Spring 2024

Hello Subscriber First Name!

Welcome to the Spring edition of the Bloom Where You Are Planted Wellness Newsletter!

Plants are sprouting, leaves are unfurling and flowers are blooming! Everywhere you look, there are changes all around. And there’s a change here, too! The “Tell Me More” section has a a whole new look and feel! I hope you enjoy this new, refreshed section as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

Whether your plan is to dig into gardening, do some spring cleaning of the mind or home (or both!), blow bubbles with the kiddos or try something new, let’s savor all the joy this season and all it has to offer!

Be well,
Christine

Wellness Wisdom

“It is so important to take time for yourself and find clarity.
The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.”
 –Diane Von Furstenberg

Wellness Wisdom:
“We Must Treat Ourselves”

A couple of months ago, I met a woman who was sharing space with me at Healing Hands (Bethlehem Pa) while we enjoyed their glorious therapeutic foot soak treatments (see “My Latest Obsessions”). As the service is designed to be a tranquil one, I normally limit my interactions to no more than smiling politely or saying hello if there’s someone else in the room at the same time. On this day, I was greeted with a friendly greeting from a fellow client, and she began chatting with me.

She told me she had been a military wife who raised five kids primarily on her own, and save for the baby of the bunch, had them all in bed by 9pm when they were little so that she could squeeze in 30 minutes of self-care each night, often in the tub. “I would bathe them and give them a book to read in bed and then tell them that I didn’t want to see them again for the rest of the night,” she said with a wink.

We talked about how hard it is to be a mom, especially when you have young children, and how it’s even harder to carve out time for yourself while you’re raising said children, and in some cases, even afterward. When our conversation turned to our adult children, she jokingly said, “I’m enjoying spending their inheritance.”

She talked about how her younger friends have told her that while they enjoy traveling, they’re planning to stop when they’re 80 because they’ll be “too old” by that point. Her response: “Says who?”  She went on to say that when she was 75 she went skydiving and plans to do it again (she’s now 85). When she asked me how often I come in for the foot soak treatment we were enjoying, I told her that I try to come in every few months but often fall short. “How about you?” I asked. “Every month. Plus, I get a massage,” she replied. “We must treat ourselves.” I vowed to up my game.

We talked about the special bond between grandmothers and granddaughters; she shared how hers had planned a birthday trip for the two of them on the coming weekend. I told her that while my granddaughter is still way too young to be driving me around, I told her I was inspired by what seemed to be their “thick as thieves” relationship, and how I hoped for the same for my granddaughter and me.  

When our services were complete and it was time to head back to the real world, she turned to me and simply said, “Thank you for sharing the room with me today.”

We never even exchanged names, but I left feeling as if I had met a kindred spirit.

We must treat ourselves.

My Latest Obsessions!

Mady Morrison on YouTube

I happened upon Mady’s 10 Minute Morning Stretch for Every Day and was instantly hooked.

A “simple routine to wake up and feel good,” it’s ideal for those mornings when you have little time for self-care but want to start your day with your head in the right place. Mady’s stretching and yoga videos vary between five and 30 minutes, and include morning, evening, and anytime routines, with a preview of each pose before you get into it. This is a perfect “no excuses” way to start your day or wind down in a most relaxing fashion.  Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihba9Lw0tv4

Therapeutic Foot Soak Treatment at Healing Hands in Bethlehem, Pa.

Truth be told, this is not one of my “latest” obsessions but rather something I’ve been enjoying for nearly five years and is, by far, my favorite way to relax. While your feet are soaked in warm water infused with essential oils and detoxifying sea salts, you’re treated to a chilled or heated neck wrap and a hand and arm massage. Oh, and did I mention the dimly lit treatment room, tranquil music, and hot stones? Whether you’re a local or an out-of-towner taking a tour of “The Christmas City,” make sure to put Healing Hands on the top of your self-care list.

Check out their seasonal specials—and other services—here: https://www.healhands.com

Dry-Mousse-ing

You’ve probably heard of dry brushing (a process that helps exfoliate dull, dry skin cells) but what about “dry mousse-ing?” As someone who gets blowouts as often as some people go to the grocery store, I’ll be the first to admit that this technique—which essentially means styling your hair with a bit of mousse post-blow-dry—was new to me until hairstylist Roxi Castillo of https://www.jmorgansaloncompany.com/ showed me the way. Whether you need a little extra lift, can’t control your flyaways or struggle with cowlick-y post-menopausal bangs (it’s me, hi)  dry moussing will be your new best friend. To see what else Roxi is up to, follow her on Instagram: @roxiiididmyhair.

Tell Me More: Michelle LaVecchia Odendahl

In the hot seat this season is Certified International Health Coach Michelle LaVecchia Odendahl.

I met Michelle at a wellness retreat in Lambertville, New Jersey and was impressed with her positive outlook and easy vibe. Michelle prides herself on the ability to change and impact lives in a healthy way via both her domestic and international retreats, workshops, and private practice. Let’s learn more about her approach to wellness.

If I had time for just one wellness practice on any given day it would be:

Rising before everyone in my home and allowing for a silent meditation or journaling practice. Even if it's for five minutes, this activates such a mindful day ahead of me. 

The healthy food you can always find in my fridge or pantry is: 

I always have Kombucha on hand in my fridge. Fermented foods are amazing for your gut. If you haven't ever tried it before, a friendly warning from me to sip slowly as this can really get your body moving inside! My pantry is always stocked with dried fruits and nuts to make small containers for a great on-the-go snack.  

The one piece of wellness advice I most often give my clients is: 

Give yourself grace! Please remember to praise yourself for any of the steps you've taken or anything small or large that you have accomplished. We often get after all the negatives in our lives, prior to the positives. Shift that perspective and acknowledge all the good you were able to get after! 

The one beauty/skincare/wellness item I can’t live without is: 

DRMTLGY Brightening Eye Masks! These are my everything: from cooling my eyes, ditching that puffiness, and of course making me look like a rockstar!  www.drmtlgy.com

Favorite quote or mantra to live by:  "Stay close to people who make you feel like sunshine."
-Xan Oku (poet) 

Learn more about Michelle:

Website: www.healthyeahwithmichelle.com

IG: @healthyeahwithmichelle 

Threads: @healthyeahwithmichelle 

Facebook: Health Yeah with Michelle 

LinkedIn: Michelle LaVecchia Odendahl 

New for Me, Shared with You: Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

According to an article in Women's Health written by Cassie Shortsleeve,  perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are the most common complication of childbirth in the United States, affecting up to one in five new mothers. More intense than the “baby blues,” PMADs “have symptoms that are frequent, interfere with your ability to get through your day or take care of yourself or your baby, and persist beyond the first two or three weeks postpartum,” Shortsleeve reports. 

To learn more about this condition—and find out how to manage it—read the full article at  https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a45500132/postpartum-depression-treatment-future/

(If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for confidential support and resources for people in distress.)

On the Nightstand: Book Recommendations

Don’t Forget to Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Women
by Shonda Moralis, MSW, LCSW.

I won a copy of Shonda’s latest book in an online giveaway (she’s also the author of Breathe, Mama, Breathe) and we met shortly after to discuss the nuances of the writing life, midlife challenges, and realistic ways to incorporate self-care into our days. If all you have is five minutes a day to “reset, refocus, and find calm,” Don’t Forget to Breathe will show you how to make room for mindfulness. While Shonda realizes that “we may not be able to control all that life tosses our way,” she believes that we can “bring attention to what is happening as it is happening instead of operating on autopilot” by taking mindful breaks. Who couldn’t use more of those?  Learn more about Shonda and buy her book here: https://www.shondamoralis.net/

Living Ayurveda: Nourishing Body and Mind Through Seasonal Recipes, Rituals, and Yoga
by Claire Ragozzino

I’m all about yoga and rituals so I was delighted to receive a review copy of Living Ayurveda. The aesthetically pleasing cover art immediately drew me in, and the photos inside only add to the book’s beauty. Ragozzino says her book is meant to guide us through an arc of one year so that we will “learn how to stay in harmony with the different cycles of the day, the moon, and the seasons.” And for those of us who can never remember our Dosha type (Vata? Pitta? Kapha?) she offers a simple description of each so that we discover our “unique constitution.”  Though hardcovers are typically challenging to snuggle up with, I still recommend finding your favorite reading spot, blanket, and beverage of choice, and letting Living Ayurveda nourish you. https://vidyaliving.com/book/

Nanaville: Adventures in Grandparenting
by Anna Quindlen

“One of the differences between grandchildren and grandparents is that grandchildren
think they have all the time in the world, and grandparents only wish they had.”

This is probably the most profound (and tear-jerking) nugget of wisdom Quindlen imparts in her heartwarming collection of essays about becoming a grandmother. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Quindlen twice: Once, on assignment about 20 years ago at a local university where she was speaking (when becoming a grandparent was the furthest thing from my mind) and earlier this year (shortly after my second grandchild was born) at the Zibby Owens “New Year, New Chapter” event in January where she was keynote. I was thrilled to briefly chat with her before  she took the stage. I took a copy of Nanaville home that day and while I knew I could probably knock it out in one afternoon (it’s just over 160 pages) I opted to savor it over a week and was sad to see it end. If you’re a new grandmother—or know someone who is—put this at the top of your list. https://annaquindlen.net/

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

I’d been following Catherine Newman’s journalistic career for years when I found this gem at the New Year, New Chapter event as well. This story touches on all the big life stuff: Friendship, parenthood, love, loss and everything in between. Your heart will break for best friends Edi and Ash (and their loved ones) as Edi lays in hospice dying of ovarian cancer, but you’ll also revel in the hilarious cast of characters Newman introduces us to (“Dr. Soprano,” anyone?). She has deftly cornered the market on writing about grief while making readers laugh out loud (and dare I say, not feel guilty about it). After all, isn’t feeling all the feelings what it means to be human? Learn more about Catherine and buy her book here: https://www.catherinenewmanwriter.com/

New Program!
Mindfulness and Meditation for Caregivers

If you’re a caregiver, you’ve probably been told more than enough times that you “can’t pour from an empty cup” and that you need “to put your own oxygen mask on first.”
You also know that it’s not easy to take care of yourself while you’re caring for others but on some level, you do know that it’s essential.

In my new program, “Mindfulness and Meditation for Caregivers,” I provide an overview of mindfulness, talk about the myths surrounding meditation and how to realistically weave it into your day, and share three simple meditation techniques that you can call upon during stressful times, or anytime. A fun, mindful eating exercise is also included!

While this program is ideal for groups, it can also be presented one-on-one. Virtual options are available. For more information—or to bring this program to your group setting—email me at: Christine.Krahling@gmail.com.

 Other Ways to Work with Me

I’m a developmental editor who also happens to be a kick-ass proofreader and copyeditor. Have you written a book and need someone to polish up your manuscript and provide feedback? Click here.

Interested in hosting an author for a moderated discussion for your organization’s next meeting or event? Click here.  How about someone to present a session on mindfulness? Click here.