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

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

Mindful Minute: Softening the jaw

Mindful Minute: Softening the jaw

Relaxing your jaw can be helpful for coping with stress, TMD, and migraines. Even if you aren't experiencing any of those right now, you may find that there's a surprising amount of tension in your jaw! Take just a minute or two to bring your attention to your breath and release tension in your jaw. #mindfulness #breath #stressrelief #relaxation #stress #littlehabits #meditation

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,

What if you didn't have to do everything, right now, without help?

What if you didn't have to do everything, right now, without help?

I recently got sick traveling home from a great trip. I ended up with a weird combination of the flu, strep, and an ear infection, followed by a ruptured eardrum and laryngitis. I was so sick that all work and most other responsibilities, including those that had already backlogged while I was traveling, had to be put on hold. I’m grateful that I was able to get the support I needed and that I was able to ask for and receive help. There was a time when postponing meetings,

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

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

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

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

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

Giving yourself a break when you can't sleep

Giving yourself a break when you can't sleep

We all want a good night’s sleep. But sometimes it’s just not happening. A new medication gives you night sweats. The neighbor’s car alarm keeps going off. The kids want endless glasses of water. You’re worried something is wrong with the cat and she may need to go to the vet. Or you just can’t put your finger on why, but your brain won’t shut down. On top of not being able to fall asleep, an annoying voice pipes up: “Even if I fall asleep this very second, I’m going

Feeling too tired to care anymore?

Feeling too tired to care anymore?

There was a time when I thought the number one most important thing that anyone needed to know about self care was how to get a good night's sleep. Later, I thought it might be exercise or stress management or deep breathing. I still think those things are important, but they are just things that you do to take care of yourself. Compassion is the actual foundation of self care. Once you can be compassionate with yourself through the full spectrum of your emotions, action

If big emotions make meditation scary, try this

If big emotions make meditation scary, try this

Even though seated meditation can be restorative and powerful, let me be honest. Some days, it's really hard. Sometimes sitting is physically uncomfortable – your back feels creaky, your foot falls asleep, or you have indigestion. Sometimes being totally still and quiet means that painful emotions bubble to the surface. You may not be ready to deal with them yet. Sometimes it just feels boring. On the days those things are true, we can notice the discomfort object

Join me for the Spring Self Care Day Retreat!

Join me for the Spring Self Care Day Retreat!

I’m writing you this letter from my front step. It's an unusually warm February day and I'm wondering how I’d like to spend the rest of my afternoon, after I hit send. It’s my birthday, and I’m stepping out of work early and taking tomorrow off to enjoy the sunshine and be quiet with myself. Maybe I’ll roll out my yoga mat on the lawn. Or I might curl up on the couch with my journal and a cup of tea. Or just sit outside and daydream. These are not the kind of things that

Do you have to "earn" self care?

Do you have to "earn" self care?

Here’s something I wish I learned before I people-pleased, overworked, criticized, and overextended myself into burnout years ago: You don’t have to earn self care. Too often we put off our needs until we meet our unspoken requirements for worthiness. For many of us, productivity is one of the biggest requirements. Before we deserve rest, boundaries, or nourishment, we bargain that we first have to accomplish, succeed, and give, give, give. Oof. The marathon just t

Expressing anger is self care

Expressing anger is self care

Last month, my partner invited me to his work celebration of his recent publication. I joined Mark and his lab mates at an arcade on a Thursday night, with two goals in mind: celebrate Mark and find Whack-a-mole. If you’re unfamiliar with Whack-a-mole, it’s an old, mechanical, tabletop game. You insert your token and pick up a heavily padded mallet. Your job is then to whack colorful plastic “moles” on the head as they pop out of the table. It’s immensely satisfying. Ma

Want some relaxing yoga homework?

Want some relaxing yoga homework?

Something I often hear from clients after private yoga lessons is, “I wish I could do this right before bed. I would sleep so well!” That’s where one of the best parts of private yoga comes in: the personalized “homework” between sessions. Yoga homework can be poses, breathing practices, meditations, and/or relaxation exercises that feel manageable for your schedule and intentional for your needs. Sometimes that’s a few poses you can do in the office or a brief meditati

Savoring life when you have a million things to do

Savoring life when you have a million things to do

I was a theater kid in high school. One of my favorite parts of performing was the moment of darkness at the opening of the show, just before light beamed onto the stage. The audience was quiet with anticipation and the actors were in our places. Worries over what was to come, whether it was my first note, the hazards of wobbling in costume heels, or enunciating the tricky part of my monologue, all of it disappeared. During that still and silent pause between preparing an

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