Welcome to Fuzzy Red Socks where a simple pair of socks can remind us to slow down, rest, reflect on life and feel rejuvenated by letting go.
Here at Fuzzy Red Socks we share ideas for slowing down our lives, taking stock of what is working and what’s not, and we find ways to take care of ourselves. If you are a caretaker, or have experienced trauma or are just feeling the effects of getting older, stress may be affecting your health both physically and emotionally.
If you answer “yes” to many of the following questions (created by Elizabeth Anne Scott) you may be experiencing too much stress and your health could be at risk:
1. Do you find yourself getting less joy from your work and feeling a sense of burnout?
2. Do you find that you have a “short fuse’ these days, that you’re more sensitive, irritable, or easily frustrated?
3. Do you feel less social than usual?
4. Do you have another symptom that you think could be stress-related?
5. Do you experience tension headaches?
6. Are you losing your hair and suspect that stress may be a factor?
7. Is your blood pressure on the high side?
8. Are you experiencing adult acne that may be related to stress?
9. Do you often feel anxious about things you can’t control?
10. Have you experienced weight gain or weight loss that you suspect is due to stress, or are you storing more fat in your belly lately?
11. Do you experience stomach aches or gastrointestinal issues like constipation or IBS that get worse with stress?
12. Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because your body is tense or your mind is racing with stressful thoughts?
13. Do you have a general feeling of being overwhelmed by everything you’re dealing with right now?
14. Do you have more difficulty with decision-making and concentration these days, or find that you’re forgetting things more often?
15. Do you find that your libido has decreased, or that you’re just too tired for sex?
16. Do you find muscle tension, especially in your neck, back and jaw?
17. Do you find yourself drinking alcohol more to relax, smoking to deal with stress, or using other “vices’?
18. Have you become an Emotional Eater? (Do you find yourself eating to cope with stress, or craving sweet or salty food more than usual?)
19. Do you find yourself feeling fatigued or exhausted?
20. Do you find yourself getting sick more often than usual?
If by now you are shaking your head and saying to yourself, “So, stress did all this to me?” then welcome to fuzzyredsocks.com, a place where we share our ideas while on a journey towards self care through rest, reflection, and feeling rejuvenated.
Elizabeth Anne Scott is a wellness coach, author, health educator, and award-winning blogger with training in counseling, family therapy, and health psychology. http://stress.about.com/
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Meditation can wipe away the day’s stress, bringing with it inner peace. If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, consider spending even a few minutes in meditation to restore your calm and inner peace. You can practice meditation wherever you are. I post regularly about this amazing self care tool and ways it can help you live a more peaceful life.
On days that I feel blue things can seem pretty dark even with the bright Arizona sun shining in my windows. Depression usually gives me no warning, but I’m getting much better with how I deal with it. Check out my Top 100 List and then start your own – no worries if you don’t have 100 yet – even 10, if used regularly, can be the perfect self care tool.
“Everything in moderation, including moderation”
– my mantra for life.
Check here regularly for recipes I have found to be fun, fresh, and flavorful. Learn to become less of an emotional eater and to use food for nourishment, energy and to stay healthy.
Your body is not yours alone. It belongs to your ancestors, your parents, future generations, and to society and all other living beings. All of them have come together to bring about the presence of this body. Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos. If you are healthy physically and mentally, all of us will benefitThich Nhat Hanh