Spiritual Health Archives - Page 3 of 8

10 Acts of Self Love

On September 29, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

What do you think of giving yourself just as much attention than you give your loved ones? I have said it thousands of times that if you don’t care for yourself before others, you are sure to succumb to the daily pressures of life. Stress will get to you one way or another. Self-love seems selfish and smug. Guess what- it’s not! Yes, are there people who behave like narcissists and are self-serving? Of course but that’s not what I am talking about and hopefully, that’s not you.

After all, this doesn’t mean that you treat yourself better than others. The trick is to love and care for yourself as much as you care for other people in your life. You know the saying you can’t love someone fully until you love yourself. This is especially hard for mothers. They are called to be nurturing, caring, and serve everyone else before themselves.

“Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives.”
– Louise L. Hay

What is Self-Love

In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of self-love is an appreciation of one’s own worth or virtue. If you appreciate yourself with a loving attitude then you will be happier and healthier in life. Growing up you may not have had the best examples of love in your life. Maybe you didn’t learn how to love yourself through your home or school environment.

Self-love can be taught and it is possible to love and appreciate yourself even after experiencing trauma. Sometimes this comes with age. Although, the best time to learn about self-love is as a child. It is so crucial to a child’s mental health to know about self-love. I believe we are all God’s children and his love for us is pure and unconditional. God also wants us to care for ourselves and spread love to others. It would be harder to do this if we don’t love ourselves.

Sometimes, we can look to others for love. There’s nothing wrong with this. We need to equally accept love and give love. However, you need to love yourself first to have a healthy relationship with anyone else. Otherwise, it can turn out to be an unfulfilling and dependent relationship and that’s not healthy for either partner.

Why Self-Care is So Important

Although I was given plenty of love growing up, I tend to be hard on myself and not like some things about my personality or my body. There are stages in life that self-love is really strong and times when you need an extra lift. Having a practice of regular self-care helps tremendously!

Realistically, we can’t always focus on ourselves. But what we can do is find time to recharge and renew our energy daily. Caregivers must do this so your health isn’t stolen away from you too. Our health depends on feeling strong both mentally and physically and when we love ourselves that will be easier to accomplish.

10 Acts of Self-Love

Alone Time

Having some quiet time will help you get to know yourself a little deeper. Think about 3 things you can do in your alone time that can help you develop a stronger sense of self-love.

Evaluate The Negative Influences

Are there negative people or bad habits in your life that destroy your positivity and make you feel stressed? List out a few of those and commit to eliminating those negative influences if you can.

Take Care of Your Body

Choose some physical activities that you enjoy doing and commit to a regular schedule. What brings you joy– walking, running, lifting weights, yoga, pilates, biking. Go for it and release those happy hormones!

Forgive Yourself

Be honest and authentic with yourself. Are there things you have done that need forgiveness? Write down a few things that are on your heart that you need to let go of.

Pamper Yourself

You are worthy of a little relaxation every once in a while! Think about your favorite ways to kick back and indulge. My favorites are taking a bath and going for a massage 🙂 Here are my top 10 self-care practices.

Make a Self Love List to Review Daily

Daily reminders of why you are special and worthy of love. Ask yourself some of these questions. What are your best qualities? What are you good at? List some things you have done for others.

Meditation & Prayer Daily

Sitting quietly in mediation or prayer is a powerful experience and lowers stress instantly. Deepen your connection and uncover new ways to appreciate yourself. Pick a saying to focus on like…

“I love myself, respect myself and accept myself as I am”

“I deserve a happy life full of love”

“My life is abundant and full of joy”

Respect Yourself

Surround yourself with people who treat you with love and respect. Take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Don’t allow anyone to disrespect you and tear down your confidence.

Nurture Your Talent

Seeking artistic expression is a way to practice self-love. Do you like to paint, draw, dance, sing? Making time to be creative helps us to feel child-like and free at that moment!

Be Kind

When your heart is full of love it will overflow to other people. Attract good people into your life when you love yourself. Committing random acts of kindness will spread love into the world and will make you feel fabulous! Overall, we reap what we sow.

“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, cares enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.”
– Jean Shinoda Bolen

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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Insights on The Road to Healing Book

By Jill Ciampi

On July 30, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

At one time or another, we all have experienced something negative that’s happened in our lives. That’s life. Ups and downs. Healing from traumas, abuse, rejection or any negative experience is essential in moving forward. Working through it and letting go will help you live a productive, healthy, and positive life. This process is by no means easy. It actually takes a lot of work and is not very comfortable at times. So how do you do it then?

The Road to Healing, by Brianna Fitzgerald, details her story of healing and her expertise and training as a licensed therapist. Without giving too much away, I will share some of her insights and my thoughts on the content of the book. If you enjoy learning about ways to help yourself become a better person this may be the next book for you to read.

Think About These Questions

Let me ask you this. Ever feel like you are not good enough? Or feel like you are stuck in old patterns of thinking and can’t move forward? Do you feel sad or consistently negative? Do you find yourself repeating old patterns over and over again? Have you considered that your behaviors and attitudes affect your relationships? If you answered yes to any of these questions, there may be something from your past or present to let go of and heal from. These are the topics covered in The Road to Healing and I want to share some of what stood out to me in this book.

The Road to Healing by Brianna Fitzgerald, LMSW

This book is chock full of simple techniques and methods on how to change your perspective and shift your thinking to heal from trauma or abuse. Brianna offers many tips on how to recover from the damage of a negative experience and turn it into a positive life lesson. She proves it is possible to control your emotions and break free from negativity. In choosing to decide to seek help and change her future, she avoided hanging onto the past trauma experienced as a child. She would not let it destroy her life.

Brianna discusses different ways to break the cycle and how to LET GO. She shares amazing healing affirmations and simple ways to stay ENCOURAGED through the process. A suggestion that resonated with me is how you can add one word when you ask “why” questions to people that will remove all judgment. This will change your perspective! Furthermore, I love the content on the power of journaling and how it can help uncover old patterns and free you of negative thinking.

Knowledge is Powerful

Also, I found several gems of knowledge in the 15 chapters of The Road to Healing. It flows nicely and will only take a couple of hours to read. However, I took my time to soak in all of the helpful advice. I found myself writing notes in the blank pages offered at the end of the book so I could remember what really moved me. There was so much in every chapter that I could identify with. Here are just some of my favorite quotes from the book that helps to explain the magnitude of why it’s so important to start your own healing journey.

My Favorite Quotes from the Book

“Change is the catalyst, which enables us to enter the next phase in life.”

“We are meant to grow and learn and go through the many phases of life to advance to the levels that are open and available to new opportunities.”

“The sooner you can accept changes regardless of how painful they may feel, the sooner you can move forward and receive those blessings that are brought to you.”

“Gratitude is a very high vibration that attracts more of what it is you want in your life.”

“Communicating your needs to others around you is not only vital for your protection and your healing journey; it is vital for your self-love practice.”

And My Favorite…

“Feeling our emotions gives us the empowerment to control them, and to respond instead of reacting to circumstances and things that trigger us.”

My Thoughts on the Book

I have followed Brianna’s blog for a while and have thoroughly enjoyed reading every post. So when I heard that she wrote a book I knew that I just had to read it. This book illustrates a courageous look into her struggles with abuse and neglect as a child and how she bravely overcame it. She sought out the help she needed and turned her life around. Brianna’s personal story is empowering, honest, and inspiring. She gives practical advice that is straight forward and helpful for anyone struggling to heal from something.

Her experience and training as a licensed therapist gives the book even more validity and stands out as a very impressive read for all. The techniques and methods of healing in this book are life-changing. It feels as though you are in the therapy room with her!

Although I have never experienced abuse in my life thankfully, I can relate to having to heal from rejection and other physical and emotional traumas. The Road to Healing is extremely powerful and will give you another perspective on how to change habits and heal from whatever has hurt you.

Take your time reading this book because there is a lot to unpack but it is worth every minute. I will refer back to it for continued inspiration and practical self-help advice.

Grab a copy of The Road to Healing here!

I also suggest subscribing to her blog for more tips and insight on healing and self-help. To read more about Brianna and her blog visit her website https://analytichealer.com/.

Whatever your experience has been in life, there is always a way out. You have the choice to change it. This book may just be the first step in your own healing journey. God always has a better plan but you need to be an active part in making the positive changes you deserve. Much love and blessings to all!

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

Subscribe to my Lifestyle Blog!

How Your Hormones & Chakras Are Related

By Jill Ciampi

On July 17, 2020

In Emotional Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

What do you know about the mind/body connection? There is a lot of evidence out there that what happens in our body affects our mind and the other way around. I am living proof of it. I know that this is a real phenomenon because I have experienced it myself and with 15 years of experience as a Massage Therapist.

Did you know that there are energy centers of the body called chakras? They were discovered way back in India and are related to the religion of Hinduism. Many energy healers work on or over these points in the body to unblock the flow of energy and claim to heal both physical and emotional issues. In addition, these points in the body not only relate to our emotions but what’s happening physiologically as well.

There is a relationship between these spiritual energy centers and the endocrine system. I have a brief understanding of chakras from massage therapy school but never realized how they relate to our physical body until recently. The following information is a summary of what I learned in one of my continuing education courses at the National Institute of Whole Health about The Endocrine System & 7 Chakras taught by Dr. Georgianna Donadio.

The Endocrine System

The Endocrine system is basically a network of glands that produce the many hormones that help your body function. There are several glands that send out these hormones to communicate with the rest of your body. They pretty much control what happens and when this system does not work correctly, it has a major impact on your health. In other words, we are whole human beings and there is a powerful connection between our mind and body. For instance, the endocrine system has intimate connections to the nervous system which is in control of everything.

Photo Credit – consumerhealthdigest.com

Hear me out. This may blow your mind about how everything is connected. It really is!

The 7 Basic Chakras

Photo Credit www.healthline.com

So how do these relate to each other? Notice the location of the glands and the where the chakras are. Well sit back and take this in. In other words, there is a direct correlation between thoughts, emotions, and the neurotransmitters that send messages to every cell in our body. In addition, I will also cover how these relate to the virtues and sins/behaviors as well as to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs which depict our basic psychological and physiological needs.

Maslow’s Hierarchy

Photo Credit- https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

The Big Picture

Pineal Gland & Crown Chakra

This gland picks up all of the nonverbal communication and makes the hormone to help you sleep. It is related to our higher consciousness and how we see the world. There is a close connection to the nervous system. The chakra symbolizes trust and acceptance.

Virtue: Humility

Sin: Pride

Maslow’s Theory: Universal conscious

Pituitary Gland & Third Eye Chakra

This is the master gland which is the dispatcher of all hormones. Related to the awareness of more than yourself. The eye that sees and knows all. The essence of life! The spiritual aspect of health.

Virtue: Integrity

Sin: Sloth

Maslow’s Theory: Global conscious

Thyroid & Throat Chakra

This regulates the rate of our metabolism and the ability to self regulate. Our voice and how we communicate with the world and express ourselves. Has a very important partnership with our nervous system.

Virtue: Fortitude

Sin: Fear/Worry

Maslow’s Theory: Self-Actualization

Thymus Gland & Heart Chakra

This gland produces our T cells which are essential in immunity. Related to self-esteem and love for oneself and others. The environmental aspect of health.

Virtue: Kindness/Hope

Sin: Envy/Jealousy

Maslow’s Theory: Self-esteem, self-protection

Pancreas & Solar Plexus

This is the hardest working gland in the digestive system producing insulin and enzymes. The pancreas controls the level of sugar in your body. Known as the center and plays a huge part in nourishment. The nutritional aspect of health.

Virtue: Temperance/Balance

Sin: Gluttony

Maslow’s Theory: Belonging

Adrenal Glands & Sacral Chakra

These glands are responsible for the fight or flight response and control the release of stress hormones among many other functions like your metabolism. Related to seeking pleasure and enjoyment. The emotional aspect of health.

Virtue: Charity

Sin: Greed

Maslow’s Theory: Safety & Security

Reproductive Glands & Root Chakra

These sex glands are in control of things reproduction. When you are stressed the reproductive system shuts down and prevents these hormones from being fully utilized. Related to survival and safety and the foundation for life. The physical aspect of health.

Virtue: Chastity/Faith

Sin: Lust

Maslow’s Theory: Survival

The fact is that the endocrine system and the hormones and organs in it are all interconnected. We can understand the relationships between the chakras and each of the 7 endocrine glands and how they are related to each other. They all need each other to function properly. And when one is not working correctly, it has a profound effect on the others. When a chakra is congested or out of balance it suggests there is a problem with that gland that relates to it. So there you have it.

If you get anything out of this I hope it will be that we have some control over health and our behaviors and attitudes can have a direct impact on what happens to us. Therefore, the power of the belief in healing is truly mysterious but it does have an effect on us physically and emotionally. Above all, let this information empower you to start considering how you can change your lifestyle for the better. In conclusion, we are truly whole human beings and everything is connected to everything!

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

Subscribe to my Lifestyle Blog!

My To-Do Lists to Stay Motivated

By Jill Ciampi

On March 30, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Getting Organized, Lifestyle Blog, Nutritional Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

Do You Write To-Do Lists?

What is so great about writing out to-do lists? In times like these, it is so important to have some kind of plan to stay positive and give yourself a fighting chance to overcome stress and anxiety. Last week, I shared 25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times to help give you ideas on what to do while stuck at home. I have so many different ideas on how to spend my time since I had to shut down my massage therapy office. I miss working on my clients and the feeling of satisfaction when I can provide one hour of stress and pain relief for them.

When I am not working on my blog or coaching business, I like to still keep myself busy and work on my personal growth. One of my passions is to learn new things and find exciting hobbies to keep me busy. For example, I create to-do lists to keep my mind organized so I can remember everything I want to do.

Each day brings new challenges whether it’s helping the kids with their homework, cleaning up after their messes, finding ways to keep them busy, and getting used to the new “normal” of this extra time together.

As an introvert, I need more alone time than the average person to recharge and be able to cope with the stressors of each day. So, every day I try to focus on how I can be a better “bonus” mom and partner so that we can all live in harmony. Some days it is truly exhausting! However, I try to remember the positive and that we are all healthy and blessed with a nice home to live in and have love in our hearts and wonderful friends and family.

Insights on my Daily To-Do List

Each day I wake up and read devotionals from my 2 favorite books that my mom gave me, Jesus Calling and Joyce Meyer’s Starting Your Day Right. Doing this gives me the strength to face the new day with the armor of God. It helps me set the mood of the day and helps lower the anxiety that is always simmering. I am not a morning person at all so I need some extra time before I leave the bedroom to get my head right before interacting with anyone else.

Once I feel ok to start my day, I usually eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. I have been trying to stick to a regular schedule of eating so I don’t go off track and binge. Additionally, I always try to work out in the morning to get it over with. Structure works well for me!

After my morning routine, I check my e-mails and then scroll through my business social media accounts. I have been trying to spread caring and hopeful messages each day on my social media. Then I check my website for any new comments on my posts so I can interact with the people who follow me.

Being a business owner, you really always have to stay connected a large part of the day to stay in touch with clients and followers. I don’t mind doing this because I love connecting with old and new friends!

How I Stay Motivated

Making time to work out and cook healthy meals is also an important part of my day. I try to get work projects done before dinner and then have the rest of the night to spend time with family and unwind.

In the last few weeks of being home, I have had extra time to sort out what needs to be worked on and any other projects that have been held up in the wings. It is important for me to feel somewhat productive each day and I like to be able to check stuff off my list! Here’s some stuff that I do to keep my mind busy and feel productive to ward off anxious thoughts from creeping in.

My Business To-Do List

Develop new online group and DIY coaching programs
Learn about Google Analytics to grow my e-mail list
Take a class on SEO for my website
Update my old blog posts and optimize for SEO
Research new topics for my blog and conduct interviews with health professionals
Update my business books and expenses
Finish my taxes
Stay in touch with my massage therapy clients during the shutdown
Clean up my business social media accounts
Create a media kit for my blogging business on Canva
Use PicMonkey to create photos for my blog
Take a Pinterest class on how to build my following
Clean up my shared drive folders and organize my files
Take the 10K Traffic Challenge course to grow my blog following
Update my website content and try out new themes

My Personal To-Do List

Clean the house over and over again!
Organize the kitchen cabinets
Shop for healthy food and some treats too!
Bring food over to the food pantry
Clean out my car
Find a new personal growth class to take
Read more books. I am currently reading a very inspirational book Tim Tebow’s- This is the Day
Keep up with laundry
Sort through vacation photos and do something with them!
Take off pictures from my phone and upload to the computer
Make a new recipe every few days
Keep posting positive messages daily on social media accounts
Help kids with homework
Stay active every single day and sweat out any toxins
Go outside every day for fresh air
Watch some new Netflix shows – excited for the new season of Ozark!
Watch Mass on Facebook live every Sunday morning
Listen to one guided meditation daily
Play more board games with the kids
Learn about gardening and photography
Check-in with family and friends. My college friends have been doing a Zoom “happy hour” every week and it is so nice to see their faces and vent!
Last but not least- spend quality time with my family and always eat at least dinner together so we can chat. Relationships will surely be tested during this forced time together but praying that it will bring us all closer and stronger!

Write Out Your Goals

Have you been putting something off until a later time to work on?

Now is a great time to start working on your goals. Why not use this time and make progress on becoming a better version of yourself. You may not be a fan of writing to-do lists and that is ok! I am just sharing what helps me. What may help is looking at each of those 5 Aspects of Whole Health that I have shared in older posts– Physical, Emotional, Nutritional, Environmental, and Spiritual™©.

Take a look at how you can improve your life from that perspective and I promise you will come up with lots to keep you busy. What are some things you have been doing at home that have helped you pass the time? Work on your to-do list today! Whatever it is, I hope you are all staying safe and healthy. This too will pass 🙂

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

Subscribe to my Lifestyle Blog!

25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times

By Jill Ciampi

On March 19, 2020

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Getting Organized, Lifestyle Blog, Nutritional Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

During really stressful times, our brains sometimes cannot recall what is best to do for ourselves or our families. Being overwhelmed is a symptom of not having the ability to manage stress. Hey- I have been there thousands of times! Some of us with anxiety are just naturally more prone to feeling overwhelmed easily. It’s ok. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling that.

We are living in a world right now that is extremely stressful and uncertain at times. Did you know that anxiety is caused by worry and fear of the future and affects how we feel about our security and safety? Whether you are anxious or not, here are some ways to get your mind off the worries and fears of whatever is going on in your world.

25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times

Stay on track with your routine for yourself and your kids.

Move every day. Take a walk, run, or watch an exercise video online. Some of my favorites are Jessica Smith, Leslie Sansone, PopSugar, and Fitness Blender. I like a good mix of walking, strength, and interval training workouts.

Pray or meditate and read something positive daily. I like the apps Calm and Breethe and I just recently found a Christian app called Abide.

Take a break from electronics. Too much screen time can cause more anxiety. Stop watching the stressful news all day!

Watch a funny show or video. Youtube has a ton of them! Seinfeld and Friends reruns make me happy!

Schedule in some alone time even if it’s only 15 minutes. Find somewhere in the house, even the bathroom, to be alone!

Go outside, explore nature, and get some fresh air. Soak up the sunshine for some extra Vitamin D.

Start a bucket list of places you want to eventually travel to and then go on Pinterest and pin them for future review.

Update your personal and professional goals. It will help you remember your purpose and stay organized.

Get your kids involved in self-care routines like creative play and healthy movement. For example, do a guided meditation with them.

Ten More to Go!

Clean your house one room at a time! Organizing and cleaning are my 2 top ways to fight anxiety.

Get rid of unnecessary clutter and old clothes you don’t wear anymore and donate to a charity.

Play with your pets. We have a dog and he brings so much joy and stress relief to me daily! They need love and exercise too!

Organize your closets. Put your winter clothes away and get out some spring clothes.

Movie night. Netflix and Amazon Prime have great choices for all ages.

Play board games or cards. My new favorites in our house are 20 Questions and Blank Slate.

Do some yard work. Gardening or an outdoor project at your house will keep you busy and outside in the fresh air!

Watch virtual tours online like Virtual Traveler, or visit museums all over the world. My favorite is watching the aquarium webcams!

Sing karaoke! The Echo Show has the option to display the lyrics. I can’t believe how many words to songs I get wrong!

Last But Not Least

Read the latest novel. Check out Amazon’s list of best sellers. I like reading on my Kindle usually but still enjoy actually picking up a real book

Expand your knowledge and take online classes. Udemy has some great options! There are some great apps too for learning a new language like Babbel.

Set up a virtual hangout for friends or family with Zoom or Google Hangouts, or House Party from the comfort of your home! I also like the app, Marco Polo, which allows you to send quick videos to your contacts individually or a group.

Meal preparation. Now that we have more time at home, I am trying to plan and cook more especially to avoid last-minute bad choices! For new recipe ideas, scroll through Pinterest, and watch cooking videos on Tasty or YouTube.

Talk to a professional like a therapist or coach who can offer some extra help on how to manage stress better. Most of them offer telephone or online chats.

Have a Plan

The best way to overcome those stressful days is to acknowledge what you are feeling and then have a self-care plan in place to refer to when needed. You know the quote “have a plan or plan to fail.” I find that having a printed out list works for me and then I can choose what I feel up to doing at that specific time.

Above all, please take care of yourself first so you can be there for your family. I chose to have faith that eventually things will get better. Stay healthy and positive. My prayers and thoughts are with you. Please share what stress management tools work for you!

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.