Did you know Mercury is in retrograde from April 23rd to May 14th?
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, “Mercury & Venus appear to go retrograde when they lap us. Mercury completes its orbit around the Sun in only 88 days."
During this time the planets appear to be moving backward and there is age-old folklore around the event (which happens about 3x per year).
Just about every problem during this time can be attributed to Mercury in Retrograde: losing your keys, missing appointments, arguments, computers breaking down and the list goes on.
True or not, challenges and obstacles are present for all of us, be it retrograde or any other time of year. We can absolutely count on the planets changing in the sky and we can also count on difficulties in our lives. It might be a good idea to find a good strategy.
We would like to suggest the power of optimism as a way to take it on.
Optimism is working with challenges & roadblocks with a temporary mind-set. Acknowledging the problem is the first step, but then considering that it is just a bump in the road, something temporary that most likely has a solution.
It is not that simple. Applying the power of optimism is not easy for everyone, it may take some work.
Here are a few tips to help you get in the optimist mind-set:
Keep in mind the optimist mind-set can also go wrong. We are not suggesting sticking the head in the sand approach, “saying everything is going to be alright” and ignoring the problem. We are suggesting that you take a realistic look at the situation, understand its impact on the big picture, and look at it from different angles to discover new solutions.
It has been said, That optimists tend to have better mental health and tend to suffer less anxiety and depression. We love that.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/01/31/are-you-harnessing-the-power-of-optimism/?sh=56283ff11037.
]]>The stress response is designed to help us react when something potentially threatening happens, to help us deal with it and learn from it. Research shows that moderate, short-lived stress can improve alertness and performance and boost memory.
Stress can also:
It is beneficial to experience moderate levels of stress. However, we’ve been learning more about toxic stress. And trust us, there are no benefits to prolonged stress.
Toxic stress, is an experience that overwhelms us, sometimes making us feel like we are in serious danger. It can leave us feeling powerless and hopeless. And we may not have the coping skills or support we would need to fully deal with it.
The brain gets accustomed to the danger-survival cycle and often floods the body with stress-related chemicals at the first hint of any kind of threat—even if the threat is long gone. Stress-related chemicals can have a lasting impact on the body, leading to a greater susceptibility to chronic disease and addiction.
Although the impact of toxic stress can be chronic and impactful on adults, it is particularly detrimental for children. Toxic stress in childhood is not only a serious social problem, it costs our country billions of dollars over the lifespan of traumatized children.
So what can we do?
Try this In the morning before the day starts (maybe over a cup of Moodify Oatmeal). Take a few minutes to consider what you can do during your day to reduce your feelings of stress. And don’t forget to think about how you can reduce the stress of others…especially children.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/
As you all know, we are not only concerned about mental health; we aim to raise awareness and to remove the shame or disgrace that many feel. With that said, during the month of May we are going to be talking more about it. We will be sharing ideas, tips, and highlighting some organizations that are making an impact, so keep your eyes out and tell your friends!
You probably already know it’s spring time by the many signs of spring: baseball, taxes, flowers, robins, butterflies, award shows, spring cleaning, longer days—and sunshine.
But you might not know that getting a healthy dose of sunshine is beneficial for your mental health.
It’s true, exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain's release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. It's a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that’s involved in many processes throughout your body, from regulating your mood to promoting smooth digestion.
Serotonin also known for:
You may be asking how do I get it? There are many ways to naturally boost your serotonin levels. Sunshine is one, but actually food is the number one on the list. While you can’t directly get serotonin from food, you can get tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted to serotonin in your brain.
There is some hard science behind the link between tryptophan and serotonin.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps the body make proteins and certain brain-signaling chemicals. Your body changes L-tryptophan into mood lifting serotonin.
Which is why we carefully curate the ingredients in Moodify Oatmeals. For example, we combine our oats with foods high in tryptophan like nuts, ginger or probiotics.
Check out this article on Healthline for more ways to boost your serotonin and your mood. And then, get some oatmeal and a little sunshine. Don’t forget your sunscreen. Happy Spring!
]]>Creating and maintaining strong meaningful bonds
There are many things we need to show up for: work, the bus, workouts, dentist appointments. These are all things that are important. But what do they all have in common? They are obligations.
We would like to talk about something different—showing up from the heart. We believe that being there for others is one of the best ways to maintain deep meaningful relationships.
By definition, If something “shows up,” it can be clearly seen or noticed. There is comfort and closeness in being seen or seeing someone. It is like a magnet that draws us together. And best of all, it is free!
We don’t always love lists, but we put together a short one with a few ways to really show up:
If you are so inclined to find other ways to show-up, check out this guide from Buzzfeed, they have more ideas for you.
Remember, life is not a spectator sport, we need to participate in it.
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