There is a lot going on every day. Attention is often fragmented and there is a lot to track and take care of. It's important to take care of yourself in the midst of all that's happening in your life and the greater world. I don't mean in a massage/day spa sort of idea of self-care. This is not indulgence. This is essential. These foundational aspects of self-care are crucial for well-being. They include sleep, nutrition, movement, and contemplation.

Over the next weeks, I'll write more about each one of them. 
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For the time being, whenever you feel "off," I invite you to check in with yourself about your sleep habits/quality of sleep, nutrition patterns, movement/exercise habits, and contemplation time (meditation, yoga, prayer, relaxation practices).  

You're always aligned with something. Each choice you make brings you closer to or further away from your authentic self. The way you speak, how you spend your time, where you spend your money - each is a vote for something. A helpful piece in greater self-awareness around this is to investigate what you personal values are. These are not ideals to live up to. Rather, personal values are already within you, a bit below awareness, influencing what you do and how you are. When you bring these into conscious knowing, you can begin to notice when you move toward or away from your values. With this greater awareness, there is greater choice.

Check out a couple of resources below to help you determine what your values are:

https://survey.valuescentre.com/survey.html?id=5l1OmCPgJO400Xkb9ByK_B4E3lIuZOgB0EGag0Ki1CIOvC8MbC5eSA

https://www.cmu.edu/career/documents/my-career-path-activities/values-exercise.pdf

So much of how we operate as human beings is habitual. There are habits of how you get ready in the morning, of your movement, of how and what you eat, of how you spend your free time, etc. You even have habits of thinking! Typically, you operate from these places of habit on autopilot, without much awareness.

Most people try to change their habits at one time or another. It goes something like this for many… At some point, it becomes apparent to you that a habit is not working anymore, or it's not aligned with how you want to live, or it’s getting in the way of you functioning well. You decide to change it. You try to eliminate it, and after a few days or a week, you discover that it’s quite challenging. Maybe you do okay for a day or two and then slip back into that familiar way of being. You feel frustrated and maybe even give up…. If this has been your experience, you’re not alone. It is often the case that when you want to change a habit, there is a sense of urgency, often followed by disappointment and frustration when things don’t go the way you want quickly.

When you set out to change a habit, it may be the case that you’ve taken on too big of a task at once. It can be quite helpful to create small (tiny, even) concrete steps to focus on as you move toward changing a behavior or a habit. Commit to each step for a month, maybe even two, or three. For changes to integrate and be sustainable, the brain and nervous system need a lot of practice and repetition. A lot. Once a step feels like it is integrated and close to autopilot, it may be time to move on to the next step, and so on. Tread lightly and patiently.

While you’re in the process of changing an unwanted habit, challenging feelings will likely come up. It is important to recognize these feelings when they arise and name them. Naming how we feel lessens the intensity of the feeling. You may also choose to take some full, deep breaths and feel your feet on the ground as you practice being with your feelings. Remember to be gentle with yourself. This habit had served a purpose.

Another aspect of habit change that’s important is to choose a wholesome habit to cultivate as you decrease an unwholesome/unwanted one. It’s valuable to add a habit that feels joyful, meaningful or helps you thrive. In the same spirit as changing an unwanted habit, when you choose a wholesome habit to develop, create small, concrete steps to follow. Take one step at a time and be patient.

Changing a habit on your own can feel challenging and overwhelming. I invite you to contact me for support. You don’t have to do this alone.