Will just doing what you can make a difference?

I’m not sure about you, but my to-do list gets a little long…

And by long, I mean Rapunzel’s braid long.  Kind of makes me want to throw it out the window like Rapunzel did with her braid :-D

Having a list like that can be overwhelming.

So can starting a hard-core diet, or an over the top exercise routine.

While going all-out can work for some things, ultimately, things get done when we take them one thing at a time.  Burning yourself out with hours of gym time every day just means you won’t get long-term results.  Most crash diets end up in more weight gained than was lost.

So, for today, what is one thing you can do to support and nourish your body.

Is it going for a 20 minute walk?  Or adding 10 push ups to your routine.

Maybe it’s as simple as starting the day with a big glass of water, and carrying water around with you the whole day.

Or perhaps it’s taking a few minutes every morning before jumping into the day to think about some of the gifts of your life.  Roll them around in your mind and notice any sensations that come up in your body.

Find your one thing, and do it every day, until it’s a habit.  Then find one more thing.  Repeat as needed.

When we add one thing, we create way less resistance and backlash within ourselves.  After all, who can’t do just one little thing?  Doesn’t have to be hard, or take a long time.  But that one thing, when it’s a habit, can make a hug difference in your energy level, and  it can boost your confidence because you see you can make changes in your life.  And they don’t have to happen all at once with drama and suffering.

What will your one thing be today?

Appreciation for those who bring us JOY

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom” ~Marcel Proust

Who made you happy today? Who in the last week made you smile til your face hurt, laugh til your cried, or left you chuckling to yourself hours later?

Two incredibly simple(though not always easy) ways of being happier yourself are captured in this quote.

1) Being grateful is profound.  Turning your attention and awareness to what is wonderful and precious in your life right now can bring an incredible sense of joy and awe.

2) Being kind to someone else.  When we bring kindness into an interaction, we infuse ourselves and them with Joy.  The same goes for being willing to receive kindness.  Receiving allows the other person to enjoy the act of giving.   Both can be challenging for some people.  (Especially the receiving part if you are a busy mom entrepreneur who thinks she just needs to ‘get it done’.)

Bring these practices into your life today, and notice what happens to your joy-o-meter.

Savoring

This month we will look at the practice of mindfulness.  Last month’s 3 mindful alignments is a wonderful place to start.

Let’s  explore another simple way to foster mindfulness.

Savoring:  We savor the moment when we attune to our senses.  We allow all of our attention to go toward the sounds of the birds singing, the smell of the blooming gardenias, or the crisp, juicy texture and flavor of the first watermelon of the season.

In these acts of savoring, we allow another opportunity to be in the present moment, and expanding our capacity to do so.

Reach Beyond

What is ‘Reach Beyond’?   Reach Beyond is an invitation to go further than that place of settling, for any part of your life that is not leading you towards your best health.  Maybe it shows up in your energy level, the amount of patience you have with your loved ones, the way you carry your body, or perhaps the fit of your jeans.  In each moment, each choice, we have the capacity within us to reach beyond.  One way of doing so is to notice those moments, catching the precise breath when the choice is made.  The first step is being able to be aware of those moments when they happen.

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