You Must Shield Yourself From This… #27

You Must Shield Yourself From This… #27

Jun 30, 2020 | Personal Development, Special Needs

There’s no question we are living in changing times. So many of you have reached out with concerns, added anxiety, and worry. There’s no question in my mind that I have been challenged by all the uncertainty in the world. Overall, I live with a low-grade level of anxiety, but in the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen more anxiety and worry despite the fact I generally feel calm.

So many of us battle with anxiety often from various levels of worry and easily fall into the habit of worry without even knowing. It is easy to slip into the state of worry even when times aren’t so turbulent and when the world isn’t experiencing heightened anxiety and worry collectively. For sure, 2020 is certainly a year that has rocked our world and will produce dramatic changes that will shape our future in ways we have never expected. 

Recently I had to make some changes in my life to rebalance and center myself so I wouldn’t feel immobilized by all thoughts in my brain that were sabotaging my calm. I recognized that world energy for the most part is one of anxiety, stress, and discord. It’s so easy to become a part of that collective energy when it’s everyplace you go and effects everything you do. 

Here are some of the things I have done to help get myself back on track and little things that you can do to shield yourself from the excess that trickles into your life that isn’t serving you.

  1. I limit my news intake. I was finding I was getting caught up into too much bad news coverage. I would even get sucked up into the news highlights on my cell phone. After reading the coverage, I would feel nothing but disturbed and mad at myself for wasting my time and energy. 
  1. I had to reclaim my regular routine (for some reason I was thrown off.) Some of the most essential components to my day are my morning stretch and exercise, and my morning journal reflection. 
  1. I made a worry list. I made a column that is headed My List and a column God’s List. I place each worry in the appropriate column. All of Lisa’s List are things that I can control and take action on. Anything else that I don’t have control over goes in a column headed God’s List. This gives me a better perspective on what is really essential and what is out of my control. Each time I do this I find most of what I worry about is out of my control and I can’t do anything about it. I give it up to God and trust he’s got my back. There is so much we really do not have control over in this world.  
  1. I have been making a conscious effort to get outside in nature and be with nature. I’ve been rearranging my flower gardens.  
  1. I have limited my social media. I find that it is so easy to get pulled into everyone else’s business. I need to preserve myself, my self-care and focus on what is best for me right now. 

Those are a few things that I do to reset, calm, and get the crazies out of my brain. But the most essential component is our family mantra, ‘Be here, NOW.” I think that says it all. If you can be wherever you are in that place complete and fully, in the present, your worries will vanish. It is the thoughts in your mind that are creating worry and anxiety. If you did not have any beliefs and lived in the present of time everything would be okay. There would be no worry. I know, that may seem strange to think about, right?  I love these activities that challenge me in this way. It is hard to just “Be here NOW,” especially in these times. But, imagine if we practice these concepts now, just think how much better off we’ll be past all of these challenges we face here in 2020. 

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” Roy T. Bennett

Today I have a special guest and good friend, Michele Clock who emanates Bennett’s simple, but powerful wisdom. Michele is a part of my Woman to Woman series. I am featuring Michele this week because I am committed to representing all types of women, their journeys, talents, and passions. 

I met Michele years ago at a special needs conference where she was speaking. We both have children with special needs so she is a part of my local community and network. I chose to feature Michele for my series because she has a vibrant outlook, a zest for life, and I have never heard her express a worry. The unique thing about Michele is she is visually impaired.  

Lisa: Michele, tell us about you.

Michele: I was born with poor visual acuity, corrective lenses were always an option for me until a series of medical events over the past 15-20 years caused me to tolerate vision correction less and less. Over the years, I earned my M.S. at UNH in Communication and Sciences Disorders and have worked in both public and private schools as an ASHA certified Speech and Language Pathologist. I am most proud of being the mother to my beautiful, compassionate, 15-year-old daughter, who was born prematurely, resulting in a host of medical conditions, including Cerebral Palsy. There was a time that I had to transition from what I perceived as a comfortable and successful world to a world where my visual acuity was plagued by double vision and visual perceptual/processing challenges; to a world with a contracted visual field and eyes seeing 20/700 at best. That has been scary.

Lisa: How did you gracefully accept the challenge of the changes in your vision?

Michele: Don’t we all have challenges? I have come to realize that, it is how we choose to face these challenges, accept the hand that we are dealt, and live that makes the difference. For many years, I lived in fear, allowing myself to be a victim of perceived limitations and feeling a lack of support, not anymore. 

Lisa: What is the one thing that helped you transition successfully?

Michele: It was my daughter’s developmental ophthalmologist, taking me on as a patient 12 years ago, and after multiple attempts at vision therapy, including prisms and exercises, she recommended I reach out to Hadley for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Lisa: How did Hadley change your life? 

Michele: It was a true gift. It was a journey of understanding and gratitude for me. I have always been a learner, but the opportunities I had at Hadley School for the Blind and Visually Impaired opened more doors for where I was right now. The courses and workshops have helped me to be independent again. I no longer live in fear. The classes I have taken have allowed me to find myself again and to better parent my daughter, which means the world to me. I am better able to advocate for myself and for my daughter. I have a tremendous community of friends and supports that I did not have prior to my acquaintance with Hadley. A supportive community is worth a lot. There is truly a gift in every situation in life you just have to look for it. 

Lisa: What is the one lesson you have learned through this personal journey? 

Michele: Controlling what I can and letting go of what I cannot control.

Lisa: If you could share one thing with women in my community what would it be?

Michele: Off the top of my head, there are a few, effective communication is essential, leaning on facts eases the worrying, and choose gratitude. 

Lisa: Do you feel judged by other people?

Michele: I use a white cane for mobility and safety. I cannot control what others think, I am in control of me. If someone asks me questions then I am happy to share about my journey, but I choose to move forward for myself and my own health and well being. I do not see myself as disabled, I just find a way that works for me like any other person navigating life. 

Lisa: Can you give us a glimpse of how you have to have adapted your life to give us more understanding? 

Michele: Try to imagine this….to overcome your fear… play a game of beep baseball, cook a meal blindfolded, ski down a mountain eyes closed using only a headset with auditory connections.

Lisa: Wow! That gives perspective. 

Lisa: What are you really good at?

Michele: Being positive, finding a way to make things work, not being limited by society, or a diagnosis. A diagnosis is just information or an explanation, not an excuse for either me or society. I have a mindset of no boundaries or limitations, to continue to learn and grow.

Lisa: I love that. As your friend, I see those things in you and that is why I wanted to interview you and share your story with my community. 

Lisa: Who inspires you most these days? 

Michele: I love Hadley Podcasts, Northeast Passage, Maine Adaptive sports, Aphasia Center of Maine,  Love Your Brain Yoga, Faces of TBI, a brain injury podcast I follow. 

Lisa: Tell us something about yourself that might surprise people.

Michele: I am a watercolor artist, Speech/Language Pathologist, Yoga Instructor, and a Parent Advocate-Parent Information Center, NH

Thank you so much, Michele, for your time and energy. You are definitely an inspiration and a talented woman who has gone from worry to being a powerful creator.

I hope this series has been useful and inspiring for you all. 

I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.

If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at   https://calendly.com/lisa-365

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Big Hugs,

Krista Cumming, Midlife Sleep Science #26

Krista Cumming, Midlife Sleep Science #26

Jun 7, 2020 | Well being

Welcome to my Women to Women series where I interview guest speakers from around the world and share bits of their knowledge with you. I had the opportunity to interview Krista Cumming, a certified Sleep Science Coach. Krista gives us all hope that we can all sleep sound once again. 

I thought the interview with Krista was well needed. I will be the first to admit, these uncertain and troubling times haven’t been the best for my sleep. Let’s start!

Lisa: Tell us more about yourself and your journey to becoming a sleep consultant.

Krista: I live outside of Toronto, Ontario. I have been married for 27 years and have two children, one son, and one daughter. I have been in the health and wellness field for over 30 years. I completed my bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, became a dental hygienist, a registered nutritional therapist, and a Certified Sleep Science Coach. I have helped many people achieve their specific health goals. I enjoy reading, taking long daily walks, and researching women’s health and hormones.  I love to travel and look forward to being able to do this once again.

Lisa: If you feel like you had a “calling” to pursue this kind of work, what did that feel like for you? 

Krista: I was a dental hygienist for over 27 years when I started getting the signs. You know, those “little feelings” that tell you that you need to make a change. I wished that these feelings would go away but they didn’t. I was content with my job. I liked my coworkers and my patients that I had developed a long-standing relationship with.  But I kept getting these feelings that I should retire from my dental hygiene career and start an online business that would help middle-aged women fall asleep. Yes, I know, it sounds crazy! And it was for me too. I had heard friends, family members, and patients complain about how tired they were and how difficult it was for them to get a good night’s sleep.  I too had had some sleep struggles which I figured out on my own. Was I meant to share what I learned?  To be perfectly honest I didn’t make a decision right away.  I am a practical person and weighed out the pros vs. cons too many times to count and really tried to convince myself why this would not be a good time to retire from a perfectly good job. But deep down I knew that was not the reason why I didn’t want to retire.  It was because I was terrified.  Fear was keeping me stuck.  I finally had the much-needed conversation with myself and asked, if not now, when? I chose not to renew my dental hygiene license at registration time. I was 100% into helping midlife women fall asleep and stay asleep.

Lisa: What steps did you take to transition from one career to the next?

Krista: I transitioned to my new career by becoming certified in sleep science and researching everything I could find on sleep for midlife women. Through my research, I believed that many sleep struggles women faced were largely due to hormonal imbalances. I had been studying hormones on my own for years and understood how hormones and sleep are closely intertwined. I put all of my knowledge and learning into developing a sleep program specifically designed for midlife women. This program gives women the learning and action steps to be able to shift their hormones naturally, allowing sleep to come easier and be more restorative.

Lisa:  What are the common complaints that women have regarding their sleep? 

Krista: The most common complaints that midlife women face regarding their sleep are difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Some women find they are “wired but tired” and can’t fall asleep as their minds are racing and they can’t relax. Some women awake during the night between 1-3 am and can’t fall back to sleep, often for hours.

Lisa: How much sleep is enough sleep and when do we get the best sleep?

Krista: I recommend getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night. This will allow your body to receive all of the benefits of restorative sleep which are tremendous. My recommendation is to be in bed by 10 pm. I realize this may not be possible each night due to social obligations but use this as a guide. One of the most important things you can do to help your sleep is to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

Lisa:  What are the primary causes of sleep disruption? 

Krista: Sleep disruption can occur for a variety of reasons. High-stress hormones (cortisol), low melatonin, prescription medications, unstable blood sugar levels, pain, anxiety/depression, lack of sunlight, temperature changes, and fluctuating/declining estrogen and progesterone levels can all have an impact on our sleep.

Lisa:  If you were to suggest one thing that we could all do to improve our sleep what would that be? 

Krista: My one suggestion to everyone who wants to improve their sleep is to make it a bigger priority. In our modern world, most women are overcommitted and often have distractions. Sleep is an afterthought when everything else is completed. I think midlife is an opportunity to prioritize ourselves and really understand what we need and want and not be shy asking for it!

Lisa: Is sleep disruption or having difficulty falling asleep reversible?

Krista: Having difficulty falling asleep is absolutely reversible! Our bodies are designed to sleep throughout our entire lifespan. When hormones are balanced sleep will become easier to achieve and it will be more restorative. There are many things we can do daily to optimize our hormones to help us sleep, most are free and accessible to everyone.

Lisa: Who are the influencers, bloggers, and podcasters that you follow?

Krista: I follow a variety of people. Some are business-related, others are in the health and wellness space and some I find entertaining. I enjoy the Sheri and Nancy show (great podcast for midlife women), Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Dr. Anna Cabecca, Amy Porterfield, Lori Kennedy, and Jenna Kutcher.

Lisa: Tell us something about yourself that we may not know. 

Krista: I have decided to stop colouring my grey hair! I am in the early transition stage and it is not easy. It takes time and patience. I have coloured my hair for over 30 years and I must say it feels freeing to no longer do this. It is something I have considered for years and with the quarantine, in effect, it seemed like the perfect time to begin. Wish me luck!

Thank you Krista for taking this time to help us begin to understand some of the reasons for sleep disruption during midlife and for letting us know there is help. To learn more about Krista join her “I just want to sleep.” community on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/460599001250348/ Or email her directly for more information at krista@mymidlifementor.com

I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.

If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at   https://calendly.com/lisa-365

Follow me on Facebook!

Follow me on Instagram!

Big Hugs,