Last night, amid a moment of head-swirling anxiety, I sat with my hands placed on my knees and focused on my breath. It may sound silly, but it’s a helpful tool to calm oneself.

To stop and tell yourself, “I am here. These are my knees. I am touching my knees and sitting on my bed and can feel the support of the earth.” It’s a bit akin to my brain trying to reason with my body to settle down and return to the moment. An internal, “Hey buddy, everything is ok, you can settle down now.”

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Essential oils have gained significant popularity as a natural and holistic approach to supporting both emotional and physical well-being.

These concentrated plant extracts offer a wide range of therapeutic benefits, making them a valuable tool to enhance optimal health and support the mind-body connection. In my personal use of essential oils, their versatility makes them invaluable!

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

If misbehavior keeps you from teaching effectively, these simple ways to redirect children’s behavior through meeting their needs will be beneficial. And if you are sans misbehavior, all the better! Then, Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs will help you build a safe and extraordinary community in your classroom.

Estimated reading: 4 minutes

People-pleasers often secretly view their congeniality, kind nature, and generosity as a badge of honor. However, relationships where both partners share these traits can be problematic.

While every relationship has its unique challenges, being in a relationship with two people-pleasers can feel a bit like Bill Murray felt in Groundhog Day. Life feels surprisingly familiar and unsettling, but there's a ton of guesswork.

Estimated reading: 4 minutes

If you've spent years bottling up emotions, you may not know how to change. Opening to our feelings can feel overwhelming, even scary, if we have been pushing them down for a long time. We don't know what will happen if we remove the cork.

We might be afraid that if they are unleashed, they'll singe everything in their path, so it's safer to stuff them. Regardless of WHY you've bottled 'em up, know that you can learn to regulate your emotions for a happier and more balanced life.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Kindness is simple yet impactful. It doesn't require much effort but can have a profound impact on our lives. However, many of us have been raised to believe that being kind means saying "yes" to others, even at the expense of our own needs. The common saying, "It is more blessed to give than receive," reinforces this idea.

But what is true kindness? Generally, we don't distinguish between genuine kindness and people-pleasing. Yet, there is a significant difference.

Estimated reading: 5 minutes

Many years ago, I couldn’t sleep at night because of a runaway mind. Whether I was revolving thoughts, anxious about forgotten tasks left undone at work or just excited about creating something new—my mind was the Energizer Bunny on steroids!

Do you want to know what solved it for me?

Estimated reading: 7 minutes

We can all agree that anxiety is not a pleasant experience. Your anxiety might present as a constant internal dialogue of catastrophic thinking, imagining worst-case scenarios, or thinking through all the possible ways something could go wrong.

Or you might predominantly experience uncomfortable body sensations like nausea, muscle tension, or an elevated heart rate when you’re feeling anxious.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes