I've been hearing from a LOT of people about how they are feeling extra stressed and strangely “emotional” over the past few weeks.
For example, little things they would have normally shrugged off seem to be causing more stress and frustration than usual. Can you relate? The stress of it all is adding up fast. I wanted to share some simple things you can do to reduce your stress!
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I’m going to ask you to do something a little strange right now. Ready? I want you to imagine your favorite, most decadent thing to eat. Maybe it’s a thick slice of rich chocolate cake … a slice of pizza dripping with cheese, hot from a brick oven … a buttery lobster ... or how about a juicy burger?  Did your mouth start to water? You probably couldn’t tell, but your stomach actually started producing juices to digest those amazing foods.
If you ever doubted that if what you’re thinking about could have an impact on what happens in your gut … well, you just experienced the proof that it really does! And this brain-gut connection doesn’t only involve thoughts about food. Has the coronavirus pandemic made you feel nervous, worried, or on edge? You might have had an uneasy feeling in your belly over it – and that’s because a big part of your stress response happens inside your gut. And it actually can impact your health and wellness! That stress response comes from your secret “second brain” that resides in your digestive tract. It’s called your enteric nervous system.It’s made up of layers of cells (more than 100 million of them) that line your gastrointestinal tract, all the way from your esophagus to your rectum.  And what you eat can have a BIG impact on this entire system, and so can stress.
Your “secret brain” communicates directly back-and-forth with the brain in your head through the “gut-brain axis.” This axis is an incredibly complex system involving hormones, nerves, body fluids, your immune system and more. Here’s where it gets interesting …  So … I get this question a lot. “Crystal, why do you always talk so much about motivation and goal setting?” In last week's blog post, I challenged you to set a BIG GOAL for 2020. Click here if you haven't read it. Big goals give you butterflies in your stomach because they take you outside of your comfort zone.
Today, I have an AMAZING exercise for you to set those butterflies free. It’s something that can take your life to an entirely new level. One of the six high performance habits, that the most successful people in the world practice, is Courage...and this practice will help! (Plus, you can do this whenever you find yourself struggling to make a big decision or when you notice something is holding you back.) Today I am going to share one of my FAVORITE GOAL-GETTING tactics with you! It’s perfect for you if you’ve set a BIG resolution for 2020 or even better, big dreams for the new decade. I’m talking about that big scary goal that’s lurking in the back of your mind ... … something huge, like running a marathon, dropping clothes sizes, becoming more “minimalist,” saving $$$ to buy/pay off a house or retire, or … well, you get the picture.  These are BIG GOALS that require a big commitment!
They can take time … energy … and a LOT of patience. Which can make them seem OVERWHELMING … which means it will likely be harder to keep your energy and motivation up! I have a trick when it comes to achieving those huge goals.  Happy New Year!!! Can you believe it is 2020?! Not only do we have a brand New Year ahead of us … we have a NEW DECADE! We’ve said goodbye to 2019, and we’re launching into 2020 with fresh energy. This is YOUR YEAR. That’s why I have something REALLY fun today, to help you celebrate! Are you ready to get FOCUSED? Here’s an amazing exercise that can set the tone for your entire YEAR … it’s truly inspiring!Picture this for a second.... You’re at a holiday party. You’re surrounded by your family, friends, or coworkers and are having a great time. Drinks are flowing and food is everywhere. And it’s delicious. In fact, you’ve already indulged in some of your favorites, in moderation of course ;-)  But then your friend asks you to have another drink, and then someone else asks you to try that amazing casserole they made. Or maybe a plate of cookies has caught your eye. Even though you’re full, you can feel yourself about to give in to those temptations – and break the commitment you made with yourself not to over do it. Ever been there before? I know I have. Here’s something that can change EVERYTHING for you:As we head toward the New Year (one of my favorite times of the year!), it can be super helpful to take a few minutes to think about everything you accomplished this year. How did you do with your goals for 2019?Did you make progress? Or did you set them aside for other goals? Are you setting the same goals again for 2020?  Bust out a journal (even if it's not your thing), and write all of this down because it can help you reflect more deeply.This is one of my favorite times of the year, because it’s all about reflecting on what we are grateful for in our lives. Although, for the last four weeks I've been writing out five things I'm grateful for every single morning as part of my journaling routine. It definitely gets more press on this one day of the year! Taking the time to really FEEL gratitude is actually good for your health.  First of all, what is gratitude, exactly? |
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AuthorHi, I’m Crystal! If you'd like to access my Farmer's Market Friday posts from 2018, click here!
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