So what happens when there is too much sugar in your diet? Well, a lot. Too much sugar can affect your mood, weaken your body’s ability to cope with stress, and increase your risk for developing depression. Cutting back on sugar can trigger withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, irritability, confusion, and fatigue (Lindberg, 2020).

My teammate knew my left-handed skills enough that he expected me to continue the layup instead of passing it off. What was once wholly unnatural and awkward, playing basketball left-handed, was now totally normal. It was something I no longer needed to think about. What about you? It certainly doesn’t have to be basketball. But is there something in your life that was unnatural at one time but is now normal? 

You know what, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that the way you feel about nachos is not exactly the same way that you feel about your Mother. And you probably don’t feel the same way toward your favorite shoes as you do your boyfriend or girlfriend. So why on earth do we use one word to describe all these different feelings!? Good question. Welcome to one of the most frustrating things about the English language.

After a back injury, I was experiencing paralyzing muscle spasms, flashes of pain, and sleepless nights. I grew up in a family full of athletes, and I found myself feeling like an outcast and a failure. How could I be myself when the wrong turn of my body sent me into fits of pain? How could I keep up with my siblings when stretching the wrong way sent my muscles into spasms? 

Goals were easier when I was in school because someone else broke them down, held my hand, and told me what to do in what time frame. Out on my own, I was a little lost. I wanted to set and reach goals, but life got distracting. There were extra hours at work, problems to solve, new responsibilities, a Netflix show to binge watch…

Stopping and resting is not something she is accustomed to. Perhaps this is you. The minute you wake up, you start to feel the demands of the day, the to-do list looming, and the need to accomplish taking over your mind. Resting not only seems entirely impossible but unnatural. But I want to remind you of the same thing I remind my wife. Slowing down, relaxing, even just taking small moments throughout the day is critical. 

If you haven’t before, try finding a few books of poetry from your school or public library. Pick a couple different ones because the truth is that there is a huge range of style and voice when it comes to poems. It might take a few tries before you find a poet you resonate with. I’ve certainly read a poem or two and put books right back on the shelf before!

Here’s another perk from the page. When you read an actual book, it lowers your stress levels (one study shows that it might lower stress by as much as 68%) and helps you to sleep better. Using a screen to read late at night, especially right before you go to bed, can mess with your circadian rhythms and make it harder for you to fall asleep or stay asleep (Wise, 2019). 

The relationship we have with our parents has a significant outcome on who we are someday, how we behave, and who we gravitate towards. I want to normalize this for a moment, though, and say that we ALL have daddy issues.

Some of us were raised to unleash a flurry of angry words no matter the consequences, so long as you apologize later. Others were raised to bottle the anger up. Don't say anything if you can't say anything nice. All the while, never really knowing that one day the bottle would burst. It's not wrong to be angry. But it is wrong to mistreat others in our anger. 

While you're in the midst of a prolonged period of clouds, rain, snow, cold, or all of the above, embrace it! This is your chance to get things done around the house. This could mean you do chores such as cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, or something else you’ve been putting off. It may mean you have to type out a few emails or knock out an essay for something. Whatever it is, make sure it’s productive. What will make you feel worse is if you sit around and do nothing all day.

Sometimes life purpose reminds me of messages in the kibble. The message is available but often we never discover the meaning. Fortunately, unlike the kibble code, we CAN decipher our inner calling. We just need to listen. I’ve found one of the best ways to hear my inner voice is deliberate silence. This can take practice, but it is worth the effort. 

I realized, during that stretch, the creative power of unplugging from phones, computers and television for periods of time. It seems like it should be the opposite. Removing all the inspiring artists and material from under our noses should be like unplugging a lamp from a light socket—an immediate loss of energy, but unplugging for a time triggered creativity. Out of the screen silence came new thoughts. I wanted to write, cook, create, and dream. And I don’t think it was a fluke.

It’s taken me years to slowly learn the names of the nature around me. The beautiful thing is that nature is always waiting for us to explore and know her! There are some beautiful, easy to use tree identification books you could probably find at your school or public library. They also make them for birds. Immersing ourselves into the natural world right outside our door is a deeply therapeutic exercise. The fact is that we are more invested in something when it has a name and is known.

The brain undergoes lots of development and change during the teen years. Introducing something like alcohol can lead to lasting consequences. When you drink, your hippocampus is immediately affected; however, drinking can have long-term effects too. Alcohol has the potential to damage or kill cells in the hippocampus, which helps with learning and memory.

I’m not sure that any musical has ever been written that better tells the story of how our present days, the small decisions we make moment to moment, shape history and become what we think of as the powerful past. Because really, that’s all the past is when you stop to think about it; a collection of moments and decisions that were made just like the one you’re making right now.

Having a relaxed stance, arms down or in an open position and a smile on your face, sends the message that you are inviting others to join you in a friendly conversation. Maintaining eye contact while talking lets the speaker know you are attentive to what they are sharing. Living in a pandemic, we all know that masks make it harder to feel a sense of vulnerability with others; but masked or not, being intentional about eye contact can help remove some of those barriers that make it harder to be authentic with others.

Let's be honest; 2020 was not the year we wished for. In fact, it's not even a year worthy of a do-over. I would much prefer to forget it ever happened. But if there was anything good, it was that I learned where to put my focus--on the things I actually do have control over. 

But it's his average-ness that I love about him. It's what makes him actually pretty great. Because I had the opportunity over the years to watch him thrive where so many of us get stuck--living in the average. Let's face it, average is what describes most of us. But my dad has made the most of every gift, talent, and treasure he has--no matter how big or small. 

Take a second and think about your day. Do you hit the ground running in the morning? Push yourself to the limit? Taking care of the kids, checking email, after-school activities, doing homework, stress about deadlines, and your determination to accomplish everything you put on your to-do list. Without warning, sleep turns into nothing more than a short reprieve between tasks rather than the necessary restoration your body and mind need.