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Organic Tea - Why Make Time?

Posted by Sonya on Aug 27th 2018

Like many women, I tend to put my children, my work, and everyone else's needs ahead of my own self care. Recently, I've realized how that has affected me - and my ability to care for others. I'd always thought of self-care as time-consuming tasks such as going for a massage or out to lunch with friends. While those are great things to do for yourself, it's often challenging to make time for them when you're busy with a never-ending to-do list. As part of our Mindful Monday series, we really want to focus on quick and easy tips and reminders for self-care. So, today we're talking about how taking a short pause in your afternoon to make and sip a cup of organic tea can offer many benefits. Mindful Organic Tea Routine The simple routine of intentionally pouring fresh filtered water into your kettle, bringing it to a simmer, and selecting your cup and tea can bring your presence the moment. Set your to-do list to the side for this brief break. Don't worry, it'll still be waiting for you when your break is done. ? Sit all day? Simply getting up out of your chair to prepare your tea will help your circulation. Want an extra circulatory boost? Simply do a few lunges, squats, and/or stretches while waiting for that kettle to simmer! Make it a Moment Don't just take your cup of organic tea back to your desk or daily routine. Make enjoying it a moment. Take your cup to a quiet corner – add some fresh flowers and a nutritious snack to make it more indulgent. Just be. Be mindful of the moment; pay attention to the steam coming off your cup, the color of your tea, the flavor... I love to take mine outside to the porch or deck and listen to nature while I sip. Benefits Spend most of your day staring at screens? This break gives your eyes a much-needed rest. Run around tackling errands and tasks all day? Settle into a cozy corner and open a book of poetry or artwork. Pausing to immerse yourself and reflect on the beauty found in these works while you sip your tea is a great way to inspire creativity in your daily life. Is your day filled with solitary work and/or young children? Take your 15 minutes to call a friend and catch up. That feeling of connection, even if it can't be in person, can really go a long way toward supporting your mental health. While it's sometimes hard to pause what we're doing, taking that tea break has actually been shown to help improve your productivity and creativity for the rest of the day. Studies have shown that the simple act of pausing your day to have a cup of tea may lead to a sustained improvement in mood and well-being and it'll aid in hydration too! In the comments below, share where you enjoy your afternoon tea and what kind of organic tea you prefer!

Practicing Gratitude - Mindful Mondays

Posted by Sonya on Aug 20th 2018

When life gets busy and overwhelming, it can often be hard to keep a balanced perspective. Developing and sustaining a practice of gratitude can help you keep an even keel when life does hand you lemons (or, occasionally, throws them at you like a game of dodgeball ?). Coping with Life's Lemons I first realized the power of a daily gratitude practice during an intensely overwhelming period in my life. Ending my day by writing down, either on paper or a social media post, 5 things that I was grateful for that day truly was my saving grace. Particularly on days that I didn't think I could handle one minute more of the chaos, pain, exhaustion, and uncertainty of the time. I vividly remember one day when I was *really* struggling to find those five different things. I didn't want to use any I'd previously written down. Suddenly I remembered the shampoo bottle slipping from my hands and hitting my toe in the shower that morning. I'm all about minimizing the use of plastics, but at that moment I chuckled as I realized I was grateful my shampoo wasn't in a glass bottle. My gratitude practice fell to the side after I got through that period. Another challenging season arose a couple years later and renewing my gratitude practice kept me afloat, reminding me of many reasons to smile. Over time it was easier to remember that these challenges are just temporary hurdles in life. Alas, I've let that gratitude practice slip again. Life isn't overwhelming now, thank goodness. However, I've realized that, when I'm practicing gratitude, life just has a bit more joy and ease. So I'm challenging myself to renew my own practice - because finding balance and joy in my busy life is well worth a few minutes of daily focus. How Others Find Joy and Balance Talking to some friends about gratitude recently I learned that we each had embraced this practice for at least one phase in our lives, though we had all used different methods: writing daily in a formal gratitude journal counting as many blessings as possible during each shower beginning the day at the breakfast table with each family member sharing one thing they were grateful for And finally, the fourth method, which resonated with me deeply. This friend keeps a large glass jar on her counter and writes down those things she's grateful for on little strips of paper whenever the thoughts pop into her head. During the course of the year, that jar fills up and is both a visual guide to the wealth of good in her life and a resource. Whenever she's struggling, she'll spend some time with that jar – pulling out the slips of paper and letting her mind drift to the sweetness in her life rather than the lemons life has handed her that currently seem so sour. And you? I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite, refreshing and inspiring videos on gratitude, but before I do, please share in the comments below if, and how, you sustain your own practice of gratitude.

Buddy Walk - Mindful Mondays

Posted by Pam Davis on Jul 16th 2018

Buddy Walk - I could not have made it through my kids teen years without my friend Joanne. One day at a kid's sporting event she gently suggested that maybe I would like to join her for a walk. What I thought was going to become an exercise routine, turned into something so much more. It became my sacred time as a mom to center myself and work through whatever I was struggling with at the moment. I would like to share what I learned and encourage you to do the same. First of all choose this friend wisely! Find a Good Listener - Find a person who is willing to listen Upbeat Positive Person - I can’t emphasize this enough, the goal is not for you to take on the other person’s problems, but, to uplift each other so that you both feel rejuvenated after the walk. Similar Interests Trustworthy - someone that you can confide in without fear of telling others Choose a Great Location Choose an area in town that allows you to connect with nature. Preferably somewhere that is not super crowded that you will get interrupted. Start Slowly Let it build organically, so that you start to crave it as opposed to adding another “to do” to your list Commit to 3x a week 1/2 hour at a time Weather - agree to go out in all kinds of weather (it adds to the mindfulness as you go through rain and snowdrifts) No Electronics agree to put the cell phones aside so that you can be focused on your walk and your time together Pet Optional Let your dogs in on the action. Warning: side effect may include toned legs. Share with a buddy that you think would make the perfect walking partner.

Mindful Mondays: Get Outside!

Posted by Sonya on Jul 2nd 2018

Welcome to Mindful Mondays! Every Monday we're going to be sharing quick tips and reminders that focus on your self-care. Today, get outside - into your own backyard or a local park. Take 10 minutes to quickly ground yourself and simply be present. Some suggestions once you're out there: Kick off your shoes and lay on the ground: feel the grass between your toes and notice the firmness and stability of the earth below you. Pay attention to where your body is connecting to the ground and the sensation of the sun warming your skin. Look up at the sky and let your mind focus on the clouds. What images can you find in their formations? Close your eyes focus your attention on the sounds surrounding you. Do you hear birds singing? Children playing? The wind rustling the leaves in the trees? Take some deep, centering breaths and draw your focus to your sense of smell. What scents waft your way? Freshly cut grass, roses around the corner, a distant bbq, damp earth from a nearby sprinkler? Roll over, open your eyes and watch the miniature world of insects. Marvel at their tiny industrious lives. Take a few more deep breaths and stretch as you get back to your feet. Hopefully this quick break brought you a sense of peace and rejuvenation.

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