As I write this my dining room table is covered in Legos. COVERED. My oldest son turned eight on Thursday and it has been a week of cake and presents and celebrations. Wonderful, yes; but tiring too. I have been so thankful to retreat to our cozy nest at the end of each day.

How is your nest coming along?


Welcome to week 9 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Surviving the cold with warmth and comfort: Nurturing bedtime ritual

Challenge for week 9: I mentioned before that having a simple ritual to close your day can be very comforting. After sipping a hot drink or watching your favorite show under a soft blanket, consider how you prepare your body for sleep. Whether you have a full bedtime regimen or you simply crawl into bed at the end of the day, think about treating yourself to one simple nurturing step to ease you into sleep mode. Again, you want to choose something simple that you can look forward to (and not dread as an extra step) at the end of the day.

A few of my favorites: 

What are some of your favorites?

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram


*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

In spite of the 70 degree weather here, I found myself fighting a head cold for a couple of days last week. No matter what the weather, that always has me looking for extra comfort- room in my schedule, warm blankets, my favorite tea, etc. I have been focusing on starting my days gently instead of in a mad rush and, since I have two kids who need to get to school on time, that isn’t always easy. Bringing a little more intention to my morning routine has helped a bit. I even moved my early morning runs to later in the morning so that I could get some sunshine. Typically I enjoy the sunrise time, but last week called for some warmth!

How did your week go?


Welcome to week 8 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Surviving the cold with warmth and comfort: Making a nest

When I left my corporate job to be home with my kids, I struggled a lot with the experience of never being alone. I had a baby and a toddler with me everywhere I went and could be woken at any time during the night by one or both of them. I felt as if my new job had zero time off around the clock and there were no periods of time, awake or asleep, that were mine only. To help ease my overwhelmed soul, I began to think of our master bedroom as our sanctuary. The room is decorated in relaxing shades of blue and cream and toys are no longer allowed in. It is a relaxing harbor in the sea of kid-crazy that engulfs the rest of our home and I so need that.


Challenge for week 8: This week I want you to build a nest! Think about where you sleep at night and consider what you might do to make it feel just a little more cozy. Are your sheets and blankets soft and comfortable? What about your pillow- is it time for a trip through the wash or to buy a new one?

Here are some more ideas to get you started on creating your cozy nest:

• Bedding: Sheets, blankets, and pillow covers should always be soft and comfortable! I prefer flannel sheets in the winter but you have to buy good flannel or else it pills and feels like sandpaper. Check Costco, Amazon, or Overstock.com for good deals. 
• Lavender: The fragrance of real lavender is soothing and can help to make your space extra relaxing. Over the holidays I made a simple homemade lavender linen spray (try this recipe) for gifts. I also love the lavender laundry bags from Trader Joe’s (or make your own refillable bags with muslin bags and lavender flowers)- I toss them in the dryer with our sheets…ahhhhh. Avoid artificially scented products as their fragrance can be a little strong (and possibly toxic).
• Light: I know that the good ol’ incandescent bulbs that I have lived with this far in my life are soon to be extinct due to their inefficiency, but there is nothing even remotely calming about fluorescent or LED lighting. Lights with a dimmer can be helpful as are natural candles if you don’t have an allergy to them. I know that there are many people who can’t sleep without blackout curtains or shades to make the room really dark. I love waking up to a sunny room, though, so that is not for me. Make it work for you- pitch dark or simple privacy curtains, follow your preference. 
• Screens: Turning off backlight screens (TVs, iPads, computers, phones, etc.) an hour before bed can help you to unwind and sleep better. If you really don’t want to give up your favorite on-screen activity for that hour, at least consider keeping them out of the bedroom. The more technology-free your room the better, in my opinion!
• Music: Music can energize or relax you. After a busy day, I tend to prefer quiet. Sometimes, though, soothing music can help me to relax in the evening. Music or nature sounds may be something that you choose to add to your space or you may prefer quiet- it is up to you!

Try to do at least one thing to make your nest just a little bit more cozy this week!

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram


*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

This has been the strangest winter. While some of the country is experiencing a “polar vortex”, California is in full-blown drought mode. The temperatures have been in the 60s during the day and no rain is falling. As I write this, there are clouds in the sky and a small chance of rain in the forecast. My fuzzy socks and scarves are on standby, just waiting for the temps to dip back into winter!


Welcome to week 7 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Surviving the cold with warmth and comfort.

Now that we are all settled in and back to “normal” days, I have been thinking about how I tend to think of the cold season as time that I just want to get through quickly. It can be easy to forget the pleasures that can be found during the winter in favor of thoughts of warm island vacations and swim-up bars. One thing I know for sure is something that I wrote about when I reflected on turning 40 over the summer. That is this:

Some days will make you smile so big that you laugh out loud. Some days will break your heart. The days in the middle, the seemingly boring ones, are the currency of life. We spend them in our routines. They go by unnoticed. They are the place and the time we are living. They are Mondays and Thursdays and laundry days and grocery days. The repetition of them keeps us comfortable. Spend them all well because they matter more than special occasions.  

So, what pleasures are to be found in winter? How do we spend our days well and soak up joy even when it is cold and wet out?

My thought is that we create warmth and comfort in our lives. Everyone needs a little TLC and a little goes a long way when the small, happy things we do for ourselves accumulate in our hearts.


Warmth and comfort ideas:

• Create a ritual for greeting the day with self-kindness. It can be as simple as slowly making your favorite hot beverage and watching the sun come up while the house is quiet, going for a walk or run, making a healthy delicious breakfast, lighting a candle and choosing an intention for the day, or using handmade soap in a favorite scent to cheer you up in the shower. The point is to find a happy habit that you look forward to when you wake up.
• Soak: in an epsom salt bath, a hot tub, a mineral spring…whatever you have access to. This place is weirdly fantastic if you’re anywhere near Southern California or Las Vegas and up for a road trip!
• Find a good yoga class. Many classes are held in warm (if not hot) rooms. 
• Treat yourself to a massage or facial if it is in the budget. 
• If you can, sneak away from your normal work area and head to a coffee shop or public library reading room to work for part of the day. Find a cozy spot by a window if you can. 
• Have you made the Magic Mineral Broth that I keep mentioning yet? Here’s the 2.0 version with extra garlic- yum! Make it. Sip it by itself or use it for a big pot of nourishing soup. Your warm body will thank you. Bonus points if you also make homemade bread! This is a great one.
• If you’re going to be outside, don’t suffer through it- layer up! It is amazing the difference a soft scarf, hat, warm boots, and gloves can make. Stick to soft fabrics- itchy things are not comfortable!
• Flannel sheets...I don’t think anyone should live without them! 
• Just as you may have started the day with a wake-up ritual, try to close your day gently as well. Sip a hot drink or enjoy a square of good chocolate while watching your favorite show or reading a book by the fire or under a soft blanket. Choose something simple that you can look forward to at the end of the day.  

Challenge for week 7: Consider how you start and end your days and think about how you might make those times something that you look forward to. Think about what brings you warmth and comfort and add more of those things into your life.

Doing what you can to be comfortable when it’s cold out can make it possible for you to spend your winter time well. All of the little things that you do add up!

What is your favorite way to get cozy when it’s cold out? 

Recently I received a wonderful surprise in the mail...


The Mohawk Valley Trading Company sent me an assortment of their products to review!

Here are the things that I had the opportunity to try:

Soaps: Lavender Goats Milk Soap and Olive Oil Castile Soap



My skin is very dry in the winter but these handmade soaps are really gentle- I loved them!

From their website:

 

 

Beeswax: A beeswax candle and beeswax bars.




There is something magical about the smell of beeswax products! From the Mohawk Valley website, their candles are "hand poured, hand dipped and made with 100% cotton wicks and 100% pure, all natural, unbleached, yellow beeswax produced by our bees in the USA."

I have been making my own body butter (which I love!) and I plan to try a new recipe that uses the beeswax bars soon.

Honey and syrup: Raw Autumn Wildflower Honey, Raw Summer Wildflower Honey, and Maple Syrup

The two honeys are different from one another. The summer honey has a milder flavor but both are wonderfully flavorful and delicious- a world apart from the plain store-bought variety.



About the raw honeys:

"The Mohawk Valley Trading Company offers the highest quality raw honey we can produce; it has not been heated, filtered, blended or processed. All of the pollen, enzymes, propolis, vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, minerals and aromatics are in the same condition as they were in the hive."


I love this honey in my current favorite breakfast: a smoothie made with frozen mixed berries, 1/2 banana, 1 cup organic yogurt, flax meal, a handful of greens, water, and a dash of vanilla stevia.



I think it would also be wonderful on toast or breakfast bread, added to oatmeal, on ice cream, in tea (or another hot beverage), in baked goods, or in anything that needs a little extra sweetness.

The maple syrup has a great deep maple vanilla flavor.



I used the syrup and the autumn honey together to make granola.



So good.

Next up for the syrup: pancake Saturday! Can't wait.

A huge THANK YOU to the people at the Mohawk Valley Trading Company for the chance to try these lovely products. I have honestly enjoyed (and am still enjoying) each and every one of them!

You can find these and more wonderful things on the Mohawk Valley Trading Company website (here).

**I received free products for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions are my own.

Happy New Year! 

Did you make any resolutions for 2014? I am all about simplifying my life by getting our home organized this year. We have closets to purge, digital photos to sort, and all things in between. When my home is neat, my brain feels it too.

How about last week’s challenge- did you find a little more movement? Start anything new?


Welcome to week 6 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Welcome to January!

This month's theme for the Winter Project is “Surviving the cold with warmth and comfort”.

To begin experiencing “warmth and comfort” in this time of mid-winter, it is important to do your best to support your physical health. Physical health and mental health are tightly connected and, for me, feeling rested, well-fed, and worked out makes all the difference in the world for my happiness.

We are back to our normal routine as of today. The kids are back to school and I have no more excuses for eating pie for breakfast! After the winter holidays, I always crave sugar and comfort foods more than I want to admit and I feel like I need to go into “detox mode” to reboot my system.

Challenge for the week: Ease some healthy foods back into your life. Start each day with a healthy breakfast (maybe a smoothie with a handful of spinach or plain oatmeal doctored up with fresh fruit and nuts). Try planning your meals for the week (at least for dinner), drop the sugary treats, brown-bag nutritious leftovers for lunch, and work on staying hydrated.

This is a good time to take another look at basic needs and make changes where there are struggles. I need to work on getting to bed at a decent hour and easing the sugary treats out of my evenings. I find that adding healthy foods back into my meals helps me to ease out the junk.


It doesn’t take much to convince me to wimp out on cooking dinner in favor of take-out at the end of a long day, though. Planning quick and easy (but healthy) meals helps to keep me on track.

My plan: I am not planning a “cleanse” or other common January detox diet. Instead, I have planned a week of healthy meals and will put a little extra time into cooking so that we have healthy, homemade foods. Eating and serving my family real food is intensely important to me so the extra time investment is worth it. This may not work for you- find what does. Whatever feels good to you is perfect.

Some ideas for making healthy food fast:

• Make a large pot of soup for dinner one night. Pour leftovers into individual serving containers like these (affiliate link) for grab-and-go lunches or dinners.
• Double recipes that can be frozen and put an extra pan in the freezer for another day (e.g. lasagna, pizza dough, enchiladas, casseroles, etc.)
• Use the same ingredients in multiple meals (e.g. tacos become taco salad or enchiladas; butternut squash can be roasted as a side dish, stuffed as a main dish, or pureed into a sauce; leftover roasted veggies make great tofu scrambles, frittatas, or can be used as pizza toppings).
• Make extras when cooking lentils, beans, rice, sweet potatoes, etc. These things can be put together for quick and easy salads or rice bowls.
• Double crockpot recipes and place extra portions in freezer bags. This makes for quick crockpot meals from the freezer.

I will also be putting some extra focus on getting more sleep and staying hydrated. In spite of the spring-like weather in California, I still don’t feel like drinking cold beverages.



Warm ways to hydrate:

• Green, white, rooibos, or herbal tea (maybe one of these homemade versions).
• Ginger tea (pour boiling water over grated or sliced fresh ginger. Let steep for 10 minutes or so then strain and drink. You can add honey or other sweetener or lemon juice to taste.)
• Homemade broth (try the Magic Mineral Broth) or clear soup. 
• Hot water with lemon and honey (or sweetener of choice), add a dash of cayenne for extra warmth.
• Homemade detoxifying mint tea (recipe here).
• Raw hot chocolate (this is natural but does have a high sugar content from the dates. Use sparingly as a treat! Recipe here.)
• Turmeric tea (bonus points for this one as the turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory! Recipe here.)
• Warm almond milk steeped with chai spices (use your favorite milk).

Remember, happiness is cumulative! Find what works for you to nurture your physical health and know that whatever feels right to you is just perfect. xo

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram


*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

I don’t know how it is possible, but we have almost reached the end of 2013! I hope that you were able to spend some time with one or more of your favorite people last week. We had a lovely holiday at home, laying low but enjoying beautiful (spring-like!) weather here in Northern California.


Welcome to week 5 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Finding joy in the holidays: Movement

The new year is quietly sneaking up on me this year. In just a couple of days it will be 2014 and, as always, I can not resist the allure of this fresh start. For many people this is a time to refocus on fitness or other health goals and I’d like to share something that I’ve learned about myself in that area.

Winter mornings feel dark and cold and lonely outside of my bed. Climbing out of my cozy nest and into my workout clothes before the sun comes up never really feels like a good idea at the time. I drag myself to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I reluctantly change out of my soft pajamas and into a few layers of running clothes. I strap on my Garmin and tie up my shoes. I clip the leash on my dog and brace myself to feel the grinding cold as I open the front door and head out into the world.

Then, everything changes.

I press the “start” button on my Garmin and on my music. I slowly start to run saying, “let’s go!” to my dog. I shuffle, she sniffs. By the time I cross the street to head to my favorite bike trail, I’ve been running for about 20 seconds. When I get to the other side of that street, the leaves are still crunchy and the sun is beginning to rise and turn the sky pink. I am already happy that I’m there.

On the way out I sometimes see animals- deer, turkeys, rabbits. Despite the risk of looking like a crazy person to my early morning trailmates, I sometimes greet them out loud.

At about the 1 1/2 mile point I see my favorite tree. It is a giant oak with gnarly branches and a respect-comanding stature. I smile. I can’t help it.

On the way home I run faster. I want to see the grass around the park one more time before the fog that hovers slightly above it burns off. I want to see if the deer have moved on or if they are still frolicking in the trees just to the left of the trail and beyond the creek.

These mornings are my time. I love this ritual- of greeting the day nature-first and with all of my senses. When I am back home and peeling off sticky clothes, I am ready for the day and anything it decides to throw at me.

I used to exercise at a gym pounding out repetitive hours on cardio machines. These days I would rather run outside in pouring rain than on a treadmill. I can’t help it. Nature is my church and my gym and my drug. Even in my suburban neighborhood in California, I can find just enough in those early hours to make me happy for an entire day.

Studies have shown that vigorous exercise can be as helpful at relieving depression symptoms as antidepressant medications for some people. Getting your heart rate up most days of the week not only keeps you healthy physically; it keeps your mind well too. When I run my brain is busy. I am thinking about things in my life that need my attention or that are stressful for me. As I am running and turning these things over in my head, my body is bathed in endorphins. These stressful thoughts are dulled by the endorphins and they lose their power. Exercise is good therapy!

Some of my favorite ways to move:

• Running (or walking) outside as the sun rises
• Indoor swimming (we have a community pool with a retractable roof that I love!)
• Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing (bonus points for going at night during a full moon!)
• Yoga (this is usually indoors but it feels so, so good to be in a warm studio with rain or snow falling outside)
• Cycling on our local bike trails through oak trees, next to a river

This week’s challenge: Assess your current exercise plan (or lack there of) and consider these questions:

Decide where you need to change something (start exercising, try something new or adventurous, add a day of rest, add strength training, add yoga/stretching, add another mile, go outside, etc.), and plan your workouts for the week. If you aren’t currently exercising or it has been awhile for you, a slow sunrise walk to take photos in the magic light of early morning might be a good place to begin. If regular exercise is new for you (or if it has been a long time), please check in with your doctor before you begin.  

My plan: I spent the past week doing more resting than exercising vigorously. I am planning to hit the trail this week and check in with my favorite tree! It is time to get moving again.

Where will you begin in 2014?

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram


*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.

Did you make a list of your favorite downtime activities last week? Were you able to find a few minutes here and there to squeeze some of them into your busy days?

A reader commented last week that she believes the most important thing you can do to change your attitude on life is to be grateful. I agree! Even if you are only able to find small joyful moments in your days, be grateful for those. Happiness is cumulative!


Welcome to week 4 of The Winter Project!
(What is The Winter Project?)

Finding joy in the holidays: Connection and community

The idea of gathering to “break bread” isn’t new. People have been sharing meals casually and ritually for millennia. This is Christmas week and, for my family, that means lots of gathering and sharing.

Last year on Christmas Eve, my husband, our children, and I visited three local charities to offer donations of warm clothing, toiletries, food, etc. to homeless individuals, families, and pets. Our kids are always very excited about receiving gifts, of course, but we wanted them to experience the feeling of sharing with someone(s) who are greatly in need of help as well as to give them perspective on how blessed we are to have a home and all of our comforts. We worked together to bring just a little bit of love to people and animals in our community.

This year we have plans with family beginning on Christmas Eve and continuing through the week. Gathering with people we love for a common purpose (in this case, to celebrate the Christmas holiday) can be such a comfort. This time of year provides many opportunities to connect: from family meals to holiday parties and gatherings with friends. All of these people have special roles in our lives and spending meaningful time with each of them feeds us in different ways. Some of our relationships are with family and others are with our “tribe”, or the community that we create around us. All of these connections bring rich and wonderful things to our lives.

Challenge for the week: Host a gathering of any size. Get together in a drama-free way and with a common purpose- even if that purpose is to relax! It doesn’t have to be at home and it doesn’t have to be a big production. Even meeting a good friend for coffee or a glass of wine or going on a date night with your favorite person counts! The point is to share time and space with someone who’s company you enjoy. Be present, enjoy the moment, and show up with your whole heart. As writer Jim Elliot is quoted, “wherever you are, be all there!” Who are you wishing to spend time with this week?

My plan for the week: We will be spending Christmas and the following days with family. I also hope to squeeze in a quick visit with friends.

If you celebrate Christmas, have a blessed holiday and enjoy your time with loved ones!

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As we move through this project, I would love to hear about your survival skills, struggles, and success in the comments or by email (you can reach me at getnatured@gmail.com)!

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to receive free Get Natured updates so you can be included in The Winter Project. The weather outside doesn’t have to be frightful! xoxo

Other ways to follow along:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

*Important note: I am not a licensed mental health professional. This advice is not intended to take the place of therapy or medications. Please seek professional care if you are suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms.