Tag: inspiration

Reading Does the Mind & Body Good

Posted on by Melody from Elevate Your Plate
“Some books leave us free and some books make us free.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

We all need a much needed escape from reality right now so why not use the gloomy and cold wintery days to curl up on the couch with a good book.

Reading helps relax the body by lowering the heart rate and easing tension in your muscles. Not to mention, it helps transport us to an alternate world for a temporary time making us forget about everything that is going on.

A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading reduces stress by up to 68%, which is a more effective method for reducing stress compared to listening to music or doing art.

With endless options, stay at home orders, and cold weather, why not pass the time with a good book or two. For the ultimate cozy experience, grab a blanket, make a warm beverage, and light a candle.

Comment below with your book recommendations.

Changing your Perspective

Posted on by Melody from Elevate Your Plate
“Changing your perspective changes your experience.”

Close your eyes and imagine yourself flying over the city of Paris at night. Imagine seeing the city below, its shape, the lights, and making out a glimpse of the famous landmarks that seem so teeny in such a large landscape. Now imagine being on the ground and standing directly under the structure of the Eiffel Tower. You break your neck just to take in the entirety of its glory and quickly realize just how small you are standing beneath it. In both of these scenarios, the sights offer different perspectives, yet the city remains the same. Each view is equally amazing as the other, yet they yield different experiences.

Life very much parallels this sentiment. Challenges, hardships, anxiety, relationships, jobs, personal life, etc. can look very different depending on what angle we view them from. We can choose to always look at our lives from one single lens, or we can practice seeing the same exact things from a different view. Perhaps there is in fact a flicker of positivity when we look at a hardship from the outside in. Maybe a relationship that seems perfect actually is not when we step out of it for a bit. Maybe eating that piece of cake over the weekend seemed devastating to your health goals in the moment, but actually was worth the joy you experienced with every bite.

No matter what it is that you are going through, this week challenge yourself to look at scenarios with a new perspective. You may be surprised by the different feelings you experience as a result of changing your perception.

Clean your Mess, Reduce your Stress

Posted on by Melody from Elevate Your Plate
Did you know that clearing your physical space free of clutter actually has significant psychological and health benefits?

Multiple studies show a direct correlation between clutter, unfinished projects, and increased cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone responsible for controlling blood sugar levels, regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation, assisting with memory formulation, improving sleep, and helping control salt and water for improved blood pressure regulation.

Additionally, research shows that those with a cleaner space have higher activity levels and are more likely to cook healthy meals at home vs. eat out.

So, in short, a messy space, piles of clutter, and disorganization = mental chaos, increased stress and anxiety, less physical activity, poor sleep, poor nutrition, and several health implications.

Completing smaller organizing and cleaning tasks can yield a significant amount of mental and physical benefits, so why not start small. Trying to tackle an entire decluttering project can often be a very overwhelming and daunting task. Instead, focus on doing just 20-30 minutes of cleaning per day either a few times per week or daily. Make a small goal of sorting through 1 pile of papers, deep cleaning 1 room, putting your clothes away off of the floor, weeding 1 section of the garden, filing away important documents, selling unwanted items, the list goes on.

If you find that your mental health is suffering, start at home with your physical space. A little organizing goes a long way.

To share your own decluttering tips, comment below.

Make Time for Self-Care

Posted on by Melody from Elevate Your Plate

Self-care is defined as the: “practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.” With all of life’s craziness, we often forget to prioritize our own self. When this happens, we feel trapped, overwhelmed, and consumed with negative energy.
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Self-care involves actively clearing out your mental and physical spaces so that you have time to do the things that you enjoy most. These “things” vary among each individual and no “thing” is better than the other.
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It is okay to be selfish and take the time to slip away from the world to decompress, stabilize, relax, think, ponder, cry, laugh, write, breathe, move, sing, or dance. It is amazing what you can discover within you once all of the background noise disappears.
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Remember that you only get one body, so take the time needed to invest in it and love it. Self-care will always be the best care!
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Comment below and share something that you do for self-care.