Big can be Beautiful
I was sitting out in my backyard the other day staring around at the different trees and bushes that are blooming and I had a thought…”the bigger tree really is the most beautiful”. Then, as someone who struggles with weight and body image I started to create an analogy in my head, related to my trees. This tree is huge…it has a big trunk, a big system of roots, big branches and it covers a big section of my backyard. But you know what else it is? It’s beautiful. It has beautiful, green leaves and it provides wonderful shade in the heat of the summer. It is the picture of strength and confidence. No little wind is going to knock down this tree – it is going to stand strong. And even though it might lose some...
On the Road Again – Part 1
My parents are on a soul-searching trip across the eastern part of the US, and they agreed to share some of the more poignant moments of their trip. I’m so excited that they’re able to do this trip and I am hoping that they are able to experience a sense of freedom and peace while they explore and contemplate their places in life. They are driving and stopping whenever they feel the urge, doing some hiking, beach strolling, camping and general sightseeing. I’m so glad they agreed to share some of their photos and stories…I know there are a lot of people who wish they could do what my parents are doing and enjoy living vicariously through them! Here is their first update from the Shenandoah River State Park in Virginia: An Owl...
Women, take care of yourselves!
Whether it’s a perceived lack of time, lack of worth or lack of support, many women feel that it is impossible to concentrate on taking care of themselves in addition to everyone else they feel they must take care of. Mothers and grandmothers have an especially difficult time feeling generous toward themselves, often neglecting their own health and boundaries in order to indulge others around them. What these women must understand is the profound impact that self-care can have on their bodies, their relationships and their peace of mind. Self-care can include anything from a bubble bath with candles, to simply practicing positive thoughts for five minutes a day. Studies have shown that self-care greatly reduces stress, thus improving the...
Engage in Positive Thinking
We hear the term “positive thinking” and right away most of us picture a group of hippies chanting mantras around a bonfire. Well, positive thinking isn’t just for hippies; it’s for anyone trying desperately to arrive at the other side of a stressful situation with their sanity in tact. When your spouse comes to you and wants a divorce, when your baby goes away to college, or when your paycheck as a single parent isn’t going to pay the electric bill this month, positive thinking can go a long way in keeping the panicked feelings at bay. Positive Thinking is NOT Automatic Positive thinking is not something that comes automatically but rather requires time and practice. You wouldn’t go out and run a 5K without ever having run before, or open your...
What I’ve learned from the turtle
Recovering from an eating disorder is hard. It totally “stinks” actually (I would use a stronger word here, but my brother got in trouble for using it when he was 8 years old and to this day that still makes me not want to say it in front of my parents, hah!). There are times when it would be SO much easier to just give up, give in and go back to not dealing with the day to day struggles. There are times when the voice in my head that tells me I’m stupid and fat and gross gets so loud that regardless of the distraction I still hear those messages going round and round in my head. There are days that I still struggle with “eat – don’t eat – eat a lot – eat nothing – eat that – don’t eat...
Lighten up and laugh
I love laughing. I don’t mean just giggling or chuckling…I like laughing until tears are streaming down my face, I can’t get a breath and there’s a real threat of me peeing my pants. That’s laughing and I love it! Not only do I love laughing because it’s so much fun, but it also makes me feel more relaxed when I’m done, it’s a huge stress reliever and believe it or not it really does burn calories. I came across this “prayer” in a magazine the other day and thought it was good: Give Me Joy – A.G. Bullivant Give us a sense of humor, Lord, and also things to laugh about. Give us the grace to take a joke against ourselves. And to see the funny side of the things we do. Save us from...