Have a Cup of Tea

When was the last time that you stopped your day to have a cup of tea?

Did you know that studies have shown that tea can lower blood pressure, lower cortisol, and black tea can speed up recovery from daily stress.

I also think there is something very relaxing about drinking tea out of a nice cup and taking my time. In this day and age we are so busy slamming down the coffee on the way from point A to point B.

Not a big tea lover? Try putting your favorite beverage in a nice glass, my mom loves orange juice in her frosted wine glass. It will make you feel special. This would be a great time to work on your daily entry in a gratitude journal. Make it part of your day.

Wishing you peaceful thoughts today,
Amy


Quote of the Day
"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." Sydney J. Harris

There is a Light

I can't get the images of Heather Locklear arrested this week for allegedly driving under the influence of medication. She has publicly battled anxiety and depression.

I feel for her and know all of us are not that far from spiraling off at times.

I believe that the anxiety came to me for a reason and because of something rather than I was just destined for it. I decided to not be on medication. Partly because I was so afraid of what it might do to me. I really didn't want to loose control of my life more than I already had. I know it was a journey that I had to go through and I was determined to find a way out of it. It was not going to define who I was.

Now if you are currently on medication please do not stop taking it. The effects can be terrible.

However try experimenting with your diet, supplements, exercise, breathing exercises. All my trials are on my website.

I want to help as many people to know that there is a great life after anxiety. You are not alone, keep your eye on the end result.

Wishing you peaceful thoughts today,
Amy

Daily Quote:

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." Unknown

Find a Good Support System

It is so important to have a positive person in your corner. It was really a big help for me to have people in my life that I could call when I felt as if I was in crisis.

During a full blown panic attack you feel as if you are dying and the last thing I wanted was to be alone. For me my panic attacks happened late at night. I knew as soon as they started I could call my friends and they would reassure me that I was ok & help keep my mind off of dying.

I don't care how many attacks you have been through the current one always seems to be the worst.

Find a friend who is compassionate, patient & loving. It might be a friend, your parents, or a coworker. If you know you have that team beside you it will make your recovery that much faster.

Need to be in touch with people that know what you are feeling? Visit our forum today & post a note introducing yourself. We look forward to hearing from you.

Wishing you peaceful thoughts today,
Amy =)

Quote of the Day

"Deep listening is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested listening, our spirits expand." Sue Patton Thoele

You Can't Carry the Weight of the World!

I don't know if you are like me, but I feel the need to handle it all! Seems that I like to be in control, but while not being a control freak.

Some days it seems very hard to ask for help, but help is really what you need. We need to learn to delegate some of our daily tasks.

Stress comes from a lot of different areas of your life. If you are filling up your day with more thank you can fit in a day, it will just leave you overwhelmed and frustrated. The would will not come to an end if you tell a friend "no" or the house is not just perfect.

It's Friday, pop in a great movie tonight and just relax. You have permission to just "hang out".

Wishing you peaceful thoughts today,

Amy

Quote of the Day

"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."
Marcus Aurelius

No News is Good News

In this information age we are bombarded by the daily news. Whether it's a drunken celebrity, global warming or a drug bust it just seems all around us.

It took a hard look at my daily life to realize that I had to be cautious but not on the look out for a careening car, kidnapper, or runaway train. A 30 minute segment on the nightly news will have you thinking that these are all around you. Not to mention the hottest new disease, which by the way you have all the symptoms. Add an hour of CSI and that sounds like a panic attack just lurking in the wings.

Now maybe your thinking that you can handle all of this information streaming at you 24/7. I personally just can't handle it. It really messes with my head.

I have found the best way to combat all the information is I give myself 2 minutes to read the headlines on CNN a day. I don't open sad stories or really gross ones. If I need to know world events I only allow myself to skim the article. No sad You Tube videos about illness, or disaster stories. I like to find a website that will inspire happy, creative thoughts.

Take a break, turn on a classic TV show & laugh for a half hour. You'll feel so much better.

Wishing you peaceful thoughts today,
Amy

Quote of the Day

"We live in the midst of alarms; anxiety beclouds the future; we expect some new disaster with each newspaper we read."
Abraham Lincoln

First Day of Fall - Season for Change

As we watch the leaves turn and fall this season it's a great time to make some changes on ourselves.

Dealing with stress, panic and anxiety is a nightmare with no end in sight. You feel alone, lost. I think it's almost unbearable at times.

But if your ready to fight to be who you really are - if you really want it - you can get there in no time. Think of yourself just back from the battle of your life. Stand up, dust yourself off & put your recovery at the forefront of your day.

Today make a list and date it of where you want to be in one year. Write it on a scratch pad or in your gratitude journal. Take no more than 5 minutes, don't make it a novel.

It should be as simple as:

I can relax
I am not anxious
No Panic Attacks
I love my job
I am happy with myself
I can feel peace

Wishing you peaceful thoughts today,
Amy

Learning to Roll With It!

Over the last couple of years I have learned that really don't like surprises. I like to know what is going to happen and the unknown is very hard for me.

We are in Houston and today we are facing Hurricane Ike. Looks like he is headed right for us. While I don't feel at all anxious or panicked I am not fond of the unknown. The last time we had a major hurricane was 1983, and I really don't remember it. I was young and did not have to handle all the major responsibilities.

Our news has been on for 24 hours trying to scare us to death about what might happen. But I am 60 miles from the shore and will probably get 90 mph wind. We are boarded up, stocked up and ready. My husband and I realized that our children will remember this for the rest of their lives so we are making the best of it. This morning we went to the park and played for a long time as a family. Tonight we will have a camp out in our bedroom and we have crafts and games for them to play over the next few days. We will probably loose power for a few days so we are going to have an ongoing "Hurricane Party".

So my point is - inside you may be nervous over something you can't control, but you have a choice. Tonight I could use this experience to spend time with my family and a few laughs amongst the wind or hide under my bed. If I hid what would I be teaching my children. Instead I am showing them to be prepared, and responsible. Now we will just ride it out and enjoy some family time away from TV, computers and the wii.

Hope it is sunny where you are. We'll be partying here!

Quote of the Day

You can't wring your hands and roll up your
sleeves at the same time.

Pat Schroeder

Be Good to Yourself!

Too often we are so consumed with the welfare of the ones around us that we ignore our own needs.

The weekend is here and you deserve to take some time out for you and pamper yourself a little. If you don't who will? Think of something that would be a good treat for you. A pedicure, favorite lunch, a haircut. Don't bottle up feelings of being the caretaker. It's easy to do. Put yourself first and put those feelings aside. It will recharge your batteries and give you something to smile about.

You are worth it!

Quote of the Day

Action may not always bring happiness;
but there is no happiness without action.
Benjamin Disraeli

How is your Weather?

This morning I walked outside to a great surprise, it feels like fall is peeking in. It was so wonderful to have 70 degree temperatures here, the temperatures have been in the 100s.

I have recently been feeling the stress creep in from school starting, work, taking care of my Dad, and running a family. It can be exhausting. And I have found in the past that exercise really helps get rid of those tense feelings, helps me breathe better and gives me more energy. I know who likes exercise? I sure didn’t when I started, but the results a month later were amazing. I think the biggest surprise was the mental benefits. It really gets all those chemicals moving in the right direction. I also found that it was a great time to be alone. I can pop in my MP3 player and be in my own world. It’s my time to relax & be good to myself.

On these nice cooler days think about what we can do to add a little exercise into our life, and get outdoors in the fresh air. It’s good for your body & great for your mind!

Your Mother was Right!

How many times when you were a child did you hear "Eat your vegetables"? And you thought she was punishing you.

Truth is that green veggies (especially dark-green, leafy vegetables) are high in Magnesium. Magnesium is essential in maintaining muscle and nerve function, steady heart rhythm, a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Magnesium is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies. Did you know that research shows that increasing you magnesium you could see dramatic changes in your anxiety and depression? I think it is worth a shot. So eat your veggies!




Check out the Egg Store for a wide variety of vitamins and nutritional support. They are shipped the same day right to your door. Don't see what you are looking for? I am adding new items every day. Feel free to contact me and let me know what you are looking for. Starting September 4th all items in the Egg Shop will be 20% off too! Great time to stock up.

Are You Prepared?

With the weather getting rough this time of year stress can become high. Anxiety and panic can become a real problem when we are overwhelmed and running around in a circle. What would you do if you had to pack up today and head to safety. Could you make a plan with a clear head? Stress and Anxiety is the last thing we need to worry about.

Make sure you have the following ready so in a stressful situation you can get through it anxiety free.

Canned food - enough for each person for 3 days.

Water - enough for each person for 3 days.

Candles, flashlight, battery powered radio.

Back packed with clean clothes and toiletries.

Cash on hand.

A plan for safe shelter.

Medication to last 1-2 weeks.

We found that all our phones are electric, we purchased a princess phone that does not need the electricity to operate.

You can keep everything in an emergency box that is easy to access. Make sure all insurance is up to date. That's the last thing we need to worry about.

Stay safe & stress free!

Learn to Relax

If you are anything like me you don't know how to relax. With today being labor day try to relax. Take some time for you with no guilt attached.




· Watch a Movie
· Talk a Long Walk
· Visit a Friend
· Cook your Favorite Meal
· Start your Gratitude Journal
· Take a Long Bath

Find what makes you happy! You deserve it.