Musings Of A Counselor

Wellness Wednesday: {Life Task 3: Work & Leisure}

2012-02-22T05:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday, a mid-week look at various factors of wellness in our lives. Wellness isn't so much about the absence of the negative or illness in our lives, but the presence of positive factors that lead to health in our lives. This takes intentional work and focus, but leads us to a place of being a healthy and flourishing individual. Remember that I am using the Wheel of Wellness to discuss wellness:

Source

I've already discussed Life Task 1 (Spirituality) and Life Task 2 (Self-Direction), and today I'll be moving on to Life Task 3 (Work & Leisure). Today's post will be an introduction, and I will break it down and discuss in more detail in future posts.

Myers & Sweeney define this life task the following way:

Activities and tasks essential to personal well-being and social living, including: work & leisure

How's that for a short and sweet definition? Let's look a bit further at what they meant.

"Work & leisure provide opportunities for pleasurable experiences that are intrinsically satisfying and provide a sense of accomplishment. They challenge or engage our senses, skills, and interests, frequently absorbing us in activities in a state of consciousness called flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). This is an optimal state in which an individual loses awareness of self and time while being highly engaged in the task at hand. Excitement and joy are enhanced while anxiety and boredom are minimized" (Myers & Sweeney, 2005, p. 25-26).

Have you ever experienced "flow" in your work? Have you experienced those moments where you lose track of time and are deeply engaged in what you are doing? This could be either at work (place of employment) or in your hobbies and free time.
A few questions to start asking yourself as we prepare for a deeper discussion on work & leisure:

Is work intrinsically satisfying to you?
Does your work or hobbies you are engaged in provide a sense of accomplishment in your life?
Is there an activity or dream you would like to pursue that you feel would provide a sense of accomplishment, use your skills, or absorb you in that activity?
What keeps you from pursuing those dreams in your work or leisure time?
How might you be a more healthy individual if work was intrinsically satisfying?
How might you increase those times of "flow" in your life?

Now it's your turn:

What're some of your favorite hobbies? What activities do you get the highest sense of accomplishment from in life? Is there something you would like to pursue but haven't allowed yourself to at this point? What is it?

The Benefits Of The Winter Seasons In Our Lives

2012-02-21T05:00:00.001-05:00

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did
not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
- Charlotte Bronte

Winter can be a struggle, can't it? Although this year has been a little different then many years (warmer temperature, more sun, etc...), winter can still be a bit of a drag. For those who experience some degree of seasonal affective disorder, it can be even more difficult. For more information on that, check out the following posts:
Surviving The Winter Blues

What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Treatments For Seasonal Affective Disorder

Last year I wrote a post entitled Is There Hope In Winter? I'd like to discuss again a point I brought up in that post. While many of us don't love winter, it provides an interesting reminder and lesson for our lives. While winter is a long, dark, tiresome, or sad period of our lives, we go through it confident that spring will come once again. With it, spring will bring sunshine, new life, flowers, birds chirping, and a heightened mood. The seasons mirror an important lesson for our lives. The winter allows us to learn how to survive unpleasant situations while having hope that spring will come, and with it will come joy once again. When we hit times of adversity, like winter, we feel distress, notice our mood decreases, and feel like the light in our lives decreases. Adversity doesn't last forever, just like winter. Following times of adversity and grief comes the signs of spring, slowly and surely creeping into our lives again.

There is hope. Whether it's the weather, a tough situation, adversity, pain, or grief- spring will come. Joy will return.

Now it's your turn!

How do you allow the hope of spring to get you through winter or times of adversity in life? What's your favorite season?

Thankfulness Project Monday

2012-02-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

"There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy."

-Ralph H. Blum

I love the phrase "a quiet joy". Sometimes we search after the next "big loud joy" in our lives (vacations, time of work or school, visits with friends, etc...), but we don't take time to experience the quiet joys in our lives. What if we took the time to focus in on the quiet joys of our every day lives- the smiles of others, the smells of food cooking, the sounds of birds chirping, or the joy of helping someone else out? How might that change us?

Here are a few of the quiet joys from my week that I am thankful for:

The sound of birds chirping: This isn't a sound I expect to hear in mid-February, but when I woke up this morning I heard them chirping outside my window. I paused for a few moments and allowed myself to enjoy the sound that I so often take for granted in my life.
The smell of coffee brewing: I love starting my morning off with a hot cup of coffee, and the smell perks me up, especially on chilly mornings. I have to admit that most of the time I'm guilty of not pausing to enjoy this little moment of the day.
Sunshine! I'm so thankful that this winter has been sunnier then usual. Even on chilly days the feel of sunshine beating down of me is fantastic.
Music: Music has the ability to deeply move the soul. It can lift our spirit, transport us back in time, and motivate us to keep going. Music is powerful and enjoyable, and I'm glad that it exists!
Conversations with family and friends: Sometimes they are planned, sometimes they are unplanned. Either way- I love them! It obviously takes time and intentional effort to reach out to those around us, but it's worth it.

I challenge each of you to be on the lookout for the "quiet joys" in your life throughout the next week. Pause and notice the sights, sounds, and feelings around you as you live your daily life.

Now it's your turn!

What makes it difficult to notice the "quiet joys" in your life? What are you thankful for today?

Love is...

2012-02-14T08:22:00.000-05:00

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

~1 Corinthians 13

This passage has always stood out to me. What if we each loved others this way? What if we could let go of our hurried, envious, boastful, proud selves and loved others? Of course we are imperfect people living in an imperfect world, which means that we can't love others perfectly. But we can take steps in our ability to love others (and ourself!) well.

Last year's post on Valentine's day post may be a helpful read. It discusses Love as a function of wellness. You can see it here

Now it's your turn:

Is there a characteristic of love that is easy for you? What's one of the hardest things (i.e. patience, not easily angered, etc...). Do you have any plans today.

Thankfulness Project Monday

2012-02-13T05:00:00.001-05:00

"There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy."

-Ralph A. Blum

I'll be honest. I'm tired tonight (it's Sunday night as I type this). I've had a really busy and excitingly fun weekend, and it's worn me out. This weeks list of what I'm thankful for will be short and sweet, but it doesn't mean I'm feeling any less thankful!

Sleep: This week was busy and fun, but it included a lot of late nights and early mornings. I'm feeling really tired right now, and looking forward to my nights of sleep over the next couple nights. I'm thankful for sleep, and how it allows us to be a healthy, well functioning individual.
A time to think about love: I know some people get frustrated if they are single this time of year. You know what? It's OK! This time of the year is a great reminder to focus on those you love, and how you love them. This includes friends, family, AND YOURSELF. Although I don't love the hallmark holiday so much, I do enjoy the reminder of loving those around us.
The opportunity to do what I love to do: While I was originally thinking about this in terms of my job, I guess it reaches much more then that. I'm thankful for my job, as well as getting to engage in hobbies that I enjoy.
Sports games on the weekend: FUN! It's a chance to get out and cheer and enjoy time with others. I love watching them:)
Good food: I had quite a bit of that this weekend too. Yummm.

Simple list, but I'm still feeling thankful today.

Now it's your turn!

What are you feeling thankful for today? Do you catch up on sleep on the weekends, or do you usually find yourself more sleep deprived by the end of it?

Friday Favorites

2012-02-10T05:00:00.001-05:00

Favorite Tiny Delight of the Week

Cleaning! Most of us do some amount of cleaning each week (I hope!), but sometimes it's good to do a more then average type of cleaning... you know, the type of cleaning that goes above and beyond what you usually do. The type of cleaning that involves throwing things out. The type of cleaning that involves organizing (or maybe re-organizing) things. I know, it's not quite spring yet, but who says that a little bit of spring cleaning can't come early this year? I love my house feeling a bit lighter and more put together. I guess the extra sun this weather has helped my levels of motivation?

Favorite Quote of the Week

"The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to be." -Socrates

Favorite Post By Someone Else

Changes in the Brain Resulting From Anorexia - This is a great post that succinctly summarizes how the brain changes, or at least some common denominators in the brain, when an individual has struggled with anorexia. It's a quick read and will help increase your understanding! Check it out!

Favorite Past Post

Loving Myself, Loving Others- I wrote this post right about this time last year as a sort of response to some thoughts on Valentine's Day. Please check this post out and figure out some next steps towards loving yourself better!

Favorite Search Term

guinea pig cooking
cognitive distortions catastrophizing
distortion of identity
don't play the victim
let's break stress

Now it's your turn!

What's one of your favorites from the week? Do you do one big "spring cleaning" each year or do you break it into sections?

Wellness Wednesday: {A Review Of Life Task 2}

2012-02-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday, a fun mid-week look at the areas of wellness in our lives. To remind you, in talking about wellness I'm discussing the positive factors in life that help protect us from the events of life. Wellness is therefore not about the absence of the negative, but the presence of the positive. I just finished talking about the 2nd (out of 5) life tasks, and I thought this would be a good time for us to review these components.

Source

Life Task 2 is made up of 12 subtasks:

A few questions to get you thinking:

What is your greatest area of strength?
How does this strength further your overall wellness?
What are your greatest areas of improvement?
What is one step in each of these areas that you can take to help improve those areas?
How does your overall wellness in nutrition affect your stress management?
What's one new healthy coping skill that you could implement?

It's interesting to think about how the health in one area of our life affects our health in another (either positively or negatively). It's important to regularly evaluate how each of the areas of our wellness is currently impacting us.

Now it's your turn!

What are your thoughts on wellness in your life? What areas are easier to be healthy in, and what areas are a little more difficult?

Surviving The Winter Blues

2012-02-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

Many of us notice a decrease in mood in the winter, even if we don't experience Seasonal Affective Disorder. While it can be difficult to motivate yourself or feel happy in a day, there are things that we can do to help get us through the winter blues.

Participate In A Hobby: A hobby can be beneficial to decrease overall stress, can increase enjoyment, and give us something to look forward to. It can help increase our motivation and allow us to feel a sense of accomplishment. Each of these things is important for helping us feel better when we have the "winter blues".
Plan Fun Activities: Having an event to look forward to helps to perk us up a bit and can get us excited and motivated! This provides laughter, enjoyment, fun, and social support. Sometimes when we feel down, having something fun to look forward to at the end of the week can help motivate and "get you through" that week.
Exercise: I know, I know. I think many of us get sick of being told to move. However, there's a reason that people talk about it so much. It's healthy, impacts multiple areas of wellness, and really does help! Even getting outside and going on a walk with friends can be helpful!
Volunteer: Getting outside of ourselves can be helpful in increasing our mood. If you have the time, find a place you can volunteer. Some places you can go for 1-2 hours one time, or you could find a place to volunteer a few hours a week!
Get out of the house: Walk around the mall, read at a coffee shop, hang out with friends, go to a club or religious service. The temptation when mood goes down is to isolate. Isolation is the fuel for depression, so resist the urge to lock yourself in your room for days on end.
Laugh! Whether it's with friends, watching a funny TV show, or looking at funny pictures online, laughter is healthy. Do it often:)
Light Therapy:I've talked about this before, but using a light can help increase mood. Talk to your doctor before using one, however, as it could make mania worse in those who struggle with bipolar disorder. (you can find out more about this treatment here)

These are just a few of the things that have been helpful for me over the years in getting through the gray and gloomy months of winter. For more information on the "winter blues" or seasonal affective disorder, check out the other posts from this series:

What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Treatments For Seasonal Affective Disorder

Now it's your turn!

How do you survive the winter blues? What's your favorite hobby?

Thankfulness Project Monday

2012-02-06T05:00:00.001-05:00

"It is greatfulness which makes the soul great." -Abraham Joshua Heschel

There was something about this quote that really stood out to me, and I've been saving it for a couple weeks for a thankfulness posts. So, here you go:) The more I practice regular thankfulness and gratitude, the more I believe this is an important component of being a healthy individual. I continue to challenge each of you to add this to your daily or weekly habits!

That being said, here are a few things I'm feeling thankful for today:

Time with someone I dearly love: This past week I got to spend time with someone that I deeply care about and don't get to see very often. Time with people like this is so precious to me, and I try to live moment to moment in the days I have.
Exercise: Throughout my day I look forward to pounding everything out on the treadmill, elliptical, or bike. It's time to process my day before I get home, and I'm almost always in a better mood when I'm done. I'm thankful I have access to equipment to work out in the winter months.
Twitter Chats: There's numerous twitter chats for just about any subject you can think of on twitter. It's a great way to connect with people who have similar interests, and gain some knowledge or be challenged in different ways. Take some time to figure out if there are any twitter chats that might be fun for you to participate in throughout the week!
Almond Milk: Lactose free and full of calcium, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite drinks. I'm not a fan of drinking milk, but I actually look forward to a cup of this milk. Have you ever tried it?
Salsa: LOVE. If it's mango or peach, I'm gonna love it even more. I crave this almost every time I work out, and absolutely love eating it. Salsa is a constant exercise in self control for me!

Now it's your turn:

What are you feeling thankful for today? Have you ever tried almond milk? What twitter chats do you participate in throughout the week?

Friday Favorites

2012-02-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

Favorite Tiny Delight of the Week

This awesome weather. I think I could simply leave it at that, because this weather has been really amazing. Coming off a few weeks of talking about Seasonal Affective Disorder, it's funny that the weather across the country has been unusually warm. The sun shining every day has been a welcome change to the gloomy and gray weather that is typical of January and February.

Favorite Quote of the Week

"Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones." -Phillips Brooks

Favorite Past Post

When Tomorrow Comes - a post about how we use our day. I love the quote that is included in this post!

Favorite Search Term

jokes about pinterest
cauliflower sweet potato
types of wellness
black and white thoughts
boundary wheel in counseling

This post is short and sweet today. I'm out enjoying the nice weather:)

Now it's your turn!

Has the weather been unusually nice for you this week? What events in your life have developed character?

Treatments For Seasonal Affective Disorder

2012-02-02T05:00:00.001-05:00

Continuing on with my discussion on Seasonal Affective Disorder, today I'll be talking about how to treat it. There are a number of ways to treat seasonal affective disorder. Like traditional depression, a combination of medication and therapy may be incredibly helpful.
In regards to therapy, the following steps will likely be discussed:

Another step that can be taken to help treat Seasonal Affective Disorder is the use of light therapy (also known as phototherapy). In this type of therapy "you sit a few feet from a specialized light therapy box so that you're exposed to bright light. Light therapy mimics outdoor light and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood" (source). An important side note- the light therapy, while helpful, can increase symptoms for those who have bipolar disorder. Please talk to your doctor before purchasing a box!

In the morning while getting ready, eating breakfast, or reading, you can turn on the light and let it hit your eyes. This will mimic the sun and not only help wake you up in the morning, but will help change the levels of chemicals and hormones in your body that will regulate mood, among other things! Some insurance companies will help cover the costs of this, so talk to your doctor! For anyone living in a place with little sunlight in the winter, this can be a great asset to overall health and a feeling of wellness in life!

As with depression, there are other lifestyle and environmental changes you can make to help aid in treating this disorder. Keep blinds open to allow for light (even if it isn't sunny outside) to fill your house. Get out and move. With depression that's generally one of the last things you want to do, but getting outside and moving can greatly help overall mood. Surrounding yourself with good social supports and not isolating is also incredibly important.

Here are other posts from this series:
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Now it's your turn:

Have you ever heard of light therapy before? What steps do you take in the winter to keep your mood up?

Wellness Wednesday: {Cultural Identity}

2012-02-01T05:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday! For more information on the Wheel of Wellness, you can check out my wellness page, which includes every past "Wellness Wednesday" post! Remember that wellness isn't the absence of the negative, but the presence of the positive in our lives.

Remember that I'm using the Wheel of Wellness to help visualize health in life:

Source

Alright, after today's post we'll have finally made it through all of Life Task 2 of the Wheel of Wellness. So, today we move on to the final subtask of Life Task 2: Cultural Identity!

Myers & Sweeney define this subtask the following way:

Satisfaction with one’s cultural identity, feeling supported in one’s culture, valuing relationships with people of many cultures, transcendence of cultural identity, competency to cope with stress of cultural identity

When most people start listing dimensions of wellness, this is not one that is often mentioned. However, I think it's an important component of wellness, and once again I'm happy that Myers & Sweeney have included this in the dimensions of Wellness. Myers & Sweeney say the following about cultural identity: "cultural identity incorporates racial identity, acculturation, and an appreciation for the unique aspects of one's culture and is positively related to well-being. It is a positive personal strength that enhances growth and development across the life span" (Myers & Sweeney, 2005, p. 25). Of course our views on most things in life are in some way influenced by our culture as well.

For many Caucasians, it can feel like we don't have a culture, or at least culture the way that some other groups of people experience culture. For those of you who feel that way, here's an idea of how to connect with culture:

Determine what countries your ancestors come from. Do a bit of research to figure out what the beliefs, habits, and holidays of those cultures are.
Match these values, beliefs, or habits with your own life to see what has trickled down from these cultures.
Is there a way that you can incorporate your country of origin's celebrations into your life here? This can help you gain an appreciation of other cultures, all while gaining knowledge and having fun!

Once you go looking for it, it's interesting how many things we do that come from other cultures.

And a few questions to get you thinking:

Are there things you can do to learn more about other cultures and gain an appreciation of them?
How can you increase your knowledge of your own culture?
What can you do to interact with people from other cultures? How can you "get outside yourself"?
Have you ever felt unappreciated or discriminated against because of your culture?
If you experience stress due to your cultural identity, what steps can you take to keep yourself healthy?

Now it's your turn:

Do you feel you have a culture? How can you increase your appreciation of both your own culture and of the cultures around you?

* Myers & Sweeney. Counseling For Wellness: Theory, Research, and Practice. (2005).

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

2012-01-31T07:48:00.000-05:00

Following a discussion on what seasonal affective disorder is and what causes it, it's only natural to now discuss the signs and symptoms of the disorder itself.

The Mayo Clinic lists the following as symptoms of fall and winter SAD (source):

Depression
Hopelessness
Anxiety
Loss of Energy
Heavy, "leaden" feeling in the arms or legs
Social withdrawal
Oversleeping
Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
Weight gain
Difficulty concentrating

Of course if an individual is experiencing this symptoms year round, it's likely they are experiencing depression, and not specifically seasonal affective disorder. And, of course, we all have days that we feel at least some of these feelings. However, if you are experiencing this symptoms for more days then not for a few weeks, it is important to contact your health care provider. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact your doctor, go to the hospital, or call 911.

Now it's your turn:

After looking at this list, do you think either you or someone close to you has experienced SAD?

Thankfulness Project Monday

2012-01-30T05:00:00.001-05:00

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." -Epictetus

Happy Monday! This has been a really enjoyable week, and there's quite a few things that I'm feeling thankful for today. Today for my Thankfulness Project post, I'm choosing to rejoice in the things that I have been given in life:

I'm thankful for puppies: They are cute, fun to play with, and incredibly cuddly. And it's hard to not smile and laugh when I'm around them! And pets are generally healthy to have around too, so that's a big plus!
I'm thankful for running: I can pound out some stress, have some time apart to clear my head and process the day, think about what I want to do with my clients, and get some endorphins! Plus I know I'm doing something to benefit my body for the future.
I'm thankful for friends around me: There's very little I feel like I need to say about this. I'm thankful for the love, support, and laughter I get from the people in my life.
I'm thankful for fresh baked bread: Give me some olive oil with pepper and/or garlic to dip it into, and I'm a very happy camper. Not only is it delicious, but it is a comfort food as well! Yummm.
I'm thankful for hot showers: I try to be responsible and take as short of showers as I can. However, in the winter there's little that feels better then hot water and a steamy bathroom around you. Have you ever wondered why showers seem to be such a great place to think?
I'm thankful for foods covered in chocolate: Raisons, fruit, nuts- it's all delicious, and when it's dark chocolate, there are health benefits too:)
I'm thankful for quotes that allow us to refocus

Now it's your turn!

What are you feeling thankful for today? Where's your favorite place to think and process the day?

Weekend Wrap Up

2012-01-29T05:00:00.001-05:00

Sometimes we just need to smile a bit-

source

I'm not a morning person at all, so this picture made me smile.

Here's what you may have missed this past week:

Now it's your turn!

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Did you do anything fun this weekend?

Friday Favorites

2012-01-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

Favorite Tiny Delight of the Week

Stretching! Do you regularly stretch? Flexibility has been shown to provide multiple health benefits, both short term and long term. A regular stretching practice can be an incredibly important part of your week! For me, not only is it a healthy behavior that I engage in, but while I stretch I choose to focus on my breath. I slow my thoughts and my breathing, and focus in on the present. This becomes a very stress reliving activity for me, but mentally and physically.

Favorite Quote of the Week

"Courage to start and willingness to keep everlasting at it are the requisites for success." - Alonzo Newton Benn

It's easy to quit and define ourselves as a "failure" when things don't work out after one or two times of trying. This quote landed in my inbox earlier this week, and I thought I'd share today!

Favorite Post By Someone Else

Things Blogging Has Taught Me by the Lean Green Bean. I actually just started reading her blog this past week, and this is one of the first blogs that I read from her! I loved it and thought I'd pass it along to each of you. I hope you enjoy:)

Favorite Past Post

Success or Failure? - Most of us feel like a failure at some point in our lives. This post addresses the feelings of failure that we have, and suggests some steps for wrestling through our definitions of failure in life.

Favorite Search Term

how does perfectionism develop
playing the victim
sense of control in life
don't try to live someone else's life
a loved one has ocd

Now it's your turn:

What are some of your favorites for the week? Do you easily define yourself or your behaviors as a "failure"? Do you regularly stretch?

Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder

2012-01-26T05:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'll be continuing my discussing on Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you missed my introductory post on the definition of SAD and who it affects, you can check that post out here.

Today I'll be looking at the causes of SAD. This is a bit tricky, as the actual cause of the disorder is fairly unknown. The Mayo Clinic suggests that "it's likely, as with many mental health conditions, that genetics, age and, perhaps most importantly, your body's natural chemical makeup all play a role in developing the condition" (source). Because this disorder primarily happens in the winter, when there is a lack of sunlight, it leads people to believe that sunlight plays a big role in this disorder.

The Cleveland Clinic suggests the following: "One theory is that with decreased exposure to sunlight, the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in the winter. Another theory is that brain chemicals that transmit information between nerves, called neurotransmitters (for example, serotonin), may be altered in individuals with SAD" (source).

So, it appears that a number of contributors such as the body's natural rhythm, hormone & other chemical levels, and exposure to light all play a role in seasonal affective disorder.

Now it's your turn to share:
Any thoughts on the "winter blues"? What's one thing you do to stay happy and healthy in the winter?

Wellness Wednesday: {Gender Identity}

2012-01-25T05:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday! It might be good to take a moment to refresh your memory about the Wheel of Wellness, and my wellness page includes every past "Wellness Wednesday" post! Remember that wellness isn't the absence of the negative, but the presence of the positive in our lives.

Remember that I'm using the Wheel of Wellness to help visualize health in life:

Source

Today we'll be moving on to our next subtask of Life Task 2: Gender Identity. Only one more subtask for Life Task 2 to go!

Myers & Sweeney define this subtask the following way:

Satisfaction with one’s gender identity, feeling supported in one’s gender, valuing relationships with people of both genders, transcendence of gender identity, competency to cope with stress of gender identity.

This can be a hot topic for people, and I'm glad that this was included in the 17 components of wellness! It obviously goes without saying that if we don't feel valued and accepted for who we are, that will affect our emotions and our health. I also think it goes without saying that we shouldn't belittle someone or make jokes at someone's expense simply because of their gender.

A few questions to get you thinking:

How are you supportive of people in regards to their gender?
Are there any words or actions you use that devalue a person because of their gender? If yes, what can you do to change this?
Do you have friends of both genders? If no, what makes you stick to one and not the other?
Why are friendships with both genders healthy?
Do you ever experience stress because of your gender? If yes- what are some coping skills you can use to stay healthy?
How do you embrace your gender identity?
How does health, or a lack of health, impact other components of wellness?

Now it's your turn:

What are some ways we can show value to each person and help others to feel supported in their gender? What are some ways you see people devaluing others based on their gender? Other thoughts on gender identity?

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

2012-01-24T05:00:00.002-05:00

Now that we have arrived into the depth of winter, a common complaint I hear in my office is that people are struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Because this is reasonably common, and it's the more common season to struggle with this, I thought I would do a few posts on the topic.

Today I will simply address the question "What is Seasonal Affective Disorder"?

According to the Mayo Clinic, "seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start i the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer" (source).

While SAD can occasionally occur in the spring/summer months, it is far more likely that people will experience this in the fall and winter. SAD is also known as the "winter blues" and is a feeling of sadness and depression during those months. Approximately 5% of the population struggles with SAD, although this number varies by state (Alaska would have a much higher percentage of people diagnosed with SAD then southern states, for example). Interestingly, "women are twice to three times more likely to suffer from the winter blues than men" (psychcentral).

Now it's your turn:
Have you ever heard of or experienced the winter blues?

Thankfulness Project Monday

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend, and are starting the week feeling refilled or productive! Here's a few things you may have missed in the last week:

On Tuesday I talked about our body's reaction to stress
On Wednesday I talked about Stress Management Techniques
On Thursday I talked about playing the victim
On Friday I talked about my favorites for the week
On Saturday I shared a recipe for sweet potato cauliflower soup

And now here's a few of the things that Im feeling thankful for today:

The wind dying down: It's been so windy the last week, and I can hear it howling while inside the house! Luckily the wind has finally died down, and it feels tolerable to walk outside again!
Hot Tea: I think this goes along with it being a colder week outside! I've had tea non-stop each day, and I love the variety of tastes that tea can have! I don't have a favorite flavor, but have still been drinking a lot of the candy cane green tea from Christmas.
Meals with Friends: There are very few things I enjoy more then sitting down to a meal with friends and spending that time talking about life, laughing, and processing various events. More often then not, sitting down with a friend lifts my mood and leaves me thinking a bit more clearly then I did before.
Magazines: Simply put, I love them! I love curling up in front of the TV on saturdays and flipping through magazine articles, looking for organizational or fitness tips, or even recipes.
Time to Organize: After a very busy fall and holiday season, I finally have some time to sit down and go through old papers and things that have stacked up since this summer! It feels good to finally get some control over all that extra stuff in the house, and feels even better to toss some of it out!

Now it's your turn!

What are you feeling thankful for today? Now that Christmas is over, what's your favorite hot drink to consume?

Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup

2012-01-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

As I was scanning through pinterest a few weeks ago, I stumbled on a recipe for Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup on Manifest Vegan. I'm not a huge fan of sweet potatoes or cauliflower, but the soup looked good, so I decided to give it try. I did make a few slight modifications on the Ingredients list, but you'll need to head over to Manifest Vegan to see the actual recipe!

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
3 sweet potatoes
1 sweet onion
1 can of Chickpeas (I added this for some extra protein)
Garlic powder
6.5 cups Water
Lots of pepper

The Cooking Process:

You'll definitely want to check out her original post, because her pictures are so much better then my own! For not really liking sweet potato or cauliflower soup, I actually really liked this one! It's warm and filling for a cold, winter day! I made a big batch and was able to freeze half of it for later! This soup was very easy and quick to make, which I enjoy! My only complaint was that it used a few dishes to cook, but really, that is such a small thing that this recipe is still WELL worth your time!

Now it's your turn!

Do you make a lot of soups in the winter? What are some of your favorite ways to add protein to your favorite dishes?

Friday Favorites

2012-01-20T05:00:00.002-05:00

Favorite Tiny Delight of the Week

Blogs! Is that even ok for me to have that be a tiny delight? I vote yes, so we're going to move forward with that. I've been loving some good blogs this week! Whether they're blogs by other counselors, those struggling with a mental illness, or those who are writing healthy living blogs, I learn so much and my thinking is challenged in different areas! Thank you so much to each of you who take the time out of your day to write what you know, what you're learning, and what you're struggling through! I always look forward to opening my google reader for the evening!

Favorite Quote of the Week

"What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? I was practicing for this, I was training for this." -Epictetus

Inspiring, isn't it?

Favorite Post By Someone Else

On Behalf Of All the !0+ Minute Mile Runners - This post by the Wannabe Athlete is a great post discussing running at slower paces. I know a lot of people don't feel like a "real runner" if they aren't running 8 minute splits, and it can get discouraging! This post is for you!!

Favorite Past Post

Life Is A Daring Adventure - This post is based around a quote that I mull over quite a bit in life. Any thoughts from you all?

Favorite Search Term

Is Perfectionism black and white
challenge irrational beliefs
identity distortions
songs for counselors day
banana bread greek yogurt

Now it's your turn!

What are some of your favorites for the week? How can you practice for hardship?

Playing the Victim Role To Stress

2012-01-19T05:00:00.002-05:00

"When we have been prevented from learning how to say no, our bodies end up saying it for us."

- Dr. Mate

When we put our body into constant stress mode for extended periods of time, we will end up paying a price. Whether it is physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or relationally, it will affect us in some way or another. I think sometimes we get caught in the trap of thinking that we are invincible to stress, and that somehow we can avoid paying the price.

If that's how you think, and it certainly is tempting to think that way because it allows us to not have to change, let me break this to you: YOU WILL end up paying the price, and probably have already in some way.

Today I want to focus on not playing the victim role! I think there's often the temptation to be the victim to stress. After all, events happen to us that we can't control, and we must simply react to what we've been given. This causes stress, doesn't it? Absolutely! However, when we play the victim role to most anything in life, we tend to take the passive approach, and use that thing as an excuse to not do x, y, or z in our life. That thing might make things much more difficult for us, but if we take the passive role, we end up handing our life over to that thing.

And so it is with stress. Many of us have built our own prisons when it comes to stress, and kept ourselves in a passive victim role. We stay locked up in the prisons that we have built by our own choice. We don't always get to choose what happens to us, but we do get to choose how we respond. That means that we can choose if we want to be a victim to stress, or if we want to stand up and try to fight against it.

It WILL be uncomfortable at times. It will mean living differently then we have in the past. It will mean engaging in healthy stress management.

Here's my question to you: Are you willing to stand up and play an active role in fighting against stress in your life? Are you willing to say no, set limits appropriately, and take care of yourself? Are you willing to take control of your behaviors?

I invite you to join me in the journey of fighting against stress, and set up the structure of your life to limit the amount of stress that you experience!

Now it's your turn:

Why is it easy to play the victim role to stress, blaming it for things that happen in life instead of standing up and being responsible for our own behaviors?

Wellness Wednesday: {Stress Management Part 3}

2012-01-18T05:00:00.001-05:00

Remember that I'm using the Wheel of Wellness to help visualize health in life:

Source

This will be my last post on the subtask of stress management. You can check out part 1 and part 2 here.
Hopefully you are starting to realize that dealing with stress is crucial to your health, and that while it is definitely difficult to deal with at times, it is worth the time and effort.

Here are a few tips for starting to come up with a plan for stress management in your life:

Learn to say no and limit yourself: It's easy to overcommit ourselves. It makes us feel important, it helps us avoid having to deal with "real life problems", or it allows us to continue in our people pleasing. Learning to set boundaries and say no will help limit the number of controllable stressors in your life. We need to learn to say no appropriately, and there are limits to what you can give. You may need to say no to things that are good in life in order to not over spend yourself. (to learn more about boundaries, click here and scroll down to the "boundaries" heading).
Establish a regular practice of deep breathing: Deep Breathing will help control your heart rate, blood pressure, and allow your focus and concentration to increase: all necessary things in controlling our stress! I like to set an alarm for a few times during the day to practice. When you notice yourself starting to get stressed, immediately start deep breathing.
Decrease your unhealthy coping skills, and implement healthy coping skills: Check out this post I wrote on healthy coping. Our unhealthy coping skills, while they seem to work initially, actually create more stress in the long run. Practice and implement healthy coping skills to help effectively decrease your stress.
Don't Use Words Too Big For the Subject: In this post I did on using appropriate language, I talked about the possible detrimental ramifications on using words that are too big for the subject at hand. Watch how you talk to yourself when you're stressed. If you're using words like "horrible", "terrible", "completely overwhelming", "unbearable" or other similar words, you're likely to not only increase your feelings of stress dramatically, but you are less likely to function well in the middle of the situation. Use words that are appropriate for the situation.
Engage in Self Care: In the midst of a crazy schedule and stress, the last thing that seems important is taking time to take care of yourself. Check out this post on self care for ways to take care of yourself!

There are a few easy ways to care for yourself and decrease your stress on a regular basis. Come back tomorrow for a post on not playing the victim role to the stress in our lives!

Now it's your turn:

What's your favorite way to stand up to stress? Why do we use words that are too big for the subject that we are talking about? How can we feel ok about saying no appropriately!

Our Body's Reaction To Stress

2012-01-17T05:00:00.001-05:00

The last few weeks in my Wellness Wednesday posts I've been discussing the subtask of stress management. In case you've missed it, here are the posts in this mini-series:

Wellness Wednesday: {Stress Management Part 1- Healthy Coping}
Wellness Wednesday: {Stress Management Part 2-Eustress}

I thought it might be helpful to explain what actually happens when we get stressed. When we start to feel stressed, our body needs to increase its cardiovascular output in order to bring oxygen and energy to certain muscles. Our body puts out a large amount of stress hormones, which can lead to the following progression:

Increased heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Hypertension
Accumulation of plaque on the inner lining of blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks or cardiac death
Neuropsychological changes in affect and behavior

Stress is no joke, but we tend to brush it off, refuse to take the time to deal with it, or even chase after it. During stressful times, our immune system can be negatively impacted because:

immune organs shrink
disease-fighting cells can be decreased in both number and function

Then there are the changes that we tend to easily recognize when we start feeling stressed:

Our appetite can change

Some lose their appetite and feel sick
Others eat turn to junk food because they crave the simple carbs
Either way we aren't giving our body what it needs to function & remain healthy

Irritability increases (which can deeply affect relationships)
Irrational thoughts become more frequent (leading to increase in anxiety & depressed feelings)

So let me say this again: Stress is no joke! I know it's easy to get into a cycle where we get busy and overwhelmed, and the last thing we think of doing is taking time out of our crazy schedule to cope with the stress in a healthy way. When we're in stress mode, the thought of taking energy to decrease the stress is far from our minds. However, we need to do that which goes against what we naturally want to do: we need to fight the stress and cope with it in healthy ways in order to keep ourselves well both physically and mentally.

Part of the problem is that we get so focused on stress that we sometimes ignore the physical cues that our body sends out, and we find ourselves drowning in stress without realizing it. Here's my challenge to you: Learn the physical cues your body sends out so you can deal with it at the beginning instead of finding yourself drowning in it.

Now it's your turn:
How does your body respond to stress? Does it ever seem like you're too busy to deal with stress? What might the results of this be?