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Nov 23, 2015
RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION

Will You Be Vulnerable Today?

 

You won’t be vulnerable today. Me, neither.

We all want to belong. The ways we can do that now are vast, particularly when we consider our online communities. But belonging is different than finding true connection.

Belonging is being part of the running club, the worship team, the school improvement team, the neighborhood BUNCO group.

But True Connection, which often begins with vulnerability, is difficult. It’s hard to come by.

We post in Facebook groups. We look for validation as friends comment and like our posts, tweets and pics. We subscribe to groups that put us in community with other like-minded or like-focused individuals.

If in person, we chat up a potential new friend at preschool pickup. We meet a buddy for exercise. We call a relative on the phone, just to check in.

But we’re scared to put ourselves truly out there.

Admissions of doubt, fear, or failure lurk beneath the surface of our talk. We hold those monsters in, and the little ones grow into big monsters. Yet if we’d only utter those doubts and fears, if we’d only share our failures, we’d likely be surprised at the response.

Me, too.

I have that doubt. I feel that fear. I know that failure.

Me, too.

So I’ll start. I have doubts that I can get this blog off the ground. That I can actually press “publish” and someone will read it and get something constructive from it. I fear that I won’t develop a writing voice, and if I do, no one will care. I fear I’m wasting my time. I’ve started other blogs and abandoned them. What will make this one different?

There it is.

For all the world to potentially see.

But at least I was vulnerable today.

Am I wrong about you, too?

Will you be vulnerable today?

When is the last time you were vulnerable to someone new and found it a little scary? How did it turn out?

Welcome! If you’re new here and don’t want to miss a thing, be sure to CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE to the Faith & Sweat blog updates. And feel free to share with a friend. Thanks for visiting!

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MEET AMY

Hi! I'm Amy Hoogervorst, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, integrative health coach, and creative entrepreneur offering grace and space for a healthier you. Read More…

Amy Hoogervorst is a ReCODE 2.0 Certified Health Coach. Badge is blue and green lettering primarily on a white background

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A Puppy PSA: No amount of caffeine (or sugar) can A Puppy PSA: No amount of caffeine (or sugar) can make up for a poor night's sleep.

Both caffeine and sugar, as well as a room that's too warm or bright or noisy, can interfere with sleep.

The good news, if your sleep wasn't up to par last night? You get another opportunity for quality rest tonight. (Or most anytime you want, if you're this guy.)

How can you set yourself up for success tonight? Think through what you already know about your habits and sleep hygiene. What's one small thing you might be able to do differently today or this evening that could lead to better sleep?

And in the interim ... Who else wants a nap? ✋🏼

#thursdaythoughts #psafromthedog #psafromahealthcoach #sleep #naptime #takecareofyou #restandrestore #westielife #selfcare #healthcoach #selfcareisntselfish #graceandspaceforahealthieryou
Why is good sleep important? Let me count the ways Why is good sleep important? Let me count the ways ...

1. Good sleep improves immunity, as the cytokines produced during sleep help the immune system fight common infections such as colds and flu. Chronic sleep loss can increase risks for immunodeficiency.

2. Quality sleep this lowers the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Heart rate and blood pressure decrease during sleep, allowing the heart and vascular system to rest. Sleep also impacts the body's relationship with insulin. Seven+ hours of sleep a night helps regulate blood sugar.

3. Sleep benefits brain health by giving the brain a chance to grow, reorganize, restructure, and make new neural connections. A lack of sleep also impairs judgment and an ability to think quickly.

4. Sleep improves mood and helps people manage stress by reducing incidents of poor performance, muddied thinking, and low energy. Quality sleep also can reduce anxiety, depression, and other mental health strains.

5. Weight loss and maintenance are more successful with quality sleep. Short sleep of less than 7 hours per night has been linked to a greater risk of weight gain and may lead to greater food cravings and lower energy for other activities such as exercise.

Which of these health benefits of sleep interests you most?

(Information sourced from the National Sleep Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

#sleepforhealth #sleepbenefits #worldsleepday #qualitysleep #graceandspaceforahealthieryou #integrativehealthcoach #nbchwc #sleephealth #physicalhealth #mentalhealth #brainhealth
Wait. Pause. Notice. Be still. That's the message Wait. Pause. Notice. Be still.

That's the message I got this afternoon, when I looked up and noticed I'd been sitting in my parked car in front of this bush for a full five minutes. And I hadn't seen it.

I was absorbed by something else. My mind elsewhere, making a list and checking it twice, so to speak. And when I looked up, the beauty of this holly took my breath away. The way the light was hitting the leaves and berries at that moment, I had to get out of my car and snap a pic.

Almost immediately, I felt my shoulders relax, my heart open, my mind clear, even if only for a moment.

'Tis the season. For the hustle and bustle. Life on the hamster wheel. Automatic pilot. The checking off of lists. But that doesn't have to be the only way.

What's helped you - wait, pause, notice, be still - lately?

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