I’ve seen a fair amount of feedback from traditionalists online shaming people for using meditation apps or otherwise using more non-traditional ways of practicing meditation. It’s disappointing really.

Here’s the Complicated Part

The reality is that meditation is now relatively mainstream. It’s roots however, are in ancient Eastern traditions of spirituality and religion. Given that, I can certainly understand that difficulty that some have in accepting how the practice has been transformed, or adjusted, for others. I’m talking cultural appropriation.

This is a conversation that takes place about many cultural practices. This conversation is something that Gwyneth Paltrow ignorantly wandered into when she implied that she’s responsible for mainstream yoga in the United States.

There is no universal rule on what constitutes cultural appropriation or appreciation, and where that line is. It’s a moving target with a lot of different perspectives and concerns.

I’m sure that the conversation on cultural appropriation could go on, well forever, and it is valid. Western societies take a lot from other cultures and brand it as our own. We have a lot collective work to do, especially if we’re not actively respecting and honoring the histories of the practices we use. However, as a wellness advocate and therapist, I think it’s important to consider that whatever we need to use in order to keep us well is an individual choice and process worthy of admiration.

That is, if you find something that works for you then you should continue to use those tools for your health and well-being. There’s nothing wrong with that. 

There will always be conversations about whether a practice has changed so much that it has gone “mainstream”. This really isn’t your concern when you’re doing what works for you in managing your emotional and physical health on a daily basis. We need to do what works for us. That doesn’t mean that we are exempt from these cultural conversations or criticisms, but it is our individual choice how involved we want to be in that conversation. 

At the end of the day, you have to do you.

We don’t need to shame people for doing what works for them. We need to applaud them for actively bettering themselves.

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It is also, in large part, a holiday driven by consumption. We tend to eat a lot, spend a lot of down time (if we’re fortunate enough) and gift A LOT. And there’s no judgment here, I do all of these things myself. But as we start to round out this year I can’t help but think about how even during this time it’s easy to overlook ourselves. It’s easy to overlook you.

That’s right…YOU. Let’s focus on you for a minute.

A lot of the conversation taking place nowadays centers around the question of, “What’s the best gift you’ve ever gotten?” Alternatively, many people also ask, “What’s the WORST gift you’ve ever gotten?” The latter of which can be a pretty dangerous question if you have family and loved ones following you online! And no, definitely not talking from personal experience.

As I’ve been thinking about these conversations, I’ve taken some time to reflect and think on a new question:

What’s the greatest gift you ever given yourself?

This one seems a bit more difficult, doesn’t it? Of course, tangible products may first come to mind…myself included.

But as I sit and reflect, I think more about gifts that run much deeper. I think about how forgiveness is a gift that I’ve given to myself and try to give to myself over and over again. Forgiving myself for not living up to the expectations of others. Forgiving myself for mistakes and missteps on this journey called life, and forgiveness for my own internalization of ideas and expectations that no longer serve me.

These ideas can be hard to let go of.

So I ask, if you look past the gadgets and clothes or whatever else you’ve treated yourself to, what’s the greatest gift you’ve ever given yourself?

What great gift do you want to give yourself this year?

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Taking up more space may also mean slowing down to give yourself room to process your feelings – or maybe even actually truly FEELING them.

If you’re in need of a little bit more space today, I hope this relaxation playlist will help you tap into whatever you’re carrying with you. Hopefully, in taking that space you find some healing and relief. Enjoy!

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Some think that self-care is at the point of being synonymous with consumerism. Products can certainly be a part of your self-care routine but should not be the end all, be all to take care of yourself. There are certainly some valid points with regards to wellness being a new consumer trend, but all is not lost! What if there was a way to practice self-care by not spending money at all? What if just spending a little time each day with your phone could help you practice better self-care?

That’s what the app #SelfCare does so well.

#SelfCare App for Your Daily Mental Break

#SelfCare is an app designed to help you spend a little bit more time with yourself…without distractions. This phone app isn’t designed to keep you looped in all day (much like other apps on your phone unfortunately) but gives you self-care activities to do to ground and re-center yourself. Typically, you’ll spend a few minutes in the app at a time completing self-care tasks rooted in evidence based theories on stress reduction and mindfulness. There aren’t a ton of distractions in the app, ensuring that you stay on task.

The game takes place in your imaginary bedroom, with you deep underneath the covers, feeling depleted and needing some extra tlc. The goal of the game is to renew your energy, which is represented by a sun without rays when you start. As you complete more tasks your sun gets brighter and has more rays. This is how it shows your progress. You complete tasks such as putting away your laundry, petting your cat (regrettably there’s no dog option). The different activities also come with some inspiring messages to keep you dialed in to your inner reality. When you tap your phone or computer in the app you get a helpful reminder that this time isn’t about technology but more so just being present with yourself.

I personally found the app enjoyable and soothing to use. It’s great to have something like this which is designed to promote relief in my pocket at pretty much all times.

And, did I mention it’s free?!

To learn more about the app yourself, you can check it out in the App store or on the Tru Luv website.

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We hope you enjoy our latest playlist however you decide to use it. We hope that you enjoy it and it brings you a little extra love and relaxation!

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A Day at the Spa

This isn’t a product per se, but more so a service. If you’re looking to help someone boost up their mindfulness practice, or want to support yourself, then a gift certificate to a relaxing massage is a solid way to go. How often are you engaging your body in this kind of manipulation and intentional relaxation? Other benefits include not being right by your smartphone or compulsively checking email. Doesn’t that sound great? Massage is also a helpful adjunct to mental health treatment and can help reduce anxiety. It also helps reduce overall nervous system hyper activation with little to no negative consequence.

Bathe in Scents Designed to Bring You Back to Now

Aromatherapy is the use of scent to help manage health related conditions. As someone who is relatively sensitive to smell, I’ve found that aromatherapy is a great way for me to remind myself to be present and take in my immediate environment. I’m especially fond of eucalyptus and have relied on this candle (and the other applications) from Bath & Body Works to help me get my fix.

A Mindful Reminder for Your Wrist

It can be tough to set reminders to check in with yourself throughout the day. This is why I’ve personally been eyeing the Be Mindful Now bracelet from meaning to pause. This handy bracelet is customized to your needs and aesthetics. You even get to set your desired interval for reminding you to check in with yourself and be present. You can choose from vibrations at either 60 or 90 minute intervals to keep you on track throughout your day. And, did I mention it is also very reasonably priced?

Practice Mindfulness with Spire

Using tools to monitor your physiology throughout the day may also prove beneficial for your mindfulness practice. Combined with an app, Spire helps track your breathing patterns and stress levels throughout the day. As you get stressed, it sends you a little buzz with some offerings to help get you back to a state of calm. This kind of support is extremely helpful if you struggle with identifying your emotions. It has some pretty solid reviews too!

Weighted Blankets

Weighted blankets have been shown to help those who live with anxiety, PTSD and a host of other conditions.  Feeling the weight of the blanket can be quite soothing and helps you feel grounded and safe, which can be incredibly helpful when your amygdala (the part of your brain responsible for emotional regulation) becomes hijacked. We like this post that gives you some guidelines on what blanket you might want to choose.

MantraBands

Many of us rely on visual cues for reminders to so many things. What if you had a visual cue to remind you take in the moment and be with yourself? MantraBands are great, minimalist and stylish bracelets with accompanying mantras to help you stay focused and present. You can choose from any of their themed collections or create one with a mantra of your own.

A Cushion for Mindfulness Meditation

If you’re looking to start, or continue, a meditation practice then the chances are you want to be comfortable while you’re doing it. A meditation cushion can certainly help. I’ve been eyeing this Men’s Meditation Kit (complete with meditation cushion) from lululemon cause frankly, it looks too good to be true.

These mindfulness products are hand-picked by our team as viable options for you in your wellness journey. Always consult with a licensed physician or mental health provider for individualized recommendations and care.

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I started this playlist with the track titled Introspection because I think this is something we could do a bit more of; taking some time to look inward. Introspection isn’t about anxiety or diving into negative thoughts but more so giving ourselves space to just exist as we are, right now without judgment or ridicule.

I hope that this playlist bring you as much joy and relaxation as it did to me while I was creating it.  And feel free to share your stories of how you used this playlist in the comments section. We’d love to hear from you!

And just as a friendly reminder, be careful not to use this playlist when you’re supposed to be more alert (like when you’re driving) as that can potentially be dangerous.

Otherwise, happy listening!

If you’d like to work on your stress management skills, learn how mindfulness coaching can help you achieve a greater sense of peace and balance.

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“The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.” – Thích Nhất Hạnh

Why mindfulness? WHY NOT?! It’s a complicated question to answer, but here are some reasons why I practice mindfulness.

The Benefits of Mindfulness Are Endless

As you might have read in my previous post about the benefits of mindfulness (and mindfulness meditation), there are a host of benefits that come with living and practicing it. Not just a tool, but a philosophy and perspective, it definitely helps me manage my stress which is something that is necessary for someone in my line of work. Mindfulness has helped me tremendously in being aware of myself and my surroundings and the impact of my immediate environment.  This kind of awareness has helped me take much better care of myself. Why do I practice mindfulness? Well, because it works for me.

Mindfulness Has Made Me a Better Problem Solver

In addition to soothing me from the impact of stress, mindfulness has also personally made me a much better problem solver.  As I am constantly checking in with my physical and emotional self throughout my day, I am now much more attuned to my personal needs in any given moment. While this isn’t foolproof and I definitely have me days when I’m incredibly unaware, on the whole mindfulness has helped me solve problems much more efficiently than in years prior.

For example, if I’m having a day when my lower back pain is acting up I’m (fortunately and unfortunately) much more attuned to that pain. The benefit of being mindful is that I’m now so much more capable of addressing that discomfort in the moment and making an adjustment. That adjustment might mean a slight physical adjustment in my chair. It could also mean that I get up and stretch or go for a much-needed walk. Whatever the solution, being more mindful of my body helps me take better care of it.

It Has Improved My Relationships

I would like to think that I’m pretty good at navigating the relationships in my life, but I know that I have my own faults too. I didn’t realize until recently that mindfulness has helped me gain greater clarity in how to navigate my relationships. As mentioned above, I’m continuously checking in with myself. That means emotionally, more often than not, I know where I stand in any given situation. This has enabled me to be much more assertive about what my wants and needs are in my relationships. As someone who is pretty easygoing and accommodating by nature, I think that mindfulness has helped me tap into my visceral and genuine responses in certain situations. This means that it helps me make a choice to communicate with those around me whether that’s with a partner, friends, family or colleagues.

Meditation Brings Me Clarity & Focus

Admittedly, I want to meditate more than I currently do. Mindfulness meditation has been an incredibly effective tool for me, not just in managing stress but also in helping me gain clarity and focus. I often tell clients that I work with that meditation’s goal doesn’t have to be about achieving the ever-illusive “nothingness”. It can also be about gaining insight and clarity on something that you need to work through. Whether that’s a relationship problem or something that you’re trying to problem solve around work, meditation has helped me solve problems and feel more grounded and centered overall.

Mindfulness has been a beacon of light for me in my personal life, and many of the reasons why are represented here. While I like to think that mindfulness is helpful for everyone, I know that it doesn’t quite suit everyone’s style and that’s OK. My hope is that with posts like these you can be exposed to some benefits of different wellness activities or perspectives and find what works best for you. And if you’d like to learn more about mindfulness, please contact me for a mindfulness coaching session and we’ll get you started. Until then, be well!

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I think it’s safe to say that Earth Day doesn’t quite get its due as a holiday.  On April 22 while many of us were warding off the sunday scaries, I was enjoying the Yankees (of course) and reveling in the layered brilliance of The Magical Mindful Day.

The Magical Mindful Day is a new book aimed at helping children (of all ages) discover the wonderful world of mindfulness through the eyes of the story’s young protagonist Gaby. While taking in a day at the beach with her stuffed cat Baba, Gaby is approached by a gentle, wise cat named Oreo. Oreo takes Gaby on a journey of mindfulness and awareness of the world around her, all the while helping Gaby see the inter-connectedness of all Earth’s beings.

The story in and of itself is great for children but what I found most interesting is the story of its creator. The Magical Mindful Day is informed by the incredible back story of its author (social worker & therapist) Deborah Salazar Shapiro.  Salazar Shapiro uses both her experiences as a child in El Salvador during periods of environmental and political unrest with her later experiences as a mother helping her children see the benefits of caring for the Earth and all living beings. And with that kind of back story, it’s no wonder that I found myself walking away inspired to both be more mindful and encourage others to stop and take a look at the world around them when they can.

The Magical Mindful Day is for EVERYONE

The Magical Mindful Day, I think, works on multiple levels. Not only does it help kids understand the riches of our environment and our need to look for ways to sustain Mother Earth, but the story also communicates the benefits of mindfulness and awareness of one’s self in said environment. This awareness is something I often work on with my mindfulness coaching clients in their day-to-day lives. The story also speaks to how kindness and compassion help make our world a much better place for every being, and that’s something that I fully support.

For more information The Magical Mindful Day, visit www.TheMagicalMindfulDay.com. The book is available in both English and Spanish on the website and at Amazon.

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Use the Power of Sound

Personally, I’m a big fan of music I often enjoy listening to music when I’m sitting down at the computer and working. In fact, right now there’s an arrangement of classical musical pieces streaming in my headphones. I just write better when that’s the case!

Both music and other sounds can be incredibly helpful to create a zen workspace. If you find contemporary music too distracting, opt for instrumental tracks or ambient music.  I also think that just sounds, like soothing waves on a beach or white noise can be incredibly soothing too. At the end of the day it’s about finding what works for you. And if you work in an open office space with cubicles, see what the company culture is like regarding the use of headphones. My experience is that most people don’t mind if you’re not missing out on important conversation regularly.

Scent Can Make a Big Impact Too

No matter your personal preferences, we know that scent is a huge emotional trigger for people. It is one of the strongest ways that our brains connect to memories. This can help us, in a sense, emotionally re-experience some past good times and moods emotionally and physiologically. If we use scent intentionally in our office we can create a zen workspace.

Diffusers are a great option for creating a more zen workspace if you’re looking to switch up the energy in your space. Natural ones, with the use of reeds, require no energy but scents can dissipate quickly. Electronic diffusers offer a great deal of control (you can time the distribution, etc.) but tend to output a pretty strong scent so they may not be best for open workspaces where coworkers might not agree with your tastes.

Another option to use scent at work to create a more zen workspace is to use a rollerball. These handy little canisters pack a powerful punch and they very easily can fit into your pocket or a bag. I recommend rolling it on the inside of your wrists as often as you’d like and taking about 30 seconds to breathe in the scent. This is less invasive to others around you, but can really help calm and soothe you. This is one of my personal favorites.

Curate Your Visual Field

Some workspaces have very specific rules and guidelines on what you can and cannot do in terms of decorating your space. I’ve seen workspaces where people use desks interchangeably depending on the day. That kind of setup can make personalizing your space a bit more challenging.

But, as I mentioned earlier, we spend a lot of time at work. Wouldn’t it be comforting to have things in your space that bring you peace, comfort or even humor?  Why not put up a picture or two of your loved ones or put a meme as your computer wallpaper that you see anytime you minimize windows?  Hang pictures or quotes that you like if you can and choose desk accessories that you actually like and remind you of the people you love. Remember that paper weight you got for your birthday from you dear friend? Let it live on your desk even if you don’t have a functional need for it. Chances are seeing it there every day will help remind you of that person and the good times associated with them.

Bring in A Bit of Life

Whether it be by incorporating plants in your office or bringing in pets, there have been studies that both help combat stress in the workplace. Unfortunately, not all workplaces are welcoming to pets but plants are pretty much a safe bet in most environments. Having plant life in your office will not only help create a zen workspace but could also help provide you with purer air conditions too.

Want to learn more tips on creating a better workplace for you and improve your career? Contact us to set up your career coaching appointment today!

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