Self Nurturing and De-Stressing into 2018...

(**Thank you to Organixx.com for the following information)

The relaxation response can only kick in when a person feels safe, supported, and balanced.

To get here, you must learn the tools that will become a part of your everyday life.

Here are a few quick, easy tips you can use when you are in the “thick of it” as well as a few techniques to cultivate the relaxation response over time:

#1: EFT. EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique and is also known as “tapping.” Tapping has been shown to drastically reduce stress responses in a very short amount of time. It is a form of kinesthetic and verbal stress management that calms the stress responses by “tapping” on key meridian points along the face and chest.

#2: Breath Many studies have shown that deep breathing can calm the nervous system within minutes. Think about the last time you were really stressed out. Was your breathing shallow or long and slow? Were you holding your breath without realizing it? Simply taking a few minutes to consciously breathe (slowly and calmly) tells your body that you are safe and all is well.

#3: Drink Some Water. Dehydration can be part of the vicious cycle that occurs with chronic stress. While not drinking enough water can exacerbate stress signals, being in “chronic stress” mode can also lead to dehydration, say experts.

#4: Let Essential Oils Help You. Lavender, peppermint, and frankincense are all amazingly effective essential oils that have been proven to help relieve stress. Lavender can help calm the nervous system. Peppermint can stimulate balanced energy, especially if rubbed on the temples or the back of the neck using a carrier oil like jojoba. Finally, frankincense can help to lower inflammation as well as help you to “center.”

#5: Take a Walk. Getting your body moving even just a little at least once a day can help keep your stress responses down and help to level out your mood. A study at Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, found that regular exercise helped even out depression and fatigue for participants after just one week.

#6: Stick to Your Budget. Making a budget and sticking to it can be a great practice for calming financial stress which, according to the Health Line study, is the leading cause of overall holiday stress. While you may have overspent during the holidays, take some time now to ensure your 2018 budget is realistic for you.

#7: Practice Visualization. Visualization is a meditative practice in which you actively imagine the outcome, situation and, most importantly, the feeling you want to experience. It might sound a bit woo-woo but evidence-based research around visualization says that it works when done correctly.

Give yourself the gift of self-nurturing and healing this year by purposely engaging in activities that can help your body turn on the relaxation response instead of the stress response.

Moving into the new year with tools to use for stress and taking even better care of myself,

Colleen :-)

We must...

"We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

~Joseph Campbell

Wishing you the strength to let go of all you need to as we finish up 2017.  God and the love around you is already working in your favor for the new year and the wonderful miracles it holds for you.

Hugs,

Colleen :-)

 

The New Year is Upon Us...

 

 

 

2018 is right around the corner.  Take some time in the next few days to sit over a cup of tea and look at where you have been and all you have done this year. 

What have been your sweetest times?    Have more of those in the new year.

What have been your most peaceful moments?   Create more of those in the new year.

How has your health been with the life style you have lead?   Take the positive and build further on that in the new year.

Who has made you laugh and supported you in whatever you needed?  Grab their hands and spend more time in the new year.

What creative projects, ideas, services have you been involved in?   Grow these further in the new year.

What do you need to leave behind you as you enter the new year?   Write them down and later burn your list to let it go, collect memorabilia that brings negative energy into your life each time you see it and donate it to a local thrift store, etc. Continue to do this in the new year and make it a habit to let go of that energy you don't need in your life.

What feelings are the happiest for you?   Write them down on separate pieces of paper and find a nice jar or bowl to put them in.  On any down days next year, take one of the feelings out and remember what made you feel that way before.  See if there is anything in 2018 that has also made you feel that way.  Fill your heart with these positive feelings and energy.

The new year is here for us to embrace and live to its fullest!

Wishing you the best,

Colleen :-)

With best wishes...

Praying your holiday has been peaceful and your heart has been filled with yet another day of joy, gratitude and healing.

Hugs,

Colleen :-)

Getting ready for the holiday...

May your days be merry and bright.....and may you have the time to also rest, reflect and take in the love of those around you now and going forward.

Happy Holidays from the sand and surf I call home!

Colleen :-)

Opportunities...

Make every day count for all it was meant to be to you!

Living to the fullest,

Colleen :-)

Life...

"Live each day as if your life had just begun"

-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe       

Hoping your days are renewed each day with gratitude and love....for that's all there is.

Hugs,  

Colleen :-)  

PS....don't forget to wake each morning with a thank you for all the good in your life               

                    

The toxins in washing our clothes....(Part II)

As I continue researching and learning more about the toxins our washing machines are causing because of the microscopic fibers going into 83% of the world's drinking water, I am floored by how big this issue has become.

As individuals trying to improve this, we can:

1. Drink filtered water.  Although this does not get out all of the microscopic pieces, it will help.

2. Become more aware of the issue and keep updated on changes occurring, such as products being made to be used in our washing machines.

3. Using these products to help reduce the plastic pollution (see information below about some things being worked on for individual use)

4. Washing our clothes less.  Often times we feel something we have worn is dirty, but truthfully could it be worn at least another time before being washed?

5. Contacting your local water supplies to let them know you are aware of this issue and asking that they become more aware and develop ways to improve the plastic pollution in our drinking water.

6.  Research and create ways (and share them if they work) to help our environment with this problem.

7. Share this information with others please!

A big thank you to www.theguardian.com for the following info:

Time to take action

Mark Browne, the researcher responsible for first bringing microfibers to public attention, said that the grace period is over.

“We know that these are the most abundant forms of debris – that they are in the environment,” Brown said. He added that government and industry must be asked to explain “what they are going to be doing about it”.

The Amsterdam-based Plastic Soup Foundation, an ocean conservation project co-funded by the European Union, said better quality clothing or fabrics coated with an anti-shed treatment could help.

The foundation’s director, Maria Westerbos, said a nanoball that could be thrown into a washing machine to attract and capture plastic fibers also seems promising.

Another solution may lie with waterless washing machines, one of which is being developed by Colorado-based Tersus Solutions. Tersus, with funding from Patagonia, has developed a completely waterless washing machine in which textiles are washed in pressurized carbon dioxide.

Others suggest a filter on home washing machines. More than 4,500 fibers can be released per gram of clothing per wash, according to preliminary data from the Plastic Soup Foundation.

But the washing machine industry is not yet ready to act. Jill Notini, vice president of communications and marketing for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, said the washing machine could very well be a source of microfiber debris, but that the proposed solutions are impractical.

Microplastics killing fish before they reach reproductive age, study finds

 

Read more

“How do you possibly retrofit all of the units that are in the market and then add a filter in and talk to consumers and say, ‘Here is a new thing that you’re going to have to do with your clothes washer?’”

She added that the industry still has trouble getting people to clean lint from the filters in their dryers.

For Plastic Soup’s Westerbos, the reluctance of the industries that operate in that crucial place between the consumer and the world’s waterways can no longer be tolerated.

“It’s really insulting that they say it’s not their problem,” Westerbos said. “It’s their problem, too. It’s everybody’s problem.”

It's definitely time for us to take action in any way we can!

Colleen :-)

The fibers in our drinking water worldwide...

My last blog focused on how our clothing is made with toxins. I wanted to share with you the newest information on toxins (plastic fibers) that are showing up in our drinking water, some of it through our water supply through machine washing our clothes.

According to Orb Media, a report was published in September of this year and the following information is from www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org) :

83 percent of drinking water samples worldwide tested positive for microscopic plastic fibers.

Tiny plastic fibers or “microfibers” have been found in the far corners of the world – in the oceans, in remote lakes and rivers, in fish, salt, and honey, and in the air we breathe. But until now one research area – our drinking water – remained unexamined.

According to new research published by Orb Media, tap water and plastic bottled water in cities on five continents is contaminated with microscopic plastic fibers.Scientists say they don’t know how these fibers reach household taps, or what their health risks might be, but experts suspect plastic fibers may transfer toxic chemicals when consumed by animals and humans.

The news about plastic microfibers in our drinking water comes on the heels of a study by Plastic Soup Foundation (PSF) published in May 2017, showing microfibers in plankton, both farmed and wild mussels, sea salt, and even honey.

According to PSF, microfibers can enter our water supply through machine washing synthetic clothing such as fleece, polyester, and nylon. “It appears that 34.8 percent of primary microplastics released by machine washing synthetic clothes ultimately ends up in the environment," explained Maria Westerbos, director of Plastic Soup Foundation.

Clothing fibers are often too small to be filtered out at wastewater treatment plants and are discharged into streams, rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean. 

These numbers are staggering. Many of us have been unaware of our everyday task of washing clothes having such an effect on our drinking water.

What can we do as individuals to help with this?   Check in on my next blog to read more please....

Keeping up with ways to keep us healthier and healing,

Colleen :-)

It's time to care about what you wear...

If you don’t think that what you wear has an impact on the environment, it’s time to get your facts straight. The clothing industry is now the second largest polluter in the world. They are contaminating our soil, polluting our water on a global scale and decimating marine life.

To make matters worse, nonorganic cotton may expose you to potentially heavy doses of toxins.

How Clothing is Made with Toxic Chemicals

During the production of clothes, toxic chemicals are used in almost every step. Synthetic fabrics are dyed with man-made chemical dying agents, fabrics doused with toxins that make them immune to biodegradation, and many clothes contain buttons and accessories that contain known endocrine disruptors. Phthalates, for example, are sometimes found in buttons, and just a few of these worn on a person could, over time, contribute to hormonal imbalance. Common synthetic fabrics like nylon and acrylic are extremely toxic to the body and the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that inhalation of acrylonitrile, the main chemical compound used to produce acrylic fibers, shows carcinogenic potential via inhalation.

Formaldehyde is essentially “baked” into fabric to make it resistant to wrinkling, which is bad news because research shows that this chemical is a human carcinogen. While it’s nice to save time and not have to iron your slacks, at what cost is this convenience factor to our future health? Nonylphenols are another class of endocrine disruptors used in some dying applications, and we’re now detecting levels of this chemical in our water. It is painstakingly clear that, for the future of our health and our planet, we must advocate for a change in the way our clothing is produced. Otherwise, we will be faced with a silent environmental and health crisis, one that may take decades to overcome.

Ways You Can Produce Change

Just as with any health movement, one of the most substantial ways to assist change is to “vote with your pocketbook.” In other words, support companies that produce organic, natural clothing as much as possible. Look for clothes made from bamboo, organic cotton, or flax, and always choose clothes produced using natural dyes. Write to your favorite clothing manufacturers to inquire what they are doing to reduce their reliance on chemicals in their clothing production. Fortunately, choosing clothes made with natural fibers is becoming easier, and the more we support these companies, the faster we will see a change in the clothing industry.

(thank you to www.globalhealingcenter.com for this information)

 

 



The more we become aware of health and environmental issues that impact each of us in so many ways, the more we are empowered to make change for the better!

 

Thinking of you,

Colleen :-)

We are all one...

May joy, peace and gratitude overflow in your hearts so that you have plenty to share with others!

Happy Holidays,

Colleen :-)

Bring out the child in you today...

 

 

Don't forget to play, sing, skip and jump for joy today!!

 

 

May peace be with you in all your days,

 

Colleen :-)

Be Brave...

 

Wanted to share a new book that's come out by Annie F. Downs. 

 

She is known as an Author, Speaker and Loud Laugher!

 



Annie is also the author of Looking for Lovely, a book about the power of perseverance,  Let’s All Be Brave, a book for men and women about the power we each have to make a difference on this planet. She also has two books for teens: Perfectly Unique, a spiritual growth book for high school and college girls, and Speak Love, a challenge to women on how to use their words to make a difference in the world.

By weaving together personal stories, humor, and Scripture, she invites those reading to experience fulfilled lives with a God who made them on purpose and loves them deeply.

Check out her website at:  www.anniefdowns.com

Sending brave thoughts and prayers to all,

Colleen :-)

Oh so grateful!!...

What an amazing and wonderful job the firefighters who live here in Southern California, and all the others that have traveled from different parts of the USA,  have done to save our homes and our lives.  Through the dark smoke that continues and the embers that burn, these brave souls have worked day and night throughout an extensive area covering hundreds and hundreds of miles to bring safety and stability back to our communities.

If I could, I would gather them up in one big incredible hug to thank them over and over again for their service.

What blessings we have in our lives that people care so much about us!

With love and heart-filled gratitude,

Colleen :-)

Today is the day to fly...

 

Catch your breath and sit down to write what it is you truly want to fulfill during this wonderful life of yours.  List who will support you through this and write them a note/text/etc to let them know how they can help you with these goals.  Journal your days and plans so you can reflect on what is working and what may not.

 

And then LEAP!   Go for it!  Take it all in!  Be Brave!  Put on your wings and go!

 

 

With both feet flying,

Colleen :-)

 



Always remember...

Have a glorious day!

Colleen :-)