Spring, The Season of Renewing and Rejuvenation!

Spring Essay Writing Contest response on Medium.com.

Springtime is here. I love the smell of flowers blooming, and the trees are beginning to show new buds and leaves. It’s a time for renewing and rejuvenation. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word renew as a transitive verb meaning to make like new: restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection: to make new spiritually: REGENERATE: to restore to existence: REVIVE.

Nature isn’t the only thing springing into the renewal process, this is the time when we should be evaluating our relationships with others. Reflecting on hurtful relationships can be very painful however, it can also be the perfect way to express those hidden feelings. I’ve found that when I can’t speak to an individual, writing down my thoughts, in turn, aids my soul in breaking free from the pain.

One way I like to free my feelings is through journaling.

Why Should You Keep a Journal?

Using a daily journal is good for one’s mental health. Jeremy Sutton Ph.D. points out some great reasons to journal in his article titled; 5 Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health. Which includes reducing anxiety, encouraging awareness, regulating emotions, and decreasing blood pressure.

A research study performed by Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005, p. 339 Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005, p. 339 showed that by capturing our thoughts and feelings on paper, the “participants often reveal a considerable range and depth of emotional trauma”.

It was reported that a wide range of physical, cognitive, and emotional benefits come from expressive writing. A few examples the study found were that writing down our thoughts:

* Lowers blood pressure

* Enhances a happier mood

* Reduces stress and anxiety

* Decreased loss wages

* Improved Psychological Well Being

These are just a few. I encourage you to read the articles to gain more insight into this topic.

The Journal I Recommend

One of my favorite tools to use is the Self-Care Journal just $13.95, this will take the user on a self-guided way to journal. It’s filled with guided prompts and simple activity logs for the night and daytime to assist you in a 90-day journey of self-awareness.

Music is Good For the Soul

Another way we can improve our mental health and increase the rejuvenating process is through music.

Music plays a huge part in soothing and healing the mind, body, and spirit. The frequency of music has multiple benefits.

During my research, I ran across this interesting article; Healing Frequencies of The Human Body; Full List and Benefits.

Sound frequency has been used to treat many ailments of the body. Such as insomnia, anxiety, stress, depression, and diseases of the nervous system.

Frequencies start at 40Hz and run up to 963Hz. Each sound affects a different part of the body.

What is Sound Frequency Healing?

Sound healing, alternatively known as Sound Therapy or Vibrational Medicine, is the practice of using sound and frequency for relaxation, healing, and personal development.

Frequency, as it relates to sound, is the rate at which something vibrates or repeats. In the context of frequency healing, these vibrations are the waves that are emitted when sound is produced by instruments such as the human voice, drums, tuning forks, and gongs among many others!

Source

https://www.donovanhealth.com/blog/healing-the-body-with-frequencies-the-basics-explained

Spring is a time for a change. A time for all things to become new.

I live in Colorado and one of the most irritating facts about Springtime in Colorado is changing the clocks for Daylight Savings Time. In the spring we move the clocks forward an hour, and in the fall they get changed back an hour. Gain an hour or lose an hour of sleep. Either way, it makes no sense to me since the reasons it was acted into law are no longer valid.

I won’t get on a rant about that!

Watch For Motorcycles

It’s also a time for drivers to become more aware of motorcyclists out in traffic. The warmer and longer day means it’s perfect for riding.

Some riders are on a single bike, while others are riding in groups.

Please be aware and look twice in your side mirrors because it could mean saving a life.

Wait, Stop, Hold the Presses!

While writing this essay, I had to stop due to a health emergency. My husband had to rush me to the emergency room on Sunday, March 19, 2023, with severe right-sided stomach pain and nausea.

I’d been having some stomach issues for a few weeks and thought it was the stomach flu or that it was just uncomfortable due to something I’d been eating over the past few weeks.

After what seemed to be three very long hours, I was diagnosed with appendicitis. They had me in the operating room by 10:30 pm and in the recovery room around 11:30 am. I was in a room by 2:00 am. After spending the night in the hospital, I was discharged and sent home.

Of course, recovering from surgery isn’t easy for me. I’m always busy doing something. From cleaning the house, watching my youngest grandchildren, working, writing, and whatever else comes my way.

So now, I’m trying to relax and recover. I keep telling myself to slow down, stress less, worry less, relax more, sit back, and smell the newly bloomed flowers. However, my brain is not cooperating with the idea.

While I’m recovering it’s the perfect time to practice frequency healing. One of my favorite after-surgery healing videos is Post Surgery Healing Music. Sometimes I just lay down and listen to it even without anything medical going on. You should give it a try.

In conclusion, spring will always arrive, and time will move forward leaving each one of us to figure out how, where, and when to begin our rejuvenating process.

My special thanks go out to Ravyne Hawke on Medium for doing her Promptly Written Challenges on Medium.com.

I am looking forward to participating in more of these writing prompts and challenges.

Gain The Advantage!

Alicia Osmera

Self Care Sunday’s Series; Burnout In The Workplace

Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and ineffectiveness in the workplace, and by chronic negative responses to stressful workplace conditions. 

Burnout is more likely when employees:

  • Expect too much of themselves.
  • Never feel that the work they are doing is good enough.
  • Feel inadequate or incompetent.
  • Feel unappreciated for their work efforts.
  • Have unreasonable demands placed upon them.
  • Are in roles that are not a good job fit.

In this article titled; “Workplace Strategies For Mental Health” by Canadian Life, the writer offers many signs that an employer should be aware of. Of course we all want the productive and happy employee’s in our workplaces. However; due to what’s been happening with the COVID 19 Coronavirus pandemic employers need to become more aware of their employee’s mental health needs.

On my Facebook page, I asked this question

If you’re still working, what’s your company doing to help boost mental health and moral?
What would you want to see from management that would let you know they care about you?

The comments were very interesting. One person stated,

” We were provided with company logo masks, disinfectant sprays, extra pay for the month of April”.

Some people are receiving an extra bonus for working during this time because they were deemed to be an essential worker, yet others left the impression that management was ignoring their health and well-being.

Recognize signs and symptoms

Your employees may not realize that they are dealing with signs of being burned out on the job.

Some of the signs and symptoms that an employee experiencing burnout may exhibit include:

  • Reduced efficiency and energy
  • Lowered levels of motivation
  • Increased errors
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Irritability
  • Increased frustration
  • Suspiciousness
  • More time spent working with less being accomplished

Severe burnout can also result in:

  • Self-medication with alcohol and other substances
  • Sarcasm and negativity
  • Debilitating self-doubt

Are you a Psychologically Safe Leader?

Take the assessment

Granted this article is written from the Canadian workforce perspective however, I find it can apply to any leadership team or managers anywhere.

As a manager where I work, I’ve found myself with feelings of frustration, inadequacy at times to perform the functions of my job, and anger at the owner and senior management for not showing the staff how anything they really care about them or their mental health.

Make your employees feel special

Leave your employees an email or little notes saying something like “Hey we are thinking about you and we’re doing everything possible to help all of us make it through this pandemic together”.

Don’t become one of those owners or bosses like an Ebenezer Scrooge.

Dig deep into your own pocketbook if you have to and show them you care!

Life is hard enough without having a pandemic in it. Choose to show kindness, understanding, and patience with your employees and make them happy and proud to be your employees.

Please leave a comment.

Gain The Advantage,

Alicia Osmera