Jars of Clay, A Sanctuary

07/22/2025

Here are 5 simple, doable ways to start replenishing yourself today:

Body: Trade 20 minutes of scrolling for a walk, stretch, or a real meal — your nervous system will thank you.

Mind: Do a 5-minute brain dump. Get the noise out of your head and onto paper — clarity comes after release.

Emotions: Name how you feel without fixing it. “I feel anxious/sad/lonely” is a start toward healing.

Spirit: Light a candle, breathe deeply, and sit in silence or prayer — even 3 minutes reconnects you to peace.

Relationships: Send one honest text that says, “I miss you” or “I’m not okay today.” Let people in.

💬 Which one do you need most today? Let me know below.

07/02/2025

Mental Health Moment!

That critical voice in your head?
It’s not just random. It’s rooted in core beliefs that have been playing on repeat in your subconscious.

Over time, those beliefs begin shaping the path you walk, the choices you make, and the emotions you feel.

The Bible says, “Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks... and life flows.”

**So what if we stopped feeding the lies and started disrupting them before they take root?

Here’s the truth:
➡️ What you feed will grow.
➡️ What you starve will die.

Start replacing negative thoughts with words of life.

💬 Ready to break the cycle of negative self-talk and grow with women doing the same?

Join our online community—where healing, faith, and mental wellness meet.

Click the link to walk with us!
https://gems-from-clay-jars.mn.co/landing

06/24/2025

Mental Health Moment!

Sometimes the most healing thing you can do is pause... and look back.

Not with shame. Not with regret.
But with gratitude.

Gratitude for the version of you who kept going, even when the path was foggy.

Gratitude for the small wins you once prayed for.

Gratitude for how far you've come—even if you’re not yet where you want to be.

When you look back with kindness, you realize:
🌿 You’re growing.
🕊 You’re healing.
🌅 And there’s hope ahead.

Take a moment today to say thank you to your past self—and gently remind your future self: we’re going to be okay. 💯

06/17/2025

✨ Wellness Wednesday Gems ✨

Last week in the Gems in Clay Jars Community, we got real about what it takes to develop trust in relationships:

🤝 Trust isn’t all-or-nothing — it grows in layers

💬 Vulnerability is powerful, but it should be safe

🧭 You can negotiate how people show up for you

This conversation was full of aha moments and reminders that you’re allowed to protect your peace and still be open to loving others.

💛 What's your take on this subject?

👇 Join us for Wellness Wednesday every week! Use the link below to find out more about our wellness community.

https://gems-from-clay-jars.mn.co/landing

06/06/2025

Listen, if you have struggled for a long time with self-doubt, know that building trust in yourself doesn’t happen overnight — but it CAN happen with intentionality!

And you're not meant to do it in isolation.⁠ 🥰

⁠
Inside our online community, Gems in Clay Jars, we create space for honest conversations, supportive connection, and healing rhythms that reinforce the journey of self-trust.

Use this link to join us today for the support you need to build!

https://gems-from-clay-jars.mn.co/landing

If you need more in-depth 1:1 emotional healing & you're in Colorado, we have highly skilled mental health therapists who would be glad to provide space for self-exploration, learning new skills, and working through wounds.

Go to our website to schedule an appointment with us!

Jars of Clay, A Sanctuary
www.jocsanctuary.com

06/03/2025

🌿 Check out this clip of a discussion with one of our Gems in Clay Jars members about the connection between peace and body connectedness.

✨ When you slow down enough to feel your breath, your feet on the floor, or decompress the tension in your shoulders… you're not just "relaxing" — you’re returning to yourself.

📌 And we talked about this truth:

🌱 Groundedness isn’t just a state of being — it’s also a rhythm.
Having a simple routine (morning stretches, deep breaths before work, unplugged walks) creates anchors that gently pull us back into our bodies and into the present.

💬 If you’ve been feeling scattered or stuck in your head, try building just one small daily moment of presence. Your nervous system will thank you.

🌸 Ready to explore more rhythms of wellness with us? Join the community where grounded women grow together 💛

Click the link: https://gems-from-clay-jars.mn.co/landing

05/30/2025

New on the Blog: “Weary Thanks”

A reflection for the woman who’s too exhausted to feel the experience of the goodness happening in her life… 🕊️

✨ “I don’t know if you have ever experienced a tired so deep that you have no energy to muster up happiness or excitement, but I sure have been there . . . multiple times.” ✨

This week’s blog dives into the tension of feeling low while living in the middle of grace — when joy feels far and gratitude feels faint.

If your heart needs a reminder that it’s okay to ask for joy again — this is for you.

💬 The full post is available exclusively inside our Gems in Clay Jars community — a space created for real conversations, reflection, and connection.

💛 Want to read more?
Join us today to access this post + so much more for building your faith and mental well-being.

Use this link to join! https://gems-from-clay-jars.mn.co/landing

05/27/2025

Why You Need a Space Like Gems in Clay Jars Community…

You’re doing all the things — showing up for others, juggling responsibilities, pushing through…

But when was the last time you gave yourself permission to rest — without guilt?

In our Wellness Wednesday chat last week, women gathered to talk honestly about:
✨ Why rest feels hard
✨ Where we’re feeling depleted
✨ And how guilt shows up when we try to slow down

It wasn’t surface-level talk. It was real. Vulnerable. Needed.

This is what our community is about —
💬 Authentic conversations
🤝 Gentle accountability
💖 A space where you can exhale

If you’ve been craving connection that goes deeper — and support that doesn’t feel performative — this is your invitation.

🗓️ Join us tomorrow as we continue the conversation.

Let’s heal, rest, and grow — together. ❤️

Click below to join:

https://gems-from-clay-jars.mn.co/landing

05/22/2025

Instant grounding!

Feeling overwhelmed?
Put it in ice. 🧊🖐️

(Literally. Your hands. In a bowl of ice water.)

It might sound like a quirky home remedy — and if you’re into cold plunges, this won’t surprise you — but there’s real neuroscience behind this 60-second reset.

Whether you're new to cold exposure or already a believer, here’s why it works 👇

💡 What You’re Actually Doing:
You’re shocking your nervous system in the best possible way.

🧠 Cold water triggers the mammalian dive reflex — a primal response that slows your heart rate and activates your parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” mode).

→ Heart rate can drop by up to 25% in under 60 seconds.

🌿 It also stimulates your vagus nerve, which helps regulate your mood and calm your body.

→ Cold exposure increased parasympathetic tone by 58% in one study. (Frontiers in Physiology, 2013)

🧊 Add in a moment of gratitude while your hands are submerged, and you’re also engaging the prefrontal cortex — the brain’s command center for emotional regulation. That simple shift in attention helps override anxious loops.

🔥 Want even more benefit?
If you can tolerate it, extending the cold exposure up to 2 minutes (safely) may deepen the calming effects — just breathe slowly and stay relaxed.

🧠 Quick Recap — Why This Works:

✔️ Triggers the dive reflex → slows your heart
✔️ Stimulates the vagus nerve → resets stress
✔️ Activates the prefrontal cortex → improves control
✔️ Cold + gratitude → faster emotional recovery
✔️ May even relieve headaches (thanks, vasoconstriction)

⚠️ A quick but important note:
This is not medical advice. If you have any heart conditions, circulatory issues, or sensitivity to cold exposure (including panic or fainting), check with your doctor before trying this. What’s helpful for some may be harmful for others.

Save this for your next emotionally overloaded moment.

And send it to someone who might need a (gentle) reset. 🧠💗🧊

05/20/2025

When you protect your energy, you protect your purpose. 💡

Let’s normalize saying:
✨ “No, thank you.”
✨ “That doesn’t work for me.”
✨ “I need space right now.”

Inside our community, we explore what healthy boundaries look like for real life — no guilt, no burnout. Learn how to rest.

Join us for our virtual Wellness Wednesdays tomorrow at 10am (MST) to learn how to start putting YOU back on your priority list!

Click the link to find out how to become part of this fabulous group of women.

https://gems-from-clay-jars.mn.co/landing