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Four reasons why Pinterest is so much fun!
Published March 12, 2012 | 
Last weekend I discovered Pinterest and I know why it is so popular.
Pinterest is fun and relaxing because:
1.
The process of organizing our boards is very fun.
Anybody who has been into collecting things or scrap booking can relate to this. Our brains like to organize and sort. If we are organizing and sorting things we especially care or feel passionately about, all the better!
2. We get our creative juices flowing which feeds the spirit and soul.
3. Sharing with others what we love is pure delight.
If we love something, we like to spread the good news and share or spread the wealth. In a way, we are really sharing a part of ourselves. It feels good to open ourselves like that.
4. When we are putting a Pinterest Board together we are focusing on something we love and care about and…
What we focus on grows!
How can we not feel good after spending time putting together and then sharing a collection of things we love? It is pure joy and positively infectious.
So far on Pinterest I have put together boards about: my favorite movies, my favorite places, my favorite books, and the small pleasures in life that are definitely worth embracing and savoring.
It’s a blast! Really!
To fun, focusing on what we love, and then sharing it with others.
Cheers!
Debra
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Good things happen when we make time for ourselves!
Published March 9, 2012 | 
When we make time for ourselves, lot’s of good things happen such as:
1. Renewed energy to give to our families and jobs.
2. Greater health
3. Feeling centered and balanced.
4. Creative juices start flowing
5. Feeling more connected to God or the Divine
6. Realizing your worth
7. Seeing the beauty all around you
8. Getting in touch with all of the many blessings in your life.
Yes, taking time for yourself is definitely worth it. How to pull it off? Like Nike, says: Just Do It!
Just:
1. Take that hot bath before you cook dinner for the family!
2. Establish your personal boundaries and be firm about them. For example, don’t allow colleagues, family members, neighbors, your kids, etc. take more of you than you can healthfully give. Say no to emotional vampires! If you don’t give in to them, they can’t suck the life blood out of you.
I really do believe we train others how to treat us. This is an issue worth working on!
3. Take an occasional mental day off from work. Why wait to be sick to take a sick day?
4. If there is a class you’ve always wanted to try, why not sign up for it? (Something comes in mind for me: dance fitness. I have been wanting to do this for years. It is time to do it!)
5. Sit outside with a book, magazine, or journal. There is just something about being part of nature. A few minutes out on my little back patio does wonders for me. I gaze up into the tall pine trees over our home, listen to the birds, enjoy the neighbors’ blooming azaleas, feel the breeze…ahhh..bliss!
In Peace,
Debra 
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Five surefire tips to cheer you up when you are feeling down
Published March 8, 2012 | 
We all have our days or moods when we are down. Perhaps we are tired or feel unappreciated by our spouses or for no apparent reason at all we just aren’t quite ourselves.
This morning I offer you five surefire ways to cheer up:
1. get outside. Time outside, the fresh air, the greenery… all will do your spirits a lot of good.
2. Write in your journal. Writing lists about what you feel grateful for is a great mood lifter.
3. Smile, even if you don’t feel like it! The physical act of smiling “tricks” our bodies into feeling happier. It works!
4. Ditto for laughing. Laugh even if you don’t feel like it. Feel good hormones will kick in.
5. Wear something bright and cheerful. On my blue mornings I pull something bright red out of my closet to wear.
Have a great day!
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My six favorite, most relaxing things I do on the internet
Published March 6, 2012 | 
I love starting or ending my day on my laptop. I brew my coffee or tea or pour my glass of wine (depending on the time of day) and enjoy some me-time.
Here are some of the more relaxing things I do or discoveries I have made on the internet:
1. Pandora radio. Pandora is so much fun! Any kind of music you can imagine. No matter what my mood, I have music to surf the net or Twitter or blog to… You can create your own stations and build on the kind of music you like. It’s the greatest discovery I have made online recently. Check it out!
2. Twitter Yes, many of you know how much I enjoy my time Twittering.
3. Facebook
4. Stumbleupon This site is a lot of fun. I enjoy the random factor and you never know what you will “stumble upon”. I often find great photos and articles to share.
5. TED Video Great thought provoking videos. I have found so many great things on TED.
6. Blogging ofcourse!
What do you do to relax on the internet? Any discoveries you would like to share with us?
Goodnight!
Debra
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Dealing with difficult people
Published March 4, 2012 | 
Part of daily life with imperfect humans is dealing with difficult people…
In your personal life: spouses, misbehaving children, family members and in laws, noisy neighbors, etc.
At work: gossipy colleagues, micromanaging bosses, complaining customers, etc.
These are just a few examples. Encounters with these people happen to most of us frequently, if not every day.
These events and interactions are stressful. For those of us with people pleasing tendencies they can be the source of great anxiety and loss of sleep.
The thing about life and people is that no matter how hard we try, not everybody is going to like us or behave the way we want them to. We can be the caring and wonderful people that we are and we are still going to have unrational, disgruntled customers or out of control toddlers.
What can we do so that we can have peace restored within us and get our sleep at night?
1. Breathe!
2. Take care of ourselves by eating right and getting exercise if we feel particularly stressed about a person or situation.
3. Remember that we can’t control what other people are going to say and do.
4. Even our best of intentions are going to backfire when it comes to other people.
5. We are not responsible for others’ behavior; only our own.
6. If we have done our best, we can give ourselves permission to let it go.
7. People are going to be unreasonable at times and that is not a personal reflection about us. In fact, it is not about us at all. So… don’t take what others say or do personally!
8. If we are feeling personally attacked we may choose to assert ourselves or walk away. Either choice is a good one depending on the situation.
9. Don’t worry about what others think of us. It is none of our business.
10. Remember that we can’t and won’t please everybody.
11. We can limit interactions and time with people who are consistently negative or abusive. We are free to choose who we spend our time with.
12. We are in charge of the way we react to difficult people and situations.
13. We give others too much power if we let them affect our peace of mind and sleep.
14. You may find it helpful to talk it out with someone you trust
15. Writing things down may be helpful too.
Do your best to let difficult people go. Their words and actions do not have to directly affect you if you don’t let them.
You can be like Teflon and just let things slide off you and not stick.
You have the power, not others!
In Peace,
Debra
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Posted in anxiety, Depression, Family life, Getting a good night sleep, Happiness, insomnia, journal writing, Parenthood, Positive living, Self-empowerment, stress, worry | 
crying toddlers, dealing with difficult people, giving away our power, how we react to others, people pleasing, stress, unhappy customers, writing things down | 
Leave a commentAct As If
Published February 25, 2012 | 
Act as if:
You are bigger than your challenges,
You are living the life of your dreams,
and you are excited about all the possibilities…
Act as if:
You enjoy radiant energy and good health,
You slept great,
and feel centered and at peace.
Act as if
Today is going to be the best day of your life…
for you are creating something new each time you focus and
each time you take a blessed breath.
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Making time and space for silence. Shh…..
Published February 22, 2012 | True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. ~William Penn
Making time and space for silence in our daily lives is essential.
What does silence do for us?
Here are a few benefits of silence:
1. It calms our mind and nervous system
2. It helps us to slow down
3. It helps us to become more aware of our surroundings and what is going on inside of us.
4. It puts us in the NOW.
5. It connects us to our higher power
6. It recharges us
7. If we are stuck, in a rut, or need clarification about something, a bit of silence may be all we need to to have what we need surface when we need it.
8. It centers us. As a result of being emotionally balanced we will make better decisions, feel less stress, and react less emotionally to life’s circumstances.
Yes, silence is essential. How do we make time and space for it in our busy daily lives?
Here are a few ideas:
1. Take walks (without your music). Walk in the morning, during your lunch hour, or in the evening.
2. Limit television in your household
3. Sit outside when you can
4. Have a designated quiet room or space for meditation in your house. Train family members to not disturb you when you are in this space.
5. Take a hot bath. Light a candle.
6. Ear plugs can be a blessing!
7. Close your office/bedroom door
8. Unplug. Turn your cell phone off.
9. Drive with your radio off.
10. Visit a park.
What will you do with this time and space for silence?
1. Sit
2. Be still
3. Stretch
4. Write in your journal
5. nap
6. Walk
7. Take in the fresh air (if outdoors)
8. Feel how blessed you are
9. Pray
10. Listen
11. Smile
12. Meditate
13. Breathe
14. Just BE
In Peace,
Debra
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Eight Principles of Living The Mew Way Life
Published February 20, 2012 | 
Living The Mew Way, like my cat does, is not that difficult.
We just need to keep a few basic principles in mind:
1. Ask for what we want (make some noise if our food or water bowls are empty, litter boxes are dirty, or if a lap to sleep on is required).
2. Look tenderly at the ones we love.
3. Appreciate fresh air and the natural world.
4. Eat when we are hungry.
5. Sleep when we need to.
6. Don’t stress about much.
7. Be a good companion.
8. Love is the most important thing! Cuddling, petting, kisses….are mandatory throughout the day.
PURR
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Posted in Family life, Love, stress, The Mew Way | Life lesson inspired by cat, Mew Way | Leave a commentOverworked? Six ways to deal with work stress
Published January 18, 2012 | 
Stress at work can be a huge cause of anxiety and loss of sleep.
In today’s business world, employees are expected to take on more and make themselves more available after hours.
There is great pressure on public employees as well (local government, public school teachers, etc.). The current economy has left many things unfunded and yet the workers are expected to do more with less.
If you are a stay at home parent, you may not have a job outside the home currently, but you are certainly working too! You have the demands of raising your precious babies, keeping the household running smoothly, and trying to take care of yourself.
Here are a few ideas for all of us (no matter what kind of work we do) to deal with the stress and pressures we are facing these days:
1. Write a list of a few things down the night before or first thing in the morning of the most important things you need to get done during your day. Don’t make the list too long! Cross them off as you accomplish them. Tell yourself that if you at least do the task on top you will have had a successful and productive day.
2. Take breaks throughout your day. Take a walk. Stretch and get away from your desk and computer for a few minutes. If you are a stay at home mom, sign up at a gym that has a nice nursery and give yourself an hour to work out or attend a fitness class.
3. Remember: you can’t please everyone. Don’t even try!
4. Do your best not to take work home with you. In my experience, we train others how to treat us. In other words, if employers or family members know they can encroach upon your personal time they will.
5. Watch our modern devices such as cell phones, Ipads, laptops, etc. These days we can stay plugged in 24/7 if we choose. These time bandits can really suck up a lot of our time and life.
6. Always remember that tomorrow is another day. What you don’t get done today? Don’t sweat it. The world will continue to function. Rest and sleep well. You did your best today.
In Peace,
Debra
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My experience with panic attacks
Published January 15, 2012 | Fear is the highest fence. ~Dudley Nichols
Those of you who have been visiting The Warm Milk Journal may be aware that I have been challenged with anxiety most of my life. Part of this experience has been dealing with panic attacks.
Over the years my panic attacks have varied in intensity or have been triggered by different things, but they do have some common symptoms…
Symptoms of panic attacks:
1. heart racing
2. sense of dread
3. rapid shallow breathing
4. feeling clammy
5. hyperactivity
6. feeling of being out of control
7. feeling of hopelessness
8. “black and white” or “all or nothing” way of thinking
9. feeling trapped or boxed in
10. afraid, feeling danger approaching
In other words, it really is a panicky situation. Or, it is perceived to be anyway. I am sure that people who have panic attacks have different triggers that initiate them.
Some of my panic attack triggers have been:
1. I had an expectation about something and it didn’t happen the way I wanted it to
2. Anticipating having to attend a social event
3. Worry about my health and mortality
4. Worry about finances
5. Feeling unloved and lonely
6. Being stuck in traffic while it is raining (happened frequently when I was a young mom in Seattle)
7. Crowded stores and shopping malls
8. Having to wait in a long line or doctor’s office
9. A sudden change in plans
I am not a doctor or nurse and I encourage you to seek medical help if you need it. At the end of this post I will share some links to learn more about panic disorder.
For now, I would like to share a few things with you that have helped me deal with my panic attacks…
1. If hyperventillating, slowing my breathing way down. Long, slow, deep breaths… doing this in a small paper bag can help.
2. Taking a walk
3. Getting active
4. Getting outdoors
5. Talking it out loud with someone you feel safe with (describing your sensations, what you are afraid of, etc.)
6. Getting busy! Doing anything that will get my mind onto something else
7. The realization that this is just anxiety; I am not really in any real danger
8. Getting perspective on some of my triggers. Talking to someone really helps with this (whether is is a caring spouse or medical counselor).
There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them. ~Andre Gide
Some resources about panic disorder:
Panic Disorder from PubMedHealth
Panic attacks and panic order from The Mayo Clinic
Before we part company I would like you to remember a few things.
If you do experience panic attacks, please remember:
1. You are not alone. Many people have these.
2. You are not crazy.
3. You are not dying.
4. You are safe.
5. You are loved.
6. BREATHE slowly…deeply…BREATHE
In Peace,
Debra
(this is me on my wedding day. No worries here!)
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Posted in anxiety, Good Health, panic attack, stress, worry | anxiety, panic attacks, panic disorder | 3 CommentsJoin the fun!
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