Tag: Forest therapy

Nurture may not be my Forte; Healing in Nature is

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When my boys were young and rambunctious we attended my cousin’s wedding. This was the stage when they expressed their emotions in karate kicks. I stole that quote from Amy Poehler. It is too accurate in the case of my boys. My three littles were hard to wrangle on a normal day let alone in the midst of calm and collected wedding folk.

Two of said rambunctious boys. One going up a waterslide and one coming down. A planned collision course with these glorious results. Kody’s goose egg was visibly growing in the hotel elevator as we went back up to our room. This picture is not from the trip I discuss in this post but an illustration on the subtle art of surviving young boys and all of their accompanying tomfoolery.

By the start of the first dance I was exhausted. I noticed wedding organizers handing out a small bottle of bubbles for everyone to blow towards the new bride and groom. Aw me. Such a charming tradition. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

That captivating moment with its twinkle lights all aglow and soft, romantic music was disastrously interrupted when my boys all ran to within an inch of the bride’s dress and spit bubble solution all over it. Not bubbles. Bubble solution. The type of spitting where no bubbles actually form and it just drips down in a gooey, sloppy stream. Plus their spit.

The next thrilling development on scene, a bottle was dropped and the sudden need for a bubble solution dam arose. One was promptly improvised by a few family members that took pity on me or more likely didn’t want to see the happy couple turn this scene into a slip ‘n slide type situation. I didn’t stick around to ask due to the fact while all this was happening I was in pursuit of another one of my brilliant spawn while he tried to drink from his bottle of bubble solution. The fact that he was giggling uncontrollably endeared him to the rest of the jostled guests he left in his wake. I on the other hand was less than endeared. I caught him. Tears ensued. Predominantly mine.

In a profusion of apologies I gathered my darling brood with offers similar to that heard during a hostage situation. I spent the next hour using up every drop of my bubble solution. I found the act of blowing bubbles very soothing. Maybe this is a good time to point out that I don’t drink. Of all the times I considered starting this was definitely in the top 3. The bubble blowing slowed my breathing. I could watch the bubbles float away. And bonus, my boys chased the bubbles instead of each other for that time. Much of the pain we suffer in this life though, cannot be gently blown away like those bubbles.

One book I recently read is titled, Forest Therapy, written by author, Sarah Ivens. She says, “Some things are too sad, too difficult or too painful to be blown away on the breeze. But things can be improved. Dull moments can be brightened. Sad moments can become lightened when we value ourselves and surround ourselves with things that we know are good for our mental and physical well being.”

I am learning that I need access to nature for my mental and physical well being. Forest therapy provides that access on a regular basis. It is where things start to improve. My pain level decreases. My mood lightens. My brain spinning slows. Why do you think it is then that I, like many others, view nature as a luxury and not a necessity? We all know children need that break in their day. They need to feel the breeze or sun or rain or cold often in their day to function at their best.

Do you recognize your own need to get outside through your day as much as you see it in your children? Would that perception change if you knew that cutting yourself off from nature is not beneficial to your overall wellness? Studies are showing it is detrimental to our mental and physical well being. But is it the first thing to go when your to-do list gets too long? We need to get outside for our daily dose of vitamin D (and so much more) as much as or more than our kids! So we can handle our kids. Ha! Make your own physical activity outside as much of a priority as you would your kids’! It doesn’t take much to make a big difference. Ten minutes of grounding (shoes off, feet on the grass/sand/gravel) will make a world of difference. Let me know in the comments if you notice a difference in your overall mood or pain level after trying this practice for a week.

I have a tree in my backyard. When it’s too muddy or cold or if I don’t have time to get on the ground, I will place my hands on the tree. I don’t hug it but I don’t fault anyone for wanting to hug a tree. To each her own. I read that Beethoven would literally hug a linden tree in his yard. He said the woods, the trees, and rocks give man the resonance he needs. That’s what I get from putting a hand on my tree. I connect with the earth and all its healing properties. And I very much view my time there as one of my needs. Where the chaos of my life can become sweet harmony.

Those boys of mine are getting all grown up. One of them is married himself now. They still get a little rambunctious at times. Though thankfully their karate kicks are not often directed at each other or to express emotion. I don’t need a bottle of bubbles (or booze) to survive a formal event with them. I just breathe deeply and know that I can go down in the woods “tomorrow”.

I was thrilled to see forest therapy becoming more mainstream in an article I happened upon this morning. Take a read https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/forest-bathing-what-it-is-and-why-some-alberta-doctors-recommend-it-1.6911598

I end with these words from American poet and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau. I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately.

Anyone that wishes to live deliberately, I invite you to join me in the forest. Head over to my contact page to book a forest therapy walk.

I’d love to know what you think of all this sweet friends. Leave me a message in the comments.

What’s the Rush?

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I’m reading a book by Dr. Libby Weaver. She describes what she calls Rushing Women’s Syndrome, also the name of the book. She says, “Rushing Women’s Syndrome (RWS) describes the biochemical effects of always being in a hurry and the health consequences that urgency elicits.” Ironically, I’m listening to it on double speed because I have to get it done!

Photo by Paweu0142 L. on Pexels.com

I see so much of myself in this description of a rushing woman and I wonder if you do as well. Dr Weaver says, “Imagine if you will RWS in action. It doesn’t seem to matter whether she has 2 things to do or 200. She’s often in a pressing rush to do it all. Wound up like a spring, she runs herself ragged in a daily battle to keep up. There is always so much to do. And she very rarely feels like she wins, is in control or gets on top of things.” (Can I get an amen? 🙌) “In fact her deep desire to control even the smaller details of life can leave her feeling out of control even of herself. Overwhelmed at times she feels like she can’t cope whether she admits it out loud or keeps it all inside adding to her wound up knotted stomach… Most women with RWS suffer terribly with their periods or don’t bleed regularly. Women who go into menopause in this state usually find it debilitating.” Next on the page should be a picture of me. Mid hot flash.

Does any of this feel familiar to you? I see myself in every detail. But that was past me. Now I recognize what it did to me and I would do anything to help even one soul from experiencing what I have. To turn someone back at the gate of being rushed to death.

Dr Weaver continues, “The majority of rushing women are wired and typically get very weary in the late afternoon to early evening but if they stay up after 10 pm they often get a second wind and it is then very hard to go to sleep until 1 or 2 am.” Holy smokes, yes. This is me, spot on. Does she have a live stream of my life? For real, where are the cameras? I had no idea this wasn’t just me.

If you are interested, she has a checklist to see if you are a rushing woman. I was not surprised when, based on who I was, I scored off the charts. If I were to add it up based on me today it would not be zero but it would be significantly better. From what I have read so far I would recommend this book to anyone feeling rushed.

Being a woman that was in a rush for everything, I know when Dr Weaver says it affects our nervous system, our endocrine system and the digestive system, she has seen first hand what I have experienced. I can hold my hand to the sky to bear my witness that not only does it affect these systems, it will squeeze the life out of those systems first. Watch for an overloaded nervous, endocrine or digestive system as these are hard to recover once they are pushed past a certain point.

I look forward to learning the tools and answers that will be presented in the book by Dr Weaver. I am always looking for what is next or what to add to my healing practices. I’m only on chapter 4 so if you’re also interested in her answers, you will need to purchase the book yourself.

But I feel blessed to have my own tools. I know Forest Therapy is a key part of healing for me.

Have you ever stood in front of rushing waters? I love to watch waterfalls or streams. If you have access to something of the sort I invite you to try this practice. Even laying in bed and picturing it will give you some of the benefits. Face the water as it runs towards you. Hear it. Sense the power, even if it’s gently moving. Picture the rush and the busy and the tension of your life letting go, let the water take it away. Allow the water to wash clean all the areas that have not been working and are taking their toll on you and your family. Let it go. Steady now, don’t burst into song on me.

Next shift your focus. Look at the source of the running water. As far as you can see the source. Picture it bringing you all the energy, peace, and guidance you need. My source is Jesus. Yours may be the earth. Family. But there is a source for all of us that is available to heal the physical, emotional and mental damage that’s been done. There is a way to better health starting at any age and any ability level. It will guide you to a better life. The one you pictured as a young child. Was it bright and beautiful? Mine was. And now I found it again. The forest has many healing measures. You just need a guide to help you find them. Head over to my contact page if you want to know more about booking a forest walk with me.

My sweet, tired, rushed friends, join me in the forest.

Regaining Control

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Like most people I like to be in control. Have you ever felt completely out of control of your life? I have that feeling far less these days. Do you want to know what changed? It’s decidedly not because my life got easier. My life is actually a whole mess of mayhem. If you see yourself in this description and want to learn how to uphold control despite the daily dumpster fire, read on.

I was compelled to quit my life a few years ago. It had been overloaded for too long and my body and brain decided to quit their day job. They had had enough of this nonsense. If I wasn’t going to take care of them, they weren’t going to take care of me.

People say they can’t slow down or everything will fall apart. Especially as the mom. You are the hub of the family. Everyone comes to you for everything. To find the things. To remember the things. To carry the things. To get them and their things to the places. To talk things out. To orchestrate the things that need to happen. If you weren’t there, what would happen to all the things? It would be a disaster. Right? Of course right!

I had that feeling of impending doom when it was decided and my mom came to pick me up and take me to her house. I had suffered a serious breakdown. I learned something that felt like it was going to leave a permanent gash in my life, I kept picturing shards of glass ripping through me as I realized all the ways it would require me to adjust my life plans. It seemed as though it was leaving a hole not just in my life but in me. I had felt the pressure getting to be too much and this bit of information was the final straw.

Brent was working out of town so he couldn’t take care of me. My boys were old enough to take care of themselves but not to take care of their mother too. I started bawling as my mom and I were leaving my house. I didn’t want to leave my life. My heart was breaking as we were leaving my boys. So we brought Riley along as tribute. I was so tired. I was so overwhelmed. I was a 40 yr old going to her mom’s house to be taken care of. And my family and life would fall apart while I was away. And I just had to go. I had to let go and let it all fall apart.

Would you trust them? Just kidding, I love them and all of their crazy.

And oh boy, did it ever fall apart. My only son left in high school started failing classes. Handedly. I had teachers reaching out to me that I had to ignore. The thought of answering an email filled me with dread. The thought of trying to figure out or take care of anything was debilitating. Panic inducing. Add to that, not only was I not in my home to care for it, but there were three young adult/teenage boys living there. Molly maids they are not. The animals weren’t getting the care they needed. The yard looked like nobody had lived there in years with overgrown patches of yard the boys weren’t getting to mowing. I’d go home every two weeks when Brent was home. So I’d step back into my life and see how poorly it was doing without me. We would try to catch up and then head back out the door. For half a year we lived that way.

This sounds like a lot of complaining and it was really hard but that’s not why I’m bringing it to this audience. The reason I bring it here is to say that while you stop to take care of yourself, some things will suffer. That may be true and that has to be ok. Because if you keep not taking care of yourself, I am your cautionary tale. Life may come to a catastrophic juncture where stopping to care for yourself will be the only viable option. If you think you can’t stop moving or you will drop everything, you are carrying too much. Let some things go or do them differently to give yourself space to breathe. You need to be able to breathe. And everyone and everything will adjust. It may fall apart but it will come back together better than you can now picture in your weighed down state.

Maybe you don’t need to make a change as drastic as I did. Maybe you are not in crisis mode. In that case, recognize your needs and if there is no room in your life to fill those needs, make a change. Let go of something that might initially feel too important. But consider yourself. And make room for you!

Do you have your own thing? I’d love to see in your comments what your thing is. What brings you calm and helps you feel like you can step back into your life a stronger person when you’ve had time to do this thing? If you don’t have a thing, find one. We each need something that brings the stress level down and returns us back to who we are. I find I need to see friends often. I need to get out of my house and talk to someone else and laugh and complain and eat yummy food and then I can go home and enjoy spending time with my family again. I need my daily and weekly spiritual and physical strengthening practices. I am finding new uses of my time and energy that I wouldn’t even have considered, had I not been forced to make that mid- course correction.

Photo by Carlos Rubio Tristan on Pexels.com

One of those new ways to use my time that I have found to be of greatest benefit, of course, is forest therapy. I need time to ground and be still and immerse myself in nature and what she has to offer. Plus this hits some of my physical and spiritual practices for the day as well. Bonus.

If your new thing could be joining me in forest therapy, head over to my contact page to book a walk with me to learn how to take it all in. It can be your thing and it can move you to healing. In whatever way you need it. We all need some type of healing even if we don’t see it when we begin.

These days I am making an effort to slow down and recognize when a transition is happening in life. I try not fight it. I don’t stand in the way of change. I try to recognize the shifts that are naturally occurring and then decide what I will do moving forward based on the new information. I try not to stay too long in the this-isn’t-fair lane. That lane never moves forward and stays backed up for miles. Best to merge out of that lane asap.

I’m learning that there can be good in every change. Even the changes that hurt the most. That day was so painful for me. But in hindsight it was vital. It reminds me of the time I cut myself in the webbing between my index finger and thumb. I went to get stitches. After a week, the wound wasn’t healing. It was such a hard place to keep clean and dry while I had a mountain of toddlers and laundry. I kept hoping it would get better but I wasn’t doing anything to fix it. I just kept covering it up and ignoring the pain. But that wound just needed to dry out. I had to rip the band aid off and stop 👏 doing👏 the dishes 👏 and let the painful healing process take place. The process of healing in myself and my family after my breakdown required of me a different way forward than I’d expected to take. I needed to step away. I needed to uncover the wound and let it breathe. And in the process my boys learned great things. For one, a true appreciation for all that I do in just being around.

My life looks a lot different than I thought it would this many years later. But it’s pretty awesome. Some things I could not picture any better. Some things I’d still like to see improve. But overall I feel more in control now than I did when I thought I had it all under control and actually it just hadn’t fallen apart yet.

If you see yourself in this post, take care of yourself sweet friend.

The NERVE! of Nerve Pain

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My journey started with a bone spur. It wasn’t big but it was sharp enough to shred my superspinatis whose- a- ma- what’s- it and my something or other, every time I moved. So naturally I stopped moving. This isn’t good for any body. But it’s a sentence of doom to one with mobile joints. Part of the problem was that I didn’t know I had mobile joints. The other part was that it took years to find and remove the bone spur. So over those years my mobility was less and less and my muscles that had been holding me together became almost non-existent.

When I say my mobility was less and less, what I mean to say is, I was able to exercise less and less. I was still raising my boys, getting them to school, going to work, getting home to lay down and cry in pain. Then get back up, make supper, drive the boys to their karate or other activities, get home, get them to bed and then go to bed and cry in pain. Driving was the worst. We lived out of town and we had to drive a half hour to anything. The pain crept up into my teeth. Do you know that feeling? So when I’d lay down there was not relief but all the layers of pain I’d ignored all day trying to let go. I suspect I am not the only one who has had this feeling when laying down at night.

I’d try to move slowly for weeks at a time so that the area in pain that refused to be strengthened could scar tissue over. But inevitably I would look the wrong way too quickly or stoop down to get something out of the fridge drawer or sneeze while wiping the counter. And it would suddenly feel cold along the area. I would hope I was imagining it. But the effect was always my shoulder blade feeling like it was falling down my back. Because it was. And I didn’t have the muscle tone to hold it in place the way a typical body should. And the superspinatis and the whatever- it- was were not helping. It didn’t seem to matter how careful I was or how much I ignored it. It was a frustrating and never- ending cycle. Knowing the pain was coming no matter my efforts was hard to handle emotionally.

After years of specialist appointments and physio and ultrasounds and x-rays didn’t show anything I finally convinced someone to order the MRI my physiotherapist was pretty sure I needed. This angel, in the form of a rheumatologist that listened and ordered it even though her specialty had nothing to offer, was the answer to many prayers.

The results of the MRI showed a small bone spur. It was up to me whether to take it out or not. Um, yes please. The surgery recovery was not simple. It took years for all the inflammation to recede to have my normal use and years more for typical person normal use. But I cannot imagine not having gone through those steps and still being in the place where my muscles were shredding until I cried daily. Do you face something that seems insurmountable, yet you know the benefits outweigh the cost? Do it! Make the time for you. Even if it will take time to see results. We invest the time and money in a summer camp for our kids. Shouldn’t we also invest in ourselves?

Back to my story. From there my road to recovery showed the possibility, then confirmed my mobile joints.

No matter how big or small I started an exercise it would tighten a muscle group to the point it pulled out another joint. Like a spiderweb that constantly had someone tugging on it. This particular, pesky spider web tug was pulling my joints out. My body was constantly trying to compensate. It was never happy. I tried all the exercises. I love exercise. It has been so hard to just grin and bear it when someone says I just need to exercise to fix it. Try pilates! Yoga! Gentle stretches! Just push through the pain! Get a massage! Go to chiro! Nobody knows the lengths to which I have gone to solve this.

As a support person, validate pain, validate efforts, never push options. Suggest and let it go. If it is right for your person they will come back to it in their own time. You cannot compare your average body and what it needs to someone with chronic pain. They have to do what is right for them. Trust them. Being pushed too often is likely why they are dealing with this type of pain in the first place. My advice today is to share this information with anyone in your life that needs to know ☝

From mobile joints, to endometriosis, to hysterectomy, to weird nervous system symptoms, to a toxic and wasted body on the brink of major disease, this has been a journey I would not wish on anyone. And yet I know many women are on the same track. Their story is different but the outcome and the need for healing is great. I posted a hothouse (an infrared canopy that warms and soothes nerves) on a Facebook marketplace the other day. I mentioned that it helped with my fibromyalgia and my twitches. The response was vast and immediate.

I only had one hothouse. But. my dear friends, I have something else to offer that has soothed my nerves not only in the moment but its effects are long lasting, such that I didn’t need my hothouse anymore. My temperature is stabilizing. If this sounds anything like your story and you’d like to hear more about Forest Walks and the healing you can find there, head over to my contact page to ask about booking.

Take care out there.

Miracles and Bellybuttons

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Aren’t miracles wonderful? Wouldn’t you like to be able to experience them all the time? What about bellybuttons? How, you might ask, do they relate? Don’t get ahead of me.

It all started the other day when I was discussing the miracle that it was to be able to get the house that is perfect for us to live in, when we are living in such a crazy rental market. We needed so many boxes checked. A room for each person (except the married people, they have to share). West side, we like to live on the edge, ha! It had to have a yard, we couldn’t go from a farm yard to no yard. And we check all the bad boxes as far as renters are concerned. Young adults, check. Baby, check. Dogs, check. But, one might ask, are those dogs impossibly massive? Yes, check. The market here is such that you put in an application and wait to hear back. Not surprisingly, we were not hearing back. Then suddenly we were being offered this place by someone we didn’t know, which fit our needs. I call it our miracle home.

Then, my 18 month old grandson lifted his shirt to show his bellybutton and to show us all how marvelous it is, he gasped and paused for effect. To him, his bellybutton is a miracle. The fact that other people will stop and be as fascinated as him is a miracle. Hugs and kisses are miracles. Bubbles are miracles. Snow is a miracle (even when the rest of us are done with it). There are little miracles around him all day long. Because his little mind chooses to see it that way. Granted he doesn’t have the junk that life piles on since he’s only been on earth for a short time. He has a loving mom and dad and extended family that are caring for him and allow him the space to see the miracles.

What if you felt that type of calm, that you could see the miracles in everything around you? Like how cool it is that we have belly buttons and what an important role that spot played at one time. That we all have the opportunity to learn and grow and create. That we are living, breathing humans with thinking minds. That we can clear the junk that life piles on us.

Forest therapy is one way I clear away the noise. I feel calm. I can come back to life and recognize the many miracles that are happening around me constantly. It quiets my body and soul. It slows me down. I connect to my higher power in the forest. To me, that’s God. I know Him as my loving Father in Heaven. You may call Him something else but I expect we can all feel closer to that higher power in the forest. I know all my miracles are orchestrated by Him. What do you think? Where would you say your miracles come from? Maybe that’s something you want to ponder on a forest therapy walk. Join me by heading over to my contact page.

What are your bellybutton miracles? Those things that have been in place or prepared all along and all you had to do was find something seemingly normal, stop, gasp, pause for effect, and recognize the miracles that are all around.

Ok my sweet friends, enjoy your many miracles!

What do dreams really mean anyway?

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I had a dream. In this dream I was standing in line with my script. I suppose they had my lines on them. I didn’t look at it very closely. There were a few women in front of me and I was peeking around to see the woman currently auditioning for the part. It was not going well.

I heard a voice off stage. The director. She kept asking for a softer, calmer voice. The woman auditioning was attempting to follow the direction but could not make her voice do what the director was calling for.

I knew I could hold that voice. A voice that is strong enough to lead but soft enough to invite into the arms of community. It was my part and I didn’t have to fight for it or worry if someone else would be better than me. It felt like I just had to wait my turn and then I would naturally be given the part. Because it was mine.

When I woke up I decided what it means for me. I have a voice. It is perfect for me. Some people are calling for a voice like mine to fill a void. The best way for me is Forest Therapy. There are lots of voices out there and some may even be saying the same things I am. But a different voice saying the same thing in a different way is what learning is all about. All the voices work together.

Melody is everyone singing the same thing. Harmony is singing the same song but in a different way that works together. Harmony is so much richer sounding and feeling. I have my harmony part to play. To contribute to the wide array of voices already out there. My husband has a beautiful and unique tenor voice. I like to sing alto. When we sing on Sundays in the middle of a bass and soprano, it all works together beautifully.

My voice is soft and calm. That is exactly what some people need. My voice is behind the times. Seriously, does anyone start blogs anymore? But it is exactly the correct timing for me and my audience.

I also dreamed of my Grandpa Julseth the other night. He was younger than I remember him. He was so happy. And I hugged him so very tight. He wondered why I seemed so attached to him. It was as though, to him, there had been no time apart. In life he understood me better than anyone else. When I felt unseen. He saw me. I sensed this connection still existed.

In the years before Grandpa died I experienced very low self esteem. I took so many things straight to my heart and carried them there for years. I had a fear of missing out. And constant fight or flight in social situations. He helped me through my early teen years. More recently, I have been able to see through the fog of my pre programmed thoughts. And now I see I have a voice. It is perfect for its timing and audience. There is no need to rush into or worry about being behind. There are so many ways to start this work I have been doing. One suggestion is to smile at yourself in the mirror, say I love you, and really recognize and appreciate your beauty as it is today, not what you want it to be. This takes time to not feel weird.

This has made a difference for me. I can say that I love how I look. I love being me. I’m enjoying getting to know me better. This blog is witness to the fact that I am finding my voice in this work. If you are willing to put in the effort it can make a big difference for you too!

What does your voice need to offer? You’ll need to be very still to hear what is calling to you. Will you find out in the forest? Join me on a Forest Therapy walk to see what is calling to your soul.

Some things are worth the effort, my sweet friend. You are. You’re worth all the effort.

Comparison is The Thief of Joy

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Why do we compare? Does any good ever come from it? We either use comparison to lift ourselves above another or to find we don’t measure up. Neither leaves us feeling sunshine in our souls any day.

I believe that we each have something to offer the world. The subject matter and presentation will vary widely. Some of us will have a large audience, others a small one. But all have a voice that should be heard and will be validated by the enjoyment of others, given the chance. What do you have to offer the world?

I went through a phase where I felt like a useless lump of clay. I was so weak physically, my physiotherapist has recently admitted that was the weirdest day for her. I went to see her Christmas Eve and I suddenly had no muscle mass. I was so weak. This takes a toll on the body but also the emotions. I had worked hard to do all the “right” things. And yet my body continued to fall apart. Where is the fairness in that?

I didn’t want to do anything. I went to bed and didn’t want to get up. What could I offer the world when everything I tried to do became too repetitive. Every time I do a repetitive task there is always a muscle group that has been overworked. Even with careful planning and prevention! Over the past decade I kept losing things and gaining nothing. I couldn’t play the piano the way I used to. I used to crochet. I was learning sign language. I’ve already mentioned running. I gave up my business. We moved off the farm because I couldn’t handle the work and the farm house. I felt stripped down to my bare minimum and now I was just a drain on society. What could I possibly do that would make an impact on the world for the better? I went through a few options. Some of them seemed so right and were painful to pass on. But something was calling to me. I finally figured out what it was saying: Forest Therapy. I am now a certified Forest Therapy guide and I am trained to take groups on Forest Therapy walks.

Disclaimer: I am not a trained Therapist or Counsellor. We will not be working through past issues. This is for those seeking healing that only our beautiful earth can offer. Those who have greater needs mentally or emotionally are encouraged to talk to a trained Mental Health Counsellor or Therapist. And then join us when you are ready! In this space the forest is the therapist and I am here to facilitate.

A story is told of a little girl who had her hand in her pocket for far too long while she and her mom were out running errands. Eventually the mother noticed this strange phenomenon and asked the girl why her hand was in her pocket. The little girl calmly replied, “Because it’s full of glitter”. The mother, caught off guard asked what any mother in her situation would ask. “Why do you have a handful of glitter in your pocket?” “Oh” the girl replies “just in case someone needs celebrating”. How much do you love this little girl? Can we be her? Maybe we can use bubbles instead to save on laundry woes.

Can we be ready with a metaphorical hand of glitter to celebrate anyone? What if she achieves a goal? What if she is able to accomplish something we desire but are not able to accomplish in our current season of life? What if she has children and we don’t have all the children we wanted? (ouch) Can we still celebrate her? What if she is thinner? What if she always has the funny or interesting thing to say in a conversation? Starts a business that has aspects we don’t understand (nudge, wink)? Has a talent we crave? Are we still going to throw our hand in the air and say Wahoo?

Or are we going to be stingy with our glitter celebrations?

I have wanted to start this blog and my Forest Therapy business for a while now. But I worried about all the people with their degrees and certifications and even the group to which I used to belong, a self employed business owner running something that makes sense and is a recognizable business. Well stuff and nonsense, I say now! There is a space for everyone. And we need everyone and whatever they have to offer.

Bring on the glitter!

Regardless of how some will judge what I am doing, I still want to be the person who is ready to celebrate all women. I choose to be that person. That is something I can offer the world despite (and maybe due to) how unempathetic some have been towards me in the past. This letting go of comparison and better than or less than is freeing! Sometimes I forget. But I try again the next time.

I seek to see the good in others. I seek to understand them and their circumstances. I think this adds to my joy. At the end of the day, can I honestly say I have lived true to my highest self and deserve my own little Wahoo? That’s the most important question when deciding where to focus my time and energy.

Another healing tip I have found is to be happy with where I am and what I am doing. Even if it’s not exactly what I would choose. There are days I literally want to run and I have to walk and other days where I figuratively want to run and have to walk. On each of those days, I am happier when I celebrate others. When I choose not to feel more than or less than. It is so much less stressful when I can be me and not feel I have to live up to someone else and their expectations.

How does this relate to healing through forest therapy? It is all interactive. Our physical, mental, spiritual, and social selves. If I only focus on my physical need for strength and healing I will miss so many parts of myself that could result in healing momentum. The pull toward all things bright and beautiful in life. Those things that take us into nature. Join me on my next forest therapy walk to find this joy and desire to celebrate others with me. Head over to my contact page to inquire.

Take care, you’ve got this my sweet friends.

A Grid of Love and Light

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As a young girl and, honestly, until recently I always pictured my progress in the world according to my values and my identity that I have built over my life. I would either be going up on a ladder, going down, or falling onto my face depending on whether I lived up to those values and expectations or not. Add to that, high anxiety and low self esteem. This has resulted in years of comparing myself to others. I worried about anyone getting higher on any ladder. Sometimes I felt like I was looking around to make sure nobody was going to knock my ladder over.

This is not how I picture this life anymore. I still want to be facing the right direction and chasing my goals. But it’s not always about progress in the area where you would like to put your focus.

For example, I was a runner. A long distance runner in high school. And a treadmill runner in my older years. I would do anything to be able to run like that again. But my body is not able to do that in the way I used to at the moment. This does not mean I am low on the ladder of physical fitness for me. For a person with chronic pain, any physical movement in the day that ends on a positive note is a good thing. I can’t control how high I can climb on that proverbial ladder.

In other news, I stink at throwing anything. I turn back the progress that women the world over have made when I throw anything. It is pathetic. Wind up, throw with all my might and it would sail beautifully through the air all few feet. I practiced for hours one summer trying to get just the right angle and release. It was so embarrassing every. single. time. It would actually stop the game while everyone felt bad for me. Bless me for trying. That does not mean I am low on the ladder of throwing. And that I shame women everywhere with my less than valiant effort.

I play the piano well. That doesn’t mean I am towering over others on their low rung of I-wish-I-had-listened-to-my-mom-and-stayed-in-piano-lessons. I do not look down at them from my throne and laugh at their efforts. And yet when I am on the “low rung” that is what I am feeling from the masses.

I have changed my thoughts on this.

Now, I see a grid of light. At each crossroads there is a woman doing her very best. Sometimes it is less-than and her light is dim. Sometimes in her great efforts she shines brightly. On this grid are so many women with so many varied talents. Each offers bright light in some areas. And needs the light of others in her areas that are dimly lit. I can share the light I have to offer. I can play the piano at a funeral for someone I barely knew. I have supported my boys in their musical talent with the light I can offer in that area. I needed the support of others when it came to teaching my boys to throw. Thankfully, none of them got my arm. I have not been able to pass on my love of running to them as they have grown up, for the most part, through years that I have not been able to run. But they know my desire and they see my efforts. And when that wasn’t enough they could look to other examples of physical fitness.

I want to offer the light I have in any area I can. I want others to know they can borrow my light when theirs is dim. I want to trust in and allow others to lend their light in the areas where I am struggling. Some areas are due to circumstance. Some are due to our own choice. Some to the choices of others.

There is no comparison in this grid. Comparison is never useful. We either feel bad about ourselves, less than or better, more than. Neither is a good place to be. Comparison here, in this space of light, becomes compassion. Where can I lend my light? Where do I need the light of others?

I choose to use this perspective with women because I think we need each other. We need to recognize that, as a shirt I read says, We Are All Babes. We each have light to offer and need to borrow the light others can give.

Speaking of light, I LOVE THE SUN. I know that getting my feet on the ground and in the dirt and sand is healing. My one piece of advice this week is to get outside as much as possible. Ditch the shoes and get your feet on the grass (if you can find a dry spot). The earth has healing properties. If you watch certain kids and all dogs, you will see their love of the earth. Dogs will wriggle into the ground and dig on instinct. Kids also on instinct collect rocks and will lay on the sand or grass given the chance. I enjoyed a book I listened to on the subject titled, Earthing written by Clint Ober. It seemed wonky to me at first but as in so many other things, necessity is the mother of trying something weird.

Let me know what you think of this idea. And if you want to give this whole forest bathing thing a try, send me an email from my contact page. I hope to see you in the forest my sweet friends.

The Unhealthy State of Women’s Health

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From where I stand, I see a lack of research, understanding and basic human compassion when it comes to women’s health issues in our current system.

My first experience where I can look back and see that lack in my life was when my oldest son was under a year old. It was the middle of the night and he and my husband were asleep. I was on the floor of the bathroom trying to figure out why I was in so much abdominal pain. Something felt seriously wrong. I had never had this type of pain, let alone something that would put me on the floor in the fetal position. I called my mom and she suggested going in to get checked. I woke up my husband and he grudgingly woke up our son and we all got in the car.

We sat in the ER for way too long and eventually I got into a bed. They did a quick history, took some blood, listened to my guts and declared:

I had gas.

Are you kidding me? Gas is what felt like it was killing me slowly? I felt so foolish for putting my husband and son through an overnight party that nobody wanted to attend. For gas. I didn’t go to the doctor much after that. Unless I knew what it was and how they would be able to treat it. I suffered through a lot due to the embarrassment of that experience.

But it wasn’t just gas. Now I know I was developing severe endometriosis and likely due to the hormone changes of pregnancy and nursing, my symptoms were exacerbated. But nobody can see or diagnose that. So they say it’s gas because then there is an answer. An easy answer that ends their responsibility to care for me. I probably did have gas. But around organs so inflamed I never wanted anything to touch my belly for years after. I thought that was normal. It’s just gas!

After years of working around the issue I finally made the call to have a hysterectomy to end the pain and other issues the endometriosis had caused by having so much scar tissue and thick linings after years of neglect.

Now I am the owner of a body that cannot regulate its temperature. So that’s fun. After my hysterectomy I knew I could not take hormone replacement therapy. When I used it in the past it loosened my muscles. This is a bit of an issue with my body since my ligaments don’t work unless they want to. Muscles are what hold me together. When I take HRT I become the bendiest of noodles.

When I told the doctors I couldn’t take the hormone replacement medication, they literally laughed at me and said, ‘yes I would’. They guaranteed I’d be back for it.

They knew what I was in for and I was clueless. But I did not sense compassion. There was no seeking out another way for me due to my circumstances. There was just a sense of, you have no idea what you are in for, haha. Menopause has always seemed something to keep under wraps but also to laugh at the ridiculous nature of those sufferings its effects. It would have been encouraging to see a doctor offer a direction, instead of only relying on their basic training and rolling their eyes at my arrogance at denying their prescription.

I was in for temperatures rising so much in the first days that I honestly thought my butt was on fire when I sat on our leather couch. For those blessed not to have experienced such things, a hot flash is not something to look forward to. I thought it might be seeing as I’d been cold since the age of 12. I was wrong. I’m still cold. And then I’m so hot I have to take off layers and sit down and I sweat. Then I cool off and I’m soaked. These days it’s not so bad but in the early days, I’d have to stop everything and lean on something and breathe through it like a contraction. But there’s no baby at the end so that’s always disappointing. I couldn’t sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. Again like having a newborn but I did not smile down in love at my lack of uterus to counter the side effects as you would a baby. This went on following my recovery from surgery and for the entire next year. To say this had an affect on my health is an understatement. I still sweat like the guy in red on Star Trek. Thankfully, other symptoms are not as extreme.

I hope in years to come, more resources will go to women’s health issues since we are half of the population. An important half if I do say so myself. And as we knew all along, and as it has been recently confirmed, we are actually equal to our male counterparts. Make some space, Fellas!

Until such a time as all systems and doctrines catch up to that truth, my suggestion for this week is to build your team. I saw doctors for years before I’d get fed up with them and then take more years before I’d get the energy up to start finding a new one.

Now I make sure that I am getting my time’s worth out of a doctor. Some are worth my time and energy and some are not. But this is not the end of my team. I have a counsellor, a marriage counsellor, an energy massage therapist, a physiotherapist, a reiki therapist, a holistic health professional, a functional medicine doctor and an integrative medicine doctor. I am always keeping my eyes and soul open to other options. Although, I am finding the more I am in the forest, the less I need each of these professionals.

Whatever your pain. Whatever your limitations. You are worth someone taking the time to show compassion and slow down their day enough to think about you in your doctor office time. There are such doctors out there. I went to a walk- in clinic and while prescribing my routine medication I had inadvertently run out of over Christmas break, this extremely busy minor emerg doctor stopped what he was doing to ask if I had any joint pain and if that’s why I was taking this particular med. A conversation ensued which ended with him sincerely saying he wished me well and hoped I’d find some answers. He would be on my team if I needed a family doc.

Keep going. Keep sharing your story. Find peace in the forest and answers will emerge.

If you are interested in joining me for a forest therapy walk, head over to my contact page to book in.

Take care out there, my sweet friends!

What is Forest Therapy

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In the 1980s, through the national health program in Japan, was introduced the art of Shinrin- Yoku or forest bathing as it is known in English, to help workers reduce stress. The negative effects of stress were starting to rear their ugly head. Heart conditions, high blood pressure, a rise in auto immune disease. Doctors pointed sufferers to the forest for help. The forest has many healing qualities and Japan was learning how to harness them and how to offer it to others. These sufferers were willing to try anything. Are you there? Do you feel like you’ve tried everything? With a forest therapy guide to get the most benefits, forest bathing is still proving most effective today. 2/3 of Japan is forest. Some of the most beautiful in the world. Doctors even started prescribing it to those with stress related disease. Doctors in Japan recognized how many people had become disconnected from the earth. While our ancestors slept on the ground and ate food grown from it and walked around on it with nothing to stop the negative electrons flowing into their bodies, those in modern day Japan were far from this description. The effects of this disconnection are not isolated to the eastern hemisphere. Our world is highly toxic and the earth offers a way to heal from the negative effects. In an effort to connect the people around me back to the earth, I prescribe it to you today.

Forest Therapy or Forest Bathing, the literal translation of the Japanese term, Shinrin Yoku is what I want to tell you about. The art of going into the forest for healing. There are various understandings of the term. But in all the research I have done it has nothing to do with bathing as you might be picturing the use of the word. No rubber ducks. No shower caps. And everyone is to be fully clothed!!! At all times!!! The relation to bathing is only in the way that when you have a bath you are fully immersed in the water; forest bathing helps you fully immerse yourself in the forest or absorb the forest atmosphere. That is where healing begins.

Forest bathing can be defined as making contact with and taking in the atmosphere of the forest. With all the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of forest bathing, you also gain access to other tools here that can be used to generate and accelerate healing. These are the tools I have learned and developed into my own routine. I’ve tried so many suggestions, through decades of pain. This is the first non-medicated thing that has consistently helped me.

Studies have shown that there are a myriad of health benefits to being in the forest. Some of these benefits include lowered concentration of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity when compared to being surrounded by city environments. Being in the forest is great. Bathing yourself in the forest is even better. I can show you how in future posts!

The forest therapy I offer is a combination of forest bathing, silence, (doesn’t everyone know how to do that? what if someone else is disrupting your silence? what if the silence feels awful?) grounding, and more. I will explain all of these in further detail in later posts but for now I just want to get the overall idea out there.

As with all programs this one has its side effects. Unfortunately, with these tools in place you can reduce the symptoms for anxiety, depression, anger, increase your concentration and memory, boost your immune system, (an increase to NK cells) improved quality of sleep, reducing fatigue and confusion and an overall improvement to your mood. Increased positive and decreased negative feelings. No weight gain or facial paralysis hiding at the end of the list over here.

I want to be clear. I would never tell anyone to stop taking any medication without talking to their doctor. Some are necessary and life saving. And I myself have not reached the point with my condition to stop all medications. We all start from where we are and carefully move forward. When it comes to medical areas, talk to your doctor. If you have a mental crisis, talk to a mental health care professional. If you feel you are in spiritual crisis, talk to a religious leader or friend. What we are talking about here, my target audience, is those who are living their lives and functioning- adjacent and I can help take them to an even better life with the tools I offer. Ideally a life with less pain.

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Now. What if you live in the city? This is the beauty of forest therapy. You can create an atmosphere of forest bathing within any natural environment. The more natural, the more you can accomplish. Yet every grounded plant, spot of grass or tree can offer benefits to the most diseased among us.

Join me by booking your walk over on my contact page.

That’s it my sweet friends. Allow me to show you the way.