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What is Habit Stacking?
Habit stacking is the process of taking habits that fit together and putting them into a routine. After all, this is really all a routine is. It is a collection of habits you “stack” because they fit in well with one phase of your day, whether it is a morning routine or a lunchtime routine. Here are some things to know about habit stacking and how you can take advantage of it with your own routines and habits. Using Cues for Your Habits A big part of habit stacking is having cues for each of your habits. These are signs that tell you what habit is coming up next. For…
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Six Healing Herbs and Spices
With all of the health concerns that we are facing in this new year, finding ways to augment our health is a popular topic. Social distancing, wearing masks, exercising, and eating healthier are all commonly discussed these days. A less commonly discussed topic is the potential benefits of herbs and spices. While herbs and spices can’t completely prevent illnesses or cure diseases, they may have a lot of powerful natural healing abilities. Here are the 6 healing herbs and spices we love the most. 1. Turmeric The first healing spice will probably come as no surprise to you – turmeric. Turmeric is a wonderful anti-inflammatory spice that contains a lot…
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Day 18. Grateful for Creature Comforts
For today’s 30 Days Blessed Exercise, we’ll be ruminating on creature comforts. That is, those things in life that we almost take for granted but yet they enhance our enjoyment greatly. If you’re too comfortable right now to participate in this activity, that’s okay. Come back to it when you’re in the mood. As stated before, gratitude cannot be faked. It’s your right and privilege to express yourself in your own way and in your own time. If you’re reading this, you probably live in a developed country. So, home heating and cooling, clean drinking water, indoor plumbing and cars that get us where we want to go are things…
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Day 15. Grateful for Your Powerful, Miraculous Body
For today’s 30 Days Blessed rumination, we’re going to dwell positively on the miracle of your body. Your body is a perfect machine, all parts working in concert, directed by your complex power center, the brain and nervous system – the hard wiring that’s responsible for it all coming together so naturally and effortlessly. Regulated by your pulsating heart that carries blood to the outermost edges, and allowing you to exist in this world! When you were born, your mind was an untouched tablet, waiting to be imprinted upon. Your body was a bundle of untapped and undeveloped potential. Look at you now! Isn’t it a wonder. Why do we…
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A Christmas Mission Statement Can Help Reduce Holiday Stress
The holidays come around every year and each year brings the promise of magic and wonder. Christmas delights entire families and gets them excited for gifts, celebrations, and time off from their regular routine. The excitement generated by Christmas can quickly fade when things start to feel overwhelming. Without proper planning, Christmas time can morph into a stressful time filled with too many activities and not enough resources to meet your expectations. Luckily, there’s a simple way to avoid stress during Christmas time. What Is a Mission Statement? You may have heard about mission statements and how they help organizations and businesses laser focus on their overall goals. It’s directly…
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Day 13. Grateful for Your Family in All Their Beautiful Imperfection
Nothing can compare to the relationships we share with family. For some, family life means happy chaos, warmth and affection, and the freedom to be yourself. For others, family life presents some serious challenges to overcome. Most people’s families fall somewhere in the middle – love and support at some times, friction and misunderstanding at others. Having a family of imperfect people is perfectly normal and healthy! Families Are Complex The thing about families is this. There are always positive takeaways, even in the most complex relationships. In your family, are things always what they seem to be? Sometimes not. For example, in a family where the children were lavished…
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Boundaries- The Key to a Joyful Season
There you are, minding your holiday business when someone’s dysfunction crashes into your spirit. There’s a lot of Grinches and Scrooges out there and they have the potential to rub off on you if you can’t set healthy boundaries. There are a lot of reasons why people aren’t at their best during the holidays, but their bad mood doesn’t have to affect you when you are ready, willing, and able to set boundaries and protect yourself from their negativity. Here are the steps you need to set healthy boundaries for a joyful season Step 1. Be aware Some people are going to be negative. Be aware. Be on the alert…
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Day 10. Celebrating the “Moments Between the Moments”
On day 10 of the “30 Days Blessed This Christmas” Challenge, we’ll focus on the moments between the moments. This means that even though the tendency is to fill up our schedules with big events and fantastic experiences… those “moments between the moments” are what really make life worth living. The moments between the moments have to do with communing and connecting with other human beings. Perhaps animals, too. The moments between the moments might be something of an extra surprise bonus experience that unfolded organically without “trying to make something happen”. Maybe you brought your kids to an amusement park, and a nice person who worked there took the…
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Day 8. Nourish Your Soul
Ever think about taking a day to clear your mind, replenish your spirit and feed your soul? Sometimes your soul gets hungry. You want something more, something deeper and more meaningful. You feel a bit low, empty even. When someone asks of your time and energy, you have this vague sense of not being able to provide. This is a serious soul-state that needs tending to. It’s hard to feel blessed in the beauty and joy that’s ever present in our world, when we’re low on sustenance for our soul. You don’t need a lot of money to feed your soul. You don’t need an appointment at the nail salon…
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Is It Time to Break Some Holiday Traditions?
Traditions are part of what makes the holidays memorable. Thinking back on your childhood, you might have some amazing memories of holiday’s past that are steeped in tradition. You may have even brought some of them into adulthood and your own family. There’s no doubt that traditions help families stay connected and remind them of their roots but there may come a time when it helps to break traditions and build new ones. Should Traditions always be Kept? Traditions can bring comfort and a sense of familiarity and belonging, but they can also be stifling and keep you from growing and expanding. Holding onto traditions can exclude other possibilities that…
