lifestyle

5 Ways to see the happy side of life

 in Home  tagged lifestyle / tips by

Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional. The following is my opinion. If you are feeling extremely unhappy and sad, please visit a mental health professional for advice and assistance.

Happy National Happiness Happens Day!

What is National Happiness Happens Day? I wondered the same thing, because it is different than the celebration of general happiness; which happens in March. National Happiness Happens Day is a celebration of just being happy.

Everyone has happiness inside of them; no matter how dark or bleak the world may look. No matter how many problems we each face everyday, there is something inside of us that is happy. Sometimes small things make us happy, and sometimes larger than life things make us happy. The important thing to remember is that we need to remind ourselves about what makes us happy when we are down, that way we can return to being happy!

No matter how many bad things might be going on in our lives, there are many more good things in our lives to be thankful and grateful for. These are things that make us happy. Here are five ways to see the happy side of life, no matter what mood you might be in at the moment.

  1. Mother Nature: We live in a beautiful world. Whether you believe God created it, or you believe it was created another way, the Earth is a beautiful place. We have majestic mountains, life-giving trees, and delicate flowers. The water of the Earth gives us life and the ground provides us with a means to grow food. If you are in the dessert, a forest, coastside, or on a prairie, there is beauty in the nature around you. It is important to stop and take a moment to breath in the beauty of nature and appreciate it’s grand glory.
  2. Exercise: Whether you are a gym rat, or have sworn off exercise as the greatest evil of all, moving your body will make you happy. It releases endorphins, which is a natural chemical in your body that makes you happy. Our beautiful bodies created by God, or if you are atheist-created somehow, have the ability to naturally make us happy. Nothing can lift your spirits more then taking a walk outside, shooting hoops at the park, going for a jog, or hitting the gym. All it takes is a minimum of thirty minutes a day of exercise to make us happy.
  3. Make a Pro List: At some point in your life, you may have made a pro/con list. Instead of making a pro/con list, just make a pro list which details all the things you are happy for in your life. Pin it on the refrigerator door, or somewhere you look everyday. This will be a daily reminder of the things that are amazing in your life, and everytime you look at it you will feel happy and thankful. Love that!
  4. Favorite Food: There is an expression, “the way to someone’s heart is through the stomach.” There is nothing like comfort food. Eat food that makes you happy; and be grateful you have the means to eat it!
  5. Favorite Places: Where is your happy place? This could be an amusement park, a quiet neighborhood park, a hiking trail, the top of Mt. Tam., a cozy café, your Mother’s worn sofa; or anywhere you feel secure, happy, and carefree! If you feel down, go there! If you are happy, go there! Always keep your happy place on your calendar so you can continually look forward to it!

What are some things in your life where happiness just happens? For me it’s the beach, a view of Mt. Tam, swimming laps in the pool, working out in a fitness class, spending time with my family, cooking a favorite meal, relaxing with a good book, sipping warm green tea, having a conversation with you about fashion trends, and gazing at the stars. Let me know where happiness happens for you in the comments below!

Enjoy National Happiness Happens Day and have a very happy day!

XOXO

Cathy

Signs of a heart attack in women

 in Events  tagged american heart association / go red / lifestyle by

Beautiful silent auction prior to the lunch. I bid on the Kendra Scott lot, but ultimately got outbid.

Yesterday I had the honor of being a guest of the American Heart Association at their annual “Go Red” luncheon in San Jose, California. It’s an amazing fundraising lunch which features education about heart disease, survivor speeches, and tear-jerking moments. Yes, I did well up with tears during one speech a survivor delivered.

Pretty table setting at the lunch.

A woman dies every 80 seconds from heart-related illnesses. Sadly, roughly 80% of those deaths are preventable. While men tend to have more text-book symptoms of a heart attack, women often think they are suffering from the flu, stress, acid reflux, or exhaustion. Therefore, it is so important for women to know and understand the symptoms of a heart attack.

Donation cards from the tables

The following symptoms are signs that a woman could be suffering from a heart attack. These are the symptoms, detailed on heart.org.

  1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest which lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
  2. Pain or discomfort in one or both of your arms, back, neck, jaw or your stomach.
  3. Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.
  4. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
  5. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is heart.org or discomfort. Some women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some additional common symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

If you ever feel any of these symptoms, don’t be afraid to call 9-1-1. Every second counts when you are having a heart attack, so calling 9-1-1 can significantly help your recovery if indeed you are suffering from a heart attack.

 

Please help spread the word to other women, so they too will know what to watch out for. Together, we can help increase awareness and reduce the annual deaths in women due to heart attacks. For more information, please visit heart.org

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Laura Adney from Have Need Want and myself after the lunch. I won’ 49er tickets from the silent auction!

*Please excuse the photo quality, all pictures were taken with my iPhone.

Housecalls with the Heal App | at home doctor visits in the Bay Area

 in Fitness  tagged family / heal / lifestyle by

heal app review housecall doctor appointment silicon valley

Life is so busy! The older my kids get, the more activities they are involved in. Couple this with my husbands’ work schedule, my work schedule, home-schooling two kids, and our volunteer schedules; and that doesn’t leave much time for anything else! If someone in my family needs to schedule a doctor’s appointment, it throws our entire schedule out of whack; not to mention traffic here in Silicon Valley makes it nearly impossible to keep a tight schedule.

Since I have three kids, we are always trying to fit doctor appointments into our schedule. When I heard about the Heal App, I was intrigued! The Heal App is an easy way to schedule a doctor appointment in your own home. You can pick a day and time which works well with your schedule, and you don’t have to fight traffic to get to it on time. I found I could schedule a doctor’s appointment at a time which was convenient for our family’s schedule. This was groundbreaking for us!

My son just turned ten, so it was time for his annual check-up. Since it is baseball season, my son’s baseball schedule has overtaken our calendar. In addition to his schedule, my two daughters have sports, music, Girl Scouts, and volunteer work on the calendar. There wasn’t a free day to bring him to the doctor! Thankfully, the Heal App has weekend appointments, so we were able to squeeze in an appointment for him between his baseball game and my daughter’s archery practice. Love that!

how to use the heal app home doctor visits silicon valley bay area

My son’s doctor arrived for our 2pm appointment on time with a Medical Assistant and a suitcase full of equipment. They were warm and friendly, and my son was instantly relaxed and happy. They set up their tools on our coffee table and hung an eye chart on the wall for the exam. After they were set up, we went over his medical history, and talked about any concerns with his health that I might have.

It was a really fun appointment for my son; who doesn’t love being comfy in their own home during an exam! He told me after the appointment that he enjoyed having his appointment at home and preferred it to going into the office for the exam. He also liked that he wasn’t exposed to sick patients in the waiting room at the doctors’ office. For an annual exam, I have to agree with him! That is a huge bonus! By using the Heal App, you don’t have to sit in a waiting room where sick patients are leaving germs behind.

home doctor visits san francisco bay area

Here in Silicon Valley we have so many over-scheduled families, couples, and individuals. Not only are we an active bunch here in the Bay Area, we are plagued with some of the worst traffic in the country. The Heal App is an effortless way to reduce stress and schedule a doctor’s appointment on our own time. I love how easy it is to use!

Plus, the Heal App uses our insurance the same way it is used at a doctor’s office, so there isn’t any added cost to using the app. Love that! Plus, if an appointment isn’t covered by insurance, a housecall is only $99. That’s a great deal!

wellness exam at home bay area silicon valley

We loved using the Heal App for our son’s ten-year-old wellness check-up. We will definitely use it again in the future! It’s such an easy way to schedule a doctor’s appointment that fits into our busy schedule.

You can download the Heal App onto your smart phone in the App store. For more information, please visit their website at Heal.com. Also, I have a $20 coupon code for my readers! Use coupon code BayAreaFashionista to save $20 off your visit! Love!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the Heal App as much as I do!

XOXO

Cathy

*sponsored by the Heal App. All thoughts and opinions are my own

best app home doctor visits bay area