This final week of my January Self-care Reboot Challenge, we are wrapping things up with a big dose of Self-Care to protect and nurture your ENERGY. 
The energetic body encompasses all layers of our being – body, mind & spirit. What you do to either serve or to harm one system of the body has an energetic impact on all others. What you feed your physical body has an impact on how your mind functions along with how in or out of touch you feel with your deeper SOUL connection. If one system is completely out of whack from lack of exercise, poor nutrition, stress, or depression then the ENERGETIC BODY is weak. On the other hand, if you are including healthy daily practices that nourish and nurture your physical, mental & spiritual being then your energetic vibration will be HIGH.
Energy Vampires are everywhere and just like those handsome but deadly Hollywood Vampires, energy vampires prey on the weak and suck them dry. This might be an actual person who being with leaves you feeling drained, a job that sucks away your joy, too many commitments you’ve made because you lack healthy boundaries, or that remote control that sucks you into binge watching TV instead of moving your body.
Sound familiar?
Check in with yourself right now. Can you feel your energetic vibration? Depending on how your day and week have been going, you might feel flat and dull or you might feel tingly and bright. I’ve had a bit of a roller coaster energetically lately. I went from the super high energy of my amazing women’s retreat to Mexico to catching a bug that is currently draining my energy as I type this today. Ugh. My personal goal for this next week is to replenish and rest my body so I can get back to that high I came home from Mexico feeling!
This week I encourage you to turn your daily focus to how you are vibrating and to what makes that vibration feel stronger or weaker. You might notice a certain food, activity, or person either contributes to or depletes your energy. The more in tune you become, the easier it gets to course correct when you start to drift energetically.
Why is this important? Well, because we are ALL ENERGETIC BEINGS and like attracts like. If I’m flatlining energetically no one and nothing wants to be in my space except other flatliners (or maybe my dog who is happy to sit curled up on my lap all day long...) On the other hand, if I’m shining like a SUPERNOVA out to the world, guess what? Everything is attracted to that power I’m sending out and magically life starts to work in my favor.
Now this doesn’t mean that you should try at all costs to avoid the occasional bad days. Bad days happen. Crappy things happen that get you down. You get sick. Or you just feel the need to retreat and recharge.
That, my friend, is just being human. The trick is to be AWARE. To notice when you are feeling depleted and give yourself time for some nurturing. And then to make sure you don’t get stuck there on the couch, remote in hand, dog on lap for tooooo long.
You see, the Universe is counting on you to SHINE that amazing ENERGETIC BODY of YOURS out to the world. It’s truly what you are here to do!

This 3rd week of my January Self-Care Reboot we are diving deeper into your inner self with some Self-Care for the SPIRIT or SOUL. This is your emotional and intuitive body and it needs nourishment just like the body and mind do. When you feed your spirit, you feel truly connected. Connected to yourself, to nature, to others, and to the Universe. You are in a “flow state” where life feels easy and light.
Can you recall the last time you felt that way?
This past week, I took a group of amazing women on my first ever yoga and wellness retreat to a secluded spot in Mexico on the Sea of Cortez. We were totally off the beaten path - no town to visit and hardly anyone else on our pristine bay called the “Bahia de los Suenos” or Bay of Dreams. And what a dream it was! 14 women from all walks of life coming together in search of the same things – connection to self and others, time to pause and listen, time to reflect and plan, time to release old ways of being, and time to truly feed our souls. Oh and enjoy a whole lot of belly laughs and playtime, too!

Each night as I walked down the dark pathway to my room, I looked up at the night sky just teeming with stars and truly felt that deep connection to everything. Just like you can’t see the night stars when there are too many bright lights or clouds, it’s hard to feel that connection to your spirit when there is too much chatter and distractions going on around you. 
It was such a thrill for me to watch as my group settled in to a slower rhythm of life. To feel their energy shift and become quieter and more introspective. And it was a huge joy for me to see them truly connecting with each other on a deep, soul-sharing level. 
That CONNECTION with SELF and COMMUNITY is what we ALL need more of in our lives. It’s what feeds us. It’s what reminds us why we are here. It’s what keeps us going even when we can’t see the stars behind all the clouds of life.
So this week I encourage you to find some ways to get still, clear out the cobwebs, RECONNECT and feed your soul.
Ask yourself – when do I feel the most connected with my spirit? For many people it is going into nature. Get to the beach, the mountains, or a grassy lawn with your feet touching the earth and reconnect. Take time to listen to your soul speaking. What does it need? What does it want? And how can you get more of that in your day-to-day life?

Then I want you to check in on your community. This past couple of years with quarantines, social distancing, and face masks have made it quite a bit more challenging to maintain our connections with others. As you get back out into the world take some time to assess your current community. Does time with them feed you or drain you? Do you have people around you who you can take your metaphorical mask off and share your SOUL with? 
It takes time and courage to nurture that level of relationship - with yourself and with others. And quite honestly, lots of people just aren’t willing to take the risk. It’s scary to share your naked soul with another human. It’s raw and vulnerable. But just on the other side of that nervous discomfort lies a beautiful oasis of that feeling of ease and light. Of love and connection. 
I’ll leave you today with one of my all time favorite movie quotes from “We Bought A Zoo” staring Matt Damon.
“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” - Benjamin Mee
Be courageous, my friend. Your SOUL is yearning for so much more!

You deserve a mental health break!

Just like we come up with a million reasons why we don’t spend enough time caring for our bodies, I think our MIND might actually get the even shorter end of the stick most of the time!
You see, that busy brain of yours is going 24/7 even when you are doing something good for your body. Ever been in a yoga class and simultaneously writing an email reply or a to-do list in your head?

That’s why this week of my January Self-Care Reboot Challenge is all about the practice of giving your MIND a well deserved break.

If you are anything like me, you spend way too much time allowing your mind to run amok. Overthinking, negative self-talk, stress and worry become our “norm” and we find ourselves depressed and anxious. The good news is that you can REWIRE YOUR BRAIN! As the saying goes “neurons that fire together, wire together”. Basically, what you repetitively think, becomes your reality.
So, what’s your “norm” been lately? And are you ready to make a change that will literally change the way you see the world?

If you answered “YES!!!”, then keep reading!

Great! Now the first thing I’m going to suggest is that you make DAILY MEDITATION part of your routine. If you were with me way back in October for my Meditation Challenge, you hopefully were able to notice the huge benefits of this relatively simple practice. All it takes is just 10-20 minutes a day that will save you countless hours of time you might normally waste stressing out!

I was absolutely reminded of just how much I need my morning meditation recently because Andy and I totally fell off the wagon for a couple of weeks! YEP! Vacation mode, holiday busyness, and next thing you know we were out of our healthy morning routine. Suddenly, BAM, I was feeling STRESSED OUT!! Things that I would normally take in stride became way bigger than they needed to be and my underlying feeling of anxiety was on the rise. Crazy how spending just a few minutes in stillness to start the day can help regulate your mind and your nervous system for the entire day!!

So give it a try starting today! You can start small - try 5 minutes. Then work your way up to 15-20. For me it’s all about how much time can I comfortably sit for that morning. Even the shortest of meditations has a huge impact on setting the overall tone for your day. 
​
Not comfortable simply setting a timer and jumping in? There are some great apps you can put on your phone to help you keep track of time and even be guided through a meditation. A few I like are insight timer, calm: sleep & meditation, and headspace.

More tips for MENTAL SELF-CARE:

• Turn off the news and listen to an enriching podcast or read a book that nourishes your mind
• Write yourself a list of positive affirmations for the week ahead
• Play a game with your loved ones that makes you laugh - really hard!
• Spend quiet time in nature
• Take a social media break for the weekend
• Move your body! It’s good for your mental health, too!

Are you ready for a 2022 Life Reboot?

Then repeat after me…

I am WORTHY and DESERVING of SELF-CARE & SELF-LOVE

How did that feel? Odd and unfamiliar? Or refreshing and affirming?
​
Whether you’ve been on the self-care bandwagon with me for a while OR you are needing a whole lot of encouragement and reprogramming to make YOU a priority, my January Self-care Reboot is a great way to kick off this shiny new year of 2022!

This month I’m focusing on four key areas of SELF-CARE:

Your BODY
Your MIND
Your SPIRIT
and
Your HEART

This first week is all about nurturing your BODY – inside & out! I’ll provide you with some daily tips/suggestions to give you some ideas, but a big part of true self-care is tapping into what really works for YOU. 

Think about what makes you feel really good. What physical activities make your body happy? What foods & drinks make you feel the most balanced? Is there a skin treatment you enjoy? When was your last massage? 

Sit down today and make a list of the things you plan to do this week to nurture your body. Write it on your calendar or on a big sticky note on the fridge. Make it more fun by picking a buddy to do things with – your hubby, your bestie, your kiddos – get everyone on board the Self-care Bandwagon!

Make your BODY SELF-CARE LIST right now and get moving! I’m just about to bundle up and go on a nice long dog walk to start the day. Then head to the grocery for some fresh veggies to go with dinner tonight.

What’s on your ME LIST?