WELLNESS

Ladies, do you worry? Do you toss and turn at night unable to rest your mind? Do you bite your nails? Do you experience muscle tension? Are you absent minded or have a short attention span? These are all signs of worry. Seriously, with the way 2009 went for most people, it wouldn’t be off the wall if you experienced any to all of these. Or, perhaps you worry about what other people think about you, or if you’ve put on a few pounds. Worry comes in many different forms. But the question is, what are you going to do about your worrying? Chronic worry or anxiety take a very negative toll on your mind and body.

I’ll never forget how I soaked up, How Stella Got Her Groove Back. I went to the movie with a girlfriend when it first came out, and for us, it was two hours of bliss. The premise: a gorgeous burned-out forty-something woman reignites her fire by running away to Jamaica and finding a bedmate half her age. Now obviously, this is not what I would suggest for all women in a funk! It’s maybe a little… well… unrealistic. But you have written in ladies. Many of you are running around from work, to meetings, chasing your kids, trying to find the time and energy to reconnect with your husbands, and the daily grind has taken its toll. You’re feeling in a rut. Maybe it’s the November Blues. Maybe you need to change up your routine. Maybe you just need some good sleep. Maybe it’s something a little more serious. I read something online this weekend that was catchy and rings true, “Things have gotten a little funky for me, and the longer it stays, the funkier it gets.”

If you’re like me, then getting to the gym can be a real chore. Especially now that I’m blogging, I have come up with nearly every excuse in the book to avoid the gym. “I haven’t written a blog in a couple of days, so I want to write this morning. I have no time for the gym today!” Now I’m in pretty decent shape. I won’t lie. I’ve been active my entire life, from ballet as a little girl through to late teens, and then fitness after that. Being fit and eating healthy have always been a part of my life. But, honestly, I’m just not one of those people who “love the gym.” Obviously, there is no better feeling once you’re finished, and I never regret going once I’m all done, but it’s always a miracle that I make it there. Every time.

Daughter-in-law of the great cosmetic legend Estee Lauder, Evelyn Lauder has been at the forefront in the fight against breast cancer for years. Her story is one of both misfortune and privilege, after first having escaped the horror of the Nazis in World War II and then marrying into a family of wealth and privilege. This woman, however, didn’t turn out to be no average trophy wife. Recruited into the Company by her mother-in-law, Estee Lauder, it was clear early on that Evelyn was a very capable and dynamic young woman. Using her position as a “Lauder” in the company, she further rallied for the cause, and has been fighting relentlessly to find a cure ever since.

I’ve already done a Blog entry about H1N1, but I wanted to address this topic again. Everywhere you look, someone, somewhere in the world is reporting on the outbreak or pandemic of H1N1 (aka the Swine Flu). And it’s some really scary sh&t, let me tell you! We hear of cases where people are dying from the Swine flu. If you knew you could prevent this, and it was as simple as getting a little shot, wouldn’t it be a no-brainer? On the flip side, people are dying FROM the H1N1 shot. Should you risk giving a perfectly healthy individual a vaccine, only to have them develop permanent side effects? It’s a very complex issue.

“Erica, I have to tell you, I’m losing my patience. I’m yelling at my kids a lot lately. I can’t remember the last time I sat on the floor with them to do a puzzle. I’m short tempered with my husband. I’m pulled in a million different directions, and I’m completely frazzled!”