Wednesday, June 27, 2018

3 Things to Add to Your Summer Morning Routine



Getting a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning sounds amazing for the average person. However, the most successful people use those few extra minutes to get ahead of their peers. According to Naam Yoga Therapists, “adding a few things to your morning to-do list can change your day, week and in the end, your life.” See their tips below to make the most of your morning. 

  1. Stretch: Even if only for 30 second holds, loosening up your muscles and opening your heart sets the stage for the rest of the day.
  2. Perform Shakti Naam Healing Pendulum Exercise:  The Shakti Naam Healing Pendulum Exercise bestows lifelong health benefits and is for everyone who desires a high quality of life. When practiced on a daily basis, this simple yet extraordinary practice ensures an enhanced state of health in every realm of the body, mind and spirit. The special movement of the arms used during the exercise is an expression of the great power that moves people onwards on the path of Life. It represents the awakening of the longing in the human soul for the Supreme. Raising the arms up from below symbolizes moving from the material world to the Divine World.
  3. Give Thanks: This doesn’t need to be long, but giving thanks has many positive benefits. Not only does it start your day with positivity, it opens you up to healthy, positive energy in the world.
“By taking just a couple minutes out of your morning and dedicating them to yourself, you will experience a happier, healthier and more productive lifestyle,” Naam Yoga Therapists explained. “After doing it for a few weeks, you will actually start looking forward to mornings!” Well, if that is the case, sign us up now for this morning routine!

3 Tips to De-stress at Work from a Naam Expert
We all get stressed and anxious at work. Whether your boss is always on your case, your coworker makes you anxious, or you put the stress on yourself, there are luckily ways to minimize the effect. We spoke with Naam Yoga Experts on ways to make the most of your workday and de-stress from your boss and coworkers. “Once you try these three exercises, your workday will be much more pleasant and your stress levels will instantaneously decrease,” explained Naam Yoga Expert.
  1. Fist Tighten & Release: Place your thumb on base of your pinky finger and squeeze thumb. Put your fists at your side. When you inhale, raise shoulders up. When you exhale, push shoulders down. Repeat this breath and shoulder movement at different speeds. This exercise is great for opening and loosening shoulders, specifically for those working at a desk.
  2. Chest Opening: Place your  hands on hips then connect hands behind your back. Intertwine your fingers. Inhale and turn head to left. Exhale and bring neck back to center. Repeat this movement for both sides, up and down, coming back to center each time. This exercise opens up your chest, releases negative energy and brings positive energy in.
  3. Triangle Hands: Place hands in triangle across lower abdomen, underneath the belly button. With your hands placed on abdomen, repeat mantras. While speaking mantras, lightly tap your hands and bend your knees. This releases negative energy as well as anxious thoughts and feelings. For advanced exercise, alternate between tapping your hands on abdomen and clapping. Clapping sends messages to your brain that you are happy. This exercise is great for those stressed and anxious as it sends positive thoughts to brain.
“The best part about these exercises is that they can be done at your desk,” Naam Yoga explained. Give them a try and see for yourself how your workday mood brightens.

Celebrate America with Red, White, and Books!

The Fourth of July is less than a month away and Hatherleigh Press has two new books to help you celebrate the red, white, and blue



The Handbook for Americans, Revised Edition is an essential reference guide for every American to the United States and its tradition of freedoms and responsibilities. Now, more than ever, Americans are faced with economic, environmental and philosophical challenges that require a strong response. When we ask ourselves, "What does it mean to be an American? What do we stand for?" we are in fact casting about for the resources and traditions to enable us to meet today's challenges.


Great American Humor is a collection of over 1000 witty and funny quotes and one-liners from a wide selection of famous and not-so-famous Americans--writers, actors, comedians, politicians, personalities, and more. Among the hundreds of contributors included are Mark Twain, Bette Midler, Lewis Grizzard, Dave Barry, P.J. O'Rourke, Dorothy Parker, Phyllis Diller, Robert Frost, Milton Berle and many, many others.

The 411:

My family is very American. I am the third generation born here and my husband is the first with his family being born in Spain. We are raising our children very American and loved being able to review these books with my kids. 

The Handbook For Americans is definitely a must for every bookcase in America.  As I read through it I was reminded of how proud I was of one of my bosses pre-children. He was becoming a citizen and I was so impressed with how much he knew of American History. Way more than I did at the time. This would have probably been in the gift basket we created for him when he received his citizenship.

 The Handbook for Americans, Revised Edition features the The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and The Bill of Rights and more information about how our government works and holidays we follow as well as the history of our National Anthem and more. It is the perfect handbook and easy to read. 

Great American Humor: 1000 Funny Jokes, Clever One Liners and Witty Sayings was an easy, quick read full of jokes and puns although my daughter and I read it back and forth to each other and probably chuckled a hand full of times. 

"Global Warming? When my globes get warm I just take my sweater off!"  - Dolly Parton
"People have one thing in common. They are all different" - Robert Zend
"Electricity: Just organized lightening" - George Carlin
"When everyone else zigs, zag" - Tom Yobaggy

All in all both books are nice looking, reasonably priced and look great against my newly painted home.  

To Purchase:


Disclaimer: I received complimentary copies of these books. No monetary compensation was offered. 





Mickey and The Roadster Racers On Disney - Video and Review

Do you have a preschool in love with Mickey and The Roadsters Racers? Check out their website for more fun and games including printouts for helmets, license plates, juice wraps and more.

While my kids are older I try to stay on top of all things Disney. Working with 1-3 year olds all day you want to know what they watch and especially what they sing about at school. It gives you a glimpse into their world and allows you to get to know them. Knowing the songs they are singing from the shows the watch makes me so happy as it did when my own kids were little.


When my kids were little it was The Mickey Mouse Club House and now it is Mickey and the Roadster Racers which features (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Pluto).  These shows are 11 minutes long which 2 shows in the half hour block on the Disney Channel.  The show was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing in a preschool show.


Like most shows on Disney Mickey Mouse Roadster Racers has some cool looking merch featuring all the favorite characters.

This Gelli Mat and Storage Chair are pretty cool and my preschool class loves it. They love pointing to the characters and saying their names and I find them laying on it relaxing. I can't say I blame them because it is so comfortable. I almost kept it if I could have justified using it in my house. My daughter and I almost fell asleep while laying on it before I took it to work.



I love that it is really easy to clean with a wet paper towel and how vivid the colors are. It is perfect for babies over 1.5 years old. There are two sides to choose from. My class loved the character side.

The chair is so cute. It is easy to put together or collapse and the fact that it has storage space in the bottom makes me love it even more. It is the perfect place for us to keep our classroom books for a quiet reading corner.


I took the mat to work but will take the chair in September when we redo the room for our new incoming class. I cannot wait to see what they think about it.


Vlog of Goddess and I taking out the Mat and chair. We loved it.


To Order:



https://tcgtoys.com/products/mickey-mouse-clubhouse-jumbo-gelli-mat/

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Relationship Stress





Being in a relationship is a wonderful feeling. You are loved, someone understands you, and you’ve got someone to hold you, kiss you and show you affection. When you first start dating someone, some people refer to it as the “honeymoon phase.” It seems like everything is going well. All you can see is the good in your partner and they see the wonderful qualities in you. After some time, you might move in together as things get serious.  That’s when the honeymoon period ends.

You start to notice their annoying behaviors and habits, whether that’s throwing dirty socks all over the floor, snoring or leaving empty containers in the fridge. Those are minor examples of annoyances in a relationship. Bigger problems in relationships arise when people become closer and the relationship becomes serious. They could have to do with the different ways people communicate for example. One person in the relationship might feel unappreciated by their partner because the other person can’t seem to show them they love them. It’s one thing to say “I love you,” but it’s another to demonstrate through actions that you love and care about your significant other.

People go through all sorts of challenges in relationships. We can’t foresee what will arise and cause problems in a relationship. One issue that could come up for people is that one person doesn’t want to be intimate with the other partner. When life in the bedroom gets boring or non-existent, that can put a strain on a couple’s relationship. If the spark is still burning bright with your partner, there are other areas that could be problematic. Maybe one person wants to have children and the other person doesn’t. This means that you’re each on different pages and that makes it hard to move forward in the partnership.

When you’re having relationship problems, it’s sometimes hard to remember what it is you loved about your partner in the first place. Try to remember there’s a reason that you two found each other and why you’re still together. Just because you’re having difficulties in your relationship doesn’t mean that the love is gone. There is a foundation of love and connection between the two of you. However, it’s clouded by your problems but you still love one another deeply. There’s hope and you can rekindle the love that you still have, but you can’t disregard your problems.

Ignoring your problems, letting them build up and then having stressful fights isn’t going to help. Instead of pretending that things are fine, confront what’s not working by seeking relationship counseling. You and your partner can see a therapist in person or find online couples counseling to work on your problems. Don’t assume that there’s anything “wrong” with your relationship just because you and your partner are seeking couples counseling. In fact, finding a professional counselor can actually strengthen a couple’s relationship. Take the step to find a mental health professional who can help you. Even if you think there’s no hope left, you might be able to save your relationship.   


Sarah Fader Bio

Sarah Fader is the CEO and Founder of Stigma Fighters, a non-profit organization that encourages individuals with mental illness to share their personal stories. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Quartz, Psychology Today, The Huffington Post, HuffPost Live, and Good Day New York.

Sarah is a native New Yorker who enjoys naps, talking to strangers, and caring for her two small humans and two average-sized cats. Like six million other Americans, Sarah lives with panic disorder. Through Stigma Fighters, Sarah hopes to change the world, one mental health stigma at a time.