http://www.balanced-wellness-cf.com/

Cindy Florkey Balanced Wellness, Brookville, OH (2025)

11/21/2025

Feeling overwhelmed and stressed for too long can make it tough to just "relax" on command. Your body needs more than a quick fix. 🌪️

When stress stretches on for months or even years, it's not just something you can turn off. It can leave you feeling drained and stuck. But there’s a way to reclaim those moments of calm!

Take just five minutes each day for deep breathing or a gentle walk in nature. These small, intentional actions can help you reset and recharge, reminding you that you deserve to feel empowered and connected.

What’s your go-to calming practice? Share with us below! 💖 And for more tips and support, don’t forget to follow along at Cindy Florkey Balanced Wellness. Let’s take this journey together!

11/21/2025

Last night I was sitting with my small group from church, laughing over soup, and it hit me again how much we need connection—the kind where we can just be ourselves.

Coffee dates with friends. Walking and talking through the neighborhood. Those moments when someone really listens without trying to fix everything.

If you're in that exhausted, overwhelmed season where everything feels like too much—I get it. I've been there. Sometimes we just need someone who understands what it's like when your body isn't cooperating, when you're too tired to figure it all out, when you feel invisible in your own struggle.

I'm here if you need someone to listen. Or if you're ready to finally understand what your body's been trying to tell you. No pressure, no judgment—just someone who's walked a similar path and wants to see you feel like yourself again.

You don't have to have it all figured out. You just need to take the next small step. 💛

What fills your cup? Is it coffee with a friend, a walk outside, or something else entirely? Drop a comment below—I'd love to hear what connection looks like for you. 👇

11/20/2025

🎥✨ Mornings Matter! ✨💖

Confession time: I used to wake up and dive straight into emails and adorable mini cow videos (I know, I know... 🐄🐴). But here's a revelation: each scroll sets my nervous system into stress mode before I even have my first sip of coffee! 😱 That’s not how I want to start my day!

This week, I challenged myself to a 45-minute *screen-free morning ritual*. 🌅 It’s a game-changer! No devices means I can center my mind, focus on my goals, and start the day feeling empowered instead of overwhelmed.

So here’s my challenge to you: Join me in giving your mornings a fresh start! How about dedicating just 30 minutes, screen-free? 🌼

Whether it’s meditation, journaling, or simply reflecting with your tea or coffee, let your mornings become a time for self-care. Your body *and mind* will thank you!

Share your morning ritual in the comments below! Let’s inspire each other! 💪👇

11/20/2025

I spent this morning walking with a friend who's juggling work, kids, and caring for her aging parent. We laughed, we vented, we shared the weight of it all. And honestly? That connection—just knowing someone truly hears you—it matters more than we realize.

Her daughter and son-in-law had just moved out of a house, and she had company coming to stay there. She was facing hours of cleaning on top of everything else already on her plate. She didn't ask for help. But my heart tugged, and I knew I needed to show up.

So I did.

And I'm so proud of her for recognizing that she can't do it all alone and for reaching out for support in other areas of her life.

Here's what I wish I'd known years ago when I was drowning in my own exhaustion: asking for help isn't weakness. Sharing your struggle isn't complaining. And those "I'm fine" responses? They cost me precious moments I can never get back—time with my son, joy I couldn't feel through the fog, memories I was too depleted to make.

If you're feeling like my friend—like you're holding the world together with sheer willpower and coffee—you're not alone. I see you. I've been you.

So tell me: What's ONE thing you've done lately to ease the overwhelm, even just a little? Maybe it's saying no. Maybe it's accepting help. Maybe it's taking five minutes to breathe.

Share it below. Your small win might be exactly the permission someone else needs today. 💙

11/19/2025

🌼✨ "Your mind is a garden; tend to it with mindful nourishment daily!"

Hey Amazing Ladies! 🌸

Confession time: I used to dive straight into emails and indulge in adorable mini cow and donkey videos (I mean, who can resist? 🐄🐴). But I learned that even this "harmless" scrolling spikes my stress levels before my day kicks off! Your body treats email stress like a bear encounter-yikes! So, I’m trying something new: 45 minutes of screen-free time each morning. It’s been a game-changer for me!

Feeling overwhelmed by midlife? Small mindful moments can really help. 💛 If you're ready to prioritize YOU, drop a 🙋‍♀️ below!

11/18/2025

Let's talk about something we don't discuss enough:

Your nervous system doesn't know the difference between a real threat and scrolling through stressful content on your phone.

When you're doom-scrolling, reading heated comments, or even just rapidly switching between apps, your body responds the same way it would to actual danger.

Your sympathetic nervous system kicks in (fight or flight), and your parasympathetic nervous system - the one that helps you rest, digest, and heal - checks out.

Here's the kicker: Even "harmless" scrolling keeps your nervous system in a low-grade stress state. The blue light, the constant stimulation, the comparison trap - it all adds up.

And then we wonder why we're exhausted, craving sugar at 3pm, and can't fall asleep at night even though we're "just relaxing" on our phones.

Your body thinks you're running from a lion. But you're actually just watching reels in bed.

The good news? Even small boundaries around screen time can help your nervous system remember what "calm" actually feels like.
What's ONE boundary you've set (or want to set) with your phone or social media? Share below - I'd love to hear what's working for you! 👇

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

11/17/2025

Research shows that blocking the internet on your phone for 2 weeks helps you feel better. Could you do it?

11/14/2025

Why "just relax" doesn't work when you've been stressed for years
You know what nobody tells you about chronic stress?

Your body can't just flip a switch and calm down - even when you desperately want it to.

Here's what's actually happening:
When stress is short-term (like giving a presentation or dealing with a flat tire), your body activates, handles it, then returns to calm. That's how it's supposed to work.
But when stress has been high for months or years - juggling everything, never feeling caught up, running on empty - your nervous system gets stuck in "on" mode.

It's like a smoke alarm that won't turn off even after you've put out the fire.

So when someone says "just relax" or "take a bath" or "do some deep breathing," your body literally doesn't know how anymore.

The pathways back to calm are rusty. Unused.

This is why you can't sleep even though you're exhausted.
Why your shoulders won't drop from your ears.
Why you feel anxious for no reason.
Why rest doesn't actually make you feel rested.
You're not doing it wrong. Your nervous system just needs to be retrained.

And that takes more than a bubble bath (though those are nice too).

It takes small, consistent practices that teach your body it's safe to let go. That it's okay to rest. That you don't have to be on high alert 24/7.

The good news? Your body WANTS to heal. It's designed to return to balance. It just needs the right kind of support.
This is why I teach my clients to start micro-small. Because you can't force your way to calm - you have to gently guide your body back.

More on that coming soon. 💙

Drop a ❤️ if this explains so much about what you've been experiencing.

Photo by Ashutosh Dave on Unsplash

11/12/2025

I promised I'd share something that's been helping me - something I wish I'd known back when my nervous system was stuck in fight-or-flight.

It's called breath prayer.

Here's how it works: You pair Scripture or a prayer with deep breathing. Your breath becomes the prayer.

It's simple, but it does something powerful - it calms your nervous system while connecting you to God's truth at the same time.

Here are two examples using Philippians 4:

Breathe in: "Rejoice in the Lord"
Breathe out: "The Lord is near"

Or:

Breathe in: "Do not be anxious about anything"
Breathe out: "The peace of God will guard your heart and mind"

You can do this for 30 seconds or 5 minutes. In your car. Before bed. When anxiety hits.

What's happening: The deep breathing signals your body that it's safe. The Scripture reminds your mind of what's true. Together, they start to retrain your nervous system out of constant high alert.

It's amazing how God created our bodies - how everything works together so intricately. But this world has put so many stressors in our lives, and it can take us down an incredibly uncomfortable road of anxiety and depression.

Over the next few weeks, I'm sharing what actually helped me - and what's helping my clients now - reduce stress and find our way back to calm.

Real tools. Real faith. Real hope for exhausted women.

If this resonates, comment "YES" and stay with me this month. We're doing this together.

11/10/2025

Yesterday at church, Pastor Ryan talked about anxiety, depression, and mental health.

Has he been reading my posts? Probably not. But he's hearing and seeing the struggles happening in our church and community - just like I am in my work with exhausted women.

We looked at Philippians 4:4-7 and the story of Elijah. And Pastor Ryan shared 4 insights about what leads to fear, anxiety, and depression.

Every single one hit me right in the chest. Because I've been there. I've lived all four of these:

1) We run until we're exhausted.
Kept busy. Did for everyone. Kept going until I couldn't anymore.

2) We disconnect from our friends.
When I was deepest in my fatigue, I needed my friends - but I didn't reach out. I let those friendships die. And I was in such a dark place without them. I cried. My heart hurt. I wondered if life was worth this pain.

3) We always expect the worst.
For me, this was about my health. I didn't think I'd get better. Another doctor wouldn't listen. My friends wouldn't understand. What was the point?

4) We neglect God.
I was serving at church and beyond exhausted - mentally, physically, spiritually. It wasn't until a friend said, "It's okay to slow down, to not serve. Maybe God wants you to spend time with Him." I had forgotten the most important part of healing.

Here's what nobody told me back then: Even when I tried to calm down, it felt OFF. Wrong, somehow.

Because my nervous system was stuck in fight-or-flight. My body felt danger all the time - even in the calm moments.

I wish I'd known back then what I know now.
More on that this week.

If you've been there too - comment ❤️. You're not alone.

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

11/09/2025

Are you feeling the holiday hustle starting to creep in? It can be super overwhelming, especially when you’re already running on empty. I've been there, juggling all the demands while trying to hold onto joy-and I know it’s tough!

That’s why I’m excited to invite you to *Wrapped in Calm: 5 Days to Refill Your Cup Before the Holidays* from November 10-14, 2025. Together, we'll explore practical gratitude practices that help lighten your load and enhance your festive spirit.

Imagine enjoying each moment with a clear mind instead of stress! I'd love to hear how you're navigating holiday prep. Share your tips or thoughts in the comments!

11/07/2025

This weekend reminded me of something simple but powerful: food brings people together. 💛 On our church trip, we shared coffee at my sister’s shop ☕, wandered through the farmers market 🌿, and enjoyed gelato 🍨. Each bite was a piece of connection, laughter, and joy.

But let’s not forget that what we eat can either uplift us or drag us down. Processed foods may seem easy, but they can zap our energy and clarity. So, let's choose real ingredients that nourish our bodies and spirits. What’s one meal that helps you feel connected and energized? Share your tips in the comments!

Cindy Florkey Balanced Wellness

11/21/2025

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