wellness

3 Ways to Master the Art of De-Escalation

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, whether in personal relationships, professional settings, or even casual encounters. But how you handle conflicts can make all the difference in resolving issues and maintaining harmony in your relationships. 

That’s why it is vital to develop and employ healthy techniques for de-escalating conflicts in a constructive and beneficial manner. 

Let’s explore some effective de-escalation techniques that can help diffuse conflicts and pave the way for peaceful resolutions.

Resolve the Conflict as Early as Possible

While it may be tempting to brush off small issues, doing so can make conflicts increasingly more challenging to resolve in the long run.

Long-term conflicts can be more difficult to resolve over time and can linger between you and the other people involved. But proactively addressing this conflict at the earliest stage possible can prevent it from escalating further. 

Identify and Understand the Goal

One crucial step in de-escalating conflict is identifying the goal and outcome you wish to achieve. You can set the stage for productive communication and problem-solving by taking the time to reflect.

Consider asking yourself, “How will I know this conflict is resolved?” This question can help you think about ways you can resolve the conflict by apologizing or trying to understand where the other person is coming from.

This approach will allow you to seek common ground and work towards a resolution that benefits everyone.

Promote Understanding and Open Dialogue

While you have your own side of events when conflict happens, acknowledging the other person’s point of view can help toward a resolution.

Fostering open communication and active listening is key to de-escalating conflict. You can bring empathy and understanding into the conversation to make each person feel heard. After all, everyone has their own side of the story.

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How to Deal With Feeling Overwhelmed

Feeling overwhelmed? Take a deep breath, remind yourself you’re okay, and this feeling will pass. 

When anxiety strikes, it can feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of fog and fear. But don’t forget – you’re not alone! 

Take a moment to pause and take care of yourself by stepping back and approaching your things from a different angle. 

Here are three steps to help you get back on track and gain control. 

Step 1: Step Away and Take a Deep Breath

When life feels overwhelming, it can help you step away from the source of your stress and focus on your breathing for a few moments.Deep breathing can help you reset and refocus on the present moment to tackle the tasks ahead with a clearer head.

So, create some distance from your busy life with deep breathing exercises to increase relaxation and reduce tension. 

Step 2: Reprioritize By Creating a ​​”No” List

It’s ok to say no! You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. To protect your time and space, you can create a ‘no’ list and stick to it! 

By removing anything that doesn’t align with your wants or needs, you can step out of overwhelm and take care of your mental, emotional and physical health. Reprioritizing your to-do list and setting healthy boundaries for yourself can help you feel more in control of your schedule.  

Step 3: Remember to Celebrate Your Wins

Sometimes it’s helpful to take a step back and appreciate all you have accomplished. It’s a great reminder of how far you have come!

Even if you’ve taken a small baby step toward your goals, it’s still progress. Acknowledging your hard work and appreciating yourself in the process can help you stay focused on the bigger picture! So, take the time to appreciate the little things and treat yourself because you’re worth it!

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3 Techniques to Master Intense Emotions

Are you feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions that seem to linger? 

Many of us struggle to find effective ways to manage our emotions, particularly when they become too powerful to ignore. But by engaging in certain processes, we can interrupt the cycle of distress and move toward healthier emotional responses. 

In this blog post, we will explore the importance of understanding our emotions and how to assess and respond to them in a healthy way. Read on to learn more!

Don’t Avoid Your Emotions

You may be used to pushing away emotions or avoiding them altogether, but it’s essential to take a moment to notice them as they arise. 

Observing the sensations that come up as part of this experience can be helpful. Doing so can help break the cycle of avoidance that can make these reactions even more intense. 

Acknowledging the humanness of your responses can help you better understand the message these reactions are sending. 

Practice Compassion 

It can be easy to slip into the habit of criticizing yourself when your emotions are intense and difficult to manage. However, it’s important to remember to practice self-compassion in these moments. 

Instead of getting angry and frustrated with yourself, try to be empathic and understanding. Speak kindly to yourself, and acknowledge the difficult emotions you are experiencing. 

You can say things like, “I’m feeling overwhelmed right now,” or “It’s hard to be calm right now.” These phrases help validate your experience and make it easier to cope with your emotions. 

Connect with What Matters Most

When you feel strong emotions, it can be tempting to get swept away in them and forget what really matters. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Instead, use your emotions to connect to what’s important to you, and it will help you determine how you want to respond to the situation. Do you want to stay connected with the person you are interacting with? Do you want to take on a new challenge? Do we want to replenish your resources so that you can do something else important later?  

Doing this will help you make decisions that align with your values and bring you closer to your heart’s desires. 

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The First Lady of the Flute Interview

We hope you enjoy this interview with Jen Champion and Mary Youngblood, The First Lady of the Flute.

Mary is an accomplished Native American Flute Player and a two-time Grammy Award Winner.

Mary has over 200 flutes and plays them for her enjoyment and healing and for celebrations, ceremonies, festivals, and the healing arts.

Playing and listening to the flute is beneficial for the health of the player and the listener in enhancing deep breathing and reducing stress.

You Can Listen To The Full Interview Here

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The Power of Music

Have you ever felt the power of music? 

Music has long been known to bring joy and wellness to those who listen. It can soothe, energize, and inspire you by lifting your spirits and bringing you inner peace and harmony. 

From the calming effects of classical music to the energy of rap and hip-hop, music can create a special connection. 

Music Lowers Stress

Listening to calming music has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels. It can help to relax the mind and body, allowing us to cope better with difficult emotions. Music can also act as a distraction from worries and help increase well-being.

Music evokes positive emotions and can help lift your spirits and make you feel better by distracting you from negative thoughts, allowing you to focus on the positive.

Music Helps in Building Connections

At its core, music is about storytelling and conveying emotion. 

Through music, we can learn from each other, open up to new perspectives, and create a stronger sense of community. 

It can help you express yourself and share your stories in a way that can be healing and empowering –  as it creates a sense of belonging.

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3 Steps to Self-Love: Embrace the Joy of Self-Dating

Are you ready to embark on an empowering journey of self-love? 

Taking the time to date yourself is a beautiful way to get to know your true self and unlock your highest potential. And as you start this journey of self-love, you’ll find yourself becoming more and more confident.

So, forget society’s stigma around being single – take time for yourself and experience the amazing things that come with it.

Remember, for anyone else to love you, you’ve got to love yourself first. 

If you are still thinking about taking the plunge and starting to date yourself, here are 3 ways to embrace self-dating and find the confidence you deserve. 

Indulge in Some Self-Care 

Taking the time to indulge in self-care can help you stay healthy, reduce stress, and feel more connected to yourself. 

So, take some time out to show yourself some love.

 Plan a Date Night With Yourself 

Treat yourself to a solo date night every now and then! 

Taking yourself out on a date is a great way to practice self-love and self-care. It allows you to reconnect with yourself and your needs and desires without any distractions. 

So set aside a specific day and time for your date, just like you would with someone else. Put it in the calendar and make sure to follow through. 

Let yourself indulge in whatever activity you feel like, whether it’s going to the movies, indulging in a spa day, trying a new restaurant, or just staying in and watching your favorite show.   

This will also help to bring a stronger and more confident version of yourself into the dating scene.

Treat Yourself With Love And Kindness

Being kind to yourself is often easier said than done, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for your mental health. 

Instead of beating yourself up for your missteps, try to focus on the positive and be compassionate with yourself. 

Talk to yourself in the same way you would talk to a best friend, and don’t be afraid to give yourself a break. Self-compassion and love can help you stay motivated, reduce feelings of helplessness, and ultimately lead to better mental health. 

Remember that every day is Valentine’s day if you love yourself. So instead of feeling valued on just this one day, let’s make every day a day to celebrate love.

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How to Care For Your Physical Health to Improve Mental Well-Being

By: Hailey Sullivan

There’s a misconception that physical and mental health are two separate things, requiring different needs and methods of care to achieve wellness. However, the two are actually closely linked. Physical activity has a considerable positive impact on mental health in various ways. This study notes that individuals who would regularly partake in physical activity had lower rates of morbidity, spent less time in hospitals, and had reduced the impact of various psychiatric disorders. Physical health was shown to be related to better moods and a better quality of life overall.

You can start caring for your overall well-being by changing bad habits and making gradual, positive changes. This article will discuss various ways to improve your physical health to achieve mental wellness:

Improve sitting posture

Correcting your posture may not always be an immediate concern for you, but doing so can make all the difference. These data points reveal that workers stay seated for roughly 42.7% of the workday. Given that many spend around a third of their day at work, it’s vital that you transition to a healthier working lifestyle, lest you worsen your physical condition. Ergonomic office chairs are one of the best investments for your posture, helping ease back, neck, and shoulder pains. Ergonomic chairs, such as those listed in this article, provide special lumbar support that adjusts and conforms to your body to give the right structure you need. Try finding a chair that keeps you comfortable and doesn’t put too much strain on your body or one that can evenly distribute your weight and align your spine to prevent pain later on.

Good posture can help minimize aches and pains, preventing the development of physical ailments and complications. Try to regularly check how you’re sitting and adjust yourself accordingly, or stand up and walk now and then to lessen your time spent sitting. Maintaining good posture through an active lifestyle can also boost endorphins, the hormone released by your body when doing pleasurable activities, which prevents strain. Keeping your body in its best state does the same for your mental health.

Ride a bike

Biking accomplishes all kinds of things at once—it’s an enjoyable way to get to where you need to go while improving your physical and mental health. It’s also an effective workout that doesn’t have to stress out your joints or body too much, and you have the added benefit of gaining strength and preventing health complications. A stronger body means less time in hospitals or feeling sick; without the emotional and financial burden of those things, your mental health can flourish.

Different kinds of cycling can also benefit your mind in different ways. Mountain biking can help improve your concentration and mindfulness when navigating tricky terrain, and road cycling can offer a smoother and more exciting ride that boosts your mood. Even if you’re just looking to get from point A to point B, your overall well-being can still benefit from this good exercise, especially when you’re outside or immersed in nature. This guide for finding the best bicycle notes that there are many types that can suit your needs. Aim to find a bike that can work across many terrains and is easy to maneuver. Keep it simple if you’re a beginner, and go for lightweight, durable options.

Get a massage

Massages are essential for relieving bodily pain that conditions or injuries can sometimes cause, but they can also provide healing for a stressed-out mind. Experiencing a physical ailment can dampen your quality of life and worsen your mood. Undergoing massage therapy can help you take your mind off of the anxiety as your body’s aches are alleviated. Even if you don’t have a physical condition, you can still benefit from stress relief as massages produce feelings of caring, comfort, and connection. Read our post for more ways massage therapy can improve your physical and mental well-being.

There are many ways to care for your physical health, and there’s no right or wrong way to go about it as long as you’re getting it done. Keeping a consistent exercise routine or changing habits to support your body’s needs can greatly help improve your mental health. You’ll feel much better, and it will show inside and out.

Attitude, Action, and Abundance

By: Jen Champion 

“Affluence, unboundedness, and abundance are our natural states. We need only to restore the memory of what we already know.” ~ Deepak Chopra

Close your eyes. Focus on what abundance looks like to you. Is it an overflowing number of friends, money, and travel opportunities?

Does it contain a new car, a promotion, or better care of your current possessions, health, and family?

Our ideas of abundance can differ through our stages of life, but understanding and practicing how to live an abundant life remains the same.

We are gifted joy and fulfillment when born, and we must stay acquainted with attitudes and actions illuminating the journey. Our attitudes and actions are shaped by our experiences along the way. Areas in the path may remain easy to access, and some will get cluttered and need to be redesigned and redirected for a well-maintained passage to joy, the treasure in our hearts.

To help us along the way, here are a few questions to consider and affirmations to practice. May you have patience and ease in your journey to the wellspring of joy in your heart, the source of your abundance.

Eliminate words and actions that demean your self-worth. What words can you remove that devalue you and others? Affirmation: I live in abundance.

Do not compare yourself with others. Do you worry about what others think of you?  Affirmation: I am secure with my self-esteem. I live in abundance.

Make time to pause and rest when you don’t have enough endurance to fulfill something. Know your capacity and be honest without feeling guilty.Affirmation: I take time to rest so I can do my best. I am secure with my self-esteem. I live in abundance.

Replenish your wellspring of vitality. Do not deplete it with attitudes and actions that steal your glory. What unhealthy habits can you remove from yourself? What fulfills you? Affirmation: I am filled with good health and joy. I take time to rest so I can do my best. I am secure with my self-esteem. I live in abundance.

Practice Reciprocity; taking something and giving something.

Where do you feel you have an abundance of something? Can you offer a compliment or thank you more often?

Affirmation: I will share and serve. I am filled with good health and joy. I take time to rest so I can do my best.

I am secure with my self-esteem. I live in abundance. Focus, intention, and visualization convince our brains that we will achieve our goal, creating a greater chance of success in the action. Scientific research confirms that affirmations, visualizations, and meditations help us change our brain’s patterns, as the brain does not distinguish between an action and a visualization.

The practice of seeing is believing changes the neuroplasticity of our brains. They grow and adapt to our experiences.

Over time, we can reshape the grooves of our brains and create new neurons and connections in ways that support the whole self and the manifestation of abundance. We can explore beyond our current consciousness and expand our unconscious in this space.

As our joy and abundance grow, we connect deeper with ourselves, our families, our workplaces, and our community. Our collective consciousness and actions raise and empower each other. We restore and rejuvenate, and limitations and feelings of depletion dissipate.

We are gifts of nature with an inherent joyful spirit connected with all creation. Daily routines aligned with attitudes and actions of gratitude and joy reveal our treasure in the heart.

Once we remember the resource of our wellsprings, we will live with more ease and grace. With the brilliance of every human, caring for each other and our planet, we have the potential to end the wars and restore our sweet mother earth.

May this visualization practice deepen our affirmations and manifest transformation.

Affirmations:  I will share and serve. I am filled with good health and joy. I am taking time to rest so I can do my best. I am secure with my self-esteem. I live in abundance.

Get into a comfortable position where you will not be disturbed. Rest your eyes. Go through these phrases:

I am aware of my body and breath at this moment.

I am relaxing and feel safe.

My affirmation strengthens my intention.

I have a mental picture of my goal. I see myself in the experience.

I know this scene in detail. My environment is safe and full of opportunities to live this goal.

I engage my senses as deeply as possible. Repeat affirmation. Open to feeling abundant in your whole body.

Rest in this space as long as you can and embrace your abundance.

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How To Handle Stress Around The Holidays

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The holidays can bring feelings of stress and overwhelm to the surface. 

It’s no secret that the holidays are a busy time for many, especially when juggling holiday shopping, family plans, and personal feelings.

But to navigate through this season, you can remind yourself of what matters most. Here are some ways we can de-stress and slow down. 

Prioritize Your Needs

You may be rushing to complete a long list of things on our holiday to-do list. But the key to balancing your list and your well-being is to prioritize. 

If you feel too much is on your plate, you can cut down on tasks. You don’t have to put pressure on yourself if it takes away from your needs. 

It’s a good time to ask a loved one for help or adjust your expectations if you are doing too much. 

Share Tasks With Others

As much as you may want to plan and execute your ideas for the holidays, you don’t have to do it alone. 

Sharing in the load of the holiday errands can make it easier on you in the long run. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with loved ones and spend more time together. 

You can lean on those around you if you need help

Shift Perspective

It can help us think about what we have on stressful days leading up to the holidays. 

Practicing gratitude during the holidays can put things into perspective. 

It can be a grounding reminder for when you need it most. 

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A Recipe That Will Make You Say MMM

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By: Jen Champion 

Are you looking for a gift for yourself or someone you care for? One that is free and accessible to everyone? A gift that keeps giving through a lifetime.

I have a recipe to help manage your mind, mood, and manners. It may be the gift we all need to help ease our way through the holiday season and year.

We are gifts of nature. We are born gifted. We have a brilliant body to work with, infused with love, light, and unlimited potential.

As we maintain our brilliance, we can shine our light, reflect on others, and mirror others for personal and all of humanity’s upliftment.

Let’s visit my pantry and gather ingredients to replenish ourselves with a sweet and savory recipe.

Ingredient 1 Breath Awareness to help manage your mind

For the best results, learn and practice the technique when you are not stressed. Be patient without judgment. Enjoy those bonus gifts.

The Practice

Go to a location where you will not be disturbed. Settle into a comfortable position.

Pretend your mind has a radio dial, and you tune it to a quiet frequency. It will be out of tune and fuzzy now and again, so you will have to adjust it as often as needed. Once you have dialed in, invite your mind’s awareness to focus on the opening of your nostrils. Feel the air moving in and out.

Without forcing, encourage your inhale and exhale to lengthen to help bring more awareness to your body. Feel your body respond to your breathing. Place one hand over your heart and one on your belly. Feel your body respond to your breathing and touch.

Find comfort in the sensations of your breath. Without forcing, invite the following qualities of breath into your awareness. Smooth, Deep, Even, Continuous, Quiet. Rest and Receive as long as you are able. Carry the practice and effects/effects as you move through your day.

Ingredient 2 Movement to help manage your mood

Movement is a natural mood medicine. Movement, especially in a community, helps create a sense of belonging and trust.

For thousands of years, brilliant bodies have been moving. Often in communities due to nomadic lifestyles and foraging for food.

Ceremonies and celebrations include movement in every culture across the world. I enjoy reading, referencing, and listening to the Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal.

She shares history, culture, and compelling stories on the magnificence of movement.

Many of us do twisting and forward folding multiple times during our day. When done with awareness and intention, as in a yoga practice, twists can restore balance in the nervous system. Spinal rotations also reduce physical, mental, and emotional tensions and provide flexibility in the spine and hips. They strengthen the body’s core, stabilization, and energetic center.

Forward folds flavor a practice by tuning out the chatter and static of the mind and deepening presence in the moment. 

Move in ways that feel comfortable and stable. If unsure, consult someone to determine if these shapes are for you.

The Practice – Seated and Knee Down Twist with Bolster

The Bolster Belly Hug is a restorative version that you can do on your bed or floor.
Use a yoga bolster or firm pillows/folded blankets.
Sit alongside the bolster with your thigh and hip in contact with it.
Turn your torso toward the bolster with one hand on each side.
Focus on your breathing and lower your torso onto the bolster.
Turn your head in the direction of your knees.
Focus on breathing, relax, and rest for 2-5 minutes.
Repeat this on your other side.

Forward Folds can be practiced with the support of a chair. The seated version offers a broadening and lengthening to the back. The standing versions include stretching and release from the heels to the crown of the head. The middle picture demonstrates knees bent for a safer entry point.



Legs up the Wall
supports fresh, oxygenated blood to flow to the upper extremities and stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluid.


The lymphatic filter and breaks down bacteria and other potentially harmful cells. It helps reduce aching muscles, swelling in feet, ankles, and legs.

One can settle more easily in the rest and digest parasympathetic nervous system.

Place a folded blanket beside the wall for your back and a rolled towel near where your neck will land.
Sit with your right hip next to the wall.

Tune your mind to breathing and body awareness.

Activate your core muscles and adjust your body to ease your roll onto your right side. Continue until you are on your back. Get comfortable and rest with your knees bent and feet on the wall in front of you.

If all is well, begin to straighten your legs up the wall.

Tune your mind to breathing and body awareness.

You may have to adjust the distance between you and the wall to help you feel at ease in the pose.

Leg shapes are optional. Relax and rest for 5-10 minutes.

Ingredient 3 Kindness to manage your manners

Once we have found the proper measurements for our breathing and movements, we sprinkle in kindness.

The sweet act of kindness comes from pure joy.
Be kind to yourself and notice how your acts of kindness grow towards others.

Being an example is the best way to encourage others to feel good. We can all offer positive and uplifting experiences that contribute to a world with gratitude. 

The Practice – Circle of Joy Hug with Smile


Stand or sit in a stable and comfortable position. Bring awareness to your breath and body.
Smile. Inhale, and bring your palms together towards your sternum.
Exhale, interlace your fingers and stretch through the finger webs and wrists as you press down and forward.
Lift your arms to where you are comfortable and release the interlace of the fingers if needed.
Exhale, and release your arms out and down to your sides.
Inhale and wingspan arms.
Exhale and fold your arms in a Hug of Appreciation.
Keep smiling.
Inhale and wingspan arms.
Exhale and fold your arms in a Hug of Appreciation with the other arm on top.
Inhale and wingspan arms.
Close with palms together and a smile.

Now you have ingredients for managing your mind, mood, and manners. Blend well and enjoy. Your recipe is fresh, rich, and nourishing every time you indulge.

Savor the layers of experiences that arise. May you find calm and peace with mindful breathing. Elevate your mood with breath awareness, movements, smiles, and hugs. May your manners reflect your inner peace and joy from kindness. It is best when enjoyed with others.

MMM Good!

May this season of sharing and giving include self-care and appreciation for the gifts from within. Thank you for being a brilliant gift of nature.

Traditions

By Amalia Trieger

What role do traditions play in your life? 

Like planting my grandpa’s favorite flowers every spring, or making a wreath in the winter as my grandma used to do, traditions can help us remember people who’ve gone before, and to honor their legacy. They don’t have to be serious to be meaningful. Passing on silly sayings through the generations, or enjoying a slice of cake to mark a birthday help us keep memories alive, and can be nostalgic, comforting, and familiar. 

As we roll into the winter months, we enter a time that’s rich in celebration, but holiday traditions aren’t always a source of comfort and joy. If we aspire to be thoughtful and compassionate towards others, it’s worth considering the ways in which traditions may also be painful, or in need of an upgrade. 

If you are newly sober and the holiday office party or the family gathering revolves around wine, it can be deeply uncomfortable or even impossible to attend. For many families, the added expense of shopping for holiday gifts puts strain on a budget already stretched thin. Ads depicting large gatherings around tables laden with food can feel ostracizing to those who don’t have families to go to, or who have difficult family dynamics. Many people will be grieving the loss of loved ones or continuing to stay isolated to protect medically fragile or immunocompromised friends and family, and the ongoing pandemic makes travel more challenging, even for those who can afford it. Some folks grew up within religious traditions that don’t accept their adult identities, leaving them without the structure of celebrating in the community. If the holidays are a lonely time for you, know that you aren’t alone. 

If you’ve ever wished for rituals to mark important events in your life, or in the yearly cycle, that felt more inclusive, welcoming, or simply fit better, here is a template for crafting a tradition that uplifts and centers the things that are important to you. Take out a pen, or open your computer, and write down whatever comes to mind in response to these prompts.

Step 1. Ask yourself what needs you’d like to meet with this tradition.

Do you need to grieve, to celebrate, to be playful, to receive an acknowledgement, to ask questions, to share bounty, to reflect? 

Step 2. Go way back.

Even if you never met them, it may be worth looking into your personal family history to discover what traditions have been practiced in the place your grandparents (or great great great grandparents) grew up. Some of these may be religious, and some secular. You might be surprised by what you find. There is also an opportunity for healing here. Generational trauma lives in our bodies, and creating ways to process that inherited trauma through ritual and ceremony can be profound. Knowing what we want to address with our traditions may be informed by things that happened in the past, but the echoes of which are alive today. 

Step 3. What support or companionship would you like?

You may want to share this new tradition with friends, family, or the wider community. Consider the energy of young people, the camaraderie in a group of people with shared experience, the perspective of wise elders, or, if solitude is what you need, maybe this tradition is one you do by yourself. Step 4. What are some tangible ways you can mark the occasion? 

This step is where creativity comes in. It can be as simple as lighting a candle, wearing a favorite piece of clothing, or planting a seed, and as elaborate as decorating an altar, organizing a singalong, hiking a challenging trail, or making a five-course meal. 

Step 4. Look to the natural world. 

In wisdom traditions and cultures around the globe, humans have celebrated the changing of the seasons and found ways to bring the beauty of nature into their artwork, ceremonies, and daily lives. In winter, if we take our cues from the shorter days, we may find a yearning to spend more time in silence, resting, reading, or listening. While a consumerist culture encourages ramping up, over-socializing and spending money, the rhythm of the season shows us another possibility. Tune in to the landscape that surrounds you by looking out the window and watching the light change, or taking a walk. Read nature-inspired poetry, or write some of your own! If you have access to outside space, collect colorful leaves, harvest wildflowers, pine boughs, seashells, interesting rocks, or whatever is to be found (without decimating your neighbor’s garden, of course).

Step 5. Balance inspiration with humility.

You might find ideas from other cultures that you’d like to incorporate into your tradition. 

It’s important to first ask whether the people whose culture you’re appreciating have been marginalized, harmed, or prevented from practicing the very same thing you’d like to do. Choosing to make our own traditions means we can be mindful of where power imbalances lie, and we can create meaningful celebrations that feed our desire for connection and comfort without appropriation or upholding structures of oppression. 

If the list feels overwhelming, boil it down to these three things that activist and minister Kathleen McTigue looks for in any ritual or practice: Intention, attention, and repetition. Why are you doing what you’re doing, are you paying attention as you do it, and is it something you’ll do again and again? 

Wherever this season has in store for you, remember that if you’ve been longing for new traditions, it’s very likely that others have to. Knowing that you’re in good company, trust your intuition, don’t be afraid to make things up, and share what you discover.

Appreciating the Little Things

We all have our own unique set of items, people or experiences that bring us joy. 

Some experience joy from drinking a cup of coffee, discovering a new book or taking a daily walk.

No matter the activity – if it makes you happy, you should continue doing it.

Whenever you find yourself feeling stressed, focusing on what brings you joy can help transform your mindset. 

Appreciate Your Routine

Most of us thrive on routine. Finding a routine that makes you feel happy, relaxed and at ease is something to be grateful for.

For example, it’s very common for people to start the day with a cup of coffee or tea.

Yes, you may love the taste of your morning beverage, but you also may find comfort in the ritual. 

It can take months or even years to land on a morning or night routine that makes you happy.

 If you have found one you love – celebrate that. 

Celebrate Problem-Solving

Even though we may not always realize it, we face and solve problems on a daily basis.

Discovering a new route home that avoids heavy traffic or learning how to navigate a confusing tool for work are both great examples of daily problem-solving. 

Whenever you navigate an obstacle (big or small), you should be proud that you have the skill set to tackle it. 

Practice Social Mindfulness

Mindfulness can help you find joy in your everyday life. 

But contrary to popular belief, mindfulness isn’t always found through meditation or going on a nature walk. 

You can attain mindfulness socially too. Appreciating your interactions with family, friends are peers falls under the umbrella of social mindfulness.

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