For Love and Wanderlust

Whew! After a three month hiatus I am finally back!

Let’s be honest, here – LIFE GETS CRAZY. My ever so good intention of writing weekly quickly became a monthly thing – then, it became nonexistent. I can make all the excuses – law school was too much; teacher training took all my time; work was busy; I needed me time. But the real excuse? I didn’t prioritize my goals and stick with my intentions. I’ll own it.

It’s never easy admitting that you failed yourself. But, self-reflection can be incredibly humbling. In starting this blog, I wanted to carve out some time for myself to just let my thoughts flow. It worked well when I made the time, but as soon as life got a little busier, I completely let go of the carved out me time and got swept up in the daily struggles.

The month of May has always been a new and fresh start for me. Spring is in full bloom, school is winding down, and my birthday is the first day of May. Talk about renewing energy. Now that I am embarking on my 25th trip around the Sun I’ve decided to really focus on being present.

Recently, I completed my 200 RYT certification – yay! And if I learned anything throughout this ten week training it was that being present is really the greatest gift you can give to yourself and others. But, being present isn’t always our easiest choice. It is so simple to get caught up in deadlines, what-ifs, and what is next. It is consistently reinforced that booked calendars and busy lives are what we should strive for but is that really all there is? Absolutely not! Being present doesn’t mean you can’t have it all – it simply means to take little moments to recognize yourself, what you have, and just to provide yourself with a little self-care.

Here are a few of my tips and tricks for being present in your daily lives:

Breathe. Taking a breath sounds so incredibly simple, yet when was the last time you noticed your breath? Have you been on auto-pilot for so long that you’ve forgotten what taking a breath for yourself is like? I challenge you to take notice of your breath. Where is it shallow? Where is it filling the space in your chest? Does it come to you with ease or is it a struggle?

Try nice, deep inhales and exhales through the nose – this breath naturally releases anxiety and draws in relaxation. Do this a few times, over and over. I come to this breath when things are maybe a little more intense than I’d like and it helps in calming me and allows me to refocus.

Slow down. This might seem like an easy one but in our society everything is so fast-paced and immediate. Realize that you need a moment for yourself. Whether that is a quick walk away from your desk, a run outside, or even just a moment to catch your thoughts, do it. Take the time throughout your day to care for yourself.

Go tech free. With the daily hustle and bustle of our lives, it is important to remain connected, both physically and virtually. But when we’re constantly surrounded by technology it is so difficult to step back and unplug. One thing Christopher and I have always done is go tech free on our dinner dates. We sit down, put our phones away and just be with one another. Again, this sounds like something so simple but next time you’re out to eat, take a scan of the crown and just notice how many people are on their phones. I think you’ll be surprised at your findings. Next time you’re out with friends, family, your s/o give this tip a try.

Now, these tips are not the end all be all to being present. There is so much more you can do but I challenge you to incorporate these three tricks into your daily lives and take notice of what changes.

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life” – William Morris