Little Changes

The Healing Hour

The Healing Hour is one hour in your day when you do something that shifts your focus on your movement toward healing.  The time I schedule this fluctuates everyday.  You can make it at the same time or just choose a time that works for that day.  Just try to decide that morning or the day before so that you don’t put this on the back burner.

Here are a few ways to spend that time:
· Exercise
· Read a book or reputable website ( motivation, nutrition, stress management, exercise)
· Declutter your home & simplify your life
· Listen to a Podcast or Meditation Music
· Do something for yourself that helps relieve stress
· Practice your Hatching Techniques
· Journal

I know how busy life can be!  Sometimes I wonder if I could fit one more thing in.  Truth is you need this time & you can’t feel guilty at all.  It’s just about planning your day the best you can before it starts.  We all have surprises in our day, but make this time a priority.  It’s ok if you break this time down throughout your day too.  Sometimes it really helps to just “go on break for a few minutes”.  Just try to make that time uninterrupted if possible.

Some days my Healing Time is spent at the gym during lunch time.  I do interval training on the elliptical & strength training with weights .  I have my MP3 player loaded with my favorite music.

Just put this little thought in your mind & maybe you can find time tomorrow.  Don’t jam your day full of commitments, right now you need a little space and time to Heal.  You are not good to anyone if you are not good to yourself first!

Nesting

Having a hard time going to sleep?  Staring at the ceiling until 3am?  Do you have a bedtime ritual that you do every night in order to wind down? This is what we call Nesting. This is the time of the evening that is so important to the way you will sleep.

Over the last few years I have developed a routine I do every night, no matter what time I go to bed. I have found that knowing what my evening is going to consists of gives me great peace. I also don’t get that dreaded worry about panic attacks at night anymore. Every night is the same & last night I was OK.

“My Nesting Time” usually starts an hour before bed.

· I make sure everything is prepared for tomorrow.

· My list is started for the next day & on my desk waiting to help me through my day.

· My room is clean and clutter free. Clutter makes me nervous when I try to sleep. I seem to think about everything I should be doing.

· I like to take a warm shower and I use lavender lotion after I get out.

· Cozy jammies are a must & clean sheets.

· I never read or watch anything that is going to give me problems through the night. No Cops, medical programs, or the news. Truthfully I never watch those. No true crime books at bedtime either.

· I like to read a devotional page, write in my journal & focus on my visions for how I want my day tomorrow to go. Make sure you are not addressing worries before bed, no balancing the budget either. No worries at bedtime.

· Sometimes if the voices in my head are too loud, a tape of the ocean, a meditation, or I like to watch TV on captions. The captions force my brain to work and the voices have no time to come in. Before I know it I am fast asleep. Thank goodness for my TV timer.

· If you are going to sleep in a dark quiet room this is a great time to work on those deep breaths all the way to your belly.

· I also keep a glass of water by the bed. If I start getting that nervous feeling – a large drink of water seems to help.

What works for you? Come by the forum and give us some ideas. It might really help another Peep have a great night’s sleep.

Find Support

As you know feeling anxious & overwhelmed is a lonely road. I think it’s hard to realize that a lot of people have no idea how your feeling. At times you are so scared that all you need is someone to tell you it’s ok, you’re not losing your mind. A kind voice in a sea of loud thoughts.

How are the people around you? Are they supportive, or do they belittle you? Try to find a friend that will lift you up when you are down. Can’t find one? I am always here for you & you can surly find a new supportive friend that knows exactly how you feel. I hope you will feel free to share your thoughts, that is the only way to push through.  Be a part of our forums & weekly online chats, we know how you feel.Come by, post a note. Great news is that you do not have to post your real name or email if you feel uncomfortable. We will not judge you, we just want to meet you right where you are.

You are stronger than you think you are! We are all here if you need a helping hand.

**Did you know we have a Podcast too.  Great way to spend your Healing Hour or Nesting Time.  You can find our Podcast here!

Get on a Budget

On top of fighting anxiety and stress who wants to worry about paying the rent.  You will need all of your focus to feel better.  If you don’t have a budget, grab a spiral and map out all of your bills.  Know where your money goes and you will never have to go looking for it again. One of my favorite for help with budgets and making a plan is www.daveramsey.com

Start a Daily Routine

I have found that I like to know what to do next, therefore I function better on a routine.  I have placed myself on a work routine and home routine.  Like our children they need to know what comes next.  Many experts will tell you the value of staying on a routine.  I have found that if I know what’s next and only focusing on one task at a time I seem to be less stressed.  You can add more to your day if your time management is under control.  Some may find that the same routine is boring.  For me, I don’t like Chaos or Drama!  Boring is just fine with me.

I have recently had lots of questions about my routine.  I like to keep it very simple & if I don’t finish it today…no worries!  Tomorrow is a new day, no need to play catch-up. Routines can’t be too long.  If you are wearing yourself out you are doing too much.

Get Rid of the Clutter

Clutter can silently stress us out.  Living with less around us can really help us feel less stress.  Spending a little time everyday getting the clutter out of your home will quickly help.  For me going to sleep in a room full of stuff makes me nervous and I feel overwhelmed by the amount of things I need to do.

Need help with the clutter?  Check out www.clutterdiet.com for great ideas & subscribe to Lorie’s weekly newsletter & download “30 Ways to Find Time to Get Organized”.

Get out of your Comfort Zone

Once a week I like to try something that made me nervous the last week.

There is a two lane road not far from my house.  It must be about 3 miles long and it wraps around a senic route.  During the height of my anxiety I could not travel this road.  I tried one day, but I was so scared someone would drive in my lane that I was in tears at the end of the road.  One day as I was feeling better I decided to try it.  I made my turn waiting for my mind to react to the road, instead I found myself tapping my fingers to the music on the radio and actually enjoying my drive.  What a change.  You never know when you will find these small victories.  Then you know you are getting better.

Be a List Maker

Mono-Tasking is the key! Stop trying to accomplish it all at once.  Keeping a running task list will keep you focused and that overwhelmed feeling will be gone!  I keep a small list with me all the time.  As my day begins I try to make my task list in order of how it will fall in the day.  Then I only focus on the next item.  No looking ahead or reading over the whole list.  This will keep you from having a handful of unfinished projects.  You can also keep a list for the week & month too.  As you find time to accomplish one – finish it & scratch it off the list. We have a task list form that you can print in the Egg Printables

Visualization

Do you have a happy place?  Believe it or not mine is the gym.  I belong to a really nice gym, kind of like a resort.  When I walk in I feel like I am pampered & taken care of.  It’s the best money I spend on myself every month.   When my stress is high I can sit and imagine that I am walking into the gym and I get that happy feeling.  Another is my family, I think about playing outside with them – makes me relax and feel happy.

Ok, try this one.  Take 2 minutes, go where it’s quiet, breathe deep, and imagine you are in your “happy place”. Another visualization technique I like to use is to cut out things from a magazine I want to be, do, or have.  A year ago I cut pictures from a magazine and glued them on a sheet of paper and put them in my daily planner.  I have a fit woman, vacation spot, stack of money, and a happy family.  I look at it every morning to cement what goals I am working toward.  What will your visualization sheet have on it?