Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight the blog of Jennifer Pentland.

Jennifer Pentland

Welcome to my creative space!

My name is Jennifer Pentland, and I’m a self-taught artist who found solace and passion in art after experiencing the loss of a loved one. Through art therapy, I discovered an incredible love for the world of creativity.

Art has become my faithful companion on this journey of healing and self-discovery. It has provided me with a means to confront and navigate the depths of my anxiety, offering a sanctuary where my emotions can find expression and release without judgment or restraint. In the process, I have learned that art has an incredible power to heal and transform, both for the artist and those who connect with the artwork.

You will come back to her site because it’s addicting.

Melinda

Looking for the Light

If there is one thing about our lives, it’s that if we are experiencing one of the many aspects of the mental health umbrella, it’s that it forces us to retreat into our shell. Mental wellness is not something that is defined as the absence of mental illness but about learning to thrive in a mind state where you can realize your potential, cope with those everyday stresses, and make those meaningful contributions. This is why something like adventuring may seem completely anathema to the idea of self-care. But here are some. Adventure can be an amazing catalyst to improve our wellness. Let’s show you why.

Connection with Nature

While so many people instantly connect the idea of mental wellness with being out in nature, not everybody experiences that stereotypical sense of calm that is out in nature. However, if you attempt to get yourself off the beaten track and make the most of your time in nature, it instantly gives you a sense of grounding and a soothing effect that could be very therapeutic. 

Because being in nature can improve our mental well-being, we can stand to benefit not just from being surrounded by trees but actually using these approaches as a way to get as far away from the rat race as humanly possible. We can all struggle to deal with those daily pressures. This is why potentially opting for more hiking and biking can make a big difference. You can easily purchase an electric off road bike for adults or a backpack and a new pair of boots and venture into nature.

The Attention It Demands of You

This is a very important thing to remember, especially when we are consumed by anxiety. We hear so much about the benefits of mindfulness, but rather than something like a body scan meditation or sitting there trying to think of nothing, lots of people make the mistake of thinking that mindfulness is supposed to be a welcome distraction. It should be something that nourishes you, and often when we’re feeling like there is nothing to live for, no matter what we have in our lives, doing something that simultaneously nourishes us but also is challenging enough to take our attention off our thoughts for even a split second is an amazing solution. 

Something like scuba diving or rock climbing requires you to be present in the moment because it demands so much of your attention. But you can apply this to other parts of your life as well. For example, going to the gym can be as much of an adventure as doing something as stereotypical as climbing trees or flying. When we feel anxious, we ruminate. There is a reason why those adventurers feel addicted to those practices, and that’s because they’re not consumed by those thoughts that everybody has at one point or another.

Social Connection

Finding someone who is doing exactly the same thing as you, especially when it’s a very unique or left-field practice, could foster a sense of belonging. This is absolutely ideal for mental wellness. As people, it’s deeply ingrained in us that we practice socializing. Being a part of a group of people allows us to be simultaneously involved but also blend into something, and when we participate in an activity where there are only a few people, this instantly creates a sense of trust because you’re both on the same page with the same shared goal. 

This doesn’t just mean that you then achieve the goal itself, but because you’re doing something that actively nourishes you in a group of people who are thinking the same way, you instantly feel part of a team, part of a greater purpose, and this means that you will begin to feel more inclined to pursue the things that make you feel this way. It’s like an addiction but with a more positive spin.

Increased Resilience

Going on any form of adventure is, first and foremost, about taking you out of your comfort zone. We all need to push our upper limits so we are better equipped to handle the ups and downs that life throws at us. 

We can feel so much guilt that we’re alive if we’ve gone through an incredibly tough time, but we also need to remember that life is not purely about happiness, which is a major misconception, it’s about remembering those challenges can boost our resilience and remember that adversity is something that we all overcome in any different form.

If there’s one thing about life that we should all maintain, it’s a sense of curiosity. This is why going on any form of adventure is an amazing solution, not just for the sake of mental wellness, but for every aspect of our existence.

This is a collaborative post

Melinda

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight the blog of Run Away Widow.

Join me, Kristin, on my journey to adjust to the sudden death of my husband and learn to live as a young, middle-aged, remarried widow.

Mike was killed in August 2015. After the police investigation fades, details of the ‘accident’ become suspicious. When the medical examiner determines the cause of death is HOMICIDE, I hire a team of investigators and lawyers to discover what really happened that night.

I started writing my blog during the summer when I ran away to avoid my first wedding anniversary without my husband as well as the one year anniversary of his passing.  I fled around the world to Thailand.  

Her site is a joy to read.

Melinda

Looking for the Light

Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight the blog of Dawn Pisturino’s Blog.

Hello, 

I am a retired registered nurse in Arizona with a B.S. in Natural Health. My publishing credits include poems, limericks, short stories, and articles. Every writer undergoes a unique and wonderful journey. Let me share mine with you.

Official Author website (desktop or laptop work best): http://www.dawnpisturino.org

Member of Mystery Writers of America, Arizona Authors Association, and The Black List.

       AAA author page: http://www.arizonaauthors.org/members/dawn-pisturino

       My poem, Nature’s Child, won Honorable Mention in the Arizona Authors Association 2022 Literary Contest.

 Enjoy the journey.

Melinda

Looking for the Light

In this fast-paced social media world, it can be difficult to find the time to look within or back in time. I hope you find these quotes and questions interesting. So glad you stopped by today!

Continue reading “Deep Thoughts” →

Do you want to make sure that your aging parents are being taken care of? If so then this is the guide for you. Here you will find out what steps you can take to protect those who you love, today.

Know the Signs of Trouble

The first thing you need to do is know the signs of trouble. If you are a caregiver, then you have to remember that there is a limit to what you can do alone. The best thing you can do is reach out for help. Keep an eye on your loved one’s health and their living conditions. It may be that they are no longer able to keep up with activities, such as bathing, walking, cooking or even cleaning. If you notice a drastic change in your loved one’s living environment, for example, if things become cluttered or dangerous then this can also signify that something is wrong. With that in mind, taking care of yourself is also very important. If you feel angry or irritable all the time or if you are losing sleep over things then this is a sign that you are overwhelming yourself. If you want to protect your loved one even more, consider looking at our team page from Montana Elder Law.

Protect your Health

As a loving caregiver, it is all too easy for you to devote all of your time and attention to the ones you are actively trying to support. At times, you may find that it is too easy to overlook your health along the way. Don’t let your standard of health suffer. Be sure to check in with yourself and your family so you can make sure that everyone is feeling good. Drink lots of water, make time to exercise, and also talk to someone if you need it.

Give Yourself a Break

If you are a caregiver then it’s easy for you to feel as though the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders. This is especially the case if you are part of the sandwich generation. This generation often finds that they are looking after younger and older people at the same time. It is very natural for you to want to fill up your schedule and take care of everyone. That being said, you need to cut yourself some slack sometimes. As you build out your calendar, make sure that you have enough time for yourself and that you are giving your body a chance to rest and recharge, free from stress.

Make the Most Out of Tech

In this day and age, there are all kinds of ways that you can put tech to work and make things way easier for yourself going forward. Add cameras and home security features if you want to keep your loved one safe when you are not home, and give your senior relative an alert button. If you do this then you give them the chance to alert an authority if something happens. Use a group chat too, so you can talk about your loved one with your sibling or other caregivers.

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda