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STARTING NOW

self care, self compassion, yoga, body positive, coach, wellness, health, body image, stress, self criticism

We all deserve quality, affordable healthcare

We all deserve quality, affordable healthcare

I recently posted on Facebook about the ways my self care has evolved since developing a chronic illness. Many layers of privilege have played a role in my diagnosis and treatment, which isn’t the case for everyone. This is unacceptable. Being sick is hard enough when you have good, affordable health insurance that covers doctor’s appointments, lab tests, and medications, and a work schedule that can accommodate doctor’s appointments and getting to the pharmacy while it’s ope

You are allowed to pause

You are allowed to pause

Every year I share a list of holiday self care reminders. This year I want to add something to the list. You are allowed to pause. When you’re busy, emotions are running high, and you feel like you need to be in 10 places at the same time, it’s tempting and possibly even automatic to tune out your needs and your body’s signals. Sometimes you do really need to disconnect to put out fires and ensure that everyone is safe. But many times checking in with yourself can be don

Holiday self care BINGO

Holiday self care BINGO

There's an old Zen proverb, "You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy. In that case, you should meditate for an hour a day." A similar sentiment applies to taking care of ourselves. When we're busy and overwhelmed and it feels like we don't have a single moment to take a deep breath, self care becomes even more important. For many folks, the pressure to be joyful or bring others joy during the holiday season can feel burdensome. When you're

One good thing

One good thing

At times it can feel like telling your story, protesting, donating, crying, yelling, making phone calls, educating, and earnest conversations don't make enough of a difference. Some days you feel worn down, heartbroken, and helpless. No matter how you're feeling right now, you are valuable and deserve care. Today, and especially on days when it feels like nothing is in your control, please do one good thing that reminds you that your well-being matters. One of these may be

The "I'll start tomorrow" self care trap

The "I'll start tomorrow" self care trap

How many times have you wanted to take action toward feeling better and said to yourself: "Yes, I want that! But I can't start right now. I'm too tired, busy, distracted, overwhelmed, ____. I'll start tomorrow, when it's easier." In my work, I hear about so many walking shoes not yet broken-in, bedtimes ignored, doctor's appointments put off, vacation days unused, calls to friends never dialed, relationship conflicts never resolved, novels unwritten, lunch breaks skipped,

"How do I get over hating my body in photos?"

"How do I get over hating my body in photos?"

A great, relatable question came in over email recently and I thought you might like to hear the response! Dear Emily, I recently received professional photos from a happy family event that took place a few weeks ago. The photos are beautiful but I have to admit that I was very unhappy with my own appearance in the photos. I am trying not to be that person who 'hates all photos of themselves' and I'm also trying not to be that person who says to any photographer 'you've got p

If it hurts, it's not yoga

If it hurts, it's not yoga

If there’s one thing you remember the next time you get on your mat to practice yoga (or lace up your running shoes or get on a machine at the gym), let it be this: If it hurts, change it. You are welcome to challenge yourself to your comfort level in class, but please don’t connect suffering through painful movement with yoga. You can find suffering in plenty of other areas of life! During our first yoga lesson together recently, a client told me, “squats always hurt my knee

Beginning again

Beginning again

Back in November, I took a break from my daily cup of coffee and was a little surprised to find that within just a few days, my vocabulary had halved and my ability to finish a sentence seemed to be on the fritz. I’ve always been sensitive, so it made sense that caffeine withdrawal could make me feel fuzzy and tired. But months later, my brain fog hadn’t gotten even a bit better and I was still super tired. Mid-sentence I lost my train of thought, never to catch it agai

Yoga NON-essentials, part 1

Yoga NON-essentials, part 1

I often hear from folks who want to try yoga but are convinced that they don't have the right gear or the right body or the right lifestyle for it. It's no wonder! When we think of yoga in the West, we often think of thin, bendy, white ladies wearing Lululemon, and practicing arm balances on $80 yoga mats in a yoga studio. It makes yoga seem very exclusive. There are lots of guides out there for the "essential" things you need to practice yoga, which are usually laundry li

Unglamorous self care: no face masks needed!

Unglamorous self care: no face masks needed!

Have you ever done a social media search for the term "self care?" The search results tend to be dominated by fancy bath products, essential oils, and beautifully photographed meals. To a passerby, it might look like self care is pretty luxurious. I'm not saying that face masks and $8 smoothies aren't good ways to nurture yourself. They can be pretty great even if the effects wear off in a couple of hours. However, the self care that has the biggest impact on our daily liv

What are your conditions for peace with your body?

What are your conditions for peace with your body?

I don't know about you, but it's 3 weeks into January and I'm still seeing ads from weight loss companies promising that their program will take me from caterpillar to butterfly in the new year. Those before and after photos, meal replacement bars, and celebrity-sponsored "lifestyle change" programs try to lure us in with the promise that if you buy what they're selling you'll get the VIP pass to loving your body and living a fantasy life. Of course, while they're selli

One question to soften panic and find compassion

One question to soften panic and find compassion

As 2017 seems to rush to an end, I'm steadying myself in an intention that feels grounding when it seems like time is flying. (Because wow, wasn't it just Halloween?) This intention is also a solid first step to offering myself compassion when things get heavy and I'm teetering on the edge of overwhelmed. It's really simple. Take a breath and ask, "What am I willing to notice?" This question isn't meant to withdraw us from participating in the world, but to engage a lit

Practical self care when the holidays drive you nuts

Practical self care when the holidays drive you nuts

It’s hard to believe that holiday season is right around the corner! That happened fast, huh? You might be excited for really fun family time, a “friendsgiving,” or a relaxing break from work when you can finally catch up on Stranger Things. Or maybe holidays tend to bring with them a bit of stress. You may even be dreading some really hard stuff. Maybe you’re bracing for rough conversations with family or anticipating Aunt Susan railing on about her diet and giving you th

Can positive thinking "cure" your negative emotions?

Can positive thinking "cure" your negative emotions?

There's a weird self improvement philosophy that takes positive thinking to the extreme by suggesting that we only experience negative feelings because our mindset is messed up. The idea is that if you can just look at the world through a positive lens, you can be done with negative feelings and transform your life for the better! That simplicity sounds tempting, right? Unfortunately, the positivity-or-bust approach can start to look less like stepping into a transformed li

If self care is hard for you, you aren't alone

If self care is hard for you, you aren't alone

Something I hear a lot is "I know _____ (exercise, taking my medication, eating breakfast, going to bed on time, etc.) is such a small and easy thing. Everyone else is able to do it, but for some reason I just can't get my act together." I just wanted to send you a reminder today that 1) sometimes the "easy" stuff is actually really hard and takes a lot of energy and 2) you aren't alone if you feel that way. We don't like to look at the shadow side of the self care movement a

Some reassurance to soothe your self care guilt

Some reassurance to soothe your self care guilt

It’s ok to waver in your self care. Even if you know what a difference it makes and you're struggling without it. Even if you’ve learned your lesson about going to bed on time many times over and you’ve slipped back into old patterns of putting it off. Even if you’ve worked to have a friendlier relationship with your body and today you’re really vulnerable and only feel negative thoughts. Even if you spent months getting into the habit of getting yourself to a wee

"Compassion is a verb."

"Compassion is a verb."

I've been trying to write this for days. Although I want to write about why it's ok to risk imperfection in our actions against injustice rather than doing nothing, in all honesty I've been scrutinizing every single word to the point I've considered just sending you a list of links. I've softened the language. I've made it more direct. I've scrapped everything and started from scratch, then edited again. Bear with me as I now try to walk my talk. I may still put my foot in my

First aid for mile long to-do list stress

First aid for mile long to-do list stress

A lot of the phrases I hear when I talk to super busy people about self care are, "I should," "I need to," "I have to," plus extremely loud sighs. If you're already overworked, having a laundry list of the stuff you've GOTTA do to take care of yourself can be overwhelming! How on earth can you get all of your work done, take the dog to the vet, run your errands, get the trash to the curb, pay the bills, drop off food for your sick neighbor, call your mom, AND feed yourself

Join me for the Body Peace Retreat!

Join me for the Body Peace Retreat!

Do you wonder what it would be like to feel more comfortable and at home in your own skin? If judging yourself has gotten in the way of trying new things, practicing yoga, or enjoying other parts of life, join me for the Body Peace Retreat on Saturday, September 30! We’ll dedicate the day to trusting and embracing your body, just as you are, through yoga and self care. The retreat will include these guided practices: Beginner-friendly, body positive yoga. You’ll have th

Flamingos and yoga

Flamingos and yoga

I teach a pose in my yoga classes that I've been calling the “funky flamingo.” Obviously the funky flamingo isn’t a sacred, ancient yoga pose! It’s just a fun shape with a silly name that can become part of your yoga practice when you bring your attention, breath, and compassion to it. If you’re curious, here’s a version of it: There's a lot going on! Chair pose, a heel squeezing up to challenge the hamstrings, a twist, plus balance. If you're having a tough balance day

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