Slow down sometimes, when you can. Think of the pace of a garden. Always growing, ebbing and flowing, progress being sometimes invisible and sometimes overnight. Tend to the earth of your body, mind, and soul. Weed out what doesn’t belong, plant what nourishes, and care for it. Again and again. A constant tending of love. The invitation is to take…
“Rise up, and dance. Dance to set yourself free. Dance, to live, to learn, to love. Dance to let things be. Dance, to announce to the world: I am here. Still standing. I live, and feel and breathe. I heal the past and overcome…look, I will show you… See… This is me. I am fire, I am water, I am…
Being the best, most actualized version of yourself doesn’t mean that you don’t struggle with anxiety or depression, or that you never have negative, critical thoughts about yourself running in your mind. It means that you learn to slow down and tend to those hurt parts when they come up. Too often, people think they can’t ever really be happy,…
When anxiety or depression come up, the trick is to stay aware and not follow the thoughts. Bring your attention to the body, and practice deep compassion for the hurt that asks for your attention. Sometimes, it’s the situation at hand that brings up these feelings. Other times, it’s an old part of you that is responding from an old…
Spring cleaning, or clearing out clutter, aren’t the only way getting rid of old things. Consider: Am I really living the way I really want to, in my heart of hearts? What ways are you not fully yourself, because of fear? What hurts, shame, have you been holding onto that aren’t yours? What can you give back? What energy could…
Shame can permeate your being without your even knowing it. It might show up as anxiety, fear of being abandoned or unloved, persistent thoughts of not being good enough, constant striving to do better. This is the kind of shame that comes from internalizing the failure of important people in your life, or the society at large, to honor your…
I can scroll social media with the best of them. I am all too familiar with the rabbit hole effect- that moment of “Just let me see this one thing” that can become a mind-numbing hour or more of your time. It’s almost like you come to afterwards, as if having been in a trance. “Scroll, scroll, scroll”… searching for…
I am currently reading James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, and it is SO GOOD. He says focusing on goals as motivator is counter-productive and leads to discouragement, self-blame, and giving up. He says that success-driven change based on process (habits) or identity is more effective than focusing on goals or outcome. In essence, if we want to be something, do…
In drumming class this week, we learned a new rhythm. More complicated than the last few weeks. The teacher breaks it down and then we play. This requires both total concentration and utter relaxation. I try to get the technique of slap! and tone just right, but then I notice that takes me out of the pocket. So I keep…
