Emma Grace Brown, Author at AlrightNow

About Emma Grace Brown

Emma Grace Brown lives her life by her rules; and it works! When she's not snuggling puppies, Emma promotes female empowerment through her website. Her mission is to help those who live with self-doubt to realize they don't have to mold themselves to conventionality.

Overcoming Overwhelm: Practical Tips for Managing Life’s Stress

Stress can sometimes feel like an unavoidable part of life, but understanding and managing it is essential for maintaining mental and physical well-being. Identifying what causes stress is the first step toward taking control. This guide provides practical strategies to help you pinpoint your stressors and adopt healthier ways to cope. In this AlrightNow article, you'll discover methods to balance your commitments, enjoy personal interests, and take actionable steps toward a stress-reduced life. Pinpoint What Stresses You Stress often stems from various areas of life, including work, finances, personal relationships, and health. Recognizing these sources is crucial. These are likely significant stressors if your thoughts frequently circle money or work deadlines. Health concerns, whether sudden or chronic, also contribute to heightened stress levels. Understanding these triggers is the first step in managing your stress more effectively. Learn to Set Boundaries Taking on too much can lead to burnout. Setting clear boundaries and learning to decline requests that exceed your capacity is vital. Recognize the signs of overcommitment, and assess whether each new obligation aligns with your priorities. Saying no might be difficult initially, but it protects your time and energy for the commitments you value. Consider a Career Change Stress from work can often push you to your limits. If the demands of your job are too much to handle or it no longer brings satisfaction, you might want to consider this option: changing careers. Online degree programs provide the flexibility to balance learning with personal and professional responsibilities. For example, pursuing an online education doctoral degree could open doors to less stressful roles in educational reform and development. Engage in Pleasurable Activities Make time for hobbies and activities that bring you joy. Whether it's painting, hiking, or playing a musical instrument, these pursuits provide enjoyment and significantly reduce stress. Engaging in leisure activities helps distract you from stressors and rejuvenates your mind and spirit, making you better equipped to handle life's challenges. Break Down Overwhelming Tasks Large tasks can seem impossible and contribute to stress. You can reduce the overwhelm by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps. Start by identifying the most critical tasks and setting realistic deadlines. Progress, no matter how small, can help alleviate the sense of being swamped and boost your confidence in handling challenges. Seek Support Surround yourself with supportive people who understand and encourage you. Sharing your worries with friends, family, or support group members can lighten your emotional load. These conversations often provide new perspectives and coping strategies, enhancing your ability to manage stress effectively. Knowing you have a reliable support network can boost your confidence and resilience. Focus on What You Can Control Concentrating on areas of your life that you can influence and letting go of those you cannot is essential for reducing stress. Focus on your reactions and how you manage your time and energy. This shift in focus away from uncontrollable factors significantly reduces feelings of helplessness and anxiety. Moreover, it empowers [...]

2024-08-05T16:06:51-07:00By Emma Grace Brown|

Break Free from Boredom With COVID-Friendly Activities

If you’re like many people, the pandemic has put a lot of things into perspective for you. Whether you’re sick of feeling like a prisoner in your home or at your job, we’ve got the perfect guide to get you reacclimated and back in touch with the real world. You want to make sure you’re practicing social distancing, but you also want to get out there and live your life. So, try these tips from Alrightnow and take back your freedom—all while ensuring your health and safety. Explore the Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert is an amazing place to explore and daydream. It’s a place of fascination and wonder, taking you up close and personal with nature. Best of all, socially distancing from others is a breeze when you’re in the desert. This magical place will remind you of the beauty and fragility of our natural world. It’s a wild, rugged, and remote region that offers some of the most diverse landscapes in North America. The arid land is home to all kinds of life, whether wild or plant. So, pack up and head to Scottsdale, Arizona, for an experience you won’t soon forget. Go Camping in Gunnison National Forest Gunnison National Forest in Colorado is one of the most popular national forests in the United States. It’s a great place to go camping and experience the beauty of nature. Whether you want to enjoy a family camping trip or spend some time by yourself, Gunnison has plenty of campsites for you to choose from. What’s more, you can experience lone camping without ever seeing a single person—it’s easy to practice social distancing here! So read up on the best gear to take on your journey, from cozy camping blankets to handy coolers and prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure. Make a Career Change Whether you’re a recent graduate, a mid-career professional, or an employee who is just looking for a fresh start, making the decision to change careers can give you the boost you need in life to break free from boredom. It’s not always easy to know where to start or how best to transition into a new field. But these tips and strategies can help in your decision: Define your values and priorities Get help from people in your network Explore career paths that interest you Understand how the labor market works Consider a career that allows more personal time There are tons of online resources to aid you in finding your strengths as you search for a new career. It’s important that you do something that makes you happy, as your stress will dissipate, and you’ll feel more at peace with your life. As the adage goes, the man who loves his job never works a day in his life. Look for Ways to Relax The pandemic didn’t do anyone any favors in terms of stress levels. In fact, it only made things worse. Granted, stress is [...]

2022-02-25T17:09:14-08:00By Emma Grace Brown|

Doing Your Best to Feel Your Best

As we grow older and joints and muscles grow achier, mustering the motivation for a healthy lifestyle gets harder. However, when we can no longer take our good health for granted is precisely the time that healthy habits are most important. Of course, it's possible to feel better, live better, and do more as you age. However, better aging doesn't come without effort. If you want to make the most of each day and live a fuller life, you need to make wellness a priority. How? Courtesy of AlrightNow, here are seven ways you can live a healthier, richer life so you grow better with age. Stay Physically Active A body in motion stays in motion. It's true for physics, and it's true for aging. As tempting as it may be to settle into your La-Z-Boy for a retirement of leisure, a sedentary lifestyle does the aging body no favors. Inactivity is linked to mobility loss and disability in adults aged 60 and up. Exercise that improves heart health, builds strength, and enhances balance and flexibility is important for our aging bodies. One mistake people make is focusing too much on aerobic activity like walking and jogging and not enough on strength training. However, it's building muscle that will keep your body strong and capable at every age. Consider building out a home gym in your home to ensure you have all the necessary equipment. With the right space you can have room for a cardio machine as well as a weight bench and other necessary equipment. If you opt to make this a flex-room, you could even add some value to your home. Talk about a win-win! Maintain a Positive Attitude Positive thinking does for the mind what resistance training does for the body. Optimistic people have less stress, better coping skills, and lower rates of depression compared to glass-half-empty types. While you might think optimism and pessimism are personality traits, the way you think is primarily a matter of habit. You can train yourself to stop negative thinking in its tracks and practice gratitude and positive self-talk. If bad energy has pervaded your household, start by opening the windows, taking out the trash, and declutter for an emotional fresh start. Watch Your Weight You don't need a supermodel-slim figure in your Golden Years. In fact, a few extra pounds may have a protective effect on the 80-plus crowd. However, it's still important to maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) as you age. Obesity-related health conditions like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes are leading causes of death among adults in early old age. While weight loss is important if you're outside of a healthy weight range, it shouldn't be done at the sake of nutrition. Adjusting your eating habits to include more protein, fiber, and fresh produce is both more effective and safer than crash dieting. Mind Your Diet You can't outrun a bad diet — especially [...]

2021-12-24T15:42:03-08:00By Emma Grace Brown|