Updates from Kay Page

Hello friends! 

It is the first day of Spring!  I love this time of year. It gets darker later, everything is blooming. More sunshine. Beautiful temps. You know in Texas we only get about three weeks of this marvelous weather before it turns scorching! Oh and it is my wedding anniversary!

Next week I am going to blog on spring cleaning, but this week I just want to tell you to GET OUT IN THE SUNSHINE!  It feels good + there are tons of benefits of sunshine. 

Here are seven great reasons to get out in the sun.

It improves your sleep. Research shows that an hour of natural light in the morning will help you sleep better. Your body produces this great hormone called melatonin that is necessary to help you sleep. The more daylight exposure you can get, the better your body will produce melatonin when it is time to go to sleep.

Reduces stress. Being outside in that sunshine regulates melatonin and when you are outside you are general walking or playing which also helps to lower stress.

Maintains strong bones. One of the best (and easiest!) ways to get Vitamin D is to be outside. Vitamin D helps your body maintain calcium that your bones need!  

Helps keep the weight off. Getting outside for 30 minutes sometime between 8 a.m. and noon has been linked to weight loss. There seems there's a connection between sunlight in the morning hours and weight loss.

Strengthens your immune system. Vitamin D is critical for your immune system! 

Sunshine improves your mood! Sunshine boosts your body’s level of serotonin, which is a chemical that improves your mood and helps you stay calm and focused.

Can give you a longer life. A study that followed 30,000 Swedish women revealed that those who spent more time in the sun lived six months to two years longer than those with less sun exposure. More research needs to be done in this area, but it’s something scientists are continuing to study.

 

So there you go - get out and enjoy the sun!  

Dear Friends –

No other person will ever have the unique blend of talents, strengths, or gifts that you have. Let that sink in.

In my life I did not grow up or spend time with people that understood the science behind mindset. When I finally did hear about it, my first thought was that they were those wacky, self-help people!

If you are in the same boat – not understanding about mindset let me quickly explain. A fixed mindset means that you’ve convinced yourself that what you have or what you are is fixed. That it cannot be changed. If you have ever had thoughts like "I am too old to change", "I am not good enough" or "Some people just have it better, and I am not one of those people" then your mindset is slightly stuck. 

The great news?  You can retrain your brain.

There are so many different ways – you decide what works for you. Maybe praying. Or surrounding yourself with a community that is encouraging. Getting rid of those people that are toxic. Bless and release them. You are a FRIGGING ROCK STAR.

Change your inner dialog. I am not a morning person. So when I wake up and immediately start thinking something like -  I didn’t sleep well last night. My to do list is a like a thousand pages. The kids/pets/spouse/roommate are already making me crazy.  Take a step back. Take a deep breath. Tell yourself this day is going to be awesome. I am going to succeed. I am going to feel good about myself. Get dressed. That is a big one, especially now when so many of us work at home because of the pandemic. Even my daughter will get dressed knowing it will help her start her day. Tell yourself. I am WORTHY. I am AMAZING. I am BEAUTIFUL. Do this as many times as you need to until you start to believe it!

It is okay to be in a funk. It is not okay to stay there. Acknowledge those emotions and move on!

YOU ARE AMAZING!

Lazy Saturday. Picked up curbside and back to sitting here drinking my absolutely necessary coffee. 

Today is clean the house day + do laundry. Which means I need to make my laundry soap.

My most favorite, cheapest + earth friendly hack is this. Thieves cleaner + essential oils (my favorite oils to add are Thieves, Orange, or Purification) + water. Non toxic + plant based (plants are POWERFUL for lots of things. It took me a while to trust this after years of being told I needed harsh, dangerous chemicals to get a good clean).  I use pump bottles from Amazon. The three bottles will typically last me about three to four months and we do LOTS of laundry!

You are welcome for upping your laundry game!!  

Time to put down my coffee, fill my water bottle and get to work. Happy weekend to all! 

First day of the month. I love the beginning of the month. All shiny and sparkly and waiting for you to do something with it.

One of my goals for the year – with this blog, and however I can, was to spread some joy. Be sunshine. I think we can all use it. The blog today will be short and sweet, but I want you to read this part over several times. 

 

Today

I want you to think about 

All that you are

Instead of all you are not

 

Read it again. 

We are so used to comparing ourselves to others. Those people we THINK are doing better than us (making more money, happier marriage, smarter kids, etc). Comparison is the stealer of joy. It is a very easy trap to fall into. And the brain is a funny thing. The more you speak bad about yourself, the more you believe it. 

 

So. Here are 5 things to remember today:

You are valuable

You are enough

You have a voice

You are seen

You are capable

 

And spread that truth around. Be the light and the joy. People need it now more than ever! 

High on my list of things I wanted to accomplish this year is finding new foods to eat. For anyone who has been around me for a while, you have heard me say many times – Nope. Can’t eat that either. 

About 8 years ago I started having issues with foods. Certain foods that just did not agree with my stomach. Over the years the list has increased. It is a pretty big list, but I know I am not the only one out there that deals with this. 

Food intolerances: Dairy, gluten, corn, tomatoes, white potatoes, bell peppers, garlic, almonds, chicken, cashews, egg whites, lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, paprika, chili powder, sunflower seeds or oil. 

I have not been proactive over the years in finding new and creative things to eat. I have mostly just lived in frustration over it. This year is my year to change it and do the research to find things that are yummy, good for me, and don’t upset my body. Getting out of the rut of eating the same thing over and over again. 

Today I wanted to share with you a super easy recipe. It is yummy and filling (even my hubby liked it!) You could add things too it – kale or maybe some breakfast sausage. I have been cooking this in my new cast iron skillet and loving it!

 

2-4 teaspoons coconut oil (or whatever oil you prefer)

2 medium sweet potatoes (diced)

1 yellow onion diced

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of black pepper 

 

Set a large pan over medium heat. Add the coconut oil, sweet potatoes, and onions. Cover and simmer the mixture for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook the mixture uncovered for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and slightly browned. 

Enjoy!