Mindful Monday: Minding Nature
My days lately have been very full. I’ve been prepping my home for sale and tending to an ill parent along with all the other tasks of daily life. So, when my daughter asked if I’d like to join her for a trail walk, I jumped at the chance. Any tension started to release as […]
My 3 M’s to make your walk more mindful
The Summer weather has inspired many of us to get off our couches and into the great outdoors! Just walking to take in some fresh air can be beneficial to both body and spirit. These walks are great opportunities to practice mindfulness in very practical ways that support our mental health too. I’ve guided countless […]
Mindful Mondays: 4 x 4 Breathing for Well Being
Today we keep it simple with a breathing technique that is handy whether you require steady thinking, reduction of anxiety or just need to slow yourself down. This effective technique goes by many names: Tactical Breathing, Combat Breathing, Box Breathing, or 4×4 Breathing. It’s simple: Inhale to the count of 4 (fill your belly area) […]
Mindful Monday: Sometimes you need to STOP
Creating space in the day to stop, move away from the worried mind, and get back into the present moment has been shown to be enormously helpful in mitigating the negative effects of our stress response. When we drop into the present, we’re more likely to gain perspective and see that we have the power […]
Mindful Mondays: Feeling Hot Around the Collar?
I was recently driving southbound to Oregon during a Pacific Northwest heat spike. I was heading to an annual retreat at the Mt. Angel Abbey Bach Festival. I use this as a personal retreat mixed with amazing live music and excellent beer from the Monk’s brewery. After driving three hours in 100 degree heat my […]
Mindful Mondays: Take a self-compassion break
H/T to Dr. Kristin Neff, PhD This practice can be used any time of day or night and will help you remember to evoke the three aspects of self-compassion when you need it most. You may think of a situation in your life that is difficult, that is causing you stress. Call the situation to mind, […]
Mindful Mondays: Take an intentional break
It’s a long drive to the Washington coastline but if you get a chance, find this tree, and check out the wet, fern-walled grotto and stream underneath it. I don’t like the word, “magical” but it really did feel special. Today’s invitation is to not only find the roots and stability in your life but […]
Mindful Mondays: Start where you are
The remainder of the year is full of shifting sands, seasons and situations. The landscape is changing and so must our map. July is a great month to reset, recalibrate and get back to mindfulness practice basics! I always recommend starting where you are. Don’t overthink it. Try this: Intentionally be aware of the present […]
Essential selfcare tips for ‘Know-it-Alls’ during divisive times
Confessional: I’m a know-it-all. I know that. And when it comes to selfcare I have an honorary PhD from the School of Me. During the last few years, I have consumed mountains of books, articles, videos, and TED Talks on what you need to know about selfcare during divisive time like these. I have reached […]
Mindful Mondays: Take a deep breath
We are going through a rough time. Take a deep breath… The people of Northern Ireland have a phrase for this kind of challenging passage. They might refer to it as a Correymeela which means, The Lumpy Crossing Place. The landscape is shifting, the map is changing, the weather is mixed with an 80% chance […]
