Warrior Women - Empowering Women, Writers, and Dreamers

  While at my best friend's house for a visit a few weeks ago, she convinced me to try my hand at painting. Despite some reservations, it turned out to be quite relaxing and therapeutic. Teal is PCOS awareness color and orange is the infertility and miscarriage awareness color. It's been a good reminder to look at every day, to continue to move forward with hope, and not give into fear about the uncertainty of the unknown. #pcosawareness #warriorwomen #infertilityjourney #pcosfighter #pcos

  Knowing five simple steps can help you save a life. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/9/10/world-suicide-prevention-day ) September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, providing the opportunity for people across the globe to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) shares that, according to multiple studies, asking at-risk individuals if they are suicidal does not increase suicidal thoughts or the incidence of suicide. In fact, findings suggest acknowledging and talking about suicide may reduce, rather than increase , suicidal ideation. They promote 5 action steps you can use to communicate with a family member, friend, roommate or co-worker who may be having suicidal thoughts. These include: ASK . Open the door for effective dialogue by asking “are you thinking about suicide?” in a direct, non-judgmental manner. Other questions you can ask include, “how do you hurt?” or “how can I help?” Listen intently ...

Find ways to recharge during the long weekend. (Written for  http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/9/10/make-the-most-of-your-day-off )  A "long" holiday weekend can be a wonderful chance to spend time with family, relax and take some time to boost your emotional wellbeing before returning to busy schedules of work or school. On this Labor Day, invest in some simple self-care activities to give yourself the gift of recharging: Work on getting more sleep . Visit the Sleep Fitness Toolkit to explore how to create an ideal sleep environment, the impact of light exposure, tips to get back to sleep and ideas to sync your sleep/wake cycle.  Try a mindfulness practice . Mindfulness, or becoming aware of what is happening in the present moment, has been used for several thousand years as part of self-care routines. Practicing mindfulness for even five minutes a day can lead to improved focus and memory, reduced stress and anxiety and increased relationship satisfaction and empat...

Implement simple practices to help reset your child's schedule before school begins. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/8/12/healthy-sleep-patterns-for-children ) Adequate rest can help a student focus better in class, recall subjects easier and cope better with navigating emotions and relationships. But transitioning back to earlier bed times and morning alarms for school after the luxury of sleeping in this summer can be difficult for kids.  You can help ease that process by implementing the 5 keys to better sleep: Body sync . Start the shift to your regular school schedule now by moving up your child’s sleep and wake-up times in15 or 30 minutes increments every few days. This helps their body adjust slowly and naturally. Adding a new element of evening or morning routines every time like bathing/showering, choosing outfits, pet care or reading time will reinforce the progression. Light . Encourage your children to play outside when the weather permits. Soaking in ...

Creative ideas for your next campfire. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/8/3/celebrating-national-campfire-day ) Did you know that National Campfire Day is the first Saturday in August and National S’mores Day is August 10th? Sitting around a campfire with family and friends can be a fun and relaxing experience. You can enjoy it nearly anywhere - a backyard, at a campout, in your local park, by the shore - anyplace you can safely build a fire on the ground or in a firepit. Make your campfire extra special with these activities: Cook a tasty meal over the fire.  Roast marshmallows for S’mores. Get creative by substituting peanut butter cups for chocolate bars or oatmeal raisin cookies for graham crackers. Or try adding a slice of bacon for a sweet and salty treat. Sing a few campfire songs or take turns telling stories.  If you’re far enough away from city lights, spend some time stargazing and see if you can find constellations . Play fun games like Charade...

Get extra support while caregiving. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/7/21/what-is-caregiver-stress-syndrome ) Caregiving can be very rewarding. However, it’s a reality that the extra responsibilities and time commitment are difficult to manage. Caregiver Stress Syndrome sets in when these additional demands leave you feeling chronically exhausted - physically, mentally and emotionally. Experiencing this condition is not uncommon.  The key is to make your own health a priority so you can continue to provide care to your loved one. To do this, it is likely you’ll need some assistance from others. Consider enlisting support from these groups:  Family : Help with tasks like cleaning the house, dropping off a meal or providing transportation to a doctor’s appointment can free up time for self-care.  Friends : Be intentional about connecting with your support network. It may not be possible to attend book group, but you could still call in for the first few min...

Easy practices to help your little ones prep for the upcoming school year. Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/7/19/getting-kids-into-a-routine ) With a new school year approaching, ease your children’s transition from lazy summer days to their regular fall schedule using the tips below:  Re-establish Sleep Patterns. After long hours of daylight, staying up late to game or binge watch TV or irregular schedules due to travel, kids may have gotten out of school-time sleeping mode. Start the process now by setting bedtimes and morning alarms, then moving both up in 15 or 30 minutes increments every few days. For every time change, add a new element of evening or morning routines such as bathing/showering, choosing outfits, reading time or pet care. Visit the Sleep Fitness Toolkit for resources to help you get better sleep. Reboot Eating Habits. Activities, meals on the go and special treats can impact healthy eating habits and if the kids have been home all day this su...