Category: SELF-CARE

SELF-CARE

A Christmas Oldies Music Playlist You Can Listen To Right Now For Free!

by Amy Senter2 Comments on A Christmas Oldies Music Playlist You Can Listen To Right Now For Free!

There’s nothing like good old fashioned Christmas oldies music to bring a little cheer to your home. Tune into this free playlist I made on Spotify!

Oldies Christmas music

BUSTING OUT THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC A LITTLE EARLY…

It’s that time of year!!!

It seems like each year I start listening to Christmas music earlier and earlier. Something about Christmas music just makes me feel good. I’ll take Christmas music as a form of self-care any day!

When I was a kid, we had a tradition of decorating the tree to “John Denver Sings with the Muppets” on vinyl (which seems so random now!). Lately I’ve been on a Charlie Brown Christmas kick while I work, and these oldies Christmas tunes never really get old…

MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONGS

  1. Jingle Bells – Frank Sinatra
  2. White Christmas – Bing Crosby
  3. The Christmas Song – Nat King Cole
  4. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Bing Crosby
  5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Frank Sinatra
  6. The Little Drummer Boy – Harry Simeone Chorale
  7. Silent Night – Nat King Cole
  8. Holly Jolly Christmas – Burl Ives
  9. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Gene Autry
  10. Silver Bells – Burl Ives
  11. Twelve Days of Christmas – The Chipmunks
  12. Silver and Gold – Burl Ives
  13. Winter Wonderland – Aretha Franklin
  14. O Holy Night – Ella Fitzgerald
  15. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
  16. The Chipmunk Song – The Chipmunks
  17. Jingle Bell Rock – Brenda Lee
  18. Cool Yule – Louis Armstrong
  19. Frosty the Snowman – Gene Autry
  20. Up On the Housetop – Gene Autry
  21. Happy Holiday – Peggy Lee
  22. Here Comes Santa Claus – Elvis Presley
  23. A Marshmallow World – Darlene Love
  24. Warm December – Julie London
  25. O Tannenbaum – Vince Guaraldi Trio
  26. Linus and Lucy – Vince Guaraldi Trio
  27. Christmastime is Here – Vince Guaraldi Trio
  28. Skating – Vince Guaraldi Trio
  29. Christmas is Coming – Vince Guaraldi Trio
  30. Jingle Jingle Jingle – Stan Francis
  31. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town – Bing Crosby
  32. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas – Bing Crosby
  33. Mele Kalikimaka – Bing Crosby
  34. Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley
  35. Santa Claus is Back in Town – Elvis Presley
  36. You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch – Thurl Ravenscroft
  37. Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt
  38. Let It Snow – Dean Martin
  39. O Little Town of Bethlehem – Nat King Cole
  40. Christmas – Darlene Love
  41. Sleigh Ride – The Ronettes
  42. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy Williams
  43. Run Rudolph Run – Chuck Berry
  44. Snow – Bing Crosby

Ready to get into the Christmas spirit with me? Grab my free playlist here and share your favorites with me in the comments below. Merry Christmas!

LISTEN TO MY OLDIES CHRISTMAS MUSIC PLAYLIST
Oldies Christmas music

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Merry Christmas!

Oldies Christmas music

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SELF-CARE

Tips on Being Present from Headspace Founder, Andy Puddicombe

by Amy Senter6 Comments on Tips on Being Present from Headspace Founder, Andy Puddicombe

Grab my notes from “Meditation and Mindfulness” and see what Andy Puddicombe (the founder of Headspace) has to say about being present.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.

Andy from headspace

FROM PAIN CATASTROPHIZING TO MEDITATION

I have had a fascination with meditation and mindfulness ever since I struggled with chronic pain. My illness left me panicky, worried and anxious at all times. I could never stay in the moment and deal with it in baby steps. Everything went immediately to worst-case scenarios and what ifs.

While my pain has improved (or at least my reaction to it), this year has thrown us all for a loop in how we deal with fear and anxiety. You may not be dealing with physical pain like I do, but to some degree, we all deal with some form of worry.

The best way I have learned to combat my own anxiety, is through learning about meditation and mindfulness–the practice of being present in the moment and learning how to deal with your thoughts in a healthy way. Mindfulness emcompasses so much more than gratitude and slowing down, and I feel like there’s no better teacher to get you started on this than Andy Puddicombe, the founder of my favorite app, Headspace.

Andy’s book, “Meditation and Mindfulness” walks you through his story as a college dropout turned circus performer turned monk—yes, you read that right—and how he learned about the transformative practice of meditation.

His story takes the intimidation out of meditation and equips you with realistic tools for helping you cultivate a healthier mental state through simple daily practices.

“We don’t think twice about exercising our bodies and yet the well-being of the mind tends to take a back seat.”

-ANDY PUDDICOMBE, FOUNDER OF HEADSPACE
Andy from headspace

MY NOTES FROM “MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS” BY ANDY PUDDICOMBE

WHAT DO PEOPLE USE MEDITATION FOR?

  • To relieve day to day stress
  • As a way to practice mindfulness and learning to be present
  • As a tool toward deeper spiritual growth
  • To help improve relationships with others

SAMPLE PRACTICES OF MEDITATION

  • Practice do nothing
  • Tune into your senses
  • Observe your physical sensations
  • Focus on good and bad sensations
  • Awareness of your feelings
  • Mental body scan

“[Meditation is] about training in awareness and understanding how and why you think and feel the way you do, and getting a healthy sense of perspective in the process.”

-ANDY PUDDICOMBE, FOUNDER OF HEADSPACE

ANALOGIES FOR DEALING WITH YOUR THOUGHTS

  • BUSY HIGHWAY (learning not to chase the cars, but simply observe and let them pass by)
  • BLUE SKY (that the thoughts may come and go, but the blue sky is always there if you look for it)
  • THE WILD HORSE (reigning in your thoughts slowly and gently instead of with force and anger)

RESEARCH ON MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS

  • Many mental health professionals recommend mindfulness-based meditation techniques to their patients.
  • Meditation triggers areas of the brain related to happiness.
  • Mindfulness reduces negative emotions.
  • Meditation lowers the stress-response in the body.
  • Mindfulness helps with reducing anxiety.
  • Meditation helps with pain sensitivity.
  • Meditation helps combat destructive impulses.
  • Mindfulness helps you focus on tasks.
  • Meditation aids in falling asleep.
  • Meditation helps improve age-related mental declines.

“When we feel angry the world can look very threatening: we see situations as obstacles and other people as enemies. And yet when we feel happy, the world can appear as quite a friendly place…The world around us has not changed that much, but our experience of that world is radically different.”

-ANDY PUDDICOMBE, FOUNDER OF HEADSPACE

BASIC STEPS TO A MEDITATION PRACTICE

  1. Get comfortable
  2. Start with deep breathing
  3. Count your breaths (this is where the longest part of the practice and focus is)
  4. Let the mind wander for a minute
  5. Gently open your eyes

“It can sometime feel as though we’re so busy remembering, planning and analyzing life, that we forget to experience life–as it actually is, rather than how we think it should be.”

-ANDY PUDDICOMBE, FOUNDER OF HEADSPACE
Andy from headspace

EXAMPLES OF MINDFULNESS DURING THE DAY

Being mindful simply means that you’re giving full attention to whatever you’re doing. It’s a practice of being present in the moment, instead of thinking about where you’d rather be or wishing things were different. Here are a few examples:

  • “Walking meditation” where you observe the things around you without getting distracted by your thoughts
  • Giving your full and undivided attention to someone when they’re speaking instead of waiting for your chance to talk
  • Enjoying an activity your kids choose to do together instead of wishing they’d pick something different
  • Eating a meal without watching TV or checking your phone
  • Absorbing yourself in a good book on Sunday night rather than stressing that it’s almost Monday morning
  • Being in tune to the smells while cooking a meal instead of rushing to get it done

10 SKILLS FROM BEING PRESENT AND LIVING MINDFULLY

  1. Perspective
  2. Communication
  3. Appreciation
  4. Kindness
  5. Compassion
  6. Balance
  7. Acceptance
  8. Composure
  9. Dedication
  10. Presence

“Just because we experience a thought doesn’t mean we have to react to it, or act upon it…we actually have the ability not to take thoughts too seriously.”

-ANDY PUDDICOMBE, FOUNDER OF HEADSPACE

ORDER THE BOOK

To order your own copy of “Meditation and Mindfulness” by Andy Puddicombe, click here:

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Happy Reading!

Andy from headspace

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SELF-CARE

3 Ways to Combat Holiday Stress This Season

by Amy Senter1 Comment on 3 Ways to Combat Holiday Stress This Season

Take time to slow down and combat holiday stress by intentionally focusing on what’s most important in your family this season.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.

Holiday stresses

DEALING WITH HOLIDAY STRESS

Ah, the holidays.

Thanksgiving meals, presents from Santa, Christmas tree decorating, and the relatives.

Being a mom, I am in charge of all the festivities. Who we see, when we see them, who gets what, and how they get it.

It can be wonderful, and at times, a bit overwhelming. I want the holidays to be time well-spent. Time to rest and enjoy the company of others.

But it easily can become a very stressful time when you have to consider everyone else’s needs or meeting your own expectations of creating a perfect holiday experience.

Let’s face it, someone’s going to get upset, you’ll forget something, and there won’t be enough time to do all the things.

So maybe before we jump headfirst into all the holiday things, let’s take minute to be intentional in how we approach the holidays to make them something we actually enjoy and get to be a part of!

Holiday stresses

3 WAYS TO COMBAT HOLIDAY STRESSES

1. DON’T TRY TO DO IT ALL

I love to make these grand plans for decorating the house, cooking amazing meals, having fun holiday-themed activities. However, when I try to do everything, I either don’t do it well, or I don’t enjoy it because I’m so tired once it’s all set up.

The thing about the holidays are that they aren’t like planning one party. They are an on-going celebration and you don’t want to pack your schedule so tightly that it becomes something you dread once the day arrives.

For example, I created a fall and winter bucket list for my family. If you think we check off everything on those lists, you’re crazy! I use them as a springboard for ideas that we can do throughout the season. I don’t make a big schedule of it, it’s more of a time filler for when we want to enjoy an activity as a family.

Finding your strengths helps too when it comes to holiday prep. My family knows I love to decorate the house and give it a spooky feel for Halloween, a fall-theme for Thanksgiving and a cozy feeling at Christmastime. While I enjoy baking sweets (mostly for myself!), I dread cooking. So a few years ago, I quit trying to do it all and accepted the fact that I’m good at creating a fun atmosphere, and order in the food for special occasions.

Holiday stresses

2. PLAN DOWN TIME

Sometimes the best thing to plan into your schedule is down-time. Lazy weekends are so beneficial after a hectic work-week and when you have two weeks of kids at home during the holidays, a few good movie marathons are helpful! Pop some popcorn and tell everyone to lay out a palette of blankets and pillows on the floor.

Or better yet, schedule in a daily “rest time” where everyone has to stay in their rooms for an hour after lunch to have some quiet time to recharge.

3. PICK ACTIVITIES YOU KNOW WILL WORK WELL FOR YOUR FAMILY

If you know that trying to hit up three Christmas events in one day is going to be a bad idea, plan ahead and choose one! You are allowed to choose what’s best for your family, and if you know you will end the day fighting because you felt obligated to do all the things, maybe it’s best to limit your commitments upfront. If it’s easier to invite friends over than going to several friends houses, do that!

Look over years past and write down what worked and what didn’t. Did your kids do better going out to an event or when you bought a few crafts from the dollar store and did them at home with friends? Don’t limit yourself to what you think everyone else is doing. The memories you make with your family are yours to choose. Make it a holiday they want to remember.

And lastly, this goes for taking care of yourself. Do those things that energize you or bring your family closer together, and limit those that cause stress.

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Here is a freebie I created for ideas on implementing self care into your routine year round! Click to print:

Holiday stresses

For more posts on self-care, read:

You’ve got this!

Holiday stresses

WANT TO LIVE YOUR DAYS WITH MORE INTENTION? SIGN UP HERE TO GET INSTANT ACCESS TO MY FREE PRINTABLES: