How to boost your mood and win a boutique gift card!

Here are my tips on how to boost your mood and win a boutique gift card. With the sad deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, I have been thinking about mood and sadness especially with women and young moms.

After the birth of both of my girls, I dealt with postpartum depression. It wasn’t as severe as many women, but I had those terrible thoughts. I remember thinking about Madilyn not waking up in her crib. I would obsessively and compulsively check her breathing. I hardly slept. With Juliana, I remember having terrible dreams about her dying at a young age. I never asked for help because I didn’t think it was serious enough. Looking back, I probably should have talked to someone.
Over time, I was lucky because it got better. I had both of my girls in the winter months which was HARD. I was stuck inside in those dark, gloomy, snowy days and I was depressed. Then, I would feel so guilty because I had a beautiful new baby and I felt like total crap. Having a break from my girls is what helped me. I needed a few hours alone. I needed time to walk and listen to music. I even got a couple vacations without the kiddos. Thank goodness to grandmas, I got my breaks. I am forever grateful for that. I know that not everyone gets this opportunity. Hats off to single moms. Wow. I bow to you.

When I think about sadness and depression, I look back at my life and realize that I have really dealt with this my entire life. I remember having a terrible anxiety attack in college. I was going to visit a boyfriend over the weekend and I had a paper due and it was just too much for my 20 year old self to manage. I used Zoloft for a little while – it seemed like a bunch of my friends in college were on antidepressants. I was obsessed with getting straight A’s. I even missed parties and time with my friends because I was studying. When I had a miscarriage in between my girls, I was crushed. I blamed myself. I didn’t want to socialize.
As a mom to two young gifts, I hope and pray that they don’t deal with these feelings but I am sure they will at some point in time. Life gets stressful and over booked. Even kids have a lot of responsibilities these days. Kids are enrolled in activities to fill up their schedules. Is this for the better of our kids or for us moms to feel good about ourselves? I am not sure. I am still figuring this mom gig out. Right?!?!
Moms today are constantly comparing their lives to the perfect Instagram lives of strangers. We are always wondering if we are doing “enough.” This message is for all of you young women and your moms – you ARE enough. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be healthy. If you are struggling, don’t be stubborn like me and get help. If you find yourself sad on a yucky day, try to boost your mood.

Below are my ideas for helping your mood:

• go shopping at The Picket Fence because it is all FABULOUS and it will make you feel better! I just ordered this Kate Spade umbrella from The Picket Fence and it is beautiful.
• get a massage from your favorite spa
• get a manicure and pedicure in some fun colors and designs
• go to the gym or take a walk – exercise is key to boosting your mood!
• ask your partner to watch the kids and go do something alone
• put on some fun music and dance
• do some yoga and deep breathing
• get in the kitchen and get creative! Make some Pumpkin Cinnamon Pancakes or my grandma’s famous Spanish Rice. I always feel better when I control my food and how it is prepared.
• Add dark leafy greens to things you are eating. Greens are nature’s antidepressants! Have your kids help you make Spaghetti Shells or my Salmon Patties.
• Add more vitamin B-12, folic acid, vitamin D3 and tyrosine. Find these vitamins in foods like fish, oysters, beans, nuts, whole grains, leafy vegetables and fortified dairy products.
• Andrea Beaman’s books – check them out because they have changed the way I look at food and health!

I hope this post encourages you to make sure you take care of YOU especially in times when you feel sad.

So, I wanted to give one of my readers a $50 gift card to shop at Picket Fence online! To enter, please leave a comment below. In your comment, tell me what you would love to order at Picket Fence online if you won the $50 gift card. Also, share a comment about mood and sadness and how you cope. If you want to increase your chances in winning, please like Picket Fence on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and find them on Instagram. Leave another comment letting me know how you connected with them on social media. I will pick a winner on Friday, July 13th. Good luck!
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