Do Nothing

The Morning Muse:
To me Sundays are about relaxation, restoration, and readying. RELAXATION is an important part of the day because you are giving yourself permission to be in the moment, to be present, and to enjoy THE ART OF DOING NOTHING. In today's society, we are constantly being stimulated, whether that stimulation comes from outside forces, like the media, car horns or huge billboards, or from inside ourselves, like when we lose ourselves in mental to-do lists, fixate on the future, or create drama just to feel intensity. But constant stimulation has its cost. It wreaks havoc on our minds and our bodies. Have you ever felt like you couldn't turn off the mental chatter about how to prepare for an upcoming event? Do past conversations run on a loop in your mind? Do you feel wound up? Or, are you so tired all the time that it is a chore to get yourself out of bed every morning? These are just some examples of what over-stimulation can do to the mind and body. If we can simply take the time to wind down, at least one day a week, we gift ourselves a scheduled time to RESTORE from the past few days and READY ourselves for the next few. I do it on Sundays. I do it in many different ways, I may do it at extra times during the week, but I make sure to always do it on Sundays. I cherish that time that I schedule for ME! So, what do I do.... NOTHING (well, that can be misleading...I do whatever feels like nothing, like no effort, like quiet, like peacefulness, like calm). Examples include, taking a nap in the middle of the day, sitting on the beach and watching the waves, getting a massage, taking a bubble bath, meditating or doing breathing exercises, getting a manicure and pedicure, or sometimes I'll do an art project that simply involves coloring or doodling. So, today I am setting my intention to relax, rejuvenate and ready myself for next week!

P.S. Yesterday I set my intention to get a phone call that would advance my career and one of my clients called me and offered a testimonial on the power of my words... it doesn't get much better than that!

Gratitude Reviews:
1. Today I want to give special thanks to my sister. She is an extremely talented graphic designer and is diligently working on my website, even as I am typing. I am grateful for her creativity and talent, as well as her friendship.
2. I am grateful for good food! I'll tell anyone who is interested that I love eating, but the truth is that I love eating good food. I am grateful that I get to experience bursts of flavor and intense satisfaction each time I have a good meal, like last night's sushi dinner. I am so appreciative that I have food on my plate every day, but I have to express my extra appreciation when that food is prepared well. So, thank you to my sushi chef last night!
3. I am so grateful for whoever invented hair clips, hair ties, scarfs, and head bands. I have so much hair. It hangs down way lower than my shoulder blades and it often seems to be everywhere around me. That's why I love anything that can control my hair, keep it out of my face, and still make me look cute. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for hair accessories.

Daily Musings:
Here's a tip for the day...

Catch yourself at random times throughout the day and notice your breathing patterns. Are you breathing really shallow? Are you holding your breath? Are you breathing from your chest instead of your diaphragm? In those moments that you catch yourself, take 7 deep breaths from your belly. Belly breathing is how we breathe when we are most relaxed, it is how babies breathe.

Belly Breathing:

When you breathe in, make sure you breathe into your belly.
Watch your belly expand (not your chest).
You can put your hand on your belly and notice as your hand moves outward with your inhalation.

When you breathe out, make sure you breathe out from your belly.
Watch your belly contract.
Notice as your hand moves inward with your exhalation.

*Repeat 7 times*

Have a great day and experience THE ART OF DOING NOTHING!