Some super cool, super original ideas brought to you with the help of the energetic creative Girlfriend readers! Read in full on AARP The Girlfriend.
40 Unique Self-Care Tips You Haven’t Heard A Million Times Before
Tag: health
Let’s Talk About Vitamin D
My latest on AARP The Girlfriend: “Let’s Talk About Vitamin D.” Read it here.
Pro Tips For Beginner Skiers
How Worry Was Hurting Me And Those I Love Most
Note: This article was scheduled for today’s publication months ago, well before the world turned upside down with the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike ever before, it’s nearly impossible not to feel the weight of stress and worry bearing down. If you’re like me, there was always “enough” worry to contend with before the pandemic erupted. How much harder it is today to breathe deeply and stay calm while stuck indoors, digesting the daily news and facing the unknowns of coronavirus fallout. This personal story includes wise words from a friend and from a seasoned therapist, but if needed don’t hesitate to call the CDC stress-anxiety hotline for help.
IMAGE CRED: @KatieAbey
On social media I recently posted the meme, “Didn’t get much sleep last night but I did get a few solid hours of anxiety in,” followed by a trail of laugh-cry emojis. Many responded, piling on with a lot of LOLs and high-fives, much as I’d encouraged.
But truthfully, I wasn’t laughing on the inside. Worry wasn’t just waking me at night. Its presence was coloring my mood and clouding my judgment about what to say and how to say it. My worry was more than my problem — it was seeping into my family life and poisoning the air. It started innocently enough when my first child was born and intensified as my second appeared.
Read in full on AARP The Girlfriend.
Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Provides a Little Slice of Heaven in Panama: Escape to this oceanfront haven for rest and renewal.
“Arriving at the newly renovated Marriott Autograph Collection’s Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama promises to be dramatic after the 2.5-hour journey from Panama City. The drive out of the city creates natural suspense about this off-the-grid luxury resort in the Riviera Pacifica area so that you’ll feel you’ve been admitted to an exclusive paradise when you enter the resort. Alighting from your car, you’ll be enveloped by a brink-lined cavernous portico, with ocean air gently blowing through palm trees.
The resort is Spanish-colonial designed with an open tiled courtyard concept, which allows the delightful songs of many of Panama’s 400 bird species to waft through the air along with free-flowing cross breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean. Panamanian artifacts are deftly incorporated into the lobby’s décor strategy, providing colorful accents. Altogether, I felt every sense stirred, as if preparing me for a time of rejuvenation.”
Have I got you hooked? Please read my feature in full on Islands.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort.
The Girlfriend’s Guide To Essential Oils
Essential oils have won me over because they stand ready to meet today’s smelly challenges, and more.
So, how do I love thee, essential oils? Let me elaborate here:
1. Last time I opened my washing machine I nearly fell over backward after inhaling rank mold and mildew. It was disgusting. I bet I’m not the only one with a smelly washing machine,no? To banish the stench, I recommend following this formula, which includes 20 drops of any antifungal essential oil. Antifungal oils include: citronella, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, orange, palmarosa, patchouli, peppermint and tea tree.
2. Shoe deodorizer fueled by the power of natural essential oils? Yassss, please! Try Poo-Pourri’s spray, Shoe-Pourri. It deploys cedarwood, eucalyptus and grapefruit to extinguish shoe odors and earns a solid five-star rating from over a hundred customers. You also might want to try Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray, which seeks to eliminate odors with antibacterial and antifungal oils.
Read in full on AARP The Girlfriend.
Are You Cold All Cold All The Time? You may want to get your thyroid checked.
Parked in front of the school a few years ago to watch for kids blasting out of the building, I jumped out of my Jeep Wrangler to chat with my girlfriend Carmen, who also was waiting for her 8th grader. I was cautiously dressed to combat the crisp fall weather. Why take any chances? Shivering with cold is no fun.
So I’d dutifully donned my signature fuchsia scarf and swaddled it securely around my neck. My puffer coat reached to the top of my knees. Really. Sensible. And my furry beanie? It’s warm and cute — nailed it: a win-win.
I gave Carmen a quick hug, and she asked what was up with all my winter gear. It was then I realized Carmen wasn’t wearing much — I mean, a fleece vest?
“I’m the classic cold-girl-type,” I automatically chirped. Maybe, maybe not, Carmen challenged without missing a beat, as only the best of friends will do.
Read in full at AARP, The Girlfriend.
Sick As A Dog: When you have an ailing pet, it affects the well-being of everyone in the family
“FaceTime rang and up popped my daughter’s face, bringing her all the way from college into the living room. Her voice filled our home and, as we’ve come to expect, Ezzy started whining, desperately trying to connect with her old buddy. That we miss our daughter acutely around our home is no surprise, but it’s painful to watch our beloved family pet cry for her.
“How’s she been lately?” our daughter asked, alluding to Ezzy’s health.
In answer, our 16-year-old son picked Ezzy up and put her sheltie nose—such a cute one—into the camera. Ezzy is confused. She hears the familiar voice, but can’t find the person behind it and continues whimpering.”
Read in full on Purple Clover.
Why I Run
Published on the Today Parenting Team.
What #discipline in your life brings you over-all #health and #happiness? What #habit #recharges you and makes you a better person? Today I’ve joined the discussion on “Taking Care of YOU” with the wonderful TODAY Parents community.
If my words resonate with you, please let me know and share with others who could use the encouragement. We’re all doing life the best that we can and it helps to exchange our stories. http://community.today.com/parenting…/…/why-i-run_1484775181
My Son Listened To A Book, Not Me. And That’s OK.
“I know I can’t take any credit for this victory and honestly, it doesn’t matter. I long ago accepted that it takes a village to raise a child. Today, I recognize that books are influential members of this community as well.”
Parents, sometimes the best thing to do is to step back and shut-up. Intervention can happen for your tween/teen, too…and often from places you didn’t expect. Parenting is not a solo job–it’s welcoming the ‘village’ around you! Thank you for reading my essay on Today Parenting Team and sharing with others.
Read in full: http://community.today.com/parentingteam/post/my-son-listened-to-a-book-not-me-and-thats-ok_1475022188
kathrynstreeter.com 