4 Underrated Ways To Truly Feel At Your Best

Life can be chaotic, and as such, it’s not always the case that we feel as good as we’d like to. With work, family, and other responsibilities stacking up, it can often feel like we’re continually just trying to keep our heads above water. In that context, it can be difficult to find the time — or sometimes even the motivation — to engage with self-improvement, especially when, in many cases, the steps we can take often require a significant commitment before they begin to pay dividends.

But that doesn’t mean that the notion of improvement should be cast aside. By focusing on high-impact activities, it’s possible to significantly improve one’s life in a matter of months or even weeks. With that in mind, we’ve put together some of the most effective and often underrated ways to truly feel at your best.

Manage Your Bad Habits

What you do has an impact, but equally, it’s often what you don’t do that has the biggest impact. Many of us have an intuitive sense of the things that are good for us and bad for us, even if that knowledge exists slightly below the surface. Reviewing your lifestyle and categorizing the good from the bad really can make a difference. For example, it might show you that some of your habits — such as scrolling through your device or drinking alcohol — are having a subtly negative impact on your wellbeing.

Spend Time Outside

If nature were marketable, you’d probably hear about the profound impact it can have on mental and physical well-being much more. As it happens, it’s free, so there’s not much to promote. Studies have consistently found a link between spending time in nature and an improvement in physical and mental health, with research showing that even spending fifteen minutes in nature is enough to have a meaningful impact. In other words, there can be a lot of value in committing to going on a hike in the great outdoors once a week.

Look Beyond the Surface 

Sometimes, our discontent comes from obvious sources, but at other times, they lie a little under the surface. Working to uncover and manage those buried feelings can have a profoundly positive impact not just on general well-being, but also on long-lasting commitment. Things like journaling, starting therapy, or looking for ‘energy healing near me’ can provide the kind of deep-level improvements that would be otherwise difficult to achieve. These steps can require a bit more work, but the payoff can be greater. 

Give Back Through Volunteering

If there’s an underrated way to improve well-being, it’s volunteering. All too often, people attempt to improve their well-being by working exclusively on themselves, when in fact, research shows that giving back and working with others can have just as big an impact. You don’t need to look very far to find an organization that needs help, nor do you have to commit to volunteering significant amounts of your time. Even small amounts of volunteering can provide benefits that make a difference. 

The post 4 Underrated Ways To Truly Feel At Your Best appeared first on SB Magazine.

R.W. Norton Art Gallery.

Once dubbed “one of the South’s favorite spots” by Southern Living Magazine, the R.W. Norton Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens is a fusion of humankind’s art alongside that of nature. The gallery is known as one of the foremost collections of art by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. It also operates as a teaching museum that encourages “community participation in thoughtful interpretations and discussions.” This free museum has a collection of more than 400 paintings and sculptures representative of over 100 artists. Around the gallery are 40 acres of meticulous landscaping and their botanical gardens. The gardens are home to tens of thousands of plants, including several thousand azaleas which reappear every spring. Throughout the garden’s paths are benches for visitors to spend more time in the gorgeous space. From now until May 7, enjoy the garden-inspired galleries of the BLOOM! exhibit, which had over 365 submissions from 16 countries.

Caddo Lake State Park.

Covered in bald cypress trees dripping with Spanish moss, as well as a labyrinth of bayous, ponds, and swamps, Caddo Lake is quintessential East Texas. The park covers more than 26,000 acres and contains more than 70 species of fish, drawing in anglers from all over the world. A fishing pier and boat ramp are both accessible, too. Rent or bring your own canoe or kayak and explore the 50-plus miles of paddling trails in the area. Wildlife, including alligators, are abundant here.

Bodcau Wildlife Management Area

Bodcau Wildlife Management Area—or Bodcau Recreation Area—is located in Bossier and Webster Parishes and derives its name from the major bayou that bisects it from its northernmost point at the Arkansas-Louisiana state line to its southernmost tip nearly 30 miles to the south. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoorsman or new to exploring nature’s pathways, the Bodcau Wildlife Management Area is one of the most beautiful natural areas in Louisiana. From cypress-lines swamps to canopies of pine and hardwood forests, there’s a lot to love about this special wildlife management area.

Dog Parks
Shreveport now has two dog parks: the Shreveport Dog Park on the Riverfront and the Southern Hills Dog Park. 

When you’re done fetching, go out together for a bite or a cold one.

Here are a few of the dog friendly patios where you can bring your furry friends. stock photo of dog at feet on a patio??

1. Great Raft Brewing Company
2. BeauxJax Crafthouse
3. Flying Heart Brewing & Pub
4. Twisted Root
5. Marilynn’s Place
6. Rotolo’s Pizzeria
7. Another Broken Egg Café
8. Rhino Coffee – Uptown
9. Bodacious Bar and Q
10. Cantina Laredo
11. Monjuni’s (Louisiana Avenue Location)
12. Ki’ Mexico
13. Line Ave. Pie & Brew Company
14. Torchy’s Tacos
15. The Missing Link

The post OUTDOOR PLACES appeared first on SB Magazine.

Calm, Classic Outdoor Living. 

Designed for entertaining, this outdoor-friendly patio-pool arrangement provides a great place to socialize by offering indoor comforts and outdoor style. An outdoor bar, along with seating around a fireplace, encourage leisure time and easy conversation while being surrounded by copious plants and greenery–adding life to the space and making it welcoming. The use of multiple textures is soothing and evokes nature. Color accents in the furniture elevate the space and enhance the elegant decor choices. Far from feeling cramped, this space is cozy; it invites nature in, creates a space as beautiful as it is comforting.

Blending Color and Textures for Casual Elegance.

Using soft, neutral tones—in addition to the wood, brick and furniture selection—help create this refined, rustic back porch escape. These small touches add visual interest to the smooth blend of colors and textures. Just plush enough, the pillows and cushions create some contrast to the hardness of the brick, furniture edges, tile, and beadboard ceiling. The clean mix of beiges and browns works well, and the bench—which can easily be moved around the space—creates additional seating and serves as a perfect place to rest a book or beverage. The arrangement of potted plants and the vibrant fresh flowers add a pop of color.

Caddo Common Park

Caddo Common Park, also known as “The Common,” is a 1+ acre creative greenspace located at the center of Shreveport Common at 869 Texas Avenue. The new pavilion opened in November 2022. The location and design of the park were informed by a nationally-awarded creative placemaking community vision plan process to revitalize a 9-block historic yet long-blighted area between the downtown business district and the eastern edge of Shreveport’s oldest neighborhood, Ledbetter/HUD Choice Neighborhoods. Today, through a large and tenacious public/private effort, nine parcels of broken concrete slabs, weeds and razor wire have been transformed into an active urban greenspace with tree-lined walking trails, an iconic outdoor Performance Pavilion, an Art Bosque Food Truck Court with 20’ tall solar and LED lit Artistrees, and a Bioswale.

Betty Virginia Park

Betty Virginia Park was given to the city by A.C. Steere and his partner Elias Goldstein in honor of their daughters Betty Goldstein and Virginia Steere. Open from dawn until dusk and is free to visit, it’s one of the top-visited parks in Shreveport and has a little bit to offer to everyone. It has a baseball diamond, picnic areas, playground equipment, and walking trails. There is not a place in Shreveport where Shreveporters have played as long or as hard as at Betty Virginia Park.

North Bossier Park

A lovely park hidden away in a residential neighborhood in Bossier City. Within the park, a dedicated picnic area is a great place to eat lunch or dinner. There are four pavilions for shelter, which means you can enjoy shelter from the sun while eating. After eating, enjoy a walk on the park's jogging trails that wind through the park, and the on-site restrooms are kept clean. It also has some climbing rocks, spray park for the kids, and a playground, so you'll have plenty of things to do after your picnic.

The post OUTDOOR SPACES appeared first on SB Magazine.

DOG PARK

BY E. Elise Spoor

Tails are wagging and water is splashing at the Shreveport Dog Park! The park boasts two areas for canine friends to explore: a small dog area and a large dog area. 

The large dog area has a gate that leads into a smaller fenced-in containment and then another gate for entrance into the main area of the park. This type of entrance means you can easily enter the park without worry that your furry friend or someone else’s will get loose on the outside in the shuffle of coming or going.

Here are some things to keep in mind when visiting the dog park: 

Plan ahead. Bring water, a drinking dish, and a towel. There are water fountains at the dog park that should be in service soon, but it helps to be prepared with your own. There is a pond on location so you will need a towel if your dog likes to get wet! The towel can also be used at the dog wash area to prepare your dog for leaving the park clean and for getting back into the vehicle. 

Enter slowly. As a respect for others in the park, take care to wait a bit before releasing your dog at the gate. Allow them to greet other dogs slowly, with your keen guidance and observation, while in close proximity to your dog. For the most part things should go smoothly but keep in mind that all dogs are different and, depending on the situation, have the potential to display territorial or aggressive behaviors at any time. This is especially so with intact males and certain breeds, so always watch the body language of your dog to prevent issues. 

Let other dog owners know if your dog is a rescue. No two dogs are the same and no two days have the same dogs at the park. If your canine friend is a rescue, let others know. Many rescue dog owners are working on socialization with people and other dogs to strengthen trust in their dog. It’s always a good thing to advocate for your dog. A growing puppy experiences changes which may warrant some future preventative training action on your part. 

The Shreveport Dog Park is a great way for dogs to get out, explore, exercise, and have a little fun meeting new friends!

The post Visiting Shreveport’s Dog Park appeared first on SB Magazine.