Welcome
Hello Friends.
Thanks for tuning in to Twelve Minute Health Bits. This is your host, Christen Hull, providing health and wellness support for the 21st century. We will be talking about using simple methods from today and centuries ago to keep our bodies healthy. Our goal is to daily stay “Above the Wellness Line.” In this podcast I will be giving you tips and tricks on how to daily make small changes to your life in order to keep your body well.
Episode 37 - Kicking Anxiety in the A$$
We are going to be continuing our discussion about what you can do to help support your mental health when things are rough. I know just like everyone else, we cannot control our situations, when things are hard, and what happens to us on a daily basis. All of those things, for some people, get so overwhelming, and it really has an affect on your mental health. So, I am trying to give you little bits and pieces, and glimpses into what other people do to help them with their mental health if they have racing thoughts, or things piling up in a way they cannot control. So, with those bits and pieces that other people are doing, I hope that in this capacity, it will help you with your journey toward healing and hope when it comes to controlling your thoughts and what you can do. Hopefully this information will help prevent you from going into that spiral of everything being out of control.
Recent Book
A book that I just picked up is called Kicking Anxiety in the A$$ ...a little at a time by Stacy Tiegs (2020). In this book she talks about her story. How she brought her family, everyone being on a prescription antidepressant or antianxiety medication, to understanding about the body and how everything works together. When you take something that is just going to treat one symptom, you are not getting to the root cause of the problem and so what Stacy (2020) discusses in here is how she got to the root cause of the issue with her kids, with her husband, and with herself, and how she really took control of her family’s health. I think this is so admirable! Her health journey is just amazing.
One of the stories in her book specifically, I am going to read for you. This story starts on page 9 of Stacy Tiegs (2020) book Kicking Anxiety in the A$$.
Emily had always been quiet and introverted, but when she really started tuning us out and her grades started to drop, I knew there was a bigger issue. We watched her slowly isolate herself and completely withdraw from social activities. We tried a few support groups that were totally ineffective. Attending groups may have made us a little more aware of our issues as parents, but we honestly didn’t connect with other families that well. Being in a large circle talking about our problem was not giving us the answers we sought.
We were busy; not neglectful by any means, but you know, we were just like any other mother and father. We were raising children the best we knew how while working full time to support our family. We worked to demonstrate hard work and good ethics to our kids, and for the most part, they respected both of us. So from the very beginning, we often wondered what Emily could possibly have to be depressed about. As the months continued, there was no denying she needed help.
As Emily entered the 7th grade, we took her in for a mental check-up at the clinic. That led to the diagnosis of anxiety and depression, and Emily was on a daily medication at the age of thirteen. A few months after she started the medications, her jaw problems began to worsen. I took her to a specialist, and he told me he had never seen a girl her age with such tight jaw muscles. She had an extreme case of TMJ. That made my heart break. WHY was my sweet girl clenching so badly? As the months rolled on, we booked appointments with more specialists, endured constant hours of eclectic stimulation and chiropractic care, and tried every mouth appliance known to mankind. We had no idea the muscle pain could also be tied to emotions and anxiety and depression. We spent thousands of dollars in vain researching the symptoms, but failed to seek the root cause.
It felt as though we were on a roller coaster ride from hell. Some days weren’t so bad. But some days, Emily didn’t come home from school. Now at 16, she was ignoring all the rules and doing what she wanted when she wanted. Emily even threw parties when Tom and I would leave for the weekend. We would come home and find evidence of some serious ragers. Having an in-ground pool made it a fun place for everyone - especially when the parents are gone. The potential liability we could have been responsible for was too awful to even think about. When the neighbors told me there were cars coming in and out, kids blaring music (probably drinking), and kids jumping from our roof down into the pool, I really was starting to wonder where we went wrong. I was living a parent’s nightmare.
How had we allowed the situation to get this bad? We tried many common forms of discipline. Grounding her never really worked, nor did taking away her phone. In fact, pretty much everything we tried only seemed to make things worse. The harsh reality was that we were just busy, young and naive parents who didn’t even realize there was a problem until Emily was out of control.
I am going to jump ahead now to page 18, to the section entitled, “Miracles Really Do Happen.”
One day as I was working, a beautiful woman walked into my store. I remember she was holding a little pink bottle of something in her hand. She wore a white coat, and I swear she had a halo over her head just like an angel. Her name was Jewels. I remember that moment clear as day. There was nobody else in the store, and I actually remember being happy I had time to be present with her. She sat up at my Bead Bar and we chatted for a long time, and then she told me about essential oils. These were brand new to me, but she said she taught classes and thought my store would be a perfect place for one. At the time, they looked expensive, so I didn’t really take her seriously until I smelled that bottle of Joy she was holding. She gave me an experience that day, and I will never forget it.
I enrolled in Young Living in 2012, and this is when I finally learned there was a better way. I listened to Jewels and hosted an oils class in my store, and I had no idea that all of the free education I received that night would change the course of my family’s life forever.
From my previous involvement in other network marketing companies, five to be exact, this was a completely different experience. There wasn’t anything salesey about it. Not one thing. I was worried about the cost though. I never thought about the “worth” of something, just about the money going out. I thought, “oh man, if it’s natural, it’s going to cost me more.” That word natural just sounded expensive. But during the class, she shared valid points and hit home with crazy awesome testimonies. All of a sudden the price tag didn’t matter. The stories I heard about emotions and how this could help my Emily was all that mattered. How can you put a price tag on that? Jewels knew I had a need, and she offered possible solutions - so I signed up with a kit. Thank God someone opened my mind to something different because God knew I needed a plan. He also knew I needed to become more teachable.
So Stacy goes on to talk about her family’s story in this book and it really is powerful. On page 26, there is a section called “Break Free.” She says,
Ever since I’ve learned about functional medicine, my thoughts and beliefs are so different - and so is my life. I simply changed my thoughts, which changed my beliefs, and therefore changed actions. And now I am experiencing completely different results.
People typically don’t just wake up one day feeling depressed with anxiety. Rather, depression can get hold of a person in many different ways. There are so many factors that can become part of the bigger problem. It’s not just one thing.
Whether the mental illness is caused by a traumatic event or it’s generational, many of the steps towards healing involve making small changes. Along the way, you are bound to think these little changes can’t possibly make a difference. But let me tell you, these little things that you think don’t matter, do matter. In order for things to change, you have to change. As you go along, you will begin to grasp how important these little things are.
If you feel weak and inadequate, just take smaller steps. You’ll soon be surprised at where you find yourself when you keep going.
If you truly are ready to break free, continue on with me to page 27 of Stacy Tiegs’ book. Please watch “Science of Thought” by Dr. Carolyn Leaf which is a YouTube video.
Dr. Leaf is an expert regarding the mind-brain connection and how memories affect mental health. This video is a first step to understanding how your past and present thoughts determine your emotional and physical well being.
Something that is so important that I want to end this episode is on page 29, when Stacy Tiegs talks about empowering yourself and your children.
We have to learn how to empower ourselves and our children and build them up like it’s nobody’s business. Ditching those old thought patterns and speaking positive language into their hearts and mind is where it starts. Remember, you are your thoughts, and your subconscious never forgets.
We conscientiously need to be speaking positive and uplifting things into our children everyday. It’s not about saying, “Great job” every five minutes, but really stepping into the moment, looking them in the eye and speaking from your heart. Tell them they are beautiful and speak of the good in everything they do.
She says one of her favorite quotes is “speak to your children as if they are the wisest, kindest, most beautiful and magical humans on earth, for what they believe is what they will become.” This quote is from Brooke Hampton.
That is all that I am going to share with you today. We are going to continue on in Stacy Tiegs’ book in another episode. In the next episode we are going to be talking about a technique that she suggests to help you shift your thoughts and feelings from ruling your lives. We are going to move into that in the next couple episodes. Thank you so much for joining me.
Say with me the positive affirmation of the week: “I can control my thoughts and actions.”
If you would like to pick up a copy of Stacy Tiegs’ book www.discoverlsp.com is a great resource. That is Life Science Publishers and they have great resources for those looking for a more natural lifestyle. Have a great day. Be well and be blessed my friends.
Conclusion
Hey Friends.
Thank you for tuning in to this resource from Twelve Stones Health and Wellness with Christen Hull. If you have an idea for an upcoming episode, send it my way, I would be happy to explore the topic. If you are interested in more information on becoming a member of Young Living and receiving the benefits of synthetic chemical free living in your home, please talk to the person who shared this podcast with you or, visit my website at www.twelve-stones.net. If you find this resource helpful, I encourage you to enjoy and share this podcast. Please do not alter the content in any way or charge for this resource.
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