I’m a little shell-shocked. I’m not surprised by the events of the past week in Washington or by the rising Covid numbers (according to the New York Times, we are up 75% in Salt Lake County over the past 14 days). And I’m not surprised by the suffering I witnessed on a walk in my community past homeless encampments and individuals clearly suffering from addiction and/or mental illness. And while it may not be surprising it is hugely disturbing. I fluctuate from angry to disappointed to outraged to deeply, deeply saddened.

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I talk a lot about embodiment - deeply feeling the experience of the moment - moving beyond the narrative in our head and into the bodily experience of what's actually happening. One of the ways I do this is by consciously engaging my senses - paying attention to what I’m tasting, hearing, seeing, feeling and smelling. This sensory attention helps us to be more present, which in turn, takes us out of our constant worrying about the past and the future and into what’s right in front of us (which is often both beautiful and easy to miss).

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I'm making gift giving a little easier this year with The Gift of Gratitude!

Purchase one for a loved one and I’ll thank you by giving you one too. It’s the gift that comes right back to you:)

Are you tired of buying more STUFF?

Are you looking for something more meaningful to give - something that could affect huge change in someone’s life?

Do you think that being more positive, hopeful and optimistic could make the world a better place?

If so, I have the perfect gift for you. It’s a simple online course called The Gift of Gratitude!

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I have to say that in many ways, I’ve felt myself held hostage by this election cycle. And while to some extent, it is still playing out, I do feel like a weight has been lifted and my body is ready to expand again.

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A message on election day in the U.S….Hang in there everyone!
I'll make this short and to the point:
This is an intense time.
Your are not alone.
You have the inner resources you need to take control of your nervous system and calm yourself down.

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Did you know that one of the best ways to lower anxiety is to practice interoception; the skill of paying attention to the sensations in your body? This simple practice of shifting your awareness from your mind to your body can calm your nervous system and reduce ruminating thoughts and anxiety. It also strengthens a part of your brain called the insula which is the center of the mind/body/brain connection.

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You’ve probably noticed that I am all about exploring myriad ways to use mindfulness techniques to dissolve stress. I love that we can reduce stress with gratitude and compassion practices or by working with guided meditations that help rewire limiting self-beliefs. I love that object meditations, breathing techniques, body scans and yoga nidra also help us relax, not to mention mindful movement like nature walks and yoga. And don’t forget interoception - the skill of paying attention to the sensations in your body. The list is long!

But maybe what I love most is the elegance of a diaphragmatic breath!

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We all have negative voices spinning around in our heads sometimes. That’s normal. The questions is, how much air time do those voices get?

Here’s why the answer to that question is so important.

Negative self-talk can turn on your stress response and send you into fight or flight.

On the other hand, self-compassion is one of the quickest ways to reduce stress because it can turn on your rest and digest system and break the stress loop.

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