Why is it so hard to choose ourselves first?
I felt this way pre-motherhood, but I’m feeling it even more now.
I always feel ‘better” when I’m productive, ie; I’ve cleaned the house, meal prepped, returned emails, sent a newsletter or posted to IG, did laundry, worked on classes, cooked dinner, worked on a podcast, made some client blends…
Any of this sound like taking care of myself- directly? Nope.
Leida (pronounced “Lay-dah”) Maeve Stanley was born on July 10th at 9:04pm at 7.7lbs & 19.5 ins of pure amazing-ness.
First thing is first: Mommas- you are AMAZING.
I don’t care if you birthed with an epidural or without, with the help of Pitocin or without, with induction or without, by c- section or vaginally- you are a ridiculously powerful & miraculous human being- period.
Yes, Yes, I know… we just barely said goodbye to August… but the change happens fast (especially if you live in New England). So, do yourself a favor and ACT NOW to strengthen your immune system with some simple tools & daily practices to keep yourself ahead of the season.
1. Drink water. 1/2 Your healthy body weight in ounces. Yes, I know. It seems so simple, and it is! But our bodies are about 60-70% water so it is SO VERY VITAL to our health and well being. Don’t believe me? Read more about the benefits of drinking water here. And the best thing about water? It’s practically free! Tip:Add lemon, lime or other fruit to make it yummy! Carbonated water creates gas & bloating in the body… keep it to still water if you can.
Growing medicinal herbs can sometimes be intimidating to the beginner gardener. But there are plenty of plants that will thrive and spread with minimal care & effort. However, firstly you want to make sure you don’t ALREADY have some magically medicinal plants in your yard & garden. If you want a private Wild Weed Consult to see what may be lurking on your property, you can do so here.
After you know what you’ve got, you can decide what other friends to invite to your space. Here are 5 of my favorites:
1. Lemon Balm:
SO MUCH DRAMA! And I get it. Before I really understood Mercury retrograde, I was pretty freaked too. And yes, if you’re unaware of the energies of Mercury when it’s retrograde, it can definitely bring some major challenges in your life. BUT, if you prepare, and understand where to focus during this time, Mercury can be on your side, I promise.
Feeling wronged, betrayed, abandoned, hurt, rejected, discriminated against, judged, criticized or even violated… life brings us lots of situations, traumas & people who are just downright unpleasant. They are horrible to experience, and more often than not, they are hard to let go of. Things can fester. We hold on to beliefs about situations & people that maybe even aren’t our own, but have been absorbed by another. We replay these painful experiences in our minds. Experiences that make us fearful or angry or sad & alone. We hold on to grudges & we gossip about the people who made us feel bad. We often project hateful & negative thoughts & emotions about the individuals we feel we feel wronged us.
In every single session I’ve had with a client, one practice is brought up time and time again…. Meditation. Wait! Stop! Before you say to yourself “I’ve heard this before… I can’t meditate, I tried.. OR Meditation is for hippies or I fall asleep, or I’m not Buddhist”… or any other excuse your mind is giving you to navigate away from this page… I beg you to hear me out.
If you’re picturing someone sitting in lotus pose on a mountain chanting “OM” and think that is the only way to meditate…thankfully you’re wrong lol! There are so many different ways to meditate- some simple and some complex, but all super effective.
Effective for what you might ask? Why the heck would you want to meditate at all
As human beings it seems we are constantly striving for something more. Something different. Something better. Something bigger. Something healthier. Something more impressive. Something to make us feel more accomplished.
The New Year is a time that has us taking stock in what has been or what is, and deciding what we want to change. Loosing some extra weight, training for a marathon, getting that new position, trying out the new full body cleanse, breaking out of that bad relationship or job.
Begin & end your day with gratitude. Leave a journal by your bedside table & set your phone alarm to 5 minutes. Then, start writing. Your cozy pajamas, hot chocolate, your cat, that silly nose whistle commercial you just saw… write down all of the things, big and small that made you happy, laugh, smile… […]
1.Check In With Your Hydration & Not Just Water.
Are you drinking 1/2 your healthy body weight of pure filtered water in ounces each day? Are you loading up on your healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, nut butters, oils (unrefined coconut, olive, etc), wild salmon, cod, sardines, spirulina & supplementing with Omega 3? Hydration of water & fats is sooooo important especially when we’re moving into Autumn or Vata Season. Our environment becomes cooler & drier as the season presses toward Winter, and so do we. Staying lubricated is a must for getting ahead of cold and flu season with a strong immune system.