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sleep is a mystery - 2 ways to help fall asleep and stay asleep

Sleep can be the thing we want most and also the thing we just can’t seem to bring ourselves to achieve. When we are super busy, feeling anxious, low, worried, or when those self-critical thoughts about our day just won’t stop, sleep can be beyond elusive

Body scan to calm the body and mind It can feel incredibly challenging to slow down our thoughts at the end of the day, and to find a sense of calm. Our bodies and minds are part of the same whole, and when our minds are busy, our bodies are not relaxed. Sleep can feel difficult when we are in this space of arousal.

Add a body scan to your nightly routine, as a way to calm your body and mind. Start at your feet and work your way up your body, gently paying attention to each part. As any thoughts of the day work their way into your mind, simply redirect your attention to your body. This is an easy way to decompress and ease your way into sleep. 

  1. Remember the reason why you are calling lights out It is totally valid to crave time to ourselves after the end of a grueling day. This may be watching our favorite TV show, listening to a motivating podcast, seeing friends, doing some insta scrolling. Unfortunately, these methods of unwinding often creep into the time we need for rest and recovery.

    If we don't remember the WHY when it's time to say goodbye and start our nighttime routine, we may feel resentful, frustrated, or simply avoid bedtime altogether. It's important to remind yourself that the reason you are setting limits is because of true self-care, self-respect, and self-compassion.

    Remembering that good sleep hygiene is a major sign of self-love is a pretty great motivator to get into bed at a time that feels right for you.

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CATASTROPHIZING + COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS WTF - 3 simple ways to combat a catastrophic thought

Cognitive distortions are negative, irrational thoughts that can impact our feelings, choices, relationships, and behaviors. These thoughts can occur without us being consciously aware, and can lead to us engaging in our lives in a way that doesn’t accurately represent ourselves.

Catastrophizing is a type of negative, irrational thought that can influence how we feel, behave, and interact with others in our everyday lives. These irrational thoughts are called cognitive distortions, and one of the most common distortions is catastrophizing. 

Catastrophizing is anticipating the worst-case scenario in any given situation. When we are operating in a space of anxious, low, and black-and-white thinking, we can interpret a manageable situation as a total catastrophe.  

These types of thoughts can surface at any time, to anyone, however, when we are feeling anxious, vulnerable, or low, these thoughts may become more frequent and feel more difficult to challenge. You absolutely have the power to recognize, engage with, and change these types of thoughts. 

Here are 3 simple ways to combat a catastrophic thought. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness Stress Reduction show us proven ways to engage with these types of thoughts, to bring us back to the present. 

  • Socratic challenge. Ask yourself about the evidence for this catastrophic belief. Is there enough? If there isn't, challenge this thought and bring yourself back to your present. 

  • Body scan for grounding. When we are in a space of anxiety, we often become detached from ourselves and our reality. Do a quick body scan for grounding, start at your feet and work your way up. Remind yourself of your strength, value, and worth. 

  • The BFF check. Ask yourself what you would tell your friend who was in a similar scenario. Chances are you would talk them off the ledge and remind them of their options and their value. Be your own best friend in this scenario.

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CAPITALISM AND OUR BODIES + BODY LIBERATION MEDITATION

Misogynistic diet culture's promise to bring happiness with weight loss fuels a power dynamic

I am loving Virgie Tovar's essay in the 2018 vol 1 Many Moon's WorkbookYour Body is a Metaphor for the Cosmos! She also includes a meditation which is seriously amazing.

One of the more frequent conversations I have with my clients is around body image, worthiness, value, and desirability.

Challenging and subverting the pervasive ageist, racist, sizeist, sexist, ableist, show-your-strength-through-dieting-and-restriction, definition of desirability is not easy. We've internalized these messages our entire lives, and deconstructing and understanding this for each of us individually takes time. 

Misogynistic diet culture's promise to bring happiness with weight loss fuels a power dynamic in which food becomes our enemy, our greatest temptation, the thing keeping us from living our lives. It's up to us to prioritize body liberation in our lives and to fight the oppressive narrative we live in.

This is an unfair burden, and it can be tiring and can feel sad to do this type of work. It requires strength and stamina, but we absolutely can reclaim our bodies and our experience of beauty. We ask ourselves, “who is making money from this self-critical thought?” Let's support each other in this fight! 

Here is Virgie’s meditation:

“There’s a mindfulness/grounding practice I love that reconnects us to our body through touch and gratitude. You’ll need anywhere from 5 – 30 minutes, your favorite oil (I recommend rose oil for its heart-healing properties), and a quiet place. You can sit down or lie down for this practice, and I recommend either being naked or wearing only underwear. Cover your hands in oil. You can start anywhere on your body that you’d like or—if you prefer direction—start at your head. Try to touch every part of yourself: face, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, belly, thighs, calves, and feet. Say a small gratitude to each part. (“Thank you, feet, for carrying me. Thank you, hands, for letting me write letters to my favorite humans.”) Pay special attention to the parts of yourself you have a difficult time loving or accepting. When you reach those emotional spots on your body, spend extra time touching and massaging that part of you. In addition to offering a small gratitude, repeat to yourself: “This part of me is beautiful. This part of me makes me whole.” Familiarize yourself with the terrain of your skin, scars, lumps, bumps, treasured nooks, and even well-tread territory. Let yourself feel whatever comes up—delight, grief, wonder, anger. Our bodies hold all of this, and some parts of us hold more memories than others.

End with five deep breaths. As you breathe in and out, revel in the alchemical duality of your body as both something vast and infinitesimal. Revel in the fact that the elements that comprise your body are the same elements that comprise the planet and the worlds beyond.”

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