Tag: relaxation

Almost everyone has heard of self-esteem. It’s fortunately being talked about more frequently within society. However, another concept about the self that needs to be addressed along with self-esteem, is self-compassion. Dr. Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as “being warm and understanding towards ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate rather than ignoring our pain”(http://self-compassion.org). Self-compassion is the idea that just as we offer kindness and compassion to others when they fall short, we offer the same to ourselves. Why does it tend to be so much easier to offer compassion to others and not ourselves?

We are not perfect. No matter how hard we try, we will never be perfect. Self-compassion meets us in our imperfection. It allows us to say, “I messed up but I still have value and am still important”. When we s ...

Sleep hygiene may seem like an odd term. When we think of hygiene, we often think of brushing teeth or showering. Hygiene can refer to practices that maintain our health. Sleep is an important part of every person’s health. It can have an impact on mental health as well. As summer is nearing its end and school schedules begin, it is a good time to create structure and habits that foster health. Sleep hygiene is often overlooked as one of those crucial practices for our well-being.

 According to the CDC, school age children should be getting 9-12 hours of sleep per night. Teens need 8-10 hours per night, and adults should get 7 or more hours of sleep per night. It is important to note sleep disturbances can increase one’s risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and depression (https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/chronic_disease ...

             Eleri jumped seamlessly, no special notice the piles of hay in her way, except the leap that interrupted her rhythm. Every morning she was up with the crack of dawn, ready to go for her walk. Every morning she ran, so at other times she could rest and eat. The gate of her legs spread, pounding the ground in a musical speed. Her tail wagged delight.

            Animals are fascinating creatures. They have this rhythm to life. Hunt, eat, play, sleep. Hunt, eat, play, sleep. Rinse, repeat  Animals already know a basic tenant of life we humans miss. Life comes with a beat, but it also comes with the ups and downs of rhythms. Work is a glorified element of life in American culture. Or laziness is glorified. And, we’ve missed the beauty of the ups and downs of work time and rest time.

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