Feeling Better Doesn't Have to be Difficult
1. Take 5-10 Deep Breaths
When life starts to feel heavy, difficult, & overwhelming - just breathe. Take life moment by moment and breath by breath. Until you can do more, give yourself permission to let these few breaths be enough. As you inhale the air around you, notice how your lungs, belly & chest expand like you're filling up a big balloon. As you let that breath out, allow your body relax as much as you can by letting go of tension held in the jaw, shoulders & belly. Take another full breath in and let it out slowly and mindfully. Try breathing in for the count of 4 and exhale for a count of 8 to really ignite your relaxation response. Continue with your breath and release any tightness from the hips, legs, fingers & even the spaces between your toes. After you've taken 5-10 conscious breaths, rest in the awareness you just cultivated. Pause in that awareness for a few moments or when time allows, stay there for a few minutes to notice how you feel. Do you feel more awake, connected & present? Whatever you discover after this exercise - peace, calm, clarity - know that those feelings are always within you and can be accessed any time you decide to take a moment & reconnect with yourself.
2. Practice Gratitude
Life is often full of challenges that leave us feeling uncomfortable, fearful, sad, disappointed & full of worry...but it is also full of hope, love, inspiration, joy & abundance. If you are having trouble finding a reason to smile today, begin small. Recall something or someone that recently made you smile or take a look around your immediate surroundings and find one thing you can feel grateful for. As you scan the room, you might see a loved one who is always there when you need support, maybe it's a clean and organized area of your home (no matter how small) or perhaps it's the way a sun ray shines through your window and onto the carpet. Whatever it is, find that one thing that has made a positive difference in your world and offer it a silent "thank you" while feeling a deep sense of appreciation in your heart. The more you practice this, the more your heart will expand to allow similar experiences to enter your life. When we honor all the things/people that we are grateful for, the universe responds & meets the vibration we send out so that we can live a life that truly makes us smile. Even on our darkest days, there is something to feel grateful for.
3. Move
Movement can be a game changer. It's one of the fastest ways to make a shift in our lives & start feeling better. Try this even before getting out of bed in the morning: as you wake, stretch your arms back behind you & extend the legs long. Breathe in as you point your toes and then flex the feet a few times. You might yawn or sigh - this is a sign of releasing stagnant energy from your body. After you've stretched your body long, gently hug your knees into the chest and rock from side to side or make small circles with your knees. Then, set your feet flat on the bed with your knees bent & rock them from right to left like windshield wipers. Linger over to each side for a few breaths. If you've been awake for awhile and want to move in a gentle way, you can do this on the floor of your bedroom or living room. Just see what your body likes and what feels good to it. Move any way you feel called to do so. If you feel called to exert a little more energy, try taking a few breaths in downward facing dog and then rest for a few breaths in child's pose. You should feel a positive difference in your body, mind and being.
BONUS SUGGESTIONS
If you'd like to take more steps to help shift your mood, energy & perspective while offering your body some extra love, you may feel called to try the following ...
Drink a tall glass of water
Walk barefoot in the grass (this is a powerful one!)
Break out into a silly dance
Smile - just to see what happens
Spend time talking to a loved one or an animal
Consider listening to a guided meditation that's specific to what you need today (these can be found on YouTube or with a free app such as Insight Timer)
Listen to your favorite current song or a song you used to love as a teenager
Sing (who cares if anyone hears you!)
Dress up and go somewhere or just stay in!
Go online and register for a yoga class in your area (I hear Blue Feather Wellness has some good classes ; )
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