Dear Friends,
I have just returned from a heavenly retreat on the beautiful Oregon coast. Six days of reflection, walks on the beach, great food and deep coaching. It kicked off a six month Master Practitioner training that I am taking.
It’s the first time I have had six days to call my own since before my daughter was born and it felt amazing to sleep, eat, learn and be responsible for no one but myself.
I’ve come home feeling incredibly centered. I haven’t felt this calm in a long time. A lot of that was about the coaching, but self care was also an important factor, and it’s made me think about the importance of self care. Most of us aren’t too great at it -particularly the moms among us. I can’t tell you how many times I have put sun screen on my daughter and thought my work was done, then got home and realized I’m burnt because I forgot to put any on myself...
We think it’s more important to be there for everyone else but how can you really be present as your best self if you are frazzled?
As a coach I have to make sure that I am doing deep work myself - to be aware of my model of the world, my limiting stories and beliefs so I can grow and progress. My “lens” needs to be as clean as possible when I join my clients in their model of the world. As such, self care is an important part of my routine, and it has made me a better mom, friend and coach.
Here are some of my favorite forms of self care. What are yours?
Balanced breathing - I talked about this last month. It is so easy, and can take up only a few seconds, but it is a highly effective way to bring you back to yourself and also to remind you that you are in control of how you are feeling and have tools to manage your reactions to things.
Retreats - I went on my first “retreat” in March. I took a couple of days for myself somewhere yummy to read and relax. It was the first time that I had done something like that since before my daughter was born and it reminded me how much I need time away to recharge.
Herbal tea - takes only a few minutes to brew but drinking it makes me feel like I am wrapped in a warm blanket by a roaring fire! I like Tulsi tea - it is generally recommended to reduce anxiety and promote healing and comes in many different flavors.
Yoga - yoga has for some become disconnected from it’s roots. It was primarily created to help facilitate the understanding and mastery of the mind. It is as much spiritual and mental as it is physical. For me it is a meditative practice.
If you could take one new step today towards self care, what would it be? . . .
"I listen with love to my body's messages" - Louise Hay
Sending you love and balance,
Emma
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