Self Care 101 - Life Cycles

Paying attention to the cycles in our lives is one way to practice self-care. It's through paying attention and honoring them (cycles), that we are able to give our bodies what they are wanting and asking for.

I had confessed to one of my cousins that I had been in a major contraction (I'm still swinging in and out ) since I turned in my latest project to my editor. (I like the word contraction better than depression, as it sounds a little more romantic, if pain can be romantic.) This is a cycle of resting and introspection. When it's not understood, it can be misconstrued as something that needs fixing. (Certainly there is validity  in looking at cycles from all angles.) I'm speaking about my personal experience. 

I had been riding an amazing wave of energy for the past two weeks. It felt very much like surfing a really big wave and even Hanging Ten! Everything just kept flowing effortlessly on all of my projects.

As soon as I turned my latest project into my editor, it felt like I had a wipe out! Major! Face first, off the nose of the board, now tumbling in the sand! What I've been able to recognize is this is a pattern or a cycle for me.  I'm trying to learn how to just BE in it, not fixing it or glossing over where I am and what I'm feeling. 

I was happy to experience a raise in my energy while teaching a drumming class at a local retirement community. I know that changing the energy range that we are vibrating to can either raise or lower our energy levels. (mood) But what actually amazed me was that simply by being in the vibration of the drums and music my frame of mind drastically changed for the better. I had coffee with a colleague and said, "I'm actually here today, able to talk to you because I went to drumming class yesterday!  

I continue to watch as the cycles in my life unfold, trying to honor each one, but sometimes....it's just about dancing/drumming/singing/playing and surfing! 

Self Care 101 - Saying YES

In the Movie, Yes Man, Jim Carey's character had gotten stuck in his ways, saying No to all opportunities that came his way. After being challenged by a friend to attend a YES seminar, he made a covenant with himself to say Yes to all opportunities that presented themselves to him. (This is only good for a period of time. If we're used to saying No to everything, I found that to learn balance, I had to do the opposite for awhile and begin saying Yes to everything. Eventually, I could then check in with myself and ask the question, "Is this a Yes or a No?") Today the lesson in self care was with a younger friend whom I had met nearly 10 years ago when my hair dresser turned my hair brown! Heart attack for me! I came to the beach and was introduced to her and she gave me my blonde back! Whewww, that was close!~ Don't be messing with a blonde's.....blonde!!!!

On my visit this trip she explained to me that she had begun to start saying Yes to opportunities that presented themselves to her. She and I did a couple of really fun things because she said Yes to some new adventures and I said Yes to taking time away from my work.

We went kayaking in the bay, rode bikes along the beach to watch her husband surf, and then to breakfast downtown Huntington Beach. Saying Yes is so much for fun than staying stuck in BORING! Hey, I'm even doing some work too!:)