fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Artificial Sweeteners vs Real Sugar, my take
Tags: Health, Sweet, Sugar, Nutrition, Health Foods

The mouth bacteria do not readily metabolize them, so they don’t promote tooth decay. However, if we eat them in excess, they cause diarrhea because they are poorly absorbed and draw water into the large intestine.

The non-caloric sweeteners currently allowed in the US are saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose, neotame, tagatose, rebaudioside A, or stevia plant extract.

Based on their different properties and aftertaste, they are more or less suitable for various purposes. For example, aspartame is not very stable to heat and loses its sweetness, so it’s good as a tabletop sweetener or sweetened sodas, but not ideal for sweetening a cake. Although these alternative sweeteners have time and again raised concerns about their safety, all these substances at the levels they are generally used to sweeten foods are not any more dangerous than hundreds of other chemicals that we encounter every day.

The only real contraindication is that aspartame contains the amino acid phenylalanine, so a person must avoid it with phenylketonuria, a rare condition.

Other than that, alternative sweeteners are all reasonably safe to use.

The Real Solution

However, I believe that the real solution to the problem is not finding sugar substitutes, but retraining our taste so that we can get rid once and for all of the need for sweetening our coffee, our tea, our milk, our yogurt, our drinks, our fruit, our breakfast cereals and so on.

Our palate adjusts very quickly to new thresholds for sweetness and saltiness. So if you stop adding sugar to your coffee, you will find it disgusting for a few days. You will find it unpleasantly bitter for a few more days, but before a couple of weeks, your sweet threshold will have wholly adjusted, and after this little sacrifice, you will be able to enjoy your coffee again fully.

Actually, more, because for the first time, you’ll be able to appreciate the real taste of coffee, not that of sugar or an artificial sweetener.

If you really can’t live without the soda, then a diet soda with an artificial sweetener is, of course, better than a regular, sugar-laden soda. Still, there are way better alternatives to quench your thirst, such as sparkling water with a slice of lemon, unsweetened iced tea, or dozens of delicious infusions.

I personally love the infusion of passion, fruit, rose hips, and hibiscus flowers. The bottom line is that sugar substitutes are all safe to use, but the best way to go is not substituting added sugar and instead retrain our taste to enjoy our food without having to sweeten it fully.
Build Your Health And Your Body By Eating Right, Not Less!
Tags: Lose Weight, Weight Loss, Diet, Nutrition, Fitness

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The first chapter of this course is focused on how changing lifestyle — more healthful diets and more exercises — helps you to lose weight and gain good health, and why starving yourself to lose weight is unnecessary and even dangerous. Chapters 9 to 10 are about healthy eating habits, food combinations and quantities that promotes weight loss, the science of losing weight, contribution of protein to getting fit, timing your meals, and the health benefits of eating the right foods. Get all the info you need here. ebook : http://bit.ly/3aeY3vt

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What To Eat after a workout?
By: Kayla Walsh
Tags: Health, Healing, Eating, Nutrition, Fitness

image by: Nathan Cowley

You may not feel hungry immediately after a workout, but the experts recommend that, although you may not feel like eating, you should eat after a workout. Mainly because during a workout, muscle protein declines and muscles begin to break down. Consequently, your body needs to refuel and repair the muscles, but in order to do this, your body needs nutrients and calories. To refuel the body after an exercise it is better to use whole food instead of supplements because they are digested more easily and contain essential nutrients that you need.

It is recommended that within 45 minutes after your workout is the optimal time to eat because carbohydrates and protein are absorbed more quickly 45 minutes after a workout. So, now that you know that you should eat after your workout and the time you should eat, let us look at what you should eat.

After a workout you should drink water to stay hydrated because your body loses water during your workouts. In Addition to water, you should eat a balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. However, stay away from high-glycemic carbohydrates such as bagels and donuts because these immediately are converted to sugar and are not a good source of energy.

Below is a list of foods that are ideal to repair and refuel your body after a workout:
You Ground Me
By: Galit Birk
Tags: Nature, Self Care, Practice, Self-awareness, Poetry Sunday

You Ground Me

Photo by Aperture Vintage on Unsplash

You ground me

On and off the mat

Guide me back to my

Authentic self.

Restore my balance as

Uneasiness melts and

Nerves relax, surrounded by

Nature that feeds my soul

I feel high on life

Nurturing mind and body, I am

Grounded again.

Waking my insides I

Renew with you as

I bring my whole self

To the process, to the journey

In sadness and in joy I

Nurture myself

Grounding once again.
Why You Should Prioritise Selfcare in 2021
By: Rejoice Denhere
Tags: Health, Life, Self Care, Productivity, Self Improvement

Why You Should Prioritise Selfcare in 2021

Image by Silviarita on Pixabay

According to the Chinese Zodiac calendar 2020 was the year of the rat. It will end in February 2021.

In Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus. That’s not what we saw in 2020.

The fact that the year of the rat won’t end on the 31st December feels eerily prophetic. Even though we’re saying goodbye to 2020, we’re carrying its effects into the new year. The pressure won’t ease soon.

In the United Kingdom a new strain of the virus has been detected. The Minister of Finance Rishi Sunak recently announced that the furlough scheme was being extended until April 2021, confirming fears that we’re not out of the woods yet.

The nation is not only dealing with a worldwide pandemic, but is also entering uncharted waters with Brexit. There are still so many unanswered questions causing anxiety to many.

Workplace pressure is adding stress to workers globally. The American Psychological Association estimates that more than 500 billion dollars is siphoned off from the US economy because of workplace stress and 550 million work days are lost each year due to stress on the job. Approximately 60% to 80% of workplace accidents are attributed to stress and it’s estimated that more than 80% of doctor visits are due to stress.

So why should you prioritise self-care in 2021?

Your Body Is the Only Place You Have To Live

No one can take care of your health except you. If you don’t prioritise self-care, your spirit will make a quick exit from its earthly abode.

Improved Performance

You can’t perform at your peak when you are stressed, worried, or physically unwell. This impacts on your productivity both in the workplace and at home.

Enhanced Coping Skills

When you are healthy — physically, mentally and spiritually, you are better able to handle crises.
How to be productive when you just don’t feel like it!
By: Self First
Tags: Improvement, Self Care, Productivity, Self Love

Are you not up for accomplishing your work today? It happens to the best of us.

There are a few days when you don’t want to work, however, despite everything you need to get things done. You need to be beneficial. You need to complete things. You need to feel achieved!

As your energy levels slowly diminish is related with everything from how much rest you get, to how much caffeine you devour, to how much time spend time with yourself or with your close ones, there will be a few times when you’re just not feeling it — regardless of doing everything right — and when you need to battle the inclination to sit around idly to complete work.

This is what you can do to deal with it.

Look at the bigger picture

The point when you zoom out from the work you’re doing and consider how it fits into the master plan of your life, you can see at a higher vantage point why it’s significant that you complete it.

Watch how you talk to yourself

Practice self-compassion and be mindful that you aren’t being too critical on yourself. Most of the time we engage in negative self-talk, when you find yourself going down that road, stop yourself and realize that you wouldn’t talk to your friend like that.

Organize your workspace.

Pause for a minute to clean up and tidy up your work area. File those document envelopes that are lying around your work area, recycle papers you do not require anymore, erase old emails, arrange your office supplies, wipe out your office cabinet, etc.

Listen to uplifting music.

Take a break from your work and unplug yourself from the tedious work and into some good relaxing tunes. Try jazz, classical, or instrumental music to raise your spirits. Close your eyes unwind and truly tune in to the music.

Find a different place to work

Sitting in the same room every day and we are obliged to stay at home would be monotonous. Maybe sit in a different room or in the balcony for a while to have a change of “place”.

Have little prizes for yourself

Rewarding yourself is a big thing when it comes to playing games with your mind. It can be as simple as giving yourself a 15 minutes break after you do that one task. Try things like if I get these 5 tasks accomplished today, then I’ll have my favorite dessert or glass of wine with dinner tonight.

Sweat it out

Exercising for least 20–30mins every day can boost your energy. if you don’t feel like working, go ahead and workout for a bit.

Wear something good

Wearing something you like or wearing bright colors helps uplift the mood.

We most often than not have bad days where we just don’t want to do anything, and sometimes taking a day off is okay and much needed for your mental wellbeing. So take a day off if you feel like it and do not feel guilty.
Self-care for Therapists and Counselors
By: Self First
Tags: Self Care, Therapist, Self Love

Helping yourself first is the first principle that applies in Counseling. Unless and until you take care of yourself, you can’t help others and the same rule applies to the therapists and counselors who are trying to help people. One can’t pour from an empty cup.

If a counselor/therapist is constantly ignoring their mental health or self-care, they are basically pouring from an empty cup which is not helping the patients in any way.

When a person practices counseling and therapy they are put into a lot of distress. Distress is described as a feeling of extreme worry, sadness, or pain. If the healthy boundary isn’t set between the therapist/counselor and the patient, it’s going to blow up in their face rather than help. Secondly, it leads to burnout.

What is burnout?

Therapists or Counselors regularly treat patients which results in exposure to overwhelming emotions and painful situations, that result in burnout over time. Directing compassion inward is difficult. Being touched by and open to one’s own suffering and not avoiding it but just being there to heal oneself with kindness is what they do.

“Be kind to yourself” is the only mantra.

It is very necessary for them to seek counseling themselves and if not counseling, self-care is a must. In the United States and a few other countries, seeking counseling is part of the license agreement that they acquire.

Counseling self-care is “Refill and refuel” oneself in healthy ways. Many don’t implement the techniques

in their own life as they tell their patients. One important thing that should be considered is that counselors shouldn’t in any way intentionally or unintentionally use their patients for their professional or personal needs. There are some too general self-care techniques like eating healthy, getting enough sleep but there have to be ways beyond that. It is better when the approach is based on a self-compassionate mindset. Actively monitoring one’s own signs and symptoms that indicate suffering can not only help counselors recognize burnout, but a first step towards soothing and one way to do so is practicing Mindfulness. Take self-care, an act of essential rather than indulgence. Creating a self-compassion infused self-care plan can be beneficial.

There are a few ways in which one can avoid burnout and practice self-care:
Recognising Burnout. Burnout is a situation encountered by…
By: Self First
Tags: Burnout, Self Care, Self Love

Burnout is a situation encountered by professionals, as a consequence of aspects of their job, they develop depression-like symptoms. As a result, they feel mentally and physically exhausted. In several ways, the stressors of a job or workplace can affect the life of an individual. A variety of potential physiological and psychological effects may evolve, and their overall quality of life may be dramatically impaired. It is very important to recognize burnout. The stress that leads to burnout can come primarily from your work, but this stress can be contributed to by stress from your general lifestyle. Traits of personality and modes of thought, such as introversion and skepticism, may also contribute.

Physical symptoms of Burnout

Frequent body pain

Feeling tired all the time

Change in sleep and eating habits

Low energy

Emotional symptoms of Burnout

Self-doubt

Negative outlook

Feeling helpless

Lack of motivation

Detachment

What can be done to avoid burnout?

Problems sound insurmountable when you’re stressed out, everything seems grim, and it’s hard to collect the courage to think, let alone take steps to help yourself.

Yet you have a lot more stress management than you would expect. To cope with overwhelming pressures and get your life back into order, there are positive steps you should take.

Reaching out to someone is one of the most efficient. Social interaction is nature’s solution to depression and one of the quickest ways to relax the nervous system and alleviate depression is to speak face to face with a good listener.

The person you speak to should just have to be a good listener, someone who listens gently without upsetting themselves or showing judgment.

Few things one can do to avoid burnout:
Signs you have low self worth and how to tackle them
By: Self First
Tags: Improvement, Self Care, Self Worth, Self Love

At some point, most of us have had phases of low self-esteem, we just can’t shake the feeling that you suck and you are less than everyone. That will seriously affect your mental health and your productivity.

Read about which behaviors show that you have low self-worth and how you can tackle them to lead a confident life.

You don’t trust your own opinions or decisions. Constantly over thinking. Can’t stand up for yourself and prioritizing other’s needs over yours. Can’t hold boundaries or not have any. Being overly critical about yourself.

It’s easy to brush these off and live in denial, but low self -esteem have damaging long term effects, such as being in abusive relationships, not speaking up in class or work meetings.

Recognising and acceptance is an important step to grow confidence.

Here are a few ways you can build your self-worth

Seek professional help:

Having low self-worth can be caused by past trauma such as bullying, strict parenting styles, etc. To tackle that you need to start from the beginning. seeking out professional help will help you come terms with your experiences.

Think before you say “yes”.

If someone asks you for help, think, and don’t say yes as an obligation or need for validation.

Exercise, yoga, meditation

These are the most effective ways to improve your mental health, as it increases our serotonin levels.

Don’t compare yourself to others.

Be aware that you are not them and they are you. comparing is futile.

Make a list of priorities or goals.

Try to work towards your goal every day and if other’s needs, demands, and requests are in the way of your goals, don’t get derailed by them

Establish boundaries

Everyone has boundaries within relationships, you should too if you are in a situation where the other person crosses your boundaries, let them know about it.

Fortunately, self-esteem isn’t set in stone. It takes time and practice to maintain it but you can build yourself and develop respect, appreciation, and unconditional love for yourself. It’s important to note that this does not make you selfish or self-absorbed and you are looking out for yourself.
The Story of My Inner Children
By: Pritika Guha
Tags: Inner Child, Self Care, Re Parenting, Self Love, Self Care And Self Love

Luna and Sol

Moon and sun

I have two inner children, one is a boy, his name is Sol (sun), and he is the elder one. Other is Luna (moon), she is my smaller and quieter one. Although at the moment I won’t call them siblings as they don’t have a relationship with each other.

Sol is very angry, he is angry at the injustice he had to face while growing up, he is angry as his self-esteem is hurt by the society around him. His ego is belittled and he only has rage and rage inside of him.

Luna is very hurt, she is too hurt, too quiet, too fragile, and too compliant, whatever she does is for other people, she is just trying to survive. Sol screams at Luna, she listens and doesn’t reciprocate for the fear of the consequences. She stays quiet, and accumulates Sol’s anger in her body. She gets stressed and is in a lot of pain. She wears her pain on her skin, whereas Sol wears his anger on his sleeves.

Journey of reparenting Luna and Sol

Luna gets very happy when I do self-care, I notice her one day and ask her what do you want me to do for you sweetheart? She replies, I want to do bubble bath.

I give myself a bubble bath, she gets very happy.

While it is easy to make Luna happy, I just have to do the dreadful task of getting up from my sleep and do what’s best for her. However, making Sol happy is another task, in our society it is unacceptable for women to express anger. I had to repress that part of my psyche in order for me to survive. In order to make Sol happy, he only has one wish from me, he wants me to express my anger, to lash out at people for taking me for granted, for taking advantage of me, he is even angry at me because he thinks I voluntarily let people take advantage of me. He wants me to express my anger towards the intended people who have harmed me in the past, he wants me to stand up for my rights, he wants me to be assertive and express myself without the fear of rejection. He wants me to say no without rejecting others and without being my own rejecter.

If only I listen to both Luna and Sol and meet their needs, I would have natural boundaries and all the abusive or toxic people would fall away from my life who benefitted immensely from me not having any boundaries in the past.

I hope to reparent both Luna and Sol, so that I can form a loving relationship with them and also hope that someday they both can also have a loving sibling relationship with each other and in turn take care of each other. I will be very happy if my inner children are happy i.e. their needs are met and properly nourished.

I will take care of me for you :’)

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always contact your qualified health provider before implementing or modifying any personal growth or wellness program or technique, and with any questions about your well-being.
5 Ways Avoid Self-doubt
By: Shreya Badonia
Tags: Self Doubt, Self Care, Self-awareness, Self Love, Overcome Self Doubt

A modern polymath. Keen observer, an author, a marketing designer, and a content creator. Listen to my Podcast Silver Lining with Shreya ✨ shorturl.at/dpCY4
Untitled
By: Adonis Richards
Tags: Self Care, Poetry Writing, Poetry On Medium, Self Love, Poetry

Untitled

I thought that, for so long I needed the love from another

Not realizing I needed that from within myself

I believed for so long that the deep connections from others

Would become the supplements to my health

For so long I craved the attention and affections of those that rejected me

In hopes that I’ll feel the warmth of love

Not realizing that those inner gates were locked away,

And destroying my inner wealth

I sought out love in places that didn’t deserve my attention

And it tore apart my soul

Now as I repair my ravaged heart.

I reconcile with myself,

For I didn’t know better,

And now I can move forward

Without the desire to be recognized by anyone else

AIR
That’s enough. It’s your turn now…
By: Tree Langdon
Tags: Relationships, Love, Self Care, Allowance, Self Improvement

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Feel Good with me !!
By: Hafsa Nasir
Tags: Feelings, Love, Self Care, Feel Good, Crying

It is the time of the year where everyone is with their family, bonding over hot chocolate and gifts.Well good for them ! But i am here for those who are alone and have no one to share these moments with. You don’t know me and i don’t know you but I know the feeling how it feels to be the prisoner of your own thoughts but i want you to do these steps with me like a loved one is asking you to do …

Make your bed .You might not want to do it but trust me if you do it you are going to feel much better .Put on some relaxing music and just do it .It will give you the feeling of accomplishment. If you are sad , imagine me saying this to you right now , I know it is hard for you but it is going to be okay. You will find other ways to do it and if not it is not the end of the world. you matter to me and you matter to this universe. so don’t give up just yet . I beleive in you and you got this. After you read this you might have a positive impact and now just do whatever you need to do .
90 Days of Code: Happy Holidays
By: Cam Caldwell
Tags: Tech, Merry Christmas, Self Care, Coding, Holidays

What’s up beautiful people. It’s Christmas Eve and there’s nothing I would love more than to keep checking in with everyone that has been reading and following along with this journey. However, I have just decided the take the holidays off from updates, to have more time to spend with family. I’ll also be celebrating a birthday early next week so there will be a lot of self care going on very soon. I will still be getting some work done. And I can’t wait to discuss the things I’ve learned over the break. But, it’s time I take this much-needed leave so that I can put my best foot forward in the New Year.

Happy Holidays.

May you and yours stay safe.

And I look forward to seeing you in the New Year.
A Most Efficient Way To Cure Bad Breath
By: Ivan Choy
Tags: Health, Self Care, Bad Breath

GRAB YOURS NOW ! “ https://cutt.ly/ShM57EQ ” — Steel Bite Pro

Steel Bite Pro is an oral supplement that claims to cure bad breath and other such oral issues like sensitivity and gum problems.

But does the supplement really work, or is it just like the useless toothpaste that you tried before? Let’s find out in this review.

The best part about Steel Bite Pro is that anyone can use the supplement to get rid of oral issues. The supplement contains natural ingredients such as turmeric, zinc, alfalfa, jujube seeds, and much more, so there are no chemicals at all.

No matter whether you are 20 or 60, you can use this supplement to overcome oral issues and get the confidence back that you are missing due to bad odor and sensitive teeth.

Steel Bite Pro Review: Overview of the Supplement

Steel Bite Pro is an all-natural supplement that contains a mix of natural supplements to rebuild your gums and teeth.

The supplement contains 29 different foods that help you reduce the gum pain and other dental problems you have been facing for years.

More than 55,000 people have used Steel Bite Pro till now, and the results of the supplement are pretty impressive. Furthermore, the supplement is prepared in an FDA-approved facility in the USA.

It is available in the form of pills that you can consume anytime, so using the supplement is incredibly convenient. There are numerous benefits of using the Steel Bite Pro as it solves a plethora of dental problems .

Thank You ! “ https://cutt.ly/ShM57EQ ” —Steel Bite Pro
Joy in Food
By: Needs More Lemon
Tags: Self Care, Foodies, Food, Joy

Why food? What’s the big deal?

Obviously, I have a thing for lemons. But really, it is what they symbolize that gets me all excited, not just the fruit itself.

Food is every day. Every day! You have to think about it, shop for it, plan it, prepare it, cook it, ingest it, decide how you feel about it…

So it is the perfect arena to practice joy.

A lemon is bright, enticing, and lively, like I mentioned in my blog post. But there are endless foods with similar hypnotic characteristics.

When I’m feeling sad or withdrawn, I like spicy foods — phew! they will open up your mind to a much more positive attitude at the very first bite! If it’s a sleepy morning, I take great comfort in a warm bowl of cereal that I can nuzzle up next to. If I’m feeling jazzy, I accept that as an invitation to experiment. New foods in the produce aisle? Let’s try it! What do scallops and ginger taste like? We’re about to find out, folks!

You are with food every day. So the more joy you can derive from that interaction, the more your brain will be in a habit of going towards joy. It doesn’t have to be food. It can be music, or nature, or reading good books, or…anything that you cross paths with every day.

Obviously for me, it is food. My heart is in food; that is where my joy stems from. In the near future, I will go more into my personal history with food, all the way back to the original immigrants in my family!

But for today, I wish you joy. I want you to approach food lovingly, and let it love you right back. It is not the enemy, and neither are you. We are all just here, every day, with an opportunity to relish the moment that we have been given.

Go ahead and plan your next trip to Cancun or your next skydiving adventure — I’m sure you will get a lot out of that. But in the meantime, don’t forget that joy is all around you, from the moment you open your eyes all the way into tomorrow.

Much love,

xoxo

www.facebook.com/needsmorelemon

www.instagram.com/needslemon

www.twitter.com/needsmorelemon
Why am I still single?
Tags: Single, Self Care, The One, Attract, Romantic Relationships

You are not mixing around enough

People who get married meet people before they get married. You can go out to your church, club, society, or go to meetup.com (website where people organise meetups). Just go and mix around, and eventually you may find the one you are looking for!

2. You need to look after yourself

Perhaps you are not in the best shape to attract a significant other. Areas you may have to look after are your emotions, spirituality and physicality. If you need to exercise, exercise more. If you need to manage your emotions, perhaps joining a social group may help. If you need more spirituality, perhaps find more meaning in your life. All this adds up to a very healthy person, that one will want to be with.

3. Come up with a list of traits of the ideal person

Maybe you just don’t know who’s right for you. In that case, come up with a list of traits of the ideal person. It can be something like — Seeks the truth, strong and muscular, loves art. This helps you to find the right person.

Happy holidays and hope you have fun getting to know the people around you! And hopefully, eventually find The ONE.
A Weary Teacher’s Holiday
By: Samantha Lazar
Tags: Teachers, Self Care, Prompt, Winter, Holidays

A Weary Teacher’s Holiday

Photo by AltumCode on Unsplash

she told me it usually takes me

longer to come down

from the high of the semester

but this year,

this transition is soothing

as I am just going home

I have no bags to pack

no oil to change

no weather or traffic

to plan around

no pets to leave behind

as I am just going home

this year I celebrate

the time to write

the time to read and dream

and truly for once,

rest

as I am just going home
Like Alicia Keys, I’m starting to believe self care is really Soul Care in a different dress.
By: Glad Doggett
Tags: Creativity, Self Care, Self, Soul, Self Love

Like Alicia Keys, I’m starting to believe self care is really Soul Care in a different dress.

You’ve been gifted one beautiful body in this life, and that’s where your Soul resides. I have written about it before here and here. I believe self care doesn’t have to be about over the top luxury and indulgence (no judgement from me if that’s your self-care jam. Be you, boo!) Self care is about acknowledging your needs and honoring your body, mind, and spirit. It’s about clearing out and cleaning up where your body resides in this world, and the energy in that space that surrounds you. It’s about listening to the whisper of your authentic self and making the source of that whisper a priority. It’s about speaking your truth and not hiding your light because it makes other people feel bad. Make a promise to you to take better care of your self next year. Shine, girl. Shine.
Boundaries
By: Veda Prajvalan
Tags: Interdependence, Peace Of Mind, Self Care, Boundaries, Relationship Boundaries

Boundaries can be really tough in some relationships. They’re especially challenging when dealing with toxic or dysfunctional dynamics. With the added stress of the holidays, many are struggling with family and relationship strain that may already be near a breaking point from the dramatic and involuntary changes of this past year.

Self-care is even more important to staying centered and grounded, discerning what is and isn’t within one’s control, and being better able to draw and maintain healthy boundaries. In early recovery I learned about not “renting space in your head” to negative thoughts or people. Of course I agreed in principle before hearing the slogan, but it made it easier to remember and identify as a tool in the moment. It expands on the notion of physical or material boundaries to stronger mental and emotional boundaries and protects against rumination.

So whether it’s your in-laws, family members or colleagues, if you find yourself encountering someone else’s bad behavior, remember to control that which you can and let go of the rest. Set boundaries within yourself to guard your peace of mind.

Learning to identify collapsed or rigid boundaries can assist in setting healthy boundaries where each is responsible for their happiness and fulfillment. Collapsed or ignored boundaries lead to enmeshment and a high tolerance for disrespect as well as confusion as to when a problem is yours and when it belongs to someone else. Rigid boundaries often result in avoiding intimacy or connection. Unhealthy, blurry lines creates co-dependency whereas healthy boundaries allow for healthy interdependence. You know your limits and allow others to define theirs. A very helpful book I recommend is People Skills, by Robert Bolton, Ph.D. and of course much can be found online for shorter takeaways.

Wishing everyone growth and thriving through the holidays and into the coming year!
There’s Always So Much To Do!
Tags: Short Form, Life, Self Care, Self, Life Lessons

Self-portrait artwork by author, Annie Wood

There’s Always So Much To Do! Should we do something about that? We are human beings, not human doings. And yet… we are always moving, thinking, planning, wondering about what to DO next. We gotta get things DONE. I don’t know about you but I’m freakin’ tired. Still, I can’t seem to quit all that doing. Just as I was thinking this thought, I dropped a stack of magazines I was holding (because that’s what happens when I’m always doing, I’m often dropping) and a card fell out of one of the magazines. Written on the card,

It’s okay to rest. It’s a sign! Feeling inspired by this sign, I crossed out the word okay and wrote the word important in its place.

Yes, yes it is. Do it. Or rather, don’t do it.

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6 Ways to Feel Happier This Holiday Season
By: Zora Editors
Tags: Self Care, Self, Joy, Mental Health, Holidays

Photo: Caiaimage/Sam Edwards/Getty Images

If you’re feeling worn out from the pandemic, the winter nights, or the stress of the holidays, ZORA writer Jennifer Farmer is sharing six ways to bring some cheer into your life.

“While some may call it the most wonderful time of the year, many people experience melancholy moods and feelings of isolation during the holiday season,” she writes. “If you have ever battled depression, you know that happiness and feeling good are not to be taken for granted. If you’ve ever struggled to pull yourself out of bed, to prepare yourself to go out in the world, or to just care for your most basic needs, you understand that the days when you feel well are to be cherished.”

Read about how she’s staying happy this holiday season in the story below.
What’s in Your Self-Care Toolkit?
By: Pamela O'Leary
Tags: Self Care, Empowerment, Self Love, Women Empowerment, Self Improvement

My Metamorphosis at Black Rock City in 2019 (art by Chris Carnabuci’s new sculpture Mariposita)

For almost ten years now, I have been on a deep quest of empowerment, a journey to understand what it means to love yourself. It’s been one hell of a ride! I can’t yet say that I have it all perfectly figured out; it’s an ever evolving journey. But I’ve grown tremendously and am happy. My greatest hope is to help others find their power, especially women, girls, and those from underrepresented communities worldwide.

Below is a list of tools that have been instrumental to my empowerment journey. In later posts, I will unpack why I needed that specific resource and how it helped me. Wherever you are on your path, I hope you can consider these resources and share what else has been helpful to you.

Yes, some of these were expensive, but I made the investment in myself, even when I was struggling financially. It all paid off, and I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today without these experiences. You are worth it.

What is in your toolkit? What could be helpful to add to your toolkit? Where have you made progress? Where would you like to make progress? There are many things we think we know, but in actuality, we really don’t know what we don’t know. Who or what can help you explore those questions? Dr. Kristin Neff is an incredible thought leader on self-compassion, so please check out her website!

COMMUNITY

My faith of Catholicism (with a deep afffinity for Judaism)

Friends, family, and mentors

CLASSES & COACHING

THERAPY

Talk therapy (special thanks to The Women’s Center in DC, which offered affordable therapy at a sliding scale).

EMDR therapy (special thanks to Tania Choi).

Grief group (special thanks to The Dinner Party)

TRAVEL ADVENTURES

BODY HEALING
Janelle Monáe’s Simple Recipe for Stress Relief
By: Zora Editors
Tags: Janelle Monáe, Self Care, Mindfulness, Mental Health, Therapy

Janelle Monáe’s Simple Recipe for Stress Relief

Photo illustration; Image sources: anand purohit/Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

“Therapy is important.” — Janelle Monáe

Everybody talks about self-care but really, what is it? For Viola Davis, it means loving on her family and hopping in the jacuzzi with the hubs. For Janelle Monáe, it means therapy. For Holly Robinson Peete, it means saying no more consistently. For Rachel True, it means tarot.

However you define it, they say, it is imperative that you make time to do it. If you need some ideas, here’s how one celeb ensured she had downtime and practiced mindfulness in 2020. Perhaps we can use this advice in 2021 as well.

Here’s what else Janelle Monáe, who recently starred in the controversial horror slavery flick Antebellum, had to say about self-care.
Set intentions to raise your vibration fast
Tags: Lifestyle, Self Care, Life Lessons, Self Improvement, Spirituality

SPIRITUAL LIVING

Raising your vibration is the number one thing you need to do to be on the receiving frequency.

It is a skill that takes time to learn and get the hang of.

You want to work on raising your vibe to manifest things into your life.

That is why some things you are trying to attract just aren’t coming or coming to you as fast as other people.

The person who seems to have everything. They have a lot of money and they emanate success and happiness. They are on a different level than you. Get on it. raise your vibration, that is most likely where your desire is.

It’s waiting for you.

People think you can say, “I want this, or that” and think it happens just like that with the law of attraction. You need to put forth power into these words. Use words like, “I can”, and “I will”. Feel the emotions that come with your statement.

What are setting intentions?

To raise one’s vibration, you need to change the way you are thinking about a good 90%. I say 90% because you are still going to have negative thoughts. It just happens.

You can’t expect to always have positive thoughts.

You still need to allow yourself those emotions every once in a while. I am just saying to become more aware of what emotions and thoughts you are having so you are better equipped to handle them.

A lot of the time we are so used to thinking negatively that we just do it on auto-pilot.

Once we begin to be more mindful and aware of these thoughts we can learn to step out of this negative thought pattern.

Setting intentions is one of the ways that I train my mind to have more positive thoughts and therefore have better days leading to being on a higher vibration.

Ways you can set your intentions.
Make room for you in the house of your life
By: Salma Allam
Tags: Self Care, Body, Spirit, Mind, Busy People

We have completely been sucked into a busy world. Our worth is on how much we can get done, and then how we can do more. But what is the effect of this on us? How does this fair in the long run?

Coming from a professional dance background, the strive to get better, to hit the next goal was real. Get an injury? How fast can you recover? This mentality has followed me through life and the quest for great, and greater has been daunting.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy reaching goals and smashing them. But I don’t enjoy burn out! I think most of us don’t. So how do we stop, how do we still provide in life, hit goals, but take care of ourselves?

Choice. We have to choose. We have to choose when to let up and let go. Get the list done, and walk away, don’t add to it. It’s trying to stop “If I can just squeeze this in today… then tomorrow will be easier.” Also, if something doesn’t get done it’s ok.

Permission. We must give ourselves permission to adapt our understanding of perfection. Perfection rather being living our lives in harmony, and sometimes this means letting something go, not getting something done. It’s allowing ourselves to pivot our expectations based on our own personal needs.

Acceptance. Ultimately we have to find a place where we feel ok taking care of our needs. Releasing feeling bad about maybe operating a little differently than those around us. Maybe you need more rest. More downtime. Maybe more movement. Maybe you need to do your meditation before your day starts. It’s ok to set up your life to include the things that support you and your well-being, and it’s ok for it to look different than someone else’s version.

The reality is it’s never going to be all done. It’s like laundry, we do it, it’s done, then we get changed at the end of the day and there is more laundry again. We have to get ok with still having things to do. Getting ok with this gives us the space to bring other things in, not another to-do list of things, but enriching things. Finding passions and hobbies, reading “that” book. These are all things of paramount importance. It’s all about allowing the space to choose yourself and allowing supportive behavior to trickle in.

We need to take care of our mind, body & spirit. This involves finding nourishing movement we love, finding time to be still, finding time to just be and allow joy to filter in not from accomplishments but from deep within ourselves.

Find your rituals, your hook ins and have fun making them a part of your life.
Day 6 of self care Challenge
By: Secret Wealth Creators
Tags: Self Care, Mindset Shift, Self Care Tips, Self Improvement, Self Care And Self Love

Day 6 love yourself more challenge … took myself sledding on the mountain today … beautiful up here in the hot sun n snowy mountain scape.

Anyways … it’s high time I take myself on the relationship I never had with myself right? Right!

So I grab the sled out of the garage get the dog in the car n drive up the mountain.

I go to the top of the sled run jump on in and head straight for the big bump …. first run I wipe out HARD I hit the snow so hard I pee my pants!

Not so fun I scratch my hand … my hand is bleeding. Omg

what the hell Tina.

Story of my life here go for the top n jump in full tilt bomb it. I mean can I take it easy?!

So I go back up this time I survey the landscape. I plan my route and take my time.

I take the mild run half way up on the left this time n put my feet out on the ground so I can somewhat control the decent.

Much better, much more fun too.

Third time even better.

How can we be kind gentle playful w ourselves?

Even when we wipe out n don’t mean to?

How can we laugh at ourselves when things don’t go as planned n have the courage to try again. A different way.

A good reflection here today weather it’s in business, relationships or out having fun on the slopes.

How we show up in one area of our lives is how we show up everywhere.

Gonna remember this one for when I go skiing

easy does it Tina. You can have just as much fun taking it nice n slow …
The hard truths about self care:
Tags: Self Care, Self-awareness, Self Care Tips

The hard truths about self care:

1. You will disappoint some people when you prioritize your self care.

2. Self care often means doing what you don’t feel like doing in the present moment to benefit future you (it’s not all bubble baths and face masks)

3. The boundaries you‘ll need to set in place to protect your peace of mind will scare some people away. It’s okay. Let them go.

4. Self care requires saying “No” more often. You don’t owe anyone your time, a quick text back, or emotional support when you need to be giving it to yourself first.

5. Neglecting yourself to take care of somebody else may seem like an act of love, but giving from a place of emptiness only leads to resentment. Towards the other person and eventually towards yourself.

6. Self-care means calling yourself out on your own shit- not just everybody else’s

7. It’s hardest to do when you’ll need it most
The Most Efficient Way To Lose Weight
By: Ivan Choy
Tags: Health, Self Care, Weight Loss

GRAB YOURS NOW ! “ https://cutt.ly/3hM5ol7 ” — Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic

Is The Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic safe?

The Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic is produced by a professional laboratory, backed up by solid scientific research and is made in a clean, modern FDA approved and GMP (good manufacturing practices) certified facility with regular audits and quality checks.

The Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic is free of all allergens, contains natural ingredients and is perfectly safe. If you have a medical condition it’s recommended you discuss it with your doctor.

It’s not a “fat-burning pill”, or medication. It contains nature’s finest nutrients for all day metabolism support. You won’t feel jittery or on edge. Instead, you’ll be overflowing with energy. The Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic is a one of a kind weight loss support supplement that revs up your metabolism to super-fast levels, enabling you to burn off pounds of fat and be in complete control of your weight.

How fast will I lose weight?

It all depends on how much weight you have to lose. Everybody is different. The more you need to get rid of, the faster it’s likely to work. To start needing new clothes in just 10 days happens all the time. In 1 or 2 months, you could be at your ideal weight already. It’s that fast.

How do I take The Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic?

Just take 1 scoop of The Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic around 10am or around 1 hour after a light breakfast. Then, feel the nutrients work their way through your body as they provide their powerful metabolism boosting effects.

How soon will I receive my order of The Okinawa Flat Belly Tonic?

Most people will receive their order in 3–7 days, although those outside the US will have allow for 10–14 days for international shipping and customs. In just a few days from now, you can experience the delicious tonic that.
My Best Birthday Was Spent by Myself
By: Derrick
Tags: Happiness, Self Care, Beyourself, Birthday

November 16th was my birthday, and this year, I decided to celebrate it by myself. Since starting my self-care journey a few months back, I thought it was essential to spend this special occasion without the presence of others. I guess I can say I was looking forward to this for a while.

I’d say I didn’t do much. I played video games, worked out, listened to one of my favorite albums, went to the park to finish a book, and ate a bunch of my favorite foods.

In between all of that though, I also got my first couple tattoos! This is a big deal to me not only because they’re tattoos, but because for the first time in my life, I made a decision on my own without seeking the approval of others. I love them so much, and I can’t wait to add more art to this canvas that is my body.

For the first time in a really long time, I actually enjoyed my birthday. It was a great feeling to know that I didn’t need to do anything big and eventful, or rely on anyone else to help make it special — I was able to do that all by myself.

Most importantly, I realized that I can have this type of day whenever I want to. It all comes down to doing the small things that give me joy.

Man, this was the best birthday ever.

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