De-stress the Holidays
STOCK UP Plan 2021
The 12 mood helpers of Momlife
What your CONSUME
(4 things to consider)
[eat | drink | read | watch | listen | social media]
Ironically, we can tend to feel most ‘rushed’ when we are getting ready to ‘slow down’ at the end of the year.
This Holiday, I am choosing to focus more on the JOY of the season and less on the stress and I am inviting you along!
How? By following the habits that worked in the past and cutting back on the habits that come back to bite me and drain my time and energy.
This year, fellow mom, don’t you think you deserve to give back some to yourself?
I am so glad to welcome you to our ‘De-stress the Holidays’ self-care gift guide STOCK UP Plan!
In this 4 part series, I will be sharing recommendations, tips, advise, gifts, stories, reviews and my own experience as a mom of 3 in a busy household, Licensed Nurse and Certified Childbirth Educator. Moral support and all the virtual hugs needed available!
Why? Because as I new mom, I survived on fellow moms sharing what they know to work in their parenting and personal life.
I feel inspired to pay it forward this Holiday season. So tell your mom friends and family to come shop, learn, grow and laugh with us here
(and Instagram @momlifemoodboard).
Now let’s chat. On to part 1 of things that affect our mood and stress levels especially during the Holidays when we are more likely to be easily triggered:
==> What you CONSUME - read 4 things to consider below:
a) Have you considered adding CBD to your routine and self care?
4 ways natural CBD extract has been shown to benefit women:
the mild effects promote a calm mood
the calming effects enhance good sleep
it absorbs through the skin for better health
it soothes sore joints and muscles from work outs and busy life
Joy Organics CBD is dedicated to providing a variety of quality hemp products. You can scroll through their:
flavored tinctures
yummy gummies
scented bath bombs
smooth salves
(this article contains affiliate links - see disclosure)
You can take this QUIZ on their website to learn more about your self-care needs and how their products might work for you. Click below to discover:
I am excited to be the one to share this great CBD news for November 2021!
The Joy Organics family is offering:
==> 15% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER, ANYTIME
This goes toward any product site wide! You can start browsing for calming discounts by clicking here below:
Current Holidays 2021 Offer:
20% Off Sitewide
Code = HOLIDAYS20
Expires January 6, 2022
Think, stress-free stocking stuffers… (p.s if you ask me, Tranquil Mint flavor is a Holiday must have! I will be sharing yummy recipes to try)
Here below is your Holiday CBD discounts link to bookmark:
3 reasons I prefer and trust Joy Organics as my source for CBD:
Their products are 3rd party tested for standards and quality
They offer a variety of broad spectrum products as CBD is absorbed by our bodies in various ways
Joy Organics is family founded and believes in giving back a potion of their revenue to charity
b) Have you considered adding SUPERFOODS to your diet?
5 Superfood supplements for moms to have in the pantry and fridge at all times and why:
Spirulina - antioxidant and omega 3
Hemp or pea protein powder - quick protein boost for smoothies and meals
Maca - for hormones and mood balancing
Probiotics - for a healthy gut and digestion
Cacao - antioxidant rich chocolate base for delicious smiles
(credit: The Self-Care Cookbook by Gemma Ogston) <== as a side note, I highly recommend this cookbook for any mama that is curious about a plant-based diet or simply adding more nourishing recipes to what your family already eats.
Maintaining a healthy diet is a challenge, especially during the Holidays, but all moms know there is always a hack! It is easy as pie to add a spoonful of powerful nutrition to your meals and snacks to make up for any slack that time and busy lives leave in our daily eating habits. I can notice a difference in my energy and mood when I alternate superfood supplements in my morning smoothies and it’s a habit that is quick and puts a delicious smile on my face in the morning :)
All these can be found on Amazon! You can scroll through the list of the brands I use and recommend here:
c) Have you considered your comfort level with consumption of alcoholic beverages for overall wellbeing?
I have recently become sober curious. What that term means is that one intends to cut back on alcohol or eliminate it completely for various reasons, common and personal. I just complete a #soberOctober challenge, yay me! I can say, I feel less brain fog, more lively in my body and I sure don’t miss hangover mornings.
Now, I am challenging myself to a #sobercurious 2021 Holiday season since, to be honest, this is the time of year when it is easy for me to drink the most. I may not mind the alcohol or others enjoying it but this time, I am interested in what my entire Holiday experience will be like if I stuck to non-alcoholic beverages the whole time…
I am doing it for 3 main reasons:
to be more present in the moments (and remember all of them clearly)
to feel better mentally and physically (no more hangovers for me, thank you)
to form better habits and make healthier lifestyle choices (guilt-free)
For me, being sober curious means I am choosing non-alcoholic drinks a majority of the time. It means I will either have whatever is available at gatherings but only 1 serving or I will bring my own beverages as my plan to stick to my choices why still enjoying good company. It means I will offer booze-free drinks at gatherings I hold for others as well. I feel really passionate about sharing this part of my journey as a mom because I have a feeling there are other moms out there like me, curious about their life experience with much less alcohol involved. For me so far, it has been worth the improvements!
Sober curious like me? Or maybe you have wondered if you should cut back on booze, you know there’s a hack for that fellow mom!
You can browse my favorite alcohol free beverage selection from the online store Better Rhodes, here below: they have refreshments to replace almost any wine, spirit or cocktail. If you have tried sparkling cider to replace wine but like me still think it tastes too much like just juice, there is a wine club to have a variety of alcohol free wines delivered for you to try!
>> CLICK PIC to learn more and SHOP <<
Sober Curious starter pack (alcohol free wines, dry ‘prosecco’, malt drinks, botanical spirits + mocktail recipes) from Better Rhodes
I am LOVING the ‘Dry’ bubbly if you like Prosecco for festivities (cucumber flavor shown below- click pic to shop more flavors!). I am also enjoying Seedlip botanical spirits for making bomb mocktails!
d) Have you considered how your screen time affects your moods, productivity and connection to others?
Let’s face it, the fact that we can do and order almost anything online has made it easier for us to use the excuse that we are doing something important to keep our face glued to a screen most of the day. I have learned over time the importance of having a strategy to monitor your own screen time. Often, we reach for the phone or the remote out of habit, boredom or as a distraction. Unfortunately, that same habit is itself a major distraction from living our actual lives fully present and without comparison and competition.
One simple hack to break the habit of heading over to social media excessively is to always have a book, paper puzzle like sudoku, something to listen to like music, a podcast or Audible book. (if you haven’t tried Audible book reader yet, did you know you can get Free books for signing up here: audible books. The Audible app is an excellent multi-tasking and de-stressing tool to just zone off into a good book or pep talk!
When I first became a mom, the cell-phone habit replacement that stuck for me was journaling. It is easy to do anywhere and it is my favorite way to check in on my thoughts and feelings and set plans, goals, memories and endless possibilities of self-awareness.
If you must have prolonged screen-time, especially late in the day, you may need Blue Light blocking eye glasses like the ones linked below to protect your eyes from strain and prevent headaches. These glasses really help save your eyesight and are on my list of mindful gifts for friends and family.
Here are my current favorite screen-time free books, journals and accessories available on Amazon:
SERENITY. PURPOSE. ATTITUDE (S.P.A) - a 21 week themed guided journal for a woman’s heart and mind
COFFEE SELF-TALK - 5 minutes a day positivity
SOJOS CAT EYE Blue Light cancelling glasses
That’s it for now, one busy moms take on the 4 things to consider when checking what you are consuming physically and mentally on a regular basis.
I would love to hear your thoughts!
Please comment below, subscribe and follow @momlifemoodboard on Instagram!
I wish you a low-stress Holiday season this year,
Caroline
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READ NEXT >>> Decorate Momlife ~ Destress the Holidays (on calming, cozy, meaningful art and decor)
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>>> Coming next >>> The 12 helpers of mom life #2: What you WEAR
>>> The 12 helpers of mom life #3: What you THINK
>>> The 12 helpers of mom life #4: What you ENJOY