Autumn is finally here! We're feeling the autumn chill and the leaves are starting to turn up here in central NY. We're also nearing the end of our 30 day Fall Into Wellness Challenge on Instagram and Facebook!

All of which got me thinking about reflection; one of our one of the Fall into Wellness journal prompts. With October being the start of the last quarter of the year it's a BIG prompt for reflection. As the wheel of the year turns toward the end of year we start to prep for the holidays and bam! a new year is upon on. Before we jump in, let's dive deep into reflection as the days get shorter and the nights longer.

First up, let's start by taking note of your current situation.
Check in with your routines, your habits and rituals. Take some time to decide what is really working and what isn't. Carrying around that 20 ounce water bottle isn't helping, if you don't refill it, amirite?!

After you've reviewed your current patterns, check back in to the beginning of this year. You had goals--big ones! What were they? How did you did? How far have you come? 

If you've been actively working towards those goals, AWESOME! Take some time to celebrate those new habits/achieved goals. Celebrate yourself for working towards something and getting it! You are more abundant than you may have realized. 

If you haven't been working on those goals; why?

If that goal back in January was a bit foggy, start now! Make a plan, set dates that you want to check in on your progress. Start a challenge with yourself to see if you can get step one done by the end of the year.

Maybe that goal didn't actually resonate with you.
​If you set a goal in January and it's still not something you've been working towards, take some time to decide if that goal is really part of your big dreams. To change we have to make commitments. Without the commitment, it will always be a dream. There is probably a reason why you didn't commit to that goal this year. Is it something that you want to map out for next year or is it time to change your goals based on who are right now?

Take some time to figure out why? What makes it seem unattainable? What stories are you telling yourself that could use some tweaking?

If that goal is still something you want to work towards, take some time to meditate on that goal. See what it looks like in every detail possible. What emotions spark when you see that goal completed? What details do you notice that already exist in your daily life?

​Take a moment to write down as much as you can remember. Based on those details that already exist in your life, can you expand upon your first action step? What needs to be done to move forward into creating this vision as a reality?

​Make a plan, stick with it. You go this. 

Love & Light,
Jenn Rose

Gang, I'm so excited!!
Next week, I'm kicking off my first ever online challenge; Fall Into Wellness.

As autumn draws near I'm excited for the slow moments the chill in the air brings. Summer time is very go go go in my household. Autumn brings a sense of slowness and preparation for the cold months ahead.

​Of course, this got me thinking how we can take that idea of slowness and really find ourselves present in that moment. I know I have referenced before that our society's norm is to embrace the "busy", but what if we relished in the slowness? What if that first sip of coffee or tea was slow and you really experienced the flavor before gulping it down and running out of the house?

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!

​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?!"