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Self-Care

6 Strategies for Holding on to Hope

The COVID-19 pandemic has not been an easy time for many of us. Stay-at-home orders, CDC guidelines, news hysteria and working from home transitions have left us unsure, worried and simply—unhappy. Every day, our plans, dreams, and hopes are being relegated to the future. It’s as if the rug of life has been pulled out from under us. So, how can we hold on to hope when there is no clear path forward or even a resolution in sight to the health crisis the world now faces? Well, that is the $64,000 question! In the spirit of inspiring hope and courage in each one of us, I offer strategies that may be useful during this unprecedented time. Accept your feelings (don’t deny them). It’s OK to be sad. It’s OK to be angry. It’s OK to be frustrated—and it is definitely OK to be fearful. But these are not all of the feelings available to you. Reach deeper. Reach for your Strength. It is there and can ground you in this time of extreme change. The strongest part of you knows that this will pass. It’s important to stop, take a deep breath, accept what you cannot control and remember to move forward. Be mindful of what you listen to. Although it’s important to stay informed, this is not the time to keep up with the negativity that encompasses us in today’s news and media. This is a time for focusing on you. Allow those in your inner circle, and those who are positive, to surround you and to remind you that we are not alone in this. We can get through it together. So, turn off that TV, and instead, stay connected with your friends and family. Whether it’s with a quick call, or a video chat, just listening to the voices of those close to us can guide us toward hope and resiliency. Be clear about how you are changing (for the better). This is an incredible opportunity to take that extra time we have suddenly been allotted to reflect and learn. In what ways are you appreciating the little things more? Talking with others you haven’t had the chance to for quite some time? Realizing some of the things you have been missing, some of the things that are really important for you? Ask yourself what it is that you can do with your time now—refocusing on your priorities and acting accordingly. Reaffirm your commitment to self-care. The human spirit is resilient. Look at how quickly we have all transitioned our work arrangements, our lifestyles, our family care. Necessity demands swift action. Realize that your desire to live healthy is greater than any act of self-sabotage. What are the things that make you joyous? Incorporate these acts at least once into your daily routine. Listen to your spirit, take a walk, meditate, video chat a friend, or simply just enjoy the present moment. Remember the children. Children continue to play, laugh, and find joy in life. Take a good look in the mirror and get in touch with the child in you. Put your arms around that child. Hug yourself like you have never been hugged before. You deserve it! Tell yourself, “Good job, I’m proud of you.” You’ve been through so much in the last few months, and you are making it. Hope for the better. When all is said and done, the human mind and spirit is remarkable. It is sustaining. What will the “new normal” look like? We just don’t know, but you know what we do know? We know that we will find a way to make it work, and we will make it a little better than it was before. “Help me let go of the fight to control things and let me accept them as they are.”
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Self-Care

4 Ideas for Unlocking the Pure Gratitude of Being

Pure gratitude opens us to experiencing grace—that is, the awe-inspiring awareness of the gift of being alive. Through the eyes of pure gratitude, everything looks more beautiful. We are touched with awe. I came to experience the pure gratitude of simply being after living through immense tragedy and loss: In 2008, a California wildfire took my home, a lifetime of memorabilia and the space where countless wonderful memories had taken place. Then, a year later—in the span of eight weeks—I lost my husband, my father and my youngest son. I’ve written about all of this in my memoir Six Funerals and a Wedding.  Here is what I learned for unlocking and experiencing the pure and simple gratitude of being which people may find especially helpful in these times: Look at life through the lens of love and what is real. If the old saying “It’s all in how you look at it” is really true, we can decide how we want to see our situation. Practice this feeling and nurture the awareness it creates. You can even have fun with it by asking yourself questions such as: Does a new car inspire you differently than the smile of an elderly neighbor you have called on to just see how she has been doing? You can ask yourself the same question as applied to other situations, too, and make a list of the things that inspire you most. Chances are, they are not material, but instead, have to do with human connections and moments spent together with others. Appreciating the profound joy in these moments will bring immense gratitude is one key to experiencing pure gratitude. Celebrate goodness. Look around you: there is goodness everywhere, even in the most surprising places. But we tend to forget that. As a reminder, try acknowledging and celebrating this goodness wherever it is. One way to do this is to thank everybody present before a meal and acknowledge any special events that may have occurred since you were last together: birthdays, new jobs, new children or grandchildren. Lately, during the COVID-19 crisis, I have been finding myself more aware of the importance of acknowledging events that are happening around me. The recent celebration of Cinco de Mayo, for example. With restaurants being closed to diners, many friends were doing delivery or making their own dishes. A family member suggested we make margaritas to celebrate the occasion. And I thought, why not? Why not do something special to join in the fun. We don’t make margaritas all that often but ended up having a great time together. My point is this—don’t miss your opportunity to do your version of a holiday or celebration. It puts you in the spirit of things and keeps you connected to friends and loved ones. Surround yourself with grateful people. There’s a saying: “We are who we spend time with.” We can influence others by being our best selves, and can become better, more grateful people by surrounding ourselves by others who do the same. I think it’s okay to do inventories of your friendships from time to time. We are at our best and feel most grateful when we have more to give to the world. But if we find that the people we’re spending time with are making us feel drained or don’t live in a place of gratitude themselves, gratitude can be hard to experience. Allow yourself to decide how much time you’ll spend with people who have that effect on you, and to limit it as needed. On the flip side, indulge in spending time abundantly with people who you feel grateful simply to be with. Let go of material things that burden you. If you find yourself spending time or energy worrying about your things—how to care for them, the expenditures they require, where to store them—they are getting in the way of your experience of the gratitude of being. Letting go of them will free you to connect with gratitude more profoundly. It also brings an opportunity to remember the joy each thing once brought you, to be grateful for the memories of those times and to imagine the joy these things might bring to a new owner. I tend to get easily overwhelmed with stuff. Something as simple as buying a new kitchen rug can feel good for a moment until I realize that I didn’t really need it. It is important to notice when enough is enough. You have everything you need. If you like to buy pretty things, maybe look into providing them for someone else. Contact a shelter or senior center and see what they may need. That can be a very joyful experience. Anyone of these four steps has the potential to unlock a new level of gratitude. Taken together, they can unlock a beautiful way to simply be.
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Podcast

Turning Social Isolation Into a Creative Outlet With Martha Alderson

Tapping into your creativity is a proven way to increase your personal well-being. It can put you in a positive mood, give you a sense of purpose, promote problem solving and reduce stress and anxiety. But sometimes, we get so busy with our lives that we lose touch with our creative side. This week’s guest is an expert in tapping into creativity. Martha Alderson is an author who also works with bestselling authors, Hollywood directors, artists and performers all over the world to tap into their creativity. Now, you can try this at home! Martha’s new book, Boundless Creativity: A Spiritual Workbook for Overcoming Self-Doubt, Emotional Traps and Other Creative Blocks, can walk you through the steps back to discovering your creative self. In this episode, you'll learn: What the Universal Story is and how it relates to you. The spiritual value of connecting with your creativity. How working on creativity as a family can help build communication and solve problems. Links and Resources Facebook: @PlotWhisperer Instagram: @MarthaSAlderson LinkedIn: @MarthaAlderson Twitter: @PlotWhisperer YouTube: marthalderson Have you heard? Now you can start each day with the Live Happy Daily Happiness Briefing. This two-minute dose of happiness can be enabled as an Alexa skill just by clicking here. Then, start your weekday by saying, “Alexa, give me my daily happiness briefing!” Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           
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relationships

4 Ways to Parent Mindfully During Challenging Times

My yoga teacher Tiffany Wood loves to say, “you may not be in control of every situation, but you can always take charge.” It took time for this teaching to sink in, and becoming a mother gave me a whole new perspective on being out of control. Parents are handed a tiny human with their own agenda and pretty strong opinions out of the gate. It’s physically and emotionally exhausting and it only gets harder when your child is old enough to look you in the eye and shout, “No!” Add challenging situations like massive winter storms, losing a job, family health issues or coronavirus, which can all leave you feeling vulnerable and unprepared. The good news is when you apply a mindfulness lens you can learn to take charge of what’s meaningful and necessary without needing to control things that are not in your grasp. Here are four simple tips to mindfully take charge when life seems out of control: 1. Dedicated time for connection vs. independence. When I first got the news that my kids’ school would be canceled for three weeks straight, I panicked. The first few days I scheduled our time too rigidly and I always seemed to be “on,” as if I was running a three-ring circus. I learned after some trial and error that our daily cadence went much smoother when I create times for us to come together and times for us to play apart. So now we typically eat a meal together and follow it with 20-40 minutes of focused instructional or learning activity time that fosters connection with my kiddos. Then I say, “Okay, now it’s choice time! Would you rather play Magna-Tiles or go outside while I do my work for half an hour?” In an hour or so I help them clean up and transition back together for a snack and meaningful learning time before giving them an entirely different choice, “Play with your dolls or make a sticker scene?” 2. “Notice” when your kids are independent, responsible and cooperative. Many unwanted toddler behaviors come in response to a child’s deep desire to have more control, and you can help them be in charge where it’s possible. While it may feel strange at first to talk to a child like an adult, I encourage you to try it and see what you discover. Independence: “You are learning to do so many things all by yourself, aren’t you? I see you climbing up into your seat and getting yourself dressed. You’re working hard!” Responsibility: “Did you put your muddy pants in the laundry hamper? Thank you! That’s so responsible, you know just where they go, don’t you?” Cooperative: “Wow, I love how cooperative you are these days. I know it’s not always fun to brush your teeth or put away your toys, and your help is much appreciated.” 3. Learn together, naturally. Don’t pressure yourself into thinking you need to teach your child like their classroom teacher would. I’m a high school educator by trade, and I spent a few hours going down the homeschool rabbit hole trying to prepare myself to teach my Kindergartner and Preschooler while they were home from school. In just a few hours we churned through the resources I had prepped the night before, so I sent them out to “recess” feeling defeated. Instead, I started noticing small opportunities for learning unfold naturally around us. At meals, we played alphabet or rhyming games. The girls asked if they could make their own snacks, so I moved a selection of food to lower cupboards and shelves and discussed food groups so they could make a “balanced meal.” We “played math” using playing cards for a game of Go-Fish and Memory. Yesterday my girls, ages three and six collected various pine cones for a fairy garden, and I quickly found a chart online to help us identify the different trees. My favorite natural learning opportunity was when they counted, sorted, compared, created patterns and traded their mini-M&M’s, while I did the dishes! 4. Reassure them. Often times, parents see a rise in tantrums, bedtime call-backs, mealtime meltdowns and other unwanted behaviors during a time of instability or transition. The good news is that a little reassurance goes a long way. Let your child know that they are a priority in your life by carving out “Special Kiddo Time.” Put down your agenda, set a 10-minute timer and let them pick an activity to do together. Additionally, you’ll want to remind your children that life may look, sound and feel different than it used to, but you love them just the same. The great news is that there are tools to help parents take charge of big emotions and connect more deeply with their kiddos. Using mindful parenting practices helps us to solve problems more efficiently and experience fewer breakdowns in general.
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Self-Care

3 Bad Habits That Lead to Emotional Eating

Eating is probably one of the most natural things in the world. We need to eat to live, and to live well, enjoying food is a big part of it. Unfortunately, our motivation for eating is often unclear due to a variety of factors. Socioeconomic demographics, generational values and our caregivers' relationship to food can be huge influences in the way we relate to food as adults. It's important to note that eating as an adult is very different than eating as a young child. As a child, food is very structured. We have three meals and three snacks per day. This is mainly to provide structure and ensure the energy of the child is balanced. Additionally, children don’t have much control or choice around food. So, it is important to notice that children don't have the choice to decide WHEN or WHAT to eat, nor are they mature enough to understand the WHY behind their food choices. Why is this important? Because so often in my coaching practice, I see full-grown adults struggling with their relationship to food and they don't know why. Their lives have been hijacked by anxiety, fear, shame and guilt. I am here to crack that code for you! 1. Attachment to Labels Organizing an eating schedule around breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks like we did as kids creates a rigidity that as adults we cannot often abide by. Spontaneous work and family obligations, travel and other joyful life things that as adults we have the privilege of enjoying cannot coexist with a rigid food schedule. We must grow the inner child to trust in the fluidity of being an adult. We do this by learning to eat more intuitively. This means being in touch with hunger cues and being prepared when the time arrives. It also means understanding what your body needs for you. It’s taking back the When and What. This is the agency adults have. 2. Scarcity Complex This is another belief we picked up as children. Remember when your caregiver told you to finish everything on your plate because food is expensive and there won’t be anything else to eat if you don’t? This belief is one of the root causes of compulsive eating and directly disconnects us from the part of ourselves that has trust in the goodness of the world. Preserving this innocence is so key in the development of well-adjusted adults. It is this lack of trust that is one of the main contributors to emotional eating. That deep-rooted fear that if we don't finish everything on our plate or eat the free food from work even if we aren’t hungry or that isn’t what we want, we are inherently bad people. We are selfish, wasteful and ungrateful. However, as adults we have choice. Choice is available at any time and has no judgments. It is up to us to learn the tools to slow down enough to understand what motivates our choices and then develop the skills to relate to those choices with compassion. Once we install these tools and skills, we can begin to truly build trust in the abundance that is available for us. It is from this core belief that we can begin to heal our emotional relationship with food. 3. Soothing Mechanism From a young age, we were conditioned that food helps to soothe discomfort. If we cried as babies, we got fed. If we were celebrating a win or a birthday there was food involved. We are trained that food immediately makes everything better and happy. Now, don’t get me wrong—food as joy can be wonderful if internally regulated, and there is an understanding of the WHY behind the eating. But so often, as adults, we forget to ask the why before diving headfirst into last night’s leftover dessert after a long day where we felt inadequate or insecure. One of my biggest tools for helping clients overcome emotional eating is to offer them this tool. Be willing to feel into the sensations of your body as you are about to reach for that trigger food. Ask yourself if you are physically or emotionally hungry. Physical hunger will feel like pangs and dizziness. Emotional hunger will feel like heart racing, chaos and urgency. If you do not feel physical sensations or you know you cannot be physically hungry because you just finished a meal, then ask yourself what emotion is trying to speak to me. Until you get an answer pause. Develop substitutes for eating like drawing, painting, taking a walk outside, calling a trusted friend. Over time, you will recondition yourself with new soothing mechanisms and shift your relationship to food. Remembering that eating was one of the first ways we connected to others as children is essential in creating a healthy relationship with food as an adult. Once we can uproot and compassionately reintegrate the ways in which childlike conditioned beliefs are quietly running the show, we will be free to explore, experiment and appreciate the joy of eating as an adult does offer.
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Self-Care

3 Ways to Avoid the Depression Trap

Depression drains our energy and gathers momentum with repetitive thoughts, indecisiveness, and a gloomy outlook. The symptoms of depression are well known: too much or too little sleep, weight loss or gain, lack of motivation, fatigue and little or no sex drive. With depression, the lack of energy often makes it difficult to shake it off and make effective changes. But some people have found a way to beat it. What’s their secret? The real problem with the depression trap isn’t about getting out—it’s staying out. People take medicine—and then stop. They exercise for a while—then give it up. They go to therapy—then take a break. People try many things to feel better and then slide back into the trap. If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. It is estimated 80% of people with a depression relapse—those who don't have learned to handle their repetitive negative thoughts. Wellness Through Awareness Research has shown that there are some direct ways to challenge these thought patterns and turn despair around. The 20% who don’t fall back into it have learned to master shutting down or turning around their negative thoughts. Your thoughts are like the front wheels of a car. If they are turned to the left, that’s the direction it goes. Those kept out of the depression trap have grabbed hold of the steering wheel and pointed it in the other direction. Sometimes these thought patterns are automatic and happening just under the radar, and sometimes they are more noticeable and intrusive. If they are automatic negative thoughts (sometimes called ANTs), then you want to catch yourself thinking. If they are more invasive, you’ll want to question them right away. By noticing thought patterns, you become more aware that the repetition is generated internally rather than by an event on the outside. These thoughts typically fall into categories that cause you to blame yourself systematically or others, see everything as negative or catastrophic, jump to conclusions without enough evidence, or believe you know what others are thinking about you. The key to catching yourself thinking is to notice the repetition. A one-off negative thought isn't much of a concern—but a hundred of them are. Once you are aware, you have a repetitive negative view the goal is always the same: Challenge it as soon as you can. Take Away the Power of Negativity In noticing repetitive thoughts, you've accomplished the first step in self-regulation and true change. You’ve grabbed hold of the wheel. If you can observe the repetitive pattern, it means the thoughts are something you experience—not who you are. This is important because getting some distance from these thoughts is essential. It gives them less power over you and sets the stage for challenging them. Once you've grabbed the wheel, you have the power to turn it in the direction you want to go. Let’s say you often catch yourself thinking: “I’m not good enough.” Once you notice this is a pattern, ask yourself a question: "Am I really not good enough?" This does several things. At the very least, it slows down your thoughts by testing them, and, more importantly, it opens the door to the third step—to provide evidence to the contrary. You doubt the negative thoughts may not be entirely accurate. "Am I really not good enough?" might initiate thoughts about real examples that show competence, perseverance and willingness to learn. This kind of evidence challenge lets you soften these repetitive thoughts. “I’m not good enough,” becomes: “I’m not good enough—yet.” The old repetitive thought leads back to a depression. The new thought leads to hope. In a nutshell: Catch yourself thinking. Question these thoughts. Provide evidence to the contrary. Don’t expect all of your negative thinking and depression to evaporate overnight. But you’ll make progress if you regularly challenge your repetitive thoughts. Most of all don't get discouraged by telling yourself you don't have the skill. Instead, just remind yourself that you haven’t mastered the technique—yet.
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Podcast

Why Bother? With Jennifer Louden

With so much going on in the world today, you might have hit the point of asking “why bother?” A lot of situations feel pretty grim right now and some days it’s hard to find the energy and enthusiasm you need. Today’s guest knows exactly what you’re feeling, and, even better, she has incredible insight to share on how to navigate these crazy times. Jennifer Louden is a personal growth expert and author of the new book, Why Bother? Discover the Desire for What’s Next, and she has a lot to say about why we should bother, how to discover our next steps and even how to enjoy the journey. In this episode, you'll learn: Why asking the important question, “Why bother?” is a good thing. Why your desires matter. The importance of self-care and self-forgiveness. Links and Resources Facebook: @jenlouden.writer Twitter: @jenlouden Instagram: @jenlouden Download a FREE sample chapter of Why Bother? Discover the Desire for What’s Next by clicking here. Join Jennifer for her Virtual Book Party on April 22.Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places: Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           
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Self-Care

How Suffering Sparks Enlightenment, Creativity and Innovation

Great good can come from great suffering, right? Most of us believe this in theory, but when faced with tragedy, suffering and fear—such as in the time of COVID-19— we lose sight of the big picture. But Helen Keller, no stranger to adversity, kept this posttraumatic-growth concept firmly in mind, saying, “Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” As the Coronavirus pandemic has grown more dire, infecting and sickening more than one million people and putting our lives and livelihoods on pause, it’s easy to drown in a tsunami of despair and uncertainty and wonder what the hell is happening to humanity. But research shows that challenging life crises can give birth to a renaissance of enlightenment, creativity and innovation. People who have suffered great loss go through a period of searching for and creating meaning in the aftermath of a traumatic event, according to psychologist Richard G. Tedeschi of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Crises such as this global pandemic can give rise to “an increased appreciation for life in general, more meaningful personal relationships, an increased sense of personal strength, changed priorities, and a richer existential and spiritual life,” Richard says. History overflows with instances of exceptional humans who accomplished great feats after much suffering: The famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo survived polio, miscarriages and a traffic accident to create world self-portraits that illustrate passion and pain with bold colors and rocketed her to world fame. German composer Johann Sebastian Bach overcame being orphaned and losing 10 of his 20 children to create the Brandenburg Concerto, the benchmark of Baroque music. The Scottish poet and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson was bedridden and battled a chronic depression before penning the landmark coming-of-age novel Treasure Island. Just as the Bubonic Plague spurred Renaissance art and culture in Italy, the Coronavirus pandemic will lead to a new era of enlightenment, creativity and innovation.
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Lifestyle

Navigating Your New Normal

I wish we could chalk this year up to a Stephen King novel we could all slam the book on, but sadly the COVID-19 pandemic is not fiction and very real. It’s safe to say we are in unchartered territory and never dreamed we would ever experience in our lifetime what has become this surreal “new normal.” While the world spirals out of our control as we watch helplessly self-quarantined on our couches, the uncertainty is daunting. One thing that is for certain is it is vitally important for us to maintain our mental and physical well-being during the coronavirus climate. As I sit here at home self-isolated during the 15-day plan to stay at home, I have an overwhelming need to share something good and spread light into the darkness. It is important for us to practice gratitude during this time and embrace what we do have. While most of the outside world is canceled right now, these activities are not: Going outdoors (as long as we are six feet apart), listening to music, quality family time, reading a book, singing out loud, speaking with friends, laughing and sharing hope with others. We are all in this together, even if it’s virtually. Hopefully, we can close the distance emotionally with a sense of community since we can’t be together physically. I curated a “Stay Home Things to Do List” to allow you some well-deserved “Me Time.” Take a break from binge-watching CNN 24-7 to be healthy and strong both mentally and physically for the coming days. Don’t Forget Fitness Exercise is vital for reducing stress and maintaining your physical and mental health. Since the gyms are closed for the foreseeable future, online fitness courses are available for constant streaming. An acronym for “Our Body Electric,” Obe Fitness offers an incredible array of live and on-demand fitness classes for home. The platform boasts a daily schedule of 14 live classes and more than 4,000 on-demand classes available for replay. Classes include kickboxing, yoga, cardio dance, pilates, meditation and much more. All Obe instructors are upbeat and motivating and so is the brightly designed studio space where all the classes are held (and filmed). Offering a seven-day free trial, this fun immersive fitness experience is well worth the $27 per month price tag (less than a dollar a day). So get on your mat and check it out! A DIY Spa Day The term “self-care” has been thrown around quite a lot in the past, but now it’s taking on a whole new meaning. It’s safe to say you’re not venturing out for a manicure these days, and let’s face it…you might not be in the mood with your new role as “beauty squad party of one.” To maintain the all-important “look good, feel good” mentality, my suggestion is to create a designated “Staycation Spa Day” to keep up with your beauty routine in a Day Spa environment and make it fun. If you’re lucky enough to have a steam in your shower, now is the time to use it. Even if you don’t, you can create your own “steam therapy” in an enclosed shower. Put the “ahh-in-spa” by adding a few drops of eucalyptus or lavender aromatherapy oil and relax and allow yourself to detox and unwind. Moist hot steam has so many incredible health benefits, such as helping circulation, reducing stress, lowering blood pressure by releasing a hormone called aldosterone and even acts as an immune booster. The key is to limit your steam sessions to 10 minutes a day to not get dehydrated. You can alternate a hot steam session with a cold plunge interval by running ice water in a nearby bathtub and soaking for 3-5 minutes for more immune-boosting benefits, however, my friends at the Wim Hof Method state this is not recommended if you are feeling sick. Cold therapy adds an additional stressor onto the immune system that already has its hands full fighting off viruses. If you’re a bath person like myself, pour in some Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt and take a hot detox soak to relax your body and calm your mind. While you’re there it’s a perfect time for a DIY facial. Some of my personal favorites are the Onyx Youth Magnet Mask and the G. M. Collins Hydrating Aqua Mask. Stream Arts and Culture Getting stir-crazy at home and need a dose of culture? Streaming is the answer with a plethora of incredible resources at your fingertips. Take a virtual tour of the leading museums around the world with Google Arts & Culture for incredible curated content bringing the world’s most famous art collections directly into your home. The Royal Opera House's channel has a selection of some of the top performances from famous operas and ballets, just a click away. If a Broadway play strikes your fancy, check out the BroadwayHD streaming service that’s just $8.99 a month and there's a one-month free trial. Musical stars are getting in on the act, reminding us we are all in this “Together at Home” with live, at-home performances on Instagram for fans who are self-isolating. On March 16, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin kicked off the new virtual concert series officially dubbed “Together at Home: Who-Global Citizen Solidarity Sessions.” The initiative is presented by the World Health Organization and Global Citizen. John Legend took the baton shortly after Chris, Charlie Puth followed, and other singers like Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello will be getting in on the action in the coming weeks, too. Spring Cleaning Side Hustle Looking for a money-making project you can do at home? Tidy up and cash out with my personal favorite selling app Poshmark. This fun, interactive social commerce marketplace is an amazing resource to buy and sell new and used clothing, accessories, beauty products, shoes and even home goods. Just sign up to become a “Posher,” create your own closet, list items for sale and voila…you’re in business. This is selling made simple and Poshmark provides a shipping label to you once an item is sold. You keep 80 percent of the profits and Spring cleaning has never been more fun! These are trying times for us all. Please self-isolate to help slow this deadly virus and stay strong. We are all in this together and we are AmeriCANS! We can do it. My final note, I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to all our incredible healthcare workers on the frontlines fighting this awful pandemic. God speed and God Bless America.
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Podcast

Finding Calm in Chaotic Times With Erin Pickney

There’s no question that we are experiencing a chaotic time right now, and many people are feeling overwhelmed by situations that are out of their control. We’ve heard so many concerns from people who are worried about COVID-19, about the financial toll it is already taking and what this means for the future. We’re all learning how to manage this new normal that, frankly, doesn’t feel normal at all. This week’s guest, Erin Pickney, is a Nashville-based therapist specializing in recovery from anxiety and depression. She offers a few suggestions on how we can decrease our anxiety and increase our sense of well-being. In this episode, you'll learn: How to manage some of our current anxiety. How to connect with others while practicing social distancing. How to make the most of time spent in self-quarantine. Links and Resources Facebook: @erinpickneylcsw Instagram: @erinpickneylcsw Website: Nashville-therapist.com Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:           
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