Daily Archives: May 3, 2025

Peace Is the New Flex: Why My 2025 Cut-Off List Is Empty

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Peace Is the New Flex: Why My 2025 Cut-Off List Is Empty
By A.L. Childers | The Hypothyroidism Chick

I sat down recently with a cup of tea, my favorite pen, and the intention of doing what every self-aware adult does at the start of a new year: make a good old-fashioned cut-off list. You know, the list of people, habits, and energy vampires you plan to leave behind for your personal growth and spiritual glow-up?

But as I started writing, I had a realization that stopped me mid-sip:
There’s no one left to cut off.

Cue the dramatic music. 🎻

Not a single name. Not one “friend” I secretly dreaded texting back. Not one situationship stuck in eternal purgatory. Not even a coworker with main-character syndrome to emotionally unsubscribe from.

At first, I panicked. Had I become too isolated? Had I unknowingly joined a secret society of anti-socials?

Nope. I’d just done the hard work early. And now I’m reaping the benefits in pure, unbothered peace.

✂️ Been There, Blocked That

A few years ago, my circle looked more like a tangled set of holiday lights. Bright in places—but mostly chaotic and draining. I kept people around because of shared history, guilt, or the ever-toxic “but we’ve been friends forever.”

Until I realized that longevity without reciprocity is just emotional hoarding.

So, slowly and with love (okay, sometimes with silent blocking and a dash of pettiness), I let go. Of the one-sided friendships. Of the chronic oversharers who never asked how I was doing. Of the energy suckers who treated me like their emotional Airbnb—checking in, dumping baggage, and ghosting when it was time to clean up.

💅 Peace Is the New Flex

Let me say this clearly:
Protecting your peace isn’t rude. It’s responsible.

I didn’t cut people off because I’m cold. I cut them off because I’m cured. Cured from the need to overextend, to prove my worth, or to be everything for everyone except myself.

This version of me? She journals. She eats food that doesn’t set her thyroid on fire. She has boundaries like velvet rope at a VIP lounge. And guess what? She sleeps better.

Peace is no longer a luxury—it’s a lifestyle.

💖 For the Healed & Healing

If you’re still struggling with your own list—here’s your sign. You don’t owe anyone continued access to a version of you they helped exhaust.

Start asking:

  • Do they lift me up or leave me drained?
  • Do I like who I become around them?
  • Would I invite them into my peace today if history wasn’t a factor?

If the answer feels heavy, you’ve got your answer.

Resources to Start Your Cut-Off Journey (With Class)

  • “Set Boundaries, Find Peace” by Nedra Glover Tawwab
    Because peace starts with a firm but kind “no.”
  • Therapy apps like BetterHelp
    For untangling why you overextend yourself in the first place.
  • Journaling Prompts
    “Who do I feel obligated to, and why?”
    “What relationships feel like work, and what feels like rest?”

Final Word from the Peaceful Side

So no, my 2025 cut-off list isn’t empty because I’m lucky. It’s empty because I made some hard decisions a long time ago.

And now?
I protect my peace like it’s skincare in TSA—travel-size only, tightly sealed, and not for everyone.

Here’s to more healing, more laughing, and fewer texts from people who mistake your kindness for a clearance sale.

With love, clarity, and zero clutter,
– A.L. Childers
Author of books for the healed & healing 📚✨
#TheHypothyroidismChick

Me in 2025: Realizing I Have No One Left to Cut Off (Because I Did the Work Early)

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Ah, the annual tradition of “New Year, New Me” is upon us again—complete with vision boards, juice cleanses, and the ever-popular cutting people off who no longer serve your purpose declaration.

Except this year… I sat down with my iced matcha, opened my notes app, and realized…
I have no one left to cut off.

Not a single drama magnet. Not a one-sided friendship. Not even that coworker who always “forgets” their wallet at lunch.

Why?
Because I did the emotional spring cleaning before it was trendy. I stopped hanging out with people I didn’t even like. I stopped entertaining folks who drained my energy faster than my phone on 1% with five apps running. I stopped sacrificing my peace to keep fake connections alive.

The Evolution of My Circle (Spoiler: It’s a Dot Now)

There was a time—maybe not that long ago—when my life was cluttered with folks who:

  • Only called when they needed something
  • Were allergic to accountability
  • Thought my kindness was a buffet they could feast on endlessly

But somewhere between journaling, shadow work, and rage-cleaning my contact list, I learned the difference between being kind and being a doormat. I realized that loyalty isn’t about length of time—it’s about mutual respect, energy exchange, and genuinely liking each other’s presence.

So if you’re reading this and wondering how I got here, let me give you the blueprint:

🔮 Step 1: Stop Forcing Vibes That Don’t Fit

If you have to mentally prepare yourself to hang out with someone… that’s a sign. Real ones give you peace, not pressure. You’re allowed to grow out of people, even the ones who’ve “been around forever.” Longevity doesn’t equal loyalty.

✂️ Step 2: Clean Out Your Emotional Closet

Just like that shirt you haven’t worn since 2011 but won’t throw out “just in case”—some relationships are clutter. If someone is using you like an emotional ATM or treating your presence like a convenience store, it’s time to hit delete. (Or at least mute.)

🛑 Step 3: Boundaries Are Self-Love, Not Rebellion

Saying “no” is a full sentence. And if they only loved you when you said yes, that wasn’t love—it was access. Protect your energy like it’s Beyoncé tickets. Limited. Valuable. Not for everyone.

👏 I’m Not Cold, I’m Cured

It’s not that I’m bitter. It’s not that I hate people (okay, maybe some). It’s just that in 2025, I finally gave myself permission to choose me—without guilt, without drama, without over-explaining to folks who were never listening anyway.

The goal now isn’t revenge or proving a point. It’s peace. It’s aligned friendships. It’s relationships that fill, not drain. And let me tell you—the silence is delicious.

🧠 Resources for Your Cut-Off Era (or Prevention Plan)

  • “Set Boundaries, Find Peace” by Nedra Glover Tawwab
    A must-read for anyone learning how to say “no” without having a full-blown anxiety spiral.
  • “The Drama of the Gifted Child” by Alice Miller
    For those of us who were taught to people-please as a form of survival. Break the cycle.
  • Therapy (yes, real therapy)
    Sites like BetterHelp or Open Path Collective offer affordable sessions for boundary-building and healing old wounds.
  • Podcasts like “The Adult Chair” or “Therapy Chat”
    Because sometimes hearing other people’s healing helps you walk through your own.

Final Thought

If your circle got smaller, don’t mourn it—celebrate it. You’re no longer available for confusion, disrespect, or lukewarm loyalty. You’re not cutting folks off out of spite—you’re cutting off access to your peace, and that’s sacred.

So here’s to the real ones. The few. The aligned. The vibe-checked.
And to you, dear reader—welcome to the soft life, where peace is protected and drama gets zero screen time.

Why I Avoid Drama: It’s Me, Not You (Seriously)

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Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: I avoid drama not because I’m scared of you—but because I’m deeply, respectfully, and wholeheartedly scared of me.

Now, before you clutch your pearls, let me explain.

You see, some people are naturally calm under pressure. They meditate. They journal. They light a sage bundle and whisper affirmations into the void. Me? I’ve got a different system—one that involves recognizing the red flags before I turn into a full-blown hurricane with a driver’s license.

There’s a phrase I’ve lovingly coined: “zero to prison.” And no, it’s not a joke I take lightly. It’s just that I know myself. I’ve spent years learning how to self-regulate, breathe through conflict, and walk away when the heat rises. Not because I can’t clap back, but because I know that if I do… well, someone’s going to need bail money. And I like my weekends free, thank you very much.

The Real Reason I Keep the Peace

Here’s the truth no one tells you: choosing peace is not weakness—it’s self-awareness. It’s knowing that your tongue is a sword and your temper is nuclear. It’s realizing that not every battle is worth the energy, especially when you’ve worked so hard to heal, to grow, and to protect the calm you fought like hell to earn.

I’ve been through enough chaos in my life to know I don’t want to be the source of it anymore. I’d rather light a candle than light someone up (verbally, of course). I’d rather set boundaries than set the record straight with a scream. Because that old version of me? She’s still in there. And she can still throw down if needed—but these days, she prefers throw pillows and herbal tea.

What Drama Really Costs

Drama is expensive. It costs you your peace, your sleep, and sometimes your dignity. And when you’ve finally gotten your mind, body, and spirit into alignment, you realize just how precious peace really is. It’s not that I won’t defend myself—oh, I will. But I now ask myself, “Is this worth stepping out of character for?” And 9.5 times out of 10, the answer is nah.

A Spell of Self-Control

For anyone out there who feels this in their soul, here’s a little mantra:

“I choose calm not because I can’t raise hell, but because I’d rather raise standards.”

So to the ones who think silence means weakness, or that avoiding drama means you “won”—bless your heart. I’m not running scared. I’m just protecting you from meeting the me I’ve buried under years of growth and therapy.

Closing Thoughts
Let’s normalize walking away, setting boundaries, and sipping tea instead of spilling it. Let’s be the kind of women who know their power and use it wisely. And if you ever catch me in the middle of a storm, know this: I tried really hard to avoid it. 😌

Until next time, stay calm, stay grounded, and remember—sometimes peace is the real flex.

🌀 Thyroid, Don’t Fail Me Now: The Surprisingly Simple Morning Habit That Helps You Heal

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If your idea of “rising and shining” looks more like “rising and sighing,” you’re not alone. If you wake up feeling like you barely survived a battle with your bed sheets, your brain’s in airplane mode, and you’d wrestle a bear for a cup of coffee—welcome to life with hypothyroidism.

This sluggish thyroid condition can steal your energy, slow your metabolism, scramble your mood, and leave you wondering if your body came with a return policy. But healing your thyroid doesn’t always require a supplement graveyard or going full kale cultist.

Sometimes, it just starts with one simple morning shift—and no, it’s not quitting caffeine (you’re safe… for now). It’s a gentle, science-backed ritual that your thyroid, adrenals, and gut will thank you for.

🌞 The Thyroid-Loving Habit You Can Start Tomorrow

Warm lemon water.
That’s it. No sorcery. No green sludge. Just a little hot citrus love to jumpstart your day.

But don’t roll your eyes just yet—this habit is actually rooted in science and tradition.

🌿 Why It Works Like a Charm

  • Lemon gives your liver a gentle wake-up call, helping flush out toxins and reduce inflammation (a major villain in thyroid disorders).
  • Warm water revs up your digestion, kickstarting your metabolism like a soft tap on the thyroid’s shoulder.
  • And while we’re skipping the salt in the morning, this drink pairs beautifully with a nighttime mineral sip (more on that in my other blog!).

🔬 Quick Science Bite:

Research from the National Institutes of Health suggests that reducing oxidative stress and inflammation through vitamin C and hydration may help support thyroid health and immune regulation. (NIH, 2021)

🥤 Morning Lemon Water Recipe (Fancy Version)

  • 8 oz warm (not boiling) filtered water
  • Juice of ½ a fresh organic lemon
  • Optional: a few drops of iodine-rich kelp extract or a pinch of turmeric for inflammation support

Pro Tip: Drink it before coffee, food, or checking your ex’s new girlfriend’s Instagram. Your thyroid deserves your full attention.

🍳 Two Energizing, Thyroid-Supportive Breakfasts That Won’t Bore You to Death

🥬 1. The Green Omelette That Means Business

This one’s protein-packed, anti-inflammatory, and full of thyroid-nourishing nutrients.

Ingredients

  • 2 pasture-raised eggs
  • A handful of chopped spinach
  • ¼ cup diced zucchini
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
  • A dash of turmeric, sea salt, and cracked pepper

How to Make It
Sauté veggies in your fat of choice, scramble in the eggs, and cook until just firm. Sprinkle turmeric to reduce inflammation and serve with avocado on the side.

💡 Why it works: Protein helps with hormone production. Turmeric? A natural anti-inflammatory. And coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids to support metabolism.

🥣 2. Healing Berry & Brazil Nut Smoothie

Brazil nuts are selenium gold—just two can give you your daily thyroid fix.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 banana
  • 2 Brazil nuts (not 10—selenium is potent)
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup almond or coconut milk

How to Make It
Blend until creamy, sip slowly, and pretend you’re in Bali.

💡 Why it works: Selenium is essential for converting T4 into active T3 thyroid hormone. Blueberries provide antioxidants, and flax helps with hormone balance.

📚 Science-Backed & Thyroid-Approved

👩‍💻 About the Author

A.L. Childers is a journalist, researcher, and thyroid survivor who said “no thanks” to endless fatigue, cold feet, and brain fog—and yes to food-based healing, holistic strategies, and sharing what actually works. She runs the blog TheHypothyroidismChick.com, where she helps fellow warriors turn their health stories around.

Her books include:
📘 Reset Your Thyroid
🍲 Hashimoto’s Crockpot Recipes
🌿 A Women’s Holistic Holy Grail Handbook for Hypothyroidism

⚠️ Disclaimer

This article is intended for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any new health regimen, especially if you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication.

✨ Final Thought

You don’t have to overhaul your whole life before breakfast. Just start small, stay consistent, and let your thyroid catch up.
Because sometimes, the tiniest habits make the loudest changes.

🌙 Rise Gently, Sleep Deeply: A Hypothyroid Healing Habit You’re Probably Missing

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If you’re one of the millions battling hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, you already know how frustrating the fatigue, brain fog, and poor sleep can be. But what if the key to better sleep, calmer nerves, and a more balanced thyroid started at night, not in the morning?

It doesn’t have to involve fancy pills or overpriced powders.
Just a simple mineral-rich drink, a sprinkle of salt, and a highly absorbable form of magnesium.

Yes—nighttime healing is real, and it starts with replenishing what your body is most likely lacking.

🌊 Why Hypothyroid Bodies Crave Minerals

Hypothyroidism and adrenal dysfunction often go hand in hand. One of the most overlooked contributors to sleep disturbances, anxiety, and sluggish metabolism is mineral depletion—particularly sodium, magnesium, and potassium.

Thyroid and adrenal health are mineral-dependent systems. When they’re out of whack, your body can’t regulate hydration, nerve function, or rest properly.

🥤 The Nighttime Mineral Drink That Calms the Body & Supports the Thyroid

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz of warm filtered water
  • ¼ teaspoon of high-quality mineral-rich salt (like Redmond Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt – NOT Morton’s iodized salt)
  • Optional: A squeeze of fresh lemon or a dash of cream of tartar (for potassium)

Drink this mixture about 30–60 minutes before bed.

🌟 Why It Works:

  • Sodium supports adrenal function and helps regulate cortisol, which often spikes at night in people with thyroid issues.
  • Mineral salt provides trace nutrients like selenium, magnesium, and iodine precursors—all essential for thyroid hormone production and conversion.
  • This drink hydrates your cells while calming your nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

📌 Important: This is not a salty “salt water flush.” This is a gentle mineral tonic meant for rebuilding—not detoxing.

💊 Pair It With: Magnesium Glycinate

Magnesium glycinate is the best form of magnesium for those with thyroid or adrenal issues. It’s calming, non-laxative, and supports:

  • Sleep regulation
  • Muscle relaxation
  • Stress response
  • Improved bowel regularity

Take 200–400 mg with your nighttime mineral drink.

🧬 Science-Backed Resources

🛏️ Bonus: Why Sleep Matters for Thyroid Healing

Poor sleep = higher cortisol
Higher cortisol = reduced T4 to T3 conversion
Reduced T3 = more symptoms like hair loss, brain fog, cold hands, and stubborn weight gain.

By supporting your natural circadian rhythm, you’re giving your thyroid the quiet, restorative support it needs—without another pill or prescription.

👩‍💻 About the Author

A.L. Childers is a wellness writer and thyroid warrior who reversed her own hypothyroidism and adrenal dysfunction with nutrition, lifestyle, and a deep understanding of how the body truly heals. She shares science-backed insights and warm encouragement through her blog, TheHypothyroidismChick.com, and her bestselling books like:

  • Reset Your Thyroid
  • Hashimoto’s Crockpot Recipes
  • A Women’s Holistic Holy Grail Handbook for Hypothyroidism

⚠️ Disclaimer

This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or regimen, especially if you have a thyroid condition or are on medication.

✨ Small sips, big impact. Sometimes healing begins not with what you do—but when you choose to do it.

Dora’s Defiance: The Quiet Rebellion of a Woman Who Refused to Disappear

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In the shadow of history’s darkest chapters, some stories burn quietly—flickering flames of resistance, survival, and spirit. One such story is that of Dora von Nessen, a woman born into a world that tried to silence her, only to discover that resilience can outlast even the harshest regime.

A Misunderstood Beginning

Dora was born in 1900 in Saxony, Germany, a time when children were seen but rarely understood, especially if they struggled in ways society didn’t yet have words for. From an early age, Dora wrestled with dyslexia—a condition unrecognized in her youth. Teachers labeled her slow. She was mocked, punished, and left behind in classrooms that couldn’t grasp the intricacies of a mind that processed the world differently.

What they saw as failure was, in truth, a remarkable adaptability. Dora learned through observation, by listening more than speaking, by feeling more than proving. In a rigid world obsessed with conformity, Dora’s mind danced to its own rhythm. But as the 20th century marched toward madness, being different became dangerous.

The Cost of Cruel Ideology

By 1936, Adolf Hitler’s regime was deep into its twisted eugenics program, designed to “purify” the German population by forcefully sterilizing those deemed “unfit.” Dora, marked unfairly by her childhood records and misunderstood neurological condition, was declared mentally deficient.

At Wurzen Hospital, under Nazi law, she was forcibly sterilized. No consent. No appeal. Her future—the choice to be a mother, to pass on the story of her life—was stolen in a sterile room by a system that valued ideology over humanity.

Wurzen, like many hospitals across Nazi Germany, participated in what was known as the “Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring,” passed in 1933. Over 400,000 people were sterilized under this law. Dora’s name was lost in the paperwork of cruelty—until she made sure it wouldn’t be forgotten.

Love in the Midst of War

But Dora was not one to surrender. During the war, she worked on a state-assigned war estate, one of many agricultural camps that relied on forced labor from prisoners of war and occupied peoples. There, amid the fog of conflict and surveillance, she met a Polish laborer, a man assigned to work the land, a man the regime saw as inferior.

Love does not ask for permission. It does not follow the rules of fascists. Dora fell in love. And in an act of quiet, seismic rebellion, she divorced her German husband—a dangerous and taboo move, especially for a woman under Nazi scrutiny.

It is difficult to overstate how radical this was. Divorce under Hitler’s regime was stigmatized and often denied, especially when it involved fraternizing with “foreign elements.” Dora’s actions weren’t just personal; they were political.

A Quiet Life, A Loud Legacy

Dora paid for her choices. Records suggest surveillance, harassment, and ostracization. But she lived. And more importantly—she lived on her terms. She never bore children, but she bore witness. Through war, regime change, and the rebuilding of a nation, she remained rooted in quiet strength.

Dora von Nessen passed away in 2003 at the age of 103. Her death certificate listed no descendants, no major titles, and no monuments. But her legacy has since gained quiet recognition in German and European archives tracking victims of Nazi sterilization laws. The German Federal Archives, Gedenkbuch Project, and human rights organizations have cited her story among those unjustly silenced.

Remembering Dora

Dora’s story is not just one of tragedy—it is a story of defiance, of autonomy, and of a woman who, despite being robbed of so much, never allowed her spirit to be erased.

She teaches us that rebellion is not always loud. Sometimes it looks like choosing love when the world commands hate. Sometimes it looks like surviving in spite of everything.

About the Author

A.L. Childers is a journalist, historian, and author of over 200 works exploring untold stories, buried truths, and the resilience of the human spirit. With a background in investigative writing and historical analysis, A.L. seeks to bring forgotten lives to light and ensure that voices once silenced are finally heard.

Disclaimer

This blog is based on historical documentation and survivor testimonies available through public records, including the Gedenkbuch Project and academic sources documenting forced sterilization under Nazi Germany. While some narrative elements are reconstructed for storytelling clarity, all efforts have been made to remain true to historical context and Dora von Nessen’s legacy.