self-care — Blog — Finding Joy

Hello, hi there! It’s the unofficial winter season (yikes!) and I wanted to check in with you all to see how you are feeling. December is upon us and that means one thing…the holidays are HERE. Regardless of where your mindset is currently at, I am writing to help us all out on how to cultivate an intentional holiday season.

The holiday season means something different for everyone. It may be a time of endless joy for some, yet it could bring a lot of sadness to others. It may leave you feeling excited, or feelings of overwhelm with anxiety. And you know what? Any and all of those feelings are valid. Remember that feelings and emotions are fleeting. What you choose to do with them is the crucial part.

Living your best holiday season life? Continue to show it and spread that holiday cheer! Feeling more like the Grinch and/or stressed out? Try doing something that you enjoy that brings some inner peace. The last thing we need is to take our inner aggression out on others. Everyone is going through something so try to practice self awareness and hit the pause button if needed.

Ok now that we have set the tone, here are some ways to navigate the holiday season and be intentional in how we spend the next several weeks.

Self care

Although the term self care can seem trendy these days, I still like to use it because it has a different meaning for everyone. The holiday season can be stressful, am I right? How about we take some “me” time to help feel our best. There will be situations that are unavoidable, dreadful or unfulfilling, but if we practice self care, it can make any stressful situation a little less daunting. If you take care of yourself, you can show up for others.

What does self care look like for you? It can be the simplest/smallest of things, but if it helps keep you centered, be consistent.

Hitting Pause

One of the best things I have learned over the years is to hit pause and take a step back when needed. Some of us need more down time than others (or some of us intentionally busy ourselves and leave too little down time). The holiday season can feel like there are a million things going on at once.

It is OK to say no to holiday parties to relax and chill out, it is OK to spend some alone time, and it is OK to not be in the holiday spirit at all times.

Give Without Expectation

Serving others and giving without receiving has some major feel-good power. Have you ever done something for someone without expecting something in return? Yeah, that is called intentional living. Where you genuinely want to help or give in some way and not feel like the other person(s) has to give anything back to you. It is definitely a mood booster!

But this is not to say that you should give to others just because it looks good externally, it has to come from within.

I hope this helps keeps you calm and sane this holiday season! Again, there will be things that are out of our control, but if we can focus more on the good in any situation, you are well on your way. Be intentional, have fun, and you WILL survive the in-laws ;) Hehe just kidding.

I am not a certified meditation teacher. These tips are helpful for my personal mediation practice and have helped me get started.

Hi guys! I can't believe it is August already - where is summer going? To be honest, I won't be too horribly sad, seeing how hot and humid it has been this year. Or maybe the winters are so long I forget just HOW hot it gets in NYC. Maybe we could all use some meditation to get through it :)

If you guys have been following me for a while now, you know how much I love meditation and how important my practice has become. It is part of my wellness ritual that you can read more about here! Whether you are simply curious, have tried it out before or trying to become more consistent in your own practice, I wanted to share helpful tips that have helped me ease into meditation.

Before I moved to NYC almost 4 years ago this month(!), I was dedicated to meditating almost every day for several months. I had my quick 20-minute yoga sequence and then sat on my mat to meditate for only a few minutes in the morning. I want to reiterate: a few minutes. I don't believe you need to meditate for an hour or longer to reap the benefits. The practice and routine are what make it worthwhile. Although I do know from personal experience that the more consistent you are, the more willingness there will be to sit longer and feel more comfortable doing it. You will know why.

Sometimes life gets in the way and we minimize the space for such habits/routines, and that is ok. I think remembering the why is super important. Why did you start in the first place? How did it make you feel? Are you benefitting from it? I know when I go through periods of time without meditating, I feel imbalanced. If you have those positive habits that help, stick to them.

Again, I am no meditation professional. There are so many unique ways to ease into it and everyone is different.

3 Helpful Ways to Start Meditation

Find a comfortable space - Ideally you want to meditate in a quiet, peaceful place. There will be many distractions in the form of "thoughts" that run through your brain so the less environmental distractions to deal with, the better. You don't have to sit in a formal meditation space or center. I do both at home and in a guided class. Both beneficial.
Focus on your breath - Let's be honest, you might dwell on certain thoughts or get lost in your to-do list, thinking about everything possible other than meditating. Try to return your focus on your breath, breathing in and out. Sometimes what helps me is to literally tell myself (in my head) to breathe in and out, while doing it.
Set your own time - Let go of the pressure to sit for a given amount of time. It can be intimidating or uncomfortable to feel forced to sit in complete silence. When I first started, I didn't even set a time or look at my clock, I simply just sat for as long as I could.

I didn't start going to guided meditation classes until I moved to NYC. A previous yoga teacher (when I first started) would lead a short mediation at the end of class, so that is how I was first introduced. Isn't it funny to look back and notice how certain habits were influenced by someone or something? I am forever grateful for her and that class!

I would love to hear if you have tried traditional meditation or not. What do you think?