Work Hard. Make Pretty.

I work hard running our little homestead. House maintenance, gardening, chicken care, fighting the forest, not to mention taking care of the family and working full time... it's a lot of hard work!

Today, I used the edge trimmer to cut back all the super high weeds growing all around our property. My hands are shaking now and I can't really lift anything fragile for fear of dropping it and breaking it.

Afterwards, getting clean and pretty was so very satisfying. There is something to be appreciated about working or playing hard, getting all sweaty and dirty and then getting clean and pretty when you're done.

Let It Go Through Four Steps to Mindfulness

That ice queen might be on to something: we all need to Let It Go. 

We are what we are. Some things we can change and some things we truly cannot. Elsa could not change her “power”. But she could change how she used it, by moving from fear to love. It’s a great story, and an excellent life lesson. AND easier said than done.

• Children want a toy and throw tantrums for it. They can’t just let it go.
• Teens have conflict with a peer and make drama about it. They can’t just let it go.
• Adults can get obsessed with political issues. They can’t just let it go.

So, the million dollar question is: How do you let it go? How do you release the fear, anguish, and hurt that goes along with something you just cannot let go of?

Four Steps to Mindfulness

1. Breathe. Focus on breathing. Don’t try to stop thinking about whatever is flying around in your head, just turn your focus to breathing.
2. Be aware of your body. Whatever position you are in, just become aware of your entire body, your limbs and their location. No need to move or anything, just be aware of them.
3. Relax your body. Stretch your muscles if you want, and position in whatever way is comfortable for you.
4. Now, release whatever emotion you are holding onto: concern, worry, fear, anger, apprehension, frustration, irritation, etc. Seriously. Let it go. Replace that negative feeling with something positive: a smile, a happy memory, a pleasant moment from the day, joy, love.

DIY Spa Day

I could use a relaxing spa day EVERY day. The fact is, I can barely manage some spa treatment time for me every few months. If I'm lucky. And the planets align.

When I do have an opportunity for relaxing spa time, you bet your pretty petunias I'm going to take advantage of that! My problem is, there is no way I could afford GOING to a spa. I mean a facial alone can be well over $100. There is most definitely a way I can recreate the spa experience myself and for much less.

Be prepared to spend some time alone, bathing and pampering yourself!

	Spa Treatment	Products I Recommend
Face	Brightening Facial: A facial mask will invigorate and hydrate your face, bringing back a healthy glow and helping you relax and recover from stress.	Clearskin® Pore Penetrating Black Mineral Mask $6.99 OR Planet Spa Amazonian Treasures Hydrating Face Mask with Brazilian Acai and Berries $10 Spa Cost: $100+
	Facial Hair Treatment: Remove unwanted facial hair with a cream or a wax.	Skin So Soft Fresh & Smooth Moisturizing Facial Hair Removal Cream $6 OR  Skin So Soft Fresh & Smooth Moisturizing Facial Wax Strip Kit $12 Spa Cost: $15-$30+
Body	Exfoliate: Use a body scrub to exfoliate skin, and refresh your body.	Planet Spa Perfectly Purifying With Dead Sea Minerals Body Scrub $12  Spa Cost: $50+
	Moisturize: Enrich and restore your skin with a soothing moisturizer, like a body lotion or oil.	Skin So Soft body lotions and oils - so many solutions and scents to choose from! $5 to $15  Spa Cost: $50+

Hands	Manicure: File your nails, care for your cuticles and polish with a trendy color.	Nailwear Pro+ Nail Enamel $6 Spa Cost: $25+
	Moisturize: Massage a lotion into the dry skin on your fingers and hands.	My personal favorite! Moisture Therapy Intensive Healing & Repair Hand Cream $5 Spa Cost: $10+
Feet	Pedicure: Trim your toenails, and color them with a made to last gel polish.	Gel Finish 7-in-1 Nail Enamel $7  Spa Cost: $35+
	Smooth: Rub in a hydrating foot cream.	Foot Works Beautiful Deep Moisturizing Cream $5 &   Spa Cost: $20+

Total cost for all of that pampering at a spa? Starting at $320, and could be much more depending on the spa!

Total cost if you do it in the comfort of your home? $75, and you can use the same products again next time you need a spa day! Check out my DIY Spa Day Pinterest board.

Stressed? Take A Bath!

I'm not joking.

Do you feel stressed? How do you know if you are stressed? Life has a way of making too many demands of us. The result is that we feel stress, which can have pretty harmful effects!

Am I Stressed?

Dealing with every day life can make us feel pressured, moody, worrisome, anxious, irritable, depressed, achy, sick or nervous. The way we react to stressors can be mental, emotional, physical or in the way we act. Stress overload can push us to a breaking point.

In a cruel, ironic twist of fate, my life has been going fairly smoothly, yet today something extraordinarily stressful happened. I am shaky, teary, sad, and definitely feeling fight or flight instincts. Stress happens because things in life happen. So, yes, I am very much stressed!

How Do You Cope With Stress?

It depends on the type of stressors in your life. Certain jobs people have result in more complex things to deal with, for example. Events occur that can create acute or sustained stress. The degree to which you are personally able to deal with stress can also determine how you cope. I feel stress mostly through muscle tension, which can lead to severe headaches.

If you feel like you are strained to the point of mental or physical exhaustion, you need some stress relief!

• Take time for yourself. I'm a working mom. Time for myself is sort of an oxymoron. You have to actively seek moments to relax. Go for a short walk outdoors. Find a relaxing hobby. Have conversations with your personal support network.
• Get rid of the stressors. Clear away negative people and situations as much as you  can. Set realistic goals and cross a few things off your to do list. Eliminate the source of your stress.
• Change what you can and ignore what you can't. Sometimes things can't be changed. If you work in ER, the trauma will continue to walk through the door. If you can't change your job, find a way to be at peace with what you do. You cannot control certain things!
• Try meditation and aromatherapy. Find a quiet space where you can be alone. Breathe deeply and visualize the stress going away. Certain aromas can be calming and will help to melt stress away. Scents such as peppermint, lavender, jasmine, geranium and chamomile are known for their pleasant and stress relieving odors. 

Coping with the pressures of life is hard. there is no doubt about that! But to ensure stress doesn't take over your life, you have to actively week ways to manage it.

In fact, just taking the time to have a luxurious bath can help reduce stress by improving circulation, relaxing muscles, enabling the use of aromatherapy, and allowing for personal meditation.

Skin So Soft Aroma + Therapy Stress Relief combines eucalyptus and geranium scents in bath foam, body wash and moisturizer.