The Intuitive Path Blog

Today's Intuitive Self-Care Tip: Start a Night Me Time Routine

After having shared with you my morning me time routine the other day, I now want to encourage you to establish a night me time routine. It is more of a challenge for me as I am a big time morning person, and better with beginnings than with endings. Maybe it's the same for you? As with anything in life, the day has a start and a finish, and it turns out to be that concluding my day with a routine is as important and enjoyable.

Particularly, when our days are extremely busy and we move from task to task and are moved by ideas over ideas, this is essential. We need to make sure at night that we calm down and allow ourselves to truly restore our energies during sleep. If we go to bed all wired and jittery, it will be much harder to sleep well and wake up well rested. One of the recommendations by experts is therefore to turn of any electronics at least one hour before going to bed. Further, it is suggested to leave electronics out of the bedroom completely. There is a challenge for u always-like-to-be-connected folks :-). It makes sense though as the bedroom should be a serene and calming place.

Anyways, here is what my night me time routine looks like:

• Nighttime prayer
• Writing in my journal 3 things that I am thankful for that happened today
• Read a few minutes in my crime story (believe it or not, that's extremely relaxing for me)
• Read a few more minutes in a spiritual book
• If I still feel a bit wired at this point, I use my lavender body spray to calm me down (it really helps)

I would love to hear from you all what your night me time routine looks like. If you do not have one yet, share with us your journey and your experiments with what works best for you.

Enjoy & have a peaceful sleep!

Today's Intuitive Self-Care Tip: Start a Morning Me Time Routine

"Morning has broken like the first morning..." ~ Cat Stevens

Working from home I have been tempted many times to walk over from my bedroom straight to the office in the morning. Do you know what I am talking about? Especially during peak times it seems the most logical thing to do. Get right to the task when you get up! However, whenever I do this and skip my beloved morning routine, the day just doesn't go as well. I feel that I skipped a very important part of me arriving into the day after several hours of rest. I get overwhelmed much more quickly, and I don't have as much fun and satisfaction with my work. How about you?

Hopefully, you already have a morning me time routine that energizes you and gets you ready to address the tasks of the day with joy and passion. For the ones of you who haven't done it yet and might also be challenged by the "me-time" phrase, think about how enjoyable it would be to have time by yourself in the morning, even if it's 15 minutes. You know by now, I am all about just doing it, just getting started.

So, let me share how I ease into the day:

* Prayer shortly before sunrise - nothing beats the connection with the Supreme Being right when I wake up

* Journaling with a cup of tea - I go with Julie Cameron's idea of the morning pages, just jot down whatever comes to mind: what I dreamed last night, how I would like the day to go, what worries me at the moment...

* Writing affirmations in my journal - my newest addition to the routine which has shown to be quite powerful the other day to calm my mind from anxious thoughts about work!

* 30 minute walk outside - if you are like me, nature does the trick to relax, energize and attune the whole being to the beauty of this world and my life

I would love to hear what my readers do for their morning me time routine. Please share with us so that we can learn from each other! I know that some people enjoy yoga first thing or meditation. We all need to find our intuitive path for what works best for us and speaks the most to our self-care needs.

Enjoy the process and try the first thing that comes to mind tomorrow morning!

Today's Intuitive Self-Care Tip: Every Body Deserves a Massage

I am just going to assume that all of you have enjoyed a professional massage before, and if you haven't, you are overdue! I find massages extremely relaxing and rejuvenating at the same time. They can be a great piece of your regular self-care routine. If you think that you don't have the resources for it, let me convince you otherwise with just some of the benefits of massage therapy (Source: http://www.massagetherapy.com/learnmore/benefits.php):

• Decreased anxiety.
• Enhanced sleep quality.
• Greater energy.
• Improved concentration.
• Increased circulation.
• Reduced fatigue.

I find that particularly as a solo business owner I can use all the self-care I can get :-). If our body is not in great shape, how are we supposed be present with our clients and produce great results in our businesses? This certainly counts for everybody but in particular for us because we are the greatest asset of our business.

If money still comes up as an objective, than let me share some tips for self-care on a shoestring:

1. Barter your services with a massage therapist (just make sure you find a mutually beneficial agreement)
2. See people in training at massage schools so it will cost less
3. Get a half hour instead of an hour - less is better than nothing!

Don't wait, make an appointment for this week, and enjoy!

Today's Intuitive Self-Care Tip: Fall in Love with Fall

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.” George Santayana

As many of you know, I live in the Northeast of the Unites States, and the seasons here are very pronounced. Maybe you are like me: you love the spring and the summer, the fall and the winter aren’t really your favorite seasons ;-). Especially, when I think of the winter, I am getting cold. This year however, I want to walk on a new path and embrace all the seasons for what they offer to us and how living in alignment with those seasons can bring joy, energy and peace of mind. Well, it’s one of these things: If you can’t change it, you might as well accept it and make the best of it. And now, as there are the first signs of fall, I might as well get ready for it.

 

Contemplating fall, there’s lots of good to say about it, and is what came for me:

    ~ Sitting on the porch in the morning under a blanket taking in the crisp air 

        ~ Putting on warmer slippers in the house

            ~ Sleeping well because the nights are cooler again

                ~ Watching the leaves turn into all kinds of beautiful colors

        ~ Picking up the trees’ fruits from apples to beechnuts

            ~ Eating roasted chestnuts as often as possible

                ~ Appreciating the time of harvest

 

As you are working on your fall offers to the world and get ready for the after-summer opportunities, ask yourself what fall offers to you and your well-being:

• What does fall mean to you?

• What are three things you enjoy the most about fall?

• How can you welcome the change of season and make it your own?

• How does it change your work & social schedule?

• What one action can you take today in preparation of fall?

 

Have a productive & enjoyable day!

Today's Intuitive Self-Care Tip: Play / Play / Play

“The beneficial effects of just a little true play can spread through our lives, actually making us more productive and happier in everything we do.”

Stuart Brown in Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul

It's Friday, and the weekend is just around the corner. You might have lots to do, and even consider taking some of the work into the weekend. As solo business owners, we are always tempted to do more. At the same time, phases of rest are essential! So, remember that it's still summertime and such a great time to play outdoors or indoors! If you feel guilty about it already, watch this TED talk with Stuart Brown in which he explains why play is not a distraction from work or real life but rather a vital and revitalizing part of our life: Stuart Brown on TED.

I won't give you all the research on play because I want you to play instead of read about it. If you want to hear more about the research, you can also listen to my podcast on the topic: The Intuitive Path radio show on Play.

Here my questions to trigger your action:

What kind of play do you enjoy? Is it sports, or playing with pen and paper, or with your children?

What did you enjoy when you were a child?

What makes you feel good and forget about time and anything else?

What can you to today and when?

Remember, if it's 15 minutes or an hour, it all counts. Enjoy!

Today's Intuitive Self-Care Tip: Recharge through Nature

It's a beautiful morning here in Connecticut, and my walk in the park inspired today's intuitive self-care tip: to recharge your batteries and restore your energies through nature's healing powers. I know, some of you will say: That's wonderful but I am so busy today, so much on my plate, and I would love to take a walk in the park but there is no way I have time for this. Well, hear me out - even if it's 5 minutes that you take to go outside, it will do something good for you. If you can stretch it to more than that, even better!

So, take as much time as you can "sacrifice", ideally 20 minutes, and go to a local park or another green place like your backyard, and take in nature to the fullest. Let all your senses enjoy this time of rest you allow yourself:

• Breathe in the fresh air until your nostrils burn ;-)
• Feel the sun on your skin and the breeze around you - and if it rains, enjoy that, too
• Take in the beautiful sounds of nature - the birds, the wind in the trees...
• Admire the green of the trees, their majesty and calming presence
• Sense the environment how it affects you positively

Again, you can do this in 5 minutes, too. Taking care of ourselves is a matter of giving attention to what relaxes and energizes us, and then start incorporating it into your daily busy life. The more you do it, the more you will find the time because you'll see how much it benefits you in all aspects of your life.

ENJOY!

Ladies, Let's Change This Pattern!

… and you will ask, what is she talking about?

I am inspired to write about a pattern that I see in a lot of women including myself. This comes out of a conversation I had earlier today with one of my dearest friends in Germany. She told me about an incident with a guy that told her something very hurtful, and she actually accepted his harshness until she had a physical reaction a few days later. This made me think about a pattern that a lot of us have where we willingly take in any criticism from others because we want to make sure that we are loved and accepted. So, we accommodate whatever they are looking for in order to get what we want. But do we truly get it this way? Is there ever a way to receive self-worth and self-love from the outside? We need to look at the “self” in the equation!

As open as we are to adjusting and answering other people's expectations, as difficult it is for many of us to accept compliments, gratitude, and other gifts from others. Can we only handle the “bad” stuff? Come on, ladies, let’s change this pattern, finally and for good. Decide consciously if you want to receive the critical word from someone, if there is really a ground for it that makes you want to change for the sake of your own conscience and decision. Determine just the same if you want to receive a gift or a compliment based on your own terms. Does it come from the heart? Was it really meant in all honesty? And even if not, maybe you still want to say yes to it at times. Let’s enjoy the good stuff, give it some more weight over the “bad” stuff because most of the time we are already so critical of ourselves as it is. Isn’t this true?

Be gentle, be loving, be true, and you can give all the love and worth you need to yourself and more to others as well!

Thank you for reading and please share your insights,

Anja

The Fourth Truths of FISH!

Hi Folks,

Sometimes the smallest books can have the greatest impact, maybe because we can actually get through the whole book in a few settings. Or maybe because the simplest messages have so much truth in them. Based on the recommendation of a good friend of mine I picked up Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen. My friend mentioned to me that this book was describing the effort of improving morale and the work environment in a company. I found, however, that it is just as applicable to our personal lives.

 Here is one quote from the authors: “There is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there is not a choice about the work itself.” Isn’t the same thing true for our life in general? Whatever situation we are in, we always have the choice how we deal with it and what we make of it. Do we take it as a stepping stone or a stumbling block? Do we see the blessing in any situation or only the curse? This is the first of the four truths, and let me share with you all four:

1. Choose your attitude
2. Play
3. Engage & make other’s day
4. Be present

 Often times, we don’t feel that we have a choice how to face a situation or experience. Similarly, we can get so serious about life because yes, it is a serious matter but then there is also the part in us that wants to take it lightly, laugh about it and be creative and playful in finding solutions and insights. That’s where the second truth of play comes in which allows us to have a lighter and more creative outlook.

 When life gets too serious and we get too serious about ourselves, we might forget to be there for others because we are focused so much on fixing what’s not going right. I can personally attest to it, and I am also witness of how good it feels to engage others and attempt to make their day better whenever possible. It creates connection, a sense of purpose, and a feeling of moving forward – "even if" it starts with moving another person’s life forward. And many times, it’s the small steps of smiling at a person or holding the door that engage us with each other and lightens up our days – so much for the third truth.

 Last but not least, being present as the four truth enables us to commit to the other truths. Because as long as we are focused on the past or present, we give away the chance to choose our attitude in the moment, play with what occurs in the present, and engage with the people that are around us. Every moment is an opportunity, and if we turn it into something empowering or disempowering is our own choice!

 Ask yourself the following questions which have been inspired by the authors, and I hope they will boost your morale and improve your life results :-):

1. Who do you want to be while you live your life?
2. How could you have more fun and create more energy?
3. Who are the people around you and how can you engage them in a way that will make their day? And how can you make your own day?
4. How can you be more present with yourself and others?

Imagine what it would be like to bring your whole being to every moment in your life. That’s when we flourish and thrive.

Much love,

Anja

 PS: To find out more about the book and the philosophy behind it, check out the website: www.fishphilosophy.com

Intuitive Self-Care

Hello Everyone,

I case you missed hearing from me through my blog or my radio show, I am back in the game. My own intuitive path brought me to a time of reflection and retreat as I noticed that my message as a coach needed some new life and juice. I was able to take some time off to spend with family and friends, and it gave me time to think about my priorities in life and how I need to change course with some things. I set the intention to bring more attention, beauty and love into my life, and I strongly hope for the opportunity to share this with you as well.

How are we able to bring more attention, beauty and love into our lives? For me, I came to understand that I needed to focus more being in the present and to enjoy every moment that is given to me as a chance to grow and let go of fears and doubts about myself and my future. This is an every day exercise that I am not always good at but by focusing on it I get so much better at it ;-).

Simultaneously, I asked myself how I could give the greatest contribution to you as my readers, listeners and clients. So, the importance of self-care and self-love presented itself to me in conversations with friends and colleagues who have been so absorbed with their work that the rest of life had taken a complete back seat. I know how this feels, and I am very thankful for the time I had to step away from work. And now, I wish to share with you and help you in figuring out how to take better care of yourself so that life and work are enjoyable and energizing again instead of draining and uninspiring. We all need time away from work and we all need to satisfy other parts of our being though in challenging times like the ones we had lately, we tend to let go of self-care. I want to bring you back to what self-care means for you, what activities or non-activities, what your intuition is telling you about your needs at this point in time.

Please share with me and the other readers what intuitive self-care means for you. I welcome your comments and your general feedback about this new direction I am taking which I hope to present in this blog, on my radio show and in other venues.

Peace,

Anja

Next Intuitive Path Radio Show Tomorrow about Play

Hello Players of the Game of Life,

We are continuing our happiness booster series in the next episode of the Intuitive Path Radio Show tomorrow, Wednesday March 31, at 2:00 pm EST. One of the happiness boosters is to focus on positive experiences rather than things, and I particularly want to focus on play in this episode. I will discuss some surprising and very significant facts about play which the author Stuart Brown discusses in his book "Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul." Get ready to make more room for play in your life, and learn why playful activities not only bring joy but also success and more.

I hope very much that you will be able to join me, and share your comments and questions. I have been opening up the lines, and find the interaction with my listeners very enriching and enjoyable. Here is the link to the episode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theintuitivepath/2010/03/31/happiness-booster-series-why-play-deserves-more-room-in-our-lives

Love,

Anja