Tag: self love

Zen

A Busy Gal’s Guide to Finding Zen

Finding Zen when life feels like a hustle is one way you can implement self care and love.  Ladies, do you feel like you’re constantly running a race with limited time to think?  Constantly tending to everyone and everything else while just trying to breathe.

We live in a world that seems overrun by chaos.  Constantly facing personal and social challenges on a daily basis. Nearly everyone is affected by this at some point and everyone experiences it differently. However, we are all also wired to fight back against these conditions.  Living up to our full potential with love and healing. But this wiring gets shortened due to physical, psychological, emotional and even social factors. As a result, you might feel overwhelmed and ultimately think that you are not capable of handling all the pressure without breaking down.  Carrying around added stress and being in a state of “fight or flight” isn’t good for the body or mind.

It’s times like these when you feel restless and uncertain.  During such times, staying centered and finding your Zen and core integrity is essential. It is important during these circumstances of confusion to learn to fight back in a healthy way.   Using intuition and consistency, building a soulful connection capable of overcoming powerful fears and helping clarity prevail. It is also important to keep your nervous system and your inner self aligned so that anger, fear and other negative feelings don’t build up.  Resulting to burying the natural love every one of us was born with.

Do you struggle to find peace and zen when your life feels chaotic and stressful?  Below are some tips that may help.

Ways to Find Your Zen in a Busy World

  1. Feel:  Be aware of your feelings, but don’t let the chaos become your reality. Rather, let everything exist the way it is while trying to bring it back to normal.  Using the inner light that helps you stay aware and connected to your own inner reality.
  2. Rise early: Rise early and start your day sooner. It allows you some free time to collect yourself, plan the day ahead and stay connected to your inner self. You can use this time for deep breathing, prayer, yoga, meditation, gratitude or any other method that you feel calms your soul.
  3. Practice deep breathing: Deep breathing balances your nervous system and is transformative in an amazing way. Inhale slowly, pause, and hold your breath for a beat. Then exhale slowly and controlled, with another pause before your next inhale. This breathing exercise will bring energy and love to every cell in your body.  It really helps to relax the body and mind and slow it down.
  4. Take a relaxing shower or bath: Massage your body with almond oil and take a short rest. Then indulge in a hot shower and feel your body relax. You will feel refreshed and your senses revitalized the second you step out of the shower. This practice will prepare you to effectively handle the stress of daily life.  A bath is wonderful at the end of the day.  Personally, I enjoy a hot bath with epsom salt and lavender oil.  It’s a great opportunity to relax the body and mind.  Epsom salt will help to cleanse the body as well.  To learn more about detox baths, click here: https://kimwilson.me/boost-immune-system-detox-baths/
  5. Take genuine, mindful breaths: If at any time of the day you feel you are losing control over yourself, take a short break and practice slow, mindful breathing for a few minutes. At least take five authentic breaths to reclaim your Zen and feel revitalized again before returning to your routine.
  6. Be kind to yourself: Feeling ashamed or guilty of past actions can really bring down your morale and make you feel low. Forgiving yourself, on the other hand, can promote good and positive vibes. Try to forgive yourself more often to feel loved and uplifted.  Choices and change are things we have control over on a daily basis.  Consider how you’re speaking to yourself and the limiting beliefs that flow through your mind.  Practicing self love, care and positive vibes daily will help when those toxic thoughts come up.
  7. Positive words: What we say has a profound impact on our feelings and the people around us. Affirming and positive words promote good mutual feelings and surround you with the positive energy. Reclaim your love and energy by using positive words.  Practicing joy and gratitude daily will help with this exercise.  Starting your day with such activities can make a healthy shift for your day ahead.

Incorporating these tips and steps into your life can help you live a happier and more peaceful life in the midst of all the chaos in the world around you.

Consider adding in some of these tips and see how things shift in your world.  See what works for you and adjust accordingly.  We are all uniquely different, so experimenting is great for self-discovery.

I welcome you to share some tips that work for you.  I also welcome you to share this list with others.  You never know who you may help, impact and inspire.  So many people are running the race of life.  Slowing down and adding these things are small changes that will bring about large results.

Looking for some additional tips to live the nourished life?  I welcome you to check out my recent article published through Sass Magazine.  Girl’s Guide to Living the Nourished Life

XOXO,

Kim

chocolate

Sweet and Healthy Valentine’s Chocolate

It’s the week of love and I’m sharing something sweet and chocolate with you all. When you think of Valentine’s Day, what’s the first thought that comes to mind?  Is it romance?  Maybe it’s a gorgeous bouquet of flowers.  Many times, we think of sweets and chocolates.  I am not much of a “sweet’s person” but I do enjoy some dark chocolate from time to time.  That’s one of the reasons why I love this Sweet and Healthy Valentine’s Chocolate recipe.  It’s simple to make, packs a sweet taste and provides healthy benefits.

Not only is it delicious, but it’s guilt free, easy to make and stores well.  One batch makes plenty to share too!  want more, double up the recipe. ?❤️

Instead of over indulging with a box of chocolates and hitting a sugar crash, try this cleaner and healthier option.  You may find yourself keeping these staples in your pantry.  I find myself making this recipe more than once a year.  In fact, I add peppermint to it during the holidays.  It makes for a yummy and festive treat or gift.

Sweet and Healthy Valentine’s Chocolate #healthytreats #chocolate #valentinesday

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This recipe is very flexible, so add ingredients that spark your taste buds.  If you want some peppermint, throw in some peppermint extract.  If you want more crunch, chop up some raw or toasted nuts and add them into the melted chocolate mixture.

To learn more about the health benefits of Dark Chocolate, click here: 8 Awesome Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

 

sweet and healthy valentine’s chocolate

INGREDIENTS:

1- 1/2  cups dark chocolate chips (I used extra dark and organic)

4 Tbsp organic coconut milk

1- 1/2 cups organic coconut oil (melted)

Handful of  shredded organic coconut (unsweetened)

Handful of dried organic berries (of your choice), chopped

*Optional: A pinch of Himalayan or Sea Salt

*Note:  Raw nuts (chopped) would be yummy in this recipe too!  If you decide to add peppermint, add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract to the melted chocolate.

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare an 8×8 inch glass baking dish with parchment paper.  The paper should cover the bottom of the pan and all four sides.

On your stove top, heat the chocolate in a double boiler (or sauce pan over a pot of simmering water).  Continue stirring while the chocolate melts.  Add in the coconut milk.  Stir until you have a thinner and creamy chocolate texture.  If you choose to add peppermint, salt or nuts, add it in now.

Spread the melted chocolate evenly across the bottom of the pan.  Freeze your chocolate until it sets.  I’ve discovered the freezer is a better (and less time consuming) option than the refrigerator.

When your chocolate is ready to come out of the freezer, start to melt your coconut oil in a clean dish.  Once heated, coconut oil turns into a liquid texture rather quickly.  If your oil still has some lumps in it, continue stirring until all of the lumps are gone.

Pour the melted coconut oil over your chilled chocolate.  It will spread very easily.  Sprinkle the shredded coconut and chopped berries over the melted oil.  Chill in the freezer or fridge until the oil sets.  It will have a pretty white top once it’s done.

Once both layers have chilled and set, remove them from the fridge or freezer.  You can add more coconut and berries, if you choose.  I like to do it while the oil is still warm because it molds the toppings into the bark.

Remove the bark from the pan and peel off the parchment paper.  Place your prepared bark on a cutting board and chop into pieces.  Serve and enjoy!

Note:  If you want to store your bark for longer shelf life, I recommend storing it in the fridge or freezer.  Room temperature may melt the bark and make it softer.  You can also use coconut butter instead of coconut oil.  Coconut butter is usually found in most health food stores.  You can also make your own.  To do so, blend an entire package of unsweetened shredded coconut in your food processor or high speed blender.  The flakes turn into a creamy, buttery texture.  Both options are delicious, so choose whichever one you prefer.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this healthy, sweet treat!  If you have any suggestion about other ingredients that you like, I welcome you to comment below.

For additional health (and self love tips), check out my post here: https://kimwilson.me/love-yourself-to-better-health/

Happy Valentine’s Day, Beauties! ❤️

 

XOXO,

Kim

self love

Love Yourself to Better Health

Many consider February to be “the month of love.”  We often see pink hearts, chocolates, and romance shooting at us like cupid’s arrow.  It’s important to shed light on another kind of love.  “Self-Love” is something that many put on the back burner but should be exercised often.  No matter the day, month or year.

How many times have you said that you’re too busy to incorporate self-love? There isn’t enough time in the day, your workday is long, the kids and your husband need to come first, the dishes are piling up and the laundry needs to be folded. Do you mention any of these common reasons?

Maybe you have a laundry list of your own. Even though life is busy, it’s still important to incorporate self-love. It’s also important to remind yourself that making self-love a priority is not a selfish act.  If anything, when you exercise self-love, not only will you benefit, but those in your life will benefit as well.

Self-love is a positive regard for your own happiness and well-being.

This type of love leads to increased strength and responsibility, mindfulness, increased productivity, increased self-compassion and decreased stress. Studies have shown that when you practice self-love, you are more likely to engage in activities and a lifestyle that contributes to better nutrition, physical fitness and overall improved health.

When thinking about self-love, two examples spoke volumes to me.  Especially during a time in my life when I was lacking a great deal of self-love and placing everyone else before me. The first is the “airplane instruction” example. When traveling on an airplane, we are taught to place and secure our mask before assisting and caring for others. When I first gave this thought some more detail and depth, I immediately thought it was selfish. Then I began to understand the concept more and definitely now see how much it relates to self-love. Our journey can be quite the education tool and reminder.

The second example is the “you cannot pour from an empty cup” concept.  In relationships and life, women especially find themselves burnt out and exhausted because of constant care and responsibility to others. It’s important to constantly ask yourself, “How full is my cup?” If you’re feeling depleted and burnt out, it’s time to add some self-care and love. Doing so consistently will help to keep your cup full and help you maintain better health and happiness.

It’s important to remember to treat yourself with the same love and compassion that you would show to someone you’re in love with. The more you care for yourself, the better equipped you will be to give back to and empower others. The more you give, the more you will receive in return.

Self-love and self-care are much of the same.  Below are some tips that may help you incorporate self-love in your own life.  I encourage you to try to incorporate at least one act every day.  In time, it will become more natural and you will reap the many benefits. Remember, this may be the month of LOVE, but self-love is something to exercise and embrace all of the time.  You don’t need a large budget or a lot of time. Keep it simple, gentle, and see what works for your own unique, beautiful self.

Tips for Practicing Self-Love:

  1. Practice Gratitude: A daily gratitude journal is a great way to express those things you are grateful for.
  2. Self-Acceptance: No matter where you are on your journey, it’s important to tell yourself, “I am enough.”  There is nobody like you and that’s what makes you so special.
  3. Take Time to Be Alone: Being alone with yourself is important when exercising self-love. Take a relaxing bath, go for a walk by yourself or curl up and read a good book.
  4. Make A List of the Things You Love About Yourself: Too often, the self-sabotaging critic is running crazy in our minds.  Whether it’s the critic or the “business” that keeps us from forgetting, take time often (or daily) to read your list.
  5. Accountability and Support: Exercising self-love can take some work. Especially in the beginning. Creating a support-system you trust or finding an accountability partner could be very beneficial.
  6. Find the Joy in Today: Instead of rehashing or reliving anger and shame from the past, focus on the joys of the present.
  7. Allow Yourself to Dream Big: Is there something you’ve always wanted to do?  Now is a great time to explore without placing limiting beliefs and judgement on yourself.
  8. Find Those Things That Inspire You: Passion, purpose and inspiration are big components of life.  What ignites your spark?  What things can you do to feel inspired?
  9. Nourishment and Movement: Fueling your body with foods that nurture you will not only help you feel better but will empower you to take care of YOU! The same goes for movement.  It doesn’t have to be rigorous exercise.  Find what you like and maybe try something new.
  10. Celebrate Your Success: No matter how big or small your accomplishments are, celebrate them!

Click below for addition tips to:

SLOW DOWN

This month and every month, i encourage you to make time for self care and love.  find what works for you and make it a part of your lifestyle.
 please share this post with anyone that you think may benefit. ❤

xoxo,

kim