Only a week into October and I’ve got pumpkins on my mind. They’re literally everywhere! Lining walkways up to houses, overflowing in bins at local supermarkets, and populating patches in every city in our county. Stores feature them in holiday displays, coffee shops entice patrons with pumpkin flavored ones, and fall festivals adorn booths with them. So it’s no wonder when a recipe popped up in my inbox the other day, I was inspired to bake a batch of pumpkin snickerdoodles! Delicious! I not only consider October pumpkin season, I think of it as cuddle up season. When cooler temperatures set in, soft comfy throws come out and add a cozy warmth to evenings. I’m now also thinking about how I’m going to decorate pumpkins for my Halloween display. Wow! So many activities to look forward to, as well as my new self-care pick. One that involves strength training of a different kind. It’s tagline is “the exercise you didn’t know you needed.” We’ll see! But first, let me tell you about last month’s calming experience. Ah! It truly did live up to its name!
From my journal, September 23, 2025, Newbury Park, California
“…like the sleep stories best…most times, I remember the beginning of the story, wake up at the end…then sleep!”
I can’t say enough good things about the Calm app I subscribed to. I absolutely loved it! All but three nights in the entire month of September I tuned into to a soothing bedtime story, a meditation, or music. My goal was to improve the quality of my sleep and using this app definitely helped. There are a series of bedtime stories that take the listener on a train journey. Those seemed to resonate with me best and as I mentioned in my journal entry, I woke up at the end of each story ready to put my ear buds and phone away, then turn out the light to snooze. Maybe the positive association I have with having a bedtime story read to me as a child is the reason this form relaxed me the most and quickest. Although I liked the meditations, I found that I was so focused on following the instructions that I didn’t fully unwind. I liked the comforting music and soundscapes a lot, too.
While I initially got the app to enhance my nighttime sleep, I discovered another bonus. Using Calm was terrific for daytime naps as well! I’m a huge proponent of cat naps and take them whenever needed to recharge my batteries. A menu of nap stories for children and adults alike is offered. The ones geared for grownups consist of a narrator’s brief introduction followed by 26 minutes of soft music that ends with birdsong. I felt refreshed any time I woke from listening to these segments. For less than $50 per year, the Calm app is well worth it. This small investment has and I’m sure will continue to help me reap big rewards! Like the benefits of feeling calm and rested and enjoying better-quality sleep.
Now, for October’s self-care selection. I’ve been a fan of yoga since I was a teenager, in other words, a very long time. I’ve written about my yogic experiences in posts like Showing Up. Over the years, I’ve tried various types such as Hatha, Kripalu, and Bikram, all with the goal of building strength, releasing tension, while cleansing my body of toxins and my mind of negative thoughts. Yoga has always worked for me, so when I came across this form touting even more benefits such as lifting and toning muscles and boosting self-esteem, I was interested. And when I read that it also offers a holistic approach to skincare, I was on board!
Although I’ve just begun hearing the term “face yoga” it’s thought that this practice has been around since 10000 B.C. And while I’ve been enjoying facial massages for decades, this concept involves a bit more. It is a series of exercises created specifically to stretch and relax various muscles thereby enhancing a person’s overall facial appearance, as well as helping to soften wrinkles and improve skin elasticity. Other pluses include better mental health and a stronger mind-body connection. When a person takes the time to care for themselves in healthy ways it can lead to a more positive life outlook and inner harmony. I’ll take some of that, yes please!
Ready to give this 100% natural, do-at-home program a try, I purchased a copy of Susan Greystone’s book entitled, “Face Yoga on the Go: An Easy 12-Minute Routine for Women Over 35 to Naturally Lift, Tighten, and Rejuvenate Your Face” for $17.99. Easy to read, the step-by-step instructions include proper posture and breathing techniques to use while doing the lip, neck, eye, forehead, cheek, and jaw exercises.
On the face of it, this beginner-friendly routine appears to be short and simple so I’ll engage in this practice four times a week as suggested. As in months past, I’ll be happy to share my findings with you. I’m really curious to see if face yoga is indeed the exercise I didn’t even know I needed! So now I’m off to get started, giving both myself and my face a little lift!
A Journal Journey 