Back in the Flow

Whether or not you or someone in your family is going back to school, we all feel the change in routine this time of year. Seeing buses and carpool pick-up lines where there used to be nearly empty roads has a familiarity to it that winds down summer. Maybe you’re finally able to dump that summer job and get back into campus life. It doesn’t feel like fall is around the corner, but the carefree, stay-up-late energy of summer will all too quickly slip into twilight rides home and a call to coziness. Like it or not, the summer energy is changing. How can we flow with it rather than fight against it? 

SOME TIPS

• Build a routine. This can feel overwhelming, especially if you add too many goals all at once. Trying to fit everything into a single day feels impossible, because so little of it is habitual. Adding to your routine in stages can help you be more successful than trying to start completely from scratch. 

• Balance hard work with recovery time. Often, we set really high goals for ourselves to reach before we allow ourselves to take a break. Instead, try to think of breaks as a chance for your mind to recover from the work you’re doing so that when you go back to it, you feel recharged and ready instead of tired and frustrated.

• Make time every day for yourself. When we start adding activities, it’s really easy to feel overscheduled. Always needing to be here, getting ready to go there, back to back to back. Starting or ending your day with a chunk of time that is just for you to be, with nothing required of you gives separation to your days and can help with getting going or winding down.

Making time for ourselves is often the hardest part! If it feels overwhelming, start small. Giving yourself a time limit - even setting a timer - can help you build in these healthy breaks without stressing about fitting them in.

Here are some great activities you can do in 5 minutes or less that can have a surprising impact on your mindset:

• Pick a favorite song and do nothing other than sing or dance along. 

• Make a cup of tea or coffee and take the time to sip it without scrolling your phone.

• Go outside and notice 3 things that intrigue you. Maybe your neighbor planted new flowers or there’s a funky license plate you’re trying to decipher. 

• Move your body - gently stretch or shake out any part that feels stiff or cranky.

• Think of 5 things you are grateful for. Say them out loud to yourself, then say thank you.

• Deep breaths. Inhale through your nose while silently counting to 5, then exhale through your nose while counting to 7. Try to do 10-15 rounds of breath. Making your exhale longer than your inhale helps to relax your mind and feel more grounded. 

Finding Your Inner Light During the Holidays

With holidays coming up, it can bring up a lot of stress, insecurities, and fears. I want to take a moment to honor your feelings in all of this and let you know this is normal. Family is not always easy - they are our greatest teachers and biggest lessons, so it’s natural to feel anxious around the holidays.

Please take time and space to acknowledge your feelings and honor what you need. We tend to shrink ourselves when we are triggered around our family. Please know you are a bright soul, you are worthy of the whole world to see you through love, including yourself. You have an inner strength that has brought you to exactly where you are now, you survived so much in your life, you have moved mountains to be where you are now no matter where you are in your current path.

Please know you are exactly where you need to be right now and fearlessly move forward in honoring what you already know within, deep within you. After you peel away the years of stories from society, from your loved ones, from your relationships, I want you to shed all those layers back and allow yourself to see your inner truth for who you are. You are loved. You are light. You are faith. You are bliss. You are creative. You are grateful. You are brave. You are radiant. You are courageous. You are loving. You are loved. 

I want you to sit with yourself for a moment close your eyes, take a deep breath, play some calming music, connect within your soul. Call your soul forward and ask to be shown your truth, your light. Then I want you to visualize all those old stories and memories that no longer serve you, physically shredding off of you. Visualize all the pressure of society and your family and literally pick them all up and push them outside of your Ora, and allow them to drift further and further away as the words get quieter and less valuable. Keep doing this until you hear nothing but your own truth, your own words of love. Push all that garbage out, it isn’t your truth let it go! I believe in you and your inner light and strength! You got this! BELIEVE! 

Once you released all the old stories and shed those layers, connect with your love. Feel the warmth all over your body and in your heart, and hands and feel the comfort of receiving all this joy and bliss and fill your soul with your truth. You are loved. You are light. You are faith. You are bliss. You are creative. You are grateful. You are brave. You are radiant. You are courageous. You are loving. You are loved. You are an amazing mother, father, daughter, brother, co-worker, employee. You are a brilliant creator, You can take up space in this world because we all want to see you! I see you! You see you!

 Walk into this holiday radiating this light, which is your own inner truth! Every time you start to fall back a little and forget, briefly dismiss yourself from a situation (if possible), find a space to be alone, and take a few breaths and bring yourself back to this mediation be expansive! You are worthy of your light and your space!

With gratitude,

Mindy

Self-Scare Can Be Self-Care!

October is here and you know what that means? Halloween season, my favorite holiday! This is a great time to remind people to go out and do self-care or should I say self scare? Whether it be making time to sit down and watch a neat horror flick or even playing horror video games, decking out your place with Halloween decorations, making plans with friends, etc. (You can even do none of those things because you are easily spooked. Do other things and that’s ok too!) Self (s)care is an important factor in keeping our mental health and even physical health in check. It’s greatly encouraged to go out and have fun for the sake of your mental health. Let’s face it, it’s not easy to function when you feel like a zombie working on aimlessly with no room for yourself and your mental health needs!

When utilizing self-care remember that the reason we self-care in the first place is to re-energize or refuel us mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Some basic self-care activities to consider are:

• Getting a good amount of sleep

• Healthy eating habits

• Checking up on your physical health

• Exercise

• Spending time with people you enjoy being around

‘Tis the season for Halloween so here are some seasonal self-care ideas! If you’re like me and enjoy the spooky holidays here are some seasonal self-scare ideas:

• Pumpkin carving with friends/family

• Watching a Halloween inspired movie either alone or with friends

• Making or buying a costume 

• Decorating your house and if you’re able to your workspace (Director’s Note: Come check out the GGOC offices! Ami did a great job helping us get in the spirit of the season!)

• Giving out candy or going out and trick or treating

• Having a Halloween social with friends and/or family

• Making Halloween or seasonally inspired foods

• Going out to a Halloween theme park attraction

• Treat yourself to a seasonal pumpkin spice latte

Be mindful when you’re doing any activities for the holiday that this is for your personal mental and physical well being. Don’t scare yourself into doing things you have to for the holidays. Go out there and take (s)care of yourself!