Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Walking Alone

Yesterday, in a moment of inspiration, I posted something on my Positive Warfare fb page, straight from my heart.  The more I read it the more I liked it, so much in fact, that I chose to add it to a pic of one of my sunflower paintings.


Why do I like it so much? Well, I'm a recluse, in a few different ways: (1) I'm single and don't date (2) I'm a homebody; when I'm not working, I mostly stay to myself, at home (2) my spiritual path and current circumstances led me to being a Solitary.

For some odd reason when I confess to (1) not having a social life, and (2) not dating and having no interest in dating or finding a partner, people just don't understand; they think I'm weird and some actually try to argue that I need a man in my life, and to convince me that I need to to date. My question is why? I'm happy being single and free from the complications of dating and/or a relationship. This is a personal choice for me; this is the path I have chosen and I would do it all over again. I am truly happy. 

This is a reminder that just because a person travels a different path, does not mean the path is wrong, or that the person is lost. Don't worry about what people may think of your path, do what is right for YOU. Be true to yourself.



Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Low Energy Days

"Low Energy Me"

Do you ever feel like you have just been drained of all energy? Today is that kind of day today; I feel sooo tired. I have often wondered what causes my low energy days. I got a decent amount of sleep last night, so you would think that I wouldn't be so darn tired. Granted, I do have health issues that sometimes causes fatigue, as well as depression that comes and goes (right now its on LOL), so this could be what is contributing to my lack of energy... and my diet; let's be honest here, I try to eat healthy but often slide back into the not so healthy pattern.

Other factors that may contribute to a lack of energy are: 

High Sugar Diet (sweets, pasta, bread, potatoes etc, including your energy drinks!) Carbohydrates turns to sugar, and too much sugar leads to insulin resistance, leading to Type 2 diabetes. Did you know that when you have too much sugar in your body, it thickens your blood to the consistency of ketchup, constricting your blood flow to and from your heart,  and damaging your arteries and your heart! ...and those energy drinks that some people are so fond of, are poison to your body; they are not healthy for you at all! Sure, they contain Vitamin B and Ginseng, but they also contain huge amounts of sugar and caffeine, as well as Taurine and Guarana. Our body naturally produces Taurine which helps regulate the heart, muscle contractions, and energy levels. It only makes sense that if you have too much Taurine in your system, it is going to cause irregularities. Guarana is even more dense in caffeine than coffee beans, which brings us to the second factor of low energy...

Too Much Caffeine Yep your endless coffee cup is a factor in your low energy days. Sorry guys, but too much coffee stresses and slows your adrenaline gland which in turn causes hormone depletion, which leads to fatigue.

A Fatty Diet We all know a fatty diet is bad for us. Too much fat equals high cholesterol, which leads to clogged arteries, heart disease, and strokes, but also fatigue because it causes our body to work harder, causing stress on our heart and lungs, which wears us down.

Lack of Exercise It is recommended that we exercise at least 30 minutes everyday, but even if we can manage 10 minutes each day, it's a plus! By exercise, it doesn't necessarily mean strenuous activity; take a walk, do yoga, do chair exercises, or go for a swim, just get your body moving! I'm blessed in this area because where I work, we have a diabetes program which includes an on-the-clock exercise program every day for 30 minutes. I don't always make it every day, but I also walk a little at work. My office sits 50 ft or more between two other buildings, which requires me to walk to the neighboring buildings to conduct job related duties. So I can honestly say, I get some sort of exercise 4/7 days.

Magnesium Deficiency our body needs magnesium to function properly. It aids in the healthy functioning of our muscles, heart, nerves, immune system, and strong bones, so if we are low on magnesium, our body feels depleted and fatigued.

Stress, Depression and/or Insomnia I lumped these three together because they tend to go hand-in-hand, and all three can factor in with fatigue.

Thyroid Disorder such as Hashimoto Disease (an autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid), Hypothyroidism (low thyroid) and Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). The thyroid regulates all your body functions. If your thyroid is out of whack, it throws off the hormones needed to regulate your heart, lungs, mood, skin, hair, eyes, reproductive system, bones, muscles, cholesterol, weight, and your energy.

Other health conditions such as Fybromalysia, Crohn's Disease, Adrenal Fatigue, etc also can cause fatigue. If  you are experiencing out of the ordinary ongoing fatigue, please see your doctor.

Remedies: 

(1) whole wheat products in moderation (2) get moving! (3) limit your coffee to no more than three 12 oz cups a day (4) Eat 1 oz of nuts per day, such as unsalted natural almonds, walnuts, and Pistachios, but don't eat them in excess; moderation is the key! (4) drink more water! (5) incorporate Edamame (green soy beans), fresh Kale, Spinach, Kidney Beans, fruit (in moderation), and baked Halibit into your diet. If you are a woman, you should include iron rich foods into your diet as well, just because women are prone to anemia during menstrual years (6) stay away from fried, fatty, and salty foods (7) meditate; it not only calms your body and clears your head, it also increases your energy (8) aromatherapy with essential oils such as peppermint, lemon, and mandarin orange also helps combat fatigue.

Videos:












Don't Forget to Smile!









Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Path to Self Discovery and Growth


The decision to change, to improve upon yourself, is momentous! If you have made the decision to begin such a journey, congrats, I applaud you! Whether you have been on this path for awhile, or you are brand new in the venture, just keep going. It is a life long journey beginning with the day of your initial decision, not something that you will complete within the year. It's a challenge that takes years of dedication and work; it will not happen over night, but it will happen. Your path will be long and rocky, and you might find yourself occasionally slipping backwards, but keep climbing that hill! You CAN DO IT, and the results are SO worth the effort!

I first made the conscious decision to embark on my journey, ohhh around 1996 or thereabouts. What prompted my decision? Well truthfully, I didn't like myself, nor did I like life. I was not a happy person, depression had a strong hold on me, and life was a real struggle.  I always felt like I never fit in; I just didn't belong, and I wanted nothing to do with my current life. It was like I fought against it every step of the way but I had no clue as to the reason why. I was confused, angry, and lost from birth to early thirties. It was not a nice place to be, and eventually... well, I got tired of it. Here I am 17 or so years later, and although I've made huge progress, I am still working towards my goal. I still struggle now and then, but wow, the changes I have made; positive changes that not only I have noticed, but other people have noticed too, and if I can do it, so can you!

Where do you start? Self help books (preferably with work book companions or work sessions inside them to aide you in really getting to know yourself), guided meditations, journaling, making Wish Boards, do more of the things you love whenever possible, and... you KNOW what I'm going to say next, don't you... positive affirmations! You can also do counseling if your budget will allow and it is something you would like to try.

Book Examples:










What is a Wish Board?

A Wish Board or Vision Board is a collection of images (a collage) made with a specific intention, to attract certain things into your life. Decide what you want to attract into your life, or what goal you want to achieve, then collect magazine clippings and/or photos that represent your intention as well as a photo of yourself. Arrange the clippings and photos on your board the way you want them, then glue them in place, but make sure you leave space to add quotes, words/phases, and positive affirmations, etc. Once it's finished, hang it someplace you can see it everyday. Make a point to view your board each day, truly focusing your intention on it, while reading/saying your affirmations out loud. Other suggested materials include: markers, scrapbook materials, scissors, and hodge podge glue.




Friday, September 6, 2013

Introducing Soul Path Magazine

Let me introduce you to Soul Path Magazine, founded by Lyn Thurman, who by the way is awesome! Lyn is inspirational, nurturing, and wise. It doesn't surprise me in the least that she founded such a wonderful e-magazine written by people just like you, including bloggers, healers, soul coaches, and more! I absolutely love this magazine! Go ahead and check it out; you will find articles on spirituality, pagan parenting, gardening, the goddess, seasonal correspondences, and so much more!

You can read more about Lyn here, as well as her husband Paul (an author in his own right, as well as the editor of Soul Path Magazine) here.




Thursday, September 5, 2013

Don't Fret, Calm Your Monkeys!

"Do not  anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the Sunlight." ~Benjamin Frankin

In other words, keep your thoughts positive and don't dwell on a future that may or may not come to pass. Easier said than done, I know. I'm awful at worrying and fretting about the future. I can be my own worst enemy! Worrying doesn't solve your problems, or empty tomorrow of it's burdens; it robs you of today, and it's just not healthy. In my case, worrying usually resulting in the following:  (1) anxiety and/or a panic attack, or (2) Insomnia.

Worrying feeds my anxiety, which feds my fear. It's times like those that I turn to positive affirmations, but sometimes I can't seem to shut off those worrisome thoughts, you know? They can be stubborn like that, and when that happens, well... positive affirmations don't do diddly squat, and sometimes the anxiety leads to a panic attack. You know the feeling... your heart is racing, you begin to sweat, and get that nauseated feeling in the pit of your stomach, and fear settles in like a lead laced boulder of doom. If that's isn't enough, it is quickly followed by an inner alarm, screeching: "OMG, what the heck am I gonna do! Noooo! Oh no, oh no, oh no! I am so scr%@ed! OMGOMGOMG! Yeah, those... they are awful, aren't they? To make matters worse, once you get to that point, it's hard to get it under control. When this happens, I have found that practicing deep breathing can sooth the panic, and calm the heart rate. 

Take DEEP BREATHS, in and out, s-l-o-w,  l-o-n-g breaths, In through the nose, and out through the mouth. Just focus on your breathing for several minutes, then while breathing nice and slow, begin to calmly talk to your body. 

Tell yourself everything is going to be alright. You can tell yourself anything that soothes you. This is when positive affirmations can help you gain control once more. I like the following: "Everything is as it should be. I am not alone; my angels are watching over me. The Universe protects me, and provides for me. I am safe. All my needs are being met right now. I trust the process and all is well." Repeat this process for however long it takes to return your state of mind and your body back to normal. If possible, you can even follow this by treating yourself to a nice, long, very hot soak in the tub. Can you say, RELIEF?

Then there is the insomnia. I have nights when my mind goes into overdrive, and there is one crazy fiesta with thoughts flying and dancing around like crazed monkeys on speed!  ...which contributes to my insomnia, which in turn leads to stressing about not being able to sleep, knowing I have to get to work the following morning. It's a vicious circle! BUT, I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve that have been a real blessing!

When I can't seem to shut out the party in my mind, I select a guided meditation on my ipod or on my cellphone, plug in my earphones, put on my eye mask, and follow the instructions. Most the time, these guided meditations work like a charm. 

I also try to keep over-the-counter Valarian Root capsules and Melatonin supplements on hand, and by 9:00 PM and I still feel wide awake with no hint of drowsiness, I reach for my handy dandy helpers; believe me these do wonders, or even a nice strong cup of chamomile tea, or perhaps warm milk with cinnamon and honey, maybe even combine your drink of choice with a long hot relaxing soak. Yes, long hot relaxing soaks are a fave of mine [grin] Hmm... me thinks a certain tub is calling my name.

What is your favorite remedy for Insomnia or Anxiety?

DISCLAIMER:  I recommend you talk to your doctor before taking any supplements to ensure that they will not counteract with any of your current medications and/or any health problems that you may have. I am not a doctor nor a professional herbalist, etc. Please, please, please consult your doctor FIRST! This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Never disregard or delay in seeking medical advice regarding something you have read.