Archive for Well-Being
Creating a Check In Jar
Posted by: | CommentsI talk a lot about checking in with yourself with my clients. It’s hard to know if you are on the right path, if you never stop to ask questions.
If you don’t realize you are tired and stressed, it’s easier to chomp on that donut. If you never ask yourself what you need, how will you get those needs met?
I have a jar on my desk filled with questions to look at and ask every hour or two. Sometimes I use them throughout the day, other days I forget. But, it’s all good.
I got this idea from someone at Jen Louden’s Comfort Cafe. And some of these questions are from her Life Organizer. I cut up a few old cards and put them in a jar I had.
I love how intentional, conscious and aware checking in with myself makes me.
Breathe a few breaths. Take a question and read it. See what comes up for you and if there is any action for you to take or mindset you want to change.
Some questions to ask:
- Where is my heart right now?
- Are my expectations reasonable?
- Am I holding any tension in my body?
- What is my soul saying?
- What am I procrastinating on?
- How can I savor this moment?
- What is the next right thing to do?
- What am I feeling?
I created a pdf with questions I use. You can print it out on cardstock or paper and put in your own jar.
*update* Originally it was saved by using only system fonts, so people that didn’t have that font ended up with blurry lines instead. I have updated the file, so everyone should be able to see it now.
Creating Energy
Posted by: | CommentsMany of the projects we want to accomplish don’t get done, because of the excuse we have no energy.
But sometimes we can create extra energy.
My favorite ways to get more energy:
- Getting outside
- Clearing a space – a little order brings so much energy!
- Movement – dancing, walking, biking, hiking, swimming, yoga
- Music – listening, playing, singing
- Reading something motivating
- Laughing – whether it’s talking with my comic genius son or watching a silly you tube video
- Noticing – taking pictures, meditating on an object, feeling with my senses, savoring
- Journaling my emotions to see if anything is stuck
- Eating cleanly and mindfully
What are your best working energizers?
Winter Hike from last year
Retreating as a Simpler Life Tool
Posted by: | CommentsRetreats are one of the tools I use for finding out what’s important to me in order to stay on a simpler life path. If all I hear are media messages, what family and friends say I should do or should be, or what I think other’s expectations of me are then I lose what is authentic and important in my life.
You can’t create a simpler life by using everyone else’s expectations of your life. It won’t feel right. But, if you find out what’s important to you and do more of that and less other stuff imagine how much more fulfilling your life could be. Retreating allows you to to do this.
The one who taught me to retreat through her books is Jennifer Louden. She has written a post on using retreats to hear your authentic self especially when you have been so busy you don’t know how to ‘be yourself’.
Get More Energy for the New Year
Posted by: | Comments
Today is a great day to clean up some of the past year, so you have more energy for the new year.
This doesn’t mean you get to berate yourself for all you didn’t accomplish, finish, or complete. Have it feel more like an experiment in energy. How do you feel after getting something off your plate?
You don’t have to complete everything to gain this burst of energy. Even cleaning up one thing makes you feel lighter.
Here are some ideas you can choose from:
- Use up the last of the special lotion, body scrub or nail polish
- Finish up any actions in your to do paperwork folder
- Clean out your tickler file
- Start a new tax folder
- Clean off your desk, dresser or end table
- Forgive someone
- Clean out your email in box
- File your to file pile
- Clear off your computer desktop of old items and icons
- Send out or pay invoices
- Update your address book
- Drop or complete a project
- Mend or fix something
Anyone of these things will give you energy for the New Year. Happy New Year!
***
Photo by: Color Line
Silent Night
Posted by: | Comments 
Christmas as an adult can be exhausting and overwhelming. Shopping, cooking, writing cards, shopping, baking, entertaining, shopping.
But, one night in December is different from the whirl of the other nights for my family. We hold our “silent night”. Early in the season we mark the date and make sure everyone is home that evening.
Silent Night begins after dinner. We turn on the tree lights and we light candles around our living room. All the rest of the lights in the house are turned off. No music, TV, and other noise is allowed. No one talks. We cuddle on the couch together under a blanket and watch the lights dance. Our minds settle. We become relaxed and peaceful. The children’s eyes glitter from the candlelight. Contented smiles warm their faces. They remind me of adoring angels.
When we are ready, we each sit in the living room reading an inspirational book. We read by the glow of the candles as in times past. I always read the Christmas story in Luke. Something new is revealed each time. The kids enjoy Christmas stories like a “Little House Christmas” or “Angels and Donkeys”. Afterwards we pray silently thanking God for this season.
Softly someone starts singing, “Silent Night.” Others join in singing barely above a whisper. Our music fades away at the end of the chorus and we are quiet again. We listen to the silence for a few more moments.
Without a word, we blow out the candles, until no light remains but our tree lights. I can hear our breathing. The darkness seems to bring with it even more silence.
Then the silent night is over. We give each other hugs and turn on the lights. We continue our night- doing homework, chores and Christmas planning. But, we are all a little more quiet, a lot more peaceful and still glow from the light of the candles.
***
Photo by Student of Rhythm
100 Things to Be Grateful For
Posted by: | Comments
I am offering a printout of a gratitude list you can use. What are you thankful for this year? Here is a PDF I made that you can download and print out. On most computers right click and save to your hard drive. http://www.encouragingcoach.com/docs/thankful.pdf You can even print some out to take to Thanksgiving dinner.
Sleeping Soundly
Posted by: | Comments
My husband is on a schedule that does not make either of us happy. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer. He goes in to work at 4 in the morning and comes home at 2 in the afternoon. So we have a new sleep system. He goes to bed at 7pm and I go to sleep on the couch between 10pm and 11pm.
Then he wakes me up about 3am when he gets up and I go to the bed.
The first few days I had a terrible time falling asleep and then falling asleep again when I got the bed. Sounds of cars going by or the lights or hearing Jeff get ready for work kept me awake. So I tried some ear plugs. I never thought of wearing ear plugs before even through years of his snoring. I am using the really soft hearos ear plugs. No more traffic or the kids getting ready for school sounds. Yet I can still hear things like the alarm clock.
Next was a dark eye mask. It cuts all the light so it feels like I am in a completely dark room.
I’ve been getting up refreshed – before the alarm clock.
***
Photo credit: Brandon Mandon
A Drastic Change
Posted by: | CommentsI was changing channels when I ran across a show I never saw before, ‘The Rachel Zoe Project’. I’m not quite sure who Rachel Zoe is, but it looked like a designer.
In this episode she was diagnosed with vertigo, an inner ear problem that makes you feel like you are motion sick, brought on by stress. She apparently lives a very stressful, on the go life. Taking time off and resting seemed like a nightmare to her.
I was interested to see what was up with her now, and this is what she said at her blog:
"Have you tried changing your lifestyle?
You
know, the answer to that is yes. But in the same breath, I would tell you that it’s almost impossible for me to change my lifestyle. I’d have to make drastic changes and adjustments. The thing is, I wish it were a choice, but at the end of the day it’s definitely given me a lot of time to think and reevaluate the way I live. I think I can do everything when in fact I can’t. My body is just showing me that I can’t do everything anymore?"
That’s the hard part of finding a simpler lifestyle. Many times, small changes here and there really help you. Yet sometimes you do need to change jobs or downsize your home or do another drastic change.
If you want to have a simpler life to feel better but you work 12 hour days just about every day, simplifying will be really difficult. If trying to get your schedule changed isn’t allowed, you may have to look for other work. If you find work for less hours and less pay, maybe the second car will have to go.
You may need to delegate a lot and lose some of that control.
You may need to realize that you do have a choice, but you may not like how other people would react.
But when your health is under fire or your relationships break or you find yourself constantly miserable you do need to choose.
And when you do make that drastic change, you will be so surprised at how one change can make all the difference.
***
Photo Credt: Jurvetson
Working through Sickness
Posted by: | CommentsRecently I was sick with a cold. You know the kind – you can keep going, you just feel tired and miserable the whole time.
The first couple days I kept going. I didn’t want everything to fall down on me.
Turns out that is pretty arrogant and I decided the world could do without me for a couple days. I took to the bed and couch with books and movies.
I had to keep talking the guilt away by telling myself I would get better faster if I actually relaxed. Usually there is a fear behind continuing to work.
It’s easy to think that if I’m not working, than I’m being rather useless. But, working is only part of my life. I don’t want to be addicted to productivity. Working through sickness will not show I am stronger or better or more selfless.
I remember when the kids were little, getting sick wasn’t allowed. I think now I would have gotten a babysitter. Because if you give the kids something than you are taking care of them before you are even better yourself.
I read in a forum about a mom that was sick and letting the kid watch TV & the other moms were saying suck it up and do something with the kid.
I couldn’t believe how judgmental they were. (Of course, that’s pretty judgmental of me to judge their judging.)
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were compassionate with one another? Instead of saying things like, "Sure you were sick. Hope you had a nice time while I was working." And not expecting a spotless house when someone is sick.
How can you be compassionate with yourself and with others around sickness?
***
Photograph by Lepiaf Geo
15 Minutes of Nothing
Posted by: | Comments
Jamie Ridler is doing the Joy Diet by Martha Beck as a book club and I am joining in the reading.
I’ve been trying to implement 5 minutes of nothing into my quiet time for some time now. I get so antsy. But I felt I needed space where I was not thinking, reading or even praying. Just being. Listening.
Before I’ve even been able to handle the 5 minutes regularly, the book the Joy Diet, gave me a push to try 15 minutes. Martha Beck suggested different ways of doing nothing for 15 minutes.
So the first day I tried a walking meditation – I walked quietly in nature and felt refreshed. But, it didn’t feel like nothing. There was too much for me to notice.
The next day I experimented with a guided body relaxation meditation. I felt relaxed afterwards, but again it didn’t feel like nothing.
Tuesday I decided to really do nothing. I sat with a meditation timer. After 5 minutes I was completely antsy. My mind was all over the place. And I jerked awake a few times after almost falling asleep. I was not refreshed. I was agitated.
Wednesday I figured out what works for me. I did what I always do when my mind is racing. I wrote it out in my journal. Once my mind has calmed down I was able to do my 15 min of nothing peacefully.
Thursday I started with writing than did nothing till my phone rang . I ended up answering it and playing solitaire on my phone after the call. Lesson: turn off the phone, pick a time you are least likely to be disturbed and it’s very difficult to get back into doing nothing once you are interrupted.
Today I wrote for a few minutes in my journal then fell into my nothing. I ended up feeling comforted for something that happened a long time ago where I felt alone at the time. Then I felt a couple promptings of things to do. I don’t expect this to happen every time, but I certainly felt God’s presence during this time.
I am looking forward to doing nothing in the future.
***
