Favorite pet picture: In honor of “National Drink Wine Day” in the US, our featured dog is from finewhinesandlickers.org. Sammy is very friendly and well behaved. If you know his forever family, pass this along and introduce them!
Favorite book quote: Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
When seeking guidance, don't ever listen to the tiny-hearted. Be kind to them, heap them with blessing, cajole them, but do not follow their advice.
Random favorite: Quite.
Many of us have been at home with our families for almost a year now without interruption. While that is an amazing blessing to me, I didn’t realize that I was starving for quite. Perhaps, if you’ve been alone all this time, you are feeling quite the opposite. I, however, only just realized home much I’ve needed a little quite in my life when I went for a walk alone. It was drizzling and the park was almost empty. There were no children out and my family was at home. I could hear the breeze and the birds and nothing else. It was as if I’d just gotten a refreshing drink water after being thirsty for a long time. Honestly, it’s not something I can work into my life on a daily basis. I subscribe to this belief, shared by an unknown author: “Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” But I now recognize the power of quiet - a time when I can experience quiet in my heart and mind (and ears!) to refresh and reset myself. I plan to utilize that power as often as possible.
What were some of your favorite things this week?
Question: I’m juggling work, kids, and housework - all while being stuck at home. I’m spent. What can I do?
There are so many books about being productive at work, how to clean the house, and how to be a good parent. But it’s hard to put any of that information to good use if you’re spent. I’ll give you a starting point to help you get in control of yourself. It may feel like I’m just adding more to your plate, but if you can implement these things, you’ll feel better, make better choices, be more productive, and be in better control of your emotions.
Set a bedtime.
Yes. The best time to get stuff done is while the kids are asleep. But then you’re tired, moody, and inefficient the next day. Get into the habit of going to bed as early as possible. The hours of sleep you get before midnight are the most important. Go to bed early and then get up and get your work done earlier in the morning, if you need to. But you might find you’re better able to get stuff done during the day if you’re well rested.
Get off the uppers.
Sugar and caffeine can affect your mood, your quality of sleep, and your ability to focus. I don’t envy you the headache that sometimes comes with giving up coffee, but, when your energy is more level you’ll function much better - you’ll be less emotionally reactive, you’ll be thinking more clearly throughout the whole day, and you’ll sleep better (which will just enhance your ability to be efficient in all you do). Just know, that this one may feel worse for a bit before it feels better.
Get off the downers.
After loading up on caffeine all day, a glass of wine (or whatever your relaxation inducing substance of choice is) feels like a good idea. However, downers also affect your ability to sleep well. When you begin looking into “sleep hygiene”, have a regular sleep schedule, and get off the uppers, you’ll see that the downers are no longer as attractive and a warm bath with some lavender essential oils might be just as nice (and work even better) after a hard day.
Drink more water.
Our bodies are made up of a lot of water, but most of us don’t drink enough (or just end up peeing it all out). Add in more good quality water. For better absorbance, try following some of the Ayurvedic Rules for Drinking Water. You might also want to look into blue solar water. I’ll probably be writing more about blue solar water next week so stay tuned!
Breathe more deeply.
Most of us breathe from the top of our lungs when we’re stressed and then it becomes a habit. Breathing shallowly just increases the amount of stress chemicals in our bodies. Stop every once in awhile and breathe deeply into your lower belly. Put your hand under your belly button and breathe so that when your air comes in it pushes your hand out. Try the 3 Breath Meditation in which you blow out all the air you can (when you think you’re done, keep blowing) then take three breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Set a timer to remind you. Do this often enough and it will rewire your brain to be more relaxed which will translate into being calmer, thinking better, and working more effectively.
Smile!
If you smile for real, it can create a chemical cascade that could actually make you feel happier, thus, less stressed. It may also have a positive impact on the people around you - which could encourage them to act in more cooperative ways. Psychologists have debated whether smiling can make you happier for many years. But, as far as I’m concerned, a smile certainly couldn’t hurt!
Hopefully, if you are able to implement even a few of these suggestions, you may not even need the books about how to be more productive, how to be a better housekeeper, or how to begin enjoying being a parent again because it will start to come more naturally. I wish you the best as you flow into the person you’re becoming.
Loved the question and want to see more? Not feeling today’s question and/or would like to get an answer to one of your own? Submit a question to be featured in an upcoming 3 Favs & a Q to: TypicallyInvisible@protonmail.com. Or leave it in a comment!
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Just in case you missed them, here are the weekly emails from the last month:
Question: How do I know what to do next?
Interview with Jonathan Towers of manishtowers.com
Question: How do I center myself for uncertain times?
Question: Are Solfeggio frequencies for real? Could they be harmful?
Question: How can I get ready for 2021?
Here is the subscriber-only content you may have missed this last week. Remember, the daily energy updates are relevant for the day, but the meditations and exercises can by done at any time!
Friday: Water + Goals
Saturday: Salt Soak
Sunday: Embrace Impulsivity
Monday: Spontaneous Creativity
Tuesday: Healing Light
Wednesday: Heraclitus Inspired Mantra
Today: Small Pleasures
Did you like what you read today or do you just want to make sure people see Sammy?
Do you know someone who would benefit from going with the flow rather than fighting the current?