Give my list of daily tasks a read and hopefully this helps you to make a few of your own so that we can go on this adventure together! I will post the rest of my list tomorrow, this is enough information for one day 😉
1. 10 deep breaths daily: As an ND I know how important this is, but do I do it consistently? No! As a society we are chest breathers probably because we live in a fast paced environment and are always on the run. Its no surprise that so many of us feel anxious and are unable to cope. Have you taken in a belly breath before? This is where your belly lifts as you inhale (this may take you a few times before you master it). It feels incredible! Instantly, I am more calm and grounded. I can honestly say that it’s the only time I feel my feet. It forces you to get in tune with your body and feel its sensations. When we are more grounded, we are more apt to handle stress and communicate what we think, mean and feel. I am practicing this daily, but once this is a skill that I have mastered, then I know I will be able to access it at more stressful times and use this as a coping mechanism.
2. Pray: Yikes! She is talking about religion and that’s one of those topics that really makes people uncomfortable. Well, I am going there! I feel that as a society we are nearing a spiritual bankruptcy and it is one of the pieces of the pie that completes a balanced individual. This is not about a structured religion. It’s a practice to help us connect with a being or energy greater than ourselves. I think this connection helps us realize that the bumps along the way are growing pains that serve to make us better. This realization makes our immediate experiences seem less profound and, therefore, less stressful. If there is a lesson to be learned during difficult times, it can make it less uncomfortable. But the opposite is also true. If we know that the really happy moments are also going to pass us by, we don’t feel so depressed when they end. This way, we learn to enjoy the present moment without being too attached to the outcome. We feel more balanced among the highs and lows in our lives. The belief that life is purposeful increases our satisfaction and feelings of well-being.
3. 100 sit ups/ 30 squats/ 15 push-ups: I am a new new mom and although I am not far off my original weight, things don’t look the way that they did before my pregnancy. I feel that I am inundated with the opinion of ‘thats just the way it is, your body is never the same after you have a child’ and albeit that pregnancy is a life altering experience, I am not limiting myself to this belief. I believe that we are meant to get better as time goes on. I think with a healthy diet and exercise routine that I can be better than EVER! I know that this exercise routine isn’t much, but I plan on having a running schedule as well and with work, a baby and everyday stresses, this is something I know I can commit to doing everyday.
4. Grow my appreciation garden: This is a commitment to my boyfriend. We recently participated in a relationship counseling course (it’s preventative!) and we are working towards becoming a more loving and conscious couple. One of the things that will help us get there are daily expressions of appreciation and gratitude. Whether or not you’re in a relationship or wanting to make your relationship more satisfying, expressions of gratitude are always a good idea. And believe me when I say that it makes you feel just as good expressing gratitude to others as it does for the receiver to hear it. One of the secrets of happy people is that they freely express their gratitude for others. And what an amazingly simple act to improve the quality of life for you and others. For more information on the course we took visit: http://gettingtheloveyouwant.com/
5. Eat clean meals: This is a rather vague statement, I realize, so let me clarify what I mean by this. Eating three meals a day with 2 snacks consisting of whole foods (not processed). My diet will be from a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, legumes, lean animal proteins and… organic, wherever possible. It is free of refined sugars, additives, preservatives and hormone mimicking agents, dyes and food colorings. I will write much more about diet in the future to educate you on a healthy and balanced diet.
Dr. Michelle Peris is a Naturopathic Doctor whose goal is to inspire health through educating, motivating and empowering people. She has a family based practice out of a clinic in Oakville, Ontario.
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