Putting My Oxygen Mask on First

Now, that we have finally had a few nice days, it’s time to enjoy one of the best things about summer – the Farmers’ Market.

1. FRESH – Remember when your food had a scent and was flavorful and colorful? Food from the farmers’ market will remind you of the food from your childhood. Most food at the farmers’ market was ripened in the field and brought directly to you. As a result, it tastes better and is more nutritious. It also looks and smells more appealing.
2. EAT WITH THE SEASONS – In Chinese medicine, we believe it is important to live in synch with the seasons which includes eating for the seasons. If you eat food that grows locally in season, you are eating foods that keep you in harmony with your environment and supports your health. Selecting food at the farmers’ market will also give you access to a greater variety of colors and flavors than at the grocery store – today at the farmers’ market, I saw purple cauliflower and three different types of cherries grown locally.
3. ENVIRONMENT – Purchasing your food at the farmers’ market is better for the environment. Our food travels an average of over 1,000 miles to get to us. Have you noticed that even cucumbers and peppers are wrapped in plastic at the grocery store? Purchasing locally cuts down on fuel usage and packaging.
4. SMALL FARMERS – Support local farmers by purchasing food directly from them. It is difficult for small farmers to compete with the factory farms. Selling their produce locally helps them get a better return on their produce.

“I get so busy sometimes chasing the extraordinary moments that I don’t pay attention to the ordinary moments – the moments that if taken away I would miss more than anything.” Brené Brown in her Netflix special “The Call to Courage”.

When I was watching Brené Brown’s Netflix special this weekend, this statement stopped me in my tracks and I had to listen to it a few more times. I’ve had some beautiful extraordinary moments recently – and they get addicting. This was a wake up call to remember to be present with the beautiful ordinary moments as well – because that is what makes up our lives and what we miss the most when it changes.

Nate and Zoe turn 18 on Wednesday and will be moving forward with their lives (away from home) this fall. Since I know some of the ordinary moments will be ending for me, I can focus on being present and fully experiencing them as they happen. The moments like walking to CVS to feed Zoe’s chocolate fix, listening to Nate and Zoe argue about something that they are actually in agreement on but just aren’t listening closely enough to catch it, driving them to Howard Auto to pick up the Buick after yet another repair, Nate excitedly sharing what he learned from a podcast, another rainy softball game.

It reminds me of the question Muneeb Ali asks himself “When I’m old, how much would I be willing to pay to travel back in time and relive the moment that I’m experiencing right now?” That question always reminds me of the value of the little things.

After some gorgeous sunny days with birds and butterflies, I had settled into spring. I struggled with the wind and hail on Wednesday and now SNOW accumulation today. This weather is a teacher – and since global warming is real and I live in Chicago – it is time for me to pull up a chair and learn my lesson. I continue to struggle with causing myself suffering by resisting what is – when my resistance is futile.

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After some conversations with clients, I noticed that usually when we use the word “should” it’s not very empowering. “I should” or “you should” seems to be negative. We are typically using it to berate or shame ourselves (or someone else) for not living up to a standard – it implies we are not OK as we are. Or we are using it to limit ourselves or others – it seems to imply there is just one right way or right answer. As a parent, I want to start questioning my motives anytime I say something to my kids that starts with “You should” – what is my intention? Am I imposing my own limiting beliefs on them? Am I trying to shame them? Am I trying to get them to be something I want them to be instead of the wonderful beings they are?

Last week when I was hiking in Indiana, I felt a strong need for grounding. It was warm out, so I took off my hiking boots. It felt so good that I wanted to hike barefoot – and immediately I thought “I shouldn’t”.  But when I questioned that assumption, I realized my only reason was because that’s not what people do – everyone else was wearing boots or shoes and I didn’t want to get muddy/dirty. So I hiked barefoot through the paths – mud and all, and it was glorious. Yes, my feet and socks got muddy, but guess what? The mud washed off! I had to go through the same mental exercise when I wanted to lay down on the ground without a blanket.

One of my clients shared that she would always feel badly after the weekend because there was a list of things she “should” have done. Instead of beating herself up for not getting her “shoulds” done over the weekends, she created a new framework for herself. She had goals about being more creative, active and fun – so she set goals to do one creative thing, one physical activity and something fun. She focuses on accomplishing that goal instead of a lot of “shoulds” and reports she is much happier.

The next time you hear the word “should” come out of your mouth, take a minute to reflect. Are you about to limit or shame yourself or others?  If so, it’s a great opportunity to treat yourself with more compassion or to examine your limiting beliefs.

I’ve been obsessed with rituals lately. I view them as rituals vs routines because of the intent I associate with them. To me, routines are habits we perform mindlessly. Routines can be tedious. Rituals are performed with awareness and meaning. Consistent rituals provide rhythm to our daily life and give us stability when things get rough. They anchor us to our true selves.

Morning rituals

My obsession started with my morning ritual. I want to start my day intentionally, in a way that supports my goals. Previously I had been grabbing my phone to check Facebook when I first woke up, which meant that more often than not, my day was hijacked by whatever inanity Trump had tweeted overnight. To take back my mornings, I instituted my morning ritual – thinking of 2-3 things for which I’m grateful, meditating, reading for 5 minutes, drinking a glass of water with apple cider vinegar, making my bed, and practicing Lisa Nichols’ mirror exercise – (see minutes 2:45). I’ve modified it over time – I’m no longer doing Lisa’s mirror exercise or making my bed, but I’ve added morning pages. It sets the tone for my day, clears my mind, and keeps me focused on my priorities.

Family rituals

We have family rituals for how we connect and celebrate together…like the first person to see a spring flower winning a “cake”, beignets and burpees on the beach birthday bash, making homemade pasta and pesto on Christmas Eve, volunteering at the Misericordia bakery during the holiday season, winter jigsaw puzzles, summer morning sunrise adventures in pajamas, singing Sana, Sana Colita de Rana song when sick and when schedules allow, electronic free family dinners.

Other rituals

I’ve also established rituals in other areas of my life. I have a ritual for starting my day at work – I meditate, pray and review the intentions I’ve written for the type of experience I’d like every client to have. I have a ritual for therapy as well – starting therapy with a cup of tea, ending it with a meditation, going for a walk in the woods to integrate, process and crystallize, and then journaling about anything that came up during therapy and/or my walk. I also have made it a regular practice to go for a walk in the forest daily – I vary my route but always check in at the bridge and with one specific, special tree – which allows me to closely observe the changes in season. These rituals help me live more mindfully.

Bedtime rituals

Fortunately for me, I have an easy time falling asleep, so my bedtime ritual is pretty simple. I turn off electronics, tell the kids goodnight (occasionally beg them to tuck me in), read for a little while, and think about 2-3 things that happened that day for which I’m grateful.

If you have any difficulty falling asleep, a robust bedtime ritual can be a lifesaver. If you have kids (or were a kid), you know that parents establish a bedtime ritual to ease kids into falling asleep. It may include changing into comfy pajamas, dimming the lights, taking a bath, reading a book, singing a lullaby, listening to music, saying prayers, and/or rocking. We don’t sit kids in front of screens and fill them with caffeine and sugar and then expect they’ll fall asleep. But at some point, we seem to expect that we no longer need a bedtime ritual to prepare us for sleep. Consider establishing a bedtime routine to help you fall asleep more quickly and soundly – drink an herbal tea, take an Epsom salt bath, do some gentle stretching or yoga poses, meditate, read a paper book (not on electronics), listen to soft music, and/or diffuse lavender. Try different things and figure out what works best for you.

I have asked health gurus from my amazing network to share their bedtime rituals and best sleep tips. I will be sharing them on Facebook and Instagram throughout April. Check the posts to get ideas for what might work best for you.

My perfectionism (and my ego) is impacting my relationships. It prevents me from just BEING THERE and CREATING SPACE FOR MY PEEPS TO BE. It makes things about ME instead of them. Shouldn’t I have grown past the “world revolves around me” stage by now?

My son was recently in a program to address how his perfectionist tendencies have created anxiety that at times is crippling for him. continue reading »

My daughter and I saw Glennon Doyle speak at the People’s Church of Chicago on Friday night. She dropped many gems, but one in particular stuck with me. She talked about knowing your easy buttons vs your reset buttons – so that you make better choices.  Glennon defines easy buttons as those things you do to avoid your hot loneliness that take you away from yourself. Reset buttons are the things that bring you back to yourself. continue reading »

Our own physical body possesses a wisdom which we who inhabit the body lack. We give it orders which make no sense. Henry Miller

We’ve all heard the saying “gut feeling”, “makes my heart sing”, “got cold feet”, ‘feel it in my bones”, “leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth”. These are all ways our language reflect the wisdom that comes from our body.

The first time I remember someone specifically coaching me on listening to my body was my life coach Alexis Robin (check her out at pLink Leadership). She told me to pay attention to how my body responds to a situation – do my upper back and neck muscles tighten up or am I relaxed? That tip has been life changing for me…it’s even part of my story about how I came to be an acupuncturist. continue reading »