New month. February. I can’t believe we are one month into the new year already! It feels like yesterday I was starting the blog again- December 31, I committed to myself and to my future readers that I would take on this year and share all that I have learned during my wellness journey. I also committed to myself that I would begin to write the book that I always knew was inside me. Well, maybe not always…have I told you that story yet? I just looked back in the blogs, I realized I have not told you that story…here goes.

Ella and I were relaxing on the beach at Lake George, in Bolton Landing. It was the summer when she was seven, so 2019. Little did we know our lives were about to change along with everyone else’s! I was lamenting about this idea for a book which kept coming up in my head. The thought that kept surfacing was very intently telling me to write a book. However, my inner critic kept reminding me I couldn’t. My inner critic can be very bitchy at times, and at that moment on the beach, the self doubt that she was inflicting was truly powerful. Then, my little seven year old glanced over at me and said, “Momma, I know you can write this book because I know it here” (and she pointed to her heart), then she pointed at my heart and asked me “doesn’t your heart know it too?”. OMG. Be still my heart.

So, I’ve dabbled since then. Fits and starts. Asked some authors for advice. Fought off my inner critic. Now, I am on a path. I have goals. Writing almost daily, researching my topics. Writing this blog here. I am becoming more and more excited about the work and know (in my heart) it will be successful. Please, please, give me feedback and suggestions. Feedback is truly a gift. I will take any and all advice!

I thoroughly enjoyed the blogging in January- sharing all of the natural ways to bring peace and fulfillment back into our lives. I enjoyed researching, reading and writing about nature and all of its wonderful cures. At the same time, while Jason and Ella are hitting the slopes, I have taken the time to go on very long walks, near the Farmington River adjacent to our home. The walks are sometimes accompanied by my friend, other times by an audio book, but either way, I enjoy some sun on my face (if it is not cloudy of course!), some fresh cold air and some pretty sore muscles! I am not one to mosey- if I am going to go for a walk, then doggone it, I am going to WALK!

In this new month, I wanted to share more about the start of my wellness journey and how instrumental meditation and relaxation has been to the initial and ongoing healing process. Let me first start out by saying that relaxation is not something I am inherently good at. In fact, I might be the opposite of good at it. I will go, go, go until I drop. I tend to not be able to sit still. My body wants to keep moving and my mind wants to keep doing and creating. February’s blogs will focus on how to slow down, relax and breathe.

The start of my wellness journey really began when I “hurt” my neck in early spring of 2019. As I was couch ridden, resting my neck and back for a number of weeks, I had time to think about the levels of stress I was experiencing at home and at work, and I had a lot of time to read. Articles, magazines, books, webpages. I was driven to read about decreasing inflammation, reducing stress and living a more calm and relaxed life. However, being driven and competitive, I knew that changing my career choice was not going to be an option. I had to think about how to continue the difficult work of being a Nurse Executive, at the same time a parent, a partner, a small business owner all wrapped up together with being a more healthy person who knows her boundaries, takes times to rest when she needs to and incorporates daily rituals that help to reduce the chronic, negative effects of stress.

I turned to a number of books early on that I shared with you in the suggested reading list this week and in upcoming weeks. One of them was entitled Stress Less, Accomplish More. This book by Emily Fletcher is about her method of meditation called the Ziva Method. She created it after ruining her body and mind while stressing over her career as a ballerina. She quit her day job, spent some time in India, and BAM- came up with a technique that is relatable and feels really good, once you commit. I ended up taking Emily’s online program on meditation and I was hooked. Committing to 20 minutes, two times daily of her meditation technique is hard, but once you do and once you create the habit you won’t go back.

Side note. I have gone back to not meditating, at times. Then time passes and I pick it up again. I feel best when I meditate first thing in the morning, after peeing (of course), but before coffee, talking or phone scrolling. I use a variety of methods, sometimes guided meditations, sometimes I just sit and breathe. I read about meditation A LOT. I learn from others. It is definitely a journey, but one that I enjoy being on.

Initially, I did not feel anything from meditating. Then slowly, I realized that the stress of everyday life was impacting me in a different way. Instead of reacting, my normal mode, I was taking breaths throughout the day and thinking about situations differently. I found that I was not as emotional, didn’t have fired up emotional responses to stressful things at work. I also didn’t feel any pain. The inflammation in my back, neck and shoulders releases when I release the stress, so I felt better overall.

I also found that when I am not meditating, the pain in my back, neck and shoulders returns. I become more irritable and don’t feel well. Funny how that works, right?

Isn’t that reason enough to spend 10-20 minutes a day meditating? So, my daily self care practice includes meditating. Sometimes I do it in the morning, sometimes I post a sign on my office door at work that says “Shhhh…. I am meditating”, sometimes I meditate right before bed. I squeeze in little doses, 5-10 minutes wherever I can. Sometimes I do the entire body relaxation technique where I am flat on the floor or couch, really getting a full body relaxing session. Other times, I meditate standing up, waiting in line, sitting in the chair at my desk, or even in that traditional pose of the yogi. It really doesn’t matter my body position. What matters is getting to the relaxed state and allowing your brain to go into deeper waves of brain activity so that your brain and body can relish in the good feeling! Physiologically, there is some evidence that demonstrates that short, regular periods of meditation or mindfulness increases immune functions, lowers inflammation, decreases sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous activity and allows for an increase in melatonin and serotonin in the blood stream, contributing to the feeling of well being and restfulness.

But wait! That is not all! Evidence shows us that there are more benefits to meditation including greater observational awareness, more refined sensory perception, elevated mood, greater clarity in the present moment, increased self reflection and decreased reactivity to daily stress. (Dr Michael Baime from the UPENN Program for Stress Management). Meditation and mindfulness when paired with deep breathing also has increased physiological effects. More on that in a later blog on breathing!

In order to truly understand how all these wonderful affects can occur from simply sitting, breathing deeply and allowing the mind to observe itself, we need to understand how stress impacts the body and the flow of information throughout the body. We will get into that in the next blog! You may be amazed by all of the different bodily functions and systems which become involved in the stress reaction. Stay Tuned!

Be well,

Teresa

References and Additional Reading Resources:

Stress Less, Accomplish More. Meditation for Extraordinary Performance, Emily Fletcher

www.zivameditation.com

www.mindful.org/michael-baime-on-stress-management/

Davidson, et al (2003). Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65 (4), 564-570.

Real Happiness. The Power of Meditation, Sharon Salzburg

The 6 Phase Meditation Method, Vishen Lakhiani

Sound Medicine, Kulreet Chaudary, MD

Bliss More. How to Succeed in Meditation, Light Watkins

Love Yourself like your Life Depends on it, Kamal Ravikant