Mindful Monday: Simplicity of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is often an overlooked holiday. Let's face it, if you have stepped foot into any retail store since November 1, the only holiday you'd know is coming is Christmas. However, Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday of the year. 

Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas. I love the magic of it all. I love the twinkle lights and all the holly jolly music that encompasses the season. But at the end of the day, Thanksgiving is the best in my book. 

Hear me out. Thanksgiving is the best because of the simplicity of it all. It's all about food and family. And yes, I get that family is rarely simple. But generally speaking, it's a time to slow down and savor the moment, to take stock of our lives and reflect. It's a time to be grateful for all we do have. There's no perfect presents to go hunting for. There's little to no decorating to worry about, and no untangling of lights. Thanksgiving is simply about being, well, thankful.

I hope that you know next week when our students' families are counting their blessings, they are counting YOU among them for loving their child like your own. Next week, when your teammates or coworkers down the hall are reflecting on this semester, they are thinking of YOU and are thankful for your continued friendship and support. Next week, when you are taking stock of this season of life you find yourself in, know that YOU are blessing all those around you with your passion and talents, and we are all better off for it.

Happiest of Thanksgiving to You All!

Mindful Monday: Start

Starting something new is hard.

Changing up a habit can seem impossible. 

Branching out is scary.

However...

Never trying leaves you wondering what if.

Staying the same is boring.

Not changing can leave you with regrets. 

The first step is always the hardest. It requires you to be brave. It requires you to believe in something that you're not even sure is possible. It requires you to accept failure as a possibility. 

Being brave enough to try something new does not mean you're not afraid. Franklin D Roosevelt once said, "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear." If it's something that you can't stop thinking about, then it's important to you. And if it's important, then it's worth taking the risk.

Here's the best news of all. You don't have to wait to start. You don't have to wait until the calendar flips to a new month. You don't have to wait until the new year begins. And you certainly don't need anyone's permission to start. 

Start the new hobby you've been wanting to try. 

Start working towards a goal that is important to you. 

Give life to an idea that you've been contemplating for a while. 

Take that first step. Be brave enough to suck at something new. And frankly, that's usually the biggest hurdle you have to get over. You have to stop holding yourself to impossibly high standards. You have to give yourself room to fail and understand that it is a part of the process. Just start...you'll thank yourself later! 

Mindful Monday: Just Getting Through

How often have we told ourselves, "After I get through this week, things will slow down."? Or maybe you've said, "Once I see this commitment through, I'm not taking on any more." If you're in the same boat as me, too many times to count! 

Here's the thing...Life. Is. Busy. Period. It doesn't matter what phase of life you find yourself in. Life always seems busy! 

And the most unfortunate part of busyness, it often robs us of being present. When we are busy and just trying to make it through, life tends to pass us by. The saying, "The days are long, but the years are short," is so true! When we're grinding through, the days and weeks seem long. Yet somehow, when we look up, months have flown by and we're nearly the end of another calendar year. 

I can hardly believe we have officially changed the calendar to November. Where did this year go? Well, it passed me by while I was busy being busy. How many moments did I take for granted? How many moments did I let pass me by? 

I get we all have commitments, most of which we can't drop. Being busy often feels unavoidable. However, I strongly encourage you to take the time to be present. Stop and look up. Notice life. Appreciate the small things. Soak it in. Enjoy it all. Take a breath and just be. Try doing less. I know, I know, insert your laughs here. But really, try doing less and see how much more present you feel. If you have a moment, check out 5 Ways to Slow Down by Amy Senter.

Mindful Monday: Stress (part 3 of 3)

Stress is sneaky. I can't begin to count the number of times I was going through the motions of life only to look up and realize how stressed out I was and thought to myself, "How long have I been in this state?" 

While, yes, there are signs, stress isn't always so obvious. Especially if we live in a constant state of stress, it simply becomes our normal.

Here are 5 easy to implement strategies to fight back. 

1) Drop your shoulders and breathe slowly and deeply. I can't tell you the amount of stress I carry in my shoulders and back. I'm always so surprised when I take a moment and do these two simple steps the immediate relief I feel.​

2) If you feel it, say it. Pretending it doesn't matter or that it doesn't bother you isn't helpful. Even if you only admit it to yourself, it's incredibly freeing. Journaling is a great release, but I get it's not for everyone. At the very least, I would encourage you to try this emotions tracker from The New Happy. It's a 30 second way to acknowledge your feelings at the end of each day and notice trends. 

3) Consider turning your nightly walk into a grateful walk. Think about 3 things you are grateful for from the day. The best part is, there are no wrong answers, and there is nothing too little to be grateful for. The purpose of this exercise would be to end your day on a positive note and not let all of the day's stressors weigh heavy on you.

4) I previously wrote about the importance of sleep and how it is closely tied to stress. When we let the busyness of the world take over, we often do it at the expense of our time to rest. We have to start protecting our time to rest and relax. It's not a waste of time, as it is a necessity to function properly. We must stop thinking of sleep as a luxury. 

5) Finally, give yourself grace. On the days you feel extra stressed, give yourself grace. On the days stress has gotten the best of your temper, give yourself grace. On the days you don't feel the best version of yourself, give yourself grace. And on the days you have nothing left to give, give yourself grace. 

Mindful Monday: Teflon (part 2 of 3)

Stress. It's unavoidable. And yet some people seem to be like teflon- that it all slides right off them. ​

2 things to consider: 

1) Just because someone carries it well, doesn't mean that it isn't heavy. 

2) Perhaps "teflon" folkes have something figured out. 

This secret is often their mindset. It's not that the bad days don't bother them. It's not that a setback doesn't impact them. And they certainly don't have a special gene where they never get mad.  Instead, it's their perspective. 

Our brain is forever trying to make sense of the world and the wide array of situations we find ourselves in on a daily basis. Due to our most basic survival instincts, our brains are wired to look for the negative and the threats. By always looking for the negative, it's hard to not let that consume our narrative. 

A misbehaving child, a full inbox, and never ending to-do list - these can all be true. However, telling yourself you're not a good teacher, or believing you don't have what it takes is just the negativity talking.  

Naomi Hall states, "When you shift your mindset, you don’t just “think positive”—you start to work with your brain instead of against it. You train it to pause, to reframe, and to look for what’s possible instead of what’s wrong".

Next time you feel stress creep into your day, stop and separate the facts from the negative narrative your brain quickly forms. Retrain your brain by telling yourself... You've Got This!

Mindful Monday: Sleep (part 1 of 3)

Sleep. ​I have a complicated relationship​ with sleep. I absolutely love it, but it doesn’t always reciprocate​. This love​-hate relationship has grown more complicated​ the older I’ve gotten​. So much so​, I’ve done a little research into it. Here are five science ​backed thoughts I wanted to share.

1) I’m sure, it’s​ to no one's surprise that caffeine affects your sleep​. However, I was today years old when I learned that the rate ​at which your body metabolizes and process​es the caffeine ​slows down the older we get. Did you know caffeine can stay in your body 8+ hours after the initial ​consumption? That afternoon pick​-me​-up may​ be counterproductive​. 

2) An issue I​'m all too familiar with is ​having a hard time falling asleep because of the never-ending to-do list running through my head. While there is no magic fix for this, I do have some thoughts. Write it down​. Consider having a pad and paper next to your bedside or make notes in your phone​ or voice memos. Write it down so you can let it go and worry about it tomorrow​, as opposed to obsessing over it while you’re trying to fall asleep​.

3) Which leads me to when you’re struggling to fall asleep​, be present​. I know that sounds weird, but notice the softness of your sheets​. Feel your head sink into your pillow. Pay attention to your breath​. Notice your chest expand and compress as you breathe in and out. While it may feel uncomfortable at first, it's a great way to help calm your mind and relax. 

4) ​For those burning the midnight oil and not getting enough sleep, asking you to go to bed an hour early or even 30 minutes earlier for that matter isn’t realistic. However, sleep is vital to proper function, so consider going to bed a minute earlier each night until you finally reach the desired time at which you should be going to bed​. Within two weeks time​, you’re already going to bed 14 minutes earlier than you’ve previously been doing​. Within a month's time, you've realistically adjusted your bedtime by 30 mins. 

5) ​Finally, consider a 10 minute walk after dinner each night. The fresh air, the vitamin D​, the movement of your body​, all do wonders to help reset​ and unwind at the end of the day​. 

I leave you with this final thought​. The older we get​, the more complex life is​. Life's complexities often cause more stress. Stress gravely affects our sleep​. ​And generally speaking​, the more stressed​ we are​, the worse our sleep is​. Unfortunately, the worse our sleep is​, it often increases our stress levels. It’s a vicious cycle. Here’s to ​breaking the cycle and putting yourself first​, and making sleep a priority. ​

Sweetest of ​Dreams! 

Mindful Monday: Your Space Jam

Kid President made a Pep Talk 12 years ago and asked, "What if Michael Jordan quit when he didn't make the team? He would have never made Space Jam."  He goes on to ask, "What will be your Space Jam? What will you create to make the world more awesome?"

It's easy to wonder if you are making a big enough impact, wonder if you are making a difference at all some days, or wonder how you're making the world more awesome. However, here's the amazing thing. Your Space Jam is NOT just ONE event, ONE act of kindness, nor ONE decision. Instead, your Space Jam is your Entire Life. Your best work may not be shared with millions on a movie theater screen. Instead, your best work will happen in the daily interactions with the people right next to you. 

So next time you question your impact, keep showing up. Brad Montague said it best, "Make a masterpiece of a life so full of hope, and love, and joy that it lights up the whole world." 

Go live your Space Jam!