Yesterday's meeting

Bo and I had an important meeting yesterday morning.

We went to the beach.

We were able to rearrange our work schedule a bit so we could spend a little time in the sun, wandering on the sand, listening to the water, reconnecting with nature.

It was exactly what I needed.

I've been spending a lot of time working lately. Earlier this week I had an 18-hour day due to deadlines. I needed to get away from the office for a while, so the time yesterday morning, even though it was brief, was perfect.

I can't wait until the next trip.

Keeping myself grounded

It is important for me to keep myself centered and grounded. I know that's a term that gets used a lot to use a lot of different things, so let me give you my explanation.

To me, grounding means making an active choice to let go of stresses and worries--especially those that are out of my control--and focus on being in the moment in order to do the things I need to do so I can move forward.

Along those same lines, centering myself means to give myself something to come back to when I feel like the stresses and worries are getting to be too much. It keeps me from feeling like I'm (emotionally and mentally) floating too much.

In the past, it was my Christian beliefs that kept me emotionally balanced and feeling in control.

There are a few ways I keep myself from feeling off balance.

Though I don't practice yoga nearly as often as I would like to, I always feel better when I do. (Which should tell me I need to do it more often, I know.) It gets my body moving, which is good, and since I focus entirely on the poses and my breathing in each moment, I can let go of the other things in my life for just a little while. Even if all I do is a single sun salutation, I feel better. I'm working on doing yoga more often for my physical health as well as my mental/emotional health.

Journaling is also very helpful. I'm currently going through The Artist's Way, and the morning pages have become very valuable. It gives me the opportunity to journal about all the shit clogging my brain before I start my day, getting it out of the way so I can focus on the writing I have to do for work (and pleasure). Of course, it's also valuable to me as a writer because I've gotten lots of ideas out of journaling. And writing is writing, even if no one else sees it.

Taking care of my plants is also a big draw for me. One of the reasons I want more plans is because I have the tendency to fuss over the ones I have. Probably a bit too much. I make sure they have enough water, move them around to make sure they're getting the right amount of sun/shade, get dead leaves out of the pot to make room for new growth, and, of course, talk to them. It's a bit of a distraction, and lets me take a break from the things I need to do.

What do you do to keep yourself grounded and centered?

Yoga

I like yoga. I like how I feel when I do yoga, and how I can use it to (gently) push my body to be stronger and healthier.

I used to do yoga frequently, but I've gotten away from it lately. So I've decided to make a concentrated effort to do yoga regularly.

I know my body is not as strong or flexible as it used to be, so I'm starting slowly. I intend to do at least one sun salutation every morning when I first get up with regular yoga sessions three times a week. My ultimate goal is to work up to doing a full yoga session (between fifteen and thirty minutes) every day.

I know it will be a process, and I will likely stumble, but I'm determined to do it, and I know I'll feel better for it.

So one of my primary goals for March is to do yoga.

Do you practice yoga? How often? Do you find it beneficial?

Finding balance -- spirit

I have a copy of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. I've started it a couple of times, but never finished it.

I've started it again.

I think that where I am in my life puts me in a better position to complete the book and all that goes along with it this time around.

From a spiritual perspective, I am an atheist. However, I do value a connection with the world around me through mindful, compassionate living, and I believe that that connection can be a vehicle through which I can increase my creativity, improve my career, and continue to live my happily ever after.

In finding a mind-body-spirit balance in my life, I had sort of struggled with how to apply the spiritual aspect. How can I have balance in my spiritual life if I do not practice some sort of religion?

However, I have found that there are aspects of my life that feed my spirit (my heart and passions) that I can use to create spiritual balance in my life. One of these is my connection to the world around me--through the natural world and people around me--and another is in my writing.

Cameron's book seeks to combine an individual's creativity with the spiritual elements of life. While she uses the term "God" to refer to the creative energy in an individual or connection to the universe. Though she does indicate that anyone who goes through this journey should use whatever term or concept that best resonates with that individual.

I'm optimistic that going through this book over the next few months will help me remember the importance of creativity in my life, and find the motivation I once had for writing fiction.*

And if I can find better spiritual balance as a result, then I'll count it a success.






-----
*It is true that I use creativity in my daily career. However, I have not spent nearly as much time writing fiction as I would like to, and progress on the coffee house book has suffered. I keep making excuses, and I'm frustrated with that.

Finding balance -- body

Freedigitalphotos.net / mapichai

On Monday last week I wrote about finding balance in my mind as part of my efforts in living a more holistic lifestyle. This week, I want to talk about finding balance in my body.

I want to be at my healthiest. Not only for the munchkins and for Bo, but for myself.

One thing that has happened recently is that I've gotten out of some of my good habits, and my diet and exercise has slipped.

So I'm making a renewed effort at making healthier food and exercise choices, in order to move toward my health goals (and look good in my dress later this year).

I have found that, for me, a plant-based diet works well for meeting my health goals. So I'm working hard at being careful about what I put in my body and eating plant-based whole foods.

I'm also trying to exercise more. Some days all I can do is walk (which is good), and other days, I'll do yoga or some other exercise routine. The goal is to keep my body moving as much as possible.

I've read a lot of the articles that show the benefits of exercise not only to the body, but to the mind. So it makes sense that in finding a balance in my life, exercise and healthy eating would be a major part of it. If I want to be healthy in every facet of my life, my body must be included in that.

What do you do to keep your body healthy?

Finding balance -- mind

Freedigitalphotos.net / tiverylucky

One aspect of holistic living is creating a balance of mind, body, and spirit in life. To that end, I want to talk about the creating balance within my mind moving toward a holistic lifestyle.

My mind is usually where I struggle the most in creating a holistic balance in my life. As an introvert, I internalize a lot of things, and I can get into a "loop" of thinking that is not always beneficial.

So one of the goals I have for this year is to work on quieting my mind and being in the moment. I think this will go a long way to helping me let go of a lot of the mental and emotional struggles in my life, particularly related to my family, and bring me a great deal more peace on a daily basis.

I want to be someone who meditates regularly. I've tried a few times (not seriously), but it never really went anywhere. And yet, I know that when I set aside time for the purpose of quieting my mind, I am happier.

Yoga is meditative to me. I'm able to focus on my breathing and ignore everything in my life. So I'm going to try and do yoga more (which will benefit my physical health, as well).

However, I would also like to sit and meditate. I may start with guided meditation to help get my mind into the habit of quieting itself on a regular basis. Once I'm more comfortable with it, I can move into more free-form meditation.

I think, through meditation, I will be able to let go of some things that I've been struggling with, as well. Not only will this help me to stay in the moment, but will make for a more peaceful, happier life.

How do you keep balance within your mind?

Embracing Self-Care: Health and Spirituality

Note: This is part two of a series. Part one is here.

When I was a practicing Christian, there was a direct correlation between my physical health and my spirituality. If I felt like my spiritual life was lacking, I felt more tired, I seemed to get sick more easily. I fully believed it was my body's way of telling me I needed to keep my spirituality in check.

As an atheist, I have a different perspective on the relationship between my body and my mind/spirit.

I do believe there is a direct relationship between my physical health and my mental/emotional health. But it's the other way: when I'm not physically well, my emotional and mental health suffers.

I've been trying to focus on physical self-care lately so I can feel better mentally and emotionally. I've been trying to make healthier choices in my diet, exercise more regularly, and keep up with preventative care and check-ups.

It's not always easy to focus on my health when I'm working and have munchkins, but I know that when it comes to being the best mom I can be, it starts with being the healthiest mom I can be. So it's important for me to do what I have to do to be healthier. And (bonus!) when I take care of myself better, I feel better overall. When Mama's happy, everybody's happy!

Are you including your physical health in your self-care?

Centering and grounding

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I used to use Sundays as a "renew your spirit" day here on the blog. I used it for that in my life, as well. Most Sundays I went to worship services at my UCC church and sang in the choir, and used the sermons as inspiration to refocus, center myself, and prepare for the week ahead. It was valuable to me to use that time to let go of frustrations from the week before.

Now, however, I don't attend church services. I know I don't need any kind of community service (although there is a nearby Unitarian Universalist congregation [is that the right word?] I may visit), but I do want to find some way to continue that refocusing each week so I don't get mired in some of the frustrations I'm going through right now.

That being said, I've decided to restart a yoga practice, as well as start meditating regularly. In addition to the physical health benefits of yoga as exercise, I think these two things will help me in the same way worship services did, but allow me to stay focused inward (knowing what I need to do to accomplish my goals) rather than outward (I can't do it without god). Sundays will still be a day for me to focus myself for the week to come, but in a different way. In my opinion, it will be a better way.

If I feel the need for a sense of community that once came with the UCC services, I'm sure I can find another community that meets regularly to get that same feeling of support and belonging, whether it be at UU meetings, in a secular reading/poetry/yoga/meditation group, or even among parents at an activity for the munchkins. There are always sources of support for people who need them. It doesn't have to be a church.

How do you center and refocus yourself each week? Where do you get support and community?

The writer and self-care

It's important to take care of yourself.

I have a bit of a chaotic life at times, and it's easy to get wrapped up in all the things I have to do, and neglect the things I really should do.

Lately, taking care of my physical health has become on the list of should do instead of have to do. I've been focused on other things and haven't been taking care of myself the way I should be.

I'm making an effort to change that.

I'm making positive changes in my nutrition. I'm eating less meat and dairy, as well as drinking more water. I've already noticed a difference in my energy because of it.

I'm also trying to be more active. A friend of mine and I are training together to run a 5K this fall (the first of many, I hope), and I'm doing cross-training on the days I don't run (yoga and burpees). Just as with my diet changes, I'm already seeing a difference in my energy levels.

As much as I wish I could skip sleep and food altogether and use that time for writing, I know I can't. And I know that taking time to be kind to my body will mean I'm less likely to get sick, and that will equate to more writing time in the long run.

Not to mention it's helpful for keeping up with active toddlers!