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My Meaning of Christmas

My Meaning of Christmas

Like most kids, my internal countdown to Christmas was palpable. The butterflies in my stomach and the agonizing wait for Santa’s Big Day, I wore on my sleeve. Christmas couldn’t come soon enough. My Mom and Dad, working hand-in-hand with Santa, did an excellent job filling my Christmas list every year. So, of course, the idea of new Barbies and Barbie accessories (all I cared about, really) factored in heavily to my idea that December 25th was, hands-down, the best day of th

Warning: This post contains venting.

Warning: This post contains venting.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a local diner for breakfast. We sat up at the counter, and next to us were a young man (early 20s) and his father. A charming picture, except for one thing: The entire time, the son was glued to his phone. Didn’t say a word that I could tell to his father, who ended up chatting off and on with the cook and wait staff. Then the check came, and the father took out his wallet and paid the bill. What’s he paying for? Clearly not the pleasure of hi

October Tip of the Month: Writing to Unplug

October Tip of the Month: Writing to Unplug

I think that I shall never see. A poem lovely as a tree. - Joyce Kilmer A writer writes. And so do I. Poetry to be specific. I find putting pen to paper an extremely therapeutic exercise, and a way for me to capture the beauty I see in the world around me. And it's also one way, and a great way, for me to unplug. So without further ado, I'm so happy to be able to share my poem, "Tree Bird Sun," with you. I hope you enjoy it, and perhaps you'll be inspired to capture in words,

Tip of the Month: Meditate

Tip of the Month: Meditate

Meditation is a great way to unplug. I find that it calms the mind and body, giving me a chance to spend time with my thoughts and ideas to achieve mindfulness and bring me to a peaceful place. I use meditation to disconnect from an often crazy world that's full of hustle, bustle and over-stimulation, particularly through the constant buzz of social media, texting and information overload. Meditation helps me to connect with my heart and soul, and hear messages from my true s

August 2017 Tip of the Month: Board Games Are Back!

August 2017 Tip of the Month: Board Games Are Back!

The age of the endless Monopoly game isn’t over. In fact, it’s just getting started. I believe board games are an amazing way to unplug, so I was so happy to see this in USA Today last week: In a world where seemingly all things are digital — look around in any public place and you'll undoubtedly see all eyes glued to mobile devices — a unique trend is popping up: a renewed interest in board games. Yahtzee! Board games have always played (pardon the pun) a big part of family

July Tip of the Month: 7 Summer Vacations (Unplugged!)

July Tip of the Month: 7 Summer Vacations (Unplugged!)

Summer is in full swing! That means BBQ's, swimming pools and best of all, vacations! Whether you’re headed to the beach, camping under the stars or touring faraway lands, we challenge you to put down your phones (for everything except snapping pics!) to disconnect from social media, email and those annoying telemarketers. In other words, take a vacation from everything that could distract you from your vacation! And use that time to appreciate nature, your surroundings, a ne

Pilates in the Park

Pilates in the Park

As a Pilates instructor, I’m always looking for ways to marry the practice with the great outdoors. Nature is a great setting for this calming and introspective exercise. Last week I got the opportunity to do it! I was thrilled to be able to conduct a mat class on Vienna’s Town Green. And on a truly beautiful summer evening. We had a great turnout, and the participants loved it so, I’m definitely incorporating outdoor Pilates into my class schedule. If you’re in the DC area,

Unplugging When You’re Unplugged (Literally!)

Unplugging When You’re Unplugged (Literally!)

NOVA (Northern Virginia, that is.) was hit with a major thunderstorm last night. So, of course, our power went out. Typically an annoyance (especially when it’s out for four hours!), we looked at it another way: Using it as an opportunity to have "power" family time. (Pun intended.) So what did we do while waiting for the lights, TV and fridge to come back on? More importantly, what can you do? Here’s a quick list of ideas. We played tag candlelight. We found our inner crafte

How Are You Celebrating Memorial Day?

How Are You Celebrating Memorial Day?

We all look forward to Memorial Day Weekend. It's the official start of summer after all! But, It's also a time for us to honor and commemorate our service members, vets and fallen heroes. This morning I watched the Rolling Thunder make their annual voyage (it's the ride's 30th anniversary!) to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall. A sight to see! And an amazing display of patriotism. What's Rolling Thunder? From their website: 'The Rolling Thunder Run mission i

Practice What You Preach, Right?

Practice What You Preach, Right?

We talk a lot about unplugging so that we can connect with family, friends and the world around us. But disconnecting also helps us to reconnect with ourselves - physically, emotionally and spiritually. That’s why I’ve incorporated Pilates, meditation and essential oils in my life. So, how do I “hug” myself? I practice Pilates. I started practicing Pilates because I was looking for an exercise program to support my cardiovascular health, strength, endurance and flexibility.

We Love Our Moms & These Mother’s Day Ideas

We Love Our Moms & These Mother’s Day Ideas

Mother’s Day is right around the corner! Sunday, May 14 to be exact. Still looking for the perfect way to celebrate your mom or spoil your partner? Give her a special (and ‘unplugged’) day with these five brilliant ideas. 1. Treat her to breakfast in bed. Little chefs (with a little help from a family member!) will love to whip up these 24 Best-Ever Mother's Day Brunch recipes. 2. Get crafty. Grab the crayons, scissors and glue gun, and set your kids loose on 10 Cute Mother’s

Tip of the Month: Walk!

Tip of the Month: Walk!

We all know the physical health benefits of walking, like weight loss, improved strength and increased endurance. But, did you know that taking a walk also improves your mood, sharpens your memory and helps you have a good, peaceful and re-energizing sleep? There are so many ways that a simple walk affects your brain and mental health! We also like using walking as a way to unplug, and especially love it because it stimulates our connection with the world around us. Most impo

Hi! Welcome to the Unplug & Hug Blog!

Hi! Welcome to the Unplug & Hug Blog!

We're so excited that you found us! The Unplug & Hug Blog is our space to provide you tips, insights and resources to help you disconnect from the digital world, so that you can connect with yourself, and your family, friends, hobbies, nature - whatever brings you happiness and peace in the world outside your phone, social media and information overload in general. Our goal is to share our thoughts on why it's important to unplug on a variety of levels - from social to physic

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