What's Inside this edition: 

Using Affirmations to Discover the Joys in Your Life

 Practical Tips for Healthy Eating and Living Your Best Life on Purpose!

How to Relax When Life is Out of Control

  Using Affirmations to Discover the

Joys in Your Life

Affirmations are simple statements we can use to improve our self-esteem, help us reach a goal, break a bad habit, find love, or even discover joy in our lives. Positive affirmations work hand in hand with our subconscious to make lasting changes for the better.  We may experience joy often, but we do not know how to celebrate it enough. Sadly, at other times, we are unaware that it is present. Positive affirmations can help you rediscover that joy, peace, health, and happiness!

Here are some examples of positive affirmations and how they can improve your life:

1."I am worth it!" This positive affirmation tells us that we deserve to be happy. If you are feeling dejected or worthless, this affirmation can work wonders. You will see results by using this affirmation consistently and coupling it with an open heart. You will realize that you are more than deserving of happiness and joy.

2. "I go with the flow, and my life is easy and filled with happiness." Are you feeling stuck in a rut or completely stressed out? Going with the flow is an effective positive affirmation that helps you to release all that tension. This affirmation helps you rid your mind of negativity so that your joy can shine through.

3."I see the beauty in my surroundings, and I radiate love and joy." This positive affirmation will help you to notice all that's beautiful in this world. It will also teach you how to spread love and joy to those around you. You can enjoy everything this world has to offer; all you have to do is permit yourself to celebrate!

4."I now choose thoughts that nourish and lovingly support me." This affirmation will tell your subconscious that you are serious and that you want to make good, positive changes in your life. This affirmation helps you open your mind to constructive thoughts so you can celebrate all the joys life offers you.

5. "I can relax and accept the good that I know I deserve in my life." This is a positive affirmation that will help with your stress and patience. No matter how long it may take, you can be confident that only good things await you.  Even though you may be completely stressed out, this affirmation will help you to relax and slow down. 

6."I take time regularly to do the things that I love to do; I follow my heart, and I am happy." This positive affirmation celebrates someone significant - you! You take the time to make yourself a priority, and you are an active player in your life!  To be happy is extremely important, and joy will follow you wherever you go when you recite this affirmation frequently.

Joy is essential, and our lives should be filled with it. Positive affirmations allow us to refocus our lives to a point where we can be happy again. Practice positive affirmations regularly and celebrate all the joy that this life has to offer!  

Practical Tips for Healthy Eating and Living

taken from the course: Living Your Best Life on Purpose!
 

Living on a Budget

Do you want to live healthier, but you think it is too expensive? According to a recent survey, finances are a significant obstacle for many adults trying to shape up.

Almost 60% of Americans say that the high cost of health and wellness is a significant barrier to living a healthy lifestyle, according to OnePoll, a marketing research company. The figure rises to 68% for those who live in cities.

Today, innovative home gym equipment and meal subscription boxes could cost you thousands of dollars a year. However, many intelligent choices are free or nearly free. Try these ideas for protecting your health and your budget.

Affordable Ways to Eat Healthily:

1. Dine-In 

We all know this information; however, it is not what we know but what we do. I encourage you to start preparing meals at home to save much money and give you more control over the ingredients. You are likely to use much less sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats than most restaurants.

2. Consume More Plants

I know that a vegetarian or plant-based diet is not for everyone, but significant benefits are. A plant-based diet can help the planet and your health and often cost less than eating meat and other animal products. Load up on vegetables, fruits, lentils, beans, nuts, and seeds. It may sometimes seem costly on the front; however, it pays dividends on the backend, such as fewer doctor and hospital visits.

3. Grow Your Food

You can garden even with limited time and space. Maybe you can use your backyard, balcony, or roof. Maybe you can grow herbs on your kitchen windowsill and hang a vertical garden on an outside wall.

4. Shop the Freezer Aisle

Is your favorite product out of season or rarely on sale? You may be able to use frozen options in some recipes. Purchasing frozen or buying in season and freezing fruits and vegetables yourself is a time and money saver.  Please read the labels on how your frozen food is prepared.

5. Cut down on Waste

Between 30 to 40% of the food supply goes to waste in the US. We can do our part by purchasing what you need and using leftovers.

6. Food Prep

Many people prep their meals every week; you will have to plan your meals out weekly. The thought of food prep may seem intimidating; however, meal prepping is a great way to meet your health goals.  Once you have made your plans for the week, the next step would be to prep your ingredients, such as washing, peeling, dicing, or whatever is necessary for the specific meal.

Making meals ahead of time is an opportunity to make meals and divide them into containers for a quick lunch or dinner that you can reheat at your convenience. As you think about making meals ahead, another way is batch cooking. Make large batches such as soup, Chile, or casserole and place them into individual portions.

Today's Activity:

In your journal today, write down the following:

-Where are most of your meals made?
-How often do you and your family eat out?
-How much does it cost for you and your family to eat out weekly or monthly?

-Do you and your family eat together at a table?  If not, where do you eat?
-Consider taking an outing to a farmers' market in your area. What did you find? Were the prices similar to your grocery store? How was the produce?

Resources
 

5 Tips For Eating Healthy On A Budget - ULTIMATE Beginners Guide [video]  https://youtu.be/o6_2HE5xzNY 

HEALTHY EATING ON A BUDGET | 10 grocery shopping tips to save money [Video]  https://youtu.be/5jc1NGlnYQk 

HOW TO RELAX WHEN Life is Out of Control

Through lots of practice, stress is a constant companion, and most of us have become experts at elevating our stress levels. The ability to relax is an acquired skill too. Luckily, you can teach yourself to handle stress in a manner that minimizes it. However, the more stressed you feel, the more challenging it can be to relax. Discover how you can relax your body and mind when stress levels are out of control:

1. Take a moment to stretch. Stand up for a few minutes and stretch your body. Release the tension and stress in your muscles. Shake your arms and legs individually and get back to work. Try this. It works!

2. Move. If more time is available, 30 minutes of exercise can work wonders. Avoid limiting yourself to the standard walk or jog. Play a match of tennis or attempt to break your personal bench press record. Consider whether you’d prefer to exercise alone or with others and make it happen. Get up and dance. Dancing releases serotonin and other endorphins, which can lead to a feeling of well-being.

3. Listen to music. Music can be very soothing. The theme from Rocky might make you feel great, but it might not be the best choice if you’re feeling agitated. Choose music that you find relaxing.

4. Meditate. Meditation is simple but challenging. You can learn to focus your thoughts and relieve your tension. Keep your thoughts focused on your breath and return to these thoughts whenever you get distracted. What could be simpler?

5. Reach out to others. Some of us find relaxation in being alone, while others feel better with others. Reach out to your friends and family. You can discuss your feelings and the challenges you’re facing. You could also choose to use the people in your life as a distraction. Go out to dinner or watch a movie. Have a little fun.

6. Laugh. Maybe laughter is the best medicine. Pull out your favorite video or spend the evening at a comedy club. Call your funniest friend for a chat. Read a book of jokes. Find something or someone that will make you laugh.

7. Feel gratitude. It’s easy to forget all the beautiful things in your life during challenging times. Make a list of all the blessings in your life. Focus on feeling gratitude. By reminding yourself of all the good things, the bad things won’t seem nearly as bad.

8. Take a nap. One of the best ways to reset your nervous system is sleeping. Find a quiet place and lie down for an hour. A nap can be the best stress-buster.

9. Think happy thoughts. Remember a happy past event. Relive it in your mind. Creative visualization can be an excellent way to break your stress. Be creative and enjoy yourself.

10. Drop the caffeine from your diet. Caffeine and stress don’t combine well. Give your nervous system a reprieve and avoid caffeinated beverages. Do you really need to be any more stimulated?

11. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. You could also cover your ears and focus on what you see. You’ll look sillier. Block off one of your senses and focus on your environment. This is an excellent way to be more present.

Giving your attention to your surroundings will stop your mind from creating more stress. Stress is a part of daily life. Learning to manage it makes life more enjoyable. The best time to address stress is the moment it begins. There’s a momentum to stress. Once your stress reaches a high level, it’s far more challenging to reduce. Most stress-reduction techniques provide a small to moderate amount of relief. Use them sooner rather than later and prevent a meltdown before it happens.

Resources

Relieve Stress & Anxiety at Work [video] https://youtu.be/IOfKsBlx3I0

Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety | Huberman Lab Podcast #10 [video] https://youtu.be/ntfcfJ28eiU

Sneak Peak

Cultural Competence

What it is, Why it’s Important, and How to Develop It.

Cultures around the world do things differently. Although, the core human needs are the same- love, faith, food, water, shelter, and health- how we achieve those goals can differ widely.

You don’t have to go to another country to find someone with a different culture. Travel from rural America to urban America or from state to state, and you can feel and see a noticeable shift in culture.

You likely experience different cultures in your own city. In fact, you might even have a different culture than your spouse (even if you were raised in the same area).

Have you ever disagreed with your significant other about parenting, finances, or how to cook dinner? Chances are you’ve brought the culture of your upbringing into your relationship.

We all have a way of looking at the world, and whether we realize it or not, we carry our culture wherever we go.

Cultural competence is the ability to understand and interact respectfully with different cultures.

This eBook will explore what it means to be culturally competent, why it’s essential, and some of the best ways to develop cultural competence.

Coming Soon!