Monthly Archives: December 2020

How To Give More of Yourself

At this time of year, the holiday spirit sparks a desire to do more for those in need. The truth is, giving to others is something that’s greatly needed throughout the entire year. If you feel inspired to give back, but don’t know how, here are four ways you can give more of yourself starting today.

Diverse Group of People Pick Up Trash in The Park Volunteer Community Service; Photo credit: kindnesscloud.org

Volunteer Your Time

Many people have felt the call to volunteer at one time or another. If this describes you, act on it! Giving of your time is one of the most selfless things you can do, whether it’s with an organization, or a person that’s lonely and could use some company. Pick a cause that speaks to you and find out how you can help.

Put Kindness Into Action

Kindness is something that can be practiced every day and it sets a good example to “pay it forward”. If you have some of your own ideas for promoting acts of kindness, join others that share your vision and start down a path of making the world a better place.

Run Errands for Someone

If you know someone that isn’t able to get out, offer to run errands. This could mean going to the supermarket, the bank or getting them to medical appointments. Offer to drive and take them to lunch. What seems like something routine to you would mean the world to them.

Smile and Compliment

Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for someone is offer a smile and a compliment. Everyone appreciates being told they look terrific or that they’ve done a great job. Offering encouragement with a smile can change someone’s entire day.

Inspire Others

People have many different reasons for wanting to spread kindness. When you give more of yourself, not only are you helping someone, but it makes you feel good, too. You’ll also inspire others in your circle to do the same. 

Tips to Help Manage Stress

Everyone deals with stress, but it can be difficult to manage when it starts to accumulate. If you’ve noticed that stress is continuing to affect your mood and getting in the way of your everyday responsibilities and activities you enjoy, then you may want to take action to lower your stress levels. Here are some tips to try.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Let it All Out

Stress often forms because you simply have many thoughts or worries going on in your brain, causing you to feel overwhelmed. One of the best ways to relieve stress is by talking to a trusted friend or loved one about what’s going on in your life; they don’t need to give advice, just listen. Other effective ways to let go of stress are to write about your thoughts and feelings, try stress therapy San Jose CA or start exercising regularly to release the tension in your body.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of staying present and letting go of worries about the past or present. Examples of mindfulness activities include deep breathing, meditation and yoga. Although the greatest benefits of mindfulness can be seen after continued practice, deep breathing and meditation can be used any time you’re feeling stressed. By focusing on your breathing and emptying your mind, you ground yourself and prevent your mind from getting lost in a spiral of worries.

Take Time for Things You Enjoy

Stress can make you feel like you don’t have any time to spare for leisure activities, but it’s important to make time in your busy schedule for your favorite hobbies simply because they make you feel good. Examples include anything from playing a sport to watching television to just spending time with friends and family. Carving out even a small amount of time for hobbies can be a reprieve from daily stressors.

Don’t let your worries get in the way of your life. By finding outlets to manage your thoughts and feelings and relieve tension, you can take control of your stress.

3 Ways To Keep Your Skin Calm and Comfortable

Raise your hand if you’ve ever mistaken your skin for a shrunken wool sweater. Nod if you’ve tried a sleeping mask, only to wake up seeing a complexion reminiscent of your eighth-grade school picture. Wave if you’ve gotten a bit too scrub-happy when the mood to exfoliate hit. Stand up if your laundry detergent has made your skin angry. Most people are no stranger to skin sensitivities! Here are three simple ways to keep your skin calm and comfortable.

Photo by Coline Haslé on Unsplash

Set a Timer 

How amazing is a hot shower? Each minute in that steamy paradise is doing your skin more harm than good. Add in a soapy loofah, and you can expect to be scratching later — especially in the cooler months. So, before you jump in the shower, set your phone’s timer for 10 minutes. That’s plenty of time for a lather and a rinse (but hold the repeat)! When your skin is damp, apply moisturizer from tip to toe.

Don’t Overcomplicate Things

With thousands of skincare products available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and confused. For many people, switching to skin products such as a botanical skin moisturizer Germantown TN — be it a complete switch or just a few products — has been critical to finding a skincare routine that gets the job done. Typically, organic products have shorter labels and use ingredients you have most likely heard of, such as shea butter and soy. A simpler routine using simpler products is a great first step to meeting some skin sensitivities head on.

Visit Your Laundry Room

There’s nothing like climbing into a bed made with freshly laundered sheets, especially when it rivals visiting a lavender field. But when you wake up in the middle of the night covered in hives, reality sets in pretty quickly. You are not in a field of lavender, and your bed is not Provence. It’s easy enough to overlook items that aren’t directly skincare related, and that can result in a trial-and-error process to find laundry detergent that does the job without wreaking havoc on your skin.   

While there’s no guarantee these adjustments are the cure-all, taking note of certain triggers is a great place to start. The sooner you spot what ails you, the sooner you can swap it out. Happy healing!