Wellness Wednesday: Roller coasters

Now this isn't the post I had planned for today, but I have something to say. Today has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride. I know I'm not very personal over here. If you knew me in real life, you'd know that is in fact how I am in person- a sort of pseudo-personal. I'm the girl who listens to others problems, provides a shoulder to cry on, and tries to help out. I don't often share my own problems, or show emotion to anyone but family and Anthony. Even in these cases, the emotion is often times false- I'll show anger toward Anthony for an issue in our relationship, when really I'm upset about something else entirely.

Wellness Wednesday: Sending Smiles

I don't know if you've noticed, but there's a lot of happiness going around here. Or at least, I try to bring inspiration, motivation, and goodness to you all. Its no secret I firmly believe in smiles. 

You know when you see that person and there's just something about them? Something beautiful and special? It's the smile. 

When you're having an awful day, a sad month, or a challenging year- smile. I promise it will help. 

Studies show that even when you can't bring yourself to adorn your beautiful face with a smile, holding a pencil in your teeth while bringing your lips away so they do not touch the pencil (imitating the muscle structure when smiling) your "happiness level" increases. There's science and stuff. It's true. 

You might want to get used to the smiles for a little while. Why? Meet Seeds of Happiness. The story starts with a little lump of clay, that was turned in to a smile and given to a child who was very ill. Pretty soon, the smiles spread, as smiles tend to do. Now, the smiles are going to spread around here. Seeds of happiness sent a bag of smiles to Backpacks and Belly Button rings, and I'm working with a few bloggers to share stories of smiles with you. These bloggers have received a seed, and are going to come back with photos, stories, and tips. There's even an opportunity for you to get involved! I have one seed left, if you'd like to participate in this smile project, leave a comment below and one will be selected randomly. U.S. only, sorry!

The photo is a little sneak peek into my seed story. I believe you've met Dozer and Anthony? Those two can make me smile!

Will you send a smile?

Well, It's not Wednesday: Dozer, Dogs, and Adopting

As you may have noticed, today is not wednesday. Furthermore, Wellness Wednesday was not yesterday. Fear not, wellness wednesday is on thursday this week. Yesterday was the first day Dozer came home after visiting my parents while Anthony and I went backpacking, and having a minor surgery. Dozer had  a small bump (smaller than a time) removed, but now has 23 staples on his side. He is healing just fine, and is only sad that he can't play with his puppy friends (he has tons) until his staples are removed. 

To brighten his spirits a little, this weeks Wellness Wednesday Thursday we're talking about adoption. 

Wellness Wednesday: Anyone can do Something

Saving the world can take time and money, something most of us don't have much of. For this week's wellness wednesday, I'd like to share with you a couple of ways you can bring a little more good into the world, even if you don't have the time or money for any big changes right now. You've got to start somewhere, right? These links all provide free and "less than five minutes" ways to do some good.

First up, check out Care 2's click to donate program. It's as easy as it sounds. All you have to do is head over to the website, click on the options on the left sidebar, or "start clicking" on the middle photo, and then the big orange "click to donate" button. The funds for these donations are provided by sponsors who's buttons are under the "thank you for donating" banner. Also on Care 2, you can find petitions supporting various environmental and social causes and sign them easily online. 

If you've finished these, click here to go to the hunger site, on the greater good network. This site has the same free click to give system. This time the links are located on the top banner bar. After clicking,  if you feel like shopping, you can browse the site for a variety of fair trade products, and other products donate part of their proceeds. 

Still looking for something to do? Try Free Rice. This site not only donates food to the World Food Programme, it helps keep your mind sharp! For every question you answer, ten grains of rice are donated. You can choose between humanities, english, math, chemistry, language learning, geography, sciences, or even SAT prep! It's great for a "mindless" (Ok so some of these questions get hard!) game, and whens the last time your solitare game fed the hungry?

What do you do when you need a doable way to help?

Wellness Wednesday: Walk With Me

Last week, I introduced you to a new series. If you missed it, check it out here. As usual, you guys were awesome, encouraging, and excited for something new!

I thought through each of the posts I've come up with so far, and couldn't decide what would provide the perfect start to this series.

Then I was introduced to a video in a course I am taking at my University. The course is on the functioning abilities of older adults in late stages of life, and the video is about "blue zones". These are areas of the world where it is common to see individuals over 100 years of age living healthy, active lifestyles. One of the cultures featured has woman over 100 years old who sit on the floor, and get up, multiple times throughout the day. Have you seen an american elder do that lately? or ever?

I couldn't help but think this video would be the perfect start to a series on wellness. 

You can watch it here on ted talks. (It's short!)

 If you don't have time for that, basically it says to eat a plant based diet with small amounts of grass fed animal protein. It includes the importance of social support throughout development and older adulthood. What I found most interesting, however, was the stress put on "natural exercise", or incorporating physical activity into your daily life. (These cultures don't go to the gym!)

This brings me to why I'm here. One of the cultures in the video, in addition to natural exercise,  takes a nature walk each week. This is noted as a factor contributing to their longevity. 

If you've seen my last motivation monday, you already know I'm heading out to the woods this weekend. I'll be camping and hiking in northern Michigan, or one of the most beautiful places in the world (I may be bias...). I firmly believe in shutting off your phone, heading to the closest bit of nature, and hiking for awhile is good for your health. It may even help you live to 100!


So for this Wellness Wednesday, I challenge you to do something good for yourself. Something easy and enjoyable. Take off to the nearest nature and go for a walk. 

Can't find any nature near you? 
Check here to find a national or state park. 
(For Michiganders, when you get new tabs for your car, invest an extra ten dollars for an annual state park pass. If not, in Michigan, state parks are five dollars for the day or $25 for an annual sticker pass)

Too natural for your liking? 
Try rails-to-trails here. 
Most of the trails are paved, and those that aren't are remarkably well kept up. Also, these trails are made on, you guessed it, old railroad tracks, so they are pretty darn flat. 

If your up for some adventure? 
Try Singletracks to find a mountain biking trail near you. 
This site has reviews and trail maps, with great directions to the trail head.

Still can't find anything? 
-Check your local university. Many have property away from the main campus for environmental sciences students that is often open to the public. 
-Take a walk through your neighborhood. Shut off your phone and enjoy being outside.

So for week one, lets start out easy on the road to wellness.
Will you walk this week?

(While your getting ready for the weekend, check out some natural sparkle!) 

Wellness Wednesday: A New Series

Once upon a time, I was an optimist. I was hopeful, enthusiastic, and believed the world was good.

And then I grew up. Little by little, life wore away at my optimism. Tragedy, people, and places broke took away pieces of what was good. Eventually, the world didn't seem like such a nice place.

I soon came to realize that once you stop looking at the world through a child's eyes, you have to search out the good. You have to work to notice it. 

That is what Wellness Wednesday is all about. 

Each week I will share with you something good. 

It could be a bit on a charity doing wonderful work, a note on how to become a better person yourself, or a word on using your purchase power for good. 

Your week is half over. Whether it started good, bad, or ugly, today is the day to turn it around. 

Get your good on with Wellness Wednesday.

The first post will be up next wednesday, hope to see you there!

Once Upon A Whirlwind

Hello Lovelies.

It's been a crazy couple weeks around here. Between getting my house ready for new roommates, heading home for a couple days, sending my baby sister off to college, finishing up summer classes, and getting ready for the fall semester, I haven't had much time for... well... anything.

Which means, of course, I'm long overdue for some self care time. 

I'm partial to yoga, aromatherapy, rest, and some extra healthy eating when it comes to hitting "restart".

Luckily, I'm in the process of reviewing something special for all of you! In the very near future, you'll be seeing a review of a couple of products from Essence of Vali, a company that focuses on self care by nurturing of the mind, body, and spirit through aromatherapy.

What do you do to ground yourself?