Be Grateful this Holiday Season

Hi lovely,

 

This time of year can prove to be quite stressful for the majority of people, from shopping for presents to stocking up on food. We sometimes get lost in the real meaning of Thanksgiving. Thus, we end up taking things for granted. We even get greedy at times, when in reality, we might have everything we need right in front of us. There is a lot more to celebrating the Holidays than what is perceived. While the major things to be happy and thankful for are our health and ability to work, we can expand beyond that and delve deeper into the true meaning of the Holiday Season. Let us all take a step back this year and for many years to come during the Holiday season to really get back into the authentic holiday spirit that encourages unity and peace for us and our loved ones.

 

1) If you have family and friends who love you, be thankful.

Love is something so dear it should be a privilege for all. The simple pleasures can actually bring us closer together during the holidays. We get caught up during the year as we go to work, school, take care of our family, spend time with friends, and pay the bills. This cycle of busy work makes us forget the real meaning of family: spending quality time together. Sitting around the table with your loved ones is a perfect start to create that unity with each family member. We can go around the table to express what gives us meaning in life, while relishing the aroma of the scrumptious holiday pumpkin pie baking in the oven. There are many lovely stories or poems to read during the Holidays including singing hymns that are lyrically joyful that will put a smile on everyone’s face from your baby sister to your grandma. These intimate conversations will generate affirmative interminable memories that can easily be preserved and treasured for future generations to come.  

2) If you live under a roof, take a moment to be thankful for that.

Having somewhere to live means the world to people who do not. On this holiday season remember the meaning of your home, your sanctuary: a form of shelter to which you can go to at anytime. Having a home is your protection; it is something to appreciate on this holiday season, let alone on a daily basis.  This fortification can supply you with a refrigerator to store food, a faucet for clean water, and a bathroom so that you can take care of your hygiene and take showers. The next time you finish taking a shower, say thank you for the ability to be able to shower in clean water. Having a roof over your head means that you have some place to sleep, and this is another privilege to be honored by. Being grateful is as simple as it seems. It is the opportunity for all of us to truly appreciate and value all that we have, at this present moment in time.  

3) If you use any form of technology, be thankful as this genius invention helps us stay in closer contact with our loved ones.

Technology is precisely at our fingertips where we can conveniently scoop out information by “googling” any question imaginable. 50 years ago that was only a dream. Let us take a step back to fully appreciate the fact that the Internet invariably offers us solutions to which we would be lost without. We are often on the Internet, either on Facebook or some other social network. In reality the Internet provides us with so much more than viewing someone’s updated status; we find quick tips on healthy eating, how to fix things, etc. We use it to our disposal, so the next time you send an email to your friend or Skype chat with your grandmother, say thank you for this astounding capability.

4) If you are celebrating Thanksgiving as well as the whole holiday season, be grateful for the American history that has endowed us with the freedom that we continue to have to this day.

Our forefathers brilliantly demonstrate that by having almost nothing, we can actually realize that we have everything we need. There is a fine line between the two. Our progressive forefathers commenced a new tradition of sharing food and time with all people. So on a day like today, it is only the beginning the holiday season, which exemplifies Thanksgiving in a new light. The liberation of women and slaves as well as the enhancement of civil rights continues to flourish. Let us be thankful for the progress for peace, the ultimate goal. Happy Thanksgiving <3

XOXO Lusciously Levi

Click here for more self-love tips*

 

4 Apps to Help Maintain a Healthier Lifestyle

Hi Lovely!

Today's post is all about Apps! There are some great apps out there to help keep you motivated, organized, and ready for a healthy balanced lifestyle. Look on below for some unique Apps.

Daily Arm Workout- Personal Trainer for the Upper Body

Your virtual personal trainer is present! You can bring him/her everywhere! Working out is great to keep up your health and energy on a daily basis but sometimes it gets overwhelming and you just get lazy to go to the gym. This superb app has many unique features including videos developed by certified personal trainers that assist you with 5 to 10 minute upper body workouts. If you literally have only 5 minutes each morning before work, there is no more excuse, so try this app for the arm, chest, and shoulder routine. There is no Internet required for this particular app so feel free to do all the workouts in the comfort of your own home! The workout series is essentially a guide to improve your muscle strength and overall energy levels.  

Find Me Gluten Free

The Find Me Gluten Free app fundamentally assists your healthy lifestyle by providing you with directions to restaurants that serve gluten-free food! Whether you love gluten-free baked goods or even fast food, this app will be your best bet to uncover that suitable gluten-free menu in your given area. Especially if you travel for work or are always on the go, this app will benefit your preservation of a healthy daily life as more and more people are being diagnosed with a gluten allergy these days. If you are near your home or in between states, this app will be your friend of choice when deciding to eat your next gluten-free meal!  

Fit Brains Trainer

Brain trainer is an indispensable part of brain exercising. As we get older, we do not always take persistent care of our brain in an intelligently motivating way. There are so many shortcuts that we end up thinking slower and concentrating less on a daily basis. However, with this unique app, which is free to download, it can boost specific areas of the brain including memory, concentration, problem solving, and more! These customized brain-training games include puzzles and games, which challenge your ability to think, grow, and learn. In addition, you will come out of these enjoyable and valuable exercises with improved cognitive performances as well as overall brain health.

Relax Melodies to improve your sleep schedule 

If you are the type of person who does not fall asleep at the snap of a finger, consider the Relax Melodies app: Sleep Zen sounds & white noise for meditation, yoga and baby relaxation. In this app, it will aid you in your falling asleep process all the while relaxing you through the combination of sounds and melodies, all chosen by your preferences! You get to produce the mix you prefer and adjust the volume and timer, so you can effortlessly lean back to relax, listen, and sleep! This app is quite diverse as it fits almost any group of people, whether you are a parent who needs help to put your baby to sleep soundly, or if you work at a stressful night shift and you need something to help you unwind and improve your mood. Even if you are into meditation or yoga, this can contribute to your lifestyle as it provides a customization for an exclusive and individualized experience.

There you have it folks! The 4 previously mentioned Apps will uniquely provide you with positive health benefits if you take the time to commit to them individually. Your health is ultimately based on your actions, so with that be sure to sleep deeper, eat better, and relax in between! Click here to visit my health and wellness website for more healthy tips, free recipes, and more!

XOXO, Lusciously Levi