Mar 17 2019

Managing my time with Jord wood watches

My life is crazy these days. Caring for a spouse with cancer means every second, minute and hour is precious.

Simply put, I don’t have time for nonsense or things that don’t bring me joy. I’m more picky about who and what I spend my time with, clearly focusing on value.

A caregiver’s time keeps on ticking

People ask me all the time “how do you do it all”, taking care of my husband, mothering a teenage boy and another son with special needs. Most of my days are spent managing to-do lists filled with doctors appointments, therapy, calls, school meetings, research, strategizing, self-care and all the other random unexpected things that life throws my way.

Alarms, audible notifications, and my personal home assistant govern my activities. Now, I have a new best friend, the Jord Cora Polaris watch.

About Jord wood watches

Jord (pronounced Yode) watches are beautiful wood masterpieces that help any time-strapped caregiving mom keep track of her life. With luxury and style.

Jord is Swedish for “from earth, land, or soil.” They are best known for their wood designs, expanding their offerings to include other elements from nature. Jord incorporates metal and other harder materials to fortify the watches while keeping a natural wood appearance.

The company has a stellar mission. They’re committed to being environmentally responsible, building a brand whose business model does not rely on global deforestation. Some of the woods in their watches are sourced from trees that have fallen naturally. Other, more exotic woods come from furniture remnants.

That’s pretty cool!

Personally, I love that every watch is one-of-a-kind because as they say, “every tree is one-of-a-kind.”

Honestly, I never thought I’d be into a wood watch but the Jord wood watches are quality timepieces with gorgeous craftsmanship. My watch, in particular, the Jord Cora Polaris in walnut and midnight blue, is sophisticated with its mixed-material design of polished metal, subtle wood accents, and Swarovski crystals.

Jord watches are made using the same materials and in the same place as Rolex watches. Go figure, right?!

The difference in price is specifically related to brand identity.

“Elegant”, “classy”, and “charm-worthy” are the perfect adjectives for this watch. More importantly, it makes me feel good wearing it. With all the challenges on my plate, it’s the little things (like a standout accessory) that count.

I’ve had the watch for less than a week and I’ve been thinking about all the places we’ll travel for self-care. And the fact that the watch is splash-proof is a bonus so I don’t have to worry about water damage. No, you can’t submerge it in water BUT you won’t damage your piece if say, you’re caught in the lovely rainy weather of London if you happen to be traveling there in the Fall.

There are so many ways that I can style this watch. I love that I can dress it down, dress it up, relax with it on a meditation mat, or sport it on the go.

Spreading the Jord love

I don’t want to go on and on about my watch and not offer you a chance to get a watch for yourself. You know that’s not how I do! So here’s your opportunity to win $100 off of your own Jord wood watch. If the Cora Polaris isn’t your speed, no worries. There are over 30 different timepieces to choose from. Pick one that fits your individual style.

How to enter and Rules

Head to my personalized link to enter the contest. The contest will run until April 20, 2019. The winner will receive a $100 gift code toward the purchase of any timepiece in the Jord watch collection. If you don’t win the $100 code, don’t worry. You will still get consolation 10% off gift code. (psst! Follow them on Instagram to qualify for an additional entry).

If you win, why not go ahead and get your watch engraved? Personalized engraving is available on watches as well as cedar humidor boxes.

Leave me a comment below to let me know what you think of the watch. Do you like wood watches? I’d love to know! And FYI (my disclaimer): Jord Watches sent me one of their timepieces to review for this post.

Nov 13 2018

7 Life and Self-care Tips for A Young Family Caregiver

We all grow up with misconceptions about what aging looks like. I know one of my perceptions was that when I was older, much older, I’d probably be faced with the task of caregiving. I never expected that I’d be a young family caregiver.

That’s exactly what I became in my early 30’s when my youngest son was diagnosed with autism at two and then with leukemia at four.

My experiences as a Young Caregiver

When you’re a young caregiver just trying to figure out life, you often feel like you’re drowning.

As my son’s basic functional needs grew so did my own needs for a self-care action plan if I was going to keep it together. I found myself juggling medicines, therapy, doctor’s appointments, school meetings, homework, personal self-care, bills, the house, my business, travel, as well as my role as a wife and attentive mom to my oldest.

I tried to adapt quickly to our “new normal.” Thankfully, the cancer journey was a temporary normal. However, the autism journey is our everyday ongoing reality.

As if that weren’t enough, my husband’s recent cancer diagnosis compounds my caregiver responsibilities. Instead of caring for one, I now act as a caregiver for two along with raising my 14-year old son.

According to AARP “over 40 million Americans are taking care of a loved one 50 or older.” Although my loved ones are younger than 50 (I’d love to see the numbers on this younger patient demographic), my struggles are still the same.

The hard truth is that managing my day-to-day responsibilities is an ongoing struggle.

It’s imperative that I start my day with strong intentions to complete the most important things on my list. Having only one set of hands to hold a family together can be a weight to bear but there are systems that I use to help support me.

Self-care Tips for a Young Family Caregiver

Here are 7 life and self-care tips from my experience as a caregiver these past 10 years:

Create and stick to a self-care routine that supports you mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. You can not serve anyone fully from a half-empty cup.
Find and join support groups that your loved one falls under. We are members of a few organizations and autism support groups, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, as well as other cancer support groups. You can even find support groups on Facebook. If you can’t find a group you might want to consider starting your own.
Build your own support team. Ask yourself who do you need in your life to support your needs. Don’t give up on your personal dreams and goals – just surround yourself with people who can support you.
Create an online diary of your loved one’s condition so people can stay up to date without having to call or text you constantly. Caring Bridge was a great online tool for us through my son’s leukemia journey. It helped me save a lot of time with updating our friends.
Consider therapy for yourself if there’s a mental toll. If you find yourself drinking more, smoking, taking drugs, adapting any new abnormal behaviors then you might want to address things with a professional.
Inform your child’s teacher of what’s going on in your family’s life. They can support you in a number of ways. For instance, they may do extra work with your child if they notice attention isn’t there; keep an eye out for any adverse changes in your child’s behavior which could be symptomatic of stress; show more patience with your child; share school/community resources.
Find a respite care provider so that you can get a break. You may want to inquire within your church, insurance company, hospital network, or through organizations like AARP.

The journey is tough but one of the most positive results of it has been the strengthening of my resolve. My family’s resilience has been unwavering.

You know what they say: Every cloud has a silver lining.

If there’s one characteristic I believe you need most as a family caregiver is to be organized – both in your self-care and your day-to-day responsibilities.

Resources to keep Caregivers Organized

AARP’s Family Caregiver Action Kit is a valuable resource for younger caregivers. It helps to alleviate some of the overwhelm associated with caregiver responsibilities such as:

how to manage caring for a loved one and a job
where to find resources available to caregivers
how to navigate finances caring for a loved one

The AARP Family Caregiver Guide listed in the Action Kit is one of my favorite resources because it goes back to my point about organization. In it, you will find a Goals and Needs Checklist as well as a General Needs Assessment list. As a mom, I love working from lists especially when I’m overwhelmed with dozens of varying tasks destined to absorb me if I don’t approach them systematically.

So much is out of our control when it comes to our loved one’s health. However, how we choose to support ourselves is not.

Want to learn more tips and strategies on how to manage self-care with caregiving? Register HERE watch my FREE on-demand webinar on how to balance self-care, caregiving and building a business.

This post is made possible with support from AARP’s Disrupt Aging. All opinions are my own.

Aug 17 2018

9 Relaxing Things To Do In Hagerstown Maryland for Self-Care Travel

9 Relaxing Things to Do in Hagerstown

A quiet ride along route 70 just northwest of the Baltimore-Annapolis area in the heart of the Great Appalachian Valley, will bring you to a part-rural part-metropolitan Hagerstown, Maryland.

Although the most popular things to do near Hagerstown include a visit to Antietam (the famed Civil War battleground) and the C&O Canal, I’ve found that there’s over a dozen relaxing things to do in Hagerstown Maryland and surrounding areas.

Below I highlight the top nine that I like for a low-key self-care vacation getaway.

1. Sleep in at The Inn Boonsboro

If you’re looking for a relaxing place to stay near Hagerstown the Inn Boonsboro is undoubtedly where you want to stay.

The small town of Boonsboro is an 11-mile drive South of Hagerstown. Founded in 1792, it is quiet, intimate and looks very much like a rural American town.

Owned by best-selling romance novelist Nora Roberts, The Inn Boonsboro has eight uniquely appointed rooms all named after characters from fiction books.

I stayed in the Nick and Nora room for an evening.

The room’s deco-style furniture is accented with hardwood floors, crystal lighting, plush seating, a free-standing tub, glass shower stall, heated towel racks and bathroom floors.

The Elizabeth and Darcy room is equally stunning.

Facing Main Street, this room has mass feminine appeal with its dainty purple accents, lavender bath amenities, English country charm, and a traditional claw foot bathtub.

A DVD of Pride and Prejudice sits on the TV stand tempting you to complete your transport from Maryland to England for the evening.

Both rooms are luxurious, indulgent, and very hard to leave.

Depending on when you visit the Inn Boonsboro you may have the opportunity to participate in special events like a murder mystery weekend, tarot card reading, sip n’ paint class, or a mini women’s self-care retreat.

2. Read a Book at Turn The Page Bookstore

With 245 books under her belt and a huge international following, Roberts also owns a bookstore across from the Inn Boonsboro where she hosts book signings.

For a mental getaway, enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Turn the Page Bookstore.

Within this intimate setting, you’ll find rows of books filled with almost all of Nora Roberts’ published works as well as books from other genres and authors.

Cozy up with a cup of tea or coffee and allow your imagination to take you away for a few hours.

3. Escape into the art world at the Museum of Fine Arts

The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts was built in 1931. The 87-year-old museum houses over 6500 items including decorative arts and impressionist portraits.

The museum sits at the North corner of Hagerstown City Park, serving as the park’s centerpiece.

Enjoy a peaceful self-guided tour through this small museum as you walk through an international collection of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures and more.

4. Treat your taste buds while dining in Hagerstown

There are several tasty places to eat in and around Hagerstown while you’re on your self-care break.

If you love German food, hop on over to Schmankerl Stube Bavarian Restaurant for a hearty meal of typical German eats like streusel, sauerkraut, red cabbage, spaetzle and more.

The Warehouse Tap Room is the go-to eatery in Hagerstown for beer, wine, pizza, waffle sandwiches, and a vibrant upbeat scene. Although the restaurant does not accept reservations, you may want to call ahead to see what the wait time is before you go.

Dan’s Taphouse sits just across the street from the Inn Boonsboro. Owned by Nora Roberts’ son Dan Roberts, it’s a great option if you don’t want to travel too far for a meal. Casual with a very local feel, you can enjoy over 34 craft beers and dishes sourced with ingredients from local farms.

5. Expand your historical knowledge

There’s rich history in and around Hagerstown.

Did you know that Washington County was one of the most affected areas of the Civil War? Unlike other Southern towns, things weren’t so black and white. Both Northern and Southern sympathizers resided in and around Hagerstown.

Just before the Civil War began an old farm became the centerpiece of a direct challenge to the institution of slavery.

Kennedy Farm is located in Sharpsburg, Maryland about 22 miles south of Hagerstown.

The property was an obscure plot of land until a Bible-wielding John Brown rented it for a number of years. It acted as headquarters for his meticulously planned slave revolt.

Although his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, he forever marked the farm’s place in Washington County history and greater American history.

Almost 100 years later John Brown’s farm was purchased by the Black Elks. It became a juke joint for the black community, attracting musical greats like James Brown, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and Tina Turner who all performed at the farm over the years from 1950-1965.

To learn more about the fascinating music history on the John Brown farm, you may be interested in John Brown to James Brown by Ed Maliskas. I met Ed and his wife while touring the property and could understand immediately why he was so passionate about telling the relatively unknown history of the famous singers who passed through this backwoods area.

Today both the farmhouse and the juke joint are being restored to their historical glory.

Did you know that there are ghosts in Hagerstown?

Like many older American towns, Hagerstown has its own collection of ghost lore. You can find your fair share of spiritual activity at Hager House.

I know I did.

If ghost tours are your thing (and an odd version of self-care), schedule an evening tour of the Hager House. You’ll get a different kind of history lesson.

6. Release stress at the Heavy Metal Playground

Looking to release some stress in Hagerstown? Get all your frustrations out by smashing cars for 15, 30 or 45 minutes at the Heavy Metal Playground.

Owner Mark Stevanus opened the Heavy Metal Playground in May 2017 after seeing a similar concept on the popular business show Shark Tank. Once he saw Marc Cuban invest in the idea, he decided to launch a playground of his own.

In the summertime, you can play daily on leased Caterpillar machines. From September until November, you can play on the weekends.

It’s one of a few stress-relieving things to do in Hagerstown.

7. Surrender to classical music at The Maryland Theater

Enjoy classical music performances in Hagerstown with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra.

The orchestra is a resident ensemble of the historic Maryland Theater which was built in 1915 and seats about 1,300 guests for its performances.

8. Go for a quiet walk on the Hagerstown Cultural Trail

This colorful trail that captures photos of people who live, work and play in Hagerstown begins just a couple of blocks behind the Washington Arts Council on 36 W. Antietam Street.

The trail snakes 1/2 mile through the city ending at the Museum of Fine Arts at City Park. Walking along the trail is one of the most relaxing things to do in Hagerstown Maryland.

The Hagerstown Cultural Trail showcases community art, gardens, bronze and steel sculptures, green space, a steel fence, and the Mural of Unusual size, an eye-catching vibrant mural that envelopes the side of a former industrial building.

9. Wisk yourself away to Big Cork Vineyard

Thirty minutes south of Hagerstown in Rohresville, Maryland you can retreat to the picturesque fields of Big Cork Vineyard.

Big Cork Vineyard Owner — Owner Randy Thompson with an all-cork art piece of winemaker Jeff Collins.

Owned by Randy and Jenn Thompson, the land has been in the family for over thirty years. It sits adjacent to Gathland State Park facing the rolling hills of South Mountain, the northern extension of the 70-mile-long Blue Ridge Mountain range.

The 100-acre vineyard has 40 acres under vines on some of the most pristine land in Maryland.

Pack a picnic for yourself amongst a warm and welcoming staff that operates much like a family. The vineyard is open from Thursday until Monday, offering music on its outdoor patio every weekend of the year. And if you stop by between September and November, you might just get a chance to join in on the grape-picking fun.

If you’ve ever been, what are some of your favorite relaxing things to do in Hagerstown Maryland and the surrounding area? Which of these self-care activities could you see yourself enjoying?

This article contains an affiliate link. Visit Hagerstown facilitated my visit and stay in the Washington County area.

Jul 19 2018

Have Self-Care, Will Travel: What is Reiki?

If you’re familiar with any type of alternative medicine, I’m sure by now you have heard of people tapping into Reiki for wellness.

But you may be asking: what is Reiki? Who uses Reiki? Why do people seek out Reiki?

Well, recently I had my first Reiki session. Here’s why.

The back story to Why I did Reiki

Last month after the first week of summer vacation ended, I woke up on Saturday with a feeling of complete exhaustion.

As sunlight peaked through my bedroom window and the rest of the house slept, I sat up with a pounding headache, tight shoulders and a stiff upper body, a feeling of nausea and what felt like a cloud around my brain.

I spent the week as a taxi driver per usual, taking my oldest son to IB summer camp and entertaining my 10-year old at the park daily in an effort to exhaust him so that I could get work done in the afternoons.

The only thing that happens when you try to exhaust a 10-year old boy with autism is that you wind up exhausting yourself.

My son’s preferred activity at this particular park that we visit is to relax in the swing for an hour — while being pushed. It’s the repetitive nature of things that kids with autism love.

Standing for an hour in the sun pushing a swing is not friendly to the knees of one with knee issues. If it doesn’t manifest as swollen ankles or an inflamed knee, it’s going to manifest as something else.

Listening to our bodies

So when Saturday morning rolled around, although I had slept a good seven hours I was tired. And I needed to drink water.

But I also felt like I needed more.

My energy felt like it was all over the place. Between figuring out summer plans, wrapping up the school year with graduation and events, attending orientation for high school, taxing to summer camp, managing the house, being physically and mentally available to my spouse, finishing up client projects, and obsessing over my Fall Retreat, I was emotionally, mentally and physically overwhelmed.

My first thought was that I needed to travel; that I needed to do an overnight somewhere nearby. However, after debating with myself I realized that I needed something different. Otherwise, I will just go to a hotel room, pull out my computer and “catch up.”

I needed therapeutic healing – which is what bought me to the Four Seasons website.

Reiki at the Four Seasons Baltimore

Located in Baltimore, it’s a quick 25-minute drive from my house. I’ve been to the property as a guest of the hotel a few times to tour and view the facilities but I’d never actually enjoyed an appointment at the Four Seasons Spa.

Today was the day.

EXCEPT trying to make an appointment on a gorgeous Saturday at the Four Seasons in the summertime is just foolish talk.

“Sorry, ma’am. We don’t have any appointments for today.”

Honestly, what was I thinking?

But I was desperate. “Okay, so do you have anything available on Sunday?”

As the spa receptionist checked the calendar, I scrolled through the list of services again and noticed that the property also offered various energy work services such as chakras and Reiki.

“Oh, can you add Reiki to that as well?” I was really pushing it.

To my surprise, “Well if you don’t have a preference for sex, I can get you in with Mario at 12:30 and Laura at 1:30.”

“I’ll take it!”

And so I was booked for my 50-minute Swedish massage and 25-minute Reiki session at the Four Seasons Baltimore.

I felt like I had hit the jackpot (that I was clearly paying for).

Let me give you the Cliff Notes version of the story: after it was all said and done, that combination of services was exactly what my internal doctor ordered.

(Did I just date myself?!)

I will probably NOT go to anyone else for a massage at the Four Seasons except for Mario.

I was a little self-conscious at first because hello…a strange man massaging my body is, well…strange.

But that’s because I was all in my head. We, women, start thinking about our rolls and our cellulite and missed body hair, etc. etc.

But guess what?

That massage therapist ain’t thinking about you. Or me.

As long as they are professional, as Mario was, they are focused on doing their job and making you feel comfortable.

Besides, the task at hand was to get some deep therapeutic physical self-care.

And that’s what my boy Mario delivered EXACTLY.

True Self-care Therapists at the Four Seasons

A quiet sitting area at the Four Seasons Baltimore

Mario worked out knots, loosened limbs and muscles, gently cracked bones, and did some bomb-A joint pulling of my wrists, fingers, ankles, and toes.

I could hear choral notes in my head from my body singing “Hallelujah!”

And then I fell asleep (and probably snored). And then my 50 minutes were over.

No matter how much massage time I purchase it never feels like enough.

Stepping into the world of Reiki Therapy

Loose and completely open for Laura, we begin my Reiki session after I enjoy an incredibly quick 5 minutes in one of the relaxation rooms.

I was not sure what to expect.

After she escorted me to the room and we spoke briefly about the process, she walked out for a moment in order for me to get comfortable on the treatment bed.

I disrobed like I normally do at a spa and laid beneath the sheets before she walked back into the room.

“Do you prefer to be cool or warm?”

“Definitely warm,” as I snuggled the sheet and blanket further up to my neck.

And so we began.

What is Reiki and how does it work?

Essentially, Laura explained that Reiki isn’t about touch so much. It’s more about getting the subject to self-heal through their own energy and life force.

That was my speed course into Reiki after openly admitting that I didn’t quite know what it was but felt like I needed it.

But of course, I did research later in the week.

This Eastern practice is a form of alternative medicine developed in 1922 by Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist.

Reiki therapy is known to be a very specific form of energy healing where the Reiki practitioner lightly touches the body or places hands just off the body to help guide the body’s natural energy field to heal, relax, and/or relieve stress.

Why people turn to Reiki has to do with a number of different reasons. Some people report that Reiki benefits their physical ailments that have gone unresolved by traditional medicine.

Some people turn to Reiki to help them with their stress levels.

I opted for a Reiki session because I felt that my energy was completely out of balance and it was manifesting itself in my body. And although the Swedish massage relaxed me, Reiki tapped into an unseen force to help me relax in a different way but also to re-center myself.

What happens during a Reiki session

So once I finished sharing with my practitioner what issues I was having (energy being out of whack, wanting to better repel negative energy that I felt was stifling me), she began to work.

Placing a few things over my eyes including a mask, she guided me to an unconscious state of relaxation.

I heard her “ding” a soft Buddhist-type bell. Soft music played in the background.

She touched my forehead then my arm lightly and perhaps a toe or foot.

There may have been incense burning in the room or perhaps some other scent.

I honestly don’t recall because as much as I was trying to stay conscious and be aware of what the heck was going on, I could not.

She did not say a word but I was definitely melting into a complete state of relaxation.

Although I could not see her, I could feel my therapist moving around me. You could say I was feeling her energetically.

But what I could really feel was my body trying to get me to let go.

And so I did.

An aside – You may also be interested in my Solo Mom Getaway ebook:

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I have no way to explain what happened next except to say, imagine you’re in a dark movie theater and an old film reel is flickering on the screen feverishly in front of you.

That’s what was going on in my head. I was having a rapid influx of mental downloads telling me what to do, what to stop doing. I didn’t hear a voice. It was more like rapid imagery.

It’s hard to explain but something was definitely happening.

And then I went to sleep.

And then I snored and woke myself up.

And then I heard the soft bell from the start of my session.

And then my session was over.

Laura touched my shoulder lightly and spoke my name to bring me back into consciousness.

She removed my masks and welcomed me back, sharing with me information that she “saw” during our session.

How do you feel after a Reiki session?

I lay there with one eye open, peaking at her so as not to be rude but to let her know that I was listening.

I really wanted to just lay there for a few more minutes with my eyes closed.

I was too exhausted to get up.

That’s how I felt. Like I had been on some energetic roller coaster.

I imagine that everyone’s Reiki experience is different. Some people have other physical things happen to them.

So Laura mentioned a few things to me in terms of being an empath and being highly intuitive, yet not always listening to my intuition. (Ha! This was NOT the first time I heard that. A shaman in Nicaragua said the same thing to me as he pierced through my body reading my chakras).

Interesting things that happen in a Reiki Session

What I thought was most interesting in our conversation was what she said about a yellow flame from her candle flickering rapidly over me. (Remember what I said earlier about the rapid-fire film reel I saw in my mind right before I left consciousness? I think the two were connected.)

Interpreting the yellow light, she said that it was like fire flaming; that there was a creative energy stuck inside of me wanting to get out.

This prompted her to ask if I was previously an artist or a painter “but you’re not doing it anymore?”

Yuuuup.

“Because of that creative energy locked up inside of you, it’s creating blockages.”

I knew exactly what she meant. I felt that I was dealing with some sort of blockage. It’s why I came for a Reiki session in the first place – to clear the blockage, to re-center my energy.

Ugh! I closed my eyes for a second wondering when am I going to find the time to get back to my craft? I already feel pulled in a million directions.

And so the internal conversation began.

Laura gave me a moment by myself to get situated.

I sat up slowly feeling relaxed in an oddly different (but good) way. I felt almost light-headed but not in a fainting way.

I found a quiet space and journaled. And then I submerged myself in heat and water for the next 45 minutes taking my time to end my Four Seasons spa experience for the day.

Is Reiki for everyone?

That I can not say.

I think it’s for anyone who is open to it, anyone who believes in more than what their eyes can see.

Everyone that I know who has had Reiki is a spiritual person. And they are open.

You really have to be the judge of that for yourself.

If you want to learn more about Reiki, its symbols, and hand positions for energy work and healing, read The Original Reiki Handbook from the Master and creator of the practice, Dr. Mikao Usui.

I will say that Reiki benefited me in several ways and I have all plans to make it a regular part of my travel for self-care regimen.

Have you ever tried Reiki? How did you like it? I’d love to hear your experience in the comments below.

This post has affiliate links.

Jul 16 2018

Amazon Prime Day Picks for Self-Care and Wellness

Once every year, Amazon Prime aficionados go on the hunt on Amazon Prime Day for deals on Amazon products that they’ve been eyeing all year long.

It’s like Black Friday and Cyber Monday rolled all in one on the world’s largest e-commerce site. For those of us who love

saving money
online shopping, and
Amazon

Prime Day is actually a lot of fun.

CNBC notes that last year’s Prime Day was bigger for Amazon than Black Friday with $2.41 Billion in sales. (No punctuation mistake – I meant to capitalize that “B”!)

These are the best Amazon Prime Day deals from CNBC.

The caveat is that you have to have an Amazon Prime membership to join in on most of the fun.

Tip: You can take advantage of the day without paying for Prime by signing up for a free month. You’ll enjoy two-day shipping benefits as well as other Prime Features (too many to list here). You might find yourself not looking back to a non-Prime shopping experience if you’re a pretty regular online shopper.

Prime Day is great retail therapy

Listen, if you’re dealing with mental stress from work, motherhood, married life, or political Tomfoolery, Prime Day is a wonderful distraction.

News stations to content creators to tech sites to bloggers and affiliate marketers ALL talk about Prime Day hours or days in advance with their best Prime picks.

People love looking at savings on technology and gadgets for Prime Day. If you’re in the market for new tech, you will definitely find it on the site.

You can save money on phones and accessories for Prime Day such as the Moto G6 or Huawei Mate 10 Pro.

You can find the best deals on TVs, Laptops and Video Games on Prime Day. It’s a perfect time to celebrate Christmas in July. My son is a gamer so I have my eye on this wifi extender:

Although I might not be able to keep the extender a secret until Christmas, I sure can grab this Smatree Xbox One Battery Pack 2 x 2000mAh Rechargeable Battery for my son’s Xbox One. I’m tired of him using up all the AA batteries!

Amazon Prime Day Picks for Self-care

And because you’ve landed on a site that talks about travel and self-care for mothers, I’m going to share with you my Prime Day 2018 picks for travelers and my Prime Day picks for wellness.

Tune the world out with an Amazon Music subscription of $.99 for 4 months. Can I just say I LOVE what I find on Amazon Music.

When I asked people what they do for their self-care one of my community members mentioned that she listens to music to help. Amen!

Reading for Self-Care

A few of my other community members answered my “What’s your favorite self-care activity?” question with “Reading.”

Guess what?

You save money on books during Prime Day. For any physical book order of $20 or more on books “sold by amazon.com”, Amazon takes off $5 for your order. Just use promo code PRIMEBOOKS18 when you checkout.

Or you can sign up for Audible (as a Prime Member) and get it for $4.95 for your first 3 months. You can cancel anytime. Membership goes to $14.95/month after your 90 days are up.

We moms have a lot going on in our minds so part of our daily supplements routine should include fish oil which helps to support a healthy heart, our joints, mood, mental state, skin and hair. I have my eye on the Dr. Tobias Triple Strength Omega 3 Fish Oil.

Our mental health needs it.

I just chatted about how I love taking a nap during the day to re-charge my batteries.

When I was in my early twenties I thought naps were just for the elderly and babies. Girl was I wrong! I l❤️ve naps to refresh my mind??‍♀️ and body??‍♀️! Science even tells us that a 15-20 minutes recharge goes a long way. When was the last time you took a nap during the day? #wellness #selfcare #mindbodyspirit #mindfulness #therapeutic #momsneedretreats #mompreneur #personalretreat

A post shared by Tawanna B. (@tawannabsmith) on Jul 15, 2018 at 12:43pm PDT

So we’ve had our comforter for a minute and I’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting to buy a new one.

Thank goodness Linenspa has one for our king-sized bed for Prime Day (they have it for all bed sizes as well in various colors).

As it is now, the price is right so I can’t wait to see what the price is going to be once it’s revealed during Prime hours.

I love Linenspa products. I purchased their pillow, mattress, and box spring encasements when we had a scare this year with what we thought were bed bugs. Thankfully that wasn’t the issue although as travelers we thought this could’ve been the case.

I’m confident their reversible down is going to be just as fabulous and well-made as the encasements. And with an almost perfect score rating, I don’t think I’m going to go wrong.

And because the best naps are taken in darkness, I have my eye on these blackout thermal insulated curtain panels

Speaking of traveling, if you plan to do any group travel or join me on a retreat where you might be sharing bathroom space with someone, I highly suggest you grab a bottle of Poo-Pourri. This is every traveler’s best friend and it’s going to be available at a discount on Prime Day.

Thank me later!

Speaking of your next trip, if you don’t have a neck pillow yet, here’s a good time to grab (a memory foam) one complete with a sleep mask, earplugs and cover!

Admittedly, I have about 4 neck pillows but my memory foam one is by far my favorite.

To create an amazing bath (in-home spa) experience at home, here are just a few items that I suggest:

A comfortable bathtub mat to ensure maximum relaxation and no slips:

2. The Chesapeake Bay Candle to soothe your mind and deliver some aromatherapy:

3. These Vegan bath bombs are perfect for your bath now or for a holiday gift later:

For your physical self-care you can never go wrong with an exercise ball:

Or stretching straps, perfect for yoga:

Last but not least, to help keep me on track with my calendar, listen to music, streamline my shopping list, watch videos while I cook, set my alarms and overall help me stay organized, I’m upgrading my Alexa toys to include an Echo Show.

This baby is my #1 self-care and tech pick for moms on this Amazon Prime Day.

Merry Christmas to us!

So how long is Prime Day 2018?

Prime Day is actually longer than a day this year. It’s actually 36 hours ending at 2:59 am EST on July 18.

To find all of my Amazon Prime Day picks for self-care in one place, check out my Flipboard magazine below:

View my Flipboard Magazine.

Happy shopping!

Note that this post has Amazon affiliate links.