“There’s a time for every season, there’s a time for every method, and what we do is listen for what’s needed now.”
~Vicki Howie
In wellness,
Susan
Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash
Tag: Wellness
Embodying Your Intentions & Taking One Small Step
There’s always something about the first few weeks of the new year that makes it special. You’re still in awe of how the last year flew by, and in a way, motivated to make the most out of this one. I know I certainly am.
While most traditions call for new year resolutions I’ve become a believer of setting intentions instead. Why? Because intentions inherently focus on the positive qualities we want to imbue, not the “thing” we must strive for (aka resolutions).
Now the exception to this rule is if you are the type of person that absolutely gets pumped over resolutions.
No seriously! I can’t stress enough how important it is to know thy self. No one can tell you what’s right and wrong for you – only you know what works, and yes, while this evolves over time as you do – only you can know what’s right for you in any moment when you truly connect with your deepest self.
After you’ve set your intention, imagine how it would feel to embody those qualities of said intention by asking yourself these powerful questions:
- What qualities do you need to feel good carrying out your intention? List as many as you can.
- What sensations and/or emotions do you feel?
- Where in your body do you feel them? Describe every detail of how it feels!
- How do you perceive the world differently? What’s changed specifically?
- What does your voice sound like when you are interacting with others?
- What would it look like in your actions/interactions with others? What are the differences in how you view yourself?
And of course, the pivotal question to get you started – what is the one small step you can take for yourself?
Whether it’s:
- lighting a candle to start a personal QT (quality time) practice
- flossing your two front teeth
- setting an alarm to meditate for ONE minute
- preparing ONE healthy meal for yourself during the week
- praising ONE person during the week to help elevate another person
- taking 5 deep breaths a day to start a breathing practice
- drinking ONE tall glass of water during the day
Do you see how taking one small step allows for easy, quick accomplishments? This rewards the brain center and suddenly any blocks or fears around whether or not the “goal” is truly achievable lessens with every small win.
Whenever I want to incorporate a new aspect into my lifestyle this is exactly what I do.
- First, I meditate on what it is I truly want. Rather than focusing on a certain goal, I focus on my intention. What is the deeper meaning behind incorporating this into my life?
- I then look at the qualities of what it is I want to incorporate. Is it more love? peace? joy? strength? determination?
- I look to the one small step I can take to make it an easy win
- Repeat step 3 🙂
If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to take a deep review of what it is you truly want more of in your life this year. Often times, you may even notice your qualities end up being your intention and that is OK as well!
Here’s to the turtle that always wins the race 🙂
In wellness,
Susan
Photo by Samuel Clara on Unsplash
Favorites Lately – Sunpotion
Stress. It can be so easy to fall into it am I right?
Every since experiencing adrenal fatigue I have been vigilant about watching stress. Whether it’s stress from work, the analytical mind, exercise, lack of sleep, you name it – ensuring your stress levels are in check requires mindfulness and action.
Paired with mindfulness and a holistic approach to life, what I have found to be amazing at helping ensure I am supported in keeping stress at bay are adaptogens.
Anyone who has delved into the world of health, fitness or vitamins has certainly heard this buzzword for quite some time. As someone who has experienced adaptogens their whole life I can attest to these amazing supplements that come from the natural elements of the world.
Lately, I’ve been using Sunpotion as part of my daily ritual. Also pictured is AmlaPlex which I’ll speak to below:
So what is moringa, rhodiola, and AmlaPlex? Let me explain how I use these wonderful adaptogens in my daily routine:
- Moringa
- What it is: Moringa by Sunpotion is packaged as a green powder and is full of micronutrients and amino acids. While it has many purported benefits I specifically use moringa to assist with stress management and a gentle energy boost without the element of caffiene.
- How I use it: I love having moringa as a tea or a latte in the morning either before breakfast or after breakfast. If I drink it as a latte it will typically be before breakfast. Did I mention how much I love how it acts as a natural energy boost without feeling the jitters?!
- Rhodiola
- What it is: Let me start by saying Rhodiola is magic for me. While I wrote about rhodiola in earlier blog posts I want to emphasize how important it is to find out what works for you and your body. Each body’s chemical make up is different and it’s important to work with a trained professional to find out what works for you and your current situation. I’ve tried Ashwaganda for stress management but my adrenals love Rhodiola. It stabilizes my stress and energy levels whether I have a dip in energy or too much of it; Rhodiola always brings it back to where it needs to be in the circadian rhythm.
- How I use it: Rhodiola is a key ingredient in my morning “poppin collagen lattes“. I add a half tsp, sometimes a little more, into my concoction and blend it all together until the coffee turns into a smooth foamy blend. It does have an earthiness to it but I’ve found that adding the tiniest pinch of stevia does the trick. Cinnamon helps too!
- AmlaPlex
- What it is: AmlaPlex is a auyervedic blend made from 35 select ingredients, including spices and herbal extracts. I was recommended this blend from my ND who suggested to take this morning and evening to help with increasing immune function during a time when I was catching the cold.
- How I use it: Doctor’s orders… morning and evening I take a tsp after my meal. To some who are not used to various spices it may taste… spicy… but I love spice so naturally this tastes amazing 🙂 It is also a bit sweet so it acts as a dessert too.
So there you have it, adaptogens and the powerful effects it could have on your health! I can’t emphasize enough how crucial it is to adopt holistic life changes to assist with stress management and note purely rely on supplements. After all, you want to get to the root cause and only use these when your body may need the extra boost!
I’m curious, have you ever tried adaptogens? If so, which ones have you tried and have you noticed a difference? What lifestyle choices have you adjusted to get to the root cause? How do you effect positive change in your life?
Namaste.
Take The Time: Watch It Come And Go
I’ve been really meditating on yesterday’s post, Watch It Come And Go. I find that it’s a lot easier when you’re in ‘total’ alignment or when everything is humming along smoothly in life. But how about when it is really put to the test!?
- When your routine is thrown off
- When there’s a crisis at work
- Or how about when your flight is delayed 6 hours?!
You see, over the holiday weekend I took a long road trip from San Francisco to Seattle and so the body is a bit more tired and same goes with the mind as well. I had all the feels, from relief that I finally have everything in one place to urgency around organization and completion (of letting the physical things go).
As the feels came and went I took a moment to watch it come and go. I took a moment to watch the reaction, be with the emotions, be curious about what was going on… and then I watched one emotion come and go, and another emotion do the same.
I practiced this pretty much all day yesterday and it took me a day to write this as I was doing more the practicing and observing than the writing 😉
So what about you? What tends to throw you off and what have you noticed coming up for yourself?
In wellness.
Namaste.