Maryann Loucks- Health Coach, CFNC

This is Thanksgiving week , and I feel especially grateful this year. I'll be spending the holiday with our children, their spouses, and my parents. Our son and his wife will be hosting in their new home—a beautiful gathering filled with love, laughter, and connection. 2025 has been a year full of milestones and blessings. Two of our children got married, celebrating their unions exactly as they wanted. Family health scares are behind us, and everyone is doing much better. Ho

T he holidays can be joyful—but for women in midlife, they often come with stress, overwhelm, and exhaustion . Between travel, family obligations, and disrupted routines, it’s easy to feel drained. Here are the top 5 holiday stressors  women face and practical strategies to manage them: 1. Travel Stress Traveling during the holidays can be exhausting and anxiety-inducing. Action Steps: Plan your trip early to reduce last-minute stress. Pack healthy snacks to avoid relying on

Making more time for fun! This week in my online wellness course, we focused on the importance of sleep, rest, and recovery , essential pillars of a healthy lifestyle.  Personally, winding down is always a challenge for me. My mind rarely stops, so I’ve been putting intentional effort into stress management  and daily rest  to support both my mental clarity and overall wellness. Here’s what can happen when we neglect rest: Increased stress and burnout , leaving you fatigued

This past month, I’ve started taking more time on the weekends to simply rest . No planning, no errands—just me and some quiet time.  At first, I felt a little guilty for slowing down, but now I can honestly say  I feel more energized, focused, and just…lighter. I’m not talking about doing absolutely nothing all weekend. Instead, I carve out a chunk of time to  just chill .  I’ve had to let go of the mindset that  if I’m not busy, I’m not making progress . I’m one of those wo