Fully Exposed

This week it came to me that exhaustion is a sign that we need to take more time for ourselves. I’ve noticed my anxiety and panic the last couple of weeks climbing. When asked what do I do for myself I had a really hard time thinking of those things that I get to do that truly make me happy inside. I believe self care comes in so many different forms. We can take care of ourselves physically by enjoying relaxation with a simple bath soak, massage, yoga class, hard work out etc. But in those times where those things aren’t necessarily what you need or accessible what do you turn too? I’ve discovered I really enjoy editing pictures, drawing, writing. But when I’m really tired I feel lazy and struggle to find what I need. When you are mentally exhausted then you become physically exhausted because your head doesn’t want to motivate you to do anything with your physical body. I always find I get like this in mid winter where I’m tired, everything seems to be a chore and all I love to do is snuggle up, keep warm and do mindless things. I really discovered that I don’t take a lot of time for myself to replenish. Physically and mentally take time off away from the everyday life. I feel like I’m not the only one that feels these mid winter blues. I truly believe planning is essential in helping you survive the long winter months especially when you are one of those people that don’t find pleasure in outdoor activities due to the cold temperatures. I used to enjoy skiing, skating, snow shoeing, ice fishing but all those things don’t interest me as much anymore because I have such a hard time warming up afterwards, it just feels like too much work and not as fun anymore. I need to find new ways to fill my soul with that joy and happiness. I’m going to start scheduling some time off where I can just focus on me, question myself when I want to take on new learning opportunities and see if it’s a good fit in time and what’s happening around me. I tend to be that person that just dives into everything and I know it’s because I like to be busy but this busyness doesn’t seem to jive with my new life anymore. We need to be constantly re evaluating what is going on in our life, how we feel, and does it match what we want out of life. We can change anything at any given moment if we observe and understand what is ultimately important….ME, YOU! Let’s learn to take better care of ourselves, physically, emotionally and spiritually. What does that look like? How does that feel? What do we need to make this happen? Go for it sit down and plan, allow yourself that time to seek pleasure in taking care of you which in turn will help you take care of everyone else in your life. I know I need time to block out the outside world and feed my soul with comfort, relaxation and decrease the busyness. This is essential! What are you doing for yourself mentally, physically and spiritually? When was the last time you actually sat down and thought about it? This weeks picture represents going back to the basics of life as in downward dog for yoga as one of the oldest postures around. We need to reset, ground ourselves and spend some time just breathing and connecting with ourselves. I have always found that downward facing dog is one of those postures where I do feel very grounded and supported both through my hands and feet 🦶 I took this picture myself, got up early before the family woke and spent some time with myself, this is my first naked photo in privacy. I have grown so much, I took three different postures and judged myself so much less than I ever would have before. I am still having some difficulty looking in the mirror but struggling less with the pictures. I’ll keep working at it. I notice more often now during the day when I feel off it’s most often because I woke up critiquing myself in a negative way and every time I glance by a mirror I repeat the same insult. The last couple of weeks I’ve noticed this happening more often so I needed to evaluate what was happening in my life and why I was going there. Set backs are a sign of growth, discovering what you need to ultimately find the peace we all seek so desperately! Take the time to have that intimate conversation with yourself, is there any adjustments that need to be made for your greater happiness in your present life? We can change anything, seek the desire and discover yourself on a more intimate level….such a beautiful thing!

Much Love, Nicole xo