Today’s #aepiecesofus prompt is full body. I could write pages of posts about my body and all that is wrapped up in my feelings about it.
Instead I decided to tell the story of a new practice I started as a result of my 100-day project around radical wellness.
I now start each morning with a 5-minute kindness meditation while still lying in bed and I end my days with 10 minutes of restorative yoga.
No one would compliment my quiet, calm way of going through life. I am always go go go. I speak fast, listen to books and videos on 2-3x speed, I like to get places faster, get things done done done. Most days, I push myself emotionally, psychologically, mentally, and physically.
Years ago, when I did yoga regularly, the last minute spent on shavasana was my least favorite. I would lie there and think of the millions of things I still had to get done. Or I’d start feeling sad about someone I let down, etc. I often felt like I might jump out of my skin during that minute.
The restorative yoga is like taking that minute and extending it to the whole class.
And yet I’ve grown to love it.
Ending my days by slowing down, with poses that make my body relax and feel supported has been one of the best gifts I can give myself.
Yes to trying new things. Yes to taking care of myself. Yes to yoga. Yes to rest.
Today’s #aepiecesofus prompt is half of a face. Little boy and I were snuggling on the couch so I asked if I can snap a photo of us and told him it would have to cover half my face. As soon as I started facing him, he immediately started being silly and making me laugh.
So we got his half a face and me mostly laughing. I love it. I love him. I love how he makes me laugh. I love how he doesn’t take anything too seriously and is always funny and kind and generous.
I have no idea how we got lucky enough to have this joyful boy in our lives and I am grateful every single day.
Thank you for filling my life with laughter little boy!
Today’s #aepieceofus prompt was eyes closed. I snapped this photo of Jake and I at the climbing gym and even though the color is all off because of being inside the gym I still love this photo.
For the last year the only place I’ve been going when I leave the house is either to do grocery shopping which we do touchless or the climbing gym with Jake now that we are in the orange zone.
Three times a week we go and climb for 2 hours. There are lots and lots of things I can say about it but one of my favorite things is that it’s time that Jake and I spent together just the two of us and we literally hold each other up and support each other as we climb.
There are many things I love about my husband and at the very top of the list is who he is and who he makes me want to be. He has always added light into my life and has always made me strive to be a better version of myself. These hours at the gym are no exception. I’m so grateful for him and so grateful that he’s encouraging me to get stronger.
Yes to time together and yes to getting stronger and yes to people who make you want to be a better version of yourself.
I am grateful for the project that keeps me going and helps me make the right choices. This has been an exceptionally tiring week and yet I am still showing up thanks to the commitment here.
Today’s #aepiecesofus prompt is “face forward” I suppose I could have saved this for tomorrow since it’s also eyes closed and this photo was not taken today but I wanted to use this because this project is about the stories.
I love this photo because I am laughing. I usually don’t think of myself as a happy person and can definitely spend more time with anxiety or sadness than average. And yet it’s just that I feel all the feelings big. I can feel deep sadness and also great joy. I love laughing with my people. I love loving my people.
And this photo is a reminder of how easy it is to make me laugh.
Yes to laughter and yes to joy and yes to feeling all the feelings.
Today’s #aepiecesofus prompt is “hands” and it was the perfect prompt for celebrating a small win with the journaling.
Since I couldn’t get into the journaling routine for months now, I decided to try a new trick. When I am done with exercise and finally sit at my desk, I set my timer to 5 minutes and journal as much as I can in that time. No pressure to go longer and realistically I almost always have five minutes.
I’ve been able to journal all week so far.
This is the same way I’ve been exercising. 10 minutes of core, 10 minutes of stretching, 10 minutes of arms, 10 minutes of biking and 10 minutes of restorative yoga. 5 minutes of meditation and now 5 minutes of journaling.
It’s been such a gift.
Yes to journaling more. Yes to finding ways to make it work.
I was thinking this morning about how beginnings matter so much. I woke up this morning and exercised for a long while and then journaled and there was a deep feeling of satisfaction that carried through the day.
And regardless of what else today or even this week brings, I did some work today to get stronger and I am grateful for that.
There are no words for how happy the ranunculus make me.
It’s always hard to wind down on Sunday nights. I find it takes me hours to get to a place where I feel excited to do things on Sunday so then I am on a roll and don’t want to stop when it gets late.
Today I spent a lot of time journaling and a lot of time scrapbooking. It was lovely to get to play with paper and tell stories and think about life.
I am grateful for a good weekend and still anxious about starting this coming week as I am most Sunday nights.
So instead of reading, I will do ten minutes of restorative yoga so I can quiet my mind.
Yes to slowing down. Yes to being present with it. Yes to yoga.
