How To Survive Tough Times in Life

I was going through some old journals recently and came across a page I had titled "How To Survive May 2018."

May 2018 I was going through a series of major life stressors. I made the decision to end my 19-year career, something I had put off far too long out of fear. My health was poor (mostly due to job stress) and I was in a lot of pain. I had gone through a divorce the year prior, and was planning an out-of-state move.

It was a lot.

I needed a plan, and this is what I decided to do:

> Relax.

1. Sleep more.
2. Don't pressure or push myself.
3. Do what I enjoy.

> Be creative.

1. Write.
2. Dream/plan remodel and decor of my new place.
3. Dream/plan business ideas.

> Purge and organize, little by little.

1. Start in one room.
2. OK to do a little at a time.
3. Be in the moment and let it be a soothing, healing activity.

> Exercise and take care of my health.

1. Five minutes of gentle yoga or living room dancing.
2. Relaxing, mindful cooking and eating.
3. Sip filtered water, keep a glass nearby.

> Let go of stress and annoyance.

1. My weight.
2. My job/doing everything perfectly up to the end.
3. My pay getting docked.
4. Worrying about what others think of me quitting.
5. My colleagues' dramas.

> Trust my instincts and talk to God.

Enough said.


Your lists might be different from mine, but if you are going through a tough, high-stress period in your life, I encourage you to sit down with a journal and make a plan.

1. What things can you do to relax and go into self-nurture mode?
2. What creative activities help you escape and put your mind on something you enjoy?
3. What tiny areas in your living space can you work on cleaning, clearing out, and/or organizing (this doesn't sound appealing, but the calm and good feeling it produces is unmatched, trust me! It can be one drawer. One tabletop. One square foot of a tabletop.)
4. What easy, relaxing, self-nurturing things can you do to move your body and take care of your health?
5. What higher power or source of comfort can you turn to? Journaling, prayer, affirmations, a gratitude list...even if it feels stilted at first, with daily practice and diligence all these things do make a difference.

I hope that whoever needs to hear this today is helped. :)

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Foods and Supplements for Better Thyroid Function

Feeling sluggish and fatigued all the time? Achy muscles and joints, dry skin, unexplained weight gain, gut issues and even depression are all symptoms of low thyroid function.

Last year when I was having all these symptoms, I did some research on how to heal my thyroid naturally. (I am not a medical professional--just a person who does whatever I can to improve my own health. This list is just my personal list, and reflects my own experience.)

Below are the six "big ones" I wrote in my own notes and implemented to stimulate better thyroid function. (And incidentally, from my research I found that everyone's thyroid tends to produce at gradually lower levels as they age, especially in women. It doesn't mean you have hypothyroidism necessarily, but if you're starting to notice a grouping of the symptoms to a bothersome degree, it might be time to try some small changes.)

1. Reduce caffeine.

I love me some coffee, but when I need to reduce caffeine, I drink decaf versions of my favorite drinks with relative peace and happiness. For a little spot of caffeine just to wake up a bit, I tend to feel pretty good with cups of steaming mate sweetened with 1/8 teaspoon powdered stevia. (The NuNaturals huge cannister of stevia lasts me several months and I use it constantly.)

2. Increase (healthy) protein in your diet.

My favorite vegan protein options include edamame, this hemp protein powder, tempeh, and tofu.

3. Exercise more regularly.

Walking, yoga, jumping on a rebounder (you can get these for under $100 on Amazon,) and exercising on treadmills and elliptical machines are good exercises for anyone dealing with muscle and joint pain, fatigue and weight gain.

4. Try some supplements that assist thyroid function.

Iodine, L-tyrosine, and Ashwagandha all helped me overcome low thyroid symptoms quickly and noticeably. I found them in doing thyroid research online and man was I glad I did.

5. Eat foods that are good for low thyroid function.

Best vegan foods for thyroid:

• Brazil nuts
• Coconut oil
• Seaweed (my fave is nori)
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut
• Asparagus
• Garlic
• Avocado
• Walnuts
• Flaxseed
• Squash
• Broccoli
• Spinach

All I can say is...YUM. No problem.

6. Diffuse or rub on some essential oils for thyroid.

I rubbed myrrh, clove, peppermint, and lemongrass on my throat, in the location that was my best guess for where the thyroid glands are, every morning for about a month. (I got that list of oil ideas from an essential oils "pocket reference" guide that I've owned and used for years.) The clove eventually started to blister my skin a little, so I switched to diffusing the oils instead, but the morning rub session really felt good and smelled good too, and I would definitely do it again for at least a few days if the low thyroid symptoms ever return. You should probably dilute the oils with a neutral carrier oil like almond before rubbing them on your skin, but I'm just too lazy to do that. :)

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7 Simplifications and Solutions for a Better Life Right Now

Feeling bogged down, bloated, tired, weighed down by life's little stressors, overcommitted, and scattered in your thinking? I've been there so many times! It feels like I need a major overhaul when I get in this mode, yet figuring out what the overhaul would entail as well as attempting anything "major" is overwhelming.

I've learned that sometimes just a few adjustments can make a WORLD of difference. Here is a list of 7 life simplifications and solutions that work wonders for me.

1. Stop making complicated food.

Simple meals of mixed steamed vegetables with a scoop of plain quinoa and some avocado slices are delicious, filling, and make me feel like a million bucks.

2. Any schedule is FINE as long as I have one.

I'm the queen of schedule making. I can spend hours trying to figure out when the best time to do which task each day would be, rather than just working on the tasks themselves. I have entire notebooks full of different daily schedules I've made and abandoned looking for the Perfect Schedule. Stop all that, choose a schedule, write in your tasks, and just work.

3. One cup of coffee max per day.

I know this is a tough one. I KNOW. But switching out your coffee IV for water, herbal teas, mate, oolong, etc. is such a health boost it's unbelievable. The first 3 days or so of cutting back on coffee are the worst, and after that, you discover a mood and energy boost you didn't know you had. I promise.

4. Stop the unhealthy snacks.

Have a small salad with 1/2 cup boiled edamame. To make this quick and easy, bulk prepare a huge salad once a week (without dressing of course) and store it in the fridge. Then toss a small bowl of it with olive oil, lemon, and a little salt and garlic powder for a delicious, filling snack.

5. Drink water + green drink for the gut bomb.

Gut bomb - that heavy, bloated feeling - can usually be attributed to dehydration at least in part. Get your water intake up, and add a green drink to your daily regimen. I like powdered barley grass, which I shake up with a few ounces of water. It tastes like you ate fresh lawn clippings, but it will soothe indigestion and gut bomb like nobody's business.

6. Let it go.

Whatever the issue is that's bugging the crap out of you right now, do whatever you can to alleviate or fix it, and beyond that, let it go. That means you allow it to coexist with you for now without fighting it anymore in your heart and mind, at least for today. Pray for creative solutions and they will come. But they are easier to "see" when you aren't actively obsessing about the issue at hand.

7. Do weight training.

Weight training tones you and increases your metabolism like no other workout I know of. I do Les Mills Bodypump twice a week, mixed with dance workouts and yoga on other days. If I skip a week of weight training, I notice an almost immediate loss of tone, more bloat, and depressed mood, even though I'm doing my other types of workouts. I don't lift heavy weights at all--my dumbells are five pounds, and other than that, it's body weight stuff like pushups, squats, and lunges.

Here's wishing you a great weekend and an improved life!

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9 Light, Bright Low-Calorie Meal Ideas

Crisp raw veggies with oil and lemon make me happy. :)

Looking for some low-calorie meals for a snack, a light lunch, or a "small plate" dinner? There are multiple reasons having a ready list of light meal options is a good idea. Maybe you're trying to trim some weight, or improve your digestion, or just feel lighter and brighter. These dishes will fit the bill! Go light on the salt and oil, and your waistline (and your gut) will thank you.

1. Chopped veggie salad with 1 tablespoon sunflower or pumpkin seeds, 5 pecans, and 4 walnuts, topped with a quick drizzle of oil and fresh squeezed lemon. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder (optional, and keep it light if you do add these seasonings!) and serve with 1/2 cup boiled or steamed edamame.

Calories: 250

2. 1 cup chia pudding topped with 2 tablespoons mixed roasted nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, and/or unsweetened coconut.

Calories: 150 - 200, depending upon what type of milk you use :)

3. Spinach and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad (2 cups baby spinach and 1 cup shredded brussels tossed with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon, lots of garlic powder and a little sea salt. Top with 8 black olive halves (4 olives) and 10 pecan halves, rough chopped.)

Calories: 295

4. Hemp protein shake (4 tablespoons plain hemp protein, 3 ice cubes, 8-10 oz water, 1/4 t. powdered stevia or sweetener of choice, + optional add-ins like green powder, cinnamon, powdered maca, etc.)

Calories: 110 + any additional from your add-ins (usually negligible calorie counts)

5. Four flax crackers with a handful of cherry tomatoes, some zucchini sticks, sliced cucumber, and sliced red bell pepper (about 2 cups total veggies.) Serve on a small plate with 6 black olives and an espresso. Mmm.

Calories: 200

6. Half a cup cooked quinoa seasoned with garlic powder + 3-4 cups steamed veggies (such as broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.) Squeeze lemon juice over the vegetables and serve with 5 walnut halves and 6 olives.

Calories: 300

7. Raw shredded carrots and beets (2-3 cups or so) with lemon juice squeezed over the top.

Calories: Like, hardly anything. :) And it's delicious. Okay, probably around 50-80 calories.

8. Chickpea flour wrap with 2 avocado slices and chopped vegetable filling (veggies can be raw or cooked.)

Calories: 250

9. Nori wrap with mashed avocado or tahini dressing, stuffed with fresh sprouts and a tofu stick (a piece of tofu about the size of a 4-inch-long celery stick.)

Calories: 100

The Healthiest Sunday

This is my Sunday morning spot.

If you had a rough week, overindulged in food and drink Friday and/or Saturday, and underindulged in exercise and water, what you need before Monday morning is a healthy Sunday.

You need this blog post. :)

Morning

6:00am - Wake up, put on comfy loungewear you can do yoga in

6:10am - Drink a 12oz glass of filtered water

6:15am - Do a 15-minute yoga routine (you can find these on YouTube,) rubbing essential oils on the soles of your feet and inhaling them (my morning yoga faves, in the order I rub and inhale them: 1) Wyndmere Self Confidence, 2) Gurunanda Peppermint, 3) Young Living Aroma Siez, 4) Young Living En-R-Gee, and 5) Young Living Dragon Time)

6:40 - Take vitamins with another 12oz glass of water + green drink while brewing a cup of Mate Mint tea (one tea bag of each; sub green tea for mate if desired. I like 1/8 tsp stevia powder in mine.) Unload dishwasher/straighten up the kitchen while the tea steeps.

7:00 - Sit in a peaceful, happy, comfortable spot to sip tea and write in prayer journal. Answer these questions:

• What am I grateful for this week?
• What has been a challenge or struggle?
• What small adjustments can I make to have a great week starting tomorrow?
• What do I and my loved ones need this week? (write out your petitions/pray)

8:00 - Drink a protein + nutrition shake (I love Raw Fit Weightloss in French Vanilla with unsweetened Silk Almond Coconut milk)

8:30 - Grab another glass of water to take with you and work on a creative project, but not in a hurry. Just enjoy the moment and let it be a slow, easy morning of creativity and productivity. If you get sleepy, don't have any more caffeine. Cuddle up under a warm afghan and take a nap. Your body needs it.

Afternoon

12:00 - Make a pot of vegetable soup. Cooking vegetable soup is nourishing to the soul. Again, no rush; enjoy the process of chopping the vegetables, stirring them into your boiling broth, and inhaling the wonderful aromas as they cook down to caramelly softness. Eat the soup without distractions, savoring each bite. Save the leftovers for Monday lunch.

1:30 - Drink another glass of water, then do something active around the house for an hour - clean, organize, or complete a project that doesn't involve sitting.

2:30 - Nap again if you're sleepy, or just make another cup of herbal tea and read for awhile. I recommend staying off social media as much as you can until later tonight to give your eyes, mind, and body a break from it. Do something relaxing and low-key instead.

3:00 - Glass of water #5

3:30 - Healthy snack if you're hungry. My choice today: Chickpea wrap with cashew cheese spread, greens, and chopped raw vegetables (red bell pepper, celery, green onion, radish, and shredded carrot. This is actually from a salad that I bulk-prepare every week and keep in the fridge in a big bowl, so today I don't have to chop any of that.)

4:00 - More relaxation/free time

4:30 - Glass of water #6

Evening

5:00 - Make a healthy dinner. My choice tonight: Salad with Lemon-Oil dressing, and Cumin-Roasted Beets, Carrots, and Radish with Tahini-Dill dressing, then some sweet snack--might try making a cookie of some sort out of quinoa flour I need to use.

6:30 - Go brush your teeth so you won't keep eating (if you're watching your weight like I am) and then come back to clean the kitchen. (For me being in the kitchen = temptation to nibble, so I have to go brush my teeth immediately after dinner.)

7:00 - Glass of water #7

7:15 - Evening "5-minute" workout (Tai Chi with a YouTube video, Zumba with a YouTube video, floor exercises like leg lifts and crunches, or just put on some fun music like Gangnam Style or Cake By the Ocean and do some living room dancing.) Commit to five minutes, then go longer if you feel like it.

8:00 - Glass of water #8 with evening vitamins and supplements, then hot shower or bath in Epsom Salts

8:30 - Slather on some nice moisturizers and lotions, make a cup of Natural Calm tea, and cozy up on the couch to play on Social Media, text a friend or romantic interest, read, or watch some YouTube.

9:30 - Get off the phone/laptop/other device so your mind and body can wind down for bed. Plan your week in a planner or just make your own grid, read, then hit the hay.

10:15 - Lights out.

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