September 27, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Emotions are complex, and yet we generally use oversimplified—and often, inaccurate—language to describe them. When I say, “I’m depressed,” for example, I typically mean I’m stressed, anxious, tired, and feeling stuck in the circumstances that’ve led to those emotional states—none of which actually describes sadness. Essentially, then, I’m not communicating effectively, which makes it difficult for anyone—my therapist, boyfriend, best friend, etc.—to help me feel better. Plus, if I don’t understand my own emotional state, I can’t effectively improve things for myself, either. “We often feel ‘strange’ or ‘wired’ or ‘down’ but don’t necessarily have the proper words to express what we feel,” says performance coach Dris Mi. To solve for this, Gloria Willcox created what’s known as “the feelings wheel,” a chart designed to help people quickly and easily identify the specifics of their emotional state. “The feelings wheel allows people to accurately name their experience, which often leads to using tools that are more effective at managing those emotions,” explains Sabrina Smith, LCSW. View this post on Instagram I love a good feelings wheel to help clients better identify exactly what they are feeling and experiencing. Emotions can be incredibly nuanced and finding the right word to express a feeling can be challenging. Using a feelings wheel can help us to understand our experiences and emotional states, express ourselves more effectively, and offer or provide ourselves with the most accurate tool to manage those feelings. What are you feeling? . .
Tag: Well+Good
Master the “big five” yoga poses to set the foundation for your entire practice
September 27, 2019 at 03:43PM by CWC Looking around a yoga class can often feel like you’re at a circus, watching people contort themselves into literal pretzels or lift themselves into the air with nothing more than a few fingertips. If you’re a beginner, it can feel intimidating and frustrating, but remember: Every handstand-holding yogi had to start somewhere. So, if you’re hanging out in child’s pose wondering why you can’t flex your body into these positions, it’s time to master “the big five” yoga fundamentals. “Developing a yoga practice is just like building a house: You need to start with the foundation before you can begin adding furniture and decor,” says Los Angeles-based yoga master Claire Grieve, who’s been practicing for over a decade. To build that foundation, she says that you need to perfect warrior I, downward-facing dog, forward bend, boat, and savasana, which can help to deepen your practice for more ahem adventurous poses in the future. “Mastering these five poses will help you set a strong foundation for an advanced yoga practice,” says Grieve. “By strengthening your muscles and mind, you can be on your way to an elevated practice.” Here, Grieve breaks down the poses that will set the stage for the entire rest of your practice. Nail the “big-five” yoga poses, according to Grieve 1. Warrior 1: “Warrior I is a strengthening pose for the entire body,” she says. “Practicing this pose will strengthen every major muscle group. It will also help you understand
How to get rid of acne when you have sensitive skin and everything is irritating
September 27, 2019 at 03:10PM by CWC As if dealing with acne on its own wasn’t frustrating enough, handling acne and sensitive skin at the same time is a double-whammy that will have you asking: “Why me, universe?” Since most zit treatments work by aggressively attacking the dirt and excess sebum deep within your pores, they can often leave skin—especially sensitive skin—irritated. That means that your pimples may technically be improving, but you’re suddenly left with a whole other set of problems you’ve got to deal with. “Those with sensitive skin may have a particularly hard time treating acne because many pimple products can be irritating for sensitive skin types,” confirms David Lortscher, MD, dermatologist and founder of Curology. “They contain ingredients that can be drying, irritating, or comedogenic, especially for sensitive skin.” So what the heck are you supposed to do? Instead of opting for the usual active ingredients in prescription retinoids—like tretinoin and tazarotene, which can irritate certain complexions, dermatologist, Hilary Baldwin, MD suggests reaching for a different form of retinoid (that you can get over the counter) called adapalene, such as La Roche Posay Adapalene Gel ($22) or good old-fashioned Differin ($9). This ingredient tends to be a bit kinder to sensitive skin, according to her. (Need to brush up on your retinoids? Check out our latest episode of Dear Derm.) [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj-Uii3ZJD8] “All other things equal, [tazarotene and tretinoin] irritate the skin more than adapalene does,” she tells me. That’s usually A-OK for the skin types
A dietitian explains how you can eat healthy and delicious meals for just $7 a day
September 27, 2019 at 03:01PM by CWC Healthy eating has a reputation for being like the Big Apple—and by that I mean overpriced. Here in New York City, everything is expensive it seems. I once waited in line for two hours to buy a $15 bagel, and I’ve paid $19 for Serendipity 3‘s Forbidden Broadway Sundae more times than I care to admit. But if you ask Ilana Muhlstein, MS, RDN, and Los Angeles-based dietitian, she’ll tell you that purchasing a full day of nutritious food only requires a mere $7. “It’s a misconception that healthy eating has to be expensive,” Muhlstein explains. “It’s possible to eat cups of veggies, fresh fruit, and lean proteins for just pennies a meal.” You read that right! Loose change between the couch cushions is enough to buy a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner to fuel your daily activities. All you have to do is reach fro the right ingredients. “It could take some prep and planning, but even the $7 day includes a store bought wrap,” says the dietitian. View this post on Instagram HEALTHY EATING ON A BUDGET It’s a misconception that healthy eating has to be expensive. It’s possible to eat cups of veggies, fresh fruit and lean proteins for just pennies a meal. It could take some prep and planning, but even the $7 day includes a store bought wrap! Double tap if you want me to do more of these and tag a friend who is
‘I’m a psychologist, and these are the 5 things I do for better mental health’
September 27, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC If anyone knows how important self-care practices are for mental health, it’s a psychologist. In today’s hectic age—between work deadlines, relationship stress, financial difficulties, and a never-ending lack of sleep—it can be hard to make time for yourself and your mental well-being each day. Jamie Long, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist at The Psychology Group Fort Lauderdale, understands that struggle. That’s why she says she prioritizes a few habits each day, week, and month in order to combat the effects of stress and burnout. Without taking time for yourself do things that uplift you and give you a break, it can create an emptiness and sense of longing, she explains, which can contribute to poor self-image, depression, anxiety disorders, and other emotional states if left unchecked. Everyone’s self-care routine looks a bit different, depending their unique needs and what techniques work for them. But if you’re looking for expert-driven inspiration, here are the healthy habits that Dr. Long swears by to help maintain and improve her mental health. 1. Meditate Dr. Long meditates every day for at least five minutes with the help of an app on her phone. “I’ve experimented with what time of day works best and for me I really enjoy starting my day with a meditation or doing it on my lunch break for a mid-day pick me up,” she says. This might not seem exactly groundbreaking (if I had a nickel for every mental health expert who meditates…),
This core-conditioning workout will give you better posture in 3 easy moves
September 27, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC “Strengthening your core” is one of those things that any trainer, no matter who they are or which modality they teach, will tell you is critically important. While getting stronger is a major part of that—especially because your core is responsible for pretty much every movement you ask your body to do—we should actually be thinking more about conditioning our cores, too. “I focus on developing a conditioned core versus a strong core, as many times ‘strengthening’ may lock certain functions up,” says Wundabar founder Amy Jordan. There are five major components of your core (yes, it’s more than just your abs)—the transverse abdominis, the rectus abdominis, the pelvic floor, the diaphragm, and the multifidus—and “conditioning” allows them to work properly together. “You can think of these five structures creating a peanut-like shape underneath your ribs down to the base of your pelvis, with a wetsuit zipper running the length of your spine,” says Jordan. “Proper alignment is key in order to find harmonious activation of these five core structures.” This is, in effect, the entire principle behind Pilates, which centers many of its movements on core stabilization. While conditioning your core will admittedly help you build muscle, there are even more important benefits. A 2013 study found a link between a stabilized core and the risk of lower-body injuries, and according to a report from Harvard, earlier research confirmed that “well-coordinated core muscle use stabilizes the spine and helps create a firm
Not sure how to handle oily skin? Here’s what happens when you dedicate 28 days to finding balance
September 27, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC https://content.jwplatform.com/players/rINep6JH-AjgxWzQ7.js Striking a healthy balance anywhere in your life is tricky. From nailing the right ratio of olive oil to vinegar in your DIY salad dressing to deciding if you really need to shop for more “work” clothes. This balancing act definitely extends into the realm of skin care—especially if you deal with oily skin. How do you moisturize enough without feeling like you’re clogging up your pores? For Well+Good talent manager Beatrice Walker, balancing her oily skin is one of her top skin-care concerns, and finding the right type of moisturizer that would hydrate her skin without leaving it too shiny has always baffled her. (Same, girl, same.) To tackle oily skin head-on for the sake of finding #balance, Walker took the Weleda Skin Care Profiler quiz to find the botanical skin-care products best-suited for her skin, and then set out on the 28-day Weleda Beauty Bloom challenge to see how her skin responded to these plant-rich formulas. Her flower-forward skin-care routine consisted of just four products, which tapped into the two-in-one cleansing and toning powers of witch hazel (to clean her skin without drying it out), the instant-moisturizing effects of antioxidant-rich pomegranate, and the calm, smoothing properties of wild rose extract. Want in on the level of glow (with no trace of oiliness) Walker felt after challenge was over? You’ll have to watch the video to see how she did it. Check out the video above to see how Walker’s new botanical skin-care
How to be the most supportive friend to a new mom experiencing postpartum depression
September 27, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC Everything felt different for Molly Stillman after she gave birth to her second child in 2016. “The first two months after my son was born were just really hard,” says the Durham, North Carolina, mom. “Going from one to two kids rocked our world way more than going from zero to one.” Stillman says she was depressed and uninterested in doing anything, and she was anxious to the point of being irrational — she worried about her kids’ lives constantly. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD), which include postpartum depression, can show up during pregnancy or days or even months following. These disorders are incredibly common; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in nine U.S. women experiences symptoms of postpartum depression. If you have a friend or loved one who you think could be struggling with postpartum depression, here are the most important things you can help do to support her, according to Stillman and other experts: 1. Ask them how they’re feeling Stillman says that it took one of her close friends asking her directly about her mental health to make her realize there was an issue. “It really wasn’t until a friend of mine was like, ‘Are you okay?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m totally fine,’ and my friend was like, ‘No, really, I don’t actually think you’re okay,’” Stillman recalls. “I just broke down on the phone. I was like, ‘No, you’re right.
Use your zodiac sign to optimize the absolute best nighttime routine for you
September 27, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Earlier this year, Well+Good surveyed readers about how they feel about the sleep and rest they’re getting. Many findings emerged, but the big and enduring takeaway is that we’re tired. In fact, 92 percent of us are fatigued at least once a week, and though many report having tried different strategies and solutions to improve their chronic sleepiness (CBD, meditation, natural sleep aids, you name it) it’s clear that some more guidance would be useful. And according to astrologer Kyle Thomas, taking your zodiac sign into consideration might just help you optimize your night routine in a way other strategies can’t. “When it comes to relaxation and evening mindfulness, each zodiac sign has a special way to harness their strengths and bring more focus and energy to prepare for the upcoming day,” he says. Below, check out Thomas’s recommendations for the best night routine for you, based on your zodiac sign. Below, get astrological insight about the best night routine for your sign. Graphics: Well+Good Creative Aries: Take a social media detox “Aries are prone to craving adrenaline and not knowing how to shut off their minds,” says Thomas of this passionate first fire sign. “The best way to calm down and get great sleep is to unplug from social media at least an hour prior to bed.” Graphics: Well+Good Creative Taurus: Eat early Ruled by Venus and lovers of fine food and luxurious situations, Taureans tend to like decadent dinners. But since
Mattel’s new ‘gender-neutral dolls’ can’t possibly encompass every queer experience—but they’re a start
September 26, 2019 at 10:07PM by CWC Mattel‘s most famous creation, Barbie, made her debut 50 years ago at the 1959 New York Toy Fair. Since then, she and her plastic significant other, Ken, have ruled a heteronormative universe that tells the same story again and again with little more variation than a costume change. In response to changing American beauty ideals (and plummeting sales), Barbie and her pals got diverse body types in 2016. And now, in an effort to more accurately reflect the human experience in 2019 and beyond, the company’s new line of “gender-neutral” dolls, released earlier this week, includes six kits, each containing a doll with a different skin tone, two hairstyle options, and “endless styling possibilities.” Certainly even Mattel’s Creatable World dolls still fall short of comprehensive representation, but the toy offers powerful visibility, says Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW-R, a trans and gender-queer identified therapist specializing in LGBTQ issues. “There infinite ways in which gender could be expressed,” Jacobs tells Well+Good. Creating a real-life world in which we recognize the diversity of gender expression significantly benefits from a world of play fueled by a parallel mission. “There are a lot of youth who are exploring gender and this gives them yet another model, so to speak, to feel validated. To feel like they can be who they feel themselves to be inside. Whereas beforehand, when we just had very heteronormative Barbies and Kens, a lot of people really felt like they were left out of