How often would you say you complain?
According to an article on entrepreneur.com, research shows most people complain about once a minute during a typical conversation. That's a LOT! 🤯
Most of the time we complain because we want to "vent", and it just feels good to know that other people feel our pain and empathize with our situation.
When we complain, our brain builds pathways to ease the flow of information, which just makes it that much easier to complain again and again. And again...
Eventually complaining becomes our default behavior, which not only damages our relationships, but it can also physically damage our brain as well.
Stanford University ran a study that shows complaining can damage the hippocampus. The hippocampus is what Alzheimer's primary destroys, so let that sink in for a minute.
You can cause the same type of damage that Alzheimer's causes just by complaining.
Complaining can wreak physical havoc as well. When we complain, cortisol is released in order to prepare our bodies for fight-or-flight mode, and this raises blood pressure and blood sugar. The extra cortisol released also impairs our immune system which makes us more susceptible to a whole host of issues.
Have you heard the saying that you are the sum of the 5 people closest to you? That's because our brains tend to subconsciously mirror the moods of the people we spend the most time with. If you're around people who complain a lot, you can experience the same damage as if YOU were the one complaining.
Likewise, when you complain, you can damage those you love and are closest to you in those ways as well.
In this season of stress and unrest due to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 virus, it is more important than ever to protect ourselves against anything that can damage our immune systems, our bodies, and our minds.
Fear makes it so much easier for us to complain under these circumstances, though, right?
So what can we do to keep ours hearts and minds positive and avoid the damaging effects of complaining, when our worlds feel like they're in a tailspin?
1. Be grateful.
According to an article on entrepreneur.com, research shows most people complain about once a minute during a typical conversation. That's a LOT! 🤯
Most of the time we complain because we want to "vent", and it just feels good to know that other people feel our pain and empathize with our situation.
When we complain, our brain builds pathways to ease the flow of information, which just makes it that much easier to complain again and again. And again...
Eventually complaining becomes our default behavior, which not only damages our relationships, but it can also physically damage our brain as well.
Stanford University ran a study that shows complaining can damage the hippocampus. The hippocampus is what Alzheimer's primary destroys, so let that sink in for a minute.
You can cause the same type of damage that Alzheimer's causes just by complaining.
Complaining can wreak physical havoc as well. When we complain, cortisol is released in order to prepare our bodies for fight-or-flight mode, and this raises blood pressure and blood sugar. The extra cortisol released also impairs our immune system which makes us more susceptible to a whole host of issues.
Have you heard the saying that you are the sum of the 5 people closest to you? That's because our brains tend to subconsciously mirror the moods of the people we spend the most time with. If you're around people who complain a lot, you can experience the same damage as if YOU were the one complaining.
Likewise, when you complain, you can damage those you love and are closest to you in those ways as well.
In this season of stress and unrest due to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 virus, it is more important than ever to protect ourselves against anything that can damage our immune systems, our bodies, and our minds.
Fear makes it so much easier for us to complain under these circumstances, though, right?
So what can we do to keep ours hearts and minds positive and avoid the damaging effects of complaining, when our worlds feel like they're in a tailspin?
1. Be grateful.
We've all heard the suggestion to start our day with gratitude, but I would challenge you not only to start your day, but maybe set a reminder for throughout the day to think of more things to be grateful for. The floors in your home, the roof, the people who built it, coffee, your family, your pets, a safe environment, anything you can think to be grateful for.
2. Hear truth.
2. Hear truth.
Recognize that our feelings are NOT truth. We may feel scared, we may feel hopeless, we may feel lonely, but we have to remember that God promises to protect us, to give us hope, and to never leave us. Focus on TRUTH.
3. Practice self-care.
3. Practice self-care.
Take some time to participate in some soothing self-care. Take a bath, go for a walk, search YouTube for some quick workouts, read Scripture, pray, listen to worship music. Just enjoy some relaxation and peace.
4. LAUGH!
4. LAUGH!
Watch a funny movie on Netflix, search YouTube for comedians, Google jokes you can share with your family. Laugh together, play some board games, just have fun.
5. Stay connected.
5. Stay connected.
Make sure to stay connected with the outside world however you safely can, whether by phone, social media, video chatting, or sending snail mail. Now is the perfect time to handwrite some letters to loved ones and brighten their day. Staying connected and doing something kind for others will surely brighten your day and lessen any need to complain.
The next time you feel tempted to complain or release any kind of negative energy, keep in mind that our goal right now is to stay healthy.
Try this: keep a rubber band or hair tie on your wrist and snap it when you notice yourself complaining. You'll start to see just how often it actually happens, and it can be surprising!
Which one of these tips will you try today to help yourself break the habit of complaining and get through this pandemic successfully?
The next time you feel tempted to complain or release any kind of negative energy, keep in mind that our goal right now is to stay healthy.
Try this: keep a rubber band or hair tie on your wrist and snap it when you notice yourself complaining. You'll start to see just how often it actually happens, and it can be surprising!
Which one of these tips will you try today to help yourself break the habit of complaining and get through this pandemic successfully?
If you're anything like me, you've probably been on a million and one diets throughout your life. Maybe you hit your goal weight, maybe you didn't - maybe you gained the weight back, or maybe you're trying now to maintain all of your hard work.
Cutting calories (safely) is a great way to lose weight.
But - the calories we DO consume can make or break our weight loss efforts AND our energy levels.
Eating a 150 calorie chocolate bar might not throw off your tracker for the day, but replacing it with some Greek yogurt and a banana can not only keep your tracker happy as well, but can also help you to feel great all day long and still keep your tracker happy.
There are SO many healthy foods that we already know we should be eating (and which ones we shouldn't!).
How in the world are we supposed to know exactly which foods can give us the energy we need?
To take some of the guesswork out for you, I've compiled a list of the best foods to keep you energized throughout the day. As busy moms, we need to keep our energy on high so we can get #allthethings done, so here are some foods that you can incorporate into every meal.
Breakfast:
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Eggs
- Coffee and Green Tea
- Whole Grain Cereal
- Greek Yogurt
- Chia Seeds
Lunch and Dinner:
- Avocados
- Dark, leafy greens (Spinach, Kale, etc.)
- Quinoa
- Lentil
- Tuna Fish
- Beans
- Wild Salmon
- Lean Beef
Snacks:
- Dates
- Raw Almonds (no added oils or salt)
- Edamame
- Trail Mix
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Dark chocolate (70% cacao or more)
These are easy foods to spread throughout our day so that we can keep our energy on high.
Which of these are your favorites?
As a busy mom, waking up at 4 o'dark in the morning, sometimes it can be difficult to get up and moving.
Even if you wake up later around 7 or 8 a.m., just getting started is so challenging.
So what's easy and comforting? That beautiful, glorious, rich-smelling, warm, comforting first cup of coffee. It's kind of like magic, right? The best part of waking up may not necessarily be Folgers, but it's definitely coffee.
OR - maybe you don't drink coffee. Maybe you prefer a crisp soda first thing in the morning. To each her own.
As we look for ways to feel more energized throughout the day, one obvious question we have to ask is, "Does caffeine really help my energy levels?"
The quick and easy answer is YES. Caffeine can help you feel not only more energetic, but also more focused.
For the more than 85% of adults regularly consume the amount of caffeine equal to about 2 cups of coffee per day, this is great news, right?! Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world.
The problem with caffeine is that its affects can only be felt for approximately 4-6 hours. If you wake up at 6 a.m. and have your first cup when you get to work at 8 a.m., that's worn off by 2 p.m. and you're crashing again.
Don't you want to feel great ALL day and not just for a few hours?
Caffeine can also cause a rapid heartbeat and increase blood pressure, which on the one hand could be helpful for some people - but for others, that's a huge health hazard. It can also cause heartburn, nausea, and vomiting when taken in large quantities (ever have more than 4 cups of coffee in a day? I sure have!).
Another downfall that may surprise you - caffeine prevents calcium absorption, which is especially important information for women as we *ahem* get older.
Here's the bottom line:
- Caffeine can help you feel more alert
- Caffeine can help you be more focused
- Caffeine's effects are short-lived
- Caffeine is a drug, so it can create dependency, induce withdrawal symptoms, and cause negative side effects
It's not bad to drink a cup or two of coffee every day.
The problem is when caffeine is your main source of energy. There are so many other sources of nutrition that can help us to feel more energized throughout the entire day, without the side effects of "too much caffeine" or withdrawal symptoms. We're going to explore some of that this month!
Your turn: how much caffeine do you consume each day? Do you get it from coffee, soda, food, energy drinks?
You know that feeling when you're so exhausted, it physically hurts to be awake?
Your eyes hurt and it takes everything you have in you just to keep them open.
Trying to drive is terrifying in these moments.
You try to follow all the advice (drink more water! get more sleep! exercise regularly!), yet for some inexplicable reason, you're just worn out, run down, and over it.
That's where I was a few years ago.
I did ALL the things:
- Exercised daily
- Tried to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night
- Drank water all day
- Ate a fairly healthy diet (I'm not gonna lie, I was not and definitely am not perfect at this!)
But I just couldn't shake the exhaustion. Yes, I went to see the doctor, had my thyroid checked, hormones, vitamin levels, everything was NORMAL. Whatever that means.
Over the past several years, I've discovered a few things that have helped me to finally feel normal again. And actually, a lot of the time, I feel better than normal; I feel GREAT!
This blog is going to be used to share some of the things I've learned, in hopes that I can help other moms like me learn how to feel amazing.
If you want to take this journey with me and learn how you can get your energy back, make sure you follow along!
For a jumpstart, I've created a guide to 5 Easy Ways to Boost Your Energy. Click here to grab your copy!
Tell me, when do feel the most exhausted?
