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❤️ Pessimist turned optimist
Janie Kokakis
October 06, 2023
Happy High Noon (EST). Congrats @amy_curley and Rachel Hofbauer on winning the Amazon gift cards from yesterday’s sharing challenge. We will send you a message soon 😀
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Today’s Topics:
Kegels: Why you should try something new.
Open Journal: Comfort food.
Tidbits & Recipes: Shoulder pain and sodium.
Did You Know: Being pessimistic is hurting you.
Kegels and Why You Should Try Something New
You just left the OB's office and they asked if you've been doing your kegels. You frantically answered yes. But you know you haven't.
Don't worry, you're not alone. And it’s OK because you can kick kegels to the curb. When you do a kegel, it only addresses a small part of the pelvic floor.
So pretend like you don't even know what a kegel is. And let's try this instead:
First, picture your pelvic floor as a diamond. You've got your sit bones or butt bones (you can feel these when you're sitting on a hard floor), tailbone, and pubic bone. Check out the pic above to help you visualize.
Try this:
Sit on a Pillow
Inhale through your nose and visualize your pelvic floor relaxing.
Exhale and lightly (and I mean lightly) bring all four corners together.
Now pretend like you're lightly sucking up a smoothie through a straw- bringing everything up.
See, there's a lot more going on than squeezing through a kegel. And don't get discouraged if this feels hard at first because it probably will. But you know what they say, Rome wasn't built in one day.
Open Journal
Q: How do I stop turning to food for comfort?
A: Turning to food for comfort is common. Here are some strategies that can help:
Identify your triggers.
Address underlying emotions.
Find alternative activities.
Create a supportive environment.
I would def check out this article that talks about the emotional eating cycle if that’s something you struggle with.
Learn to Scramble Well(ness):
While eating your lunch, waiting for your lunch, or letting go of your lunch, try our wellness-themed word scramble. It's one word a day, and you can find the answer at the bottom of this newsletter - good luck!
GLEEKDid You Know? Like Really Know…
Anyone else a pessimist turned optimist?
I tell ya what, I used to be a glass-half-empty girl. Always thinking about the worst. I’m sure I wasn’t fun to be around. I’d like to tell you there was some big moment when this changed, but I can’t.
Honestly, I think it was just increased self-awareness. And probably too many books and podcasts.
Here is why you should care…
Looking on the bright side of things helps lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease.
3 ways to be more optimistic:
Be aware of your thoughts.
Practice daily gratitude.
View setbacks as temporary.
This article is super helpful if you want to be more optimistic and understand how it can help with success in your life. If you have kids, you def want to read it.
Tidbits & Recipes:
If you're dealing with shoulder pain, there's a good chance that the culprit behind it is none other than shoulder impingement. Try self-massaging with a lacrosse ball or doing some external rotations.
Some of the potential health drawbacks of high sodium intake include: increased blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and kidney complications. If I’m looking for something quick on the weekend, I’ll make this roasted broccoli recipe. It’s so good that the kids actually like it and they are gone in 10 minutes. I’m not even kidding a little bit.
Today’s Top Workout Song on Spotify
Scramble Answer:
KEGEL
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