Saturday, July 31, 2010

Day 9: Call a Friend

Day 9: Call A Friend: Proverbs 18:24b-There exists a friend sticking closer than a brother.
A true friend is a priceless treasure. Being a true friend is just as important. Friends know who we are and where we've been and where we'd like to be. Just as important, they give us what we often cannot give ourselves-perspective and honesty.

When you're having trouble seeing straight, or you  just need someone to listen, let a friend help you. Give her a call, send her an E-mail, get together for tea or coffee. Talk you heart out and let her work hr magic.

Let her be the mirror that reflects your true thoughts, feelings and specialness. You may not agree with everything she says, but reflect on it and take to heart that this person loves you and wants the best for you.

Day 8: Know your Bounds: I started a list of the things that cause me stress. I realized that they are silly things that don't mean a thing. Or, they are things that I have no control over.
Most of them are things that I worry about that might happen, but probably never will.  Others were things that are just day to day happenings like dirty dishes that need to be washed or the yard that needs to be mowed. Or, when my DH tells me the same story 5 times. Or worrying about having enough money to pay the bills that week.

Making this list really helped me put things in perspective. So what if there are chores to be done, they eventually get done. So what, if my DH tells me the same story over and over, let him. I will be there one day myself.  And, just because bad things have happened to me in the past doesn't mean they are going to happen again tomorrow! And, I know that God promises me that if I put his Kingdom first in my life he will add all the things I need to survive, and he has done that for me time and again without fail!

Friday, July 30, 2010

Day 8: Know Your Bounds

Day 8: Know Your Bounds: Knowing what you want in life is important, but so is knowing what you don't want. Let me explain.
Make a list of the things that cause you stress: rude behavior by a loved one, overscheduled days, a diet high in bad fats. These are the things that are out of bounds in your life.

Now, commit to purging one item from your list-not next week or year, but today. Start small, simply, then work your way up. By getting rid of the old out of bounds stuff you will make a new way for yourself with the things that are inbounds that don't cause you stress.

Day 7: Grow where you're planted: My garden was started small this year. I've learned a lot from doing it that way. For instance, I know not to put plants with running vines like squash in a small space. And, I learned to put down lots of seeds per person to get the yield you need for your diet.
I'm very disappointed at how long it takes squash to grow and produce. I had two vines, one died that had a squash growing on it and the other one looks great but no fruit. The tomato is growing like a weed. The black-eye pea is doing fair. The rest didn't even make it past seedlings.
So, I'm starting over with more compost, potting soil and all the other stuff and see if these seeds do any better. I was worried about the hurricane's but now I'm worried about the heat.
I'm going to get this to be a thriving garden, so help me.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Day 7: Grow Where Your Planted-Garden

Day 7: Grow Where Your Planted-Garden
Bringing life to being-garden. Whether you have 50 acres or none you can grow plants and flowers. Use a windowsill planter or patio pots and plant a wide variety of herbs and flowers and vegetables.
If you have a backyard then plant in a space that you can manage well on your own. Many citites have neighborhood landscaping programs. So check those out too.
Whatever the case just get out the gloves and hat and dig in the dirt.

Plan you garden with love and care. Attend it daily, as you water, prune and weed talk to them and really get into the feel of helping something to grow. It is a real thrill to watch your "babies" grow. Buy a garden almanac. Some places give them away free, like feed stores. You can also visit http://www.humeseeds.com/ and buy an almanac for $2.50 each.

Day 6: Laughter- Between watching the silly habits of our cat and dog with the squirrels, lizzards and birds I get to laugh everyday. I have a supply of funny movies I watch too when I need that extra pick-me-up. Yesterday, I watched Money Pit with Tom Hanks, I thought I would have an asthma attack from laughing so hard, I could hardly catch my breath.
 When my daughter and I are telling stories of different family happenings we are usually rolling and tears are running down my face relating them to each other.
My husband was born in South America and even though he has lived here for over 35 years he still does things differently than Americans would do and he is so funny doing them. Especially, when he is telling us what happened to him on different jobs we all get a good laugh at his lost in translation conversations with homeowners.
We lovingly call him the "Pink Panther", he is a genius and can fix anything and everyone loves him for his talents and his humor.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Day 6: Laughter Is the Best Medicine

Day 6: Laughter is the Best Medicine: It is proven that people who laugh more and have a positive outlook on life heal faster and get through the tough times better than those who don't.
Fill each day with laughter. Buy a joke book and read a few pages daily. Buy funny movies or rent them or borrow from your library. Watch them after work or after dinner with the family. If you have comedy tapes listen to them while you clean house or cooking.
Go through your scrapbook and remember fun times with friends or family. Keep friends who have a great sense of humor.

Resolve to have great mental health-resolve to have a good laugh everyday!

Day 5: Time Out!  This has really been an area I needed help with the most. It occurs mostly when I go to sleep and all these crazy thoughts of "what if " run through my mind. I say a prayer and it always helps me feel better. I find that I can keep myself busy enough through the day to combat this bad habit.  But, it is especially harder to control when I'm feeling worse from an illness. Then, I call a friend or read the Bible or watch a funny movie. I also find that doing something for others helps me get through those negative times. I try to have a day out with my Mom and Daughter. Just being with them knowing they enjoy me being out with them lifts my spirits and mood to a more positive one.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Day 5-A Time Out

Day 5-A Time Out! Every Mom knows what  a time out means. It's when the kid's are driving you nuts and their behavior is less than perfect you put them in a "time out". It can be any length of time depending on the negative action they were doing.
Well, for reducing stress today we are going to put all our negative thoughts on a "time out."
Stress increases when we let negative thoughts fly through our mind. So we've got to ground them, at least for as long as possible, a "time out."

Create a "safety zone" for a period of time during which you refuse to let negative thoughts appear in the zone. Start small, say 15-20 minutes max. You'll quickly get the hang of it and want to extend the zone for the whole day or even days to weeks to months at a time.

In my family the minute we start to say negative things someone will say "time out" and we know we've stepped out of the "zone" and into the negative area again. This helps us a lot. But, when I'm home alone and negative thoughts start I do it to myself. I say ok, put yourself on a "time out" for 15 minutes. I go to my happy place and meditate on positive thoughts. It could be looking at my garden and seeing all the plants that have grown bigger since yesterday. Or, it could be at the butterflies darting across the yard. I picture myself smelling the flowers with them.

Day 4: Breathe- Well, I'm doing my walking in the house again along with my deep breathing exercise. I find I can last for more than a minute doing it this way. I walk for 10 minutes across the house and into each room. I have enough open floor space to do this and I'm in the a/c. I saw a show about cancer patients in Japan and for therapy they would have them walk outside daily and move their arms slowly up and down and float along and move in a wave pattern instead of a straight line. I find that helps me to relax even more.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Day 4-Breathe

Breathe: One of the simplest ways to relieve stress is to breathe-deeply.

Children breathe deeply. Adults tend to have shallow breathing, particularly when stressed. The result, is a lack of oxygen that we need to feed our bodies especially the brain. With deep breathing you have a calm that comes over you and you relax.
I learned how to deep breathe when I walk, or do deep knee bends with my back against a door. I breathe in through my nose to the count of 4 slowly then breathe out through the mouth to the count of 4 or 5 and then on the last breath push the rest of the air out in little puffs. I do this 5 times a day for 1 minute each time. I tend to get to light headed if I do it for longer periods. Don't ask me why.
Whenever I have an oxygen test done I am always normal never low so this exercise works.
Start babying yourself! Learn to breathe deeply, slowly more consciously everyday.

Day3: I love to hug my family and friends, it is the new relationships that I tend to be slower at giving a hug. I kinda test the waters so to speak to see if they don't mind hugs then I give them freely. My husband especially is a big hugger. I could never complain of lack of affection, I sometimes feel I get to much. Is that possible?

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Day 3: Hugs

Tip #3- Give a big hug!  Make it a "hug habit." When you greet someone give them a hug. When your family comes home from work, give them a hug. When you say good-bye to anyone, give them a hug. How do you feel when you hug someone? Warm, happy and healthy.
So when you wrap your arms around your loved ones or new friends you are giving your love and when they hug you they are giving theirs. You get a big smile and feel loved. We all need to feel loved and to give love.
So the next time you meet a friend for lunch don't just say hi, give them a hug.
You'll notice how immediate and positive gesture makes in you. And, you'll quickly see it spreads the hug habit to others as well.

Day 2- My "Happy Place" is my back yard. When I can sit and look out at the trees and flowers and butterflies and birds greeting flowers and singing songs it gives me such a happy feeling inside. It makes me appreciate the variety in creation. I meditate on all the abundants we have in everything in life. What a loving Creator to give us so much to take note of and that brings us enjoyment and pleasure in every aspect of life.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Tip #2 Find Your Happy Place

Like comfort food, or your favorite outfit, or your favoirte chair. These are like the three neccesities of life. Food, clothing and shelter.
What is your happy place? It is any place that you can be free of stress and the noice of the phone-a place you can call your own. Remember, that club house or tree house as a kid. Maybe you made a tent out of sheets over chairs. Make your own special space and go there when you need to escape from pressures of the day. Regroup and replenish yourself. Dress in your comfy clothes and sit with a book or just with music that relaxes you.
Now, make your special place and tell us about it tomorrow. I'll be thinking of mine and let you know how it turns out too!

Day 1 List I Made

My done list is great. I feel so good looking a list of what I was able to accomplish yesterday.
1. Made a new field service book
2. Worked more on the orders from farmgirls for my journals
3. The house was dusted
4. I got through 2 hours of pain talking to a friend on the phone who was also in pain. With no drugs! Great support!
5. I managed to do two personal things for myself and didn't have to lay down and rest afterward, good sign!
So that was my day. How did your day go?

Friday, July 23, 2010

Tips For Reducing Stress One at a Time

I found these great tips for reducing stress years ago and read them and put them in a drawer. I came across them the other day and read them again and decided they were such good tips that I wanted to share them with others.
I will post a tip everyday to help with reducing the stress in our day to day life. But, you have to agree to do each one. Don't just read it and say "oh that is really a good idea" and go about your day. No! I want you to actually do them with me. And then report back here that you did and how it helped you. Ok? Let's get started.

#1: Make a List: Not a list of all the things you need to do, that just adds to your stress. This is a list of the things you've done for the day. At the end of the day, jot down the many things you've accomplished at home, at work,for yourself, for others-no matter how big or small. You'll be surprised at how long your list will be and how productive you truly are.
So, tommorow check in and I'll tell you how I did and you tell me how you did! See ya then!
*******For each person that posts here and follows along with me til the end of my list will receive a journal made by me including all these tips for you to remember. So pass the word and let's help women reduce their stressful lives!!!!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Gluten Free Food Sugar Free Celiac Food Source

Gluten Free food and sugar free desserts for celiac and vegatarian diets. Visit http://www.anke.ca/ or http://www.gobiofood.ca/

I have looked far a wide to find this sugar free and gluten free organic dessert foods. I have missed having pudding and custard and now I can have it once again. The GoBio company has a wide variety of orgaic gluten free and sugar free foods for your delight.
I am trying the gluten free and sugar free organic custard, vanilla pudding and almond pudding. You can add any kind of milk you want.

They have more varieties. Go there now and check them out. Shipping was average and fair coming from Canada.
Pass the word around so this company will stay in business a long time.

Backyard Bird Guide Free Download

Free Backyard Birding Guide. Download free at the link below. I love bird watching and attracting the native birds in your area can be fun and easy if you know the food they like and where to put it. Follow this step-by-step guide to bring birds to your backyard today!


http://iqint.hs.llnwd.net/o10/cl/pennington/fb/Pennington_Yard_Entertainment_Guide.pdf