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balance, Anxiety, Encouraging, Stress
Gretchen Flores
COVID-19 Are You in Your Emotional Window of ...

Life has thrown us all some unexpected turns recently with the rise of COVID-19. The question to ask yourself is how do you stay within your emotional window of tolerance? When you are in your window of tolerance you feel secure or safe. You feel that you can handle your emotions as they surface, and you can find your sense of direction. Your responses are congruent with the situation at hand and you feel open, curious, and present. Feelings of empathy remain intact and you are able to maintain healthy boundaries. However, a stressful event can lead to movement out of your window of tolerance.

COVID-19 Are You in Your Emotional Window of Tolerance?
Nutrition, Health
Gretchen Flores
How to Stay Healthy During Flu and Virus Season

Some years ago I noticed a higher number of cancellations due to the flu than other seasons. This year the Corona Virus is putting fear in many hearts. People are stockpiling toilet paper and essentials to have around the house and some offices are preparing to have their employees work from home. Vacation plans are being canceled as fear rises like the tide. Around 7 years ago I started on a quest for natural health

How to Stay Healthy During Flu and Virus Season
Parenting, Stress
Gretchen Flores
Guest Article: Physical and Financial ...

Once you’ve experienced the shock and euphoria that accompanies the news that you’re having a baby, your thoughts move on to the physical and financial preparations that need to be made. There’s a nursery to be assembled as well as equipment and supplies to be acquired so you’re ready to go when the big day arrives.

For parents who find they’re expecting a child with a physical or mental disability, the shock they experience is of a slightly different nature.

Guest Article: Physical and Financial Preparations for a Disabled Child
Gretchen Flores
The Holiday's Stink!

Tis the season for intensified feelings of grief, despair, and loneliness. The feelings of sadness of the loss of a loved one increases exponentially during the holidays. The memories of past holidays together can flood the mind and intensify the feelings of loss. When our lives aren’t perfect and we look around at everyone else’s seemingly perfect lives, despair sets in with feelings of inadequacy. The feelings can spin around in our minds like a tossed salad with too much dressing, “They have an intact family, they have money to go skiing, they don’t have financial problems, their kids have good grades…

The Holiday's Stink!
Encouraging
Gretchen Flores
Patience

I have learned that it takes around 3 years for a bamboo plant to be fully established once it is planted. It will have long periods in which the plant doesn’t appear to be making any growth progress.  It is during this time that growth is occurring underground within the root system.  The roots are actively growing and pushing water up to the plant above ground.

Patience

discipline

,

Feeling Weak

,

After years of slipping into the sedentary lifestyle I decided to start running again.  I used to be an athlete able to run fast or far depending on the race.  Hurdles and the 200 yard dash were among my races, and I also ran cross country.  On the cross country team the coach would load us on a bus and drop us off miles from campus.  We had no choice but to run until we got home.  

Now, years later, I set out to run again.  At first it felt great!  I was thrilled to get my stamina back and to push the pace.  I felt the thrill of getting back in shape again, that is, until my knees seized up in pain.  Pushing the pace was not an option as I stopped on the trail and gave my legs a shake in dismay.  I had no choice but to slow my pace considerably, ice my knees and run shorter distances.  It was discouraging.  

Several weeks later my knees are starting to get stronger.  I don’t look at all like the athlete I used to be.  I kind of shuffle along monitoring my knees and giving them time to build up muscle again.  I never had knee problems before.  It used to be my shins but never my knees.  I guess after years of a sedentary job, putting off running after two kids and a busy life have caught up with me.  

I realize that this applies to many areas of life, physical, spiritual, emotional and mental.   I like to tell my clients that

by Gretchen Flores