a spring cleaning practice for your body
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If your energy is low and your mind seems heavy, try this quick practice to feel a sense of renewal and connect with the turning of the seasons.
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4 ways that pruning a plant can inspire you to care for yourself
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Trimming back apple trees and berry bushes can inspire us to tend to ourselves—even as we’re caring for others. Pruning takes a plant back to its strongest, most vital parts, leaving the healthy tissue to flourish. These four plant pruning guidelines are visible reminders of how to nurture ourselves every day …
Read Moreyou can do this for the people of ukraine
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It doesn’t take a war for us to feel helpless. Even caregivers on the front lines of a global pandemic can feel like they’re not making a difference in an overwhelming situation. But I believe that taking a moment to say a few words to yourself in times like these can remind us to move through the world with compassion, ultimately shifting how we relate to one another … as friends and neighbors, and strangers a world away. Here’s how …
Read Moretake time for teeny tiny meditation
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If your main focus is caring for others, finding the time or motivation to spend even a few minutes on taking care of yourself can be daunting. The inner sanctuary community just finished reading BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything for our March bookclub… and now we’re tiny-habiting All The Selfcare Things. I started with my daily meditation practice …
Read Moregot time for a quick bite?
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Sometimes you don't have the time--or the energy--to make it to a live class or even to browse recordings. So I'm coming right to you where you’re at, with a quick bite of yoga.
Read Moreacupressure to thaw your winter back
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Try this quick acupressure practice to help you start to thaw out your upper spine and neck, and bring a little mobility back to those places that have been swaddled in turtlenecks and scarves for so many months.
Read Moreread a book, learn about yourself→
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People who spend their days caring for others often appreciate the escape a good book can provide. Getting lost in a captivating story counts as selfcare—it’s a mental vacation, after all. But often the titles we choose have a hidden benefit …
Read Moreselfcare meets you where you're at (plus a tool I'm loving for this)
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For a lot of people—especially those who spend their time caring for others—focusing on themselves ends up at the bottom of a loooooong priority list. Our schedules are overfull, we don’t have the equipment we think we’ll need, and it all just seems like too much work because we’re exhausted. But there is a way for caregivers to sneak in some selfcare each week …
Read More2022: the year of "retreat"
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There are many ways to mindfully mark the start of a new 12-month cycle. If you’re caring for others it can often feel like much of your life is out of your control, but choosing a tool to help you focus your selfcare thoughts and actions can prevent you from squandering your precious “me”-time, and help you stay attuned to what’s truly most important to you …
Read Moreturning inward toward your breath
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Take just a few minutes to try this standing exploration. It turns your attention inward so you can notice your breathing and how it impacts your entire body--as well as your mental state … and that’s critical for those who care for others.
Read Morehow to find your feet (and, consequently, the rest of you, too)
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Whether you’re preparing for a vigorous yoga class—or recovering from a long day on your feet as a caregiver—finding your feet can help you feel mentally and emotionally settled as well. Here’s one way to do it …
Read More6 tips (plus a bonus) for the unexpected caregiver
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Whether we tend to other people as part of our careers or not, if we have any sort of relationships at all (human or otherwise), we’ll all find ourselves in the role of caregiver at some point in our lives. And while every caregiving situation is unique, I was reminded of a few commonalities within the first few days of my husband’s recovery from his recent surgery during this National Family Caregivers Month …
Read Morehey, are you grinding your teeth?
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We all do it. We store tension in our face. Here’s a quick acupressure practice to help you release that tightness on the spot.
Read Morethe bathroom floor--my favorite place to meditate
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Studies show that meditation’s benefits are gifts that will keep on giving if you can just set aside a few minutes each day to sit in stillness. But if your to-do list feels longer than a year-old CVS receipt, I have an idea for you …
Read Moreonly have a moment? try this to clear your head
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Sometimes we really only have a minute or two between the many tasks of caring for someone else. Thankfully, that’s all you need for this acupressure practice, which you can manage to sneak in even while you’re doing something else.
Read Morethis is what happened when i stood in one place for 21 days
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It’s a rare event to spot a caregiver standing still for any length of time. There are appointments to drive to, errands to run, meals to prep, calls to make, kids to look after, etc. But if you can manage to find just a few minutes to be still during your day, you just might discover an entire world around—and within—you.
Read Morechristmas in ... october? how to stay present when the rest of the world is charging ahead
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One of the most important things a busy caregiver can do for all-around wellness is to be in the current moment. Doing that helps you stay safe and grounded in your body, focused mentally and in-tune emotionally. But how do we do that when our local retail outlets started displaying Halloween costumes when temps were still in the 90s?
Read Morefollow these 4 steps to turn your wishes into reality
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Plans, hopes and wishes … no matter how hard we might work to make our dreams reality, there are times we would appreciate a little boost of support behind them. Here are the steps I take to set an intention with a little extra oomph.
Read More3 tips for getting out of your own way
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Have you ever found yourself wallowing so deeply in disappointment, frustration or even anger about a situation you have no control over as you spend your days caring for others, that you catch yourself missing out on the good things right in front of you? Here are 3 ways to change that.
Read Morebalance your breath
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Find balance through breath with sama vrtti, Sanskrit for equal breathing. It’s an ideal, accessible practice for those caring for others each day. This practice--which you can do anywhere--will sharpen your focus, let distracting throughts fall away and help soothe your nervous system.
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