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Tomorrow is my birthday, and I've been really feeling that Mercury retrograde this week (along with the eclipses and other planets in retrograde--AHHH!). So for my birthday I'm looking for some self care and self love check back in with myself and remind myself of my own magic. Below is a little Self Love Ritual I started last year and plan to continue. Of course you don't have to wait for your birthday, give it a try whenever you need some self-care!  Every year on my birthday I purchase myself a bouquet of roses, usually from Aldi's because they are cheap--amirite?--but still beautiful. These roses remind me of beauty, love and passion; all those things we may forget about in the thick of things.
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I think it's important to start off by saying I'm not a doctor and I do not have any sort of medical degree. I am however a human (shocker!) and have felt anxiety now and then. The tips below are ones I practice when anxiety and fear try to take over. Being a performer and a teacher (dance/yoga) there are moments before the music comes on or the lights dim that your heart beats a little faster or your chest seems to tighten. These are the moments that our bodies return to our natural habit of fight or flight. While fight or flight might be useful when we were being chased by a larger prey, getting ready to perform might not be the best place for it.  These are the moments I practice yoga, breath work and meditation for. Sure, there are other benefits; but it's when anxiety, fear, or panic kick in that I see the most benefit in my own life.
1. Take a Breath Once you've noticed your heart beating faster and anxiety start to push it's way to the top of the to-do list try to focus the mind on breathing. In my own opinion this type of focus is both a breath work (pranayama) and meditation technique. Using the breath as the focal point for the mind starts to push that anxiety aside. Then of course, if you've ever taken a few breathes you know it begins to create a calming sensation as oxygen begins to flow through the body. If you can't seem to focus on the breath, close the eyes. Some times decreasing outside distractions are all we need to focus inward. You've got six new notifications on Facebook, eight new e-mails to read and three Snap-Chats to write back to. One of those emails is a nagging reminder of something on your to do list that still needs to be done. As you finish up your emails and check Instagram you notice the time and now you're running late for work! Anyone else ever have "one of those mornings?!"  It's so interesting to me how much importance we place on that small little computer we call a cell phone. After seeing an Instagram post on a similar topic by the lovely Andrea O'Brien, and this one over on Mind Body Green I thought it would be fun to share some Spring Cleaning tips for your morning routine.
This is by no means the "IF I have a perfect morning I will do 2 hours of yoga and meditate for a half hour before I bake my own gluten free protein infused oatmeal with a side of freshly picked berries from my personal greenhouse".... That's pretty unrealistic, but sounds lovely if you want to include me. ;) These are some hard and fast tips you can put into your current life without too much work. A few weeks ago I made a dream pillow! Complete with herbs, resins, LOVE and magic. I only now put together how perfect it really is...  I spent part of St. Patty's day sewing and crafting. (Side note: It was lovely!) I had collected my supplies and sat down to make it happen, when my kitty Jasper decided he REALLY wanted to be involved.
Do you feel like your stagnating? "Going through the motions"? Can't find the "fun" any more? Are you depressed or just looking for growth? Before we get into today's post, Let me clarify, I am NOT a therapist. I am NOT a doctor. Depression is a serious condition and should be discussed with a professional.  Perhaps, the mundane no longer serves you. Perhaps, you're looking for more. Perhaps, you've outgrown something in your day to day and NEED a change.
Growth is how we evolve as humans. Growth is what keeps us going. Personal growth is what change is ALL about, my friends. However, growth is hard. Change is hard. Even more so if you you're in that dark and twisty place. (Gray's Anatomy, anyone?) So how can we keep growing if we're in that place?! |
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