Today has become a day of chronic overwhelm and anxiety for so many of us. Raising kids, being super mom or dad, working day in and day out…sometimes we actually lose ourselves. We focus on everyone else. Sure, your kiddos are super important. But, so are YOU mama. Raise your hand if you are overthinking everything all the time. Yikes! Too Many Of Us! That is what I thought…
So buckle up buttercup and let’s look at 10 ways to conquer the overwhelm and anxiety that has taken over who you are and blossom into the person you want to be.
Start Your Day by Making Your Bed
As soon as you wake up the first thing you should do is make your bed. Did you know that starting your day off with just the simple act of making your bed positively impacts your whole day? It does. This simple action brings a sense of accomplishment. It only takes a few minutes and your private space is calm and organized. Lack of organization at home has been shown to cause anxiety. Take control of your day with the simple act of making your bed first thing in the morning. If you haven’t watched this video of U.S Navy Admiral William McRaven, watch it NOW. So much real talk in his speech.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Did you know your metabolism is highest when you first wake up and as the day progresses metabolism slows down? This is why it is so important to fuel up wisely in the morning! Food is fuel for the body and the mind.
Oats are a power food and will give you long sustained energy. My nutrition clients who eat oats for breakfast see a markedly different energy level than those who choose not to follow their plan. The heart healthy fiber and cholesterol fighting action of oats is the perfect way to start your day. Talk about winning at life. So much goodness in a simple bowl of oats.
I add a drop of dōTERRA On Guard for preventative health or dōTERRA Cinnamon bark oil to my cooked or overnight oats for all kinds of health benefits. Not all oils are safe for internal use so it is important to do your research. Find out why I trust the purity of dōTERRA essential oils here. Did you know that cinnamon is one of the most popular and beneficial spices you can add to your diet?
Scientific studies show cinnamon is chock full of antioxidants, anti inflammatory, heart health, blood sugar regulating, infection fighting, and brain health goodness. Take note, moderation is the key. Don’t go overboard. Once a day, add cinnamon into your life.
Don’t have time for breakfast? Combine these simple ingredients into a container (I prefer an 8 ounce mason jar) to be prepped for success.
- 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of Old Fashion Oats or Quick Oats
- 1 Scoop of Whey Protein or Bone Broth Protein (I prefer vanilla or chocolate)
- 1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Serving of Fruit (small banana, apple, berries added when blending)
- 1 Tablespoon of Flax Seeds
- Optional add ins for flavor: Powdered Peanut Butter, Vanilla Extract, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Superfood Seeds, Almonds
In the morning blend your oats with 8 ounces of almond milk. I use a hand immersion blender for easy peasy clean up. And I am off to a stellar start with my “Proats” all star breakfast shake on the go.
If you prefer to eat your oats instead of drinking them, combine all ingredients listed above with almond milk or water and place jar or container in the refrigerator overnight. (I prefer to add my flaxseed into my overnight oats in the morning so it doesn’t thicken to much.) The oats fluff up overnights and you can add more liquid in morning to get to desired consistency. You may warm up 30 seconds in microwave if desired. Bam. Winning at breakfast.
Find Quiet Time for Morning Meditation
Morning meditation is so calming and grounding. Studies show that meditation reduces stress and depression. This is a simple and free way for you to fight depression naturally. It also has been shown to lower anxiety as well as improving brain function. These deep breathing techniques are very relaxing and good for body and mind. There are so many free meditations you may download. I listen to meditations on the audible app. If you must wake up earlier to find the time for daily meditation, do it. Meditation is soothing and your brain will thank you.
Exercise for Happy Endorphins
Exercise comes in many forms. Strength training is a fantastic way to get your body energized for the day. Unsure how to begin? Here is a simple beginner’s workout, day one of the 3 day program, on my blog to get you started. If you are deconditioned or out of shape, start with walking. Slowly build yourself up to a more challenging morning workout. Walking, gardening, hiking, bicycling, boxing, weight lifting…It doesn’t matter which exercise you choose, the key to greater health and happiness is movement. Just. Get. Moving. A sedentary lifestyle is bad for the heart and mind. While exercise brings happy endorphins. End your day with relaxing exercise such as stretching and/or yoga poses to calm the mind and body.
Journal Your Thoughts
Writing down your thoughts is a great way to reflect on yesterday and make a good plan for the day ahead. Also, if you catch yourself being a negative nelly on paper, you can nip it in the bud with more positive written statements. It matters what you say to yourself.
Say Goodbye Sodas – Hello Tea
Many of my nutrition clients have one very common food addiction – Carbonated soda beverages. Unfortunately, just because a soda is diet or zero does not make it good for you. Even diet or zero soda drinks still have chemicals that wreak havoc to your body systems. Just say no to diet sodas.
Studies show carbonated soda drinks are often full of sugars that increase the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, fatty liver, heart disease, dental problems, and metabolic syndrome.
Soda increases inflammation in the body. Say goodbye to sodas and hello to tea.
There are so many fabulous options when it comes to tea for your health. Green tea is beneficial for improving cholesterol and blood flow as well lowering blood pressure and keeping blood sugars stable. Studies also show green tea is good for your mind.
Pictured above are some of my favorite tea blends. Just avoid adding unnecessary sugars with honey or other sweeteners. Green tea is happiness in a cup. Also remember everything is good in moderation. A cup a day is a great way to improve your health and mind.
Find the Sunny Side of Everything
Start looking for positives in your life. No matter what the situation, there is always a sunny side. Always. We are given the gift of life. Unfortunately, gratitude is no longer prevalent. We literally forget to be grateful. We are in a time period of instant gratification. Instead of complaining or being negative, find something good to think and/or say about each situation you find yourself in.
I challenge you to start looking for the sunny side of life. I challenge you to find reasons to smile. I challenge you to respond in a composed manner instead of combative reaction. You have the ability to control your words, your thoughts, and your actions.
Let Go of Past Anger
We hold onto things. The negative and ugly memories are often the things we remember. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can instead choose to remember the happier moments. Let the positive times overtake the stress space that holds your memories. If you only think of the bad memories, then that is certainly all you will remember over time.
Don’t say how he/she made you feel. No one makes us feel anything. We are in charge of our own feelings. Saying “You Made Me Feel…” is an attack on the other person or parties. They didn’t make you feel anything. You chose to feel those things on your own accord.
What you should say instead is “I feel hurt or angry ….” Those are your feelings.
Instead of yelling, take the rational approach. It will change the dynamics in all your relationships. Your feelings are your own, so no one can fight you over that.
Own your problems. Blaming others for your current situation is a dead end. No one is responsible for your well being or happiness except for you. Holding onto anger, resentment, and blame eats away at you and only you. Sure our past molds us and our environment certainly does affect us, however, we get to decide how our story reads. Don’t dwell in the past. Just because things happened in your life doesn’t mean that is who you are now. We can all come up with hurtful things in our past that can negatively impact us. How we choose to think of those things is where the turning point lies. It can damage us or we can learn from the past and move on.
Move on and own your life sister.
The Magic of Essential Oils
Essential oils are a great way to improve your mood. Did you know that citrus oils are uplifting? They are!
An aroma touch study was done on cancer patients in hospice. Three uplifting oils were used – bergamot, lavender and frankincense. They found that this combination of oils combined with almond as the carrier oil with massage on patients had a positive effect on depression and pain compared to those who just received massage alone. I happen to love all three of these oils. Bergamot for happy vibes. Lavender for the calming effect. Frank, I love you so – king of oils, for ALL the things. I guess you can tell this fitchick loves her oils.
Studies also show the positive effects of oils for anxiety such as bergamot in comparison to valium aka diazepam. That is great news! A natural approach to helping those with anxiety, overwhelm, and depression that isn’t a controlled substance.
Essentail Oils Work. Wild Orange essential oil is such a happy uplifting oil. A drop on the palm and a deep breath in…and just feel all the sunny goodness wash over you. My favorite uplifting oil blends right now are Balance, Serenity, and Adaptiv by dōTERRA. To find more happy oil blends, check out my roller ball recipe blog here. As always, if you don’t have an oil expert yet, I would love to be yours. Contact me to receive your complimentary box of happy oil samples. We all need oil happiness in our lives.
Positive Self Talk with Positive Affirmations
Where is your self talk? Is it on the positive end or the lower end of the happiness spectrum? Ask yourself “am I being kind to me?” A lot of times, we are so kind to everyone around us, meanwhile we beat ourselves up with the most unkind of words.
Have you been saying these words to yourself… I am not good enough, I am not thin enough, I am not smart enough, I am not adventurous enough, I am not funny enough, I am not cool enough.
If this is you, NO MORE mama!
No more negative self talk.
Study after study has proven that what we say, what we think, what we do, and what we put out into the universe is what we get back.
If we think we are not going to do well, we won’t. If we think we are stuck in a bad situation, then we will continually be stuck. If we think, we won’t get the client, then we won’t. Nothing positive comes from imagining the worst case scenarios.
Anytime you catch yourself drowning in the pits of despair, take the initiative of changing your thought patterns. My favorite way to change my perspective to a sunnier approach is through positive affirmations. Affirmations are statements that can help you overcome damaging thoughts and self sabotage. Positive affirmations are simple statements that inspire a life of gratitude and happiness.
Come up with a few positive affirmations for your life. One of my favorite affirmations is, “I am in control of my feelings, and I choose to be happy today.” Affirmations can be as simple as I am healthy or I am happy. Say these things over and over in your mind and out loud. Make and use positive affirmation post-its throughout your home and work space.
Speak it. Hear it. See it. Believe it.
There are so many ways to improve your emotional well being. I hope that some (or all!) of these ways make it into your daily routine.
Changing Lives Every Day
~ Dawn
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Even though natural solutions can and have had significant impacts on healing and maintaining health, this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
