Greetings friends!
For many of us our workplaces and lives are moving faster than we can adapt. Human beings evolved in groups of 60 or so people. Our bodies and brains know how to handle that. Our body’s nervous system experiences stress in the large cities, communities, and workplaces we are in. Stress is so much the new normal, we hardly notice it. One of the kindest things we can do for ourselves is to activate our parasympathetic (rest and relax) nervous system and nourish and replenish ourselves. Relaxation also activates parts of the brain associated with big picture thinking and creativity, not to mention helping the body to heal itself.
How do we do this? Get enough sleep. Breathe deeply (especially long exhalations), release tension from our bodies with yoga or other movement practices. Laugh and don’t take yourself too seriously (try laughter yoga). We can also spend time with the people and activities that nourish us personally.
This week’s mindful practice is to notice what nourishes you. To practice this, get connected with your body and become mindful of when you feel relaxed. For me, nourishment happens in my morning kundalini yoga practice, hiking in nature, a loving-kindness mindfulness practice, dancing to my favorite music, taking a walk with a friend or loved one. As you notice what nourishes you, take the time to savor the nourishment. As your body takes in the benefits of this, you will automatically want to make more room in your life for it. You can even try a “Calm The Mind and Release Stress” practice here.
Wishing you a mindful week!
P.S. One-Minute Mindfulness are short reads that give you a practice a week so you can experience being mindful in the activities you’re already doing. If you’d like to learn and create mindfulness habits with teammates and friends, please share this link to sign up.
P.P.S. I would love for you to share your experience or questions from this practice in the comments below.
