Here's a radical thought. I always look at sickness as your body telling you to slow down. Well, Maybe the whole darn World needs to pause and come together in a way we have not been able to. So a virus was presented. Now it's what we do with it.
The following are intention setting daily practices and also some on-the-fly oh-my-goodness I need to calm down strategies:
LOL!: Laughter, it is indeed one of the most potent and best medicines. Frowning takes more muscles than smiling, which translates to energy being slowly sucked from our soul, and for what? Wrinkles? However, laughter has been proven to relax muscles by increasing circulation in your body. Throw on an episode of I Love Lucy, she is my go-to, or download a fave comedian podcast to get the chuckles flowing.
Walk Outside: As a fitness teacher, I, too, use exercise as a way to get the serotonin high. Heartwarming feel-good chemicals are floating around in our body, but sometimes we can't quite get to them. Lately, I have found that walking outside to be extremely therapeutic. It's almost trance-like when I get my pace and each step more relaxing than the next. Physically speaking breathing fresh air stimulates your cells, cleanses your lungs, and helps your immune system stay well. Mindfully speaking, it is relaxing to be in nature, revel in the beauty and magnificence of creation, and get into gratitude.
Get Present/Grounding Mantra: I learned this "where are your feet" mantra when I first got sober almost thirteen years ago, and to this day, I still use it. You can do it anywhere you can put your feet on the ground, even in shoes. Feet flat on the floor (barefoot even better). Take deep breaths inhaling through the nose and out through the mouth. Feel your feet on the ground and repeat in your mind as you breathe "I am here, where am I, where are my feet, I am here, where are my feet, they are on the floor." As you say, the words notice sensations, feel connected, focus on grounding each toe to heel.
Unplug: For the love of peace-of-mind, disconnect yourself from the TV, internet, news, social media, and all of the electronic thingy-ma-bob-its. I cannot speak for you, but for me, this is a stress trigger. It is THE gateway to the opposite of calm. You may not even realize what your mind is processing when you are not even paying attention to background chatter. The subconscious brain is smarty pants and can latch on to just about anything disruptive and take over your happy place. Detach from the pods, phones, and pads to give your soul a fighting chance to reboot, ahhhhh, relax, and welcome the calm back in.
Visualize the Calm: Conscious creation is a technique where you can be purposeful about what we see in our minds, including our moods by visualization. Write in a journal every day about how you want each day to begin. See every moment and how you will feel, visualize the joy. Visualize how effortlessly your body will respond to each situation. Create a vision for your home filled with healing energy, being able to move each limb freely with a feeling of strength. Visualize your family and friends healthy and happy.
Just like viruses, energy is contagious. Positive energy, aka good vibes, is just what this bright, beautiful world needs now to spread love and light.
Take care of yourself, friends; we are all in this together.
xo Jessi
