Tag: mindfullness

Springtime always seems to bring with it an energy and a busyness that comes out of nowhere, at least for me! Out of the darkness and chill of winter, life bursts forth, and suddenly I’ve got a million items on my to-do list and a full calendar. Our culture certainly supports this mindset of productivity, and I feel programmed to rate the success of my day based on how many things I’ve accomplished. And yet, in both the counseling office and my personal life, I continue to be challenged to re-examine my ideas about doing and being, about productivity, relaxation, and rest.

As I often discuss with clients (and have shared about here in a previous post as well), taking intentional care of ourselves is so important to our health and well-being. Sometimes self-care looks like meeting a goal or getting something done, but sometimes it looks like taking a day off or doing something we enjoy. Human beings were not made to operate at full speed 24/7 ...

A white Caucasian male in his mid-to-late thirties sits down for lunch in his mother’s kitchen. He slowly enjoys the sandwich he has made for himself, along with a handful of Sea Salt and Vinegar potato chips, (which for the sake of losing a few pounds) he knows he shouldn’t be eating. He has a set of headphones on, with which he is using to listen to his carefully constructed playlist on iTunes. To the left of his lunch sits his laptop, on which he is casually- and without much thought- working through his e-mails. He suddenly and unexpectedly receives an e-mail from his lawyer regarding his recent job-loss and the American’s with Disabilities Act and defamation lawsuit which ensued. He grows discouraged by what he is reading; and as he glances up, his eyes catch a hand of bananas. A flashback emanates, the likes of which he has never experienced. Before long his wife finds him blacked out on the kitchen floor, in a cold sweat, and hyperve ...

It’s Sunday. You still have a million and one things left on your wishful weekend “to do” list and time is rapidly slipping by. Your motivation level is at a flat zero and you’re looking ahead at another busy week. Sound familiar? What if I told you it doesn’t have to be this way? What if Sundays became your new favorite day of the week. Let’s see if we can make that happen!

One way to make Sunday feel like an entire weekend wrapped into one day is to simply...unplug. Turn off your cell phone, lock it in a cupboard, and be PRESENT. My family knows that Sundays are sacred in my home. If anyone has an emergency, they know to contact my husband because your girl is unplugged for the entire day. Sundays are reserved for rest. When was the last time you gave yourself full permission to rest? No agenda, no to do list, no GUILT over not being the epitome of productivity and efficiency. Just rest.

If you give yourself this time a ...