Managing the Anxiety Around COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

We are all surrounded by an inundated with information about COVID-19 also known as the coronavirus. There is a collective anxiety about what to do and what will happen.

Anxiety develops from fear and a perceived lack of control. Anxiety is designed to get our body and mind to pay attention when a threat is perceived. One way to handle the anxiety when it comes up is to thank it for doing its job, because indeed you are paying attention! And then, tell the anxiety that you are choosing to perceive the situation differently.

Health, Self-CareKelly Forys DonahueMarch 13, 2020coronavirus, covid-19, anxiety

Three Small Steps to Get Your New Year's Goals on Track

By mid-January, the shiny newness of your New Year’s Resolutions have worn off. You had the best of intentions. You did the goal-setting. You have a vision board. This was YOUR year…until suddenly, you find yourself off or falling off the New Year/New Goals wagon.

The workout gear you got for Christmas doesn’t seem as cute.
The allure of getting up early to go to the gym to start your new morning routine has been replaced by staying snuggled warm in bed under the covers because you stayed up late last night.

Personal Development, Goals, HealthKelly Forys DonahueJanuary 20, 2020resolution, goals, small change

Beating the Winter Blues

The holidays and the winter weather can bring low mood. The disease model of health says that this low mood is called “Seasonal Affective Disorder.” I think of it as our body and mind’s response to the conditions. Let’s think about the qualities of this time of year:

Cold weather
Dark mornings
Dark evenings
Short days
Less Vitamin D
Access to fresh produce might be less available (i.e.. farmers markets are non-existent or limited)

Health, Self-CareKelly Forys DonahueDecember 11, 2019seasonal affective disorder, self-care

My left eye, nutrition, and mind-body healing

I woke up at 3:30 Tuesday morning with a pain in my eye. It felt as if sand had drifted in under my contact, but I wasn’t wearing my contacts and I was in bed, not at the beach. I assumed I must have an eyelash or random piece of hair in my eye, so I rinsed it with water and then with saline but it still didn’t feel better. I had a feeling that this was something that might not go away on its own.

Health, Self-CareKelly Forys DonahueOctober 24, 2019mind-body, nutrition

Practice Makes Progress

It's easy not to start something when we feel that the outcome has to be perfect. It prevents us from starting. It deflates our self-esteem.

If we change our mindset to focus on progress and not perfection as the outcome, it changes our willingness to practice. Our willingness to begin. And my friends, beginning is more than half the battle.

The magic of just beginning is based on a principle called behavioral activation. The idea is that even if you aren’t feeling like doing something, you start it in a small way, knowing that once you start the behavior, you will feel activated to continue.

Personal Development, Health, Self-CareKelly Forys DonahueSeptember 15, 2019practice, self-talk

Don't If Then....When Then....Your Life Away

We’ve all used “If…Then…:” or “When...Then…”

If I weigh X amount, then I’ll buy a dress that makes me feel great.

If I get caught up on all the laundry, then I’ll take a break.

If I have time, then I’ll go for a walk.

We don’t purposely try to stall or sabotage ourselves with these “harmless” little phrase. Our brain is trying to protect us from being hurt, from disappointment, from potential failure.

Health, Personal DevelopmentKelly Forys DonahueAugust 12, 2019self-help, self-talk

Five Benefits from Laughing Until Your Cheeks Hurt

Last weekend we had friends over to celebrate an old friend moving to town. The kids were laughitn while chasing one another through the house until they settled on Mario Kart, never to be seen again…until we announced they could have dessert :)

The adults were listening to music, eating good food, telling stories, and laughing…a lot! It was the kind of laughter that makes your cheeks hurt the next day. The kind of laughter that makes you smile just remembering it. Laughter feels good in your body, and science supports its positive benefits.

Health, Self-CareKelly Forys DonahueJuly 21, 2019laughter, health, happiness

Oh What Fun! Why Making Time for Joy Makes a Difference

My clients look at me with a puzzled expression when we talk about what they do to cultivate joy in their life. These high-achieving, lovely people can’t come up with any hobbies or pleasurable activities that they currently do, and they fumble to remember hobbies and activities that they once enjoyed.

They are not a lone. Loss of joy is a real epidemic in our society today.

Health, Self-CareKelly Forys DonahueJune 24, 2019laughter, joy, self-care

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