Can you believe the holidays are already here? Ahhhh! Every year it feels like time hits fast-forward. Between work, home, and the general chaos of life, it can feel impossible to squeeze in one more thing—let alone all the holiday extras. And if your to-do list is already unrolling off the desk like a cartoon scroll… same.
Read MoreThe days are shorter, the nights are colder, and the holidays are suddenly right around the corner. For some, that brings excitement. For others, it brings a knot in the stomach—many of us feel a mix of both.
Between dinner parties, work events, and family gatherings with people we rarely see, the season offers plenty of opportunities to connect—and just as many opportunities to feel overwhelmed. Old dynamics resurface, difficult personalities emerge, and even the most festive moments can leave us emotionally drained.
So as you think about navigating your relationships at home and at work, ask yourself: Do I feel heard? Am I overextending myself? Do I let things slide because it feels easier than speaking up?
With the holidays fast approaching, one of the kindest gifts we can offer ourselves—and the people we care about—is the gift of healthy boundaries
Let’s be honest — no one needs to be told that life feels overwhelming right now. Between work deadlines, family needs, social obligations, news, and the constant stream of notifications buzzing for our attention, sometimes it feels like we are running on mental fumes. We cascade from one thing to the next, without pausing to reflect on what it feels like to run in autopilot mode.
Read MoreIt’s common in our modern era of influencers, social media, and the commodification of self-care to think that skincare & beauty are things born of the modern era; the truth is that it’s instinct to care for and nurture our bodies. These practices span not just millennia, but also species.
Read MoreAs those hot summer days transition into beautiful fall days, we all know that there is the potential to come in contact with seasonal colds and the flu. Add a global pandemic on top and it because apparent that health and wellness are of utmost importance this time of year. As I lean into my own season of wisdom and deeper self care, I have found there are ways to better support my body and immune system with the shift in weather and potential contact with unwell coworkers, kids, and community.
Read MoreManaging allergy difficulties is especially rough during the spring and summer months in the Pacific Northwest. I love the magnificent majesty that is Oregon. As the season changes, so do the allergens in the air, triggering symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and congestion for many of us; sometimes I have to go inside to breathe better or stop clawing at my face, despite wanting to enjoy a picnic or walk about on a sunny afternoon.
Read MoreIntroduction
Traditions are the timeless threads that weave through the fabric of our lives, connecting us to our roots and shaping our sense of identity. While many of us associate traditions with holiday rituals and celebrations, their significance extends far beyond these festive occasions.
In this blog post, we will embark on a journey through the rich history of traditions, exploring their evolution and why they continue to play a pivotal role in our lives, both during the holidays and year-round.
Read MoreSelf-Care Check-In: Not Feeling So Hot?
How does your self-care look these days?
Do you have all the time you need to fit in exercise, eating well, and taking care of your mental health? Does your work day stay within its tidy bounds? Or does your to-do list affect your interactions with your family, your children, your partner? Does everything just go totally smooth and as expected every day? If you’re a busy professional (or just a living human), I’m guessing you’re balancing a lot and can probably answer NO to most or at least some of those questions
Read MoreYou're not alone. Life can get hectic, and it's easy to put ourselves last on the list of priorities. If you’re like me you think, “Oh yeah, I’ll schedule that massage when I get home. “ Nope! No I will not. I will get caught up making dinner, helping the kiddo with homework, answering texts from three days ago, and trying to remember to sit down. I often say, “I need an adult!” Cause let’s be real—we could all use the help of another adult from time to time. And even this adult struggles to prioritize self-care, despite being surrounded by a team of people at The Pearl believe that self-care is essential for overall well-being and happiness.
Read MoreDo you ever find yourself caught in between feeling both lonely and overwhelmed by social interactions? In a world where we are constantly surrounded by people, yet feel disconnected and isolated, it's easy to fall into the trap of comparing our lives to others through social media—feeling left out, questioning why we aren't receiving invitations or participating in the same activities as our peers. This critical voice inside our heads fuels self-doubt, pushing us to measure our worth based on what others are doing. The more we delve into this cycle, the more overwhelmed we become, until human connection itself feels like just another burden on our never-ending to-do list. And these hard feelings can be detrimental to our health…increased cortisol (stress hormones), lack of sleep, and can negatively affect our mental health. While we may jokingly throw around the phrase “compare and despair,” there’s a lot of truth to it. Never before in human history have the highlight reels of nearly everyone we know been constantly visible to us 24 hours a day.
Read MoreAs a queer person who has worked in a touch-centric industry for decades at this point, I can assuredly say that my relationship with touch was not always a simple or positive one.
The challenges faced by the queer community, which often go unnoticed by a heteronormative society, deserve attention and understanding. The narratives presented in stories, movies, advertisements, religious teachings, friendships, literature, and societal norms perpetuate the notion that there is a singular correct and acceptable storyline for people's lives, dismissing any other experiences as deviations to be concealed or left unspoken. Without counterbalancing messages to combat these pervasive feelings of exclusion, many of us have grown up with an inherent sense that our very essence as individuals is fundamentally flawed.
Read MoreBeing a mom is fucking hard. No matter how amazing a person is, this is an inescapable truth. And when you can tell it’s hard from a distance, you know it’s exponentially harder firsthand. Stereotypes aside and progress included, there is still an undeniable societal expectation that mothers bear the brunt of the mental load when it comes to caring for the family. From planning meals to organizing schedules to managing budgets, to maintaining a career, the to-do list for moms appears never-ending. Add to that the mental labor of keeping the family together, managing everyone’s emotions, and often being expected to be the primary caregiver for children, and it’s no wonder that so many mothers feel overwhelmed and exhausted.
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