Delicous Fall Aroma

I absolutely love this time of year! Fall brings a relief from the extreme summer heat, with crisper, cooler evenings that make it perfect for walking.  You just want to drink in the scenery of crimson, red, orange, yellow and green leaves.  Warm comfort foods replace outdoor grilling and the yummy spices make their way back into your recipes.

One of my favorite things to do on a weekend, is to take a medium size pot and fill it with three to four whole cinnamon sticks, 15-20 whole cloves and two oranges, sliced.  Fill the pot with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Refill with water every hour or so.  The delicious aroma fall aroma will waft through your home and make you feel like you've just stepped into a bakery filled with pumpkin and spiced pies.

 

Naps Versus Coffee

Is taking a catnap better than reaching for a cup of joe? Yes, Mednick says, because caffeine can decrease memory performance. So you may feel more wired, but you are also prone to making more mistakes.

"If I don't get my naps, I get cranky and unfocused by the end of a week of short nights," Wilde says. "For me, that nap helps bring back my energy level."

Napping Tips

Napping regularly may reduce stress and even decrease your risk of heart disease, according to research from the Harvard School of Public Health and University of Athens Medical School in Greece. To get the most out of a power nap, follow these quick tips from sleep expert Sara C. Mednick, PhD:

Be regular. Keep a regular nap schedule. Prime napping time
falls in the middle of the day, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Make it quick. Set your cell phone alarm for 30 minutes or less if
you don't want to wake up groggy.

Go dark. Nap in a dark room or wear an eye mask. Blocking out light helps you fall asleep faster.

Stay warm. Stash a blanket nearby to put over you because your body temperature drops while you snooze. - Quoted from WebMD

Sometimes, The Yummy Stuff is Actually Good For You

There's sweet news about hot cocoa: Researchers at Cornell University have shown that the popular winter beverage contains more antioxidants per cup than a similar serving of red wine or tea and may be a healthier choice.

I say, that's fantastic news!  Hot chocolate seems like a delicious dessert to me.  The colder weather is moving in and even though we're missing the warmth of the sunshine, we're delighting in the crisper cooler air. Warm, sweet and aromatic drinks are so delicious this time of the year.

So, go ahead and indulge in a yummy cup of cocoa without any of the guilt.  It's good for you!

A "Time Out" to Tap Into Your Feelings

As funny as that sounds, tuning into our feelings can sometimes be harder than it seems.  We live in a fast paced society, always on the go, constantly plugged into the Internet, social networks and our work emails.  Our radio's, computer's and t.v.'s are usually turned on from the time we wake up until the time we go to sleep at night, which leaves little room for meditation of any kind.

When I find myself in a place that feels stressful, whether it be in a conversation that is not going well, pressure on the job,  or attending an event that is awkward, I try to take a "time out".   Time outs can be anywhere from five minutes to a few hours, depending upon the situation. I  excuse myself and disappear somewhere (it could be the restroom or a walk around the block).  It gives me some quiet time to disengage from the busy electronic world and tune into my heart by asking myself,  "what are you feeling right now?".

You'd be amazed at the answers that will come to you when you allow yourself to step away for even a minute.  Instead of thinking you're angry, you might realize that you're just afraid and then are better able to communicate that when you go back to resume that difficult conversation.  Sometimes you won't always have the luxury or the time to walk through a pretty park, yet sitting quietly by yourself, in the nearest restroom stall for even five to ten minutes, can do wonders to help find that calmness and clarity you'll need to continue on in a stressful moment.

Pick Your Battles Wisely With Your Teens - Pink Hair May Not Be So Bad After All

"Your Mother turned my hair grey and you kids made it fall out!"  That's what my Father used to tell us once we hit the teenage years.  One thing I did learn from him was to pick your battles wisely.  Afterall, how bad could pink hair on your child be compared to them getting hooked on drugs.

Teenagers are stuck in that awful world between being a kid and an adult.  They are trying to come into their own and can express this in ways that can will make you cringe.  I was always a very creative child.  I continued being creative as a teenager, yet expressed it in a odd way. 

It all started when I was out sick and home from school for five days with the Flu.  My best friend came to visit me the first day I was home, and to cheer me up took one of my crayons (I like to color even now when I don't feel well) and wrote a message on my wall.  I loved it! I encouraged the next few visitors that stopped by to do the same.  Soon, word had gotten around school that Sarah was turning her wall into a graffiti site.  A couple of scribblings turned into 100.

My Dad was unaware of this wonderful art that was being created and when he stopped in my room to see me, he took one look at the wall and about had a heart attack.  Once he calmed down (it took a few days) he not only accepted it, he began to appreciate it.  When we had to move back to the States, we had to pack and clean, etc... and paint the walls.  My Dad came into my room the day before we painted and took photos of my wall and seemed all nostalgic. 

I have tried over the years to incorporate that valuable lesson I learned from my Father into how I parented my own girls once they became teenagers.  You may not like how they dress or what color they dye their hair, yet if you can learn to put things in perspective, like them wearing goth style clothing and having spiked hair is far better than expressing themselves through drinking, drugs and sex, it will carry you a long way to keeping your sanity and letting them feel somewhat independent.  The teenage road is definitely a long and bumpy one, yet it can certainly have it's fun and amusing moments if you don't let it kill you.

One Day at a Time

I used to be a Type A personality, until I had some health problems that forced me to slow down.  At first, I resented not being able to run around like a chicken with my head cut off, but then not only did I enjoy the slower pace, I learned how to savor every day.

I do three things when I wake up every morning.  I name one stress (project, goal, deadline, bill, etc...) that is on my "to do" list and tackle it.  Next, I choose one person on my family and friends list who I will connect with in a meaningful way (like a lengthy email, phone call or meeting over lunch), rather than a quick text or an IM chat over the Internet.  Then to wrap it up, I pick one thing that I will do for myself so that I have something to look forward to. It can be as simple as having a new copy of People Magazine waiting for me to take that bubble bath at the end of a hard day, stopping by the cafe on the way to work for a latte or croissant or splurging for a massage.

By tackling a stress on my never ending to do list and not procrastinating on everything, i can feel better about myself at the end of the day.  Staying connected to loved ones and not getting so far behind that I dread having to make five calls at the end of the month, helps me feel supported and loved.  Learning how to pamper myself so that I don't get burned out and can recharge my batteries on a daily basis, has been a simple recipe for living that leaves me feeling less frazzled and more content.

Live Longer by Connecting with Friends

An Article on how enjoying a wide social circle can extend your life recently appeared in a September issue of Womans World Magazine.  A just-released Brigham Young University study shows that spending time with friends can slash your risk of serious illness in half! What's more, researchers say socializing has a greater impact on your health than exercising daily, quitting smoking, controlling high blood pressure or avoiding obesity!

So, don't give up the diets, the gym and all the other healthier ways of living, yet do call that friend you've been putting off, get on facebook and reconnect with an old high school buddy and have that girls night out once a month.  It's good for you!