Mindfulness & Mountains

finding happiness with our plant friends, nature, and alternative therapies

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“I'd rather live in a cave with a view of a palace than live in a palace with a view of a cave.”  - Karl Pilkington

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he is a tall friend, indeed. 

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a walk in the forest

many people flock to the trails for exercise. i do, too, occasionally. however, how many of us flock there for the forest?

every time i’m out on a trail i find myself touching the plants, patting the trees, and smelling the dirt. i ask myself why i do these things, every time. it, then, occurred to me: we’re not far from living within nature ourselves. human beings, relatively speaking, have only recently started living in houses, and relying on technology. 

our brains haven’t evolved to be as acquainted to technology as we have with nature. there’s some familiarity of touching trees that’s born into us.. smelling dirt, picking grass blades.. its part of our learned behaviors as a human. we still flock to nature to be within our once forever home.

isn’t that a pretty thought? hmm :)

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Animals are born who they are, accept it, and that is that. They live with greater peace than people do.  - George Maguire

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Never underestimate the therapeutic power of driving and listening to very loud music

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if you don’t know where you’re going, any old road will take you there. 

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another relaxation tool :)

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Soak Creek State Scenic River <3

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At the end of the day, tell yourself gently: ‘I love you, you did the best you could today, and even if you didn’t accomplish all you had planned, I love you anyway.

anon

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telling our bosses no

sometimes, it can feel overwhelming to go to work on a day you’re already scheduled for. it can be even more overwhelming when your employers ask you for extra work or shifts. being able to know our own limitations is an important part of our self-care. 

personally, i can’t work full-time hours. the type of job i have, in healthcare, can cause increased anxiety, almost crippling anxiety to work full time (for me at least. i know others have the capacity to do it). so i work part time. occasionally, i am asked for extra shifts.

a lot of people tell me they feel ashamed to say no to extra work for the sake of their mental health. THERE IS NO SHAME IN THIS. 

you have to take care of yourself to attend your job’s regularly scheduled shifts. if you don’t take care of yourself, you get sick and lets face it, calling out is worse than saying no to a shift you’re not even scheduled. 

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morning anxiety

am i the only one who wakes up feeling fresh off an anxiety attack? i know i’m not. waking up with that feeling of “something is currently wrong”, “something bad has happened” or “something is about to happen”.

if you’re like me and you suffer from a mental disorder (in my case: OCD and GAD), this feeling can consume your every day routine. it can be disabling. this can be especially troublesome when you start your day with that “feeling of impending doom”. hellloooo, i just woke up. what can be so wrong?

this feeling is related to cortisol levels. i won’t get into the mumbo jumbo, but cortisol is an adrenal hormone, making the fight or flight kick in. once we know this, i feel it is beneficial in helping us combat the morning worries. how do we do this? exercise is very beneficial. we can use our adrenaline productively in that way. lifestyle changes. getting better sleep. we all know that sleep can ruin your day. without proper sleep, your mood us on average worse. :P limiting caffeine is a big one, as caffeine increases cortisol levels. i was a coffee junkie for so long. i’ve, since becoming exacerbated with burn out, cut out coffee and replaced it with herbal teas and water. 

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wide open spaces

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snow is like forgiveness. it can be cold at first, but it will melt away eventually.

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essential oils: rosemary

mmmm, silencing the thoughts of worry. rosemary is so beneficial for many reasons. used for seasoning food primarily, the plant can be extracted into the essential oil. there’s been quite a few studies on rosemary. 

rosemary shows possibilities of increasing brain function, decreasing stress, promoting hair growth, and antioxidants are in it! 

in fact, in one nursing class, nursing students were given rosemary essential oils to breathe before and during their exams. their heart rates lowered on average 9%, decreasing the fight or flight feeling of stress

where was rosemary when i was in nursing school??

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Have you tried cactus water? 😊

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“with every falling flake, a unique spark of interest falls from heaven” -P. Miller

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plant friends

do you have plant friends? friends that live in your house with you? i have a few succulents and air purifiers.... lets all share our plant friends. :)