Aspirational versus Inspirational

In my recent blog post, Avoid the Trap of Comparison, I referred to “health and wellness” social media content as aspirational. I did this because most of social media’s “health and wellness” content is aspirational.  Aspiration refers to ambition whereas inspiration refers to the urge to do something. Aspiration motivates an individual to achieve a […]

Avoid the Trap of Comparison

Even just a casual scroll through your social media feeds can trigger feelings of not being enough. With the prevalence of social media, it is so easy to become consumed with comparing oneself to others who appear to be living their best life. You may not even realize you are internalizing the messages on your […]

A turtle crossing the path

2023 NC Year of the Trail

Did you know that North Carolina is the Great Trails State and that 2023 is the NC Year of the Trail? The “NC Year of the Trail” is the largest statewide celebration of the vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways that showcase the state’s diverse landscapes. Goals for NC Year of the Trail: I’ve […]

A woman grimacing due to head pain

Do You Clench Your Jaw? Try Face Exercises!

I naturally clench my jaw when I’m working or concentrating but a few years ago, I started to notice regular jaw tension and attributed it to higher stress levels–I guess a global pandemic will do that. I got a cheap drugstore night guard to protect my teeth at night but that wasn’t going to address […]

Chicken Stock in an Instant Pot

Store-bought rotisserie chicken is a meal prep wonder in my house. One of my favorite meal prep “tasks” on a weekend afternoon is processing a rotisserie chicken and then making chicken stock in my Instant Pot. I pull out my vegetable scraps from the freezer and a few fresh ingredients to make a flavorful stock. […]

Adopt Flexible Thinking in 2023

It is the beginning of the calendar year and many people participate in the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions which typically involves changing habits or setting personal goals. Whether you choose to embark on new goals at the beginning or middle of the calendar year, we want to remind you that when setting goals […]

Reframing Occasional Sleep Difficulty

We think of nutrition and exercise as foundational for good health but sleep is equally as important. Prioritizing sleep is vital for your overall health and getting good quality sleep depends on a variety of factors. Our bodies have primary drives including the need for food, water, and sleep. Even though it may feel like […]

Self Care Audit

You can’t pour from an empty cup so from time to time it can be essential to take a step back and make time to fill your cup. It can be beneficial to perform a self care audit to determine what activity you should prioritize. Keep your personal values, priorities, and obligations in mind, and […]

Hearts of Palm Pasta

The latest non-traditional noodle has made its way to Trader Joe’s—hearts of palm pasta. These tender and mild-tasting noodles are made from the center of palm trees. The Trader Joe’s version comes in a shelf-stable pouch with 3 servings. Each serving comes in at a mere 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 grams of […]

Finding Joyful Movement Through Barre3

In late 2019, a colleague introduced me to the Barre form of physical exercise. I was skeptical that this type of exercise class would be a good fit for me because of its incorporation of movements derived from ballet. Then in early 2020, a friend asked me to join her for a class at a […]