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Self Love Quotes for 30 Days

Self love quotes and thoughts are one way we can count on to feel-good daily.

You are loved.

 

Thinking of self love quotes counting down the days to the end of the holiday.

…Btw, how are you inside these days?

Because life is more than our situations and what appears on the outside.

Bringing in joy is what can keep us going.

And self love quotes can get you through and growing.

These days, I’m counting down the days with Advent chocolates and tear and share healthy-inspired Greek yogurt brunch recipes enhances life… (brunch is my favorite meal 😊 that comes from a decade of planning parties).

…And the holidays aren’t over yet, but a New Year can be exciting, relaxing, or a stressful time…

I hope and choose for the former every time… and I bet you do too.

One thing that we all wonder about is what a new year will bring.

And besides putting out a spread of healthy baked sweets, I’m working on cranking out a New Year’s List ✍️ of healthy mind-body tips that’s growing daily… and should be ready next time (on this blog) after I bake my 4th batch of healthy gingerbread cookies.🫚

…And before January 6th (that’s Epiphany Day with a capital “E”) that’s meant to be a hope-filled day, that somehow got erased by an unrestful Capitol political news headline.

I grew up in the DC metro area so it’s close to home.

I had to work hard to find peace amongst chaos.

That what I now value most. There’s no price you can put on calm and peace. It adds years to your life.

And we’re built with these calm, loving ways inside us.

And we can find in our daily quiet time.

Yoga is one of my ways.

And in your way, you can look for more hope and encouraging messages to help your cause today.

On that mission, below is a list of self love quotes and empowering reminders for good vibes that you can check out and think about today. 📝

Healthy challenge yourself… 💪

And these also make good journal prompt ideas, so you can better breathe in your best self today and breathe out what isn’t helping you grow into tomorrow.

Repeating self-love quotes are your ticket to reframe daily happiness and the way out of mental blocks that are holding you back in this life and season.

You don’t have to wait for situations to change… it’s YOU and your perspective that can be changed in an instant positive reframe.

And when you do, you reap mind freedom.

It’s the difference between abundant mind vs. victim mind and sad thoughts.

That’s my transformative story in a nutshell.

Because I didn’t grow up always feeling loved.

So point #1: ALWAYS remember you are loved. 🥰

And here are 30 self love quotes you can repeat to yourself in a mirror for your best day and year…

1. I am loved.

Because I am here, I am loved. I don’t have to do anything or be a specific somebody to be loved. I can just be.

“Love thy neighbor as you love yourself.”

Am I loving myself?

2. I have peace.

I am filled with a sense of freedom from worrying about _____.

“Peace be with you.”

Do I feel peace?

3. I am beautiful inside and out.

As I age, I become more beautiful as a person. I may have even traded in my old caterpillar self for my new butterfly life fluttering around in life’s abundance.

“Outer beauty attracts, but inner beauty captivates.” -Kate Angell

4. I have infinite wisdom.

I operate from more wisdom today than I did a decade ago. I’m not the same exact person.

I’m better and the world is gaining from me showing up with better self-wisdom.

5. I am strong.

I have areas of great strength. I’m going to pay attention to where in me I’m naturally strong.

Maybe I’m a good listener or I have strong arms or knees.

And I am strong in healthy convictions for what I stand for. And when I’m weak I’m strong because I lean into areas I need to make me stronger.

6. I am unique.

“By being yourself, you put something in the world that was not there before.” -Edwin Elliot

“You are fearfully and wonderfully made.”

No one is you except you.

7. I am creative.

I was born with creativity. I may not be able to get creative every day, but creative new ideas are born daily in me. Some good ones I can use or sit with for a moment and let go of others to share the wealth and let others take action on the same idea formed in them.

8. I am grateful.

I look at ways to be daily thankful, find the blessings in the daily miracles, and appreciate what I have by seeing what life used to be like or could be like from others who are less fortunate in those areas I’m grateful for.

“The grass is greener on the other side.”

I’m on the other side.

9. I am contributing.

I have offered to the world the most valuable things to me. And I have so much more to give, and that will give me more.

I’m going to make note of ways I’ve grown into a better person and today are more helpful and have become useful to the world.

10. I am calm.

I don’t let my situations raise stress in me.

I know I’m better off and make better decisions by staying calm every day.

11. I have control.

I don’t let my emotions or thoughts control me. I manage my self-control so that I’m not the source of problems, and that leads to better relationships, finances, and health.

And I’m patient.

“Haste makes waste.”

…Aren’t you glad you waited?

12. I know where I’m headed.

I know which direction I’m heading in and have a few ideas in my guiding gut as to what my next steps are.

I’m constantly working on improving and that always leads me to the right and better path. And I know what directions I won’t take again, and that helps lead to a better life.

13. I am healthy in both my mind and body.

I respect and take care of my inter-connected mind and body even better than I take care of my material things.

I have peace about myself. I don’t let thoughts that hurt my actions take over.

I think regularly about how I maintain a healthy body so I can live longer with more energy.

“Laughter is the best medicine,” and “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

14. I am organized.

I’m organized and that helps me feel at peace because the weight is lifted off my shoulders. And I have more time to work on my priorities and things I enjoy.

15. I am helpful.

I use my skills, gifts, and abilities to help the world.

Just this week I helped ____________.

16. I’m giving.

I help, collaborate, give, and share with the world.

“Do unto others as you would like done unto you.” (The Golden Rule)

17. My life has meaning and purpose.

I matter. And I’m here for a reason besides what I do to put food on the table.

My being matters.

18. I have intelligence.

I am smart and naturally wired for intelligence in specific areas that I know today and some I’m looking forward to discovering.

19. I have hidden talents and abilities that will emerge when I’m ready.

I can encourage or support, teach, know, and lead. And as I use these abilities, I will get and grow more.

20. I’m destined for success with my beliefs.

Where I started small, I can end up big. Through time I’m gaining experience and wisdom that will be productive.

The last often finish first.

21. I have joy.

Today I will have joy. And tomorrow I will have joy. I will use my senses to find joy…

[Every day I will find evidence that I’m lucky to be alive.]

This can be from seeing nature or beauty out of my mind, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

…From tasting something delicious or comforting that I savor.

…From smelling something pleasantly fragrant that calms me.

…From touching something that is soft.

22. I belong.

I know where I belong in the world and have groups that I belong to.

They share beliefs and thoughts for similar causes. We share and do life together.

And I’m at ease with them as they are with me. There are always loving people around who support me. And I’m meeting new people all the time.

“When one door closes, another opens.”

23. I know who I am.

And I’m valuable to the world whether or not the people that raised me or my family of origin gave that to me or not. They did the best they could…

And my worth is not based on their lack and what they didn’t know. It is what I better believe and the more amazing person I choose to become, despite my differences that make (and made) me stronger.

24. I am forgiven.

For all my past wrongdoings, I am forgiven. And in my overflow, I can forgive others who really hurt me, so that I can move on peacefully.

25. I am healed from past wounds.

I have forgiven those who hurt me. And I released those burdens so that I can be healed. And I have purged those emotions from me.

I use old scars to be the best person I can be to myself and the world.

This is the one of the greatest keys to start self love. If on the other side of your pain, you can repeat this daily in your self love quotes… you will unlock your freedom.

26. I have healthy interests that keep me curious.

Staying in wonder keeps me growing and young at heart. The kid in me never dies even though I’m glad I grew up.

27. I have grown.

I’ve not reached my destiny, but thankfully I’m not where I once was. And I’m making progress every day trying, taking two steps forward and fewer steps backward.

It’s okay to be the tortoise. I’m in my own race.

I know when I’ve won.

28. I have self-confidence.

I am able and capable…

And unstoppable.

29. I feel good about my future outlook.

I have a lot in store for the future. And my positive outlook will help me get past and through tougher times.

Going through is the fastest route with the deepest impact on the other side.

30. I know my good values.

I know what is important to me and I will not waiver in my integrity to myself that the world benefits from.

My good intentions will bring about the best outcomes that lead to the doors that are meant for me.

And I will not worry that I made a wrong turn because I acted truthful, good, and kind. I will be rewarded because of my good intentions.

And these are 30 self love quotes and reminders you can say to yourself anywhere and anytime to restore your morning thoughts, negative thoughts, and inspire your every day. 🧡

 

Lazy Yoga Accessories Mood Boost

Yoga accessories are a must for good yoga form, comfort, and help with balance for your Vata, Kapha, and Pitta. So is a recipe for hot water pastry and adding your balancing good foods below.

yoga accessories like a bolster, a block, and a blanket are classic. The yogi tea adds to pampered yoga wellness.
Yoga accessories like a bolster, a block or two, and a blanket are classic. The yogi tea adds to pampered yoga wellness. 🫖

Using yoga accessories or props on a lazy day can really help boost your mood.

And a peaceful mood is one you want to stay in daily whether you’re feeling busy and active before the holidays or lazier after Christmas has come and gone.
You may teeter back and forth. And eating well is one ingredient that can help restore balance.
Like this well-spiced open-faced savory pastry I made half with spinach, chickpeas, oni0ns, and a punchy five-spice blend (cinnamon, fennel, star anise, cloves, peppercorns) to balance Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. And the other half is a balanced mix of carrots, potatoes, scallions, and tarragon. Maybe this inspires you and puts you in a better mood? 
Hot water pastry with veggies. Recipe below. ⬇️
And speaking of mood balancing…
When I used to visit malls on the weekend as a downtime pastime, after a while I’d get bored… the look-forward to anticipation feelings turned to drained and uninspired energy. I couldn’t wait to exit…
Then there usually was a line to get out of the parking lot and into traffic, especially during the holidays. Sound familiar?
We didn’t have online Black Friday shopping so it was a sheer annual mayhem event.
Since those days, our world has evolved and so have we. And these days I steer away from malls like the Black Plague.
…But whether you do or not, you know the feeling of too much of a good thing becomes numbing to the mind-body.

That can be how you feel about some adventures and projects you’d rather stay away from even if they started out okay. You can avoid some, but others require you and your endurance, like certain work tasks and travel stress.

Those growing tired moods can sink in and take a while to lift, especially if they’re our regular routines in life.

…like sweeping kitchen crumbs for the 10th time or chores you hate doing. And if we ignore them and feel lazier than usual, that can turn into a Kapha imbalance.

Or if we feel irritated and uninspired…. then not making a change can lead to burnout. It doesn’t usually happen overnight but it can happen one day if you reach your snapping point. That’s more of a Pitta imbalance.

With both types of imbalances, lazy yoga poses can help you get your active balance and peaceful mood back.

(Corpse pose is a great one to relax your body and calm your mind.)

I know when I find time to just be still, sitting in silence, that’s when I feel the most peace. Maybe that’s how you feel?

The reason is centering allows you to focus on the calmness of this moment and the body can stop working so hard.

And by focusing on the silent moments, and not focusing on the busy activities like shopping or even watching Netflix (that can be good when you need a ‘lil downtime break), the quietness helps your mind to relax and to feel good again.

And in the silence, if you find your mind is racing, that’s a sign of an anxious Vata mind.

Sometimes we feel that way and to feel balanced, in my life journey, I found that getting a peaceful mind is easier when you tune into the right source for at least 8 waking hours a day and make it your habit in life.

Our lives are constructed in 24 hours of which 8 is good for sleeping, 8 for working, and 8 for doing everything else.

So during that everything-else time slot, that’s when it’s good to build in time to recharge, working on passions, and focusing mostly on less external influences (and maybe disconnecting from the world for minutes at a time).

And it’s good to find time to take breaks during work and about a  weekend day’s worth off to rest. Not everyone can take all of Sunday off.

And I find staying in that rhythm is how you can stay balanced, happy, and in a peaceful mood year-round so you can show up in life as your best.

That type of lifestyle years ago would have been laughed at or not taken seriously by my business and corporate worker companions. But now they are reconsidering too as wellness is part of the discussions.

Our world is changing for better health and wellness, thank goodness!

Because having consistency and wellness routines in your lifestyle and mind helps prevent life burnout or waking up one day unhappy or depressed.

Feeling those ways can take more time to backtrack and restore, and they usually have an aftermath of sorts. It’s better all around to take time out daily to restore and prevent.

And if you like the idea of preventatively restoring daily, then one small way is with lazy yoga moves. That’s what I call it anyway. Those are perfect on the days when it’s hard to move quickly, you had a rough night before, or it’s dreary weather outside.

On those days, you know intense exercise is out of the question.  But you can use that more tiring day for your lazy exercise day that still helps to invigorate your body and restore your mind.

We know that exercise is good for cognitive and physical fitness. So to stay in the game (of active life even when you’re not feeling it), you can use yoga props to help you engage and maybe even get off the couch if that’s what you find yourself doing and want to change that (…and your heavy Kapha mind may want to resist).

And those days would be a good time to do core work. When you have yoga accessories, doing ab work is not as challenging once you get moving… and maybe along with the right entertainment in the background.

So, here are a few yoga accessories and ideas that you can try and maybe build into a new habit:

Yoga Accessories:

A yoga block (or two), or a Yoga Wheel

Blocks are great especially in Bridge pose where you can turn the block vertically so that the longest side helps raise your back up to build a bridge higher than you can go without a block. This can really help you feel better instantly.

The evovled yoga wheel yoga accessories work in similar ways in a Bridge pose. I’m a bit old school as I prefer the block that raises up a new building structure without moving on you… and maybe a bit burned out from 90s fitness and turn-of-the-century gadgets and props that never got used more than a few times. 😉

Straps

Straps are great for keeping you focused on the guiding strap lines and that support your legs to various angles in the air when you’re laying flat back. These are great for helping you with flexibility that becomes more important as you grow wiser (and older too).

Bolster Yoga Pillow

Bolsters are pretty practical pillows to have around. And if you don’t have one, sometimes you can get creative and find lumbar pillows that some couches come with. And you can use other pillows and cushioned furniture pieces to be very effective.

I actually use an IKEA cushioned cube that I can rest my calves on when I’m laying back on my mat, and then do easy-ab roll-up work. And still, get all the benefits.

And then I can turn around and use the cube as a table or an ottoman. Now that’s usefulness! (No more ab roller devices and machines that take up additional space!)

Breathe device apps

I like the Apple Watch where you can feel the inhale and exhale vibrations of the Breathe app. It’s great for getting centered and intentional on your breath.

Another great prop (that you can add to your yoga accessories):

Wall

Legs Up the Wall pose is a great resting pose. You scoot and seat yourself as close to a wall as possible, and then lay back. Your legs are straight up against the wall. That should feel really good as you release tension from your legs.

You can rest your arms straight out and turn your head from side to side and be intentional to see different perspectives.

This can feel really good on lazy yoga days. The point is to never give up on yourself in any season of life!

Be the tortoise in Aesop’s fable. 🐢

You can be just one good move or pose away from getting you back into a good swing and crossing the finish line.

And people are back in yoga classes. …maybe that’s you or just what you need to keep your calm through the holiday and into the new year. Btw, are you counting down the days?

In addition to building a better Bridge yoga pose, I have my baking calendar on my mind. I’m coming up with building a better Yule log swiss roll this year from peppermint inspiration. 🍥

For savory hot water pastry, you can be inspired by this recipe.

Print Recipe

Print

Easy Hot Water Pastry

Course Breakfast, lunch
Cuisine American
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

  • flour of choice (whole wheat and plain flour work well)
  • hot-warm water, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp of butter (for larger batches and healthy, use a little more butter about a pat of butter per serving)
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Mix flour, water, and salt. Add pat of butter to melt. Work into a dough.
  • Shape into a shell or desired shape.
  • Bake until golden brown color.
  • Add cooked toppings desired (e.g. cheese, cooked veggies), and pop back into the oven for a few minutes.

Leaving Negative Energy to Find Creative Energy

Apple chunks in homemade carrot juice is a great fall breakfast juice 🧡

Are you holding onto negative thoughts taking up your time and energy?

If so, you want to read this blog post (and maybe with a fresh, healthy apple carrot juice), to help you change your thoughts and maybe the trajectory of the next steps you take in life.

Restoring calm emotions is an art. That’s what I know, and I’ll explain below how it takes some creative skill.

At the very least, it takes shifting of thoughts. And doing what you need to do that sits right with you. Sometimes that means caring less. And letting go of your pride. And focusing more on what you want in your life (than what you don’t want).

And another way to say this, is to find a stronger WHY (that’s the reason behind what you’re doing).

Getting to these answers is a win-win strategy because you’re doing what you need for your Best Self to show up in the positive energy that the world needs more of.

None of us can fool our deeper mind-body selves, that gives us daily, subtle clues into how we authentically feel or think about situations.

Besides writing articles, I read a lot of articles and they kinda lump together the idea of stress, nervousness, and anxiety. Your mind-body sees these things differently. For example, if you feel nervous like before presenting to a group, you may be running to the bathroom a lot.

But if you’re actually anxious (from your body’s perspective), it’s the opposite effect. You could take extra fiber so you can become regular again when your temporary anxiety goes away.

If that’s confusing, just understand that your mind-body needs are different than how you think you feel. 😉

And if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing or who you’re doing it with or for, then you’re wasting valuable time in this life of finite years.

If you’re not feeling excited and calm, then what you’re involved with may not be for you for the long-term.

In my life, this took many years and dues paid for me to get this freeing, healthy balanced lifestyle that I’m describing… but I know if you start to aim for and walk towards it in your life, then you will get closer and closer to the bullseye 🎯 until it gradually becomes your life because of the small actions you take.

If you’re a Vata especially, that’s like the sensitive wind metaphor, you live off positive energy, enjoying what you’re doing and feeling good about.

Natural Vatas don’t have the same level of endurance or tolerance that say a natural Kapha does who will stay in a situation because it’s easier than making a change.

Take it one step further, it’s the mind (in the mind-body) that leads. Feeling resistance to change is one negative energy example.

And any negative energy is like oil and water. They don’t mix. Oil grease sits there stagnant and the situation doesn’t change until change is made.

That’s how stress builds up, and is counterproductive to someone looking for growth or making improvements.

But, working really hard to get rid of the oil spills is not fun. It’s hard work.

In our messy oil spill life situations we can get in, we can take on negative energy that turns a good week into wasted energy and unproductivity. And not to mention leave stress marks and somersault stomachs along the way.

But, if your WHY to why you’re in your situation causing your knotted emotions and nerves is worth getting over the hump of your fears or nerves, well…then, that’s a good sign to keep with it!

Otherwise, better to nip it in the bud. And make changes early on as soon as you know the direction of the negative energy that has sunk in.

…And maybe that’s a WAKEUP CALL to change your strategy today, and what you’re doing.

And maybe that’s an exhaustive job, a wrong relationship, or anything that doesn’t feel good or right for you. Your life leaves clues.

And instead of fighting against this area and taking on snowballing negative thoughts and energy, there’s a better path for you in or out of those situations even if you don’t see them immediately (in your clouded state).

And there’s nothing to be gained holding onto negative energy (after you’ve thought, meditated, or prayed about your options and know what you should do).

Because you make your best and good decisions when you’re calm and when you find joy and love (or passion) every day of this life, that’s already short enough. Amen!?

And not to mention, if you carry negative energy, you will have a tough time getting to your creative juices and passionate activities that could bring on a whole new side or opportunity for you.

Which btw, in a recession, I made this available for less than the cost of a yoga class and it takes less than 10 minutes of your participation time to get good insight into your mind-body. And then you can use your personalized recipe for life whenever your energy is off like the way it could be this season.

…It takes one to know one! and to have gone through the rough patch challenges, to know that negative energy can rob you of your weeks and life.

So maybe these lessons will help you turn things around…

Life Lessons From Corporate to Creative 

Sometimes you need to quit something because it feels off. You know it because your problem weighs like a ton of bricks on you and in the pit of your stomach. And that doesn’t go away after a few nights’ sleep. And the problem grows.

That’s the ultimate sign that it’s time to make a change. That situation you started with no longer serves you in the same way it did before.

And if it’s a relationship, spark those new conversations and see where there is life. And if it’s work, see if those you work with are vested in you and your future with them.

Work is hard enough, and to have negative energy on top… yikes!, that shows up on the body as new gray hair, acne, and added accumulated stress.

…And even if it’s a volunteer position where you’re helping others. Duty reasons aren’t good enough to keep at what you’re doing.

It may not be the best thing for you to continue as you miss your own needs and self-care over time which can turn into resentment towards people (…and maybe even the ones you’re trying to help).

Even if no one can do things your way or as good as you can, someone else willing can fill those shoes.

…But no one can replace your shoes you wear in your life. And your livelihood. Only you can do that.

And that’s how I knew I was gifted to do something different than the corporate path I was on. Someone else could replace me in my roles and as the role needs of the world change.

In the beginning, it was hard to get started on a new path. And in relearning old ways, I had to unlearn some things that helped me to succeed in the corporate world.

Those things were slowing down my creative path, like oil and water. Mostly because I had adopted a corporate work mindset that’s all about following structure, and procedures, and doing what you’re told.

And I did my jobs well enough to get promoted to new positions, but to my own detriment.

And when I took on the new creative path a few years back, I think I gained back health years. My mind-body was in alignment and I felt free.

I could appreciate the day. And even when I was doing responsible work (aka what I had to do) to support my creative lifestyle.

At the core, my mind and heart were aligned. And I could hear and get to my deeper spirit or core inside me (that’s hard to do if in negative energy or worry thoughts).

And the creative ideas came regularly and not just once in a while in the shower or on a walk.

Creative thoughts are the opposite of your mind being in a fog in distracted la-la land.

You know, where passively focusing and following what’s going on in the moment, in news reality or a television show, is difficult. Or getting motivated enough to do something out of the lounge position (that’s not a productive yoga pose 😊).

That’s when you know you’re off alignment in mind-body. And if that’s often, that’s too often.

One smart thing you can do in that moment when your mind-body is controlling you instead of the other way around, is to take a closer look at your thoughts as an observer. Are your thoughts positive or negative? Loving or fearful? Try to witness and catch your fearful ego in its act (and acting up).

Because there are two opposing voices in your head, one loving and one fearful or negative (if that’s easier to pinpoint). And the ego fearful one is much louder.

Turn to the loving (positive) channel if it feels like you’ve been wronged. Find some way to turn it around in your thoughts. If it’s worry, know that there’s nothing to be gained about worrying after you’ve noodled out some potential solutions.

Worry is a time-sucking activity with no productivity.

Your solutions are there if you need them. Or write ’em down in notes so you’re sure they’re there, and so you can peacefully move on.

And maybe you need to go one step further and spend more time doodling or journaling until you get all the emotions out, and realize why you’re feeling the way you do and know your WHY, so that you can sleep and be at peace.

Those are the restful thoughts I have this week. Peace be with you and have a joyful and calm week (no matter the situation)!  🦢 And I have a peaceful image I’ll leave you with that I saw this past week. 🦆

Seated Yoga Poses + 12 Summer Cooling Tips

Seated yoga poses are popular and good for your flexibility. And you can do some yoga to restore your daily chair and weekly car seated positions.

This week I’m sharing all about staying cool, with seated yoga poses and 12 cooling tips you can take with you on the road (including a healthy and easy rainbow meringue pie recipe 🌈).

Rainbow meringue pie recipe.

I’m highlighting the Spinal Twist below that goes waaay back with me… and practical car yoga poses we all can use when doing regular driving, or taking long drives and trips.

If you’re spending time driving, car yoga moves can really help ease the pain especially when the thermostat reaches a new boiling point.

Seated as the driver in the lumbar position in your car seat, your back and right side get stressed.

So when you can, you want to reverse the damage. That’s different than doing chair yoga or seated yoga poses in an office chair I talked about last time.

One way is: when you’re sitting in the driver’s seat, you can put the front of your palm on the back of the passenger seat and press forward.

You’ll immediately feel a nice stretch up your primary arm nerve near your bicep muscles that may just be what the doctor ordered to restore any arm pain.

This is good to do at stoplights when your eyes are on the light or during driving rest breaks.

My clutch driving days are over, but if you drive a standard shift, this is a really gooood small exercise.

You can also send your right arm back to the back part of the car between the driver and passenger seat, where there should be plenty of air space to do car yoga tricks. Then bend down at your right wrist.

Ohhh... that can zap the radial nerve in just the right nerve pain releasing angle.

The first few seconds can hurt so good!…

Plus, save you from physical therapy for repeated motions that irritate your body parts that get the most wear-and-tear.

And since we put our right foot down regularly to hit the accelerator and brakes, our right leg gets overly used too.

So to straighten out the leg nerve pain, ideally, you would want to lay down.

But in your car you can’t, so you can play a little game of Twister here on yourself following these instructions when you take a car park rest break… and without getting any funny stares from the people in the cars nearby. 💚💛💙❤️

You may need to push your car seat back to do this more comfortably and have more leg room away from the steering wheel.

And that’s another game you can play: to not hit the yoga car horn. That’s probably more challenging than getting in this pose. 😊

Then, rest your right foot on top of your left thigh (with a sharp bend in your right knee). And lift your left leg and foot off the car floor slightly. That’s important, so you don’t use your left leg to ground you (and some call that cheating in a game 😉). And so you can get the right resistance.

Then, take your right hand and push upwards from underneath your right knee, up towards the car ceiling. You should feel a nice feeling stretch in your right butt cheek and lower right back side and down your right hamstring where you feel tension when you put the pedal to the metal.

It’s definitely worth the effort relieving right leg strain… and well, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!

And that should restore-fix you until you pull over for your next car driving break.

…Which hopefully isn’t to fix a flat tire, that I can’t help you with. But I CAN help you restore your body vehicle! 🧘🏻‍♀️

And when you get back to flat land where your mat is, you can do this move laying down where both your legs are off the mat. And where you look like you’re kinda doing an abdominal crunch, that btw, wouldn’t hurt to do either since you’re already there. 😊

Your abdominals help support your back. We can give love to our gut in more than ways than one!

And after that move, don’t forget to do your supporting Bridge pose, Happy Baby …yes, you!

And then when you sit back up, you can cross your legs in your Seated position. 🧘🏻‍♀️

…When I was a kid, I remember we did a variation called sitting Indian style back when we were young and innocent 😉

And we’d been doing Spinal Twists since elementary school gym days to warm us up (before we knew there was a yoga name). We were sitting in seated yoga poses on a big and thick cushion mat either yellow, blue, or maroon red that I still remember being heavy vinyl material.

On those mats, we did tumble exercises like summer-saults, maybe named after the summer season that was meant to be fun and inventive. 🤸🏻

We also did our rotating torso seated spinal twists that I enjoyed, even though we didn’t need the stretch or mindfulness so much back then as we do now, older (!!).

And those twists complemented the real activities and past times.

On good summer days, my childhood was spent rafting on a lake or going to the swimming pool which are great ways to cool off.  I didn’t see it as a camp staycation back then, but that’s what we did.

…And that’s the first time I remember being able to do yoga. And the inkling that I could do yoga years later was confirmed after the first few years I tried it as an adult when yoga started taking root in the Western world.

…Goes to show ya, you don’t need many yoga moves or seated yoga poses to give you that edge, in case yoga ain’t your thing. Just one pose can do. Liked the seated Spinal Twist did for me.

And if that’s not motivation enough… a practical adult application can be working on restoring your hunched forward rolled shoulders that most of us carry daily.

Another one of the great restoring seated yoga poses where you can work on this is:

Bend one knee and thread the same side arm through the hole between your knee and the mat or floor. Then reach and wrap that hand as far to the other side of your body as you can. It’s sort of a strange feeling if you’re not used to this pretzel-like seated position.

You could grab or rest your hand on your other inside thigh leg. Wherever your hand lands, make it purposeful where you know where each finger is. It’s like octopus tentacles grabbing onto a sturdy surface. 🐙

In yoga, when you make contact with other body parts, and you know where your arms and feet are at all times, that’s big progress!

One way to practice this is in Tree pose: you can move your opposite foot and rest it on various parts up and down your leg while skipping over your knee.

Then when you’ve settled on your temporary Tree, try different arm poses like straight up in the air or “Y” hands in the air like you’re doing the “YMCA.” Oh my, that’s an oldie.

Or keep at heart center in prayer hands. Now, you’re really expressing your yoga postures.

You get out of the structured metal confines of a car. But sometimes you don’t have that choice, as most of us spend decent amount of time in a car at some point.

And in the summer, that can be work keeping cool and staying hydrated.

Because when you’re in a car, you don’t want to drink a lot of beverages. That’ll slow you down having to make a rest stop.

For longer trips, I usually drink up a day or two before traveling to have some reserves to go off on.

Some good car hydrating alternatives are fruits like watermelon, peaches, and apples that have high juice water content.

Bring your lubricating cough drops too. Just be sure to keep those in your cooler so they don’t turn into a hot sticky summer mess.

And here are 12 cooling tips (I promised earlier) that are good for summer traveling (and driving away any imbalanced Pitta feelings):

1.      Keep aloe vera near you. Aloe helps with burns and to instantly cool your skin. That’s like giving a spa water bath to your body when it’s thirsty for cool relief. Many moisturizers have aloe ingredients, but I like to go straight to the ingredient source.

2.      Bring a water spray bottle that comes in handy. You can clip it to a  bag in case you run out of car cupholders, and so you don’t have to go rummaging for it like a regular water bottle.

3.      You can use cooling spices like cumin. My personal herb faves are cilantro and mint. Another one is cardamom that I like to add to cold coffee in the summer. The exception is if I get in an overdose spell of summer Vata… that can happen to any of us, just in case you’re wondering why you prefer warm drinks in the summer. 🤔

4.      Take cool showers or end on a cool setting for 10-30 seconds. This is just a reminder. 🚿

5.      Start your day with a smoothie, that has chilled ingredients like nut-based milk, bananas, coconut, and berries.

6.      Eat foods that hang between a fruit and a veggie like beets, avocados, and medley color tomatoes.

7.      Try cutting up summer tropical fruits like watermelon, mangos, guava, dragonfruit, passionfruit, and pineapples. Just thinking about them gives me sweet motivation.

8.      Add refreshing whole fruits to your list like peaches, plums, and apples that are usually summer abundant. Handing them out to others in the car is always fun and well received. 🍑

9.      Eat juicy fruits like kiwi, pears, and oranges that make great food garnishes too.

10.   Bring cool veggies winning you plant-based points, like salads, beets, carrots, and celery that you can easily transport.

11.   Like a cooling blanket, you can bring a cooling towel or T-shirt. A day or two before, roll up a towel and leave in the freezer or fridge, and then bring along with you.

12.   Use an aluminum water bottle that keeps water and beverages cold longer.

Another cool item from the fridge I like to bring out, are high antioxidant-rich fruits like sweet-scented pineapple chunks. Not for eating this time, but I can take one that isn’t pre-occupied on a dessert plate 😋, and run one down my face for a ‘lil Vitamin C fruit facial love and hydration.

It’s a topical tropical 🍍😎🍍

Some of the anti-inflammatory foods in the food medicine cabinet can directly do wonders for your skin.

Afterall, you are what you eat!… and what’s in your home is a reflection of your healthy habits.

You can also get inspiration from this 200 anti-inflammatory grocery food list.

Have a cool week! 🍉

Enjoy this Rainbow Meringue Pie recipe: 🌈

Rainbow meringue pie recipe.
Print

Rainbow Grit Pie

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

  • cherries, tropical fruits (guava, pineapple), oranges, kiwi, bananas
  • coconut cream
  • grits

Instructions

  • Whip egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar and sugar until light and fluffy
  • Bake on low temperature (200°F) until firm.
  • Add to pie crust.
  • Decorate with chopped fruits into a rainbow pattern.
  • Pipe coconut cream with the star tip baking bag.

Seasonal Allergies Natural Tips Especially For Spring

Seasonal allergies is on the rise… and below is a checklist of home seasonal allergy natural health tips.

tree pollen cause spring seasonal allergiesHave seasonal allergies got you? If so, you’re in good company and I have a list of natural above-the-neck soothing tips below.

False spring in global warming times like these seem to be against us, but we can use better, natural ways to combat our daily allergy feelings.

The tips I share and use started from feeling the seasonal allergy effects in 2015.

Before that, I never felt outdoor seasonal allergies living on the east coast. Now, they linger around year-round and I’ve learned to manage them.

Tree pollen (e.g maple, juniper, elm, oak, etc.) found in most U.S. areas is the main culprit for spring seasonal allergies start as early as February these days.

With wacky global climate changes and extreme fluctuating weather going from 70 degrees one-day to 40 degrees the next (and snow in some areas and summer temps in other regions), seasonal allergies are only growing. Adults who never had allergies before feel the effects today.

Your best bet is to prepare what you’ll do in advance, and spend more time indoors on severe days especially in the afternoon and evenings when pollen is higher in the spring.

Test different ways that work best for you and keep trying. Remember what you did that works so you can repeat.

low histamine seasonal allergies meals and foods.
Red bell pepper and squash are two ingredients low in histamine. Recipe for butternut squash spaghetti below 🍝. Pair with homemade pasta made from eggs and you have another low histamine meal.

You may have even thought about getting an allergy test as I did. So that’s what I did and here’s what I found…

I’m not allergic to anything or any tree pollens as the test showed.

I was actually kinda disappointed because that’s why I got the test in the first place.

But the test did end up giving me peace of mind. And an allergy test could for you too if you’re wondering whether allergy shots are a good idea.

I found that my common symptoms like stuffy nasal passage congestion and other irritations are just part of the climate allergy changes.

And for anyone, it’s a good idea to be aware and manage symptoms daily.

Because you don’t want them to escalate to chronic and recurring inflammations. Inflammation is the body’s way of naturally protecting and healing itself.

In my case, this started back in 2015. That’s also when I heard seasonal pollen-related allergies only last for 7 years, so that would make this year a bye-bye bang🤞

Allergies are your body’s annoying, but healthy response to your immune system working. 🌱

You can make the most of those heavy pollen days by feeling gratitude for the things you can do. Like with breathing exercises and that’s one of the better things  when you’re stuffy: deep inhale and exhale breaths.

But still, changing your allergy perspective can test you. Because seasonal allergies are no fun and can affect the way you think, remember, and even see things on any given day.

So here are some practical tips to stay ahead and attack your symptoms:

These days, changing up your daily self-care routine helps.

Today you may be feeling exceptionally dry like you’ve never experienced before. And especially if you’re a natural Vata who usually has drier skin anyway.

I changed my moisturizing skin routine from once a day to a few times per day for heat rashes and shallow breathing from a stuffy nose. Yes, symptoms are related!

And sometimes the fix is simple like breathing, moisturizing, or drinking more water.

It gets easier once you recognize the patterns and you develop new self-care routines to stay ahead.

For head and nasal congestion, well… that’s another story.

Headaches, brain fog, and breathing more shallow awake or asleep are all common spring allergy symptoms.

You can feel like you’ve been hit by a windstorm on some days. And the wind is not a Vata’s friend. That’s like change on top of change.

Sneezing is actually a good way to rid of allergens in the body, but some days that doesn’t work. If that’s you, you can keep a black pepper tin nearby and peppermint essential oils are good to sniff and use in your steaming shower.

You can get through seasonal allergies naturally with occasional OTC allergy relief, e.g. if you’re gonna be outdoors. But you don’t want to rely on sinus decongestants or use them every day if you can avoid them.

There are homeopathy solutions that are popular in European countries and you can find in the vitamin stores in the States.

Also increase Vitamin C and bromelain. Pineapples are a good source.

Seasonal allergies are not affecting this unicorn in the pool
You have a choice to stay indoors for high allergy days which is really the most effective way to dodge seasonal allergies. Try to do your outdoor walks earlier in the day. I know that’s still a bummer. So another idea is you can jump or stay in the pool.  You may be able to pull it off like this unicorn making the most of it! 🦄

And when you’re indoors, stay further away from the open window if you’re super sensitive or keep the blinds semi-shielding.

You can always break out your filtered mask that will shield some allergens if necessary.

10 Tips For Seasonal Allergies

✅ Back indoors, change your clothing and take a shower as soon as you can or remember to. The steam will help you feel better faster. A night shower will help especially if your seasonal allergies feel worse in the afternoon or evening.

Sometimes you get a delayed effect on symptoms, feeling the effects the next day.

✅ Weekly, use a neti-pot to clean out nasal passages. This helps you get some relief naturally and prevents nasty sinus infections and your taking unnecessary antibiotics. That’s probably the best tip I can give you! Water is your friend away from pollen.

✅ Also, use a natural saline nasal spray to clear your nose as needed e.g. 2-3x per day for relief. Look for grapefruit seed extract with microbial properties that help prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.

A reminder (or new) tip: antibiotics can work on bacterial infections but not effectively on viral ones (like a cold) and they hurt your gut. The confusion comes into play when you don’t know if it’s a cold, flu, allergies, or Covid. Prevention and reserving antibiotics for when you actually need them is key.

✅ Use a free-standing daily air filter machine with a HEPA filter for pollen (not just dust). Pollen kicks up in the afternoon and evening so it’s good to have the machine cranked up while you’re sleeping.

Change your house air filters as needed and vacuum the filters regularly as they will work better dust-free.

✅Use a desk humidifier or have one set in each room. Moisture like this works especially well during spring allergy season.

Like plants, humidifiers require some daily cleaning maintenance care, but if you’re stuffy this is a must!

✅ Keep eucalyptus or mint oil essential oil drops close at hand. They work well in the steamy shower. You can put a few drops in a small vessel of water and sniff. Unlike a nasal spray, the oil drops don’t enter directly into your nose.

The scented drop fumes indirectly help clear nasal passages that affect head congestion. You can also keep eucalyptus leaves hanging in the shower that will help you awaken especially if you’re stuffy.

✅ For foods, add fresh horseradish or spicy wasabi that’s great for clearing nasal passages.

Disappointingly, local honey doesn’t work the way we’d hope.

Honey comes from flowers, and tree pollen comes from trees so there’s no cross-pollination… or an ex-pollinating effect that would be helpful for spring seasonal allergies.

But raw honey is a good natural sugar substitute and a natural humectant that when topically used on the skin help prevent dryness and other light skin inflammations or itches. Yes, it works!

It also has other “anti” properties that are good for you… antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. So it helps in other ways.

✅ Keep up your vitamins and minerals, especially Vit C, D-3, Calcium, Zinc, etc.

✅ Drink teas. You can try a good green matcha tea or black tea (Vata preference) early in the day and then switch to decaf/herbal teas in the afternoon. You can do decaf all day if you prefer.

✅ Keep eye drops close by for dry eyes. You can wear blue-light-blocking glasses, so you don’t have to strain on devices that worsen dry eyes (and they help you sleep better).

✅ Keep cough drops nearby, in case you get a dry or itch in your throat. And menthol cough drops help to open up passages. They’ve been hard to find these days I’ve found, but I think you can find ’em if you look hard enough. 😉

Elderberry and zinc help for immunity-boosting, and lemon and honey drops are good for dry throats.

Seasonal allergies don’t have to be the daily annoyance that runs your life. You can have a much smoother season if you stay informed.  And know, you’re definitely not alone.

✅ And finally, bring in more healthy anti-histamine foods such as squashes and eggs. One dish you can incorporate is a butternut squash spaghetti recipe. And add a cooked egg ontop or eggs in your homemade pasta. 🍝

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Butternut Squash Spaghetti

Course lunch
Cuisine American
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

  • 1 box spaghetti, whole wheat
  • 1 butternut squash
  • basil leaves or pesto sauce (optional)

Instructions

  • Cook or bake your spaghetti.
  • Cook your butternut squash to soft.
  • Mix with your cooked sqaghetti.
  • Add a basil or pesto sauce to enhance (optional).