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National Stress Awareness Day- 11 Ways To Reduce Stress and Overwhelm in Your Life

 

It’s National Stress Awareness Day

We want to share with you 10 Ways To Reduce Stress and Overwhelm in Your Life.

Life Is About Choices

The great American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote a letter to his daughter, who was worried about a mistake she had made. This is what it said:

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders, losses, and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as possible.

Emerson’s quote reminds us that we must give ourselves permission to make a few mistakes, be imperfect, and “fall off of the wagon” from time to time. Do not let stress and mishaps prevent you from moving forward. Accept what you were able to accomplish and leave yesterday in the past.

An article in Medical News Today discusses how “overwhelm and stress, in common terms, is a feeling people have when they are overloaded and struggling to cope with demands. These demands can be related to finances, work, relationships, and other situations, but anything that poses a real or perceived challenge or threat to a person’s well-being can cause stress.”

You may not always control what happens daily, but you can practice healthy habits to manage stress.

10 Ways to Reduce Stress and Overwhelm in your life Mother Trucker Yoga BLog image stress

11 Ways You To Reduce Stress and Overwhelm in Your Life:

Today is November 2 2022, and National Stress Awareness Day; we all get stressed from time to time. The issue is that many of us have never adopted ways to reduce the stress in our lives, so we have normalized it.

Our body is set up to help us succeed and reduce stress. The parasympathetic nervous system is part of the body’s autonomic nervous system. Its partner is the sympathetic nervous system, which control’s the body’s fight or flight response. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the body’s ability to relax. It’s sometimes called the “rest and digest” state. Yet many of us are not taking the time to utilize our body’s built-in systems. Below are 11 simple and fast ways to help you reduce stress and step into the parasympathetic nervous system.

Reducing Stress Fast – National Stress Awareness Day

1. Get up a few minutes earlier than planned and take some time to be silent, meditate, and visualize how your day will be great. Here at Mother Trucker Yoga- trucking yoga is all about finding the small pockets of time to reduce stress and get moving.

2. Allow others to help you. If they did not want to help, they shouldn’t have asked. And that, my friend, is not your concern.

3. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent enormous trouble, concern, and pain. Ask yourself: “is what I am about to say helping or hurting”? And go from there.

4. Eat right. Start with one right choice. An apple. A glass of water. No need to bulldoze your life today. Just add in one new food or drink more water and see where it takes you.

5. Listen to relaxing music or guided meditations (Check out M.T.Y.’s guided meditations made just for drivers).

You can choose what you listen to. 6. Choose uplifting or motivating broadcasts or shows. Stay away from music, radios, and entertainment that only causes more pain, confusion, agitation, and anger.

7. Laugh—every single day. Laugh. Laugh so hard you cry. And better yet, laugh with a friend. Laughter releases endorphins that you desperately need to stay happy.

8. Surround yourself with people who lift you rather than tear you down.

9. Take ONE DEEP BREATH before you say or do anything more.

10. Be kind to unkind people. Kindness matters. Being kind doesn’t mean you agree with them or even want to be their best friend. But if you won’t be helpful, then who will be?

11. Meditate, pray, practice trucking yoga and good driver fitness practices. When was the last time you unplugged with something that would plug you back in? Make sure you check out Mother Trucker Yoga LIFESTYLE JUMPSTART Membership Platform & APP, where drivers just like you can come together and get fit- inside and out right from the cab of your truck.

12. Living over the road, where your home, office, kitchen, the vehicle is, all the same, can be overwhelming and stressful. Stress can cause headaches, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and negatively affect our immune system. Faith-based anxiety treatment can be a source of advice. We all know that pressure is not suitable for us physically or mentally. However, how do we keep stress from manifesting in our daily lives?

Mother Trucker Yoga Lifestyle Jumpstart Membership Platform and APP

Finding the best overwhelm, stress relief strategies, and trucking yoga for optimal driver fitness doesn’t have to be elaborate or take forever. But you might have to try something and then see how it works for a few days or weeks; if not, move on to the next thing. Do not give up if one doesn’t work; move on and try another. However, it is essential to keep looking for the tools to help you manage life’s ups and downs healthily. Keeping stress at a manageable level is vital for your overall well-being. You deserve it!

Surround yourself with people that support you in your journey, and leave behind those that do not. You will not regret it. Too many people in today’s world have come to normalize stress. Do not be that person. Identify your stress triggers and then take action to dismantle that stress. It may feel like work in the beginning, but in the end, you will feel the effects of a happier, healthier life.

Resources: 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.php

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Hey Driver: 6 Hints on Downsizing Your Home Without Stress

Many people find themselves in a difficult position when downsizing their homes. They want to declutter and simplify their lives, but they want to avoid dealing with the stress of doing it all at once. And as a driver, you may be considering selling your home and living on the road 100% of the time; you may be relocating, downsizing, or just feeling like you have too much stuff. We live in a world where stuff somehow equals more happiness. But you might be surprised that downsizing creates more clarity and stress-free life. 

If you are stressed, overwhelmed, and feel like when you do go home, you are frustrated and have no time for downtime or family? It might be time to shift gears and downsize your home life.

Hey, driver are six hints on how to downsize your home without stress:

 

1) Start small and work your way up:

Downsizing your home can happen in stages. Start small by decluttering one room or area of your home, and then work your way up. This will help you get used to living with less and make the process less overwhelming. You don’t need to do something 1 one swoop. Take it in small stages. Make a game plan to have the freedom and time to do what you love most. 

 

In addition, try to do only some things at a time. Take your time and focus on one task at a time. This will help you stay organized and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

 

2) Get rid of items you no longer need or use:

One of the best ways to downsize your home is to eliminate items you no longer need or use. If you last used something a year ago, chances are you don’t need it. So, get rid of it!
I know it’s hard, but clutter weighs on your mental well-being, and when left to pile up you have stress and anxiety you don’t even know where it came from. 

 

For example, you can have a garage sale, sell items online, or donate them to a local charity. This will help you declutter your home and make it feel more spacious.

 

3) Don’t be afraid to ask for help:

Downsizing your home can be a lot of work, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you have family or friends willing to help, let them! They can help you sort through your belongings and remove items you no longer need.

 

There are professional services that can help you downsize your home. For example, you can hire a company specializing in decluttering and organizing. This can take a lot of stress off you and give you more time to spend with loved ones. If you don’t feel like you have the time and don’t want to do it yourself, consider having someone else do it for you.

 

Hey Driver: 6 Hints on Downsizing Your Home Without Stress Mother Trucker Yoga Image

4) Create a floor plan:

Before you start downsizing your home, creating a floor plan is a good idea. This will help you determine what furniture and belongings to keep and what can be removed. When creating a floor plan, leave plenty of empty space. This will allow you to add new furniture or belongings as you downsize.

 

For instance, the living area might need a sofa, a coffee table, and a few chairs. The bedroom might need a bed, dresser, and nightstand. And the kitchen might need a table, chairs, appliances, and cookware.

 

5) Make sure you have enough storage:

One of the challenges of downsizing your home is finding enough storage for your belongings. This is why removing items you don’t need or use is essential. However, you will still need to find a place to store the things you do want to keep.

 

For example, if you’re downsizing from a house to an apartment, you might consider renting a storage unit such as https://www.storagearea.com. This will give you extra space for your belongings and allow you to keep them safe.

 

6) Be prepared for emotions:

Downsizing your home can be an emotional experience, so it’s essential to be prepared for it. You may feel sentimental about specific items or attached to things you no longer need.

 

In conclusion, downsizing your home doesn’t have to be stressful. Follow these tips, and you can declutter and simplify your life without drama.

 

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Trucking Yoga: How to Use Mindfulness When You Are Stressed Out?

Stress is a card we’re all dealing with these days— from deadlines and personal problems to traffic and unhealthy work-life balances. Here’s the surprise: mindfulness can help. Now, if you’re wondering what mindfulness exactly is, it’s the act of focusing on the present without judgment. This act is taught with many other activities such as trucking, yoga, and meditation and can have lasting effects in helping you de-stress. Let us tell you how to use mindfulness when you are stressed out.

Five best ways to use mindfulness when you are stressed out

You become aware of your thoughts.

Being tuned to what is happening inside your head and thoughts can help you unwind. You can step back and view them instead of taking them quite literally. This way, your stress response is not triggered, and you can take a backseat from being stressed.

Try to focus on what you’re thinking without judging or reacting to those thoughts. Acknowledge their presence and know that your thoughts do not control you, but instead, you control them!

Reaction becomes response

Sometimes, when you’re faced with a stressful situation, you react in its heat. And then comes regret. Mindfulness and trucking yoga make you pause for a moment and use your “wise mind” to assess the situation. Then you’re not just removing yourself from a panicking situation but also making a smart move on your part.

You are sensitive to your body’s needs.

Some forms of mindfulness, such as a body scan, can help you be attentive to your body. Are you asking yourself how that works? 

Here’s the answer: you focus on each of your body parts, focusing on how you feel there without any reactions or judgment. This helps you notice underlying tension in muscles or any pain that might have been brushed off during stressful days. 

Acknowledging an issue is already half the battle won, and you can take measures such as trucking yoga to release yourself from the pain.

You become aware of others’ emotions.

The entire practice of mindfulness is based on high focus; hence your focus; on the emotions of others can also help you contain a stressful environment. You are much more open to caring and understanding other’s emotions behind their responses to you, and once more, you can make smarter decisions with binocular vision.

You focus better

We’ve said this so much already, but we want to emphasize it repeatedly. Mindfulness helps you focus better! Not only is this an essential virtue of problem-solving, but you can understand what is causing you the stress. 

Focus is an important quality to have, especially if your career requires it, and mindfulness can help you get ahead!

Conclusion

Mindfulness, along with other trucking yoga practices, is a crucial tool to use in times of stress and panic. They allow you the space to breathe and calculate fall damage in a third-person POV, so you don’t make abrupt reactions in critical moments. We’ve collected some of the best reasons mindfulness can help, and implementing these will give you the boost you need! Now you know how to use mindfulness when you are stressed out.

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How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health When You Are Out On The Road

As a truck driver, you may feel like you spend most of your time behind the wheel, except for brief interactions at rest stops and destinations.

 

Isolation from one’s social circle is only one component of the whole picture of mental health. And not only for drivers of large trucks, but for everyone. Truck drivers, like those in many other professions, are susceptible to the same factors that might negatively influence their mental health.

 

It is OK to not feel okay for various reasons, including a lack of physical exercise, loneliness, and stress, to mention a few. While each of these emotions is perfectly acceptable in and of themselves, experiencing them all at once may be overwhelming.

 

Sometimes, these sensations can grow into anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns that can quickly go unrecognized — especially if you are the only one looking out for yourself. This is especially true if you are the only one responsible for looking out for yourself. Here, we look at several mental health solutions to help you.

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How You Can Take Control of Your Stress

 

The long days and nights may be hard for truck drivers, especially those responsible for traveling great distances because they need to stay awake while driving and fulfill stringent delivery deadlines. The mental and physical effects of stress may hit you all at once when it happens.

 

It is easy to disregard the warning symptoms of stress and burnout when one’s profession is as demanding as that of a truck driver who has a demanding career.

 

Nevertheless, focusing on yourself is precisely what you should be doing now. As a truck driver, how do you ensure that you care for your mental health? The following are some helpful suggestions that may be used to take care of oneself on the road.

 

Exercise

 

As a truck driver, you can’t get up and move around anytime you want, but moving around at least a little bit every chance you have is critical. Not only can a lack of physical activity contribute to tight muscles, leading to worse aches and pains later on, but exercise is also one of the most essential tools for a healthy mind.

 

Exercise decreases the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is sometimes referred to be nature’s built-in alert system. When you are concerned or worried, your cortisol levels rise.

 

You could do anything from jumping jacks to pushups at a rest stop, parking lot, or waiting for a load. You can stroll or jog around the parking lot or do some lunges or a decent back stretch.

 

Keep in touch with loved ones.

 

When you have been away for so long, it is easy to forget how much family and friends can lift your emotions. 

 

Making time for a brief phone or video chat when you are not distracted can remind you that your job is not everything, and your vehicle is not the only place you belong. Reach out to those that make you laugh and raise your spirits. 

 

Even if you cannot spend as much time as you want with friends and family in person, a phone conversation may be just as satisfying.

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4 Skills Every Trucker Should Have

The trucking industry is often more competitive than people think. There can be a lot of individuals applying for the same preposition. That’s why knowing the skills you need is essential beyond standard driving qualifications. 

Pexels Source CCO License

Here Are 4 Skills Every Trucker Should Have:

First Aid

 

First aid could be a critical skill for a truck driver. At this point, you might think, wait, I’m going to be alone for most of the trip. While this is true, it is worth considering what might happen if you end up in an accident. If you have a first aid qualification, you could provide vital support to anyone injured. Don’t forget; this does include yourself. It’s easy to forget that skills in first aid will ensure that you can provide primary care for yourself if you are injured too. You’ll know the proper steps to take. You can learn more about this on sites that offer first aid qualifications. 

 

Customer Service

 

You might also want to consider your customer or client service skills. If you are new to the trucking industry it’s easy to assume that there are virtually no interactions with other people. While it’s true that you will spend most of your time on the road, you’ll still interact and engage with clients, customers, or colleagues. These interactions will impact how people judge and view your service. As such, you need to know how to interact with people at your final destination and on the road. Remember, your behavior will permanently alter the perception of the business you’re working for. 

 

Patience 

 

You must have patience when you’re a truck driver. There will be many times when you are stuck in traffic or when there are countless factors beyond your control. In times like this, mistakes can and will happen if you are not patient. It would help if you were willing to wait it out and have the mindset that some things can not be changed or fixed by you. This will also help you improve the quality of your driving. 

 

Mechanical Knowledge

 

Like first aid, you don’t need this skill as a trucker. But it can be helpful to have. Your employer won’t expect you to have mechanical knowledge, but it’s great if you know a little about how your vehicle works for a few reasons. First, it will ensure that you know the signs there’s a problem with the vehicle, which may mean it’s not safe to drive. Catching these signs early will help you avoid an accident. Second, it can ensure that you know what to do if your truck breaks down at the side of the road and may provide you can get it up and running again without waiting for support. 

 

We hope this helps you understand some of the skills you should have as a truck driver. By learning these skills, you can ensure that you are more likely to be hired for a position. You will also be more effective in any trucking job that you are chosen for.

 

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Beat Stressful Times With A Good Stretch

We could all do with a more peaceful life, and there are many ways to try to get that. One of the most popular ways is with yoga. 

 

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years and is something that everybody and everybody can benefit from. 

 

Often our attention is pulled in so many different directions. Our family needs us, work has issues, bills need to be paid, and you still need to think about what to cook for dinner. 

 

It all seems small at the time, but it builds up pretty quickly – until it can feel like it is unmanageable. 

 

Anxiety, stress, and feeling overworked and overwhelmed are no way to live your daily life. And when all of these things start to pile up, it can be too easy to find yourself turning to something to help you cope. 

 

One of the most common reasons people turn to alcohol and then to alcohol rehab is to use alcohol as a coping mechanism. 

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Why should you consider yoga?

There isn’t just one type of yoga; there are many different types, so there is something for everyone. It works on engaging more than just your body and seeks to engage your emotions and mental well-being. And with Mother Trucker Yoga- trucking yoga, it’s all about mindful movements, stretching, and fitness explicitly made for drivers just like you. 

 

Since yoga has many different types and intensities, you can explore what works. Typically, the right yoga style will leave you feeling calm, rejuvenated, and your body will indeed thank you. And as a driver, trucking yoga focuses on small, simple changes, the easy, quick exercises you can do in just minutes a day.

 

Yoga will focus on your breathing and help you learn how to control it. Careful breathing techniques are great at reducing anxiety and helping you focus on the moment. It is perfect for calming loud thoughts too. Trucking yoga focuses a lot on breathing because your breath is your lifeforce, and learning to control your breathing can alter how you think, feel and move every day.

 

There might be some meditation in your yoga practice, which will help you to highlight negative thoughts, what triggers them, and how you can remove them. 

 

And of course, the most significant part of yoga is the poses. The poses will release tension in your body and increase your core strength and flexibility. There are some easy beginner poses, and then there are those that require more focus and effort. 

 

Health benefits of yoga

Everything that we gain from doing yoga is positive, and it is well known for offering some of the easiest ways to beat down your stress levels. 

 

Improved fitness is one of the things you will get from doing yoga regularly. It helps with range of motion, flexibility, and balance. And when it comes to driver fitness, yoga is one of the best ways to get moving again, no matter your age or body type is. 

 

Stress reduction is the number one benefit of doing yoga. After even one yoga session, you will get a sense of calm and well-being, and the more you do it, the more often you experience those moments. 

 

A complete yoga flow will help you calm your mind, control your breathing and work out tension in the body. And it has been shown to help improve anxiety, migraines, stress, depression, and sleeplessness. 

 

What makes yoga a great choice is that each pose can be modified to work with what your body needs. 

 

Small changes like adding a yoga flow or drinking more water make a huge difference to our bodies and minds; read more: National Drink Water Day – 6 Reasons Science Says You Should Drink Water. 

 

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Keeping Your Mind Sharp: International Brain Health Week

It’s International Brain Health Awareness Week

(March 14-20, 2022)

Let’s celebrate by taking care of our brain health!

“Even before you leave the womb, your brain works throughout your life to control your body’s functions and helps you understand and interact with the world around you”.  When you focus on maintenance for your brain you will then help your mind stay focused, clear, and alert when you need it to and train your brain to respect downtime play, and rest when needed!

As truckers you know the importance of heart health, but what about brain health?

Brain health is all about maintaining and reducing risk factors and respecting the machine within. As we get older our brains when not taken care of properly can begin to show their wear which can affect your health, happiness, and overall functionality.

 

How do you keep your brain sharp as a truck driver?

What do you do to maintain and sharpen your brain and mind? Many take this for granted earlier in life but just as important as it is to learn new things, so is it important to give your brain a break, and learn to rest your brain.

Does your brain need sharpening?

Does your brain need resting?

Does your brain need maintenance?

Amazing Study

2.4 million people downloaded an app and played a game called the Sea Hero Quest that involved memory from age 19-75 years old; it was the only study of its kind. After these participants played the game, the research was astounding. 

 

“One key early finding, presented at a meeting of neuroscientists in the US, was that navigational ability begins to decline much earlier than was previously thought – possibly from as young as 19. The study found that 19-year-old game players had a 74% chance of accurately hitting a maritime target. By the age of 75, this figure had fallen to 46%.” 

 

And already, at age 20, our strategic memory recall is beginning to decline, and we may not even know it. 

 

The data published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences notes that our peak mental performance is typically at age 35 and then declines by 10% ten years after that. 

 

We need to sharpen our brains regularly. It’s backward thinking in our culture today rather than thinking of brain health as “preventative care,” thinking of it as sharpening and maintenance. 

Brain Health Mother Trucker Yoga Blog Eat Real Food

What Causes Our Brain to Age?

 

Researchers have discovered several factors that speed up brain aging. Things like obesity, especially in midlife, can accelerate brain aging by ten years! And add in our populations’ high intake of sugar, diet sodas all contribute to poor brain health. But that’s not the only thing that can affect brain health as we age.

Living a sedentary lifestyle, eating a highly-processed diet, not socializing, irregular poor sleep, and not practicing self-care, stress-relieving activities can affect how our brain ages. When it comes to truck driver health what you eat plays a large role in how you feel and how your brain functions, but often gets the back seat to other issues. 

 

Truck Driver Health: 5 Practices to Sharpen Brain Health: 

1. Get out and move

Where can you fit in just 5 or 10 minutes of movement into your day? Don’t overcomplicate it; just move, dance, walk, squat, anything, just move! You don’t realize it, but your brain is tracking with you every step of the way, and that extra boost of oxygen and serotonin, dopamine, and neurotransmitters going straight to your brain doesn’t hurt either. 

2. Socialize

When is the last time you talked with that one friend, your mom, your brother, or rolled down the window and said “hey”? Isolation leads to a decline in our cognitive abilities. Socializing can help improve and impact thinking, memory, and behavior. Just like a young child needs others around him/her to mimic and encourage the developmental process, so does our aging population and those in-between.  

3. Eat real food

When we have a disease, what we have is a deficiency. What do you lack that has caused our body to malfunction. Our bodies are like trucks; we require certain maintenance to our parts, specific fluids, lubricants, and fuel to run optimally. You would never consider skimping on what you fuel your truck with because you know the consequences. If you are living in dis-ese or stress what are you lacking, and how can you refill it? The best and fastest way is to eat living food because you are alive. 

4. Get better quality sleep.

It’s not that you necessarily need more sleep but rather better quality of sleep. What do you need to do to improve the quality of your sleep? Better mattress? Darker room? Headphones with relaxing music? Essential oils? When it comes to sleep, focus on quality instead of quantity. 

5. Engage in de-stressing activities

Stress has become a badge of honor like the girl scouts or boy scouts badges when they sell cookies and build a soapbox car. My advice, slow down to speed up. More is not better, and the more stressed your system is, the less effective you will be, and you will begin to see your body, mind, and actions slow. Consider a walk without your phone, deep breathing, relaxing music, meditation, yoga, a shower, or going to bed early. These may seem small and insignificant, but they can make a huge difference. When you take time for yourself, you make time for the essential things in life. This is why Mother Trucker Yoga focuses on small simple changes and moves that you can do in 5 minutes or less and even things you can do safely while driving. [Try us out for FREE use the code: MTY30 for a FREE 30 days!]

6. Choose intellectually stimulating activities

Do hard things. I’m not talking about an Iron Man, but rather things that challenge you. This is where technology can help! Memory game apps, puzzles (electronic or physical), even crosswords, word searches, board games, and cards are all good ways to keep your mind sharp. If you have kids, don’t just let them plop down on the couch and watch T.V. have family game night. If you are on the road, pull out that pen and do a crossword puzzle. These are time-tested practices that will keep your mind at its best. 

Puzzles for Brain Health Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

Don’t wait. We live in a world that is trained to respond to our health in the form of sick care. But the way to address our aging brain is to practice preventative care and create consistency in our health and health practices. 

 

Don’t wait until you see a decline to make a change in your brain health. 

Don’t wait until you feel less sharp to seek help. 

Don’t wait until you need extra care to decide to care. 

Don’t wait. 

As a driver, truck driver health is essential. And out a fully functioning brain, you may find yourself struggling to safely stay in your lane.

Are you looking for more ways to improve your health, mental clarity, and longevity? 

Check out Mother Trucker Yoga LIFESTYLE JUMPSTART Membership Platform & APP.

Easy videos are designed specifically with a driver’s needs in mind.

No fancy gym.

No expensive equipment.

No stress.

Try us for FREE!

Use code: MTY30 for a FREE 30 days!

Mother Trucker Yoga LIFESTYLE JUMPSTART App and platform image

References:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/scientists-reveal-age-your-brain-9274294

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/this-is-the-exact-age-when-your-brain-function-starts-to-decline

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319185#Therapies-to-help-slow-brain-aging
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Healthy Holiday Survival Guide: 5 Simple Strategies

Between Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and the upcoming holidays, the next six weeks might be challenging to stay on track. I know some of you will be home for the holidays, and others will not. But the pressure to “dig in” during this time is everywhere. And I want to share with you some of the best holiday survival tips & tricks so you can all indulge just enough without sacrificing your health.

Here are a few of the tried and true tips you can find in our Holiday Survival Guide: 5 Simple Strategies

 

  • Avoid Skipping Meals To “Save Room For Later”.

 
Its mentality to “make room” often leaves you eating more than what you have room for. It also sets you up for thinking you can “eat more” than what you typically do. Even with healthy snacks for truck drivers, you can overeat. And when it comes to meals, skipping meal time to “eat more later” is not a healthy approach. If you have a dinner party, still eat breakfast and lunch if that is what you do. Not only will you stop the mind games around the holidays this way, but you will keep your blood sugar stable, and you won’t find yourself overheating due to a blood sugar crash. 

 

  • Sit Down And Slow Down When You Eat.

 
For drivers, eating on the go is the norm, so it can be hard for some to shut that approach to food off when you don’t have to. The holidays can be good for a formal dining approach, where you sit down, eat, and have conversations. This can be great to help you slow down and chew your food. Put your fork down between bites and add dialogue throughout the meal. It’s not just about healthy snacks for truck drivers. It’s also about how to approach food more healthily. In most Asian countries, dinner can be up to seven hours long. Because it’s more about conversation and not just about filling up our plates. By chewing and chatting, you can help your body digest what you are eating and allow your mind to catch up with your belly to prevent overeating. 

 

  • Bring Healthy Dishes To Share, So You Know There Is A Mindful Option To Choose From. 

 
As someone who has dietary restrictions (not by choice) and tends to lean more on the Pescatarian side, I have had to train myself always to bring a dish to pass, even when I’m not asked. That way, I always have something I can eat. This reduces the eating things that leave me sick for days and helps me avoid binge eating when I get home because I am so hungry. 

 

  • Build Movement Into Your Day Every Day Throughout The Holidays. 

 
Traveling may take you out of your daily routine (you know that as a driver), but it doesn’t have to make you sedentary. For drivers and those who often travel, the mindset that comes with it is one you don’t have time for. Or that what you are doing takes up all your time. But in all reality, it doesn’t. Where can you fit more movement into your day? Where can you sneak a quick walk in, even if it’s just 10 minutes? Where can you take the stairs instead of the elevator? Where can you squat, reach, bend and twist? Stop categorizing movement as exercise because they are not the same. 

 

  • Set Aside 15 Minutes Every Day. 

 
New habits are created by making it a point to develop new habits. I am not a big believer in elaborate workouts. And as a driver, who has time for that? But everyone has 15 minutes. At Mother Trucker Yoga, I call it The 15 Minute Wellness Method™. How can you move on purpose for 15 minutes? Go for a walk each day, call someone you love, and wish them happy holidays. Stretch and move for 15 Minutes using Mother Trucker Yoga’s Jump Start Video’s inside our app. Bicep curls water jugs until you can’t anymore. Whatever it is, set a timer for 15 minutes and move. Chances are you will exceed that time because you will feel so good. 

 

And move the new tradition and bring others along, you’ll be surprised how many of your friends and family want to move too after all that sitting and eating. 

 

We get it! Sometimes our plans don’t allow for the time or space to get a workout in. If that happens, do your best to keep moving. Inviting family or friends to join in can help you get more active and may even start a new healthy tradition. Some of our favorite “just move” tips are:

 

 
See our latest blog for these and more of our favorite ‘go-to’ holiday party tips, where I talk more about each of these healthy holiday ideas.
Don’t forget to watch us on STARTUP on PBS this Sunday, November 28th at 12:30 pm CST, where Hope’s entrepreneurial journey and how she is helping truck drivers with health and wellness debuts!

Check your local listing for your area’s exact time HERE

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Good Stress, Bad Stress and How to Manage It

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How to manage stress is not something we are “taught”. But everyday life can be stressful. Good stress, bad stress. Stress, stress STRESS. It’s everywhere. 

Job demands, relationships, life events, and social media drama are daily occurrences. Moreover, it can begin to feel like this is just how life is supposed to be, coupled with the stresses of living over-the-road as a truck driver. These things can often have you feeling like you are traveling down a never-ending, bumpy road called LIFE. It’s easy to see how stress can suck you in and not let you go.

good stess bad stress blog post MTY

While stress can help some people perform under pressure, too much bad stress can negatively impact a person’s mental and physical health. It’s common for most people to focus on the negative side of stress, but sometimes stress can be a good thing. Good stress can motivate a person and help them achieve more goals. BUT how can a person tell the difference between good stress and bad stress?

Understanding Good Stress vs. Bad Stress

Good Stress

Good stress, often called eustress, is stress that pushes a person to accomplish more. It helps a person achieve those hard-to-reach goals. Good stress also helps a person learn new things, adapt to change, and engage in creative thinking. In a situation where a person is experiencing good stress, they always have control over the outcome of the issue.

Bad Stress

Bad stress, often referred to chronic stress, can slow a person down and prevent them from doing the things that they need to do. It can often lead us down a winding road of helplessness and despair. Bad stress can be things like staying in an unhealthy relationship long-term, living with a difficult person, continual high paced (stressful) workplace, taking on too many things, and continuously unable to complete them. That is continually saying “yes” when you should be saying “no.” When the body feels like it is under too much bad stress, symptoms such as excessive sweating, anxiety, headaches, and rapid breathing begin to appear. 

Managing Stress

As a yoga teacher, I encourage others to live a life where they can stay grounded, focused, balanced, and content. However, sometimes I fail to implement these strategies into my own life. I take on too many things, try to please everyone else, and neglect my health and self-care. It’s a downward spiral, and before I know it, my daily life is fueled by bad stress. Can you relate? 

Unfortunately, stress is inevitable. It’s a part of daily life. The good news is that stress IS manageable. To manage the stress in your life, you must relax your body and mind. You must balance the scale and know what your triggers are and what to do to bring yourself back to center. 

What is center? Center is when you feel like you are on point when you feel like you are handling life and thriving. When you sleep well and respond to life’s circumstances with ease, most people that meet with anger or hate are dealing with something much more profound—usually, sadness or hurt. And in not dealing with those emotions and challenges brings about bad stress and unwarranted responses that hurt rather than help.

Here are three ways to manage stress so that you can live a healthier, stress-managed life.

1. Take a Break

When I say take a break, I don’t mean a break where you are scrolling through social media or watching videos on your phone. I’m talking about unplugging and walking away from all the distractions in your life. Do something for five to fifteen minutes that requires very little of you other than for you just to be yourself and to be present. Sit outside, take a quick five or ten-minute walk, play a quick game of “Go Fish” with the kids, or engage in meditation. And sometimes that break is to help your body to heal. Make sure you take a time out so your physical body can reset and heal as well. Check out STIFF Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream to give your body the boost it needs for rapid healing!

Stiff Mother Trucker

2. Put Away Your Electronic Devices

If you think about it, we live in a world where we have immediate access to almost anything we need. Instant information is available to use with the simple touch of an app on our phones or tablets. But at what expense? Being over connected has created a massive epidemic in our world today. An epidemic that has produced anxious stressed and technology-addicted teens and young adults that are not ok with doing nothing or being alone. The only way to break that cycle and bring more Zen into your life is to put the electronic devices down and slowly back away. Have a no-phone rule at the dinner table, limit screen time, keep your device in your pocket or bag when you are out with friends–whatever you need to do to stop looking at your device–do it. You’ll be glad you did.

3. Be Positive

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? If it’s half-empty, it’s time to change your thinking. Keeping a positive attitude, shifting your negative thoughts to positive ones, and keeping your self-talk encouraging are great ways to reduce stress. For example, instead of thinking, “I can’t believe I made the same mistake AGAIN,” think, “Everybody makes mistakes. It’s ok. It is something that I can fix.” Developing an attitude of gratitude toward the people, things, and events in your life is also an excellent way to reduce stress. Write it down or take time to tell the people in your life that you appreciate them–trust me; it goes a long way! Finally, smiling and laughing also helps to reduce stress. I guess laughter is the best medicine. 

AND if you are ready to get crystal clear on your life priorities, health needs, and how to achieve your goals, my Practices for a Positive and Productive Life Masterclass is for you! In this sixteen-week program, we cover three key areas: Breath, Body, and Belief. All three of which are necessary for sustainable success!

Utilizing these three tips will help you begin to walk down the path of life a little less stressed and more positivity. 

Need a bit more encouragement? Looking for a quick listen to help you manage stress? Check out the Positive Positivity Podcast with guest Hope Zvara

Self Care is Your Business MTY Blog

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Trucker Fitness: Managing Stress Through Movement – Part 1

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As a truck driver feeling the pressure to be ready at any given moment can be stressful and downright irritating. Hurry up and wait seems to be the constant mantra most truck drivers adopt into their lives, and with that comes the added stress of never having control over the situation you are in. But you don’t need to let that keep you from finding ways to feel and stay calm no matter what comes your way. 

Do you ever feel as though you are permanently stuck in overdrive? Like it’s zero to sixty in T-10, and you need to stay there until the job is done, only to feel like you want to crash but are never 100% able to recharge your batteries when you need to. 

You are not alone. 

Trucker Fitness: Managing Stress Through Movement: Part 1 Mother trucker yoga blog on stress 1

Truck driver fitness is more than just exercise. While everyone else is focusing on push-ups and mountain climbers, Mother Trucker Yoga is saying let’s learn from what yoga can teach us about living a healthy, happy lifestyle, and yes, that includes truck drivers. 

There are dozens of natural, easy, and effective ways to manage the stress that will help you deal with the day-to-day ups and downs, unexpected delays, and schedule changes with ease. 

The best way to manage stress is to keep moving!

Keep moving. Yes, I know you are a professional driver, but that seat doesn’t mean you can’t move at all. Movement trumps exercise in that movement is not designated to a specific time, a particular style of movement, or outfit choice. Movement is a way of life; if you aren’t moving, you are training yourself not to move. And that lack of movement will leave you feeling stressed, worried, and unable to sleep. 

Movement and exercise encourage the brain to release “feel-good” chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. 

WOW! Just 15 to 20 minutes of movement every day can help you fight the urge to overeat. That movement can come in the form of dancing, walking, squatting, using weights or a resistance band from the driver’s seat, or even doing a little yoga in your truck, and of course, exercising in any way you choose. Do not let your mind limit you or tell you the lies that this movement has to come in a certain package. We often complicate things to keep us from achieving the results we are looking for. It’s called a Fixed Mindset, and it creeps up on us whenever we are faced with doing something different from what we have been doing up to this point. Even when we know the change is good for us, our minds will try to convince us otherwise. Adding movement into your day is one of those things that you just have to do anyway despite what your mind may tell you. 

When done correctly and done regularly, it’s movements like this that can have a positive impact on your emotions and, in turn, on your life. 

Today instead of thinking, I can’t find the time. Decide that there is always time. 

Today instead of thinking, I don’t like exercise. Decide that movement is more important than exercise. 

Today instead of thinking, I am too busy. Decide that you are never too busy for your health. 

There is a small window of time before you look back and say, I wish I would have. That window of time is now. And great news, you can start today. Join the movement over at Mother Trucker Yoga and see for yourself how easy it can be to de-stress as a truck driver and feel good again. 

 

 

 

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