Navigating Through Challenges

If one thing is certain, it’s that we all face challenges from time to time. The challenges themselves come in all shapes and sizes and are oftentimes unexpected. It’s important to recognize that challenges are simply a part of growth, and are not inherently bad or something to fear. That’s how navigating through challenges works best.

When we are met with challenges that feel overwhelming, difficult, or even impossible, we must ground ourselves with confidence in our ability to face these passing circumstances. We can do this by examining how we relate to our challenges, and from here see this mental shift come to life.

Changing Our Direction

Consider for a moment what your last major challenge was? How did you handle it? What kind of thoughts streamlined through your mind? How did your body feel as you navigated? These are all relevant and revealing questions to consider when remodeling our relationship with difficulty.

From a young age many of us have been conditioned to avoid, shutdown, or adversely react in the presence of a challenge. Though this is understandable, it is not sustainable. There are only so many times we can go around a problem before having to directly face what’s in front of us. We must be willing to meet our challenges as they come, and approach our difficulties with a level of steadiness. This way we can move through them feeling much more capable and confident in making the decisions that follow.

Strengthening Self-Trust

At the heart of building this confidence is strengthening self-trust.

By deepening trust in ourselves clear discernment becomes more readily available, and all decisions can stem from this place of inner knowing. Self-trust helps clear out the excess noise of doubt, second guessing, and confusion – and remedies the need to outsource a second, third, or fourth opinion from others. Because ultimately the decisions we face are up to us and no one else.

Part of feeling confident in our decisions requires fully accepting the possibility of disappointing others. The habit of people-pleasing can be a tough one to shake, but oftentimes we let our better judgment down by prioritizing someone else’s. This can feel destabilizing to our confidence and result in more harm than good. By staying grounded in who we are, and honoring our personal truth, we can navigate through any scenario without it having to be overwhelming.

Shifting Worry Into Wonder

The most effective way to meet our challenges is with an attitude of openness and curiosity. By shifting our worry into wonder we go from thinking “oh no” to “what if”, and this is a mindset that allows for us to turn adversity into opportunity. Instead of stressing about the outcome we can shift our focus to what’s directly in front of us, and regain our power through our chosen actions.

discernment checklist to navigate through challenges

By Melissa Aparicio, contributing author

We invite you to discover inspiring and effective ways to care for yourself and to serve others. Now more than ever, caring is what we all need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us. Life now demands caring, resilience and compassion like never before. So, become a Custodian of the Caring Movement and help create the world we need right now, the world we want for our future generations.

UCA resources available to help include the Turbulent Times Resources Center, radio show, publications and online store offering members huge discounts and always free shipping.

September 15, 2020

Natural Movement for Exercise

The human body is designed to move.

As children we thoughtlessly ran around, we played, we crawled around on all fours, and experienced a freedom in movement that is too commonly lost upon entering later years. Nowadays when adults hear the word movement, exercise is usually the first association to come to mind– such as going to the gym, lifting weights, signing up for a class, and so on. Though these kinds of traditional exercises are beneficial to many, we aim to simplify what healthy movement means as an effort to inspire more of it throughout the day.

Natural movements are all about using one’s own body weight and limb mobility to get the blood flowing, and the heart pumping.

An alarming amount of people today find themselves living predominantly sedentary lifestyles. Meaning people are not moving their body’s frequently enough, thus resulting in a cascade of physical ailments that compound over time. Common physical symptoms of sedentary lifestyles include headaches, backaches, digestive issues, circulation issues, low-energy, excess weight, and much more. It’s also notable to mention that people who frequently engage in natural movement generally feel more confident, capable, and in tune with what’s happening in their body.

Movement as a Basic Human Need

While the idea of exercise can at times feel a little overwhelming, we see movement as a basic need that can be met with a sense of ease. There doesn’t need to be any special clothing involved, equipment, or carved out blocks of time. Instead it’s helpful when movement can be treated with less seriousness, and instead be met with an attitude of playfulness.

There is no right or wrong way to go about this. When you find yourself with an extra few minutes simply get into the habit of asking yourself how can I move in a way that best supports my body right now? Then follow through.

Daily movement can look as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood in the morning, or in the evening after dinner. It can look silly like sprawling yourself on the floor and stretching out your limbs. It can look like opting to take the stairs instead of the elevator, doing a short set of calf raises as you wait for your coffee to brew, or doing a round of jumping jacks with your kids in the yard. Our body truly thrives with this kind of spontaneous movement.

Though we are designed to move in a variety of motions, our realities often consist of repetitive movements that have stopped the body from having to ever guess. For example, when something is in the way of our path we often choose to walk around the thing instead of over it. Next time the opportunity presents itself try to keep the body guessing, subtly stretching, and moving playfully by going over the thing.

Walking is a very effective natural movement that helps the body equalize itself. Countless studies have shown daily walking to trim body mass, balance cholesterol levels, stabilize blood pressure, improve mood, sharpen memory, and lower the chances of many preventable diseases.

Start by walking outside for 15 minutes a day, and over time experiment with gradually increasing the distance and pace. When we move in these natural motions we are contracting our muscles, activating our connective tissues, strengthening our bones, increasing respiration, heightening circulation, and releasing certain hormones and cell signals.

The world of fitness, vanity, and weight loss have given us many misleading ideas of what it means to be healthy, and can ultimately feel unapproachable. It’s important to keep our relationship with movement as do-able as possible, and remember that natural movement is a part of our inherent design. This way movement has a chance to be woven into various parts of the day, certain to enrich one’s overall health and well-being.

by Melissa Aparicio, contributing author

We are all working our way through a changed world as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. We may no longer be quarantined or under stay-at-home orders, but everyone is stretched to adapt like never before. All of us are in this together. Now more than ever, caring is what we need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us in our communities. Life now demands caring, resilience and compassion like never before. This is a great opportunity to create the world we want for our future generations. We invite you to join us in creating a caring movement!

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources and products? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association and our products, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way!

July 16, 2020

Let’s Talk About S.A.D. Foods Versus S.O.U.L. Foods

seasonal organic unprocessed local foods

S.A.D. food represents the Standard American Diet, while S.O.U.L. food stands for Seasonal, Organic, Unprocessed, and Local foods.

Despite the United States being one of the most prosperous nations in the world, many would be surprised to discover that Americans die sooner and experience higher rates of disease than most developed nations. This can be attributed to common diet and lifestyle choices.

By understanding the differences between S.A.D foods and S.O.U.L foods we can begin examining our food choices through a new lens.

S.A.D. Foods

The Standard American Diet (S.A.D) has grown to be problematic as it relies heavily on refined and processed foods with very little interest in fresh produce. Research has shown that the typical American diet is alarmingly low in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains– and extremely high in sodium, calories, saturated fat, refined grains (i.e. white flour), and added sugars.

This is apparent when visiting most conventional grocery stores which usually consist of aisles upon aisles of packaged and processed foods, often reserving only a small section of the store for fresh produce or dry bulk goods.

Heavily processed and unnatural foods are laden with questionable additives, food chemicals, dyes, and countless other substances that are used to manipulate taste, color, and shelf-life. Conventionally raised meats and non-organic produce are also suboptimal in nutrition and safety when considering the hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and soil quality that ultimately end up in our body.

Being able to identify S.A.D foods is the first step in making supportive choices in terms of how we eat. This is relevant since well over half of American adults have one or more chronic diseases related to poor diet and inactivity; that means that either you or someone you know is experiencing this. The normalization of S.A.D eating habits is sweeping through our neighborhoods, communities, and homes and with that are the chronic conditions that come along with it. In many cases these are conditions that are absolutely preventable, yet the culture of S.A.D foods inevitably usher people directly towards illness and poor health.

A few tips to avoid S.A.D foods:

Limit consumption of convenience and fast foods
Read the ingredients lists, if there are words you can’t understand or pronounce, walk away
Ask yourself, “how will I feel in my body after eating this?”
Avoid the aisles and shop mostly in the produce section
Choose organic & non- GMO foods when possible
Make it a goal to eat fresh foods at least once a day

On the other side of S.A.D foods exist S.O.U.L foods, Seasonal, Organic, Unprocessed, and Local.

S.O.U.L. Foods

When we eat seasonally, we are eating with nature, not against nature. Meaning, we are opting to eat foods that naturally occur according to the conditions that are just right for particular plants and animals to thrive. Now that we are in the season of summer we can be sure to enjoy fresh corn, summer squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, melons, stone fruit, and berries. These are water rich foods that are synonymous with summertime as they re-hydrate the body and are native to soaking in the hot sun.

Organically grown produce is radically different from conventional produce. For one, organic foods contain fewer pesticides and other chemicals which have proven to have serious health repercussions. Similarly, organically raised animals are much less likely to be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts. Organic foods are also GMO (genetically modified) free, meaning that the DNA has not been altered in a way that cannot occur in nature.

Unprocessed foods are alive foods that have beneficial nutrients, vitamins, and minerals – these are the building blocks of a healthy, capable body. There are no weird ingredients in unprocessed foods because they haven’t been adulterated or tampered with. Fresh vegetables, fruits, dried grains, and beans, are examples of foods that you can buy in their most natural state.

Local foods are a treasure to have around as they are the freshest foods that don’t have to travel very far to reach your hands. The moment a vegetable is picked from the ground it begins to lose its nutritional value, so the sooner it can be eaten the more value you will receive from it. Local foods are also often grown or made in small batches, so there’s a lot of care and attention that goes into each head of cabbage or jar of honey being sold. Not to mention, you’re also supporting your local economy.

A few tips to eat more S.O.U.L foods:

Shop at your local farmers markets if available
Read full ingredients lists on boxes + labels
Aim for your meals to be colorful + diverse
Eat fresh + alive foods as often as possible
Select organic options when you can
Find out what’s in season and eat mostly that

Nutritiously rich S.O.U.L foods provide the necessary building materials for the body to repair, discern, and replenish. While S.A.D foods simply don’t have the aliveness to provide this kind of support ultimately robbing us of our own vitality. We implore you to curiously look around your own kitchen and discover if you’re creating an environment of S.A.D or S.O.U.L. nourishment.

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources and products? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association and our products, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way!

July 1, 2020

An At-Home Retreat + Spa Experience

By implementing rituals of self-care we are better able to deal with the stress that unprecedented times like these can bring about. For the sake of feeling rejuvenated and clear, we’d like to invite you to set aside some time for an At-Home Retreat + Spa Experience. You can commit an entire day to this or even just one hour, work with what you have.

RETREAT + SPA MOOD

The first thing to do is create a proper space to relax in by making sure your home is orderly and clean. A big reason we gravitate towards spas and other such environments is because of the mood they set for us. We can create a similar effect by making sure the rubbish is thrown out, surfaces are clear, dishes are washed, and clutter is out of the way.

Next, make your home smell heavenly. You can diffuse essential oils, burn incense, light scented candles, and even open the windows to let in some fresh air. Investing in natural flowers also sets a beautiful and fragrant ambiance in any space.

Sound also plays an important role in our relaxation potential, so consider putting on some nourishing background music such as singing bowls, nature sounds, or binaural beats – all of which are commonly heard in spas and retreat centers for this very reason.

Prepare yourself a pitcher of infused water with cucumber, citrus slices, or berries. This feels luxurious, fun, and is effectively hydrating. Also consider having some herbal tea and light snacks handy so that they are easy to put together on a whim throughout the day.

Details such as these will support your mind to feel calm and your senses to feel at ease.

Once your space is in order pick out your favorite loungewear, activewear, and robe. Clothing that ideally allows you to feel both comfortable and attractive.

Tips to pamper yourself at home with a spa day

RETREAT + SPA PLAN

Like any retreat or spa experience, there has to be a schedule of activities you wish to participate in that will help you feel your best. We suggest selecting 1-5 activities that you wish to pamper yourself with. Have fun with these ideas and write them out in a scheduled format as a structure to follow.

To begin the at home retreat we recommend beginning with a little movement. We become stressed and tired from spending so much time in our heads, and the quickest way out of the mind is by returning to the body. Select a gentle 20-30 minute yoga or Pilates class online, or whatever your preference, and commit to the practice. Inviting circulation to move and enliven will only add to your experience.

After some body movement, shift into a short guided meditation. There are an abundance of free resources out there for this. You can make the experience extra special by setting up a designated space for your practices, and adorning it as you would enjoy to see in any studio or salon.

Once you wrap up your guided meditation, pull out a journal and write down any reflections or thoughts that may have come up for you. Writing can be a cathartic exercise for the mind, and the simple act of jotting down a few sentences can leave you feeling so renewed.

From here, begin the spa portion of your at home retreat.

Pamper yourself to a deep cleansing facial and moisturizing hair mask using your favorite products. Turn your bathroom into a sanctuary for this. Light a few candles, set up a few flowers, and display the products you’ll be using intentionally just as you would see at a salon. Creating an atmosphere like this turns an ordinary experience into an extraordinary one. Most importantly, move patiently as you nurture your skin and body. We rush quite enough throughout the day, so allow this to be a moment to slow down and simply feel into the senses.

While you allow the products to settle in and do their work, you can enjoy a cup of tea, manicure your nails, or simply read a few pages of your favorite book. Staying true to the intention of relaxing and being good to yourself.

Next, begin filling the bathtub. Add some bath salts, essential oils, flowers, and anything that can help make this particular bath feel over the top. Surround the tub with candles, beautiful lighting, and serene sounds, and set aside at least twenty minutes to soak it all in. Your nervous system will melt with gratitude.

After the bath, consider massaging oils to the bottoms of your feet or any part of the body that is asking for some extra attention. This supports proper circulation, moves stagnant lymph, and is a way to connect with your one and only body.

Lastly, begin to wind down from your Retreat + Spa Plan by taking a short nap. This will allow the experience to really settle in before re-integrating into life as you know it.

NOURISHING & SELF-REVERENCE

We hope this whole At-Home Retreat + Spa Experience fills you with nourishment and a sense of self-reverence. Feel free to get creative with the idea, have fun with it, and enjoy your own company. You will emerge better ready to deal with the world outside.

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources and products? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association and our products, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way!

By Melissa Aparicio, contributing author

June 3, 2020

Let’s Be Loving and Kind

We at Unified Caring Association (UCA) feel that nothing helps a community come together like love and kindness. These forms of caring are something we all need in the world today. A community that cares comes together to help people in need.

Let’s be loving and kind.

Loving kindness can go so far right now. It can be a small act of kindness that makes a big impact. Think about kindness when we have to go out for supplies. Like, if you see there are only two items on the shelf of what you need, ask yourself, do you really need both? Or can you just take one and let someone else take the other? Perhaps someone else truly needs it, and having it makes their lives easier. Let’s face it, any bit that we can ease each other’s difficulty right now can make a huge difference. In a time when people are uncertain about major life issues, making it so someone does not have to worry about having needed supplies is a major act of kindness.

Let’s be loving and kind when we are home with our family.

Maybe you are able to work from home, and your kids are being tasked with distance learning. Also, maybe you are cooking three times a day and keeping up with cleaning up a well-lived-in house. So much to do! You may find you are not getting a lot of alone time or time for self-care. Stress of money or worry over the current state of things may be taking a toll. Kids may be crabby, and any structure you had is non-existent. Stress can put us in a position where it is easy to take out our frustrations with our loved ones.

Pause for Kindness

It may take some practice, but we can put a pause in. A pause to choose to be kind, even when we are at our wits end. No, it doesn’t mean let your kids stay up as late as they want, or let them eat ice cream for breakfast (I mean if you want to do that, go ahead!)… It just means, take a breath, pause, and remember you may not ever get this chance to be home and enjoy your family like this again. Prioritize kindness over demands. Prioritize love over productivity. Then, build in your new structure, new demands, your new normal. Build your life anew, and build it on love and kindness… The rewards will last long after the stress of this pandemic has faded from daily life.

We are all being called to do extraordinary things for the collective caring of our families, communities and the world in response to the unique coronavirus pandemic. Whether home bound or providing critical services, everyone is stretched to adapt like never before. All of us are in this together. Now more than ever, caring is what we need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us. Life is going to require new routines, resilience and compassion. We invite you to join us in creating a caring movement to respond to local needs.

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

April 9, 2020

Give Yourself a Break with Compassion

Many of us are sheltering at home, and taking time to re-find a natural balance in our lives. While we are setting up new routines for our week, working from home, and even possibly teaching our children at home, we are feeling a bit more tired. We at Unified Caring Association (UCA) are searching for caring resources, tools and tips to help people in our caring community to be successful. One thing we want to make sure to touch on is that it is more than ok to give yourself a break! What does that mean? It means holding a compassionate space for yourself.

Compassion

There are many ways to show compassion for others, but we often forget to show ourselves the same compassion. Doctor Shauna Shapiro, PhD, talks about “…three components that make self-compassion put forth by her colleague Kristin Neff. Number one is to simply to witness what we are feeling and seeing in ourselves; this requires mindfulness. We suggest taking time when you are feeling stress or fear building to meditate. “The second is to be kind to ourselves, approaching that pain with the intention to actively soothe and support ourselves as we would a friend.”

Last, but not least, is to recognize that we are all in this together. Each person needs compassion from others, and needs compassion from themselves when they are giving their all. Shapiro calls this common humanity, and thinks that this is the most important element to hold in our minds and hearts. “When we acknowledge our common humanity… we feel a sense of connection that allows us to practice kindness not only for ourselves but also for all the other people who are in similar situations. …And that in itself is healing.”

Self-Compassion is Born of Mindfulness

As mentioned above that starting a journey into self-compassion requires mindfulness. We can continue the cycle and strengthen our self-compassion when we are mindful. With this positive cycle we continue to discover reserves of strength, wisdom, and resilience. “This is one of the alchemical powers of self-compassion: It simultaneously soothes the negative and grows the positive.”

If mindfulness activities or meditation are not your cup of tea, we have another suggestion for our caring community. Try journaling your thoughts and feelings. Once you have those emotions out, you can better understand actions, like increasing self-compassion, that need to be taken. A tip from Shapiro that we agree with is free-writing. This is a writing technique where we try not to think too much about organizing our words or thoughts while writing. “Simply write from your heart.” It will amaze and possibly shock you when going back over what you wrote.

We want to celebrate self-care through self-compassion. Compassion is something we all need more than ever today. We are all being called to do extraordinary things for the collective caring of our families, communities and the world in response to the unique coronavirus pandemic. Whether home bound or providing critical services, everyone is stretched to adapt like never before. All of us are in this together. Now more than ever, caring is what we need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us. Life is going to require new routines, resilience and compassion. We invite you to join us in creating a caring movement to respond to local needs.

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

April 3, 2020

Working from Home- Tips for Success

Recently people and businesses all around the world have been restructuring their lives with the recent quick shifts to maintain the health of people and communities. Many of us are all settling into new routines while being homebound. One of the new challenges most of us are facing is how to set ourselves up for balance and success while working from home? We at Unified Caring Association (UCA) are sharing caring information to help people who are working from home.

Create the Environment

The first step on this new journey is to create a productive and comfortable environment at home to work in. While working from home you will need a space to call an office. Set up a desk or office space to be your zone for work. Set up all of the technology and tools you will need. Some of these tools, like a laptop or printer, you might have at home or brought to us from our office. If you have a window, try opening it up for fresh air to keep you alert. A bonus to having a window is that you can look outside. Greenery helps us feel more relaxed and stay healthy. Lastly, when setting up your work environment, limit any distractions. This means turning off unnecessary technology, such as the television or silencing notifications for social media, keeping your work space clutter free, and letting your family and roommates know that you are working. Limiting the interruptions can help boost your productivity.

Scheduling Your Week and Day

Now that you have space to work and be productive in, it is time to set yourself up for success. Setting goals and scheduling your time becomes very important. (Trust us, it is easy to bake cookies while answering work emails!) Think about what days of the week you will be working; many of us it is Monday-Friday from about 9 am to 5 pm. Be sure to include untouchable days or days off to recharge and spend quality time socializing with loved ones. Goals help us plan our lives, and setting good goals throughout the week help us with our success. Goals also help us build habits. For example, setting a goal of taking a lunch break each work day to clear your mind, and say hi to your family. Each day’s schedule should include a healthy chunk of time around lunch where you are away from your office/desk and your computer. During this time you can do anything else, like go on a virtual museum tour with your kids!

An interesting thing that can be carried into each day is setting up a morning routine. Get yourself up at a decent hour, brush your teeth, eat, and get dressed in something other than pj’s to rev up your mind and get those brain cells going. Healthy habits help us feel in control and less stress over time.When you review your schedule for the day, tackle big tasks first thing in the morning. Maybe that big task is writing annual reviews for your team, or an important meeting with board members for a new project. Once that daunting task is over, the rest of the day will feel like a snap. The rest of the day’s schedule should be set up by grouping related tasks together. One example is to have the hour between 2 pm and 3 pm for responding to emails. Or 10 am to 11 am checking in with your team for the day. Overall, know your productive times of the day. Each person is unique, and setting a schedule should reflect that. One key is to adjust your schedule as needed; especially these days, we might need to adjust our schedule midday due to telecommuting or global events.

We are all being called to do extraordinary things for the collective caring of our families, communities and the world in response to the unique coronavirus pandemic. Whether homebound or providing critical services, everyone is stretched to adapt like never before. All of us are in this together. Now more than ever, caring is what we need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us. Life is going to require new routines, resilience and compassion. We invite you to join us in creating a caring movement to respond to local needs.

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

March 31, 2020

Homebound Life Self-Care

We at Unified Caring Association (UCA) want to shed some light and positivity during this difficult time in the world right now. Sometimes it is referred to as “lockdown,” many of us are experiencing what it means to be homebound. We have been hearing many UCA members ask, “How can we turn this into an opportunity to see the good?” and “How can we practice self-care while being homebound?”

Self-care is crucial.

Self-care requires us to be self-aware, which means being aware of what is going on within inside of ourselves. (A.K.A. checking in with yourself to see how you are doing.) When we feel like we are going a million miles a minute, it is important to take a moment to pause and reevaluate. Write things down in a journal. Some suggestions on the things to write are: what have you have accomplished and wish to accomplish, and set new goals for yourself. Overall, be proud of yourself. Also, according to article on Taking Good Care of Your Yourself, be kind to yourself.

Meditation is a great tool for self-care. It improves our wellbeing and health. Also, meditation or mindfulness activities helps us get in a calm relaxing psychological state too. We have many mindfulness activities on our website. Here is an example of a guided breath mediation with soft spa music to listen to — Guided breath Meditation-Spa-Music. If you are craving more, we also have many more videos on our YouTube channel!

If you’re ready to start a new exercise routine or a better eating regimen, why not start now?

Yoga is great for the brain, heart and bones. It can also boost your immunity, reduce chronic inflammation, gain more self-control and self-confidence. An additional bonus is it can also help manage stress. All it takes is 10 to 15 minutes a day. We found a great article on Practicing self- care with Yoga that is a quick and interesting read!

One more self-care suggestion…

Salt Baths are very beneficial for self-care. Salt detox baths are usually made of Epsom salt, which allows for minerals to “draw out” toxins from the body. Supporters often claim that soaking in an Epsom salt bath can remove harmful toxins and balance the body. Some claim it can help with weight management as well. The suggestion is to soak in an Epson salt bath for 12-20 minutes per day, 1-2 times per week, for the best results. We love adding essential oils, like lavender, along with Epson salt to baths for an extra boost of relaxation.

Remember all of those little projects that you set aside?

While enjoying the homebound life, we can tackle small projects around the house. For example, that “spring cleaning” of the closets, cabinets, refrigerator, garage (or as some of us call it the storage unit), etc. How does cleaning and organizing provide self-care? The act of cleaning itself has a positive phycological impact. Cleaning gives us a sense of control and accomplishment, which helps us better manage the ups and downs of life with a sense of resilience and self-confidence. Additionally, the simple activity and repetitive motions of washing dishes, mopping floors, or wiping down surfaces makes it easier for the mind to enter a focused and meditative state, temporarily relieving anxieties. In an October 2018 article published by VICE, Darby Saxbe, assistant professor of psychology at USC, said “[Cleaning] gives people a sense of mastery and control over their environment. Life is full of uncertainty and many situations are out of our hands, but at least we can assert our will on our living space, especially while being homebound.” If cleaning can lead to feeling in control of our personal destiny. Cleaning is Self-Care has an additional article for more information about how cleaning and doing projects around the house is beneficial.

We are all being called to do extraordinary things for the collective caring of our families, communities and the world in response to the unique coronavirus pandemic. Whether home bound or providing critical services, everyone is stretched to adapt like never before. All of us are in this together. Now more than ever, caring is what we need most. Caring for our self. Caring for others around us. Life is going to require new routines, resilience and compassion. We invite you to join us in creating a caring movement to respond to local needs.

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

March 23, 2020

Taking a Break to Recharge

In a world where many of us are running around and working hard, we are more prone to being burned out. What can we do to prevent this from happening? Well, Unified Caring Association (UCA) is here to share caring resources to help out our members and community. One way we have found that helps us become more resilient is taking a break to recharge our batteries.

Work to the bone no more!

Most of us learned that the harder we work the more success we have. The secret is, that this is not the best way to travel our life’s journey. What we tend to do after working this hard is shutdown when we get home. However, when getting home after work, many of us want to soak in time with family, friends, and hobbies. Not to mention, when we are burned out we are far less productive. This feels like running harder up a slippery hill and getting nowhere fast. For Harvard Business Review’s Neil Pasricha, what most people “…needed was a practical way to get more work done without taking more time.”

“Untouchable Days”

Enter a revolutionary self-care concept, untouchable days. “These are days when I am literally 100% unreachable in any way…by anyone…I look at my calendar sixteen weeks ahead of time, and for each week, I block out an entire day as UNTOUCHABLE.” This gives us time to unplug, journal, and recharge to be better able to tackle our work, and be more present in our lives.

Pasricha comments on his ‘untouchable days’ and what he gets from them. “I think of them as having two components. There is the deep creative work. When you’re in the zone, you’re in a state of flow, and the big project you’re working on is getting accomplished step by step by step. And then there are the nitros — little blasts of fuel you can use to prime your own pump if you hit a wall. These unproductive moments of frustration happen to all of us, and it’s less important to avoid them than to simply have a mental toolkit you can whip out when they happen.”

Being 100% out of reach is not for everyone. However, the concept of getting up and taking a break from work or a frustrating situation holds true. We often can compose ourselves with deep breaths or mindfulness activities. Then we can return to our day with new eyes and a can-do attitude. Ultimately, taking time to unwind is key for achieving self-care and success in all areas of life!

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

March 17, 2020

How to Have Better Conversations

Each day we interact with friends, family, and many other people. During these interactions we often strive to make meaningful connections. There are so many ways we can connect, and one is the most prominent: talking with each other. We at Unified Caring Association (UCA) have recently seen a wonderful TedTalk by Celeste Headlee about 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation. This is a wonderful speech that helps us understand different ways to connect with others through conversation.

The World We Live In

Celeste begins her speech talking about the shift in how we hold conversations with each other due to the integration of technology. Many people spend most of their time communicating through emails and texts. Celeste makes a good point: this world we live in has great potential but can quickly devolve into arguments. Think about how a text that is misread triggers us to feel a wide range of negative emotions. This communication trend is especially prominent in children and teens. “Pew Research did a study of 10,000 American adults, and they found that at this moment, we are more polarized, we are more divided, than we ever have been in history. We’re less likely to compromise, which means we’re not listening to each other. And we make decisions … based on what we already believe.” If we are not holding balanced conversations and listening to each other, we are losing out.

A VIP Skill-Communication

A high school teacher, named Paul Barnwell, gave his students a communication project to teach them how to speak on a specific topic without notes. It became apparent that conversational competence might be one of the most underdeveloped skills for students. This difficulty is partly due to kids spending hours each day engaging with ideas and each other through screens. Rarely do these kids have an opportunity to develop interpersonal communications skills. Barnwell asks, “Is there any 21st-century skill more important than being able to sustain coherent, confident conversation?”

How to Have a Great Conversation

Most of us have an idea of how to actively listen and participate in a conversation. Some of these tips are: look the person in the eye, think of interesting topics before you meet, smile, and repeat back a summary of what you heard for further clarification. Celeste Headlee argues that we should forget all or most of this in an effort to have not just good conversations, but great conversations. We all have had interactions that we walk away from craving more. This drive to have a longer interaction is a sign of a great conversation. These connections allow us to feel engaged and inspired, and that we are perfectly understood.Headlee has ten great tips to achieve this result almost every time you hold a conversation.

Right off the get-go, Headlee hits the ground running! We all should avoid multitasking. Juggling your “to-do” list with the argument you had with your significant other three days ago while talking with your best friend is not devoting caring time with your best friend. When we do not multitask, we are present and in the moment with the person(s) we are having a conversation with.

Next, Celeste strongly recommends not pontificating. When we pontificate we become predictable and have a harder time keeping an open mind. “You need to enter every conversation assuming that you have something to learn.” This can mean setting aside your personal opinion for the time being, allowing the speaker to have room and encouragement to open up.

Thirdly, when asking questions, use open-ended questions. Part of this technique is psychological. When we have a strong word prompt, such as terrifying, we respond to it and formulate a comment that reflects the same intensity and mood. To hold a better conversation let the speaker identify the thought and feeling. “Let them describe it. They’re the ones that know. Try asking them things like, ‘What was that like?’ ‘How did that feel?’ Because then they might have to stop for a moment and think about it, and you’re going to get a much more interesting response.”

Number four: Try to let go or go with the flow. Thoughts will appear; even if these thoughts do not relate to the conversation, let them go out of your mind. Sometimes these thoughts are lists of groceries, or a really great question we DO want to ask the person we are talking with. The issue can be that we are not actually listening, and maybe that really great question was already answered.

Five: If you don’t know an answer, admit it, and move forward. This surrender to not knowing everything helps us become more relatable to the other person we are talking with. Also, it can help us build or maintain our credibility, and hopefully strengthen our relationships. So, say that you don’t know in an effort to err on the side of caution.

Next, is an important note to remember. We do not want to equate our experience with the other person’s. Each experience and feeling is unique to the person it pertains to. We can never feel exactly the same. Think about the proverb: You can never step in the same river twice. This is true because the water is constantly flowing, and therefore never the same in any spot. “More importantly, it is not about you. You don’t need to take that moment to prove how amazing you are or how much you’ve suffered.”

Number seven: Try our hardest to not repeat yourself. The repetition can become boring to the listener, and possible condescending. Take a moment during your next conversation to count how many times you repeat yourself, and you might realize that we tend to repeat ourselves a lot.

We are coming to the home stretch of Headlee’s list. Eighth in line is advice for many situations outside and inside of conversations: try to avoid using too many facts. Most people are less interested in how many years you did “such-and-such” or the names and dates of your 20 second cousins twice removed. What truly matters to others is the genuine you; what you are like and have in common.

Ninth in line is VIP: LISTEN. Most of us equate active listening with holding a great conversation, and truly listening takes many of the state steps into account. Many successful people believe and share that listening is perhaps the most important skill that you can develop. Headlee paraphrases Buddha with pizzazz. “If your mouth is open, you’re not learning.” Why is listening so hard when it is so important? Well, it can come down to controlling the conversation through talking, especially if we are afraid. There is an additional reason: We have short attention spans (a.k.a. we get distracted, easily). On average a person talks at a rate of about 225 words per minute. However, our brains can listen to 500+ words per minute. In the 275 gaps between we tend to fill in or lose focus on the conversation. As another example, think about how quickly we lose interest in a video on Facebook or YouTube? If the content doesn’t grab us within the first 20-30 seconds, we move on. It takes a great amount of energy and effort to pay attention to someone while holding a conversation with them. Otherwise, you are just shouting monologues that might overlap with each other.

Last but not least, number 10. Celeste Headlee keeps it simple as she shares a quote from her sister: Be brief. “A good conversation is like a miniskirt; short enough to retain interest, but long enough to cover the subject.”

What is the basic concept?

What is the common thread we find in all ten of Headlee’s tips? The answer: “Be interested in other people. …assuming everyone has some hidden, amazing thing about them.” We can be amazed at all our caring community has to offer when holding truly great conversations with each other. We encourage our caring community to share the caring by connecting through conversations. And remember, caring conversations with ourselves can be a form of self-care!

Watch the full TedTalk by clicking HERE!

Would you like to read more caring blogs? We have other blogs on topics on UCA benefits: Medical Bill Negotiation, Nutrition to Help Prevent Depression, and Gut-Brain Connection! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter!

February 21, 2020

Tag: Self-care

Navigating Through Challenges

Changing Our Direction

Strengthening Self-Trust

Shifting Worry Into Wonder

Natural Movement for Exercise

The human body is designed to move.

Movement as a Basic Human Need

Let’s Talk About S.A.D. Foods Versus S.O.U.L. Foods

S.A.D. food represents the Standard American Diet, while S.O.U.L. food stands for Seasonal, Organic, Unprocessed, and Local foods.

S.A.D. Foods

S.O.U.L. Foods

An At-Home Retreat + Spa Experience

RETREAT + SPA MOOD

RETREAT + SPA PLAN

NOURISHING & SELF-REVERENCE

Give Yourself a Break with Compassion

Compassion

Self-Compassion is Born of Mindfulness

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

Taking a Break to Recharge

Work to the bone no more!

“Untouchable Days”

Would you like to read more about UCA caring resources? We have other blogs on Unified Caring Association, caring in our communities, and caring the UCA way! If you would like caring messages throughout the week, follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter!

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