Making space to slow down

Written By Megan

by Megan

The end of the year is a busy time for many. This season comes with increased family, social, and community obligations, events, and traditions. As we head into the end of the year, there can be a sense in work and life of needing to finish up the tasks and goals. 

Even when it's filled with good things, a busy season can leave us feeling tired, drained, and needing to fill our own cup. Today we are looking at some short self care practices you can do to maintain self-care and self -connection through the busy season. 

Creating space for self

Maintaining time for your own self-care and nourishment can feel impossible. So, instead of trying to implement complex or time-consuming practices into your already busy days, focus instead on making moments of connection with yourself.

Mindful craft and snack break

Yes, time as a resource is still required, but the benefits come less from the nature of the self-care activity and instead from your ability to be present within your experience. 

Instead of your usual 60 min workout, try completing a short body scan practice. You’re still connecting to our physical body and current experience. While the benefits of these exercises are different, the increased simplicity means you might actually fit it into the busy holiday schedule. 

Less is truly more. 

 

Short practices to create calm and space

When brains are busy,  it can be hard to settle the thoughts and find some calm. Self-care practices that engage the senses can help to distract an overactive mind. Let's explore a few short practices meant to foster connection, calm and space. 

5 sense meditation

Join Alana for a brief guided meditation through the use of your senses and self-awareness.

This practice promotes connection to self through mindful observation of your sensory feedback and awareness of this process. 

Chocolate/coffee Meditation

This practice guides you through a sensory exploration of enjoying a piece of chocolate (but any food or beverage works).

This can be a nice way of pairing mindfulness and self-integration into your busy days. 

Mini restorative practice

Practices like restorative yoga are a way to create stillness and softness in the mind and body. Join Megan for a short, one posture practice to help you fold some stillness into your busy schedule. 

Restorative is about connection to self in the present. The goal of these videos is not to strengthen or stretch muscle or joint tissues, but instead to create balance between the body and mind, balancing the nervous system. 

Looking for more simple practices?

Megan
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November 2024 reads