Good Morning, Beautiful!
It’s a new day in the middle of a holiday weekend. You’ve got this! As you navigate the gatherings, the time with your family, the meals, I want to remind you to stay in your power.
What is your power and how do you maintain it?
For years we have thought of our power as holding ourselves to a strict meal plan or shaming ourselves around what we eat. Instead, I’d like to tell you that your power is the deep realization that you have everything you need inside of you right now. You don’t need to adjust or change. Rather, you need to acknowledge the work this strong body has done to keep you alive and healthy. Take a moment to feel the pleasure of air against your skin, something soft in your hand, or the sun on your face. You are alive and it is glorious.
When it comes to food, enjoy what you eat. Take a moment to taste the flavors and linger over your meals. When we feel guilty about what we’re eating, we have a tendency to distract ourselves from the pleasure of consumption. I’d like to invite you to immerse yourself in the goodness of food. Give yourself permission to center yourself. Watch the faces of those around the table, see how their eyes crinkle when they smile. Savor each bite, feel the weight on your tongue, do you like it? Let yourself know, you don’t have to follow anyone else’s rules when it comes to how you fuel your body. You are in possession of your full self. Have fun with this person you are.
Holidays often carry a weight of expectation. Perhaps you’re feeling the need to make it perfect for everyone around you or you’ve committed to a bunch of activities and you’re feeling worn down. I hope you take a second to pause. How can you connect with what you really want in the middle of this? Do you need to add in some playtime, go throw the ball around with one of your kids? Do you need to enjoy a good laugh? Do you need an hour of downtime, can you go sit in the sun or a dark room and play a meditation while you recenter yourself? I just want to encourage you in the middle of everything happening, if you feel like you’re pulling away, go with that and find out what you need. It’s okay to take time from life, to enjoy and engage fully with yourself. You are a very special and important person.
Practice gratitude and drink a glass of water. I can’t tell you how often I forget to drink water or list the things for which I’m thankful. Both are things I have to commit to from the beginning of my day. Fill up a water bottle and while you are, take a moment to go over how happy you are in your world. The sun streaming through a window. The fresh water pouring into your glass. The sounds of children laughing. The warmth of your spouses embrace. The sounds of the city or the quiet of the country.
I wish you well this weekend. I hope you’re anchored in your health, your goals, your dreams, and yourself.
