All I could think about was staying in the house, staying in the bed and doing nothing. I persisted though. I pushed through because I was supposed to. I made a commitment that needed to be kept and quite frankly I'm glad I did. What happened thereafter was a result of pushing when I wasn't particularly ready or up to it.
Have you ever considered or decided to end a relationship with a friend because you’ve been met by a rough patch that seems never-ending? Here are some questions to consider before cutting ties and letting your friend go:
Read MoreWhen is the last time that you PAUSED? Think about it? With the pandemic, the race-driven killings of Black men and women, working at home and attempting to maintain some form of normalcy during a time that is nowhere near normal—when have you hit PAUSE? Have you taken a moment to look at how you are spending your time?
Read MorePut your mental health and wellness first. The news of the killing of yet another innocent Black man can cause secondary traumatic stress or vicarious trauma. It’s important to maintain awareness of how you are feeling as you scroll social media and watch the news.
Read MoreAs we continue to manage our daily stress, we may find that we are harder on ourselves than normal. This can lead to us judging ourselves, self-isolating and over-identifying problems to be only our own. We have the tendency to be compassionate to others, but not to ourselves. Our brains are programmed to focus on the negative and unfortunately, it takes a little extra work to extend kindness to ourselves. This post shares with you the 3 elements of Self-Compassion and 5 Tips to put self-compassion into practice.
Read MoreStaying at home with family can be a stressful time, especially without a break in the day to go out to work. Read more for 4 ways to cope while being home with family, roommates or whomever else all day:
Read MoreLet’s face it, it’s been consistently inconsistent. Moments of productivity come and go, leaving us wondering how to maintain any sense of order.
Accepting that some days you’ll be productive and some days you will feel like staying in the bed or lying on the couch to binge the newest Netflix series will prove to be more beneficial than you think. It is one of the keys to decreasing your stress.
Read more for tips to get to a point of acceptance and release the stress and pressure of productivity
Read MoreWith the increase of unstructured time, we may become susceptible to poor habits, such as snacking on junk food, overeating, drinking more than usual and even disruption of sleep patterns and overall wellness routines.
Since things are consistently inconsistent lately, read more to learn 5 staples to maintain wellness at home.
Read MoreI haven’t seen too much talk by other entrepreneurs and small business owners about the impact that the COVID-19 crisis is making on their ability to operate and their mental health. I have heard messaging encouraging others to support small businesses, but you don’t hear the struggle. I guess that’s nice, but it really makes me wonder how are they really doing?
Read MoreBecause Mama Needs a Break! As The Mindful Mama Series continues, Courtney Chanel provides you with a way to start your day grounded in the present, while sipping your coffee or tea. Watch this video to learn how to really enjoy your coffee/tea and increase your sense of peace each day.
Read MoreTo all the mamas and parents out there who are slowly losing their minds, but are still holding it together during this time—this is for you. (This is also for any person, who feels that they could use a mindfulness break in their day). I’m hoping that we are able to incorporate mindfulness into our days filled with structured chaos, while we work from home, home school our kids and maintain a household without reprieve.
Read MoreThere was a point where I felt, “woe is me,” “I suck as a mom,” “I’m too busy” etc, etc, etc and enough was enough. I got tired of beating myself, being unkind and not acknowledging everything that I am actually doing very well and
Read MoreIt’s so easy to get caught up in your daily routine and feel like you are just going through the motions. Recently, the same thing happened in my home and I have been longing to switch things up. Sometimes all it takes is a step back to notice and reflect on what is happening in order to do things differently.
For about 2 months, I have been coming home feeling exhausted. I would drag myself through the evening routine, which by no means is fair to Aiden. With the cold weather and the park no longer being an option, it was necessary to identify indoor routines that would provide us with the opportunity to decompress from the day and transition into the house without feeling crazed. It was important for me to allow him to do something different from the structured school day at childcare.
I purchased a jumbo floor puzzle made by The Learning Journey from TJ Maxx. This was after we had a playdate at my mom-friend’s house and the kids worked together to complete a 12-piece puzzle. Unfortunately, they only had a 50 piece puzzle and I thought it was going to be a disaster. It wasn’t. Let this serve as a reminder that your kids will surprise you.
As a working parent, it is easy to feel disconnected from your child’s learning. Don’t feel like you cannot contribute to their growth and development because you aren’t a teacher or an educator. Be encouraged to explore the toy sections of stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Burlington. They come with quality toys at low prices (almost half the price than on Amazon) and refresh your child[ren]’s toy collection, as well as introduce him/her/them to something new.
Here’s what our routine looks like when we return home on a weekday. It allows us to transition and decompress, as well as brings about a sense of relaxation:
Arrive home, change into our house-clothes. Put dinner in the oven or at least prepare it.
Sit to do a puzzle or floor activity. This activity takes place without the TV on, so we can engage in quiet learning and problem-solving. We are able to engage in thinking together without interruptions. It’s important to make sure that all other toys and distractions (like balloons for Aiden) are put away.
Sit and eat dinner together.
Watch TV together
Bath and Bedtime
There are times when I stay up afterwards and do some tidying up around the house or enjoy some television for myself. Please know that those days are few and far between. I wake up in the 4 o’clock hour on most weekdays, so staying up past 9 o’clock is a stretch.
As we continue to speak about trauma and coping, we need to dive into discussions about boundaries to be able to maintain our health and wellness.
Read MoreIf you ever noticed that you were experiencing feelings of depression in the late fall or early winter, then you may have been experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder or seasonal depression. Seasonal depression can affect your aspects of your life like relationships, social life, work, school and your sense of self-worth. Read more for tips to cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Read MoreWe all recognize the importance of self-care, but sometimes the “routine” can be too rigid and not allow you to unwind.
Here are a few tips on how to make a self-care routine that sticks AND that doesn’t feel like a chore
Read MoreSometimes setting boundaries with those around us makes us feel guilty, but I can assure you that it is the best thing that you can do for yourself.
Read MoreTruthfully, I have not been kind to myself. I have not given myself space. I have not shown myself care. Sometimes I don’t believe in myself. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing and I tell myself I’m learning as I go/grow.
Read MoreI find myself in doubt occasionally thinking that the timing was off, I shouldn’t have switched the website from the blog at the time that I did and expected to promote an event that would sell-out immediately. i’m learning as I go and it is hard.
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