When we care for people on a daily basis, whether we are healers, caregivers, or parents, we can experience burnout if we don’t take time for self-nurturing. We can get so depleted that we don’t have anything left to give. Have you ever experienced that? It’s a common occurrence for women. Taking care of yourself is an important part of being in service to others. Slow down, take a break, and take a moment to listen to the needs of your body, mind, and spirit. Are you feeling stressed, exhausted, or beating yourself up for not getting everything done? If so, then it’s vitally important that you give yourself a little tender loving care before you go down for the count. If that happens, you won’t be able to care for anyone. Give yourself a bit of love and some guilt-free self-care on a daily basis, even if it’s just a few moments of quiet time. It is often in the stillness of our beings that we can hear our most authentic voice, an checking in with yourself emotionally, physically, and spiritually every day, can help build up some steam for the next round of your busy life. If you are experiencing burnout and are looking for strategies to get you back on your feet, please visit karynbender.com. [Photo taken from entrepreneur.com]

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Like crystals, may we be healers. May our many-faceted souls be ever reflecting of our mother Earth. May we be mirrors of growth, imitators of truth, reflectors of grace. May our beams shine upon the weary and the broken-hearted. Let them catch a glimpse of the infinite light that has created our spirits: as a delicate gemstone is formed with selfless intention, as well as patience. May we use our power for good, and shed vibes of well-being into the world. Let us bask in the glow that emulates the essence of clarity and healing: and may we be ever glimmering.

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Most of us never actively focus on the present moment. We spend most of our time thinking about the future, planning what needs to be done, or in the past, ruminating over how things could have been done differently. Even when we do make the decision to consciously start becoming aware of the present moment through meditation, scheduling the time for it can make it feel like a chore. We tend to put things like that at the bottom of our very long lists of things to do. Believe it or not, practicing mindfulness can take very little time out of the day, and isn’t hard to do at all. Being mindful when performing a task like cleaning, is a great way to get in a little meditation without working too hard for it. Most of the time we are thinking about other things when we do chores. Taking a few minutes to turn our focus and attention completely on what we are doing can do wonders for our mental state, as it calms and stills the mind.

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Hops are known for giving beer its bitter taste, especially in ales. This simple plant is not only a taste-enhancer and food preservative, but it’s also been used for medicinal purposes. If you suffer from insomnia or tension, then you’d be happy to know that hops is a natural sedative. Like many medicinal teas, hops carry tannins that are especially helpful for inflammation. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia found that hops are especially helpful for treating gastric functions. Combined, the medicinal qualities of hops are beneficial toward healing a wide variety of ailments. Whether you’re feeling the pressure from the holidays or are looking for one of the many medicinal benefits of hops, you might just have to sit back and enjoy a beer!

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Traversing the journey of a breast cancer diagnosis is a truly harrowing experience. It’s a physical, spiritual, and emotional roller coaster ride that can have long term, life changing effects on a woman. Survivors can feel like they’ve lost so much in the battle. There are some gifts, though, that survivors of this devastating illness can take away from the experience. Breast cancer can help you to understand that there is no limit to the amount of courage that you have. Even when you were in the depths of fear, you made it through and you’re still here. Breast cancer can teach you how to say “no” and create healthy boundaries. Breast cancer helps you to recognize that you have to take care of yourself first before you can take care of anyone else. Breast cancer can give you the gift of self-acceptance, and the ability to embrace who you are, no matter what.

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“No” is a powerful word. It can bring up feelings of guilt and anxiety when we use it. Sometimes it’s a hard thing to say when we want everyone to be happy or ensure that they like us. It’s also difficult because we’ve been raised to believe that “yes” is the loving, more agreeable way to respond to things. The problem with this way of thinking is that we don’t create healthy boundaries, which makes it almost impossible to live a balanced life. We say yes to things at the expense of our own happiness, health, and wellness. We say yes to everyone else, while saying no to ourselves. We deny ourselves time for self-care because we are too busy taking care of everybody else’s needs. When you allow yourself to say no, you are liberating and empowering yourself in a very positive way. You are practicing self-respect and meeting your own needs for a change. You are also creating space and time to say yes to the things that fulfill you.

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