Why You Numb Out and How to Stop

After conversations with two clients about numbing out and escaping with food, I got the message:

It is time to share with you 3 tips to stop numbing out and start actually comforting yourself.

I share a little of their stories and mine. So guess what? You aren’t alone.

Listen in to discover more about these three tips to stop numbing out:

• Set a timer with an exit for your numbing

• Determine how long you will sit with discomfort

• Include mini-fun and comfort breaks throughout your day

A Small Easy Way to Manage Your Stress

How do you not get stressed out and end the work day completely exhausted?

Recently, I got tired of feeling completely spent at the end of a work day.  My mind and emotions both scattered and spent.

When looking through my journal, I began noticing that I followed a pattern…

• Work on something.

• Then while walking to get a glass of water, my mind would be thinking about what wasn’t finished or what projects were next.

• Dive into the next thing, with my mind a little distracted from what I’d just thought about.

• Drive to a meeting, thinking about what I was behind on.

• Engage with people, but with my mind a little more distracted and tired.

• Drive back to my office, my mind re-arranging how to fit 5 more hours of work into the 3 hours I had left.

Sound familiar?

Then at the end of the day I would “practice stress management” - whether meditation or journal or an evening walk or just collapse with a movie.

Is a Daily Stress Management Session Enough?

No.

These once-a-day practices weren’t enough to keep my build up of mental and emotional stress. 

So every day I had less creativity and energy and more frustration than the day before, until I would end up with a day every couple of weeks completely spent.

Once I drew the line in the sand and said “No More”, I recalled an idea a therapist shared with me. Something she does to keep stress at bay throughout the day.

I call it “White Space Mindful Moments”

In just two days I noticed a massive shift in my energy, creativity, and - yes - lowered stress.

Watch this quick video. Then comment how you will unplug in your own “White Space Mindful Moments”

Think Different about the Stress (and Fun!) of Business Travel

What if traveling for business could be fulfilling and not frustrating? What if it could leave you not exhausted, but energized?

It can.

Two weeks ago I experimented - with myself - on a business trip. My goal?

• Decrease the stress of travel

• Create fulfilling moments with business partners

• Come away refreshed instead of feeling run over

I got inspired by two of my clients who travel constantly for business.

In this video I tell you their secrets, show you all of my personal experiments and share my results.

Sneak Peek:

• Taking made-local gifts for the meeting hosts strengthened new relationships.

• Arriving a few hours early eliminated the worry of “what if the flight is delayed or cancelled”

• The bonus time turned into a historic walking tour!

• Staying at a local B&B, instead of a chain hotel, made the evenings feel like a vacation.

• A last minute decision (you’ll find out what in the video) increased my productivity and lowered my stress at the same time!

3 Unusual Ways to Improve Your Gut Health

Two weeks ago at the Nourished Festival I spoke with 495 participants on Improve Your Gut to Improve Your Brain. So many people reached out after with their stories and insights.

I am sharing with you three unusual tips from the workshop.

Guess what? It’s not all about food.

(Yes. Some of it is about food — check out this recent blog post for those steps to take.)

These off-the-beaten-path tips are simple and they will fit in your busy lifestyle. And I promise, your personal ROI is great.

To get the full workshop replay, email me at sheri@thevireolife.com.

Fun Spring Wellness Routines

Why is going with the flow of the season important?

Because when you try to go against nature’s rhythm, you make it harder for yourself to live healthy.

When you use the strength of the season, sticking with your wellness lifestyle is enjoyable. And easy.

For example, on a 70 degree, sunny Spring day, trudging on a treadmill is going to be procrastinated.

But a lunch time walk in the park feels like play.

Also, there are advantages to Spring offered to you in no other season.

Part of my evening routine is to journal and read. In the Spring I love to enjoy that outside. Why?

Spring is the only season with cool-not-cold evenings with no mosquitos.

Watch this video to get inspired by several ways to Spring-Fling your wellness rituals.

My Spring Challenge to you?

Create one way to embrace the Spring season into your healthy routines.

Enjoy Spring’s gifts while they are here. They truly only come once a year.

Amp Up Your Brain Power with These Fun Activities

You’re busy. You sometimes skip your workouts to get more done. But then … it backfires, leaving you less able to focus, make good decisions, or have the mental energy you need.

Because you’re busy, you don’t want to waste time. You want to make sure your workout is actually benefitting your brain and focus.

I’ve got your answer.

In this short video, you’ll discover the fun options to boost your brain power.

Too tired or stressed? Do this.

I was recently talking with a friend who is a master at getting people free from over-tired and over-stressed. We chatted about how when our clients come to us they struggle to have time for exercise and eating healthy. They are tired and stressed.

Then, after working with us, they are focused on only doing what they do best and aren’t overwhelmed anymore.

What’s so funny is that we serve our clients in vastly different ways!

I coach.

She’s a virtual assistant!

So we talked about the importance of delegating and how to figure out what to delegate and what not to delegate. And then decided “Hey, this is good stuff. Let’s record our conversation and share it.”

But, here’s the deal. Just because we think it is a conversation you need, doesn’t mean it is, right? Please let me know if …

(a) you love this interview format and want tons more

(b) you enjoy it and want interviews occasionally

(c) nah, you’d rather just stick to me sharing with you

Comment or email me your thoughts.

Six Reasons You Need to Find Your Unique Path

While growing up I suspected I had developed an unhealthy relationship with food – and sometimes even exercise.  But it was years later at a work potluck Christmas party that I knew I absolutely had a problem and had to change.

Everyone else was at the buffet ooh-ing and ah-ing over different dishes colleagues brought. 

I was in the bathroom terrified. 

“If I eat that _____ I’ll have to workout extra tomorrow. Who knows how many grams of ____ it has.”

“I want to try ____ but if I do I’ll probably not be able to stop eating it.”

“I’ll be good and just have the veggies I brought.  If I break my diet I’ll lose control.”

I realized I was the only one, apparently, who did not feel she could enjoy the food, the people, or the party and I stayed as far away from the table as possible.  Why?  I thought something was wrong with me. 

By that party I had spent almost 20 years fine-tuning my “diet mentality,” through the various diet and exercise rules I learned from the media.

And I wanted freedom.  Desperately.

I wanted to exercise just because it felt amazing and made me strong and healthy. Not because it burned calories I’d eaten the day before.

I wanted to eat a balanced meal because it was satisfying.

I wanted to enjoy a cookie without fear of eating five.

I wanted to go to a party and enjoy it all.

Scratch that.

I didn’t even know that was possible.  All I could fathom was maybe not being consumed with worrying about every morsel, gram, or repercussion after a party.

Thankfully, that part of me is a distant memory, because …

I found my path to THRIVE.

Did you see?

I released a course where I’m going to share with you the mindset, principles, techniques, tools and skills practiced by people who find – and follow – their unique path to health, wellness, and a Thriving Life.

It’s called …

THRIVE LIFE (Go here to learn more; we get started in just a few days.)

While there are so many health benefits to this way of life, the most surprising benefit has nothing to do typical health-parameters.

It has to do with relationships and accomplishing life goals.

Huh?

Let me explain.  Envision that same work party where I locked myself away in the bathroom.  If my mind had been free from food-fear, I would have been mingling with colleagues and enjoying getting to know their families, enriching my relationships.

And when my mental and emotional space is not cluttered with how many calories I eat or burn or how much I do this or that, my mind is free to be creative and pursue dreams.  Plus, there is way less stress.

Here are the six reasons you need to find your own path …

#1 – You stop outsourcing your emotional health to food or over-exercise

You can learn the difference between physical and emotional hunger.

Food was created to bring you pleasure, but it is not what heals hurts or brings peace.

Exercise has many ways that it lifts your mood, but there is a point of using exercise to escape struggles vs. helping you overcome them.

When you sit with discomfort and find what actually fills you emotionally, your strength of self grows.  Your confidence to live and handle difficult situations increases.

#2 – You have mental space to pursue your dreams

This one is huge.

When your mind is cluttered with searching for the next diet or exercise program, or finding recipes that fit the new fad, or shopping for the latest exercise gear you cannot focus on what really matters most to you in life.

It may even go deeper.  If you are staying focused on analyzing food / exercise to avoid dealing with something else, it is time to move forward. 

If you are hiding your best self behind counting this or that, trying to control every bite or workout, it is time to open the curtain and step out on your stage.

#3 – You have increased physical energy

You sleep well, you wake up with energy, and it stays consistent throughout the day so you can accomplish your goals and still enjoy family and friends at the end of the day.

#4 – Your ability to enforce boundaries, with yourself and others, improves

Food police?  Exercise drill sergeant? No more.  Either from others or yourself.

You confidently handle critics.

You also are able to tell yourself “no” when a choice does not value you.

#5 – You have more fun and are more fun to be around

When your excitement comes from discussing the latest fad exercise or diet, it is a boring life.

However, when you have recent adventures or a book you read or a funny family gathering or ____ to talk about, conversations have life in them.

You meet up with people, confident as you accept yourself and others, with less judgement.

Social situations around food are no longer stressful.

You have the physical fitness to enjoy the adventures you want.

#6 – You feel successful, because you are successful

When you learn what works for your body and your lifestyle, and you have the tools and techniques to stick with it, you reach your goals.

You feel successful along the journey because you are living what you value.

#7 – This is a bonus reason because I recently had a conversation with a client and this reason came up – so I added it: 

You become a leader and influencer for good in those around you.

This client was waiting on the inspiration to make changes to come from his circle of family and friends.  I challenged him “Think about who you want to be.  Do you want to be the person who waits to be led or do you want to lead?  Do you want to be influenced or do you want to influence?”  I challenge you, too.  When you find your path to Thrive, you will inspire others to do the same.

This is what finding your path to THRIVE brings you.  It is one of the most amazing adventures you’ll ever go on.

Go here to check out my THRIVE Life course, so you can thrive in YOUR life. 

(We start in a few days.)

Easy and Fast Way to Lower Your Stress

If you have ten minutes you can significantly relieve the stress.

Do this:

1. Watch this video (less than 7 minutes)

2. Do the technique (less than 2 minutes)

There you go. Less than 10 minutes and stress is running away from you.

Calming Ways to Use Chamomile

Chamomile is widely known and used for mild insomnia. But did you know you don’t have to drink it? If you feel restless or anxious before bedtime, you can also use chamomile in a bath or footbath to enjoy the calming effect.

Chamomile likes to grow in full sun

Chamomile is also an anti-inflammatory, due to its essential oil, azulene. This may also help to lower fever. To use a gargle for sore throat, make a double-strength tea.

A cup of chamomile tea is also a digestive aid, both through calming and the bitter compounds in it.

For some individuals, chamomile has an immediate calming effect. (That would not be me.) For others, chamomile needs to be used a few times a day over several days to help. (My hand is raised on that one.)

Fresh from the garden

Chamomile is considered safe for children.

How much? 1 tsp dried herb to one cup water for tea.

Prepping chamomile to dry in the dehydrator

My experience with chamomile out of our garden: Dried and fresh taste very different. Fresh has almost no taste. Dried chamomile has a mild sweet taste.

Resources: Medicinal Herbs - Rosemary Gladstar. The Simple Book of Herbs - Lisa Bedner, R.N., Herbs for Stress and Anxiety - Rosemary Gladstar.

My Screen-Zombie-Zone Story

I’m partnering with a local retreat center to host a Screen Free Week Kickoff Event. As we have been getting ready for this, we decided to ask each other some questions.

It brought up some “Well, this is embarrassing” moments … as well as remembering some times I’ve managed my screen-time well and motivated me to get back to it.

If you live in the middle Tennessee area, I’d love to have you join me on April 28, Sunday afternoon, to learn how to do your unique Screen Free week - plus walk, hike, and have a lot of fun together. (If you don’t live around middle TN, check out the Screen Free week website for events in your area.)

Here’s my “oops” story … (and a link to register for our Connect More: Screen-Free Kick off Event) - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/connect-more-a-kickoff-to-screen-free-week-tickets-59946971004