What I'm loving this winter… This tube of hemp oil made by Equinox Botanicals. It’s called Hemp Aid. I picked it up last month because I was curious and I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about hemp oil, but what I love the most about this is that it comes in a stick. Excellent! No greasy mess. My fingertips have a tendency to crack and split due to all this cold weather and hand-washing during cold and flu season. I hate it! I rub this hemp oil stick over my fingertips a few times a day (and especially at bedtime) and voila! healed, smooth fingertips. I also use it on cuts, scratches (I have two kittens) and rough patches of skin or eczema. I am so impressed with the fast results. I’ll definitely buy more and I love that it’s made in SE Ohio. So check out Equinox Botanicals and purchase the Hemp Aid here. Happy New Year! It’s that time when I find myself thinking, “Okay, I’m going to accomplish so much more this year…no more slacking!” Goal setting, resolution making and dreaming big are all awesome, but if you’re like me, goals can also feel hard, overwhelming and out of reach at times. So here are a few simple things I do to help me achieve my goals each year:
1. Post them in a visible place where you’ll see them everyday I use post-it notes, make collages and write simple one sentence "motivators" that I put on my bathroom mirror, refrigerator or car dashboard so that I’m reminded of what I’d like to accomplish this year. 2. Don’t try to implement a lot of changes at once For example, I’d like to eat more veggies everyday, save money, create a budget, exercise regularly, write more blog posts, meditate daily, spend more time with my son, etc. etc. When I put all this down on a list, I look at it, sigh and feel a bit intimidated. Where to start? I’ve decided this year, I’m going to just focus on one goal per month until it becomes habit and then add another one into the mix. We have 12 months, right? I don’t have to do it all before March. 3. Ask yourself, “What is one small step that I can do today to help me reach my goals?” Once I’ve chosen the goal that I’m going to focus on for that month, I like to break it down into manageable steps. Let’s take exercise for example. Realistically, I know that I won’t go to a gym and exercise everyday, but I do have a Fitbit, so I can simply focus on hitting my daily step goal. Or I could just tell myself, “I’m going to go for a 10 minutes walk after lunch everyday.” Pretty doable, right? 4. Have positive self-talk You know at times when you make a mistake or try something new (yoga class, anyone?) and it doesn’t go as planned and that voice in your head starts chiming in, “That was so dumb. You look ridiculous. What were you thinking?” Yeah, that voice, it needs to take a hike. Seriously. When you find that happening, think “stop”. Then replace it with what you imagine a close friend would say. Something like, “You did it! I’m proud of you for trying something new.” or “Not bad for the first time.” Manage Stress Yeah, this is a tall order, especially this time of the year. Since I don't have a band of merry elves to help me shop, bake, respond to emails, clean my house and wrap gifts, I found these are the next best thing to help with overwhelm and stress... Bach Flower Rescue Pastilles. These are affectionately known as "stress gummies" at my office. I seriously don't leave my house without them. I often recommend them to patients because they work so well. Bach Flower Rescue Pastilles are little gummies that contain five flower essences which are encapsulated in a small gummy logenze. You take them when you feel stressed, overly anxious, receive bad news or feel completely overwhelmed or distraught. You can read more about them here. If I know I'm going to have a super long, busy (possibly stress-filled) day, then I put one of these pastilles in my mouth and let it slowly dissolve as I get ready in the morning. Mind you, these don't make your stress disappear, but you will notice that it won't affect you as much. These pastilles help me feel more calm and grounded so I don't "fly off the handle" when things don't go as planned (e.g. your car breaks down, you hit every red light on your way to an appointment.. those sort of things). You can buy them online at Amazon.com or Swanson's Vitamins and locally at Comfrey Corner. Wash Your Hands and Stop Touching Your Face Yes, we've all heard this before and it's such a simple thing, but we often forget to do it. Every time you go out and about- to the grocery store or bank, shopping at the mall, or picking your child up from school, you are touching door handles, shopping carts, ink pens and money that hundreds of other people have touched. Quite yucky when you think about it. Sharing is caring, but not when it comes to germs. The easiest way to combat all those germs is to wash your hands with soap and water. I know that there are many travel size hand sanitizers out there, but I still prefer good ol' soap and water. It's the first thing everyone in my family does when we get home if we've been anywhere- wash our hands. So don't touch your face, rub your eyes, itch your nose or eat anything without washing your hands first. It will keep you well. |