I'm making a real effort to eat real food, more wholefood and less ultra processed food. My body feels so much better when I do, less bloated, more energy, better sleep. I'm taking action to improve my sleep, increasing my meditation and Yoga practice, and making sure I spend time outdoors every day.
I walk daily and it’s a major panacea as well as helps my writing practice. I also avoid processed food, and sugar. I am embarrassed to admit basic self care is a challenge for me so daily dental hygiene and facial routine is really important to my sense of wellbeing. I use titration or gently eliminating destructive habits by gently adding positive somatic practices like meditation and exercise. A mantra that helps is feeling and being versus thinking and doing. The most effective practice to ground me in my body yet is yoga Nidra which I trained in with Kamini Desai. Life changing!
Pause. My body responds so well to a simple pause, which allows me to ask - what do I need in this moment? I find movement is key for me - even if it's stretching from side to side or a quick walk to the park. Moving my body and being in nature are essential to feeling good.
Recently, when emotions have been high and I feel discomfort in my body, I am using bilateral stimulation for a quick reset of my nervous system. A butterfly hug, alternating thumbs, or tapping (EFT) seem to bring me back into the present moment, and the sensations in my body (instead of the story!)
I wrote a post about the non-negotiable's that keep me centered and at peace in my body thanks to this prompt Dana! I appreciate the pause to reflect and remember what I prioritize daily and why.
Thank you so much for sharing, Courtney. And I love your post on non-negotiable’s. Everything you named resonates deeply - including cold plunging, which I used to do daily in a glacier-fed lake and miss so much. Now I take cold showers, but they don’t get very cold at our place here in Thailand. Definitely not the same thing!
When I had babies at home (two boys), I learned there were five basic reasons they might be upset and crying. 1. Is he hungry? 2. Tired? 3. Cold/hot? 4. Need to be changed? 5. Need to be held?
As I moved into my 50s and 60s, I noticed that when I didn’t feel right in my body, these were (roughly) the same things I needed. Put “hungry” and “need to be changed” under the category of eating the right amount of nutritious food (with enough fiber!). Add “connected to other people” to “need to be held.” And it’s a pretty good list. I need to add physical movement to the list —walks, yoga, etc.—to fill it out.
Feeling good in my body is about the basics. But taking care of the basics requires a lot of intention and attention from me.
It’s also true for me that some emotions make my body very uncomfortable (grief, sadness). I’m getting better at learning to feel in to these discomforts rather than trying to run away from them. My “go-to” run away schemes = jump to negative thoughts to avoid the bodily feelings and over-eat. I’d occasionally “take the edge off” with alcohol (1-2 drinks). Lately, I’m doing better at recognizing I’m trying to run away and life has taught me that the only way to move through the uncomfortable feelings in my body is to feel them. When I stay on the feeling level and stay out of the thought loops, the feelings are easier for me to feel and move through.
Example: grief feels like a constriction around my heart. It’s a harsh clench. I hate it, but I am able to physically tolerate it. Telling myself a story about how life will forever be terrible now that (for example) my dog died, doesn’t help. The bad feeling in my body sticks around and the story in my mind just adds a new level of discomfort. The only thing to do is feel the clench and allow it to move through me at its own pace. Not fun, but it’s the best I can do.
Beautiful analogy and inspiring share! It is quite a practice to get out of the head and into the body. It helps me to think of my feelings as a rich symphony orchestra and I want to hear and feel the music across the entire spectrum life brings our hearts when we open to it. 🌻🫶🌻
Hey Dan - I love your example of how our own self care is relational to the care of a child. I've used the acronym HALT to similarly reflect on my own needs. Am I hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? What do I need in order to address this yearning? Instead of chasing or escaping?
How beautiful that you are recognizing that desire to Run! and instead, sit with the uncomfortable feelings. I appreciate the identification of what grief feels like in the body and how disconnecting from the story is paramount to staying present with the body. I really enjoyed your reflection, thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing and offering such a beautiful example, Dan. For me, too, it really comes down to the basics. And, as you say, the essence of those hasn’t changed much over the years.
For me, for right now, I feel good in my body by trusting it wants me to slow down. Yoga always drops me back into my body in ways that feel necessary. Lately, though, I’m having days where all I can muster is legs up the wall. Laying inverted, flush to the floor, feels like the best kind of support right now.
If laying on the floor with your legs against the wall is what your body is asking for, or even if that's all you can give it, it's a really powerful gift you're giving it. Anything that involves lying down in rest can feel like such luxury and the most radical form of self care sometimes!
I am new to figuring out what feels good in my body. I know exercise feels good, but I haven’t settled on what type is best. I know writing and meditating feel good, so I try to do these activities daily. While all of these things feel good, I don’t look forward to them the same way I look forward to having a drink, eating and falling asleep on my couch at the end of the day. So most nights, but not all, especially since finding this space, I give into the momentary relief. Which leaves me wondering when things will shift for me. When does craving what is good for you happen?
Also, I think the answer differs for everyone. Personally, I find that the more I notice and name what feels truly, deeply nourishing for my body and mind - especially in the moment, when I’m actually experiencing it - the more I move towards (and crave) that place naturally and act to prioritize and protect it.
As I've grown older, I've become more and more aware that good health is not an accident, it's intrinsically linked to how I'm living. I've got quite a collection of daily rituals and habits these days that support my wellbeing. I practice yoga every morning, I try to get outside and walk at some point every day, ideally somewhere with some views or nature, but sometimes just a stroll around the block in my lunch break. I've dropped lots of things from my diet including alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and processed food. I say no a lot more to work and social invitations, and reserve my yeses for the things that actually nourish me. And I'm currently trialing a digital detox (no screens after 5pm or before 9am) - so far I am loving the spaciousness it creates....
I swim Masters 3 days a week and take a weight class after two of those days. This morning I rose at 5:30 to drive though a Snowstorm but it was worth how I feel now.
I am one who has long identified as living in my head, so getting out of it and into my body has been such an integral part of my recovery and well-being.
I commit to walking every day-regardless of weather. Do I make it EVERY day? No. But if I only aim for twice a week, then maybe I'll only walk one day. If I am for 7 days, then I usually get in 5. And Sometimes, like lately, as I am recovering from a mental health crisis, I have upped my meds, and walking in nature is one of my meds.
One practical way I make my walking happen while working at my conventional job at a library is to pack hiking shoes and all the gear I need for that season, albeit rain coat, umbrella, warm beanie, gloves, winter coat, sun hat, etc. in my trunk (and in my purse, deodorant, ha. That is more for my corkers ;) ) and I walk during my lunch hour.
I ascribe to that saying "there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing"
I also lean into yoga as an every day practice-sometimes it is a simple ten minute morning stretch or an evening wind down before bed and others it is more of a 30 minute work up a sweat and work out my feelings kind of yoga. I am not good at making it to classes or want to spend money, so I love free yoga on YouTube. Yoga with Adriene has been a favorite for over a decade and recently I have discovered Charlie Follows. Yoga with Tim may be more comfortable for dudes but I have learned a lot from his as well, including my first days of meditation, especially his video on Loving Kindness.
Thanks for the prompt and pop-up, though I am a lil late to the party. :D
Walking is my best medicine too! I just scheduled a post for tomorrow about that very topic, how lovely to finish doing that then come here and see your comment. Walking started for me after my brother's death in 2005, and it's been keeping me (relatively) sane ever since. Even through the worst of times, and even when I've barely had the energy to walk to the end of the street. If I can get out and walk for any part of the day, I generally feel better (multiplied a thousandfold if I can get somewhere remote, beautiful and very green or blue!)
Yoga too has been a life changer for me. I lost my way with my practice somewhat in the last couple of years, but I'm getting back there, looking forward to a full day of yoga with my teacher training teacher on Saturday!
I love that walking is your sanity-relatively-keeper too! I also prefer somewhere more remote or beautiful but am a fan of finding beauty where I am. And often that’s yup, just walking around the block and noticing the neighbors trees, rose bushes and now, Christmas lights !
I’m working on a post on this topic-Finding Beauty Where You Are.
Yes! That shift from the head into living more in the body has been an absolutely crucial part of healing and recovery for me, after years of living with an autoimmune disease, driven largely by a dysregulated nervous system. Walking and yoga are my daily go-tos too ❤
For me, it's moving my body in a way that feels fun—I oscillate between dance, muay thai, and strength training as my base, also basing my movement on my cycle has been life-changing. I've more recently been adding some stretches before bed (mostly in bed while reading) and that's been feeling good.
Eating nourishing (and enough) food is really important for me, although I've been struggling there lately. I've come back to the goal of cooking more at home and will be leaning into that in the coming weeks because I can feel how sluggish my body is feeling based on the foods I've been eating. I'm excited to get back into a routine of cooking and getting the nutrients I need to feel my best.
And lastly, getting enough sleep is crucial. Now that it's cool here in Pai I've been sleeping a lot more which feels great! Winding down with a book rather than a show or my phone helps, too. I don't rush getting up in the morning and luckily I get to wake up without an alarm (other than the furry alarm that sometimes wants to go outside early).
Oh YES to good quality sleep Kaitlyn.... the magic elixir of life 😀 It affects every aspect of my wellbeing. A good night's sleep can be the difference between living in heaven and living in hell!
All this sounds so yummy. I LOVE to dance. My favorite is just cranking the volume up on my ear buds to its loudest (I know, not good for the hearing, but...) and just dancing like I am at a club but no one is watching-because I am home alone and no one is. :D Such a fun little mood booster! Hello, healthy dopamine.
YASSS I'm right there with you, Rosemary! I'll take the damage to the ears hahah. When I was a club goer, the loud music was my favourite part and you could usually find me right next to the speaker 😆 now home alone dance parties are my favourite too 🤭
That all sounds so nourishing, Kaitlyn. I’d love to hear about your experience with muay thai sometime. There’s a local place down the block that seems pretty intense. I’d love to try but only if there’s an option to do everything except actually get kicked and hit. 😂
I loooove it! But it is pretty intense. I only go when I know my body can handle it because it's a good 2 hour session and high on the cardio side. With that being said my gym is good with knowing how far to push me and it's a good practice of pushing myself past where my mind thinks my limits are—super empowering. The noises you hear emanating from the gym feel more intense than it actually is hahah.
It's like a meditation for me. There's a flow state essence and a rhythm to it that connects mind, body, spirit in a way I would've never expected. I feel like it's offered me a window into Thai culture that I also didn't expect.
I will say, the muay thai community is some of the kindest and most welcoming people ever. They'll start simply. I've been practicing for a few years and I still don't often spar with others (so no chance of getting kicked and hit). Most of my sessions are bag work and training with the trainers holding pads for me. I would 100% recommend it. Reach out if you have any questions! I love chatting about it.
I should also add that just listening to my body is huge. I used to override the signals, and now I trust what she tells me and give her what she needs moment to moment.
For me, it's getting to bed at a regular time so I can read, stretching and getting outside daily, not drinking alcohol, drinking a lot of water, taking Vegan Omega 3 and Vitamin D, using a sunrise alarm clock so I can wake up slowly and leave my phone out of the bedroom and eating in ways that help me eat regularly and nutritiously. For me, this looks like eating the same breakfast everyday, having limited lunch options and having trusted favourites for tea, whilst trusting my partner with some new ideas. Oh, and always wearing sunscreen!
Oh I have wondered about getting one of those sunrise alarm clocks Becky. I'm in the process of trying to banish screens from my bedroom... perhaps I need to put one of these on my Xmas wishlist? 🤔
Wait….there really is a thing called a “sunrise alarm clock?”! I’m a chucklehead - Becky I thought that you meant you were just rising when the sun came up. Ok, now I’ve got to check this out ; )
I have a Lumie one and I really like it. I get seasonal depression and I was really struggling with getting out of bed in a morning and it has been a real help. Not having my phone in the room has been a big plus. I feel like I'm sleeping better.
While all great....my fave would be your sunrise alarm clock ; ) now, if we could just teach these Thai roosters that simple routine - because one seems to start randomly around 3am these days
Thank you, Dana. Yes, I need routine so much. I find there is nothing worse than it getting to lunchtime and I don't know what I'm having! I get so frustrated and agitated and that's when I eat something like super noodles or, on a really bad day, a packet of crisps. I'm not good at thinking on the spot. I definitely need my routine!
I mimic my grandfather's habits simply because I've found they work best for me too. He was a real old-school, working-class northern Englishman, who was the epitome of simplicity and strength. Throughout his life, and well into his older years, he lifted iron weights, liked his boxing, walked everywhere, and sustained himself on variations of beef and potatoes.
He'd walk to the butcher to have his steaks freshly cut on the spot--unadulterated, high-quality, local beef, probably from just up the road. His health and longevity had nothing to do with technology, fads, or modern superfoods. He didn't believe in taking medicine for anything and even brushed his teeth with a liquorice stick. Granted, he was as stubborn as an ox but strong like one too.
While I do enjoy some modern luxuries like the internet and an electric toothbrush, I've found that sticking to old-school, unrefined food and simple, strength-building exercise habits makes me feel my best. If it worked for my grandfather and generations before him, then it works for me.
Love this pic in my head that you've painted of your grandfather - and while my Italian uncle can give an ol' Englishman a run for his money in the arena of stubborn - I can also picture my uncle's butcher shop being the one your g-dad regularly visited. Amen to 'simplicity and strength" and beef from up the road.
I love this, Adam. I can relate to the simple habits being most effective. I think (as modern humans) we tend to over complicate things when they could actually be much simpler. Like the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it." A lot of the times I've tried new approaches I end up coming back to the basics anyway. 🤣
Sattvic living, so walking in nature, bare feet on earth, slowing down, taking time, eating fresh unprocessed food, lots of those soft dates stuffed with ghee work well for my constitution 💕
Ooh yes to bare feet on the earth Lucy! I wear shoes a lot less since moving to New Zealand... here you sometimes even see people in the supermarket with no shoes 😄
ooh, yes, walking barefoot is literally grounding-love it. I think people forget or just were never aware of this free, accessible thing we can do to ground ourselves. I just now have a ritual of washing my feet before climbing into bed at night, ha
I have an indoor bike trainer attached to Zwifting, a virtual biking community. I will ride through the imaginary landscape listening to philosophical or spiritual/dharma talks. Feeds body and soul.
For me focusing on making sleep a priority, reading more with less social media, music, meditation and walking
Yes! All that sounds so nourishing, Dee.
I'm making a real effort to eat real food, more wholefood and less ultra processed food. My body feels so much better when I do, less bloated, more energy, better sleep. I'm taking action to improve my sleep, increasing my meditation and Yoga practice, and making sure I spend time outdoors every day.
That all sounds deeply nourishing, Esther. Thank you for sharing!
I walk daily and it’s a major panacea as well as helps my writing practice. I also avoid processed food, and sugar. I am embarrassed to admit basic self care is a challenge for me so daily dental hygiene and facial routine is really important to my sense of wellbeing. I use titration or gently eliminating destructive habits by gently adding positive somatic practices like meditation and exercise. A mantra that helps is feeling and being versus thinking and doing. The most effective practice to ground me in my body yet is yoga Nidra which I trained in with Kamini Desai. Life changing!
Beautiful, Kelly! Thank you for sharing, and I love how you add in positive somatic practices rather than *just* taking something away.
Pause. My body responds so well to a simple pause, which allows me to ask - what do I need in this moment? I find movement is key for me - even if it's stretching from side to side or a quick walk to the park. Moving my body and being in nature are essential to feeling good.
Recently, when emotions have been high and I feel discomfort in my body, I am using bilateral stimulation for a quick reset of my nervous system. A butterfly hug, alternating thumbs, or tapping (EFT) seem to bring me back into the present moment, and the sensations in my body (instead of the story!)
I wrote a post about the non-negotiable's that keep me centered and at peace in my body thanks to this prompt Dana! I appreciate the pause to reflect and remember what I prioritize daily and why.
Thank you so much for sharing, Courtney. And I love your post on non-negotiable’s. Everything you named resonates deeply - including cold plunging, which I used to do daily in a glacier-fed lake and miss so much. Now I take cold showers, but they don’t get very cold at our place here in Thailand. Definitely not the same thing!
Placing a link here in case anyone wants to head over and be inspired and uplifted by your beautiful write-up: https://courtneyperkins.substack.com/p/practices-for-peace-and-ease
When I had babies at home (two boys), I learned there were five basic reasons they might be upset and crying. 1. Is he hungry? 2. Tired? 3. Cold/hot? 4. Need to be changed? 5. Need to be held?
As I moved into my 50s and 60s, I noticed that when I didn’t feel right in my body, these were (roughly) the same things I needed. Put “hungry” and “need to be changed” under the category of eating the right amount of nutritious food (with enough fiber!). Add “connected to other people” to “need to be held.” And it’s a pretty good list. I need to add physical movement to the list —walks, yoga, etc.—to fill it out.
Feeling good in my body is about the basics. But taking care of the basics requires a lot of intention and attention from me.
It’s also true for me that some emotions make my body very uncomfortable (grief, sadness). I’m getting better at learning to feel in to these discomforts rather than trying to run away from them. My “go-to” run away schemes = jump to negative thoughts to avoid the bodily feelings and over-eat. I’d occasionally “take the edge off” with alcohol (1-2 drinks). Lately, I’m doing better at recognizing I’m trying to run away and life has taught me that the only way to move through the uncomfortable feelings in my body is to feel them. When I stay on the feeling level and stay out of the thought loops, the feelings are easier for me to feel and move through.
Example: grief feels like a constriction around my heart. It’s a harsh clench. I hate it, but I am able to physically tolerate it. Telling myself a story about how life will forever be terrible now that (for example) my dog died, doesn’t help. The bad feeling in my body sticks around and the story in my mind just adds a new level of discomfort. The only thing to do is feel the clench and allow it to move through me at its own pace. Not fun, but it’s the best I can do.
Beautiful analogy and inspiring share! It is quite a practice to get out of the head and into the body. It helps me to think of my feelings as a rich symphony orchestra and I want to hear and feel the music across the entire spectrum life brings our hearts when we open to it. 🌻🫶🌻
Hey Dan - I love your example of how our own self care is relational to the care of a child. I've used the acronym HALT to similarly reflect on my own needs. Am I hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? What do I need in order to address this yearning? Instead of chasing or escaping?
How beautiful that you are recognizing that desire to Run! and instead, sit with the uncomfortable feelings. I appreciate the identification of what grief feels like in the body and how disconnecting from the story is paramount to staying present with the body. I really enjoyed your reflection, thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing and offering such a beautiful example, Dan. For me, too, it really comes down to the basics. And, as you say, the essence of those hasn’t changed much over the years.
For me, for right now, I feel good in my body by trusting it wants me to slow down. Yoga always drops me back into my body in ways that feel necessary. Lately, though, I’m having days where all I can muster is legs up the wall. Laying inverted, flush to the floor, feels like the best kind of support right now.
If laying on the floor with your legs against the wall is what your body is asking for, or even if that's all you can give it, it's a really powerful gift you're giving it. Anything that involves lying down in rest can feel like such luxury and the most radical form of self care sometimes!
Thank you for that @Esther Nagle It does feel like radical permission sometimes
Love that, Allison. And I found myself exhaling, even just imagining legs up the wall. ❤️
I am new to figuring out what feels good in my body. I know exercise feels good, but I haven’t settled on what type is best. I know writing and meditating feel good, so I try to do these activities daily. While all of these things feel good, I don’t look forward to them the same way I look forward to having a drink, eating and falling asleep on my couch at the end of the day. So most nights, but not all, especially since finding this space, I give into the momentary relief. Which leaves me wondering when things will shift for me. When does craving what is good for you happen?
Such a beautiful, honest share, Josaline. And such a beautiful, honest question. ❤️
Also, I think the answer differs for everyone. Personally, I find that the more I notice and name what feels truly, deeply nourishing for my body and mind - especially in the moment, when I’m actually experiencing it - the more I move towards (and crave) that place naturally and act to prioritize and protect it.
As I've grown older, I've become more and more aware that good health is not an accident, it's intrinsically linked to how I'm living. I've got quite a collection of daily rituals and habits these days that support my wellbeing. I practice yoga every morning, I try to get outside and walk at some point every day, ideally somewhere with some views or nature, but sometimes just a stroll around the block in my lunch break. I've dropped lots of things from my diet including alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and processed food. I say no a lot more to work and social invitations, and reserve my yeses for the things that actually nourish me. And I'm currently trialing a digital detox (no screens after 5pm or before 9am) - so far I am loving the spaciousness it creates....
I love all that, Vicki. I’m looking forward to hearing how your digital detox goes!
I swim Masters 3 days a week and take a weight class after two of those days. This morning I rose at 5:30 to drive though a Snowstorm but it was worth how I feel now.
So inspiring, Molly. Although I don’t swim often, there’s something about it that exhausts my body (in a good way) while bringing peace to my mind.
I am one who has long identified as living in my head, so getting out of it and into my body has been such an integral part of my recovery and well-being.
I commit to walking every day-regardless of weather. Do I make it EVERY day? No. But if I only aim for twice a week, then maybe I'll only walk one day. If I am for 7 days, then I usually get in 5. And Sometimes, like lately, as I am recovering from a mental health crisis, I have upped my meds, and walking in nature is one of my meds.
One practical way I make my walking happen while working at my conventional job at a library is to pack hiking shoes and all the gear I need for that season, albeit rain coat, umbrella, warm beanie, gloves, winter coat, sun hat, etc. in my trunk (and in my purse, deodorant, ha. That is more for my corkers ;) ) and I walk during my lunch hour.
I ascribe to that saying "there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing"
I also lean into yoga as an every day practice-sometimes it is a simple ten minute morning stretch or an evening wind down before bed and others it is more of a 30 minute work up a sweat and work out my feelings kind of yoga. I am not good at making it to classes or want to spend money, so I love free yoga on YouTube. Yoga with Adriene has been a favorite for over a decade and recently I have discovered Charlie Follows. Yoga with Tim may be more comfortable for dudes but I have learned a lot from his as well, including my first days of meditation, especially his video on Loving Kindness.
Thanks for the prompt and pop-up, though I am a lil late to the party. :D
Walking is my best medicine too! I just scheduled a post for tomorrow about that very topic, how lovely to finish doing that then come here and see your comment. Walking started for me after my brother's death in 2005, and it's been keeping me (relatively) sane ever since. Even through the worst of times, and even when I've barely had the energy to walk to the end of the street. If I can get out and walk for any part of the day, I generally feel better (multiplied a thousandfold if I can get somewhere remote, beautiful and very green or blue!)
Yoga too has been a life changer for me. I lost my way with my practice somewhat in the last couple of years, but I'm getting back there, looking forward to a full day of yoga with my teacher training teacher on Saturday!
I love that walking is your sanity-relatively-keeper too! I also prefer somewhere more remote or beautiful but am a fan of finding beauty where I am. And often that’s yup, just walking around the block and noticing the neighbors trees, rose bushes and now, Christmas lights !
I’m working on a post on this topic-Finding Beauty Where You Are.
Thank you for sharing, Rosemary! Walking and yoga are such beautiful, powerful medicine.
Yes! That shift from the head into living more in the body has been an absolutely crucial part of healing and recovery for me, after years of living with an autoimmune disease, driven largely by a dysregulated nervous system. Walking and yoga are my daily go-tos too ❤
They're a great combination aren't they?
I love this prompt, Dana.
For me, it's moving my body in a way that feels fun—I oscillate between dance, muay thai, and strength training as my base, also basing my movement on my cycle has been life-changing. I've more recently been adding some stretches before bed (mostly in bed while reading) and that's been feeling good.
Eating nourishing (and enough) food is really important for me, although I've been struggling there lately. I've come back to the goal of cooking more at home and will be leaning into that in the coming weeks because I can feel how sluggish my body is feeling based on the foods I've been eating. I'm excited to get back into a routine of cooking and getting the nutrients I need to feel my best.
And lastly, getting enough sleep is crucial. Now that it's cool here in Pai I've been sleeping a lot more which feels great! Winding down with a book rather than a show or my phone helps, too. I don't rush getting up in the morning and luckily I get to wake up without an alarm (other than the furry alarm that sometimes wants to go outside early).
Oh YES to good quality sleep Kaitlyn.... the magic elixir of life 😀 It affects every aspect of my wellbeing. A good night's sleep can be the difference between living in heaven and living in hell!
I totally agree!! Don't mess with my sleep 😆
All this sounds so yummy. I LOVE to dance. My favorite is just cranking the volume up on my ear buds to its loudest (I know, not good for the hearing, but...) and just dancing like I am at a club but no one is watching-because I am home alone and no one is. :D Such a fun little mood booster! Hello, healthy dopamine.
YASSS I'm right there with you, Rosemary! I'll take the damage to the ears hahah. When I was a club goer, the loud music was my favourite part and you could usually find me right next to the speaker 😆 now home alone dance parties are my favourite too 🤭
That all sounds so nourishing, Kaitlyn. I’d love to hear about your experience with muay thai sometime. There’s a local place down the block that seems pretty intense. I’d love to try but only if there’s an option to do everything except actually get kicked and hit. 😂
I loooove it! But it is pretty intense. I only go when I know my body can handle it because it's a good 2 hour session and high on the cardio side. With that being said my gym is good with knowing how far to push me and it's a good practice of pushing myself past where my mind thinks my limits are—super empowering. The noises you hear emanating from the gym feel more intense than it actually is hahah.
It's like a meditation for me. There's a flow state essence and a rhythm to it that connects mind, body, spirit in a way I would've never expected. I feel like it's offered me a window into Thai culture that I also didn't expect.
I will say, the muay thai community is some of the kindest and most welcoming people ever. They'll start simply. I've been practicing for a few years and I still don't often spar with others (so no chance of getting kicked and hit). Most of my sessions are bag work and training with the trainers holding pads for me. I would 100% recommend it. Reach out if you have any questions! I love chatting about it.
That sounds amazing, Kaitlyn. Thank you for sharing!
I should also add that just listening to my body is huge. I used to override the signals, and now I trust what she tells me and give her what she needs moment to moment.
So huge. ❤️
For me, it's getting to bed at a regular time so I can read, stretching and getting outside daily, not drinking alcohol, drinking a lot of water, taking Vegan Omega 3 and Vitamin D, using a sunrise alarm clock so I can wake up slowly and leave my phone out of the bedroom and eating in ways that help me eat regularly and nutritiously. For me, this looks like eating the same breakfast everyday, having limited lunch options and having trusted favourites for tea, whilst trusting my partner with some new ideas. Oh, and always wearing sunscreen!
Oh I have wondered about getting one of those sunrise alarm clocks Becky. I'm in the process of trying to banish screens from my bedroom... perhaps I need to put one of these on my Xmas wishlist? 🤔
Wait….there really is a thing called a “sunrise alarm clock?”! I’m a chucklehead - Becky I thought that you meant you were just rising when the sun came up. Ok, now I’ve got to check this out ; )
I have a Lumie one and I really like it. I get seasonal depression and I was really struggling with getting out of bed in a morning and it has been a real help. Not having my phone in the room has been a big plus. I feel like I'm sleeping better.
Looking it up right now! 😀
While all great....my fave would be your sunrise alarm clock ; ) now, if we could just teach these Thai roosters that simple routine - because one seems to start randomly around 3am these days
😂 Oh no, a 3am wake up call is no fun!
The cats and I love the roosters!
Love those, Becky! I, too, crave routine - including eating the same nourishing foods on repeat. I think that’s my version of “comfort eating.”
Thank you, Dana. Yes, I need routine so much. I find there is nothing worse than it getting to lunchtime and I don't know what I'm having! I get so frustrated and agitated and that's when I eat something like super noodles or, on a really bad day, a packet of crisps. I'm not good at thinking on the spot. I definitely need my routine!
I mimic my grandfather's habits simply because I've found they work best for me too. He was a real old-school, working-class northern Englishman, who was the epitome of simplicity and strength. Throughout his life, and well into his older years, he lifted iron weights, liked his boxing, walked everywhere, and sustained himself on variations of beef and potatoes.
He'd walk to the butcher to have his steaks freshly cut on the spot--unadulterated, high-quality, local beef, probably from just up the road. His health and longevity had nothing to do with technology, fads, or modern superfoods. He didn't believe in taking medicine for anything and even brushed his teeth with a liquorice stick. Granted, he was as stubborn as an ox but strong like one too.
While I do enjoy some modern luxuries like the internet and an electric toothbrush, I've found that sticking to old-school, unrefined food and simple, strength-building exercise habits makes me feel my best. If it worked for my grandfather and generations before him, then it works for me.
Love this pic in my head that you've painted of your grandfather - and while my Italian uncle can give an ol' Englishman a run for his money in the arena of stubborn - I can also picture my uncle's butcher shop being the one your g-dad regularly visited. Amen to 'simplicity and strength" and beef from up the road.
😂
I love this, Adam. I can relate to the simple habits being most effective. I think (as modern humans) we tend to over complicate things when they could actually be much simpler. Like the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it." A lot of the times I've tried new approaches I end up coming back to the basics anyway. 🤣
I love all that so much, Adam. The simple, foundational things really do change everything.
Sattvic living, so walking in nature, bare feet on earth, slowing down, taking time, eating fresh unprocessed food, lots of those soft dates stuffed with ghee work well for my constitution 💕
Dates stuffed with ghee are so amazing! A great ojas... vitality builder.
Ooh yes to bare feet on the earth Lucy! I wear shoes a lot less since moving to New Zealand... here you sometimes even see people in the supermarket with no shoes 😄
ooh, yes, walking barefoot is literally grounding-love it. I think people forget or just were never aware of this free, accessible thing we can do to ground ourselves. I just now have a ritual of washing my feet before climbing into bed at night, ha
This all sounds wonderful, Lucy. 🖤
That all sounds deeply nourishing, Lucy. And dates stuffed with ghee sound amazing.
Great idea! I always say: community is what keeping me sober, be it AA, SMART, or anything. I wish everyone courage to stay sober.
Dancing right here with ya
Thank you for being here! For me, too, community is huge. I’ll add your substack to the list for when I next update SoberStack™: https://danaleighlyons.substack.com/p/sober-substack-addiction-recovery-sobriety
Wow! Thank you. I would really appreciate it! 🙏
I have an indoor bike trainer attached to Zwifting, a virtual biking community. I will ride through the imaginary landscape listening to philosophical or spiritual/dharma talks. Feeds body and soul.
Nize!
That sounds like a lot of fun! Biking really freaks me out on roads so this sounds like a really great alternative.
That sounds amazing.