When we align our body, mind, and spirit, our life naturally aligns with it! Let’s dig in.
How are you feeling right now? If you’re reading this, stop, and check in, how are you really feeling? Maybe you’ve been in auto-pilot most of the day, maybe this is the first time you have stopped to check-in. How is my breath? How does my body feel? Are there areas of my body holding extra stress? Congratulations, you just completed your mini mid-day pause!
In our fast-paced culture today, we have trained ourselves to go, go, go. If something is bothering you, ignore it, or find a way to numb it. Exercise, scrolling, drinking, smoking, eating…there are so many ways we can numb the feelings around us and zone out. Most of our population is operating in this auto pilot subconscious race, until you burn out, feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or a combination of all three.
My hope today is to share some tips on how you can align your body and energy so we don’t get to that burned-out, overly anxious state. I have been using these simple steps for the past few years, and have noticed significant changes in my overall mood, reactions to others, stress, and overall physical health.
1. Breathe
For years I was holding my breath. When I wasn’t holding my breath, I was taking short breaths through my mouth. There would be moments in my day I would suddenly gasp for air. I found myself trying to hide my breathing, I couldn’t catch my breath. It was scary. I remember a few times thinking, “can I catch my breath? Am I suffocating”? In some ways I was. I was stressed and was holding onto my own mini traumas by holding my breath. I couldn’t relax. Just keep going.
Now, I breathe. I take intentional breaths throughout my day to ground myself, feel my breath, and use it as a vehicle to bring myself back to the present moment.
2. Workout LESS
This was a hard one for me. I taught fitness classes for 15 years, trained for marathons, and pushed myself to do more thinking it would make me feel better. For most of my 20s and early 30s, a normal day consisted of multiple workouts. If I was sore it was a sign of weakness and I needed to push through it. My body was screaming for a break in so many ways.
Today, my movement is very intuitive. My movement depends on my mood, energy, and cycle. I find freedom in waking up and asking my body and mind, “what do you need today”? My movement is joyful and feels good in my body. I don’t only look at movement as a calorie burner or a way to GET SKINNY. I now see movement as a gift, privilege, and a way to seek and feel joy in my body. I love to hike, walk, dance, do pilates, do yoga, bounce on my rebounder, and do free-form movement!
3. Meditation
Meditation is a gift I keep coming back to each and every day. It took me 42 years to finally find a practice I love and I can’t imagine life without it. Meditation isn’t just about sitting in stillness and waiting for answers to fall from the sky. Meditation is a practice to truly find your inner peace. To be self-aware, conscious, and have a sense of presence in this crazy fast-paced ever-changing world.
The biggest shift for me is the new superpower I feel in before I REACT to something in front of me. It’s a split second to pause before I react in a way that doesn’t serve me or those around me. It’s about feeling my body and leaning into my intuition. It’s about trusting myself, God, and my inner guides. Join my next Reset to Radiance on the go series starting July 18th! This will be a great way to lean into meditation and new ways to add it into your daily life.
4. Take Control of the Inner Dialogue
Check-in. How are your thoughts? Do you have repeated patterns and stories that are no longer serving you? In order to feel fully aligned in your body and mind, you must take control of your inner narrative. Most of us are repeating the same thoughts over and over in our minds, and over 60% of those thoughts are negative. If changing the self-talk on your own is too overwhelming and the stories bring up trauma past or present, perhaps think about working with a therapist or coach to help guide you through this process. Replacing negative self-talk with positive affirmations and thoughts is truly life-changing.
5. Practice Gratitude and Grounding
The two G’s, and they are both so powerful. In fact, I often do them together every morning and again to close my day at night. Grounding brings us back to the Earth and has immediate healing benefits to help you feel rooted in your body. I love to visualize myself connected to the Earth with a bright light or cord. This has an even deeper sense of healing and grounding to bring me back to a state of alignment and balance.
xx Kristine