It's been quite a June: I turned 30 on June 6th; my husband and I went up to Upstate New York for a weekend to celebrate the sweet union of two of our close friends; then I spent a blissful five days up in Stratton, Vermont with my friend Nikki - I practiced yoga for about four hours a day (give or take), meditated, drank in the sunshine and beauty of the mountain, danced freely in a black-light heated room and to the amazing tunes spun by awesome DJs...but more on all of that soon.
Since attending Wanderlust and being home (still soaking in it's afterglow), I'm noticing an increase in my own awareness of things more, specifically my reactions. I wholeheartedly credit this to my increase in mindfulness and yoga; I've started noticing that I am thinking more clearly to avoid that knee-jerk reaction.
Since 29 was my Saturn Return year and my pivotal shift into more of a healthy lifestyle, 30 felt more easeful. However, as I mentioned, June has been a busy month! But despite the business, all of these aforementioned factors have eased my human mind, which is susceptible to getting overwhelmed or anxious, or caught ruminating on useless thoughts.
My priorities have shifted, I'm holding my head up higher,
I'm trusting myself,
and I'm remembering myself, my purpose.
I'm not saying drop everything and go on a yoga retreat. I'm not saying go spend money on anything, actually. What I am suggesting is remembering how much power you have. You can embrace the whirlwind, and you can do so without getting swept up.
Practice something you love, and maybe try to do it every day. This can be reading, cooking, drawing, singing...do this act fully, allow yourself to do only this one task (e.g., please don't multitask!). Be fully present and make the time for it! Reflect on how you feel after a few days, notice the shifts in your mind, in your soul. Notice how you're able to stop and breathe before reacting; notice how your thoughts are more evenly-paced and more healthy; notice the lightness you now embody.
In addition to incorporating something we love into our lives on a daily basis, it's also helpful to reconnect with nature, especially if you're an urban dweller like myself. Even if I can't readily kick off my shoes and walk barefoot in the grass, just strolling and admiring the thriving green growth of summer is enough for me to feel reconnected.
Now that you've finished reading this, go outside. Go take five deep, nourishing, skin-breathing breaths. Walk through nature, admire the trees cleansing our air. Sit and watch, whatever is around. Be present. Be kind to someone. Smile at someone random! Just be, just do it, and don't judge yourself or the outcome of the act. It is what it is, and that's ok. Give yourself permission to pause and take a moment to inhale and exhale while in the whirlwind.
- S