Taking a Much Needed Break

 

Hi There,

It's the middle of July and we've been having a heatwave here in Tucson, AZ (temps. over 100 each day). The weather makes me feel sluggish and unmotivated, and perhaps you can relate.

In any event, I've decided to take a short break from blogging to find my center again. 

I want to focus on nurturing practices that energize body, mind, and spirit, and even have a little fun as I do that.

While I'm doing my thing, here are some links to posts that you might enjoy. 

Journal Prompts for a Sweet Summer

Wonders of Monsoon Season in Southern Arizona

Benefits of Walking Every Day with Tips for Success

Positive Color Quotes to Brighten Today

Wishing you a beautiful rest of the month. Don't forget to reserve time to repair, renew, and refresh your whole being and apply Tender Loving Care (TLC) to enhance the process.  

You may need to remind yourself that it's self-caring to take time for pleasurable things. Observe what happens when you read for enjoyment, learn something new, participate in a sport, hydrate, and cook and eat healthier food. 

All of these things help me relax, kick-back, and/or inspire me. What lights your fire?

What kind of activities or pastimes do you want to participate in this July and onward? Please share comments below, but do not put links in them as I won't be able to publish them that way.

If you're embarking on a new hobby or project, what has stopped you from doing it before? Please comment below.

If you put off taking a vacation or don't allow time for socializing with friends or family, what are your reasons? Jot down your ideas below.

The summer season may be an opportune time to take it easy and be more self-reflective. I'm going to use my free time to do just that (regroup).

Wishing you a beautiful few weeks until we meet here again, at the place where colors and a healthy lifestyle intersect.

 

Tips to Help Us Gently Detox Our Lives This Spring

 

Spring is an opportune time to embark on a gentle, all-inclusive cleanse to refresh our emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual

well-being.

Why Not Set the Intention to:

Release toxins from mind, body, and spirit

Increase energy and vitality

Relax nervous system and calm the mind

Reset one's natural state of balance

Make choices that promote optimal health and well-being

Spring clean our eating plans as well as our bodies, minds, homes, offices, closets, and spirits. 

With some research and planning, self-discipline, and a little elbow grease we can add more whole food choices to our meal plans and set aside adequate time for additional self-care. 

Then as we dust, scrub, and organize our living space, even tiny steps along the way help us feel more self-empowered.

Be mindful to shop for and/or grow foods that refresh, heal, and enhance wellness and make us glad to be alive. 

For best results, eat more fruits and vegetables and less animal products, sugary foods, fried foods, and highly processed foods. 

Feature salads and dishes that include cleansing ingredients including celery, parsley, beets, avocados, spinach, garlic, onions, cucumbers, broccoli, berries, and dark leafy greens that are in-season and local. 

Look for the freshest produce, the kind that's brightly colored, organic (not sprayed with toxic chemicals or comes from seeds that are genetically modified), and hasn't spent days or weeks coming to us from distant lands. 

Fresh fruit and vegetables are powerful foods that improve our outlook as well as satisfy hunger. Read additional tips to help us discover wholesome foods that elevate mood . 

Reserve time each week to look inward. Deep breathing, tai chi, or other meditative arts calm our minds, soothe our nervous systems, and reduces information overload that builds up and contributes to our stress. 

Develop and maintain a meditation practice, as it helps reduce negative thoughts, detox our being, and improves energy over time. 

Unplug from electronic devices, email, phone, and other distractions for a set period of time each day. 

This is a direct, uncomplicated way to improve mental and physical well-being, focus attention on our priorities, reduce stress, and allow for better sleep and relationships.

Look at less TV and use that time for relaxing activities like walking or hobbies. Time spent with loved ones, engaging in physical or social activities, and in learning new things, does much to enliven living.

Fit movement and exercise into each day. Reap benefits of physical activity including improved cardiovascular health, better flexibility, weight management, enhanced mood and cognitive function, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. 

For ideas read Benefits of Walking Every Day and Phenomenal Reasons Yoga Enhances Health.

Create healthy outlets for emotional expression. Use journaling, art, yoga, dance, or music to help us get stuck feelings (energy) out.

Be proactive and participate in leisure activities that restore balance or shift our focus to something positive and calming. 

Remember there is no one-size-fits-all detox method. We need only try ones that appeal to us.

Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night to support our body's natural detoxification process. For motivation we can read this article from WebMD, How Much Sleep Do I Need?

Get a dose of sunlight (Vitamin-D), exercise, and fresh air in the morning hours, as this combo stimulates feel good hormones, lifts our mood, and gives us more energy throughout the day. 

Stay hydrated. Water helps flush out toxins, supports the body's natural detoxification processes, and aids in maintaining proper organ function, especially the kidneys and liver.

Check-in with our body, mind, and spirit at some point during the day (I like to take a few minutes at the end of the day to do this) to review the day's learnings, insights, and areas where we still need work. 

Use this check-point to note our progress, and discover how we are  responding to the changes we're making. Then we can adjust our approach accordingly.

When we are trying out new behaviors, struggling to overcome something, or working on improving self-care routines, treating ourselves with self-compassion is essential. 

Self-compassion means being kind and understanding, especially when we face challenges or setbacks, rather than being critical or judgmental.

Make it a point to acknowledge the positives

in our lives by writing out a daily gratitude  list and counting our blessings often. 

Note: The information in this blog post is shared

for entertainment and educational purposes only.It is not intended as medical advice. If you seekmedical attention, consult with your health careprovider.

Have you thought about doing a spring detox

this year?

Which of the tips resonate with you?

Please comment below. Feel free to mentionpractices that help you detox.

Please don't put links in your comments.  I will not be able to publish them that way.

If you like what you see, spread the love on

social media.

Thanks for the visit and please come back

soon. 

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