Tag: anxiety

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Five Ways to Combat Burnout

I am burned out. Crispy. Weary. On the struggle bus. How about you? I sat down with Cadi Jean and talked about ways to recognize burnout. Hopefully, you have taken some time to tune into your body and are making changes to move toward wellness. Today I am sharing her suggestions to help you on that journey. Here are five ways to combat burnout.

Five Ways to Combat Burnout

  1. Rest. Not active rest that might look like scrolling on your phone, talking to a friend, or watching TV. Rest that looks like sitting on your porch, closing your eyes and breathing, or laying on your couch with your eyes closed.
  2. Change your diet. Your health is the #1 thing you should try to support during busy seasons. Aim to eat the rainbow through fruits and vegetables. Minimize caffeine and stay hydrated.
  3. Read a self-help book. Recently I read a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear. It has been a really powerful read that is impacting every area of my life.
  4. Call a friend. Maybe a close friend, or perhaps a friend that you have been distant from. We all need community in our lives.
  5. Take time off if you can. I know we are not all lucky enough for paid time off, but if possible, try to carve out a day or two. Sometimes a break from work is just what the doctor ordered.

Introducing Zoe

Taking her advice to heart,  I have started using an app called Zoe. Have you heard of it? I am not a big diet fan, who is? I have been so impressed by this process and have seen a huge difference in my energy level since starting the program. The program does not just tell you to cut calories or eat certain foods. It actually assesses three aspects of your metabolism: blood sugar, blood fat, and gut microbes.

The process is fascinating. When you begin you wear a glucose monitor and can see how certain foods impact your blood sugar in real-time.  Zoe walks you through short educational snippets and asks you questions in an effort to garner reflection. You send in stool and blood samples and they provide reports- mine were no bueno. But knowledge is power, right? So I am working a little bit every day to change my habits and am coming to understand that some of the foods I thought were “healthy” are not, in fact, healthy for me. If you are interested in $35 off your journey to health use this link.

These are only five ways to combat burnout. The key is to commit to at least one.  What are some things that you have tried to combat burnout? Share with us in the comments.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

How to Recognize Burnout

How to recognize burnout. Seems like it should be easy, right? I mean, we live in our bodies and we would know if we are teetering on the edge of burnout, wouldn’t we? One would think so, but that is not always the case.

Sure, there are typical signs. Depression. Anxiety. Loss of interest in things that used to give us joy. But did you know that burnout can manifest itself in small sneaky ways that compound over time? It’s true.

We have all heard of “nervous breakdowns” haven’t we? While this might be a phrase that you hear whispered in the break room about a colleague who just cracked all of a sudden, a nervous breakdown is usually the end result of a lot of warning signs that went ignored for far too long. So how do we recognize burnout? Let’s take a look.

Learning how to recognize burnout is as easy as listening to your oldest ally. Your body. The problem is that we are so plugged into technology, so busy running the rat race, that we often don’t slow down or pay close enough attention. Let’s look at some of the signs.

Physical

  1. That lingering headache that you get every single day…could be a sign. Not always, but could be.
  2. Digestive distress. When your body is always in a heightened state of fight or flight, your digestive system can suffer. You know those butterflies you get before a big event? It is not a coincidence. It is your body reacting to stress.
  3. Body pain that can’t be explained and that has baffled your doctors.
  4. Breakouts in your skin.
  5. Hair falling out.

Emotional

  1. Nervous energy. That tired but wired feeling.
  2. Sadness that is unexplained and won’t go away.
  3. Loss of interest in things that used to give you joy.
  4. Feeling foggy and unable to complete simple tasks.
  5. Avoiding things that need to be done like doing laundry, paying bills, or making a meal.

Honestly, these are just a few of the signs and symptoms, and in isolation, they may not mean burnout at all. But no one knows your body better than you do, so if your body is whispering, try to listen before it has to scream.

Now that we know how to recognize burnout, how do we combat it? Join us next week when we talk about this very topic.

 

Posted on by — 1 Comment

How Do We Talk to Our Kids About Scary Things?

How do we talk to our kids about scary things? This is a question on all of our minds.

Life just does not seem to be letting up. Having survived two years of the pandemic in lockdown, now we are talking about war, inflation, and more uncertainty. So the question is, how do we talk to our kids about scary things?

My oldest is nearly 15, a freshman in high school and my youngest is just six years old. Each of my kids manifests anxiety in different ways. But none of them have escaped anxiety’s tight grip. So when world events are prolonged and scary I need to be mindful of what I share. I need to consider when I share and through what mechanism they learn. For example, in Texas, the Governor and Attorney General have moved to categorize providing affirming care to transgender children as child abuse. While I write about it on my blog it is not a dinner table conversation in our home. In fact, it is not a conversation we have at all.

Leaders across the globe are hellbent on denying basic human rights. Whether it be here at home by redlining voting districts or flat out making it harder for people to vote. Denying access to bathrooms, sports, and medical care to transgender children. Globally, Russia invading and bombing Ukrainian citizens out of their homes in an effort to take over their country. Each of these events can be stressful for our children and we must be mindful of their exposure.

https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/child-and-adolescent-healthy-mental-development/aap-aacap-cha-declaration-of-a-national-emergency-in-child-and-adolescent-mental-health/

Whether your kids are six, sixteen, or twenty-six it is important to think before we talk. As a cis gender, heterosexual human, I have never had my fundamental human rights encroached upon. As a white woman, I do not see the world through the eyes of a person who, from birth, faces discrimination. Being raised in a home with plenty of food and a roof over my head, I have never seen the world through the eyes of poverty, immigration, or refugee.

Seeing the world through the eyes of my transgender child has been a radical awakening. Being subject to continuous hate speech and emboldened leaders blatantly introducing discriminatory legislation has been exhausting. Local parent groups getting violent at our county board of education meetings, threatening to erase the actual lived experience of millions of humans in our country takes its toll.

info graphic of how to talk about difficult news with kids

I ask you to consider carefully how and when you allow your children to learn about current events. This does not mean I believe in censoring reality from our children. I ask that you first PAUSE and think about the impact the information might have on the children around you when talking at the bus stop in the morning or at a neighborhood party.

When all is said and done we must comfort and remind our children that they will be okay. Good people are working for change, to protect them and their community. These people are not just police and firefighters. They are parents and teachers who affirm our children in the classroom. They are those on the fringes who challenge the status quote and seek to learn, listen, and then educate for change. Those who stand up and testify and contribute when they cannot do the heavy lifting.

So, how do we talk to our kids about scary things? Ultimately we must remind our children what Mr. Rodger’s said:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

― Fred Rogers

 

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Three Things We Can Learn From Nature

You know from my reflection about the bird nest, that I firmly believe we can learn everything we need to know from nature. As Spring begins to unveil its gloriousness, I am reminded once again how true that is. This past weekend, my family discovered a very large turtle on our property. As I watched this magnificent creature make its way through my yard, I reflected on some things that I would like to share with you. 

Do the next thing

Admittedly, I am in a season of overwhelm right now. Consequently, it feels like the ping pong scene from Forrest Gump. I am constantly getting whacked and bounced from one issue to the next. That is such a “human” thing. As I admire that turtle, I realize that although I am not sure what his mission is, he is focused and determined to complete it. Laser. Sharp. Focus. So friends, when your mind starts to feel like a ping pong match on steroids, just do the next thing. Don’t think of the million other things. Do the next thing. 

Wear your battle scars with pride

At every turn, it feels like there is a new cream, procedure, supplement, or routine to help us look flawless, ageless, like new. Why do we do that? My turtle friend carries her scars with pride. Dirt crusted on her shell, wrinkled skin from time spent basking in the sun, and cracks and bruises from the natural struggle of being a turtle. But, we marvel at her. She is beautiful, scars and all. And so are you. 

Retreat when necessary

It was beyond exciting for my family to see our turtle friend. With excitement, there is noise and laughter and jumping up and down. At first, the turtle moved forward, unbothered by our presence. And then, as turtles do, retreated into her shell to take a moment to regroup from the excitement my family brought to her journey. She paused to breathe. Friends, how many of you are forgetting to retreat? Refusing to breathe?

Can we pause for a moment to think about what these three things look like for our transgender community? They have to do “all the things” just like the rest of us. Meanwhile, they also must fight for freedoms, advocate for health care, and seek community and friendships that are allies. So consequently, it is beyond exhausting. 

They are bombarded with a culture that promotes youthfulness and beauty PLUS the constant worry that they will not receive gender-affirming medical care. 

They need rest and respite, yet cannot let down their guard for a second, because the enemy is always ready with a new law or mandate that dictates who they are. 

We are worthy just by being, not by the amount we accomplish. We are all beautiful without creams or tinctures to make us look younger. Everyone deserves rest and reprieve from a loud and sometimes overwhelming world. 
Just like the turtle, you are enough.