2019 was both exciting and overwhelming. After diving into a new career just a few months ago, I have dedicated time to study the many aspects of overall wellness in relation to Reflexology & Reiki, but also in relation to lifestyle changes that support these modalities.
With the new year and new decade already here (where did the time go?!), I wanted to share some ideas and avenues that you can explore to help and support you in your new goals & venture this year. These are some things that have truly been game changers for me both personally and professionally. I hope you find them helpful and possibly something you may want to integrate into your life : ) I have included resources for more information to help you along the way.
Breath Work - I heard on the radio many months ago that if you looked up at the sky and took 3 deep breaths you wouldn’t need that 3:00pm coffee to finish off the day. As someone who loves their coffee, I wasn’t quite buying it. I finally ended up giving it a try and to my surprise it worked!
Observing your breath can also do wonders for stress relief. I’ve even noticed since I started focusing on my breathing during yoga and meditation that when I am stressed or those triggering things set me off; my reaction is different and I don’t fly into freak out panic mode quite so easily. Of course, it’s a process and nothing is ever perfect, but breath work has totally been a game changer for me in the last few months and it is something I will definitely continue working with in the future.
Helpful Resources: Yoga with Adriene (meditations on youtube) The Ghee Spot Podcast (meditations by Katie Silcox), Full Catastrophe Living ( Mindfulness Book)
Reflexology- Now coming from me this may seem rather biased, but hear me out. For about a year, I have been getting Acupuncture, Lymph Drainage massage and Reiki once a month and there was a definite difference. In the last few months, a colleague and I started incorporating short and sometimes not so short reflexology sessions into our meetings. Since we started doing this I have noticed such a difference in how I am able to cope with stress in my own life. The very relaxed feeling after the session stays with me for sure, but it’s the release of bottled up emotions that always has me floored. Most of the time I had no idea what I was carrying it around! That’s why I always say if one hour a month can possibly help with stress relief than why not give it a try?!
Self -Reflexology has also been a game changer for me. I work it in during yoga before bed and just simply working my own feet has made a difference. The best part is you don’t have to be a reflexologist to work it in! Make you stay tuned for my new videos about this wonderful topic!
Helpful Resources: Mildred Carter (self reflexology books for both hands & feet) ME (ask me anything! Or book a session!)
Yoga- I know I have talked about working yoga into my routine before, but it really has been something has drastically changed my ability to cope with stress. I also have learned so much about the poses beyond their physical benefits. For example, I learned that forward bends help with mental tension! I would be lying if I said I didn’t do a few forward bends when planning out this post.
I love practicing yoga at home by myself, so please don’t feel like you need to go to a studio to get the “real” experience. Sometimes I do a 15 minute routine and other times I do an hour, it all is dictated by how I feel and I think that in itself is empowering as well as something anyone can work into their schedule.
Helpful Resources: Yoga with Adriene (free yoga videos on youtube), Yoga Journal (articles, videos, motivation)
Ayurveda- This is one that I definitely never saw coming. I’m not even sure how I stumbled across this wonderful discipline. I felt that once I started doing reflexology and reiki professionally that something was missing. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more that needed to be integrated into my sessions.
Ayurveda is basically a system that seeks balance in the body through lifestyle changes such as diet, meditation and yoga. I began making small changes; like drinking hot water with meals and each change I made I saw & felt change. I was so impacted by my own exploration that I decided to take a certification course to be a certified ayurvedic wellness coach. I couldn’t be more excited to help others make simple changes that can really make a big difference in your quality of life.
Helpful Resources: Katie Silcox (Shakti School/ Happy, Healthy, Sexy (book)) and Sahara Rose (insta Iamsahararose)
Coping with stress effectively is a life- long journey with many ups and downs. You can use the image above to check in on your stress level. Each person is unique and coping with stress can be done in so many different ways. I challenge you to try one thing this week that could help lower your stress level. In a culture where stress and business is glorified we need these moments of peace more than we realize.