Five Ways to Beat the Winter Blues This is the time of year that many of us start feeling down, as the days turn gray and the long nights leave us missing the sun. Instead of suffering another year with the winter blues, and trying to find relief through caffeine, sugar, and comfort foods, let's make a promise to take ...
Simple Hearty Winter Breakfast – Crockpot Barley with Apple
If we are forced to drag ourselves from bed, especially on a cold and dark winter morning, wouldn’t it be nice to rise to the smell of apples and cinnamon? Entering the kitchen with a wholesome, healthy, tasty meal all ready to warm and energize you for the day ahead? This simple hearty winter breakfast with barley and ...
The Introvert’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays
“Quiet people have the loudest minds.” Stephen Hawking “Don’t underestimate me because I’m quiet. I know more than I say, think more than I speak and observe more than you know.” ~ Michaela Chung The busy holiday season is on the way, are you ready? The annual holiday rush can be a joyful time, but it can also be ...
Learning to Let Go
All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. ~ Havelock Ellis Walking the gardens, I notice the changing beauty. The flowers have shed their colors, the red berries are in full bloom, and the plants are releasing their seeds. It seems there could be a message ...
Autumn Gold Tea Blend – Make Your Own Nourishing Herbal Infusion
The herbs in this tea blend are nourishing and warming. Perfect for supporting our immune systems as we transition to the new season. This DIY fall tea blend contains the anti-inflammatory turmeric, providing health benefits and a delightful golden glow as embrace the brisk fall season. Make your own nourishing herbal ...
The Most Important Thing – Having the Courage to Live with Authenticity
Living with Authenticity Requires a Great Deal of Courage "The ego must hide all that we believe is unacceptable about ourselves. To accomplish this task, it constructs a mask to prove to others that we are not as defective, inferior, worthless, and bad as we might fear we are. None of us likes to admit that we have ...
A Better Way to Start Your Day – How to Start Your Day with a Positive Attitude
How do you start your day? Are you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, feeling excited and optimistic? Or do you drag yourself from bed with weariness and dread? Despite our personal challenges, we can choose how we start our days. I say "choose", because we can be intentional in how we begin each day. Although I ...
Calm the Heck Down – Motherwort Herb Benefits
Benefits of Motherwort Motherwort herb is a lovely plant with a long history of use in supporting women’s health. The benefits of motherwort include effects on the circulatory, digestive, and nervous systems. Motherwort herb is a wonderful way to calm frazzled nerves and emotions. Motherwort Herb – Offering ...
These 4 Simple Foods Fight Cold and Flu – Sage, Ginger, Garlic and Honey
Marketing and commercialization by the pharmaceutical and health food industries tries to convince us that taking responsibility for our health is difficult. We are encouraged to buy expensive products and to rely on the “experts” to guide us in our choices. Treating our colds and flu at home doesn’t ...
How to Use Roses as Food and Medicine – 6 Rose Recipes
Healing Medicine of the Rose Roses as Food and Medicine for Physical, Spiritual, Emotional Healing Exquisite, graceful, alluring, the rose is associated with sophisticated beauty and love. But the rose is much more than an ornamental flower adored for its heady aroma. The healing medicine of the ...
Lemon Balm Recipe – Lemon Balm Cookies
Lemon Balm Uses Lemon balm is a delightfully aromatic culinary and medicinal herb. With a fresh lemon aroma and flavor, lemon balm can be enjoyed in a variety of ways and makes an attractive addition to any garden. A member of the mint family, lemon balm is easy to grow and can tolerate both sun and shade and ...
Slowing Down and Living Joyfully
Sometimes I feel like I am on a treadmill and running through my life. Going to work all day, then coming home to take care of the cooking, cleaning, paying bills, doing laundry, and tending to my family’s needs. And worse, despite working really hard, I rarely enjoy any sense of accomplishment – in all the rushing ...
Seeking Joyful Simplicity is about living your best life after 40. I write about using a holistic approach combining herbal remedies, nourishing foods, and self-care to reduce overwhelm, manage our weight, and enjoy more vibrant health in our 40's, 50's, and beyond.