Hi Friends,
This is Part 2 of our Stress Series from excerpts of the Wizards Sessions. I want to encourage you to take some time as 2016 comes to a close, to reflect on the good of this year. I know it may be difficult as 2016 was a difficult year for many reasons. While it is true that you are never truly able to understand real joy until you have experienced real sorrow, you also shouldn’t wallow in the sorry. I guarantee there were good things that happened in 2016. Get out your journal and create a Gratitude List. Follow these points from Michelle Ward:
- What are you grateful for this year?
- What choices did you make this year that served you well?
- What fun and adventures did you have this year?
- What positive choices did you make for yourself this year?
- Write a loving thought for yourself for the end of 2016
I really hope that you take some time to do this. It will leave you with a much more positive outlook to begin 2017 with. Carrying burdens, frustration, anger, resentment and fear into a new year with you is never the best idea.
Breathe
‘Because my schedule is so varied…so I don’t have a job that I go to and it starts at 8 and ends at 4pm. Every day is a little bit different and the only consistent thing about my week is that Tuesdays I don’t go to work. And that’s something I have carved out for myself and I can make any plan I need. But since every day at 9am I might be free to do a practice, I might not be free to do a practice. Every day I do some meditation and I try to keep that consistent. But again I would love if every day at 9am I did it, but that’s not possible right now. I feel like that would help me a lot though. So, for people who do have that consistency in their schedule I think carving out a set time and building in a little ritual for yourself is beautiful. But right now I just make sure that I get a few – 4-5 movement practices in the week and a meditation practice at some point everyday. I’m also a big proponent of Yoga Nedra and Restorative Yoga. So, it doesn’t always have to be so active, especially for people like us who live in New York. We don’t need to keep go go go going. Sometimes it’s helpful just to lay down and be quiet and be still and receive. Instead of all the give give give that we are use to doing. That’s an important part of my practice. I wish, I am looking for ways-it’s my current puzzle on how to make it more consistent. Even if it’s just like, every Wednesday, I go to an yoga class and every Wednesday I swim. Which I also like to do. The consistent thing is that I teach for several hours per day. So, at some point, even if it’s with my students, I’m breathing.” – Laura Brandel
When There are Too Many People Everywhere
“I like going and sitting in lectures and I like learning about things through podcasts and stuff like that so for me doing something that I like, for example today, I went home and worked out. What I’m starting to get into the habit of doing is when I get home from work is to do something like running or listening to a podcast or worship music or just some really good really loud music in the car.”
“Of course driving in New York City does bring me a little bit of stress. Because there are a lot of stupid people out there. Sorry if you’re one of the readers. I had to take my ears off the podcast to scream at you today. Road Rage.”
“But seriously, It’s hard though because I’m a wife, I’m a Mom, I’m an active member of my church and sometimes I’m not me. Sometimes I don’t make time for myself because I think that that’s too selfish. And a really long time of doing that has made me a pretty stressed out and anxious person and I think that the more I am making sure to carve out time for things I love has been helpful in managing stress.” – Teresa Murphy
Taking A Sabbath (Rest) Day
“Sundays are my time with God. I come home from church, have lunch and I journal. And I have journaled eight to nine hours straight, that’s not the norm. The norm is one to three hours and then I read my Bible everyday. I’ve been reading through the Bible this year. If I’m not reading through the Bible in any given year, I’m doing a devotional. But every day I’m in the Word (Bible) and then Sundays I’m writing my heart out in the pages of my journals.” – Michele Struss
Ebony Vines 