Self-care tips

6 Ways to Find Your Calm in the Middle of the Storm

Lynette M Burrows

It’s a topsy-turvy world we’re living in right now. Even an introvert like me, used to sitting alone at the computer all day, can get caught up in the craziness. It’s essential, now more than ever, that you find your calm in the middle of the storm. Ack! How do you do that when everyone around you is losing their minds? Smile First, smile. Fake it if you must. Look in the mirror and smile. Make faces. Be goofy.  Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. —Thich Nhat Hanh There’s science behind this. And I’ve written a series of blog posts about stress and how you can manage it. The act of smiling activates those neurotransmitters that make you feel good. It relaxes your body, slows your heart, and lowers your blood pressure. Not only that, it makes you more attractive. And it’s contagious. Re-Evaluate You’ve got to change your life for your health and the health of everyone around you. So take this time and re-evaluate your priorities. Figure out what means the most to you. What brings you the most happiness and joy? Is it your […]

Does Stress Make You Reach For Chocolate?

Lynette M Burrows

Does stress make you reach for Chocolate? It does me. Oops. That’s bad. Or is it? There is no question but stress is hard on your body. The inflammation caused by stress challenges your heart, your metabolic, your emotional health, and much more. One way to counteract the effects of stress is to make a plan for healthy foods and exercise when you’re under stress.  Riiight. When I’m stressed out, I’m reaching out for what’s quick or easy or available. Most often I reach for comfort foods high in fat and sugar and starch. And exercise? Fuagetaboutit. I don’t have the time. I’m too stressed. You, too?  This is the third in my series of posts on stress and what we can do about it. (see Recognize Your Stress Levels and To Stress or To Sleep.) In this post, I won’t tell you all the foods and exercise you should be doing. You probably already know. But I will tell you WHY you might want to make better choices. What Stress Produces Dopamine, epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and cortisol are the most common stress hormones. These hormones stimulate the body for the “fight or flight” response. They affect […]

In This Month of Love–Love One Another

Lynette M Burrows

“Love one another” is a concept that has been around since Confucian times (551–479 BC) or earlier. It’s been stated and restated. Call it a Golden Rule You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbor as yourself — Leviticus 19:18 The concept appears in nearly every religion.  What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn. — Shabbath folio:31a, Babylonian Talmud Call it Karma Do good, reap good; do evil, reap evil. –Chinese Proverb You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you. –Wayne Dyer Call it ethics For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. A repercussion. – Brownell Landrum Author Kindness is loving people more than they deserve. –Joseph Joubert Writer Whatever you call it… Live It A lot of times, in our culture and our society, we put romantic love somehow on a higher plane than self-love and friendship love. You can’t do that. You have to honor and really fully invest in all these different loving relationships. —Delilah The fact is, society is made more hospitable by every individual who […]