Wine'ing Momma - More Wine...Less Whine!

5 Ways to Not Be an Asshole Toward People Dealing With Mental Illness

December 8, 2018 by Alisha 6 Comments

If you’ve been with me for a while you know I typically discuss my love for all things related to natural hair, my crazy ass kids and wine. Literally those are the three top things that I feel represent who I am as a person. But for the last year and a half I’ve also focused on a lot of things outside of my blog. That would be dealing with mental illness.

For the last year and a half I’ve been working as a Crisis Consultant for a suicide hotline. While it is probably one of the most stressful jobs I’ve had, it is also one of the most rewarding! The majority of my jobs since I graduated from college have dealt with mental illness in one way or another but not as intimately as this one.

I’ve been trying to figure out the best way for a while now to address some of the issues that come up when I’m talking with callers. I like to just cut to the chase when I’m talking with people on the phone so I figured that would also translate to how I wanted to discuss this on my blog as well. The only way I figured that would work was if I gave some tips on how to treat people that are dealing with mental illness. [Read more…]

5 Tips to Getting Back on Track After a Fitness Break

December 7, 2018 by Alisha 9 Comments

A lot of people like to wait until the new year to get their ish together and work on health and fitness goals. There’s no better time like the present so why not get your butt in gear and start now so that by this time next month you’ll be ahead of the game.

You know that saying about summer bodies are made in the winter…well they weren’t lying! You may be thinking its entirely too cold to even thinking about wearing a bikini or that cute dress next summer but before you know it you’ll look up and be like I spent all winter living like a sloth and now I’m paying for it. We all know that eating right and exercising are what you are supposed to do, but sometimes you just get in a rut and then it’s “Oh I’ll get back on track tomorrow” or “I won’t eat that again”. Well the time has come and it means no more excuses. So if you’re like me, meaning human, then you can still get back on track!

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5 Ways to Cope with Depression During the Holidays

December 7, 2018 by Alisha 1 Comment

When a lot of us think of December we think about all of the celebrations that happen during the month. A few of these are Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan. Many people equate these holidays with joy and a time of being with family and loved ones. But for many this time of year can trigger sadness and increased depression. There is an expectation for everyone to want to spread good cheer and give more than they receive. There are a lot of factors that can cause these feelings of hopelessness and depression:

SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder can happen year round but typically affects those during the fall and winter months. The shorter days and colder months tend to just zap all of your energy and can increase depression. The “winter blues” are real and shouldn’t be dismissed or taken lightly. A lot of times treatment can include light therapy, medication or counseling. Since I work overnights I feel like I get about an hour of sunlight a day! Light therapy has made a huge difference in my mood.
Finances – A lot of times you might get caught up trying to keep up with The Joneses and you want to make sure your kids or family have everything they want. But the stress of not being able to provide if finances are tight can make you feel like you’re letting people down.
Stress – Trying to make sure you’ve got the perfect gifts, house is ready for family, dinner for 20 is taken care of…that’s a lot of crap to deal with!
People Pleaser – Putting yourself last and making sure everyone else’s needs are met can also wear you down.

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JoyJolt Gifts for the Wine & Coffee Lover in Your Life!

November 30, 2018 by Alisha 3 Comments

“This post contains affiliate links. I was also provided with products for review. All opinions are my own.”

If you’re not a wine drinker (or have little knowledge about it) trying to find the perfect gift for the wine lover in your life can be intimidating! Should I get stemless, ones for red or white wine and what the heck does a decanter do and why does anyone need it?!?! These are all things that would leave me confused too when I started to introduce myself into the world of wine.

And on the flip side there are a million and one different ways that one can enjoy their favorite coffee or espresso. When I’m working from home I typically like to use one of my cups with a lid because I swear the phone rings as SOON as I take one sip. But on the days when I can enjoy it in piece, I like to sip leisurely using my “fancy glasses”.

JoyJolt has some amazing items for giving gifts or treating yourself! I had a chance to try out the decanter, stemless wine glasses and insulated espresso mugs.

My favorite item was the Cigno Red Wine Decanter. This decanter has a wide 50oz base which helps optimize aeration for the wines it holds. Now you may be sitting there thinking other than looking pretty, what the heck does a decanter do?!?! Decanting is when you basically pour from one bottle to another (in this case the decanter). When you do this it helps to separate the sediment that has settled in the bottle. Another reason a decanter is important is that young wines can give off an unpleasant taste and aeration helps with this. Now if you’ve got (and can afford) a 50 year old bottle of wine, other than being a pretty centerpiece you can probably skip using a decanter LOL.

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