of coffee, and rest assured you kiddos are entertaining themselves.

We can be embraced, and we can embrace. My children and students remind me of this every single day. I have a 10 year old who cherishes physical touch, a six year old who is one of the most loving humans I know, and a two year old whose favorite thing is to give “big squeezes”! On top of that I see over a hundred students a week so embraces are almost in constant supply. But why does it even matter? Does it really make a difference? There have been numerous proven studies with supporting evidence on why this “social support” as its being called is so important.  Hugging is actually linked not only to making you feel happier, but lowering stress, boosting your immunity, lowering blood pressure, and helping release tension. STRESS REDUCTION It has long been known that big embraces can actually lower stress and make you feel happier. You may have even experienced this yourself, and no, it is not just in your head.  The reason behind this is because hugging increases the level of oxytocin in our blood. Oxytocin is a hormone known to cause a “bonding” or “caring” response in people. It can then also cause a reduction in blood pressure and stress hormones.  Physically, hugs also naturally relax your muscles and release tension in your neck and shoulders. LIFTS YOUR MOOD Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and acts as a hormone in your blood system. Serotonin impacts every part of you including your emotions and motor skills. It helps with sleeping, healing, digestion, and can even regulate anxiety. When your serotonin levels are low, you are more likely to experience feelings of depression and loneliness. Hugging can increase the production of serotonin in the brain, helping to boost your mood. IMMUNITY BOOST The Laboratory for the Study of Stress, Immunity, and Disease in the Department of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University has conducted studies on specific benefits of hugging. In one study they looked at how “social support” impacts your immunity and recovery. Participants were exposed to a common cold virus and were then monitored for signs of illness. The study found that those who were hugged more often also experienced less-severe signs of illness. They also found that touch deactivates the part of the brain that responds to threats, and this causes your cardiovascular system to experience less stress.  To be honest I am not always in a hugging mood, but when one of my children or students asks for a hug I am not going to deny their little hearts a big squeeze.  Let’s face it, most days I need it more than they do.

What are things we can embrace? The day The Darkness Each other Our children Nature Life… Life. It’s been a lot lately.  Just like so many others I know I’ve been trying so hard to slow it down, and it seems the more I try the faster it flies.  When I take a step back and think about times I can successfully slow down I seem to often come back to this word… Embrace. Sinking In Have you ever had anyone hold you in an embrace for just a little longer than you were anticipating? Or maybe a lot longer. What usually happens? At first it may seem awkward, but then we sink in and realize it may have been just what we needed. That embrace. Sinking into a physical embrace is much easier than trying to feel out the embrace we have on life (or maybe the embrace life has on us at the moment). It is so simple to just move through the motions of life (sometimes it is a necessity), but what if we didn’t have to.  What if we lived a life we are proud and excited to be a part of? Right, I know, easier said than done.  Our Best is Good Enough I refuse to lose my embrace no matter what season I may be in.  On a day where I have unending tasks to complete, and even more goals in the back of my mind, I am also reminded that this is the only life we get.  While that often seems more overwhelming than anything else I know that it all will pass, and instead of just pushing through I want to embrace, hold on, and enjoy.  Now, don’t get me wrong, the majority of time I do not have it together at all, and often life feels like it’s running in the other direction, but I rest in the fact that I’m not alone.  It is ok to not have it all together! Sometimes I serve my children homemade sourdough bread with raw milk grass fed butter, and other times they have pizza rolls.  It all comes with grace and acceptance that we are all just trying to do our best. This blog holds me accountable while hopefully helping us all realize our best is good enough.