anxiety – Jenna Jamieson, Author

Reach out and touch a heart!

By Jenna Jamieson | February 28, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

A day is often filled with lots of stressors, usually things that make life a bit chaotic, but there are so many little moments in-between that make life amazing and worth all those exhausting and stressful moments. As a teacher, I love the little things that make my students smile, laugh, and allow me to see a different side of them or witness them in a different light, even for just a minute or two.

I am like any tired teacher, CEO, janitor, parent, customer service representative, lawyer, doctor, etc because I am often overwhelmed by my post-it note reminders and to-do lists. I have had some tough days lately filled with anxiety, tears, and even questioning what I am doing as a teacher. I had a few patches with several complex situations (actually, three specific stressors) that made my life feel like it was spinning in circles.

During those spinning circles, there were two students that made an impact on my life. One student who had been struggling recently came to me and asked if I could help her with finding a job. As a Business Teacher, I was thrilled to be able to offer her assistance and that she showed such motivation by coming in after school to get help. I answered her questions and assisted with a resume. She was thrilled by the small amount of help that I had offered. The next day she came in very excited to tell me that she had an interview coming up. It was actually one of the first times I had seen her smile and saw such emotion in her personality. I was very excited for her. I congratulated her and told her I wanted updates on the job (basically so that I could cheer her on along the way as she started this new adventure).

This next young lady asked the most simple question, but it left a smile upon my face. She is a quiet student and I really haven’t gotten to know her that well since it’s a new semester. She’s always been very respectful and honest, but I could never tell whether she likes my class, hates my class, or just tolerates it since it’s her consumer education credit. She came up to me at the end of class and in the most innocent and sweet voice she said, “I applied for a job, Mrs. Jamieson.” I said, “That’s great, I hope you get it!” She followed that with, “I did the online application, but I have this feeling that I should call or do something else, but I don’t even know what I would even say.” I was impressed with her admission and how candid she was with me. After all, I didn’t realize she trusted me or felt comfortable in my class yet (mostly because she’s quiet). I said, “I would actually go to the place you applied and tell them you submitted an online application. Explain to them that you wanted to confirm that they received it and hope they contact you soon to discuss the position.” I explained to her that this gives the employer a chance to see her and it may set her apart from other applicants that don’t follow through after they submit the application. She told me she felt relieved about what would come next. She smiled and as she left, I said, “You know this means you have to keep me posted on your job prospects and how it goes!”

What’s the point of these two stories? It’s quite simple. Reach out and help others, touch their heart and in turn it will touch yours. These young ladies did just as much, if not more, for me as I did for them.

~jj

#ProjectKindnessBook

#AlwaysChooseKindness

Tea, spice, and everything nice!

By Jenna Jamieson | June 19, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

Teas often come with an acquired taste over time, but give them a chance. If you don’t want tea every day, consider making it a routine once a week. While many people think of tea as a more wintery drink choice, you can enjoy hot tea in the winter and iced teas in the summer (and I don’t mean iced sweet tea)! There are tons of flavors and they can be great for your health (key word being CAN BE, see below)!

If you aren’t a quick breakfast eater in the morning, tea can be a great alternative and a much better choice than coffee (sorry coffee lovers)! Try to quench your thirst in the morning with a tea, preferably within the first few hours of waking up. It helps diminish heavier cravings and assists with waking you up each day. Enjoy tea before you eat breakfast or choose to drink it with your breakfast. Teas such as ginseng tea (increases focus and concentration), green tea (great replacement for coffee because it has caffeine, but not as high as coffee), chai tea (my favorite, just ask my boyfriend; high in antioxidants and spices), or black breakfast tea (alternative to coffee that has a rich flavor and is often enjoyed with milk or creamer, boosts brain activity, reduces anxiety). Other great morning drinks are warm water with lemon and water with aloe. Both are great for your immune system. Chamomile tea and peppermint tea are great relaxers that help calm nerves and allow you to destress in the evening hours. Chamomile tea is also great to help you go to sleep. If you have tried tea and you can’t seem to find a tea that suits you, consider a morning protein smoothie with fruit.

From tea to spice and everything nice! 🙂 Spice up your life with some great spices, non-spicy and spicy, both will get your metabolism and body going (in a great way)! Consider cinnamon, ginger, or cardamom to add flavor (non-spicy, rich decadence) or if you are like me and like some heat in your food, add mustard, horseradish, cayenne, chili flakes, jalapenos, etc. to add spicy flavor that will have your heart beating faster and your nose running! 😉 So no excuses for not using spice, there are mild to hot spices and something in between to satisfy everyone’s taste buds!

So, what’s the everything nice part? Studies have shown that drinking tea and adding spice actually improves a person’s mood, provides significant energy, and gives a person a more positive energy and outlook. That’s nice, right? Hey, I will take it, after all, some days, we need all the help we can get! So, drink some tea and add some spice, it might just change your perspective, mood, and your entire day!

~jj