The holidays are right around the corner and your to-do list is probably starting to pile up. Of course, we all love the twinkling lights and precious family time that comes with celebrating together, but for now, it’s time to prepare. As you start going down your to-do list, it can become overwhelming - especially when you’re welcoming guests into your home. Don’t stress, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick guide to getting ready for company.

1. Cleaning: Resist the urge to start your spring cleaning now. Between gift buying, cooking and holiday activities, you want to leave time to enjoy this time of year! We understand that once you start tidying up, it can be a slippery slope to a full clean out of the entire attic or basement. In a word, try to keep it simple. First, focus on decluttering. If it’s on a surface and it’s not decorative or functional, it’s got to go. This will instantly give it that more put-together feel.
   
   
2. Next, put your energy towards the spaces where guests will spend most of their time - think the kitchen, bathrooms, and the family room. Skip scrubbing the grout and dusting in between the blinds, you can save that for after the new year! Use a multi-surface cleaning spray so you don’t have to switch between five different surface sprays. Freshen fabrics and other surfaces with this eco-friendly biodeodorizer. It’s safe to use around both kids and pets, and you won’t have to worry about noxious odors with its subtle fragrance.
   
   Last area - floors. Use this floorwash on almost anything - wood, ceramic, concrete, you name it! The friendly bacterias in it eradicate muck and grime completely. As an added bonus, you’ll get a deep cleaning in your drain lines as this keeps working after you pour the mop water down the sink.

   
   

3. Sanitize: It can be a little stressful when you’re traveling elsewhere for the holidays or finally gathering in small groups. Put your guests’ minds at ease and place some bottles of alcohol-based hand cleanser throughout the house. You can put them near your entrance, on your dining table, in the guest room and in other common places so visitors can frequently cleanse. For bonus host points, treat your guests to a comfortable feeling, rather than an overly drying sanitizer experience. Our Rinse Free Hand Cleanser includes organic aloe vera, provitamin B5 and organic D-alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) that will leave their skin feeling more supple. In two convenient sizes, it’s free from methanol and contains 70% alcohol.
   
   
4. Don’t forget your pets! We know how it goes - you get sidetracked in the kitchen and run out of time to bathe the dog. But, chances are that your guests will want to spend time with your pets too. Oh no, dog smell! If you need to save the grooming for another time, make it easy with a quick spritz. Your guests will appreciate your pet’s delicate scent and soft coat when they greet them at the door!

Bonus tip: If you’d rather not sit down to dinner smelling like a clove of garlic, try out this multipurpose stainless steel bar. Rub it between your hands to remove pungent odors, and even on your pets. The contoured nubs work to remove lingering scents and doubles as a mini massage.

Most importantly, remember that your guests are there to see you. The kinship of the holidays and shared feasts overshadows that one section of grout you missed that will distract you until the last visitor pulls out of the driveway. We promise, you’re the only one who noticed.

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Make Your Holidays Sustainable With Eco-Friendly Decor

Simple Tips to Detox Your Home

How many times have you downloaded an app, excited for it to deliver anything from an increase in productivity to a decrease in stress, yet after just two days in - you’re out? We get it, but maybe the app you chose just wasn’t a good fit. To help you give it another try, we did the research and rounded up our favorites in a few top categories. 

We chose them based on reviews, accessibility, price, and offerings - so whether it’s wanting to up your fitness routine, learn how to meditate, or get more sleep, we’ve searched high and low to share the best of the best. 

Some are free and some have a low monthly fee, so if you have room in your budget alongside Netflix and Prime, we think they’re worth it for the extra content and support they provide. 

In the end, the real deal breaker as to whether an app will work is if you not only download it but actually use it - and the only person who can help you with that is, well, you. Set a goal within the app, then create space in your calendar to follow the program, videos, etc. and commit to it for at least 30 days to see and feel results. 

Best of luck, we know you can do it!

Meditation

If you’ve ever tried to meditate on your own and declared you’re “not good at it,” we urge you to try again. Not only is meditation an amazing way to stay present and calm your nervous system, it can also help you sleep. These apps have guided meditations that help you stay focused and relaxed all at once.

• Headspace: 14 days free, then $5.83 per month
• Insight Timer: Free

Sleep

We all know how important a good night’s sleep is, yet it’s something so many of us are lacking. Try these apps to not only track your sleep, but set gentle wake up reminders, detect snoring, and even play relaxing sleep sounds to lull you into next level slumber.

• Sleep Cycle: Free with in app purchases
• Calm: Free trial then $69.99 a year

Nutrition

Sticking to a healthy eating routine isn’t always easy, but having a pocket nutritionist and endless recipes at your fingertips make it so much easier. These apps not only have amazing recipes, nutrition guides, and calorie trackers, but they also offer workout videos.

• Deliciously Ella: Free 7 day trial, then $9.99 a month
• My Fitness Pal: Free with tons of tools, upgrade for more personalized data at $49 a year

Fitness

Staying on track with exercise is something many people struggle with, so using an app that guides you through workouts you can do from your living room, in under 20 minutes, is a gift. These apps offer everything from strength training to guided runs and help you track your workouts so you have a record of what you’ve done each week.

• Pear Fitness: Free with in app upgrades
• Nike Training: Free

Yoga/Pilates/ Hybrid

If you’re looking for more of a mind/body workout, these apps offer great classes, some even incorporating strength training moves that get you not only flexible, but also strong. Plus many of the classes end with meditation for an all-in-one experience.

• Alomoves: Free trial, then $20 a month
• Gaia Yoga: Free trial, then $11.99 a month / $99 a year

BONUS: Goal Setting

Here’s the thing- you can set the loftiest of wellness goals, but if you don’t keep track of getting them done, there’s less of a chance you’ll stick with them, so we’ve included a bonus app that helps you do just that. Whether it’s drinking more water, walking your dog to get in your steps, or avoiding sugar during the week, Streaks can help you follow your progress.

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Yoga At Your Desk

How Affirmations Can Change Your Life

What strengthens your connection to pets more than the yummy treats you give them or the sloppy kisses they give you? Cuddles! Cuddling with your dog or cat builds up your relationship with each other.

With all that floof, our pups and kittens seem to be made for cuddling! No doubt, you’ve experienced all the love that your furry friend can give. But did you know that your love of cuddles also gives benefits to the object of your affections? From you to your canine to your feline, you’re all receiving a positive impact from snuggling up on the couch.

Scientifically speaking, when you are physically close to your pet, your brain, and theirs releases Oxytocin, the love hormone. That’s why you get all those warm and fuzzy feelings!

For the Humans:

Cuddling with your pet has endless benefits for your health. It can relieve depression and make you feel happier. This is due to two neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, that are released when snuggling. Plus, it lowers your levels of cortisol, the hormone that is responsible for all the not-so-good feelings like anxiety. So, maybe take a few minutes before a long, stressful day to cuddle up with your furry companion.

For the Canines:

It’s no surprise that your dog cuddles up next to you because they absolutely adore you. They consider you their person, so nothing feels better than being close to you. Rewind to earlier times when dogs used to stay close to other dogs and their owners when they needed to keep warm in cold weather. This habit has stayed true to many breeds of dogs today. In addition, this is one of the ways that canines show their affection and bond with you. Remember, dogs are pack animals like us. Some need the same physical touch and companionship to feel happy. Without it, dogs can slip into depression and higher feelings of stress. Cuddling with your dog can also help you stay in tune with their health. While petting them, you’ll be able to observe them from head to toe. Bumps, bad smells, or sensitive areas will become apparent when you’re so close.

For the Felines:

Everyone is an individual, but generally, cats absolutely love and benefit from cuddling just as much as we do. In fact, they depend on your companionship! A new study shows that cats miss you when you’re gone. Even leaving them with an item with your scent on it does not alleviate their stress. They just want you! Another study revealed that cats would actually choose human companionship over their own food. Just like you, cuddling lessens symptoms of sickness and reduces feelings of stress. Even if your cat has behavioral issues, they’re more likely to decrease with daily pets and cuddles.

Remember, not all dogs or cats are fond of cuddles. But for those who are, you can feel comfort in knowing it benefits them as much as it does you. So, next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, cuddle up next to your sweet pup or kitten for a few minutes. You plus your cuddly companions is a combination for a longer, happier, and healthier life.

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

How Cats Help Your Health

The Many Health Benefits Of Living With Dogs

So you’ve done your research; you found your natural, clean skin care go-to’s and you’re on a journey to your best, healthiest skin yet. You’ve built a simple skin care routine based on nutrient-rich, hydrating, skin-barrier-protecting ingredients. Good work! No doubt you’ve spent countless minutes researching products online or asking friends for recommendations while wading through a seemingly endless ocean of skincare products and their claims. We’re so glad you made it here! 

You and your skin are worth the time and investment, so we chatted with Ashley Guttuso, a licensed holistic esthetician, to help you get the most out of your products and daily routine. We have answers for some of our most-asked questions; from “how much facial oil do I use?” to “what order do I apply my products in?” and more. Skincare 101 is now in session!

Q: How do I use bar soap as a facial cleanser? Should I use it twice per day?

Ashley: Cleansing your face with a solid bar of soap can definitely seem like an adjustment if you’re used to more traditional liquid cleansers, and understandably so! Bar soaps have been given a bad reputation. When you hear “bar soap” I bet your mind goes to a cheaply made, mass-produced, overly-drying bar that you’d typically buy at the drug or grocery store. The difference with a natural, hand-made bar cleanser like the Charcoal + Sea Salt Soap is that it’s superfatted meaning that during the soap making process, the soap retains more oils and is ultimately more moisturizing to your skin, unlike traditional bar soaps. 

I love to recommend using a bar cleanser once daily in the evening. When you’re ready to wash, wet your hands and rub the bar until you reach a creamy, sudsy lather. Add water as needed, but don’t hold your bar directly under water (following this method will help your bar last longer!). Check out my video below for another soap-saving tip!

Q: How should I store my bar soap after cleansing?

Ashley: Look for a dish or tray with drainage or deep grooves to help clear water away from the bar. Leaving your bar in water will make it soft and dissolve more quickly. 

Q: I love a sudsy lather when I’m cleansing my face, but I go through my liquid cleanser too quickly. How much should I really be using?

Ashley: To start, a good general rule is to cleanse once per day. I tend to see that people over-cleanse, and ultimately dry out their skin (often leading to excess oil production and congestion or breakouts) or cause skin irritation that can show up as tiny bumps, redness or dry patches. Try cleansing only during your evening routine and rely on warm water, toner, and moisturizer in the morning. While I can’t speak for all cleanser formulations, a dime-sized amount of Life’s Abundance Facial Cleanser will adequately cleanse skin. Watch the video for a good visual!

Q: My face feels oily after I apply my facial serum. Am I using too much?

Ashley: Oil and water; a magical skin duo! Let me explain. If you’re applying a facial oil to dry skin and left with a heavy feeling, or like the oil is sitting on top of your skin, introduce a water-based toner (or simply water) into the mix. Post cleanse, either leave skin damp with water, or mist skin with your favorite toner (nix any alcohol-based toners) and apply 2-4 drops of oil. The water will help your skin to absorb the product. Start with fewer drops of oil and add more as desired until you find your perfect balance. I’m a 3-drop of facial oil kind of gal!

Q: How much moisturizer should I use? My skin is currently oily.

Ashley: This is a great question for a few different reasons; one being that it’s definitely important to take your skin state (aka what your skin is experiencing at a certain point in time) into consideration and the second being that oily skin needs moisturizer, too! Start small - apply a chickpea-sized amount to your fingertips and apply to damp skin. Cover your face and neck. You’ll be able to feel if your skin needs more; add a small amount of moisturizer at a time until you’re feeling adequately moisturized.

For folks experiencing dryness, my favorite moisturizer tip is cocktailing your own! Apply a dime-sized amount of facial moisturizer to your fingers and add 1-2 drops of facial serum. Blend together and let your face and neck drink it up! As you would before applying your facial serum, be sure your skin is slightly damp with water or water-based toner before applying to deeper product absorption. 

Watch the video below for bonus tips!

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Everything You Need To Know About Skinimalism

Using Charcoal And Sea Salt Soap On Acne Prone Skin

At first, feeding your pet seems like a simple concept. Scoop out food, place in bowl, done. But if it were really that simple, how come we spend countless hours researching, debating, and reading about pet nutrition? Truth is, getting your pet’s diet just right means being aware of all the different factors that go into the right nutritional plan:

• Health status of the pet
• Current weight
• Age
• Breed
• Lifestyle

Take, for example, a cat named Charlie. At nine, he seemed to have a new lease on life- after being a bit of a couch potato, he couldn’t keep still- zooming around at all hours, and after years of being a bit on the larger side, he slimmed down to a svelte ten pounds.

Then nine.

Then eight.

His owners, assuming Charlie was simply experiencing a midlife burst of energy, gave him more food. It seems like a reasonable approach- but it didn’t fix Charlie’s weight loss. In this case, his weight loss and high energy was a byproduct of an undiagnosed medical condition. By the time his owners brought him to the vet, he was quite underweight, a symptom of his untreated thyroid tumor. With the right medication- AND the right food- he stabilized at his ideal weight.

Charlie’s thyroid disease is a good example of the complicated relationship between food and health. Does food cause health problems? Heal health problems? Maintain good health? The answer is, all of the above!

Weight: More than just a number

When performing a physical exam, the pet’s weight and their diet are noted. But knowing that a pet weighs twenty pounds doesn’t mean anything without some additional context- are we talking about a chihuahua or a lab mix? How does that number compare to the pet’s ideal weight?

Many veterinarians use a scoring system called the Body Condition Score. They use their eyes to assess the pet’s waist (or lack thereof), how visible the ribs are, and how much of a belly you can see from the side. They also use their hands to assess the amount of padding over the ribs. Putting those two together, they assign a number between one and nine. One is emaciated, nine is morbidly obese, and five is ideal. 

In a world where half of the country’s pets are overweight, you would probably not be surprised to know that the most common numbers assigned are six or seven. This triggers a conversation about weight management, diets, and exercise. But what happens when a pet is less than their ideal weight?

Assessing the underweight pet

1. History. When a pet’s body condition score is four or less, their history becomes very important. Have they always been on the lean side or have they recently lost weight? Has anything changed in their life- a move, a new food, a new pet? Getting a detailed health history helps the veterinarian figure out if this is primarily a problem with the pet not getting enough calories, or if it’s an indicator of a potential health problem.
   
   
2. Diagnostic tests. When a pet is dealing with an unexplained weight loss, vets use all of these clues to figure out whether or not they need to run some additional tests to look for health conditions. Diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, and- as in Charlie’s case- hyperthyroidism can be identified with some very simple bloodwork, allowing intervention and treatment if caught early. Others, such as certain cancers, may take more targeted diagnostics to identify. In all of these cases, unexplained weight loss is one of the earliest things noticed.
   
   
3. Nutrition Plan. Once the status of the pet’s health is known, picking the right food becomes clearer. Is this a very active pet who needs a more calorie-dense diet with lots of high-quality protein? That’s very different from a pet with kidney disease who needs lower protein percentages to ease the stress on the kidneys. Does the pet take medications or supplements? Those can impact nutrient absorption as well! It has a lot of moving parts. 
   
   Once all of these factors are put together, you and your vet will know the best food choice. But what to feed is only part one. How much to feed is just as important!
   
   Just like a pound of steak has more calories than a pound of lettuce, knowing how much food to feed depends very much on what food you’ve chosen- which is why “just feed him more!” is less helpful than it sounds. With the right information, nutrition label, and a calculator, your vet has the ability to calculate the exact amount of food right for your pet. 
   
   
4. Follow up. You’ve got your premium diet chosen; you know how much to feed. Now what? Follow up is key! Your vet will indicate when they want to check in and see how the pet is doing, and assess their weight change. Are they going in the right direction? Once they reach their ideal weight, does the plan change again?

Like so many things in life, how and what to feed your pet is never a simple answer, because our pets change over time, and so do their needs. The good news is, vets have gotten really good at identifying how to pick the right food at the right time. 

As Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” Sure, he probably wasn’t thinking of dogs and cats when he wrote that- but it still holds true. Here’s to a long life of health to you and your pets!

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

A Guide To Managing Your Dog's Weight

L-Carnitine And Dog Weight Loss

Did you know that when you shop at Life’s Abundance, a portion of the profits is set aside to fund the good works of our charitable non-profit, The Dr. Jane Foundation? Whether you’re ordering nutritional supplements for yourself or premium food, treats and supplements for your furry friends, your repeat business helps to save lives of homeless, abused and neglected animals across the U.S.

In addition to our year-round competitive grant funding, The Dr. Jane Foundation, provides emergency funds to immediately address the needs that arise from disasters such as floods and fires across the U.S. For many of the non-profits affected by disaster, their annual budget planning simply cannot stretch to meet the unexpected, and often widespread needs of their community.  Since 2007, we’ve impacted over 250 communities and given awards totaling nearly $400,000!

We’re pleased to inform you that our Board of Directors expedited emergency funding to two rescue organizations to help with disaster relief from Hurricane Ida.

Jefferson SPCA

Jefferson SPCA is a non-profit that promotes animal welfare in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Due to Hurricane Ida, nearly 100 pets were evacuated from the shelter by the Houston Humane Society. Even through over a week without power and being the height of their kitten season, they quickly resumed adoptions for their dogs, cats, kittens, bunnies, and guinea pigs. A tireless crew of staff and volunteers never missed a beat taking care of all of the animals. 

When they’re not responding to a post-storm emergency, the shelter takes in lost pets until their owners reclaim them, as well holds adoptions, low cost spay/neuter clinics and a TNVR program. One of their main missions is to prevent and address animal cruelty by investigating any complaints as well as provide care for homeless pets in the area. They’re also committed to the health of these companion animals by giving them life-saving medical treatment. 

Louisiana SPCA

Louisiana SPCA is the oldest animal welfare organization in the state and has impacted over 73,000 homeless and companion animals in its time. Before Hurricane Ida hit, the shelter transported nearly 200 animals out of the destructive path of the storm. These four-legged evacuees were sent to partner shelters across the country, and those that couldn’t be transported were safely secured. After the damage from Hurricane Ida, the shelter is in need of emergency funding to provide proper care to their animals. As of this writing, they are still closed to the public, yet still providing clinic, animal control services. They are also reuniting dozens of pets each week with their displaced families, recruiting foster families, and coordinating the transport of animals between shelters. In 2020 alone, they helped more than 3,000 pets find their forever homes. They care deeply and prioritize compassion when dealing with their animals. Establishing companionship between the owner and their animal is part of their core values along with humane ethics, transparency, investing in their volunteers, and much more. They focus on humane pet adoptions, rescues and affordable veterinary services across Louisiana.

For everyone who actively supports the vital work of our non-profit, The Dr. Jane Foundation, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Thanks to your personal donations and continued Life's Abundance patronage, together we are helping these animal rescue groups achieve their missions of making a positive difference in the world, one animal at a time.

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

CAMO Rescue: Finding Dogs Their Forever Home

Our Foundation Awards Funding to 10 Rescues

Pumpkin spice is in the air! Here we are in the beginning days of Fall and we are absolutely loving all things pumpkin. Especially our warm Pumpkin Protein Cookies made with our nutritious Chocolate Plant Protein.

These cookies make for a quick breakfast on the go for the whole family, or simply when you need to add a little sweetness to your day.

Servings: 8 large cookies

What you’ll need:

• Large cookie sheet
• Coconut oil to grease the baking sheet, if not using parchment paper
• 2 mixing bowls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of almond butter
• 1/2  cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1/4  cup raw honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups plain rolled oats
• 1 scoop of Life's Abundance Chocolate Plant Protein
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup almond flour or gluten-free flour of choice
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.
3. In a large bowl, mix the almond butter, pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla, and egg.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, Life’s Abundance Chocolate Plant Protein, baking soda, almond flour, chia seeds, and pumpkin pie spice.
5. Combine the oat mixture into the almond butter mixture.
6. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts.
7. Use an ice cream scoop, fill it halfway, and set cookies one to two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Press them down slightly with the back of the scoop and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
9. Keep them covered in the fridge, for up to 1 week.

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Chocolate & Berry Protein Smoothie Bowl

Protein Packed Brownie Cookies

Dark leafy greens, purple skinned fruit, omega-rich fish - we always try to include superfoods in our diet. You may have originally thought that these foods can only help us humans. But, did you know they’re extremely beneficial to our furry friends too?

What exactly are superfoods?

Superfoods are nutrient packed, antioxidant rich foods. They give you those maximum nutritional benefits, and even better - with less calories. The high levels of antioxidants in these foods help to decrease and neutralize free radicals that are in our body. That means they can potentially lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis and more.

Some other boosts they can provide are:

• Fiber, which can help in digestion and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
• Healthy fats, which give your body energy and improves your whole cardiovascular system.
• Vitamins, which are great for your overall well being and maintaining bodily functions.
• Phytochemicals, which, like antioxidants, can help reduce inflammation, keeping cells healthy.

Superfoods actually have the same benefits in our dogs too. With these foods built into their daily diet, you can give your pup that well-balanced meal and help them live their best lives!

Here are 5 superfoods that your furry friend can benefit from:

1. Eggs: We already know how great eggs are for us, so it’s no surprise that they’re on the list. Often referred to as “the perfect protein,” they have all the good stuff for your pup - vitamins A, D, E and K.
2. Blueberries: Not only are blueberries a great ingredient to include in their food, it’s also the perfect size for a quick, low-cal treat. They’re chock full of antioxidants and fiber, and as a bonus, they may support a youthful brain as dogs age.
3. Fish oil: Hello omega-3 fatty acids! Fatty acids aren’t produced naturally by your dog, so including fish oil in their diet will support the health of basically every cell in their body. From heart health to skincare, fish oil gives them the whole healthy package.
4. Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes carry tons of antioxidants! They’re also plentiful in vitamin A and vitamin C, which help maintain a healthy immune system, and fiber, which aids in their digestive system.
5. Flaxseed: Flaxseed is another superfood that’s full of omega-3 fatty acids, plus omega-6 fatty acids. With so many beneficial properties, this little powerhouse can help support  immune health.

So, when looking at premium dog foods, take a quick scan through the ingredient list for some of these highly beneficial superfoods. Remember, when choosing your dog’s food, the true quality of a food is hard to gauge from the label alone. At Life’s Abundance we place emphasis on ensuring that each ingredient is beneficial. Art comes into science when those ingredients work together, synergistically, to support your dog’s health. Your dog’s food should make them feel good, both inside and out!

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

What Should I Feed My Senior Dog?

Pet Food Super Powers

Have you ever woken up, before touching your feet to the floor, and immediately thought, “ugh…. ?”

Unfortunately, you’re not alone. A recent study has shown that only 14% of Americans are happy - but that doesn’t mean you should continue to be a card-carrying member of the Unhappy Club. You have the power to change your life every morning when you wake up, and we’ve got a great tool to help you do just that - daily affirmations.

Daily affirmations are a great tool to create the life we want, and have been proven to help us develop a positive mindset, where we are not only grateful for what we already have,  but that we believe we are worthy right now of what we want to cultivate in the future.

What exactly are affirmations?

Affirmations are positive statements that can be used to overcome negative and self-sabotaging thoughts. The theory is - the more you repeat them, the more you start to believe them, and that helps to create positive change in your life.

If you’re thinking this all sounds a bit “woo-woo,” and could never picture yourself practicing daily affirmations to train your mind, just think about how you might perform daily exercise to train your body - it’s not any different, and there is actual science behind it.

Many times we start our day off negatively because we’re in a state of lacking, and when we constantly have negative thoughts surrounding our appearance, our financial state, our relationships or our career, it affects our confidence, mood and mindset. The problem with constantly thinking negative thoughts, even in our subconscious, is that we start believing them.

The great news? Because you’re in control of your thoughts, words, and actions, you can ditch the Debbie Downer mindset, think the opposite, and create the reality you really want to be living in.

Research has shown that the subconscious mind plays a major role in the path our lives take and the actualization of our goals, as repeating positive statements can reprogram our thinking. What we tell ourselves on a subconscious level can have a significant impact on our self-esteem and therefore our motivation and determination, which ultimately nudges us to think and act differently so we can live our best lives.

Think about a day when you felt good about yourself - maybe you landed a new job, ran your first 5K or got a clean bill of health from the doctor. Can you remember how that one thing made you feel good about your entire life in general?  Maybe it gave you the motivation to eat healthier, to pitch a new client, or to finally ask out that person you’ve had your eye on at the coffee shop every morning. 

Daily affirmations can also simply be a reminder to be grateful or focus on the positive in every situation, or they can serve as a stepping stone to create incredible transformation. 

Research has studied the multiple benefits of daily affirmations. They can:

• Help you to perform better at work, even by just repeating to yourself that you are confident before a big meeting.
• Lessen the effects of stress. In one study, a short affirmation exercise boosted the problem-solving abilities of "chronically stressed" subjects to the same level as those with low stress.
• Decrease low self-esteem, depression, and other mental health conditions, as they have been shown to stimulate the areas in our brains that motivate us to create effective positive changes in regard to our health.
• Increase confidence and decrease negative attitudes. One study found that a stronger sense of self-worth makes you more likely to improve your own health, and using affirmations to boost your confidence helps to create that positive self-identity.

How to write your own affirmation: 

• Start in the first person, “I” or “I am....”
• Write your statement in the positive, for example, instead of saying, “Today I won’t be lazy or eat any bad foods,” say: “Today I will nourish my body with healthy food and exercise so I have lots of energy.”
• Write in the present, not in the future. This is where most people get caught up when starting because they don’t feel like they can repeat something that they don’t actually see as being true, but this is where rewiring our subconscious mind starts. So instead of saying, “When I get a new job and lose ten pounds I will be happy,” say, “ I am happy now at my job and in my current body.

If you’ve ever had someone tell you to “Fake it till you make it,” they were on to something. That last one has the most potential to create change, as studies show that if you act like something is already true, then it’s more likely to materialize in real life because you will start to take action as if it’s a reality.

Sample affirmations:

Today will be a productive day.
Each day, I am getting closer to achieving my goals.
My body is healthy; my mind is brilliant; my soul is tranquil.
My relationship is becoming stronger, deeper, and more stable each day.
I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful.
My business is growing, expanding, and thriving.
My potential to succeed is infinite.
I acknowledge my own self-worth; my confidence is soaring.
Everything that is happening now is happening for my ultimate good.
The perfect partner for me is coming into my life sooner than I expect.

Right now, pick one area in your life where you’d like to create change and either write your own or choose an affirmation from the list above, then commit to repeating it to yourself every morning for at least a week.

Write it on a post-it, make a graphic for your phone screen, or even program your Alexa to make it your morning alarm, and then say it out loud. However you commit to repeating your affirmation daily, we promise it will make you feel more confident, more powerful, and ultimately happier!

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Don't Disconnect, Decrease

Journaling For Your Self Improvement

In the world of pet ownership, it only takes a couple of words to conjure up a visceral, sensory memory. “Dog breath.” “Wet dog.” “Cat pee.” Each compellingly icky in its own way, we spend billions of dollars a year trying to combat the lingering effects of these phenomena. So today, let’s delve deeper into the world of cavernous canals and explore how we deal with these two words: stinky ears. If you know, you know.
 
Ear cleanings are one of the most common requests we get at the vet clinic. From your vantage point as a pet owner peering into the ear, you really can’t assess the health of the ear with the tools you have. It can be hard to know whether you should be doing maintenance ear cleaning or trying to treat an ear infection without some professional guidance. So let’s start with the basics.

Anatomy Of An Ear

Most of us know at least one person who got sent to the ER because they stuck something (cotton swab, pencil, etc) too far into their ear canal and ended up injuring their eardrum. Dogs and cats have a different anatomy which makes this much harder to do - not that you should try! In fact, I’m about to explain why sticking a cotton swab in your pet’s ear isn’t something you probably need to do at all.

First things first: For our purposes, everything we can impact or treat as pet owners counts as the “External ear canal.” This starts at the outside of the ear (the pinna) all the way up to the eardrum. Both the middle ear and the inner ear are on the inside of the eardrum, and that’s where all the little bones and structures that are responsible for hearing and balance live. Unless the eardrum is ruptured due to trauma or disease, that’s not an area you can clean or medicate. So when you’re cleaning the ears or treating an ear infection with drops, you’re treating an infection of the external ear canal.

In dogs and cats, the external ear canal consists of three parts: the pinna, the vertical ear canal, and the horizontal ear canal. In people, the ear canal is one straight line from pinna to eardrum, but in dogs and cats the ear canal takes a 90 degree turn about halfway in. This means there’s a lot more opportunity for debris, fluid, and moisture to get trapped and build up around that bend.

It also means that if you put a cotton swab into the part you can access (the vertical canal), a very likely outcome is pushing ear gunk further into the horizontal canal, compounding any problems your pet may be experiencing, especially when that gunk is sticky.

How To Clean Your Pet’s Ears The Right Way

The best way to clean a pet’s ears is with the right ear cleaner designed specifically for this purpose. Never use peroxide, which is highly irritating! By using a pet friendly ear cleaner, the liquid can get into both the horizontal and vertical ear canal, and dissolve or loosen up any sticky debris. 

I like to warm the ear cleaner bottle up by putting it in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water. Once you fill the ear up with the liquid, you give ‘em a nice squishy ear massage, breaking up all the dirt inside without actually having to put anything into the ear canal. Then step back because your pet will usually shake all the dissolved goo on you, your clothes, and your carpet. (Having a towel nearby or doing this in the tub is wise.) Then, you can use a cotton swab or cotton ball to clean up the parts of the ear you can see as the cleaner drains out. 

When To See The Vet

This routine ear cleaning is something you can do weekly, monthly, or in conjunction with bathing. This is best done as a maintenance routine to keep healthy ears looking and feeling their best.

If you think your pet has an ear infection, make sure you check with your vet before embarking on the cleaning process. Signs include:

• Shaking their head
• Pawing at their ears
• Resisting any handling of the ears
• Smelly discharge
• Large amounts of discharge, ranging from dark brown to yellow or red
• Reddened ear canal

Doing an otoscopic exam at the vet office is a quick and super important step in determining if your pet has a problem. It’s one of the most common reasons we see pets at the office, and very rewarding to help an uncomfortable pet feel so much better!

• Your vet will want to examine the ear to see if there is an infection, foreign body, mass, or ruptured eardrum.
• Ear infections require the right medication to treat yeast, bacteria, or both.
• Medicated ear cleaners can make the process even easier.
• For very dirty ears, it’s helpful to have the veterinary team do a “deep clean” first so the medication can penetrate more easily.
• If the pet has very painful or ulcerated ears, you’re not going to be able to clean or medicate them- this may require sedation or oral medications to help get the ears to the point you can put in topical meds.
• Sometimes ear infections are a part of a larger disease process, such as allergies.

For healthy ears, cleaning with a gentle ear cleaner is all you usually need to keep stinky ears at bay. Stick those cotton swabs back in the drawer and enjoy your snuggles!

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

All You Need To Know About Bathing Your Pet

Bad Dog Breath: Checking Your Pup's Oral Hygiene