Megan Santiago's Blog, page 21

Dealing With Anxiety: Here’s The Right Way to Do It!

Anxiety

A natural response to stress from our body is known as anxiety. When a person is afraid or apprehensive about what is to happen in the future, it may cause anxiousness in him/her. For example, a kid going to school for the first time, a person appearing before an interviewing panel, or going to deliver a speech may raise the feelings of nervousness. Most do not know that there is a natural way of dealing with anxiety.

If you are in a hurry and want immediate relief to help you relax, here is a relaxing lavender room spray I highly recommend.

If a person feels extremely anxious for a longer period e.g., six months, and it interferes in daily tasks, he must have developed an anxiety disorder, which needs immediate clinical attention.

If you feel anxious and would like some additional help to get relief naturally, check out my 7 Day Stress Detox Guide.

Dealing with Anxiety

Dealing with anxiety may create troubles for an individual if he does not seek expert help. It may render him to be dysfunctional and unproductive.

There are various types of anxiety disorder which one may come across in his life. Dealing with anxiety related to these types of disorders can be a laborious task for an individual.

All these types of anxiety disorders are dealt with a variety of therapies and coping techniques. Dealing with anxiety through these therapies and coping strategies can significantly improve the mental condition of an individual.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is considered to be the most effective tool when it comes to dealing with anxiety along with cognitive restructuring, medications, and exercising.

Click here to learn the common symptoms of anxiety that can be managed by applying various techniques. These techniques can be helpful in dealing with anxiety when a person is not having a good time, at the workplace, home, or confronted with certain challenges that tend to make him anxious.

This article will reflect on the methods of dealing with anxiety through therapies. In addition to approaches that can be adopted to enhance physical wellbeing as well as mental wellbeing. The following are some effective methods of dealing with anxiety.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The most commonly used therapy for dealing with anxiety is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. It has been shown by the researches that CBT can be effective for treating people with phobias, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social disorder. Here are some additional ways Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Can Help You Eliminate Bad Habits

Negative thinking patterns and distortions are identified and addressed by the CBT. It has two main components, as its name suggests; Cognitive therapy: it examines the patterns of cognitions or thoughts which add to anxiety.

Behavioral therapy: it examines how a person reacts and behaves while going through a situation that triggers anxiety.

Other Posts on Anxiety You Might Like:

Anxiety Attack Symptoms Essential Oils For Anxiety How To Stay Motivated, When You Feel Like Giving Up Exposure Therapy

Another effective tool in dealing with anxiety is exposure therapy.

As the name suggests, exposure therapy exposes an individual to a situation or an object he fears. It emphasizes on exposing repeatedly, which will provide a sense of control to the person over the object he fears. This will help minimize anxiety over time.

There are two ways in which exposure is done: A therapist may ask his client to visualize a scenario he fears, or the client may face it in real life. This therapy can be conducted individually or it can also be applied with CBT.

The following are the techniques that can be helpful in dealing with anxiety and are also beneficial for physical wellbeing.

Yoga

Researches about yoga have established that physical and mental wellbeing is not merely closely associated, but fundamentally equivalent.

Yoga holds immense importance and is a conventional form of spiritual growth, exercising, and relaxation. There are various types of yoga techniques. Some types are particularly geared towards particular issues e.g., anxiety.

Physical distress which is caused by anxiety can be eased through a yoga posture which is known as asanas. This yoga posture helps in stretching, lengthening, and balancing the muscles. Asans are helpful in discharging the muscle strains and rigidity of the body.

The postures of yoga are imparted through a sequence that proves to be powerful forms of exercising. In several ways, yoga helps in reducing bodily tension and prevents anxious thoughts.

Personally I like to do some light yoga before bed so I can stretch out any soreness I accumulated during the day. Plus the feeling I get from stretching and deep breathing allows me to exhale my stress so I go to bed without worrying about tomorrow.

I highly recommend adding in a lavender essential oil spray to your yoga mat to help you relax and be at peace. You can even spray it on the underside of your pillow or lightly on the soles of your shoes when you are heading to work. This will help keep you relaxed.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This technique can be effective in dealing with anxiety and reducing the symptoms of anxiety. It also decreases body tension and helps in easing anxiety-provoking thoughts.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique includes constricting and freeing different muscles to reduce physical strain. By concentrating on letting go of stress in the body, an individual is capable of quieting and calming his mind.

Furthermore, when Progressive Muscle Technique is practiced regularly, it can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. In addition, it helps in recognizing when a muscle is tightened and is released; it discharges physical distress which mostly contributes to the anxiety.

Performing Meditation for Anxiety

Another technique for dealing with anxiety is meditation. Which also releases physical muscle strain and helps individuals feel relaxed. Meditation is referred to as a form of mind-body corresponding medication.

Also, it produces a tranquil mind and a deeper state of relaxation.

Meditation helps an individual focus on his current state of mind or mindfulness. Which eliminates the flow of chaotic thoughts occupying the mind and provoking anxiety. The process of meditation can significantly enhance mental and physical wellbeing.

Exercise

Exercise may prolong beyond relieving stress to enhancing the mental condition deteriorated due to anxiety.

According to an estimate, in the United States, 40 million people are affected by an anxiety disorder.

The researchers have established that a 10-minute walk can potentially reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Studies have also suggested that exercising can be effective in elevating the depressed mood of an individual.

The effects of the exercise might appear to be momentary. However, going for a jog or doing a similar sort of activity can deliver long-term relief.

Relaxation Techniques and Self-care Strategy

When relaxation techniques are combined with other practices, it can be an effective tool for dealing with anxiety.

The strategies of self-care involve the tasks which improve physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational wellbeing.

If an individual is dealing with anxiety, he may get benefit from self-care practices. Lastly, the practices of self-care are very crucial in dealing with anxiety naturally. They involve relaxation techniques, social support, having a break from routine, and also looking after the needs of physical fitness.

Again, that lavender room spray I mentioned earlier would be great to use in your bathroom when you are taking a bath.

Originally posted 2020-07-15 23:02:08.

What Is a Timeshare and What It Isn’t: Real Talk from a Happy Owner of 15

When the Federal Trade Commission has a section on their website answering “What is a Timeshare,” you know there is confusion out there!  That’s why I like to say that a Timeshare isn’t something you purchase on a whim, three margaritas deep, while on vacation.

It’s a legal contract and long-term financial decision that you should thoroughly understand and think through before buying.  No matter what a salesman tells you, timeshare purchase deals will still be available after you get home, so take your time. In fact, purchasing a timeshare outside of a resort on the resale market from an existing owner can save you 75 to 99% off the resort-direct price. That’s just another reason not to rush and fully understand what a timeshare, or vacation ownership, is before buying.

What Is a Timeshare Ownership?

Today, a timeshare isn’t just one thing! The timeshare industry offers various products to match people’s different lifestyles and vacation preferences. There are 9.9 million U.S households (and 22 million worldwide) that own one or more types of timeshares.

So, what is a Timeshare Ownership? There are four different types.

1. A Fixed Week

This type of timeshare ownership means you have the right to use a particular room type a specific week every year. That’s why you’ll see people talk about their timeshare ownership as Week 1 or Week 52. So if you want to vacation in Aruba the same holiday week every year at a specific resort, this type of timeshare purchase could be right for you.

2. A Floating Week

A floating week timeshare means that you aren’t guaranteed the same week every year for vacation; you need to call the resort to reserve a room. Some floating ownerships are specific for high season ( AKA Red Weeks) or low season ( AKA White Weeks). There are also year-round floating week ownerships in locations where the demand and weather aren’t as seasonal (e.g., Aruba).

While this ownership provides flexibility, popular travel times like Spring Break get booked very quickly. If calling at 8:01 am on the first day you can reserve those weeks isn’t something you want to do or keep track of, this type of ownership might not be for you.

3. An Allotment of Points

According to the American Resort Development Association, an annual allotment of points is now the most common type of timeshare ownership. Based on your purchase package, owners receive a set number of points a year that act as currency they can use to make resort reservations within their timeshare chain. The more points you have, the larger the annual maintenance fee and the purchase price is. This type of timeshare provides a lot of travel flexibility as you don’t have to stay at the same resort every year, but it does have a learning curve.

Owners use these points in a variety of ways based on their travel lifestyle or vacation bucket lists. For example, those looking to go on as many vacations as they can stretch their yearly points by staying during the week (vs. weekends, which require more points) choose a smaller sized unit or travel during non-peak travel times. For people who want a two-bedroom unit or a Park City resort during ski season, you can combine two years’ worth of points to make one reservation.

4. Fractional Ownership

The rarest type of timeshare is fractional ownership (or a shared deeded ownership) which happens to be the type of timeshare we own. So instead of just a week or a set amount of points, we hold a larger piece of a specific unit at a particular resort. For example, we have ¼ ownership of a Vail Resorts condo in the Catskills. So we have one week a month, or 12 weeks a year, ownership of a specific unit.

The weeks rotate among the owners every year to keep things fair. So one in every four years, we get the coveted Christmas week, which either means a fantastic ski vacation or a big rental check!

What Is a Timeshare Resort?

With 1,582 timeshare resorts in the U.S. totaling 206,380 units, there is more than one answer to the question “What is a Timeshare Resort?”  While some people may think a timeshare is a small 1970’s resort past its prime, Disney’s Saratoga Springs, Waikiki’s Hilton Hawaiian Village, Marriott’s Ko Olina, Four Seasons Residence Club in California, and other brand name resorts are timeshares.

Some examples of timeshares from hotel chains people know and love include:

Wyndham Destinations –  Owns 247 timeshare resorts under the brands Worldmark, Wyndham, Margaritaville, and Shell Vacation Club.Hilton Grand Vacations Club –  Has 154 resorts, including the brand new Central at 5th by Hilton Club in Manhattan and Liberty Place Charleston by Hilton Club.Marriott Vacation Club –  Owns 60+ upscale timeshare resorts with 13,000+ rooms throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.Holiday Inn Vacation Club –  Includes 29 resorts with 7,900 condo units in 14 U.S. states, including its flagship 1,400-acre resort Orange Lake located right next to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando.  Orange Lake is the largest timeshare resort in the world, with 2,412 condos, four championship golf courses, seven swimming pools, a 12-acre outdoor entertainment complex, an 80-acre lake for water sports, and five dining options.What Is a Timeshare Room Like?

One of the differences between a hotel and a timeshare is the room itself.  I love timeshare traveling because these resorts combine a condo’s space and conveniences with large chain resorts’ amenities and cleanliness standards. A one or two-bedroom condo inside a resort is the best of both worlds.

So what is a timeshare room like? Some typical features of a timeshare room include:

A Fully Stocked Kitchen – Whether you prefer to cook your meals, have picky eaters, or need to stretch your vacation dollars by eating in, timeshare resorts offer full (or partial) kitchens with the cooking supplies you need.Separate Living and Dining Room Spaces – Long gone are the days of eating breakfast on your bed or watching TV on your phone in the bathroom after the kids are asleep. With separate rooms and living spaces, there’s room for everyone to spread out and relax.Multiple Bedrooms & Bathrooms –  While there are studio timeshare rooms, 68% of timeshare units are two bedrooms or larger. Whether it’s two couples traveling together or a family, the privacy of separate bedrooms is a real plus.Washer/Dryer in Unit or on Property –  You can leave your big suitcase behind and pack light! If you’re vacationing for more than one week or with small kids, being able to do laundry is another perk of timeshare traveling. For example, we recently stayed at a Marriott Timeshare in Fort Lauderdale, and our two-bedroom condo had a washer and dryer in the unit. During our week-long stay, we did laundry a couple of times which was a big convenience.What a Timeshare Isn’t: 3 Things You Must Know

When trying to explain “What is a Timeshare?” to people who are unfamiliar, it can be helpful to mention what timeshares are not.  Over the years, in my timeshare owners’ Facebook groups, I’ve seen posts from unhappy timeshare owners. Many of these people bought a timeshare for a specific travel hack or certain travel destinations. Unfortunately, after their purchase, they learned that their plan is either not possible or very difficult. Their assumptions about timeshares often fall into one of three categories. Here are 3 of the biggest myths about timeshares.

1. A Way to Travel to Every Destination in the World

If you are buying a timeshare to travel to Iceland, Alaska, or to have a place to stay in Dayton, Ohio, to visit your grandkids, you’re going to be disappointed. That’s because those places don’t have timeshare resorts. If you have specific cities you want to travel to in the next ten years, take some time to make sure timesharing is a match for your bucket list.

One of the easiest ways to see timeshares worldwide is to look at the Resort Directories for the two largest timeshare exchange companies in the world. Combined, the RCI resort directory and the Interval International resort directory will give you a sense of what destinations timesharing can take you to.

So while you can’t go to every place in the world, there are still a lot of vacations you can go on via the 5,300 resorts in the timeshare exchange system. For example, timeshare owners can travel to 70% of U.S. National Parks by exchanging their timeshare with RCI as there are 277 affiliated RCI resorts near 44 American National Parks. That will keep many timeshare owners busy for years!

2. Guaranteed Exchange Availability at the Most In-Demand Resorts

Access to an exchange program is an exciting part of owning a timeshare. We take some of our weeks at our Catskills timeshare and deposit them with RCI to secure room reservations at other resorts. For example, in May, we reserved a room at a gorgeous Barbados resort by completing an RCI timeshare exchange. But if I had my heart set on using my ownership to stay only at The Crane Barbados and only during my birthday week, with only a month’s notice, I’d be frustrated with timesharing.

If you’re buying a timeshare to travel hack and get cheap reservations at specific resorts like Aulani, a Disney Vacation Club, or The Galleon Resort in Key West, you should reconsider your approach. While those two resorts are in the exchange companies’ resort directory, they rarely become available for exchange. That’s because those owners are either using it themselves or renting their timeshare out.  While it’s not impossible to get those types of reservations, it could take years, require super last-minute travel, and not be during the specific week you are looking to travel.

3. A Real Estate Investment

If the idea of renting out a high-demand timeshare got your attention, it’s crucial to understand that a timeshare is not a real estate investment like owning a whole vacation house or condo. In fact, a timeshare, in almost all cases, is a depreciating asset and will sell for 75 to 99% of the resort’s direct purchase price. So that’s another reason to purchase one on the resale market from an existing owner if you do decide to buy.

But even in that case, it’s dangerous to think of a timeshare as a financial investment or a vacation rental business. What happens when Airbnb regulations change in their cities or states? Or what happened to the people who own 20 timeshare units during the pandemic when travel shut down? Could they cover all the yearly maintenance fees and taxes for those properties without any rentals? What would happen if they also lost their job during that time?

For example, our timeshare resort in New York shut down and was not allowed to have any guests for part of the pandemic. That meant we couldn’t use it, couldn’t deposit any weeks with an exchange company, and we couldn’t rent it out. But we were still responsible for the bills. That’s why when answering the question “What Is a Timeshare?” to friends, I always mention the long-term financial commitment that’s involved.

So What Is a Timeshare? It’s a Prepayment for Vacations

No matter what kind of timeshare you own, you can consider it a prepayment for your future vacations. So take your time, think through your bucket list trips and make sure the vacations you are prepaying for with timeshare ownership are the ones you actually want to go on.

This post originally appeared on Your Money Geek.

Originally posted 2020-07-14 03:36:00.

12 Anxiety Quotes to Help You Feel At Ease

These anxiety quotes are positive words you can say to yourself to help you get through the day with a more positive attitude. Believing that you have the ability to set the tone for the day can be empowering and help you be more relaxed. Or as I said to my mom the other day “ready to conquer the day”. When we CHOOSE to believe that we can it gives us a sense of power over our fears, anxiety, and doubts. Quotes, affirmations, and mantras can be great for many different types of anxiety.

What Does Anxiety Feel Like?

Anxiety causes most people’s minds to race, their hearts start pounding, shortness of breath, the feelings become uncontrollable in the anxious person’s mind and they feel like everyone can tell they are anxious.

Thankfully, there is a lot you can do for your anxiety without being crippled by it.

Natural Anxiety Relief NOW

Anxiety is not just something we can snap our fingers on and it just goes away. Just like any disease, disorder, or condition, it takes time to develop and time to heal.

Patience is very important when it comes to finding relief from your anxiety.

If you have been an anxiety sufferer for quite some time like I have been, learn how to get relief.

You can get immediate relief from an anxiety attack and find yourself breathing deeply, getting your thoughts back together, and remembering what you were doing.

Words and thoughts do not have to control your every day and you can regain power over them.

Holistic Anxiety Relief Course | Anxiety Healing Naturally| Holistic Momma -How to Learn relaxation techniques you can do anywhere.-Identify anxiety in yourself and others.-Learn how to better react to situations and set a firm foundation for dealing with stressful situations.Use Natural Supplements, Dietary, and Lifestyle changes to help you feel less anxious sooner.I am a Counselor in Training, so I share what I learn through my education and experience and the price will go up shortly--- However! You will get all of the free updates I make to the course at no additional charge to you! As I learn through research, my education, and personal experimentation of new supplement regimens I will share them with you!

Buy Now We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

You don’t need to worry because these thoughts that were put in your mind from setbacks or words or opinions took control of your thoughts.

Anxiety is so much more than just sitting around worrying about everything. You could be anxious when you first wake up or right before you go to bed when nothing is even happening. This is where the chemical balance comes into play.

Anxiety can be from events, PTSD, trauma but it can also be from malnourishment, nutrient deficiencies. Anxiety and other stress disorders can lead to long-term health effects such as heart disease.

If you feel like you have tried everything then you are not alone. There are many women who are tired of trying everything they can think of for their anxiety.

Don’t fret! There is relief and it is natural without a bunch of side effects. 

I created a course for you about How to Relieve Anxiety Naturally, which is done through Holistic Healing. So I called it my Holistic Anxiety Relief eCourse. It is a course to help anxiety sufferers such as yourself use psychology and natural medicine to provide yourself relief. Now. 

Inspirational Quotes for Anxiety Sufferers

1. “A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you.”

-Joyce Meyer

2. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” — Martin Luther King

3. “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do”. – Olin Miller

Healing Anxiety Quotes

If you are struggling with staying motivated and you have depression or a hard time getting out of bed. Check out my blog post on How to Stay Motivated, When you Feel Like Giving Up. Healing anxiety quotes and words of affirmation can be very therapeutic if you use them to distract yourself from a threatening emotional event.

For example, when you are focusing on something negative or stressful, you can distract yourself with these anxiety quotes.

Motivation is at the heart of most things we do. Eat, sleep, love, work, etc. I hope these help you feel more motivated today!

Reading quotes may not seem like much, but it can be very calming especially if you practice reading quotes daily, similar to a mantra.

4. “Everything you have ever wanted, is sitting on the other side of fear.”  – George Addair

5. “Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” – Marcus Aurelius

6. “Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.” -Walter Anderson

7. “When you’re feeling anxious, remember that you’re still you. You are not your anxiety.” -Deanne Repich

8. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”- 1 Peter 5:7

9.  “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his  span of life?” -Luke 12:25

10. “I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.”? Steve Maraboli

11. “Nothing is permanent in this wicked world — not even our troubles.” — Charlie Chaplin

12. “You can only control how you think and act, you can’t control how others think and act.” – Megan Santiago

How to stay positive

You can write affirmations that remind you of your goals and what you truly want in your life.

When your anxiety starts, you can journal to take note of what negative and positive things you said about yourself and then replace those negative things you said with positive counters. This is a great way to work on your anxiety management by knowing what triggers you, I talk about figuring out your anxiety triggers and how to be less anxious overall.

By doing this, you are being mindful of how you think about yourself and how you talk and then you can write how those negative descriptions made you feel. You will start to notice that negative self-talk will make you feel upset, anxious, frustrated, or depressed.

Therefore the opposite can happen when you replace those negative thoughts with positive ones. I know how simple it sounds, but this is a technique similar to what therapists use to help bring up your confidence.

Good Days Start With Gratitude: A 52 Week Guide To Cultivate An Attitude Of Gratitude: Gratitude Journal $6.99

A great way to keep track of what you are thankful for and focus on all the good you have in your life.

Buy Now We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. 03/05/2022 12:05 am GMT Relaxation Techniques

Another thing you can do is to meditate on these quotes or find another word that is positive and uplifting. It could be about yourself, but something that helps you cope with your stress and anxiety, such as ” I do the best that I can and that is enough”, “I am loved and important”.

By taking deep breaths and saying kind words you can start yourself off on the right foot and have a better day. Make sure to breathe deeply using your abdomen more than your chest rising.

You can also tense each group of muscles, one muscle group at a time, and relax them.

Make sure to be in a quiet and peaceful environment and try to think of your happy place if you can. This will help you minimize your anxious thoughts and help you feel more in control of your anxiety.

Be very mindful of the peace you feel in the moment and when you reflect back on these anxiety quotes you can take yourself back to that peaceful place.

Trouble Sleeping

If you have insomnia, write down these anxiety quotes and make sure to put away your electronics. Then read them to yourself and practice the above relaxation technique.

Make sure to give yourself ample time to shut off your mind and calm down your thoughts before you go to sleep so you do not stay up thinking about everything you have to do the next day.

Put all electronics away an hour before you want to go to bed and only use candlelight the best that you can. This will help you avoid receiving too much blue light that can keep you up at night.

Take Note

I hope you took note of the words in these quotes and let them actually sink into your soul. Hearing and feeling each one of the words such as “everything you have ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear”. Your anxiety will hold you back from seeing that, quotes only do so much. Actions are where it really begins.

In psychology, we refer to the term “conditioning” as learning. Which we can acknowledge something and say we have learned. However until action is taken, you are not fulfilling those promises to yourself and those around you.

Natural Anxiety Relief is just one click away. You will have a few hours of guidance on nutrition, relaxation, and creating a firm foundation to heal your mind.

If you are new to this journey of dealing with your mental health naturally, head to my home page and search “anxiety” in the search bar. You will find tons of content on what to take to deal with your anxiety and how to help someone struggling with anxiety.

Originally posted 2020-07-02 05:04:46.

Holistic Anxiety Relief Course

Who is This eCourse For? Women Who Want Relief Now Whether you have been on this Anxiety Train for Way too long or you have just began. First of all welcome to the club, there is lots of support in this course for you. To help you feel less anxious, happier and more satisfied. This is not a cure, this is relief from everyday debilitating symptoms that leave you feeling like a wreck.Women That Truly Want to Learn & Give it Their Best

Women who want to learn how Holistic Health can bring healing to the entire body, mind and soul.

Women of All Ages Who Need Support

Trying to create big changes in your life all by yourself can be difficult. Even though it is up to you, it is very helpful to have a set plan and guidance to help YOU achieve greatness. With the support of other women just like you and a structured plan to help you go through the day more at ease.

Who This is NOT For:

No Effort Nancy

The woman who want’s to only try something once and give up. The woman that does not want to put in effort, yet expects results.

The Negative Nancy

The woman who does not fully believe she can make choices that impact her health and life.

See if my Holistic Anxiety Relief eCourse is right for you.

Originally posted 2020-06-28 07:25:30.

How to Deal with Debilitating Anxiety The Right Way

Prolonged stress can leave our bodies and minds in a constant state of anxiety. Stress leads to anxiety and stress is a silent killer, so to be able to prevent this, here is what anxiety causes. Debilitating anxiety can be the result of prolonged stress from malnutrition, abusive relationships, poor sleep hygiene, and more.

Anxiety causes our bodies to feel threatened all of the time. According to different psychologists, it looks different in different people. For example, Rollo May a clinical psychologist says anxiety can be defined as confronting the issue of fulfilling one’s potentialities. (Feist, Feist, & Roberts, 2018)

Most of you will know if you have anxiety, but if you do not. You can check out my blog post about “Anxiety Attack Symptoms”.

OR

If you want some more guided help at a very affordable price then check out my course: Holistic Anxiety Relief Course

Holistic Anxiety Relief Course | Anxiety Healing Naturally| Holistic Momma -How to Learn relaxation techniques you can do anywhere.-Identify anxiety in yourself and others.-Learn how to better react to situations and set a firm foundation for dealing with stressful situations.Use Natural Supplements, Dietary, and Lifestyle changes to help you feel less anxious sooner.I am a Counselor in Training, so I share what I learn through my education and experience and the price will go up shortly--- However! You will get all of the free updates I make to the course at no additional charge to you! As I learn through research, my education, and personal experimentation of new supplement regimens I will share them with you!

Buy Now We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Debilitating Anxiety Definition

Pubmed refers to anxiety disorders as a more long-term feeling of worry or concern. The more common types of anxiety are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobia Disorder and PTSD.

Generalized anxiety is a common form of anxiety that causes you to feel anxious completing everyday tasks and feeling a sense of increasing overwhelm. There is not technically a true debilitating anxiety definition, however the word debilitaing means “making someone very weak and infirm”.

Therefore debilitating anxiety can keep you from going to work, getting out of bed, going to sleep, playing with your kids, leaving the job you hate and even causing some serious road rage.

Debilitating Stress becomes Debilitating Anxiety

I have dealt with anxiety for years in many different forms. I have learned a ton about what anxiety causes short-term and long-term. The results short-term were being sweaty, irritable, moody, sore, upset stomach, crying, feeling out of control.

Allowing constant stress to take control over your life can lead to debilitating anxiety and take years off of your life. When I have changed my diet, change my mindset, and implemented supplements I have been able to stop my anxiety in its tracks. In combination with getting sunshine, exercise, going to sleep earlier and having more human connections.

If you have been struggling with anxiety for way too long, find out how you can get almost instant relief. With my Holistic Anxiety Relief Course, made with you in mind. I teach you how to track your anxiety and how to minimize anxiety attacks with the supplements and techniques I LOVE!

Short-term Effects of Debilitating Anxiety

Muscle tension, diarrhea, mouth dryness, are just a few symptoms of what anxiety causes.  If you have trouble dealing with anxiety, try some stress management activities for women.

You could end up with generalized anxiety disorder. Which is an excessive fear of legitimate things. Such as being afraid to drive because you might get into a car accident. Another would be starting that business you have always wanted to so but you don’t because your imposter syndrome tells you that you don’t deserve it.

Anxiety can cause the overgrowth of bacterias such as candida. Which is a naturally occurring bacteria that we have on our bodies. However a

What Causes Debilitating Anxiety?Childhood traumaPoor nutritionTaking on too muchLack of sleepLoss of a jobFinancial StressLoss of a Family MemberFear of Debilitating Anxiety SymptomsSerious fears can develop if not addressed such as Nosophobia (fear of getting sick)Memory Loss Can OccurWeakened Immune FunctionHeart RacingSweating Loss for WordsBouts of Anger  Long-term Effects of Anxiety

Heart disease, dehydration, high blood pressure, migraines, obesity, metabolic syndrome, leaky gut, weaken immune system, and lots lots more. Furthermore, acne, inflammation, breathing problems, hair loss, pain, insomnia.

Just think about a cold sore, most of us know that little sore on the corner of our mouths is from stress. Which is also the result of a weakened immune system.

Additional Symptoms Affected by Stress/Anxiety:

Psoriasis/EczemaIBSFood IntolerancesWorsened Asthma SymptomsMuscle TwitchingHormonal ImbalanceEtc.How to Deal with Debilitating Anxiety

EAT. Eat a healthy as often as possible, because even though you reach for those sweets to give you that short-term gratification, it can actually worsen your anxiety.

When you consume sugar, your cortisol increases which is your stress hormone. So increasing your consumption of sugary foods or artificial sweeteners like Splenda (sucralose) or High Fructose Corn Syrup, you are producing more and more of your stress hormones.

So eat a balanced meal of fat, fiber and protein.

Listen to music, journal, write out your fears and ask yourself if these anxious thoughts are valid or not. If they aren’t, then you can cross them off in your mind and shut them down easier when they pop into your mind.

Make sure you exercise. This is CRUCIAL as it is a natural anti-depressant and depression can go hand in hand with anxiety. In addition your brain grows and you can think better when your blood is flowing from exercising. Last, but not least you can receive a serotonin boost making you happier and relaxed when you exercise. I recommend yoga, weight lifting, and some light cardio to start.

Control Your Thoughts, Control Your Debilitating Anxiety

You can miss out on so many things in life due to fear. The difference between the people that become successful and make it, is not necessarily their talents. It can be their determination, their ability to overcome doubts they tell themselves, or hear from others.

It is not what happens to you in life that matters, but rather how you react to it.

Long term this makes a big difference in overcoming your debilitating anxiety, choosing to believe your anxiety is there to protect you but you can tell it to sit on the sidelines.

It is a choice to love, to hate, to discriminate, to fear, to have faith, to have power. You can choose short-term to tackle those small battles and learn more about what anxiety causes. Changing the effects it has on your body and allows it to be used positively on making beautiful things and change.

Most people do not change until something is about to kill them. If you are reading this and are trying to make a change in your mental health right now. I want to applaud you because you are being proactive instead of reactive. That is the difference between the sick and the healthy most of the time.

SummaryIn short, anxiety can cause diseases, syndromes, disorders, and weakened immune systems.Anxiety can have short-term effects that can lead to more serious long-term effects.Your mental response can affect your physical wellbeingYou control your emotions, even though some are triggered by stressful events

If you like what you have learned today, check out a few of my other blog posts to learn more about Anxiety.

Reference:

Feist, J., Feist, G. J., & Roberts, T. (2018). Theories of personality. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Originally posted 2020-06-22 03:51:09.

Signs You Might Be Living with Crippling Anxiety

Over 40 million Americans including 25% of children ages 13-18 suffer from anxiety and they are often living with crippling anxiety. Heart racing, palms sweating, shallow breathing, and more can all be anxiety attack symptoms. The fast-paced lifestyle, with the Standard American Diet, sitting and staring at a screen hunched over all day. Then you combine that with the social media comparison and photoshop game and you have a stressed out, malnourished, sedentary person.

It’s no wonder Anxiety is SO common!

To put it simply anxiety is the mind’s reaction to a potential threat that causes physical reactions. Which over time our bodies deplete themselves of the nutrients we need to help us see things as good and bad instead of everything being a threat.

How do You Know If Living With Crippling Anxiety

Before we get into some of the symptoms of crippling anxiety, I want to just say that there definitely are ways to cope and even many natural ways. How do you know if you have crippling anxiety? Well If you can’t get out of bed in the morning because you had insomnia and could not sleep well, that can be a sign your anxiety is crippling you.

If you have no energy and your diet is fairly health, you feel like your fears are increasing because everything gives you anxiety. Then it is safe to say you are being crippled with anxiety.

 

Normal Anxiety vs. Neurotic Anxiety

A little stress and anxiety are healthy, because if nothing phased you then you would not be able to feel and express yourself adequately. Some anxiety could be heart racing from being excited or anticipating something new and thrilling.

Whether it is good or bad, prolonged periods of anxiety cause fatigue, exhaustion, and muscle soreness, along with a bunch of other symptoms of an anxiety attack.

Neurotic Anxiety is “a reaction that does not match the threat and results in blocking off of activity and awareness.” (Feist, Feist, & Roberts, 2018) If you are living with crippling anxiety, you may not be as sensitive to or aware of the anxiety symptoms you are having.

Below are some important symptoms to look out for.

Heart Racing

You will feel like your heart is beating so fast and you just woke up or just had a heated argument. This is your fight-or-flight system working to try to protect you. Which is great if you are running from a lion, but not if you just woke up or are sitting and relaxed.

Try focusing on breathing slowly and doing some yoga stretches.

Lack of Concentration

A lack of food throughout the day in combination with a stressful day can make you lose all concentration. Stress and anxiety can be exhausting and your body won’t be able to think.

This is your body’s way of crying out for help. For food, meditation, and a little less caffeine.

Insomnia

I have been a victim of this one since I was about 12 years old. An overactive mind now that I have kids and people that depend on me, combined with a lot of drive and ambition.

It’s great to be driven and a go-getter. In order to keep that up you have to know when to shut it down.

Try going to sleep before 11 pm because your body wakes itself up more after 11 pm if you fight it.

Also, try taking some magnesium, because there is some really great research on its effects on anxiety attack symptoms.

Magnesium is urinated out when you undergo lots of stress that’s why it HAS to be replenished. Through your diet would be the most ideal route, however, that’s difficult.

Our food quality is not the same as it was for our ancestors. We still need to eat our veggies like avocados and dark leafy greens. (Great sources of Magnesium)

However, supplements help us supplement what our diet is lacking.

Here is my favorite Calm Magnesium on Amazon it is 113 servings and can be taken multiple times a day.

 

Why I love Calm Magnesium

I have woken up so many times feeling like my anxiety is crippling me and when I take my Calm Magnesium, it gets better so quickly!

It is a powder and it dissolves in cold water in just a few minutesSuper affordable for 113 servings in the larger bottle (even more depending on how much your body needs)Slightly flavored but contains no sugar!Once mixed in water, the liquid is absorbed much faster than a pill.PotentEffectiveWorks FASTDigestive Issues

I feel like this is one of the anxiety attack symptoms that people do not have a clue about. When you eliminate foods out of your diet that you believe you are sensitive to. Then you still have an upset stomach or tightening feeling.

Anxiety.

Even your gut health is affected by your anxiety. We produce between 80-90% of our serotonin in our guts. There have also been many connections between our guts and our hearts, skin, brain, immune system, and more.

 

High Blood Pressure

Prolonged stress, lots of caffeine, alcohol, no exercise, AND a magnesium deficiency can all cause high BP. Magnesium tells your heart and blood vessels to relax.

Consuming high amounts of white refined salt can cause small cuts in your arteries and the body sends plaque to repair it, therefore causing build-up and increasing blood pressure.

Pro Tip: Switch to an unrefined sea salt like Redmond’s Real Salt or Evolution’s Himalayan Salt both are natural salts. In addition, they have magnesium in them, but of course, taking the supplement helps to increase it faster and it is faster acting than salt.

Sweating

Is the temperature always too hot? You are sweating indoors with the air on full blast and you have no idea why. Yeah, that’s your anxiety, my friend.

Something an acupuncturist taught me was to use peppermint oil on the bottom of my feet. Peppermint is kind of tingly and very cooling so only use a few drops.

If you love essential oils, check out the blog post I created about Essential Oils for Anxiety.

Muscle Tension

When stressed our muscles tense up. If you are lifting weights at the gym you want this. (Exercise is a form of stress, healthy but still stress.)

That’s like doing a squat and just holding it most of the day. Your muscles would tense up and give you a charlie horse after a while.

 

SummaryAnxiety is normal when our morals are threatened.Magnesium is helpful at calming you down and supporting healthy blood pressure.Your digestive health can be affected by your thoughts.

 

You can heal your body if you heal your mind. You can thrive in business, health, relationships, and potential if you work on healing your mind.

 

 

[image error] Click to Buy Magnesium Calm

References: https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics#:~:text=Anxiety%20disorders%20are%20the%20most%20common%20mental%20illness,yet%20only%2036.9%25%20of%20those%20suffering%20receive%20treatment.

Originally posted 2020-06-18 04:03:41.

Healthy Cheap Dinner Ideas That Can Save Your Budget!

Has your grocery store bill increased lately? Prices keep rising in stores across the United States. According to the Consumer Price Index, food at home costs increased by 6.5% last year. The most significant category increases included meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. These increases have significantly impacted the average household grocery budget and meal planning for family dinners.

It’s frustrating to spend so much money on a few staple items at the grocery store. While you can’t control food costs in a volatile market, you can save your budget with some creative meal planning and cheap dinner ideas. 

Families have unique tastes and preferences for dinners that offer choice and variety. Searching for budget-friendly meals online leads you to many ideas that are mainly pasta with a pinch of cheese or dressing. These cheap dinner ideas come from frugal ingredients where the meat is versatile and allows you to shop according to the current market prices.  

How to Save Money on Groceries

A great way to save money and eat healthily is to use a convenient online market like Thrive Market! This will allow you to eat according to your diet whether it’s dairy-free, keto, gluten-free, or just more whole foods!

Thrive Market | Healthy living made easy | Save Hundreds on Groceries, Supplements, Organic Meat and More!

Never leave your home and have your groceries delivered to your door! Here's why I LOVE Thrive Market

It's a cheap membershipI get free full-sized products every time I orderThe regular prices are cheaper than other large retailersThey gift memberships to families in need when you sign upThey sell TONS of organic, natural, non-gmo, sprouted, fair-trade, eco-friendly productsYou get free shipping on every order over $49Great Customer ServiceThey offer meat, frozen items, baby products, and moreYou can shop by diet (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, keto, etc.)The reasons to join thrive are endless!! Buy Now We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Cheap Crockpot Meals

A crockpot is a time and money saver for meals in multiple ways. A crockpot is a useful kitchen tool for busy families. It cooks a meal while you’re at work, saves the cost of using an oven, and allows you to feed a large family. 

Soups, stews, and chilis are cheap crockpot dinner meals that go a long way. Many combinations of meats and veggies work together to make a hearty dinner. Some crockpot meals, such as chili, can be used later in the week to create new dishes, such as topping for nachos or potatoes. Using your leftovers in different meals is cost-effective and reduces food waste.

Taco soup is an example of a hearty and easy crockpot meal that feeds a large family or crowd. It consists of beef (or chicken), tomatoes, corn, beans, and seasoning. These are common canned goods kept in the pantry or affordable to purchase when you need a meal that feeds a crowd. You can choose your meat for this dish based on market pricing at the time, making it a versatile dish that helps with your food budget and weeknight dinners. 

More cheap crockpot dinner ideas:Chicken or beef chiliChicken with Italian dressing or salsa (shredded to add to pasta or pair with a veggie)Chicken and dumplingsVegetable soupPot roast and veggiesBeef stew

These crockpot dinner ideas are easy to make and use inexpensive ingredients. Many of these dishes make enough to freeze for multiple meals, which also stretches your dollar. 

Easy Cheap Casseroles

Casseroles, or one sheet pan dinners, combine foods that create a standalone meal. You probably have some traditional casserole recipes from your cookbook that are already classic family favorites. Casseroles use versatile ingredients and recipes can be adjusted to feed small or large families. 

One easy sheet pan meal and known comfort food that combines chicken, a flaky pie crust, and vegetables is chicken pot pie. The most significant expense is your chicken but it remains a cost-effective meal with veggies and a homemade or store-bought crust. 

A rotisserie chicken is typically an affordable food item used in various dishes to make casseroles and other cheap dinner meals. One chicken can go a long way when used in soups, salads, and pasta to add protein and flavor.  

Easy casseroles for dinner: Shepherd’s pieTaco casseroleBreakfast casserolePoppyseed chicken casseroleBeef stroganoffGround beef casserole

Casseroles typically combine proteins, starches, vegetables, and sauces to create a tasty and filling meal. Another bonus of casseroles is that most freeze well and can be prepared in advance to save time and money. 

Pasta Dinner Ideas

Pasta dinners provide many food choices that are affordable and delicious. They are often a simple meal favorite that kids love too. Pasta consisting of add-on ingredients remains a cost-effective food choice used to feed families or large groups. 

Spaghetti is one choice that can save your budget and please the whole family. It can be vegetarian or meat-based depending on prices at shopping time. Toppings and add-ins can customize your meal based on family preferences. 

Easy pasta dinner ideas:Homemade pizzaMac and cheeseLasagnaCreamy chicken pastaPasta saladBaked ziti

Pasta is cheap, and a few added ingredients can make it an excellent option for family meals. Use what you already have on hand in the pantry or fridge to liven up an otherwise plain pasta dish.  

Meatless Meals 

We can take some meal ideas from the Great Depression and apply them to today to save our budgets at dinner time. The Great Depression was a time in our history when meats and sweets were viewed as splurges and not everyday menu items. They simply used what was available in as many creative ways as possible. Most meals consisted of beans, potatoes, and cornbread. 

Potatoes can be prepared in multiple ways to create different dishes, and a baked potato with a few add-ons can make a cheap dinner meal. Leftover mashed potatoes can be cooked again into fried potato patties to get your money and meal’s worth from one dish. 

Adding more veggies to your meals is a natural way to eat cheap and healthy dinner meals. Many meals can be served vegetarian with lentils, beans, spinach, or other vegetables on sale and in season. 

Other simple meatless meals:Beans and riceCheese or veggie quesadillasBean and cheese burritosVegetable stir fryRoasted vegetables and sweet potatoes

Lentils and beans provide protein, carbohydrates, and fiber as a great option to a balanced diet that will not blow your budget. Adding more vegetables to your dishes improves the flavor and is healthier too. 

Sandwich Ideas for Dinner

Sometimes you’re a busy family on the go and need a cheap dinner idea with little to no cooking for an easy weeknight meal. A sandwich can meet both needs with a few simple ingredients. Sandwiches for supper are a quick and cost-effective option.  

Making a comeback in part to Johnny Lawrence’s character in Cobra Kai, it doesn’t get much easier or cheaper than a Manwich, also known as a Sloppy Joe. A Sloppy Joe is a meat mixture with added sauces to create a tangy flavor. It’s eaten on hamburger buns or bread and served with chips, fries, or tater tots, making it a fun kid-friendly meal. 

More cheap dinner sandwich ideas:Grilled cheesePulled pork sandwichesEgg sandwichHamburgersBacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich

Don’t forget the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich! It’s a quick, cheap dinner idea that still packs in some protein. 

Breakfast for Dinner Ideas

Breakfast makes a meal at any time of the day and provides a quick and easy dinner that uses simple ingredients you likely already have in the fridge or pantry. Oatmeal, fruits, and omelets are nutritious choices that are easy to prepare at dinner time. 

A breakfast casserole combines eggs, sausage, cheeses, and croissants to make an all-in-one pan dish that can feed a family of 4. These are items you would need to buy when they are on sale to keep this an affordable dinner choice. 

Simple breakfast for dinner options:Oatmeal with fruit or yogurtPancakes or waffles with fruitOmelets  Cereal Gravy and biscuits

Breakfast for dinner can save your budget and please the whole family, making it a win for a cheap weeknight meal. For those nights where you have no time or energy, a bowl of cereal can come to the rescue!

Easy Dinner Desserts

Whether it’s been a long day, there’s something to celebrate, or just to cure a sweet tooth, sometimes you need a dessert at dinner. Adding a dessert to a meal does not have to blow your budget. 

Desserts can be simple, cheap, and delicious. If you like apples, combine one can of apple pie filling, a box of yellow cake mix, and butter in the crockpot for two hours. The result is a delicious dessert that tastes as good as it smells for less than $5! 

More cheap dessert ideas:Pudding topped with whip creamBrowniesFudgeRice or bread puddingNo bake cookies

This dessert recipe for chocolate Christmas clusters doesn’t fit the cheap category, but it does make enough to gift all of your coworkers or friends and family. The expense is offset by using it as a gift item for a large group of people.

Final thoughts: Cheap dinner ideas can save your time and your grocery budget without compromising flavor or variety. Vegetables can be added to your meals for cost savings and added health benefits. 

This post originally appeared on Savoteur.

Misty Martin (Home Money Habits)

Misty is the owner and founder of Home Money Habits. She has a specialist degree in educational leadership and is a Level 2 Google Certified Educator. Misty provides tips, tools, and printables for home and money management so families can stress less and spend more time on their terms. 

The Best Comprehensive Method to Learn Baby Sign Language

If you want to have better communication with your baby, then baby sign language is essential. Your baby is likely to develop such important skills for saying their first word as they reach the age of 8 to 12 months. Until then, it is considered that a very helpful tool is baby sign language. 

What Is Baby Sign Language?

Baby sign language is considered to be an effective way for helping your child in communication, enabling your non-verbal baby to express their requirements before they know how to communicate and how to utilize words. Better communication, as we know, leads to better interactions and fewer obstacles. What’s more, it also helps in boosting the confidence of the baby as a communicator, which helps in spurring their motivation for keeping the communication going through signs which are often a mix of sounds and signs, and then eventually through the help of words. 

Will Baby Sign Language Slow the Verbal Development of the Baby?

Studies indicate that through giving your baby an early communication method, baby sign language may help stimulate their need to learn more techniques for communication that also includes talking.

Baby sign language in this regard gives them an effective way of engaging with the people around them so that they get even more out of the experiences happening around them. 

Using baby sign language with your baby means that you will be spending more time conversing with your baby as well, and there comes no better way than to aid them in learning to speak than actually communicating with them. 

How Do You Teach Baby Sign Language?

If your baby is around nine months of age, you might have seen them wave goodbye or further point to anything they want. Your baby has learned these body gestures by simply seeing and mimicking the people around them.

Teaching your baby sign language comes as quite an easy method as repeating the gesture and communicating the related word when you have your baby’s attention.

As they start catching the signs that they may want to use for communication, they will start doing it in a routine way. Eventually, they will learn quickly how to use the baby’s sign language. 

If you want to know how to use and teach baby sign language, experts like speech pathologists recommend the following:

Sign on In An Early Way

Start teaching your baby sign language as much soon as you can so they get into the habit of communicating with you. Most of the babies will initiate with the baby sign language as they reach 10 to 14 months of age. 

Sign When Required

Choose the language signs which are important, useful, and most importantly, meaningful for your baby. These signs are mostly about the way to express their everyday needs, including sleep, thirst, and hunger. 

Follow the Signs

Most babies have their own baby sign language. If your baby makes one, then try using their signs so that they feel understood. 

Start earlier on but don’t force it, just repeat it over and over, and eventually it will be much easier for them and you to communicate.

Sign and Speak Simultaneously 

You will need to say that word out loud as the baby’s sign language gets communicated. It is a way of ensuring your baby connects the sign well with the word that is communicated verbally. 

Sign in A Consistent Manner

You need to make sure that the signs that you use are frequent as well as consistent. Remember that repetition is the key essence. As the baby will see the same signs repeatedly, they learn and imitate the signs in a quicker manner. 

Put Some Face Time 

Babies love looking at our faces as well as our eyes, so you need to make sure that you make the signs close to your face. This way, your baby will likely note those signs. 

Use the World 

If you want to sign for an object, try making the sign around that object so that your baby learns the utility of the sign and its association with that object. 

Reward the Baby 

Your baby is better apt at learning signs required to get what they are asking for in a prompt manner. Therefore, if he has the sign for being done with eating, immediately take away the plate. 

Sign the Baby 

If you want some formality, then sign up the baby for a baby sign language class so that you and your baby can learn the effective way of communication with each other.

You may want to sign up at a hospital, community center, or any other organization offering such classes for parents and babies. Alternatively, you might want to look at online resources or sessions for baby sign language. 

Sign the Family

Not only is it the function between the parent and the kid but also all the family members that live with the baby. When more and more people around the baby learn the baby’s sign language, the happier the baby will be as they feel more understood. 

Sign Off When It is Time 

Signing, just like other communication forms, should be developed in a natural way and at one’s pace without keeping any pressure. If the baby seems to be a little frustrated by the baby’s sign language, tries showing signs of being overwhelmed, and resists using them, then you don’t need to force it on the baby.

The overall idea is to reduce the frustration for both of you, not increase it. 

Encourage from The Beginning 

You need to encourage the baby right from the start. As your baby starts imitating your signs, it will not be perfect at the start, so consider the start just as babbling. Do acknowledge the signs and the response to these signs, which are close, just like you want to, given it was perfect, for keeping your baby motivated and interested in the thing. 

What Are the Best Signs to Teach the Baby?

As you start the baby sign language, you need to develop the natural signs which work for both the baby and you. A simple gesture might work as well. There are some recommendations for baby sign language that you might want to use:

Please– Hand on the chest, moving it from left to right.

Sleeping – Hands together, support a head that is tilting 

Hunger – Rubbing belly, tap the fingertips to the mouth, just like you’re eating with your palm facing down and your thumb touching the fingers.

Milk – Squeeze the fingers of the hand in and out. 

Drinking – A hand that is cupped placed around the lips 

“More” sign – Touch the fingers towards the thumb on the hand and then touch the hands together at the tips of the fingers in a repeated motion 

All done – Fingers faced up and twisted hands backward and forward 

Upwards – Arm upwards 

Downwards – Palm facing in a downward direction with the index finger pointing towards the ground, lowering the hands

Mom – Tapped thumb towards the chin 

Dad – Tapped thumb towards the forehead 

Here is a sign language chart that can give you a visualization to help you with your sign language education!

What Are the Benefits of Baby Sign Language?

While most babies can get an advantage from using baby sign language, it is particularly helpful for babies who develop talking skills at a later age. Some babies may find difficulty in communicating their frustration that results in problems of behavior including hitting, crying, tantrum-throwing, etc. when they feel like they are not understood. 

Research indicates that delay in language comes as a risk factor for behavioral issues in toddlers and babies. In this regard, baby sign language may help in alleviating that frustration by offering a source for expression. 

With that being said, baby sign language is an effective tool for encouraging the early development of language skills, and it does not come as a substitute for actual professional help. If you are in doubt about your baby’s language and speech delay or hearing loss, you need to consult a pediatrician. They may refer your baby to a speech-language pathologist for ruling out or diagnosing any problems requiring follow-ups coming from a professional. 

Does Learning Baby Sign Language Indicate a Smarter Future?

Baby sign language for sure makes life easier in the developing years of the baby. However, it is not that important for improving the cognitive skills of the baby. So, try teaching your baby sign language if your baby is open to it. If it is causing frustration and a waste of time and energy, then you don’t need to continue it. 

Communicate with your baby in any manner which works and feels right to both of you. After all, the communication going on will be the way through which you and your child can bond together, be it baby sign language or whatever. Ultimately, there will be a flow of words, and finally, your baby will move towards the verbal communicating stage.

Stress Management Activities for Women [That Actually Work!]

Taking the time to invest in stress management activities for women can help lessen your days out of work from stress. This post covers stress management activities for women to do indoor, to do outdoors, to do on a budget. What is stress? It’s our body’s fight-or-flight response to thinking it is in danger. Which is great to protect us from a lion chasing us. However, a newborn screaming, although stressful, is not quite the same danger. So how do we cope with this said stress? We start by finding healthy outlets. Redirecting the stress and anxiety and making peace with it, but using it to fuel you. I used my anxiety as a method to motivate myself to eat meals more consistently and take my supplements regularly.  1.Coloring Stress management could be something as simple as journaling or coloring inside. There are a variety of adult coloring books such as animals drinking, natural and unique patterns. I purchased one for myself a long time ago and my daughter tries to take it so I grab hers and we color together. Adult coloring books are not exactly what they sound like, they are not like your kids’ princess or cars coloring book. They are actually therapeutic and allow you to focus on something beautiful rather than something stressful in your life.2.JournalingJournaling is a trending topic that many people are looking to use for stress management. It’s not your average journal you wrote about cute boys in kindergarten. Journals are used to get the stuff off your chest that you just want to scream at the top of your lungs sometimes.3. MeditationI know what you’re thinking meditation, huh? Do I have to? That stuff is all woo woo and crazy. But it can be done however you want it’s just focusing on relaxing and deep breathing to help calm your body and mind.4. YogaYoga complements the meditation but does not have to be done together. Many forms of exercise can actually add stress such as extended cardio, fasted cardio, or intense weight lifting. On the Contrary, Yoga helps tone the body, reduce body fat, and improve stress management.  A Pubmed study was done on pregnant women’s stress levels after doing yoga and the results showed their cortisol hormone was way down. In addition, anxiety, anger, depression, frustration & fatigue were significantly decreased.5. Relaxation Technique A progressive muscle relaxation technique is something that the therapist use to help clients relax their body. First step you clench your fist and arms or one part of your body. Then hold it for about 10 seconds and finally release and relax. Then you move to the next part of your body such as your face and clinch all the muscles in your face, and then release them and relax. This can be done with meditation or just on its own to help you feel less tense because one of the symptoms of anxiety is muscle tension.  So disposing of that muscle tension can help you feel more at ease and can better help with stress management.6. Epsom Salt Bath Another stress management activity for women is to take an Epsom salt bath after the kids go to sleep. Epsom salt helps relax your muscles and can help with muscle cramping. That tension stress tension can be really frustrating and hard to work out. Bonus Tip: Add in a couple of drops of lavender to help you relax more and go to sleep faster! Essential Oils are used for cleaning, stress, sleep, bug repellants, and more. If you would like to learn about how essential oils can help you with anxiety , check out my post here. A product I like to use in my bath is called magnesium flakes . They help to increase your magnesium in your body and help you avoid any malabsorption issues.7. Read a BookThe next tip I have for stress management activities for women is to pick up a good book. Read right before you go to bed because you will remember what you read better by sleeping on it.8. Put It AwayPut your cell phone at any technology in another room and turn off notifications. Try to do this before bed to avoid interrupting sleep. Plus the blue lights from screens keep you awake and will affect your melatonin. If you are like me and you are up late working on your computer after the kids are asleep. Then get yourself a pair of my sexy blue light glasses that I got off Amazon. (Inserts Glamour Shot with the Blue Light Glasses) They help block the blue light from my computer and phone in order to allow my body to produce melatonin & put me to sleep!    This ladies is #nofilter. I mean the pumping bra, the blue light glasses and the bottle balanced off the chin with the newborn. Start reading and putting the phone away at least 30 minutes to an hour before you want to wind down. Also, keep your room cool enough and dark to help you relax.8. Listen to PodcastListen to a positive podcast or song that will help you stay focused on the goals you have in life.  Try a different podcast every night and see what people really speak to you. You can do it on the go or while cleaning toilets and wiping little booties.9. Listen to a SermonIf you love Jesus, but you can’t always get the family to church every week. Download Spotify, pod bean or whatever your little heart desires and praise Jesus!10. Wash Your Hair

This sounds odd but I feel SO much better when I have clean hair and I’m slightly manicured. There’s just something about clean hair, maybe nails did and a little makeup on. Which leads me to my next thing.

11. Put Your Face On

Getting ready, putting makeup on, and being ready to face the day. It can give you confidence and allow you to have a sense of accomplishment. I know I am more productive running errands and getting things done when I have my game face on.

12. Kick Social to The Curb, My Friend

Stay off social media or put a limit on how much time you spend on it per day. Only follow people who motivate you and help you stay focused on the goals in your life. If you need help with motivation, I wrote an article & research paper on the power of motivation, check it out!

13. See a Shrink

Nail Bitter, I know that sounds intimidating. It’s less scary than you may think. I will be a licensed therapist soon and I can’t wait to help you guys! Until then, I recommend you find someone to talk to while you are at home. Checkout a telemedicine site such as Better Help. Just to have a conversation with a non-biased individual about your stress and fears.

There is nothing wrong with needing a little help in your marriage/relationship, with difficult kids or the stresses of being a mom. They all can weigh on us and it can be helpful to speak to someone who understands your point of view.

14. Don’t Carry Your Stress Alone

I do want to say that the stress and anxiety we have is not ours to carry. A lack of faith can lead to worry, doubt, and fear. The bible talks about anxiety and fears numerous times. Here are 20 Anxiety Bible Verses.

15. Go for a Walk (Not a Run)

Running for some can be more stressful for some people who are overly stressed. If you are having a hard time losing weight and you have cleaned up your diet. Give walking a try.

16. Low-Intensity Weight Lifting

Don’t stress yourself more, just do some full-body workouts and resistance training. I recommend starting with some compounding exercises. Compounding exercises are ones that work multiple muscles like deadlifts, squats & bench press.

This will save you time working out and can help balance your blood sugar in addition to your cortisol. Which both affect your stress levels.

17. Organize Your House

Organizing can be therapeutic for some people & make it easier to function. This may not be one of the best stress management activities for women that are OCD and it stresses them out further. Just skip it and head to number 18 on our list.

18. Cook or Bake

I have picked up a habit of making some gluten-free dessert mixes for my family. There’s cookie dough, pancakes, pie crusts & brownies… Mmm

Going gluten-free isn’t necessarily essential, but gluten can mess up your gut and cause further anxiety & stress.

19. Gratitudes

Write a list of the things you are thankful for. I can write I am thankful that I have a family to clean up after. Some women would love to have kids, be married, and have a family.

So even though changing diapers, picking up toys and doing everyone’s laundry is not always fun. I am blessed I have my health and can serve my family. This can be challenging when you are caught up in everything around you, but you can work on having more of a growth mindset to help you be aware of the positivity you can focus on.

20. Be Prepared

A lot of general anxiety can be avoided with preparation. You might get in fights with someone because they are wasting your time and you are late somewhere. But it may be that you did not use proper time management and that left late for an appointment and now you are stressed out.

Using proper time management, preparing for messes your kids will create, or taking your supplements to help you react to stressful situations better.

Being proactive can prevent you from having to be reactive to a situation (a.k.a stressed).

**Bonus**21. Give Yourself Credit

To me, this is one of the best stress management activities for women, because so much is expected of us. A lot of us are moms and homemakers, we work a job or are at home taking care of other people.

We oftentimes come last and give ourselves little credit. Yet we are supposed to bounce back after a baby or look cute, shaved and manicured all the time. There’s a ton of work that goes into just the basics.

If we don’t love on ourselves and give ourselves credit for the small things, nobody will. If you feel overwhelmed, acknowledge all the things you do get done and you have accomplished! You finished a degree, you learned how to breastfeed, or budget your finances.

Ladies, you weren’t born knowing everything you know now, so give yourself credit for the smallest accomplishments. It’s the least you deserve!

Make a to-do list and check every little thing off.

Example To-do List:

Brush My TeethDo a Load of LaundryRead a book to my kidsTake my dog for a walkDo 10 minutes of YogaDo 20 Minutes of Reading

Creating a Long List of Small tasks that you overlook in a day, will help you feel more accomplished. Feeling more accomplished will give you confidence in your situation and help you feel in control over your stress. Instead of your stress & anxiety being in control over you.

Until Next Time Ladies!

Originally posted 2020-06-02 08:30:48.

10 Effective At-Home Workouts To Build Strength (With Limited Time)

The first year of the pandemic was a revolutionary year for the at-home workout industry. According to a recent article in The Washington Post, health and fitness equipment sales more than doubled, to $2.3 billion, starting in March 2020.

The good news is you don’t need any fancy equipment or a lot of time to get an effective workout at home. Below are some of the best workouts you can do right from your living room, regardless of your fitness level.

Are At-Home Workouts Effective?

Working out at home can be an effective tool for improving strength and building muscle with just your body weight. The primary benefit of training at home is that it provides you with the flexibility to work out at any time.

In addition, home workouts are cheaper and can be more efficient than gym workouts as you don’t have to commute or pay for a membership.

The major downside with at-home training is that you likely will not have access to all the equipment available at a commercial gym. As such, it is essential to know how to properly train all the major muscle groups in your body with just your body weight.

What Are the Best Exercises You Can Do at Home Without Equipment?

There are six major movement patterns we use in everyday life that can target all of the major muscle groups in your body. These are pushing, pulling, squatting, and hinging.

More specifically:

The Horizontal Push

The horizontal push involves extending your arms away from your body in a horizontal plane. This movement pattern trains the chest, anterior shoulders, and triceps.

The primary horizontal pushing exercise is the push-up and all of its variations. Here are three push-up variations that you can use in your home workout.

The Incline Push-upThe Close Grip Push-upThe Archer Push-upThe Horizontal Pull

The horizontal pull involves bringing your arm towards you in a horizontal plane. This movement pattern trains the upper back, biceps, and posterior shoulders.

The primary horizontal pulling exercise is the row. Here are three rowing variations that you can do at home with no equipment.

The Wall PullThe Knees Bent Inverted RowFeet Elevated Inverted RowThe Vertical Push

The vertical push involves extending your arms above your head in a vertical plane. This movement pattern trains the medial shoulders and triceps.

The primary vertical pushing exercise is the pike push-up. Here are three vertical pushing variations that you can use depending on your skill level.

Pike Push-upFeet Elevated Pike Push-upUpright Chair DipThe Vertical Pull

The vertical pull involves pulling your body up towards an object in a vertical plane. This movement pattern will train lat muscles, biceps, and posterior shoulders.

The primary vertical pulling exercise is the pull-up. Unfortunately, you will need a bar to get the full benefits of this back exercise. Here are three pull-up variations you can use depending on your strength levels.

Prone Cobras With ExtensionChin-UpsClose Grip Pull-upsThe Knee Flexion Pattern

The knee flexion involves bending your hips and knees while keeping your torso upright. This movement pattern trains the quadriceps, adductors (inner thighs), and glutes.

The primary knee flexion exercise is the squat and all of its variations. Here are several knee flexion variations you can use depending on your capabilities.

Standard SquatReverse LungeRear Foot Elevated Split SquatOne Leg Box SquatThe Hip Extension Pattern:

The hip extension involves straightening or extending at your hips with a flexed torso. This movement pattern trains the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles.

The primary hip extension exercise is the glute bridge and its variations. Here are several hip extension variations you can do at home with no equipment.

Kneeling SquatGlute BridgeSingle-Leg BridgeSingle-Leg Romanian DeadliftCore Stabilization Exercises

The last area to train is the core, which includes your rectus abdominals, obliques, and lower back.

According to lower back pain expert Dr. Stuart McGill, core training should focus on stability, i.e., preventing movement at the spine, rather than promoting mobility.

The primary core stabilization exercise for abs is the plank. Here are several core stabilization variations you can use regardless of your fitness level.

Plank

You can do a high plank (on your hands) or a low plank (on your elbows)

Side Plank HoldsUp and Down PlanksHollow Body Holds

——–

To see a complete list of dozens of beginner, intermediate, and advanced progressions for each movement pattern, check out this comprehensive list of calisthenics exercises.

——–

The Best At-Home Workouts For Building Strength With Limited Time

Now that you know which bodyweight exercises to include, it’s time to go over the workouts. Don’t forget, consistency is one of the most important aspects of fitness. Pick a routine that you enjoy and that fits into your schedule.

Feel free to swap any exercise with an easier or more difficult variation depending on your capabilities.

The Full Body At-Home Workout

In the full-body workout routine, you will train several muscle groups in your upper and lower body in one session.

This at-home workout is excellent for beginners who are just learning how to exercise and regularly practice the movement patterns.

The workout is:

Push-ups: 10 repetitions

Squats: 15 repetitions

Wall Pulls: 15 repetitions

Kneeling Squats: 15 repetitions

Plank: 15 seconds

You can perform this circuit up to three times, depending on how much time you have.

Do this routine 2-3 times per week with at least one day off between workouts.

The Upper-Lower At-Home Workout

The upper-lower workout divides your routine into two sections: your upper body and your lower body.

This workout is excellent for those who want more variety and like to focus on one section of their body at a time.

Here is the workout:

Upper Body:

Push-ups: 15 repetitions

Bent-Over Row: 15 repetitions each arm

Pike Push-ups: 12 repetitions

Plank with Lateral Arm Raise: 10 repetitions each arm

Lower Body:

Squats: 20 repetitions

Glute Bridge: 20 repetitions

Reverse Lunge: 15 repetitions per leg

Hollow Body Hold: 20 seconds

You can perform each circuit up to three times.

Do each workout at least once per week, with one day off between workouts.

The Push-Pull-Legs At-Home Workout

The push-pull legs workout is a more advanced variation of the upper-lower routine, with two days dedicated to the upper body. It is a great workout to follow if you want to create a more complex routine after gaining some experience.

Here is the workout:

Push Workout:

Close Grip Push-ups: 15 repetitions

Pike Push-ups: 12 repetitions

Chair Dips: 12 repetitions

Pull Workout:

Chin-ups 10 repetitions

Prone Cobra with Arm Extensions 15 repetitions

Inverted Row 12 repetitions

Legs Workout:

Squats 15 repetitions

Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat 10 repetitions each leg

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift 10 repetitions each leg

3-Limb Plank 30 seconds

You can perform each circuit up to three times, depending on how much time you have.

Do each workout at least once per week, with one day off between workouts.

The 30 Day Challenge Workout

The 30-day challenge is a simple workout for 30 days straight and consists of just three movements: the push-up, the squat, and the plank.

Each day, the challenge increases in difficulty by adding 1-2 repetitions or 5 seconds to each exercise.

Here’s how it looks:

Day 1: 5 Squats, 5 Push-ups, 5 second Plank

Day 2: 7 Squats, 7 Push-ups, 10 sec Plank

Day 3: 9 Squats, 9 Push-ups, 15 sec Plank

Day 4: 11 Squats, 11 Push-ups, 20 sec Plank

Day 5: Off

Day 6: 12 Squats, 12 Push-ups, 25 sec Plank

And so on.

Take as many sets as necessary to accomplish the required repetitions, and use an appropriate variation for your skill level.

If you have prior experience, you can start with 10-15 repetitions of squats and push-ups.

The PLP At-Home Workout

Next is the PLP workout, similar to the 30-day challenge but with different exercises.

PLP stands for pull-ups, lunges, and push-ups.

Like the 30 day challenge, you will increase the number of repetitions for each exercise by one each day.

Here’s the workout.

Day 1: 1 Pull-up, 1 Lunge (each leg), 1 Push-up (any variation)

Day 2: 2 Pull-ups, 2 Lunges (each leg), 2 Push-ups

Day 3: 3 Pull-ups, 3 Lunges (each leg), 3 Push-ups

Day 4: 4 Pull-ups, 4 Lunges (each leg), 4 Push-ups

And so on.

Feel free to take a day off after every five workouts. If you have prior experience, you can start with ten repetitions for each movement.

The Advanced At-Home Workout

The next home workout is an advanced variation for those looking for a greater challenge.

This workout features advanced variations of each of the major movement patterns.

Workout 1:

One Leg Box Squat: 6 reps each leg

Archer Push-ups: 8 reps each side

Bulgarian Split Squat: 8 reps each leg

Feet Elevated Inverted Row: 12 reps

Three rounds

Workout 2:

Pull-ups: 10 reps

Single-Leg Glute Bridge: 10 reps each leg

Chair Dips: 8 reps

Up and Down Plank: 30 seconds

Three rounds

Perform each workout 1-2 times per week, with at least one day off between workouts.

How to Progress Through the Workouts

There are several ways to progress as you get stronger.

Repetitions

The most important way to progress is to start with a variation appropriate for your skill level and then slowly increase the number of repetitions you do per set. You can focus on the other strategies below once you can do 20 reps per set.

Tempo

The second thing you can do is change the tempo or the time under tension for each movement pattern. This means doing the exercises with a slower cadence.

Variation

The third thing you can do is change the movement pattern to a more challenging variation or progression.

Additional Resistance

The fourth way to progress your workout is to add additional resistance to your exercises. You can use dumbbells, a weight vest, or even wear a backpack filled with books or bags of rice.

Find an Advanced Routine

The last thing you can do is follow a more advanced bodyweight workout routine you can do. This at-home calisthenics workout consists of four workouts per week, each lasting 30 minutes.

At-Home High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Workouts

At-home workouts can also be effective for improving your cardiovascular health. 

The great thing is research has shown that short bouts of 10 or 15 minutes of exercise can be just as effective as a longer 30-minute long cardio workout. 

Below are three at-home HIIT workouts you can do in just 10-15 minutes per day to get your heart rate up.

The Tabata Workout

Tabata is a continuous workout that consists of eight rounds of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest.

You can use Tabata for just about any movement pattern.

Here is the workout:

20-sec Jumping Jacks

10-sec Rest

x 8 rounds

1-minute Rest

20-sec Push-ups (any variation)

10-sec Rest

x 8 round

1-minute Rest

20 sec Jump Squats

10-sec Rest

x 8 rounds

The EMOM Workout

EMOM stands for every minute on the minute.

This workout is a continuous movement workout that consists of accomplishing a certain amount of repetitions in one minute.

When you finish the work, you rest for the remainder of the minute.

Once the following minute starts, you repeat the exercises. The faster you can get the work done, the longer your rest will be for each 1-minute interval.

Perform the following three movements every minute on the minute for 10 minutes.

Bodyweight Squats 5 repetitions

Push-ups 5 repetitions

Up and Down Planks 5 repetitions

The workout ends if you cannot complete all of the repetitions within 1 minute.

The 7 Minute Workout

Next is the 7-minute workout. This workout was popularized by a recent study that showed that it could improve body composition if done every day for at least six weeks. 

As the name implies, the workout is simple and only takes 7 minutes to complete.

Here is the workout:

Perform each of the following exercises for 30 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest.

Jumping jacks

Wall sit

Push-up

Crunch (or Mountain Climbers)

Step-up (or Reverse Lunge)

Squat

Dips

Plank (or Hollow Body Hold)

Other FAQsWhat Is the Best Home Workout To Lose Weight?

Contrary to popular belief, research shows that exercise alone is not a very good way to lose weight.

Weight loss is best achieved through a combination of diet and physical activity.

That’s not to say exercise isn’t important. Exercise is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle because it improves cardiovascular fitness, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure regulation, and mental health.

What Is the Most Effective Home Workout?

The most effective home workout is the one that you will do. A short, well-designed workout that is easy to maintain is always better than none at all.

You must find (or develop) a routine that fits your schedule and that you stick to. Believe it or not, you can maintain your muscle mass and strength with as little as one session per week and 1 set per exercise, as long as you use an appropriate level of intensity. 

With that said, following a routine with measurable results might prove to be more motivating than sporadic workouts.

Start Strength Training At-Home Today

So there you have ten at-home workouts along with several bodyweight exercises you can do right now, from the comfort of your living room.

In just a few minutes each day, you can build muscle, gain strength, and improve your cardiovascular health.

What are you waiting for? It’s free!

This article originally appeared on  Wealth of Geeks.