Sunday Motivation
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Tag Archives: rest
The Snow Day Reset
Snow Day Reset
Fast forward plays on repeat
the days trick the nights to fly by fast
the race to nowhere where stamina cannot last
what is rest in a world
that allows cups to be refilled,
… and refilled …
… and refilled …
where dreams sit waiting for time to get out
shivering in the back seat
inhaling the aroma of doomed defeat
frozen limbs of even the strong-willed.
But the blizzard and its fiery companion meet
as the sky tries to hold back the winter playground
until each flake decides one by one to release
like confetti thrown from the sky
they dance into white dunes to magnify the light
mountains of possibilities form
from raw remnants of those powdery clouds
there is nothing more tangible
than snow angels with motherly curves
and Frosties rolled into existence by tiny fingers
where innocence actually gets what it deserves
where chapped lips and layers upon layers of clothes
suffocate the speed of deadlines and to-do lists
and for just a day – time seems to forget
all but, old man winter’s plea
for the earth to pause
and for that,
I am thankful for a day to reset.
– Jennifer Kosuda
So grateful for a day to reset… the world needs more days like that. Today, I allowed myself to be lazy and carefree (well, a lot more than usual).
What do you do to reset?
© Jennifer Kosuda and The Art of a Messy House (theartofamessyhouse.com), 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jennifer Kosuda and The Art of a Messy House with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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A Healthy, Happy Home
Creating a healthy home has always been one of my greatest goals. Even before kids, I considered myself healthy. However, it wasn’t until after TJ’s diagnosis that I began to see past some of my old ways of health to an even more natural way. It really opened my eyes to a world that I was not seeing clearly beforehand. I thought I was healthy before that: I worked out every day and ate a low fat, lean diet, splurging on the weekends of course. (Yes, I had fallen terribly for the fat free fad….oh how I had been wrong!) So to say the least, it was a huge wake up call when I took on the elimination diet for TJ and started to read more about food system. I learned about true health by following and listening to people like Robyn O’Brien.
While I still have a ways to go, we have come far.
Once again, I am NOT a doctor. Just a mama, wife, teacher, friend, Jesus lover, writer trying to figure out how to embrace the mess… (See disclaimer below)
Over the past years, we have learned some go-to tips to assist our family’s health, and propel it forward…
- Prayer – This may sound repetitive throughout my posts, but good! It should be! The power of prayer cannot be defined. We have truly seen it transform our health and you can too! There is no special way, time, or place. Just pray…
- Rest – There was a time I would have told you that the r in propelling your health was to run daily. However, as much as I still love to run each morning, getting enough sleep and rest has proven to be much more beneficial.
- Oils – Aside from healthy cooking oils and those in our diet like olive and coconut, essential oils have empowered our house. It took me many years and a thousand questions (Thanks Mary for your patience!) before I actually bought my first premium starter kit from Young Living. It’s been three years now since then and oils are now part of our daily routines. They helped us toss out our unhealthy candles, became a friend to our immune systems, and eliminated so many unnecessary chemicals that our house once carried.We diffuse them, roller ball them up, bathe with them, make lotion using them, and even clean with them! With oils, it is important to always find a high quality brand! (Want more information on oils? Send me an email to theartofamessyhouse@gmail.com or comment below. And stay tuned for future posts.)
- Probiotics – We saw a lot of doctors after TJ had his first reaction. Unless necessary, I would NOT recommend doing that. Seeing a lot of doctors leads to lots of conflicting advice and one crazed Mama…or Dada. Anyways, one recommendation that every single doctor during that time suggested was to use a good probiotic. We went with UltraFlora Balance by Metagenics after two of them suggested that one. TJ and Madison have both used it since before they were one years old just in a reduced form. It was also what I used throughout my pregnancy with Madison. Sometimes, I switch it up too for myself with good high quality, trusted brands.
- Elderberry – This is very new to me this year. During flu season last year, I read a lot about elderberry and purchased an organic brand of it. However, it was stored away until this past Christmas when TJ got the stomach bug the night before Christmas Eve! (One of my worst nightmares!) So, we tore open that bottle and have been using it since whenever someone in the family has a compromised immune system. Next up…to try to make our own.
- Love – All you need is a little TLC… tender loving care, they say. But the reality is sometimes, people are hard to love. Sometimes, it just feels good to vent about something or someone..to burn off that steam exploded inside. It’s healthy too… but the healthiest I have ever felt was when I began to more easily let go up “the drama,” “the negativity,” and even the people who are just plan “mean” … and focus on love. Hug more, kiss those dirty cheeks more and say “I love you” out of routine. Stop fixating on what’s wrong; challenge yourself to see the good in the picture instead. Walk away from the hate; embrace the love.
In addition to these ways we PROPEL our health, I also chew a clove of garlic at the first sign of a sore throat. (I had to add this today as I am feeling under the weather and needed a morning clove.) It is not for everyone and I am sure that I do not need to tell you, it does not have the greatest taste.. or smell. I didn’t add it to our list because I am the only one who uses this as my kids are too young to force allium sativum on them, and Timmy is not a fan of the technique. No kissing tonight hun!
So there’s my mnemonic device for health, PROPEL! The ELA teacher in me at work…the believer at heart. It’s not cliche. It’s real.
Even though we still get hit by viruses, we breath easier knowing that we have resources that help propel our health past the always lingering season of germs and mess.
Disclaimer: This blog is a personal blog and used as a way of sharing and connecting with other readers. The posts, articles, and stories shared on the site are meant as a source of encouragement. In this challenging world of food allergies, motherhood, and life, I have found reaching out to other parents and people in my shoes to be extremely resourceful and inspiring. Therefore, I want to give back and do the same. I am not a doctor; therefore, the information on my blog is not intended as medical advice so as always, please consult with your doctor.
