I’ll never forget the first time I experienced anxiety. I was out of town visiting my sister and waiting for her and my brother-in-law to get ready to go out to dinner. I was all dressed and ready to go and standing between her kitchen and family room. Suddenly, the room was spinning around me, I had chills and my heart was racing a bit. I felt frightened. What was happening?
I started asking myself, “Is this what anxiety feels like? What do I have to be anxious about?”. The answer to that question was I was out of town, and traveling is stressful for me. Then my sister and husband walked out of their bedroom and we went to dinner, the moment passed but not forgotten.
For you, anxiety might look like having a lot on your “plate”, except you don’t have a written list of things you need or want to get done. Or maybe “to do” lists give you anxiety. So, you feel out of control and don’t know where to start. Your day may go along these lines: you wake up early and make kids’ lunches, (and maybe your husband’s too), take kids to school, run errands, go to the grocery store, pick up kids from school and take them to soccer or dance class, prepare dinner, help with homework, put kids to bed and then you collapse into bed. The next morning you get up and do it all over again. Weekends may exist of soccer or lacrosse games, pizza after the game, team lunches, and afternoon home projects. Whew! No wonder you’re stressed and anxious!
 | My name is Becky Atkinson of Evergreen, CO and I am a Life and Recovery/Sober Coach. I’m going to be completely honest with you because I want to build your trust. I am a recovering alcoholic in my 15th year of sobriety. I am also bipolar and take medication for this condition to be able to stay on even keel. But the medication isn’t a magic pill that makes my life all sunny and filled with daisies all the time. It just keeps me from wanting to throw myself over a cliff sometimes or something equally stupid! I am an empty-nester, but was a single working mom to two boys 18 months apart for a while and then became a step-mom for 2 more kiddos. So, I get it! Now I deal with millennial children and an aging parent. |
Back to the issue at hand -- Stress and Anxiety. What are some ways to deal with anxiety that doesn’t add to your already stressful life? Here are some of the practices I do that have nothing to do with pharmaceuticals:
- Start somewhere – Pick the most important thing on your “to do’ list and do it! Then the next most important thing to you and do it. This practice really helps anxiety because you’ll feel you’re making progress and your head stops spinning. Whatever doesn’t get done today can wait until tomorrow. Trust the Universe on this one!
- Hire some of your “to do’s” out – Doing so will certainly help both working or stay-at-home moms! (My giveaway below can help with this!)
- Meditation – I know, you may hate that word and are screaming at me, “I don’t know how and who has time to meditate anyway”! But here’s where I want you to trust me. Meditation really works! And I’m going to teach you how to do it in next month’s article. Just start by trying to sit still for 3 minutes and breathe deeply twice a week. Can you find 6 minutes a week? I know you can if you want to find relief from the hamster wheel of your life.
- Yoga – If you don’t know how to do yoga or are too embarrassed to try, take a friend who’s a newbie too and you can support each other. Yoga is a type of meditation and will calm the stress of the rest of your day.
- Essential Oils – My favorite is called Balance by DoTerra. Just put a few drops in your palm and rub your hands together. Then breathe in the aroma. You’ll find it’s very soothing and calming. Repeat throughout your day as needed.
One more bonus tip! Also, try a little gratitude in the beginning of your day. It can be a cure for all that ails you.
ENTER TO WIN! $50 Evergreen Errand Runners Gift Certificate |
Evergreen Errand Runners is a premier errand and personal concierge service, serving the Colorado mountain communities of Evergreen, Conifer, Golden and Genesee. They provide time saving, value added services to both personal & business clients. Becky and Life of Impact Coaching is offering a $50 gift certificate as a prize for this Macaroni Kid giveaway.
Because we are as excited about this giveaway as you are, we are giving you TONS of ways to enter:
- Complete the entry form ... click the button below to enter.
- BONUS: "Like" Evergreen Macaroni Kid on Facebook ... CLICK HERE to do it now!
- BONUS: "Like" Life of Impact Coaching on Facebook ... CLICK HERE to do it now!
- BONUS: "Like" Evergreen Errand Runners on Facebook ... CLICK HERE to do it now!
- BONUS: Share this on your own Facebook page ... CLICK HERE to do it now!
BIG Bonus Entry!
- 5 BONUS ENTRIES: Want to Find Family fun in Arvada, Golden & Wheat Ridge? Subscribe to Arvada.macaronikid.com
 Enter to WIN! |
RULES: This contest will run from Thursday, August 8th, 2019 through Wednesday, August 14th, 2019 at 11:59 PM. One winner will be selected from all eligible entries on Friday, August 16th, 2019. Winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to claim the prize. If the prize is not claimed within 24 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen. You MUST be a subscriber to Evergreen Macaroni Kid and 18 or older to enter. (It is always free to subscribe to Macaroni Kid!) If you are not a subscriber and enter the contest, you will be automatically subscribed. See complete Official Sweepstakes Rules.
| Life of Impact - Passions Redefined |
 | Life of Impact offers one-on-one coaching services to women struggling with anxiety, depression and/or reliance on alcohol. Life and Recovery Coach Becky Atkinson coaching practice offers the flexibility to tailor care to each woman’s unique needs while maintaining confidentiality. |
Share the Love - Be sure you tell them Macaroni Kid sent you... and tell all your friends!
Macaroni Kid Evergreen, Bailey, Conifer is a free local calendar, weekly e-newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in the Foothills. We gather all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused local businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in Evergreen, Bailey, Conifer, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Morrison and all the places in between!
Quick links to learn more about our community:
 |  |  | ||
 |  |  |
