Episode 292: Self-Care Practices to Align, Connect & Prosper

Dive into the heart of self-care with Episode 292 of the WBNL Podcast. Co-hosts, Matt Emerson & Jan O'Brien, uncover the transformative power of prioritizing your well-being to not only enhance your own life but to enrich the lives of those around you. From the essentials of conscious nutrition and hydration to the soul-soothing practices of meditation and sound healing, this episode is your guide to embracing self-care as a fundamental tool for stress reduction, improved health, and increased productivity. Discover the key to work-life balance through a morning routine that sets the tone for success and explore a variety of self-care strategies designed to elevate your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Join us on a journey to self-love and prosperity through the art of self-care.

Visit WBNL Coaching Resources for more mindset & inspiration tools. 

We are living in chaotic times!

Extreme weather, natural disasters

Data shows extreme weather and climate-related disasters have increased dramatically over the past 20 years. From 2000 to 2019, there were 6,681 such events, up from 3,656 in the previous 20 years, reflecting an 83% increase. This includes major floods, severe storms, droughts, wildfires, and heatwaves (Yale E360)

https://e360.yale.edu/digest/extreme-weather-events-have-increased-significantly-in-the-last-20-years

Solar flares and recent geomagnetic storms are strong enough to cause auroras, visible as far south as Florida in the U.S. and other locations worldwide.

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has recently warned about significant solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from highly active sunspot regions, such as AR3664. These sunspots have grown in size and complexity, increasing solar flare probabilities (Space Weather Prediction Center) (Space.com).

This heightened solar activity has resulted in a series of geomagnetic storms, with recent forecasts indicating severe (G4) storm conditions, which could disrupt satellite communications, navigation systems like GPS, and even power grids (Space Weather Prediction Center) (SpaceWeatherLive.com). Moreover, these geomagnetic storms are strong enough to cause auroras, which have been visible as far south as Alabama and Northern California in the U.S. and other unusual locations worldwide (Wikipedia).

The impacts of these storms can be widespread, affecting various technologies and systems that rely on stable geomagnetic conditions. Industries and services dependent on satellite and radio communications are on heightened alert (SpaceWeatherLive.com).

From the political divisiveness and impending presidential election in the United States to geopolitical issues and global tensions, wars, economic uncertainty, and inflation … a lot is happening on planet Earth!

In today's Episode 292, we want to share some self-care practices to help you align and connect so that you can prosper at all levels.

Self-care is not Selfish!

When you care for yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, you are better prepared to help others (family, friends, clients). 

Self-care will replenish and keep you energized and balanced. Overextending yourself can lead to depletion, resentment, and exhaustion. Recognize your limits and set boundaries. It is okay to say NO! 

Key benefits of self-care include:

• Reducing stress
• Improved physical health
• Better sleep
• Enhanced mental health
• Increased self-esteem and self-love
• Be more productive
• Heightened self-awareness

SELF-CARE PRACTICES

Conscious Nutrition - choose healthier foods that align with you

• Drink more water - stay hydrated
• Reduce or eliminate processed foods

Exercise - move your body daily.

• Take a daily walk (Apple fitness rings, Map My Walk)
• Yoga, stretching, tai chi

Get regular massages!

Grounding

Spending time in nature, such as walking in a forest or park, can help ground and connect you with the Earth, promoting physical and emotional well-being.

• Grounding mats - try https://www.earthandmoons.com/

Meditation

Regular meditation can help clear your mind, reduce stress, and increase frequency.

• Personal affirmations
• Mindfulness practice
• Guided Meditations
• Chakra-balancing meditations

Meditation APPS:

Headspace: This app offers guided meditations, mindfulness practices, and sleep exercises designed to help reduce stress, increase focus, and improve sleep. It is well-loved for its user-friendly interface and scientifically backed meditation techniques.

Calm: Known for its wide range of meditation options, Calm also provides sleep stories, breathing exercises, and relaxing music. It's particularly popular for its sleep assistance features.

Insight Timer: This app boasts an extensive library of free meditations from various community members and professionals. Insight Timer also includes a timer for meditation and tracks your progress.

Other Resources:

• Brain Sync - https://www.brainsync.com/
• Hemi-Sync https://hemi-sync.com/

Breathwork

Box Breathing: This technique involves inhaling, holding the breath, exhaling, and holding again, each for an equal count of four. It is often used for stress management, particularly in high-pressure environments.

4-7-8 Breathing: This method involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. It is particularly effective for falling asleep as it promotes relaxation and calmness.

Alternate Nostril Breathing: This involves closing one nostril and inhaling through the other, then closing the second nostril, opening the first, and exhaling. It is used in yoga to balance energy and align the body and mind.

Apple watch users - try the breathing app!

Journaling

Writing down your thoughts and feelings regularly can help you manage stress, understand personal patterns, and maintain emotional balance.

Practice gratitude

• Start and end your day by writing down what you are grateful for
• Pay it forward
• Acts of kindness

Aromatherapy

Using essential oils through diffusers, in baths, or as part of massage therapy can help reduce stress and improve emotional balance.

Sound Healing and Listening to Higher Frequency Music

Instruments like singing bowls, gongs, or tuning forks produce vibrations that can improve the listener's emotional and spiritual health.

Crystals

Many crystals like quartz, amethyst, or tourmaline can be used for grounding and enhancing energy. 

Reiki and other energy-healing modalities

Reiki is a form of energy healing that involves the transfer of universal energy from the practitioner's palms to the patient. It can be very soothing and help raise your energetic frequency.

Digital and Media Detox

By incorporating regular digital detoxes (periods where you reduce or eliminate your use of digital devices like smartphones, computers, tablets, and news/social media outlets) into your routine, you can enhance your mental and physical health and potentially develop a healthier, more balanced relationship with technology.

A significant benefit to incorporating self-care practices will be improving your

Sleep can significantly enhance your overall health, mood, and cognitive function. 

Start with a MORNING ROUTINE!

Step 1 in the Do the Daily Practice for Work-life Balance

Incorporating self-care practices into your daily or weekly routine can be a holistic approach to enhancing your overall health and spiritual growth. We recommend exploring these practices further to find what resonates best with your needs and preferences.