#ThankfulThursday Day 5 of @wearestrob 

#PreserveYourselfChallenge

1. What are you thankful for today? 
2. Pause and take the time to appreciate. 
3. Demonstrate gratitude to others.

Taking the time to cherish what is beautiful, what is going well, your wins, thank your loved ones or friends.

#wellnessWednesday Day 4 of @wearestrob #PreserveYourselfChallenge

Okay yes booking a massage would be ideal, but not happening over here!   
​
This is how I relieve some tension and pamper myself right at home

1. Dry body brushing
2. Gua sha massage
3. Myofascial release.  All you need is a ball, tennis ball or even a foam roller. 
4. Stretching
5. Massage chair pad
6. Electronic massage tools
7. And of course, hands

 
I recently was even looking at buying a cupping set.  

​I bet there are other options out there, want to let me know how you relieve tension at home?  

​Meditation
Just take a moment to slow down.
5-30 min a day! I stick with 10.
So many options to practice this self-preservation I bet I am missing a few.
1. Guided Meditation
2. Mindful Meditation
3. Visualization Meditation
4. Shower Meditation
5. Spiritual Meditation
6. Loving Meditation
7. Progressive Relaxation Mediation
🧘
🧘
🧘
Guided is my go to most of the time.
I also love the shower one, must wash anyway. Might as well get it in then!
Do you practice mediation? What is your favorite?
#mindfulmonday #PreservationCheck #STROBChallenge #PreserveYourselfChallenge

Self-preservation week is about making intentional choices to radically practice self-care.
How does it work?

1. Follow us @wisdombodyandsoul & @wearestrob on Instagram or www.facebook.com/wearestrob
2. Take some time before the week to evaluate where you're at physically, mentally, and spiritually. This is a great time for some journaling!
3. Decide how you'll practice your self-care for the week. You might decide that you need to go to bed earlier each night, or that you'll take a walk outside every day, or you'll cook a healthy meal for yourself each night. Self-care is open-ended! Pick one thing that you think will benefit your physical, mental, or spiritual health. Our co-founders and other small-business co-sponsors will be participating along with you!
4. Use #PreserveYourselfChallenge and #PreservationCheck to check in with everyone throughout the week! STROB Apothecary and our small-business co-sponsors will be responding to your #PreservationCheck tagged posts under the hashtag #STROBChallenge to keep the conversation going and offer our support in your journey! You may offer your own self-care tips, talk about your own journey, or comment on how important you find self-care in pushing forward.
5. At the end of the week, make a wrap-up post or video using #PreserveYourselfChallenge. How did your week of self-preservation go? Was it difficult to devote the time to self-care? Do you feel more rested or otherwise able to tackle the challenges that lie ahead of us? How can you make this practice more important in your every day life?

At the end of the day, self-care by itself is not going to solve the systemic problems that we're facing today. But, we know that to keep pushing forward, we have to take care of ourselves as well as others in our community. We're big believers in the old adage, "You can't pour from an empty cup!" Therefore, STROB Apothecary's Self Preservation Week is about keeping our cups filled so that we can all keep moving forward.

Check out the main event and other cosponsors HERE

Choose your intension and need tools to help archive your selfcare goals and pamper yourself check out the Owlet Membership Box HERE

I will be posing a few of my favorite self care tasks on Instagram! 

​You can also check out the bingo card below for ideas.  

I'm a total rock nerd, but it's what's inside that intrigues me, not the outside. As a jewelry maker, I always research what's in rocks to see if I can incorporate them into my bracelets, jewelry, and earrings.

I want to take this time to tell you about the benefits and significance of each of these semiprecious rocks, and why I put them into my jewelry.

2) Sodalite

Sodalite is fairly new to me, I found it on my search for stones for my stress, anxiety and boom this is it.  Definitely a keeper.
Imagine deep blue ocean waves crashing on the rocks.  Watch the water receding the white veins of foam receding.  Kind of like the calm after all the chaos.  All your worries, fears, stress just receding and fading out to sea.  Sodalite will encourage this release, bring the calm, allow peace and restore balance. 
The sodalite rock can help bring supreme calm and relaxation to your day, creating an unbreakable aura of triumph in the tough times.

3) Lepidolite

Sense a pattern? The lepidolite rock is known for providing calm, as well as a laser-sharp focus. I put on a bracelet with one of these when I'm faced with a big task, as the lepidolite helps me hone in on what needs to be done and helps me relax.  Lepidolite contains lithium a mineral used in many anxiety medications and some could say that this is a mom's favorite piece of jewelry...

Check back in the next few months as I talk more about other rocks! If you'd like to check out the jewelry made up of these high-quality stones, click here!

My last few blogs have been all about stress relief and building a more positive mindset. Let me tell you what gave me the script to do both!

As a mom and business-owner, burnout is always on my mind. One day I might just snap from the mountain of responsibilities that are on me. That's not even getting into when setbacks happen! Gah...can somebody get the wine already?

But the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Ameila Nagoski changed all of that. Not only is it an intriguing exploration into why women experience burnout more frequently than men, but it offers easy-to-follow and science-backed methods to breaking the stress cycle. 

One of the best ways that it helped me was in how it taught me to monitor my brain for negative emotions like stress. Often, I've found that when you examine and look at your emotions, it allows you to keep the more negative ones at a distance and not be overwhelmed by them -- only whelmed! That was a joke.

Check the book out, and let me know how you reduce stress! I'm always willing to talk and help with some essential oils.

Seriously! There are enough ways the world brings you down. Why not spend some time building yourself up instead! I collected a few positive affirmations to tell yourself in those moments when life gets a little too hard. Try a few and let me know if they worked!

(Disclaimer: I got these quotes from a Huffington Post article. You can check out the original here!)

"1.) I am the architect of my life; I build its foundation and choose its contents.
2.) Today, I am brimming with energy and overflowing with joy.
3.) My body is healthy; my mind is brilliant; my soul is tranquil.
4.) I am superior to negative thoughts and low actions.
5.) I have been given endless talents which I begin to utilize today.
6.) I forgive those who have harmed me in my past and peacefully detach from them.
7.) A river of compassion washes away my anger and replaces it with love.
8.) I am guided in my every step by Spirit who leads me towards what I must know and do.
9.) (If you're married) My marriage is becoming stronger, deeper, and more stable each day.
10.) I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful.
11.) (For business owners) My business is growing, expanding, and thriving.
12.) Creative energy surges through me and leads me to new and brilliant ideas.
13.) Happiness is a choice. I base my happiness on my own accomplishments and the blessings I've been given.
14.) My ability to conquer my challenges is limitless; my potential to succeed is infinite.
15.) (For those who are unemployed) I deserve to be employed and paid well for my time, efforts, and ideas. Each day, I am closer to finding the perfect job for me.
16.) I am courageous and I stand up for myself.
17.) My thoughts are filled with positivity and my life is plentiful with prosperity.
18.) Today, I abandon my old habits and take up new, more positive ones.
19.) Many people look up to me and recognize my worth; I am admired.
20.) I am blessed with an incredible family and wonderful friends.
21.) I acknowledge my own self-worth; my confidence is soaring.
22.) Everything that is happening now is happening for my ultimate good.
23.) I am a powerhouse; I am indestructible.
24.) Though these times are difficult, they are only a short phase of life.
25.) My future is an ideal projection of what I envision now.
26.) My efforts are being supported by the universe; my dreams manifest into reality before my eyes.
27.) (For those who are single) The perfect partner for me is coming into my life sooner than I expect.
28.) I radiate beauty, charm, and grace.
29.) I am conquering my illness; I am defeating it steadily each day.
30.) My obstacles are moving out of my way; my path is carved towards greatness.
31.) I wake up today with strength in my heart and clarity in my mind.
32.) My fears of tomorrow are simply melting away.
33.) I am at peace with all that has happened, is happening, and will happen.
34.) My nature is Divine; I am a spiritual being.
35.) My life is just beginning."

There is too much anxiety in our lives, right? Stressing about bills, children, things to do, places to go, all complies until it just makes you miserable!

The past year was just insane obviously, but late last year I discovered the power of mindfulness and positive thinking! It's made a real difference in those moments when I feel overwhelmed by the enormity of a task. Now I want to share with you my exclusive way to use mindfulness and beat stress!

1) Relaxation Breathing

Here's a technique that will save your life in those moments when panic fills your senses. If you're feeling crazed, stop and do these few actions:

1) Close your eyes and take a long, deep breath through your nose. Make sure that it fills both your upper and lower lungs.

2) At the top of your breath, hold it and count to three. At three, release your breath.

3) As you exhale, relax as much of your muscles as you can, releasing your breath through parsed lips.

2) Fill the Air with Essential Oils

No relaxation is complete without dropping a few essential oils into a diffuser. They promote calming and healing feelings that make the mind a soothing place to occupy. I have plenty of them if you'd like to test it out!

3) Listen to a Session on the Calm App

I don't do relaxation breathing amidst my essential oils without this. This has been my most-used app of 2021, bar none. There's a whole lot of meditation courses for anxiety and managing emotions, broken up into smaller 5, 10, 20, and 30 minute chunks. 

I put on a quick 10-minute session every morning as I wake up, and calm down with another soothing 20-minute session at the end of the night. 30 minutes of mindfulness might sound hard to achieve, but isn't it important to take time for what matters?

Gemstones for Gemini~   
Let us think outside the usual birthstones and look to the stars.  Our sun sign zodiac and celestial energies are not only mysterious but quite inspiring.  The following stones are great for Gemini.  These gemstones are inspired by history, June, their connection to Mercury, Gemini Air element and Gemini characteristics. ​
You can click on the stone names below to find what we have available. 

⬇
 
Apatite  blue, green, yellow, white, purple and brown.
Strength
Motivation
Inspiration
Courage
Communication
 
Aquamarine blue, green and yellow.
Courage
Calm
Protection
Resolve
Compassion
 
Agate Can be found in many different forms and colors.  Occasionally dyed.
Grounding
Harmony
Concentration
Confidence
Security
 
Citrine Colors range from light yellow, to deep orange and brown. 
Rejuvenate
Cleanse
Inspirational
Good fortune
Success
 
Chrysocolla blue, turquoise and green
Peace
Serenity
Communication
Strength
Joy
 
Howlite White, green and blue.  Frequently artificially colored.
Calm
Soothing
Ambition
Wisdom
Patience
 
Tiger’s Eye
Balance
Protection
Courage
Energy
Confidence
 
Tourmaline Pink, red, yellow, green, blue, brown and black. 
Balance
Protection
Confidence
Diminish fear
Inspiration
 
What gemstones best fit you or your Gemini?