I am a big fan of my Whoop wearable. It has helped me better understand how exercise, sleep and stress impact my body and mind. I also love the Whoop podcast. This month it included a really lovely guided Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) session. Yeah, NSDR may just be a fancy name coined for the simple, "duh" concept of a lie-down. But if you only have a few minutes and don't love traditional meditation it's a great thing to try!
Read MoreI've been dragging my feet on meditating lately. I know 110% that it would benefit me. But sometimes humans are stubborn and won't pick up the tools we know will help (same with exercise and nutrition for a lot of folks). So when Peter told me about this app offering a 30-day free trial of daily positive affirmations I was intrigued. I've been listening to one or two a day for a week and I am starting to notice a difference. It feels a little silly at first, but I recognize that's part of the negative programming in my brain. I appreciate the science and research behind this idea and how it leverages the brain's neuroplasticity to pre-program negative patterns. Two thumbs up! Let's get some positive self-talk going in 2024!
Read MoreThis might be the most important thing you hear all year. "You don't have to finish the year strong." It's ok to just finish. This episode of my pal Allison's podcast made me feel seen. I shared it with clients and friends and it helped many of them connect with how they are feeling right now. I listened to this while walking to an ultrasound appointment yesterday because "surprise" in the midst of "finishing strong in December" my body informed me it had other plans. (Note, I'll be fine. I'm just being forced to slow down. Getting "older" is a trip!) I encourage you to take 30 minutes to listen to this episode to embrace alignment over achievement for the rest of the year.
Read MoreI recently spent the night in a noisy hotel. And it STRESSED me out. I was exhausted from the flight and the thought of a sleepless night from the raucous noise of my neighbors was causing my heart to race and my blood to boil. I remembered hearing in a podcast recently that birds singing have a calming effect on humans due to an evolutionary signal of safety (birds don't hang out and sing when threats to humans are around). I started poking around on Spotify looking for nature sounds and found this lifesaver playlist of rain sounds.
Read MoreBreath is LIFE. Like, literally. So I was so happy when my amazingly talented and super knowledgeable friend Morgan dropped by my office for a couch talk session about breathing. We’ve both noticed clients lately experiencing episodes of shallow, labored breathing and she has some fantastic drills for breathing optimally in the moment and for building a breathing practice. Think of your breath like a muscle. To get stronger we need to exercise it strategically and consistently.
Read MoreI shared in my latest newsletter the idea of picking just one thing to make things better. My one thing these days is to better connect with gratitude. The proven physical and mental benefits of a gratitude practice are undeniable. Gratitude can improve many aspects of your wellness including reduced pain, better physical performance, improved sleep and even better relationships.
Read MoreSince sheltering in place and social distancing have become the new normal for the time-being, most of us are working more, moving even less and are definitely feeling more anxious. Though your routine may be shot, it’s not too late to create a new one. Just because your gym is closed doesn’t mean you can’t work out. Now’s the perfect time to get started. Not tomorrow. Today! When all this is over, you can look back and say you stepped outside your comfort zone and did something amazing for yourself.
Read MoreNow more than ever it’s critical that we practice preventative care to boost our immune systems, manage stress and tend to our body’s needs. I’ve been curious for a long time about Naturopathic Medicine and how/if it integrates with traditional Western Medicine. Can Naturopathic modalities help reduce our chances of contracting COVID-19 or minimize its impact if we do contract it? I interviewed Dr. Ashton Perroni, ND to help shed some light on these questions and more.
Read More"Mindfulness" is a buzz word we're hearing a lot about these days. But what is mindfulness and how can it help your body, your energy level, your productivity and your overall health and happiness? And is mindfulness the same thing as meditation? I train a lot of successful, stressed out, busy professionals. And when I first bring up the idea of a “mindfulness practice” most of them scoff. “I’m too busy to think about that.” I’ll tell you what I tell them: “Frankly, you’re too busy NOT to.”
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