Daily Intention Setting: Day 21

January 21

“Today I will do something kind with no expectation back.”

Liza Colpa says that kindness is a simple concept – but it isn’t always easy. Life gets chaotic, the world seems harsh, and even our inner voices can be a little caustic. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and become impatient sometimes. So it’s important to be kind. Liza reminds us that kindness doesn’t have to be showy, it should just be genuine. From the heart. It can be as small as saying something nice to someone, maybe a compliment. It can be a brief pause or breath before responding to someone, giving ourselves a moment to calm down instead of jumping to react. And sometimes kindness is allowing yourself time to rest. Breathe. Be human.

Our breathing exercise today revolves around the visualization of a time when we experienced kindness. We inhale that positive, caring energy, letting it fill us with warmth. Then we exhale that kindness into the world. Repeat a few more times. Breathe in that warm energy. Breathe out genuine kindness. I love it!

Liza sends us off with the message that being kind to everyone “keeps care alive in the world, even if it seems small”. I suppose we don’t always realize how a tiny act of kindness can turn someone’s day around. So it’s important to choose our words carefully. Act with compassion. What might seem small to us may mean the world to someone else.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#choosekindness

#kindnessmatters

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 20

January 20

“Today I will listen to my inner yes and no.”

I don’t know about you but setting boundaries has never been my forté. Like, ever. At least not in my personal life. Maybe with my children. Some. With my students, yes. But with administrators and colleagues, not so much. Any boundaries I’ve set have been more like bubbles: easily broken. :/

Our teacher, Nedra Tawwab, says that we know what boundaries are; the problem lies in the fact that many of us don’t follow through with them. We “override” them to try to make everyone else happy. We sacrifice ourselves, or what we know we should protect, in order to not make waves. Problem is . . . we’re the ones who end up unhappy.

In our meditation today, she leads us in a breathing exercise during which we say, “yes” then “no” and notice what happens to us. No judgment. Just witness how we feel. Then she asks us to think of a situation that we normally say “yes” to, even though it means that our needs come last. Witness how we feel when we think of it. Then she says to imagine saying something like, “That’s not going to work for me” or “I can’t take that on right now” or just plain, “no”. How do we feel? Notice it, she urges. She says that we may feel relief. We may feel discomfort. (Me? My chest tightened up and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. Crikey!) But then she says that every feeling is allowed.

She reminds us that boundaries are like a “container” surrounding us. It doesn’t have to be a brick wall; it can be flexible. The point is that it’s there for a reason: it protects and holds in what is ours and blocks what doesn’t work. Then she nearly knocked me over with what she said next:

“I am allowed to protect my energy. I am allowed to say no. My needs matter.”

I know it’s true – it’s just a matter of believing it and standing by my decision to say “no” and make sure that my “yes” is real and genuine. I want my relationships with others to be honest and caring. That starts with me. I hope this exercise sparks something in you as well. You matter. You’re allowed to say “no”. It really is ok.

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#protectyourenergy

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 19

January 19

“Today I will remember my worth is inherent.”

I’ve listened to this session several times already this morning, not just to take notes so that I can write this post, but because it’s something that I needed to hear. This message is so incredibly important and I think it’s something every single one of us needs to hear every single day: you are worthy.

Joel Cross explains to us that worthiness isn’t something that’s earned, though it’s what we’ve come to learn in this world. There are so many expectations placed upon us and we’re taught that our worth depends on how well we perform or how much we do etc., like some external reward that’s bestowed upon us by others when, really, we were born with it. Joel reminds us that we’re worthy just by being here, by being ourselves, by being present.

This lesson reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Dr. Brené Brown: “Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites.” We don’t have to jump through hoops for others in order to be worthy. We have nothing to prove. We are already worthy, just by being here. By being our true selves.

Joel invites us to place a hand on our hearts, take low-belly breaths, then exhale that which weighs us down: the pressures, the doubts and worries, the heavy stuff. He wants us to feel our hearts beating. That’s our center. That’s where our essence resides. That’s where our worthiness comes from – our hearts. It’s who we are and how we choose to show up.

You may not hear it from others (or yourself!) so I’m going to tell you right now that you are worthy. You are whole. You are enough. I hope that you remember it today and always . . .

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#youareworthy

#youareenough

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 18

January 18

“Today I will trust myself instead of doubting every move.”

I decided to change the intention of the day a bit. Rather than “Today I will back myself instead of doubting every move” I simply changed ‘back’ to ‘trust’. It felt better to me. In any case, today’s session centered around confidence.

Matt Cooke leads us through a very brief but important meditation that meant a lot to me today. He says that confidence doesn’t have to be bold. It isn’t loud or brash and it isn’t about “having all the answers”; it’s about believing in yourself and trusting your decisions. It’s the part of you that keeps moving forward even when your inner (doubting) voice tries to take the wheel.

Then Matt asks us to take a deep breath and think of something we’ve been putting off, whatever that might be. He tells us to imagine a light in the center of our chests, one that grows with each full breath that we take. He encourages us to let it expand as we repeat to ourselves, “I trust myself.”

I feel that today’s lesson, together with Days 13 and 16, have made a significant impact on me and have helped me to clarify a few things as well as to lift my spirits and give me the boost that I needed to have faith in myself, my goals, and the courage to keep moving forward.

I hope that you enjoyed today as well and that it gives you a bit of confidence in yourself. Trust it. And when that little nagging voice comes a-callin’, stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and don’t let go of the wheel.

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#trustyourself

#trusttheprocess

#gobears

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 17

January 17

“Today I will reach out instead of waiting to be reached.”

Another short session with a sweet message: be the one to reach out first and make a connection. Faith Hunter reminds us that we naturally crave connection and, more importantly, that we don’t have to live life alone.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that others are thinking of us and caring about us even though they’re not with us. I mean, how often do we think of people we haven’t seen or talked to in a while? It stands to reason that if we think of them, they probably think about us too. And that’s where connection begins. It’s up to us to take the next step: reach out. It doesn’t have to be some grandiose thing. It can be something as simple as a text, a check-in call, even a handwritten note to let someone know you’re thinking of them. Not because you have to but because you want to. I know how I feel when a friend randomly reaches out to me – and I know how I feel when I reach out to someone and they react very positively. We’ve made a connection and my heart feels full.

Faith asks us to sit in the silence for a bit and let someone pop into our minds. She tells us to let it happen naturally, not to consciously try to think of someone. Imagine their face. Think about the last time you spoke to that person. Then she encourages us to reach out rather than wait for them to contact us. She says, “One small step is enough.”

Who did you think of today? Will you reach out? It only takes one small gesture to make a meaningful connection . . .

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#reachoutfirst

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 16

January 16

“Today I will do the small brave thing that’s been waiting.”

Though I’ve never seen any of his work, my favorite quote is by John Wayne: “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”

That’s today’s focus. Courage. Not grand acts of heroism but smaller, more subtle gestures that have given us anxiety or fester below the surface, then come to light. Mark Groves gives examples like “the uncomfortable conversation you’ve been avoiding” or “the boundary you’ve delayed” or “the truth you haven’t said out loud yet”. He says that courage is doing something even though you’re scared. (That’s what reminded me of the quote.)

Mark wants us to look deep inside of ourselves and find that bravery that will allow us to live the life we want to live but have suppressed. He wants us to find the passions and dreams that we’ve silenced. He wants us to be courageous by leaning into what we feel. Even the pain.

Courage. All it takes is 10 seconds of bravery to change your life. Mark says that we don’t need to do it all, just take the first step. That’s it. He says, “Start with Step 1 and the path will illuminate itself.”

I must apologize because I’m having trouble putting into words what I want to say or what I’m feeling. I’m blown away by this session. I’m so grateful that this is today’s lesson. I needed it today. This session is really very powerful and I’m not even sure I can find the words to describe it. It truly is something that I want you to listen to for yourself. And I hope that it inspires you to do the one, small, brave thing that’s been waiting patiently for you to realize and follow through with – whatever that may be.

Namaste.

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#startwithstep1

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 15

January 15

“Today I will stop fighting what is and soften into it.”

Wow! I love the lesson today!! What a wonderful perspective to have! Our teacher is Lisa Olivera and she sends a powerful message that really resonates with me this morning:

Acceptance.

We know what it means, but do we really know how to use it? It can have both positive and negative associations depending on our state of mind and perspective. Lisa describes acceptance not as “giving up” but “the gentle practice of meeting yourself and life exactly as they are.” She further goes on to explain that when we stop obsessing about how we think things should be and let out the reins a little, we’re better able to handle what’s at hand. We can face the situation with a more open heart. She invites us to imagine wrapping our arms around whatever it is we’re either fighting or running from and bring it in. Embrace it. Don’t judge it. Hold space for it and notice how we feel when we soften into it and care for it rather than push it away.

It was at this point in the meditation that I knew I needed to sit with this for a while longer. And after finishing the lesson I flipped to the timer and meditated for another 25 minutes. I literally got lost in the moment and had one of the best meditation sessions I’ve had in a really long time. I allowed myself the time to sit in the present moment and let go of the reins for a while. I repeated the intention several times and let it wash over me. And the result was a shift in how I felt both physically and mentally.

Reality is tough to face and if we continually resist it, fight it, and try to control it, we only end up making ourselves miserable. Lisa offers up a different way of looking at the world and ourselves: with a kind heart and acceptance, just as we are. I’ve used the word ‘surrender’ as a synonym for ‘acceptance’, not as giving in but as a way to release my grip on that which wasn’t meeting my expectations. Some have called it ‘letting go’. I have a friend who calls it ‘giving it to God’. In other words, we’re admitting that sometimes we can’t control what’s going on so we’re choosing to face it with a softer heart instead of boxing gloves. We’re setting it down instead of carrying its weight with us every day. We’re changing how we look at it and letting acceptance lead us on our path forward. For me, the gift I ultimately receive from the experience is . . . pure relief.

I hope you like today’s lesson as much as I did. May you discover your own unique way of finding acceptance with whatever you’re facing in your life. I want you to know that you are wonderful and whole, just as you are. And you are loved.

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#practiceacceptance

#youareloved

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 14

January 14

“Today I will choose rest instead of pushing through.”

“Rest?! What’s that?”, we ask. “Self-care? Not sure. Let me Google it . . .”, we joke.

The go, go, GO! of life usually leaves us wondering where the days went and how in the world we got through it. The answer: we pushed through. Today, though, Eve Lewis tells us to rest. She says it isn’t earned and it isn’t a luxury; in fact, it’s a vital component of life. Without it we get overwhelmed, develop brain fog, get sick, or break down, etc. Our bodies need rest and relaxation and play to recover from the stresses of life. Yet many of us don’t actually get to rest – or worse, we feel guilty about taking time for ourselves. Our to-do lists are always a mile long and we keep adding to them.

Eve calls rest an ‘act of kindness’. It’s a time to pause. To calm down. To decompress. And we need to give ourselves permission to do so. For me, it ties in with the lesson from January 12: I’ve done enough. I keep checking things off of my to-do list in my planner and, while it keeps me on track with really important items, I get to a point where I admit that I’m tired and need to stop doing and just be. I’ve done enough for the time being. Now it’s time to take a little break and rest.

And that’s ok.

Let’s keep reminding ourselves and each other of that fact, shall we?

I hope that you get a chance to rest today. When you feel the need to push through, remember that you’ve done enough and it’s time to enjoy a bit of rest.

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#rest

#selfcareisnotselfish

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 13

January 13

“Today I will let things unfold in their own time.”

What an interesting concept. Wouldn’t you agree? It’s almost unthinkable in this day and age – mainly because we’ve become so impatient. LOL In today’s session Mark Epstein says that patience isn’t just “passive waiting”; it’s the ability to sit with ourselves and let life take “the time it needs”. He explains that suffering is what happens when what we want to change doesn’t change fast enough. He says that we feel pressure at the beginning of the new year to “change everything at once but transformation rarely happens on a deadline”. Change is something that usually happens over time. We try to force things to happen. Then we get frustrated because they’re not happening or they’re not happening fast enough. But when we let go of our control issues, then realize and accept that change will happen whenever it’s gosh darn good and ready, the better we feel. There’s an easiness about it.

I’ll admit that I’ve been incredibly impatient at times. My husband can attest that, when I (finally!) make a decision about something and my heart is set on it, I want it now. Not in a week or a month and certainly not years down the road. Now. I’ve gotten better about it over the years, but occasionally I catch myself getting impatient and as soon as I surrender to the fact that I don’t have nearly as much control over it as I thought or wanted (if at all!!!) I feel so much calmer and accepting of life’s timeline. In fact, I’ve come to adopt the motto “trust the process” of late and it’s helped me relax about some things and not be so uptight. I may have to remind myself of that several times a day, but eventually the message gets through and I chill out.

Anyway, Mark emphasizes that things happen, move, and do, etc., in their own time, whether we like it or not but he encourages us to just be a witness to it. We can’t control everything however we can control how we relate to it. Notice how we feel, what’s happening in our minds, the sensations in our bodies. Nothing else needs to happen right now, he tells us, just let it be.

Things will happen in their own time. We just need to loosen our grip and trust the process . . .

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#letlifeunfold

#trusttheprocess

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Daily Intention Setting: Day 12

January 12

“Today I will rest in the fact that I’ve done enough.”

Please pardon the tardiness of today’s post. It’s been quite a busy day and I’ve had enough. In fact, I almost skipped writing this because I’m really tired and, quite honestly, I’d rather just go to bed. But this is important to me, so here I am.

I just noticed that I said that I’ve had enough. Of today. Of a few things, really. But interestingly enough that’s what today’s lesson is: I’ve done enough. And that certainly is true.

Michael Galyon is our teacher today and he reminds us that it’s ok to take the pressure off of ourselves to be perfect, to do it all, or to prove our worth. We are enough. Period. And we’ve done enough. “You are allowed to pause.” He invites us to put one hand on our chests and one on our bellies and simply notice the breath. Then he asks us to repeat the intention, but assures us that we’re not here to “force belief . . . you’re here to offer yourself a different experience . . . to let go of the mental list that never quite feels finished . . .” He tells us to rest and relax. To soften.

I needed this message today. I think we all need this message every day. We have done enough. We are enough. We need to lean into that thought. It’s ok . . .

I hope you have a great evening. Give yourself a break and rest knowing that you’ve done enough.

#31dayintentionsettingchallenge

#ivedoneenough

#iamenough

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.