Wellness & Gratitude

Wellness & Gratitude We offer simple healthy living strategies for your everyday life.

We help you navigate health related topics by sifting through the excess of information out there, and by giving you the tools to implement the essentials in practical and sustainable ways.

Circumstances are almost always out of our control. We’ve all experienced that rush of cortisol coursing through our vei...
08/19/2022

Circumstances are almost always out of our control. We’ve all experienced that rush of cortisol coursing through our veins as the things we’d hoped would turn out one way end up going a different way. Maybe you’ve been praying about something for years and yet it seems like those prayers aren’t being answered. You might’ve been tempted to conclude prayer doesn’t work. Here’s where you have a choice. You could give in to the defeated attitude (a way of thinking, like a rut, where the thoughts automatically go) or choose to trust God. He cannot lie and He says He loves you, hears your prayers, and even knows what you’re thinking before you do. God is always on the move. The Word says His ways are higher than ours. What we thought was the best plan may be very different than His plan. Can you trust Him to work it out for your good?

Ask: how could I see this situation from a different perspective? Could God be directing my paths in a wholly different way than I thought was best? Can I trust His plan even when it doesn’t seem like the situation is going well?

Act: take a moment to tell God how you’re feeling and acknowledge He is directing your path and He knows how you’re feeling. Now reframe your situation in the confidence of the truth you just affirmed to Him. This action helps rewrite the story you’re telling yourself and rewires your neural pathways to help you remember these truths which in turn will help you live a happier life, even when the circumstances aren’t what you expected.

SLEEP-Sleep not only offers us physical benefits, it also offers benefits to our minds as well.ASK: What prevents you f...
03/08/2022

SLEEP-Sleep not only offers us physical benefits, it also offers benefits to our minds as well.
ASK: What prevents you from getting a full night sleep? Do you have a sleep hygiene routine (if you don't now what this is, be on the lookout for a follow-up post on this!)?
ACT: This week, make a mental note of the following each night: bed time, routine before bed, and how you feel when you wake up.

TECH NECK-Reverse the damage your desk job (and smartphone) do to your spine! If the muscles in your neck and shoulders...
03/04/2022

TECH NECK-Reverse the damage your desk job (and smartphone) do to your spine! If the muscles in your neck and shoulders have pain, stiffness and soreness, take your cue from yoga and follow these simple steps to help relieve them.
Tech Neck

Reverse the damage your desk job (and smartphone) do to your spine! If the muscles in your neck and shoulders have pain, stiffness and soreness, take your cue from yoga and follow these simple steps to help relieve them.

Begin in vajrasana (Thunderbolt pose) sitting on your knees with your big toes touching, crown of head toward the sky, and chin parallel to the ground. Focus on what’s in front of you at eye level. Take 5 breaths then move into bitilasana marjaryasana (cat and cow poses) for 8 breaths. Move onto your belly for an 8 breath bhujangasana (low cobra), then up to adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog). Stay here 8 more breaths. Now shift back onto your knees for ustrasana (camel pose), letting your head fall backwards as you take 5 slow breaths. Release camel and come to sukasana (easy seat), letting your head bow and lift up as you breath in and out. Now let it fall side to side ear to shoulder a few more times, moving with your breath, as you breathe 8 more times. Finish in uttanasana (rag doll pose), with slightly bended knees, fold at the hips and let you head suspend from your neck, gaze through your legs behind you letting the crown of the head be parallel to the ground. Stay and sway from your waist moving with your breath for at least 8 breaths. Release yourself slowly back up to standing. No more "tech neck!”

STRETCH-Stress manifests itself in our lives in many different ways. Many of us carry stress in our shoulders and neck. ...
03/01/2022

STRETCH-Stress manifests itself in our lives in many different ways. Many of us carry stress in our shoulders and neck. Do you know that there are simple practices to relax our neck that can also affect the way we respond to stress? Stay tuned for a simple yoga technique that can help change your posture and give you the added bonus of reducing physical stress and strain on the body.

MINDFUL-You hear this word, but do you know what it really means?To be mindful is as simple as doing the following:1. B...
02/25/2022

MINDFUL-You hear this word, but do you know what it really means?
To be mindful is as simple as doing the following:

1. Breathe in. Pause. Breathe out. Notice how your breath feels as it flows in and out of your body.
2. Be grateful. Say “thank you” out loud people and things.
3. Pay attention. Notice the taste and texture of your food. Does it melt or crunch? Is it noisy or quiet?
4. Get outdoors. Sit in nature. No headphones, no phone-calls. Just sit.
5. Practice non-judgment. Try listening without judging others as they share.



📷 Max van den Oetelaar

‘While we can’t force others to be kind, we can be kind ourselves and hope to inspire other people.’ -Orion Jean (TIME K...
02/22/2022

‘While we can’t force others to be kind, we can be kind ourselves and hope to inspire other people.’ -Orion Jean (TIME Kid of the Year, Ambassador for Kindness). . . .
Kindness is a choice. Every day offers opportunities to be kind. Kindness can be as simple as not being cruel to someone. Self-care is important, too. Finding a balance between action and rest is a start. What steps can you take to practice kindness today?

SELF CARE TIP-What caregiver roles do you have in your life? Are you a spouse? Are you a parent? Are you among the nu...
02/22/2022

SELF CARE TIP-
What caregiver roles do you have in your life? Are you a spouse? Are you a parent? Are you among the numbers now taking care of their own parents? Statistics, science, researchers are finding that caregiver stress is on the rise. As the Mayo Clinic reports "Caregiving is rewarding but stressful."

Do you neglect taking care of yourself to take care of others first?

Do you diminish the importance of self care because of the need of others?

In reality, this can lead to stress and poor physical & emotional health of you as the caregiver. Are you willing to take care of yourself so that you can be a better caregiver?

Wellness & Gratitude



SLEEP HYGIENE- Do you have a set routine to help you fall asleep and sleep well at night? Here are a few tips to get yo...
02/18/2022

SLEEP HYGIENE- Do you have a set routine to help you fall asleep and sleep well at night? Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Get ready for bed at roughly the same time every night.
2. Turn OFF technology at least 30 minutes before going to bed.
3. Create a consistent routine in the evening that involves about 5 minutes of self care--soaking your feet, reading a book, listening to calming music.
4. Know how long it takes you to get everything done before bed-face washing, teeth brushing, turning off lights, turning down the air, and so on-and make sure you have enough time each night to do this without feeling rushed.
5. Create a worries journal. Use it on nights when your mind is full. Write a few lines to "dump" your worries for the night and allow your thoughts to clear.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."This causes me to pause. Would I use cheerful as an adjective to describe my heart ...
02/15/2022

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."

This causes me to pause. Would I use cheerful as an adjective to describe my heart these days? Probably not. Disrupted schedules make us frazzled. Uncertainty at school brings stress. Changes in our rhythm persist.

Amid these things, I can find joy, if I pause to see it. A walk with my teen, a snuggle with my youngest, a belly laugh over a silly joke, a quiet morning with a few minutes to read and pray.

And the cheerful heart IS good medicine. Yes it is. It reframes my perspective in the moment. It helps me remember the the true source of my joy.

Ask: What is the condition of you heart right now? What things make you cheerful or bring you joy?

Act: Write down one thing today that makes your heart cheerful. And check out our website for a 31 day guide to a gratitude practice (link in bio).

Health encompasses all areas of our lives. To neglect our mental wellbeing and to diminish our need for social interact...
02/08/2022

Health encompasses all areas of our lives. To neglect our mental wellbeing and to diminish our need for social interactions can both lead to issues with our health. We were created for intentional community and thoughtful engagement!

Ask: How have you neglected your mental wellbeing? Have you read a book recently or listened to an interesting podcast? Have you tried to learn something new? Have you tried to see the world from a different perspective or had a conversation about things that are unfamiliar to you? How have you neglected your social wellbeing? Have you had an edifying conversation with a friend? Have you spent intentional time with someone? Have you engaged with others beyond a "connection" over social media? Have you ever taken an opportunity to serve others?

Act: Try something new, read a book, take a walk with a friend, connect with a community of people, be kind and thoughtful in your words towards others, find an opportunity to serve others in your community.

We love food here at W&G. For me (Rachel) it's a passion that was born out of necessity. I have battled chronic health...
02/01/2022

We love food here at W&G. For me (Rachel) it's a passion that was born out of necessity. I have battled chronic health issues for a number of years. Food has been a valuable resource to help me mitigate some of my symptoms, to boost my energy, to help me feel more alert and healthy. I also like simple food, food that is easy to grab & go, food that is budget friendly, and food that keeps my people happy.

Check us out at http://www.wellnessandgratitude.com/ as we launch our podcast and blog soon. We will be talking all things food plus lots more about taking care of ourselves and the people we love in simple sustainable ways.

What storms are you facing that may be clearing a path for growth? Or clearing a path for something new? Right now man...
01/25/2022

What storms are you facing that may be clearing a path for growth? Or clearing a path for something new? Right now many aspects of my life can feel this way. But I am learning to pause and consider what may be ahead.





Do you find it hard to sit and be still? Why? Initially, it can feel like there is too much noise in my head. But if ...
01/18/2022

Do you find it hard to sit and be still? Why? Initially, it can feel like there is too much noise in my head. But if I am honest, it is the silence that is the hardest thing to sit with and be still with. Don't be afraid to sit!

Take 10 minutes and turn off the noise of life--no music or TV or distraction (sometimes I have to go on a walk to find this). Let your thoughts wander, and then consider where they go. Don't be afraid to hear your inner voice!


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Bluffton, SC
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