May's Notable Words

Here are my favorite words from the month of May! I hope they provide you with as much inspiration and words of wisdom as they have for me!

Until Next Time ~ Be Well

Summer Soundtrack!

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this past weekend marked the unofficial start to summer!!! After the east coast winter it couldn’t have come soon enough!!! The start of summer always makes me think of good music, flip flops, sangria, and grilling out near a body of water.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve always made summer music mixes to kick off the summer; In the early 90’s my mixes came from recording my favorite songs from Casey Kasem’s Weekly Top 40 Countdown, my mixes then progressed to burning my own cd’s and later making playlists on my iPod and phone. Even though technology has progressed far beyond the days of mixed tapes, I just can’t resist burning my own CDs. I often hear people of my parent’s generation reminiscence over how an 8-track tape and an Am radio can transport them to a different time and place. I think we can all relate to that experience; to music's ability to transform our thoughts, feelings, and overall mood.

It's no surprise that music impacts how we feel, in fact it happens to be one of the most powerful mood boosters. Regardless of what type of music we listen to (Rock, Pop, Country, Jazz, Classical, New Age, Alternative, Reggae, etc.), music improves mood by increasing serotonin levels (also known as the body’s natural Feel Good Hormone)!

I'm struck by how much music we are exposed to; in the elevator, on hold, in the taxi, at the mall, at the auto body shop, in waiting rooms, etc, we’re almost never in total silence. Music is a universal passion; we use it to celebrate, to worship, to reminiscence, to express emotions, to communicate, and in countless other ways. Music adds to the ambiance of an event. And what about those movies; consider for a moment just how boring movies and TV shows would be without a constant music as a constant backdrop. Music possibly more than dialogue sets the mood and communicates the scene. Wouldn’t it be great if our lives also had a backdrop of music, our very own personal soundtrack - one that followed us around always capturing our mood just perfectly? So what songs would be on your soundtrack? What message and overall mood would the soundtrack of your life convey?

So take some time to sit back and just enjoy the music - let it take you back to a certain time and place. 

Funny how a melody sounds like a memory

Life the soundtrack to a July Saturday night

Lyrics from Eric Church's "Springsteen"

Until Next Time ~ Be Well

Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month

Earlier this month, The President proclaimed May MentalHealth Awareness Month! About 60 million Americans are dealing with Mental Illness. Per the President’s statement 1 in 5 adults will experience mental illness over the course of a year yet less than half will seek treatment. While the administration is seeking to approach this from the side of accessibility, there is definitely more to the equation than simply supply and demand. With the help of organizations such as The Department of Health and Human Services and MentalHealth America, significant strides have been made in recent years however the stigma remains rigid. 

Most people don’t even think twice about seeking medical treatment for a physical injury such as a broken arm, yet how many second guesses do people have when it comes to seeking help for their mental wellbeing. Mental Illness is most likely to develop between the ages of 18 and 24 (typical age group for college students), yet universities report that only 1/3 of students will seek counseling when needed.  Stigmas develop from many different angles – they create feelings of shame and isolation but are maintained with misinformation, fear, and cultural biases. 

We’re all on information overload yet we have to be selective about what information we take as fact. While you can’t change the stigma of those around you, you can question your own biases. Is there a more personal reason, an internal belief as to why you may be hesitant about seeking support? Maybe your biases have nothing to do with mental health, yet we all have them. Where do you get your information from, are your sources credible?

2007 data on mental health perceptions concluded that

·       57% of adults without mental health symptoms believed that people are caring and sympathetic to persons with mental illness.⁵

·       Only 25% of adults with mental health symptoms believed that people are caring and sympathetic to persons with mental illness. 

There is still room for a lot of improvement but that isn’t to say we haven’t had major successes. Progress doesn’t have to be fast – as long as its progress in the right direction! Consider getting involved in your community, find ways to support those who may be suffering in silence. Let them know they are not alone help is available

Until Next Time ~ Be Well

Pets and Our Health

Happy Birthday Maddox
Maddox (left) & Wilbur (right)

Watching my oldest dog (Maddox) enjoy his birthday with some vanilla ice cream last night, I couldn’t help but giggle over the simplistic joy that comes from being with my dogs! While I’ve always been solely a dog lover, I know all pet owners can relate to this feeling, but what you may not be aware of is the growing research showing just how good our pets are for our overall health! There is an obvious and immediate boost to our moods when we are around our pets! There are few moments better than being eagerly met as you try walking through the door after a long day! I get so excited just walking up to my door, knowing my two boys are anxiously wagging their tail and running in circles with excitement, waiting so impatiently for my key to jingle – the knob to turn, and for me to welcome them with open arms! All stress and worries melt away under their undeniable excitement at my sheer presence! But what about other health benefits? Does owning a pet improve our overall health or do they serve us only with a superficial mood boost?  According to the vast amount of research the answer is very clear that owning pets improve our health across the board!

Pets can help us have:

1. Lower blood pressure
2. Lower cholesterol
3. Improved cardiovascular functioning
4. Reduced sensitivity to allergens – especially during infancy and childhood
5. Relief from depression
6. Reduced levels of negative stress
7. Improved overall fitness

There are many different reasons pets have such a positive impact across all these health domains; some benefits overlap or directly influence each other such as improved fitness, reduced stress, and lower levels of depression; however other benefits are quite unique such as the benefits related to allergens! Pet owners have felt these benefits for hundreds of years; research is just finally catching up and providing concrete data to well-known experiences for us pet owners!

So Curl up with your pets and Until Next Time ~ Be Well

April's Notable Words

Happy May Everyone! As always, I wanted to share some words I found inspiring throughout April!

Until Next Time ~ Be Well