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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
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COVID-19 Are You in Your Emotional Window of Tolerance?

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COVID-19 Are You in Your Emotional Window of Tolerance?

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.

by Gretchen Flores
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How to Stay Healthy During Flu and Virus Season

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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

by Gretchen Flores
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Guest Article: Physical and Financial Preparations for a Disabled Child

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Guest Article: Physical and Financial Preparations for a Disabled Child

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.

by Gretchen Flores

The Holiday's Stink!

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…

by Gretchen Flores

Patience

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.

by Gretchen Flores
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How to Process Grief After Loss

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How to Process Grief After Loss

thought about writing on the topic of grief this afternoon before I learned the news of the most recent school shooting.   Hearing of the news of the shooting in Florida today reminds us that so many people are grieving every day.  It's horrifying to hear of such news, and the tragedy reminds us that each day we live is a sweet blessing.  Our hearts break for those affected by the senseless violence.  Some of us grieve sudden and unexpected losses, similar to the one in the news today in Florida, and others grieve over time as loved ones suffer from a terminal illness or fragility from old age.  

Identifiable stages of grief include; denial, anger, deep sadness or depression, bargaining, and acceptance. 

by Gretchen Flores

Components of a Healthy Relationship

Components of a Healthy Relationship

Healthy couple relationships have some important shared components.  If you want your relationship to thrive focus on developing your relationship in these areas.  

Shared Interests-  Couples need to have some interests that are shared.  Interests such as sports, being outdoors, reading, shared faith, and similar views all help couples feel connected to each other.  All interests don't have to be the same, but there needs to be enough shared interest to build a common bond. 

by Gretchen Flores
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Benefits of a Positive State of Mind

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Benefits of a Positive State of Mind

Every single hour of every day, we have choices.  We have choices about how we view what we are experiencing.  Every choice we make is creating a habit, or a neural pathway, in our brain, that stays connected.  The more we think a certain way, it becomes easier to travel down that path, because our neural synaptic connections are created and sustained by how we think.  In other words, If we persistently think negatively, then we will have trouble seeing the positive, even if there is positive to be seen.   

by Gretchen Flores
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Processing the Pain When a Friend Leaves

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Processing the Pain When a Friend Leaves

Her phone calls seemed to get farther and farther apart.  She seemed distant and aloof and I started to wonder what was going on.  I considered her to be my closest friend.  We roomed together for years in a spacious, sunny apartment.  We had been through a lot together and had supported each other through hard times.  We also laughed a lot, and had code sentences that only we knew what they meant; private jokes built over years of closeness.  I wondered why she wouldn’t get back to me. 

by Gretchen Flores
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Self-care Habits to Remember

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Self-care Habits to Remember

Resolutions are common in January.  So many of us want to start out the new year with resolve to do things better.  When it comes to resolutions, make your own self-care important and a part of your daily life.  You don't have to do it all at once, but make sure you are doing something on a regular basis to prioritize your health and well being.  Here are some ideas to start with:

  1. Don’t feel guilty when you take time to take care of yourself, and remember that your needs matter too.  

by Gretchen Flores