Changing Habits

I'm always curious about how to continue good habits I've started and what other healthy habits I can create for myself in a joyful way, rather than as a chore or burden.

Interestingly, I moved my supplements from by the coffee machine to the bathroom as a direct influence from my sweetie. When I get up in the morning I'm used to hearing the hum of their toothbrush followed by the rattle of medications and I realized I'd probably be more consistent in taking my herbs and vitamins if I combined it with my daily cleaning routine, which has worked well over the last week. 

Two habits I want to get into (or back into) are 1) doing daily stretches/yoga and 2) meditating. I printed out a copy of the sun salutation and have been doing this simple series for the past couple of days, either on the deck actually in the sun or in the bedroom, now that it feels like there is more space after switching furniture around. I can see getting a bigger, cushier rug up there for yoga during the rain season.

Also getting into the habit of stretching while watching TV with my daughter. It is so hard to be so passive, and though often I multi task on the computer. My back has certainly been talking to me for awhile about better posture and less sitting on my ass. I find myself stretching between clients, and even sometimes during sessions if they are lying down with their eyes shut, I can be gently moving my body in a kind of dance while leading the trance.

Part of this all came to me a few months ago when I first went to Wilder Ranch and I was reading a detox book talking about exercise and how simply action = life. I was singing my little warm up song in my head and flexing various muscles groups, and realized I could do this while driving. So for the last couple of months I sing my little song which driving, tensing and flexing muscles, thinking if it as "microsizing" ie micro exercising. Considering it's twenty minutes each way, I figure I'm getting forty minutes of exercise instead of passive driving. Sometimes I do it before going to bed or when I wake up in the middle of the night.  I feel good about being active daily by walking, hiking, yoga, mowing, sex, and now I want to balance it with passive exercise: stretching, Reiki, massage.

The other daily habit I want to cultivate is meditating. It used to be so routine and now it feels lacking in my discipline. That sounds too harsh. For me, meditating is a way to focus in, discover and express my essential being. It is a creative act and a recreative act, and has taken many forms throughout my lifetime, including yoga, coloring tarot cards, journaling, blogging, and yes, even farmville was a meditation in it's own right. Playing Suduko or doing a crossword puzzle has a similar effect on my mind - it is relaxing, and something has shifted from chaos to order. 

So it's not like I don't have this habit, I just want it to shift form. Rather than sitting with my morning coffee and playing solitaire, I want to sit with my coffee and create tarot cards. I put the little table and chair in my altar area, along with colored pencils and my tarot binder, creating an inviting space for me to start my day. Doing the mandala art was inspiring and put me back in touch with the joy of making art. I'm sure you know what I mean, that zen zone when working on your photographs, different from tankville as a creative and productive act, hopefully relaxing for your engineer mind otherwise occupied with codes and bugs.

I like the habits my partner and I have created in our relationship. I like sharing our dreams in the morning, I like how we make coffee and make the bed, I love our habit of making out. Good and healthy, kissing is probably our best discipline. What good habits are you being mindful in creating now?

Cuddle Meditation

A couple of years ago my sweetie and I went to some workshops on sexuality at our local (and tasteful) adult toy store, Pure Pleasure. The best thing we got out of it was "cuddle meditation" which we have now practiced consistently for two and a half years.

In the mornings, we tend to drink our tea and read/play on the computer for an hour or so. Then we go back upstairs and brush our teeth. Next we get back into bed (no clothes or pjs), and usually I lie on top of (since I'm smaller). We breathe together, hum, giggle, connect chakras, belly laugh, hold silence, and sometimes make love. This can last five to forty-five minutes, depending on work schedules, etc.

The effect has been incredibly positive. We both come from and practice very different spiritual beliefs, and this is way that we can "pray" together. We don't live together and only spend together time Friday through Monday. The first two years of our relationship the distance and separateness was an added strain. Since doing cuddle meditation, we both feel more calm and connected during the week, with much less insecurity and jealousy issues.

Also, when we do have conflict, we both take turns to speak our truth, then end up doing cuddle meditation. The next morning during cuddle meditation we check in to see if we had resolution and completion. This feels very safe, vulnerable and intimate, all at the same time. I highly recommend it.

Have you cuddled mindfully today?

Weeding Meditation

Today I did a weeding meditation. Being mindful in the garden is a delight - really noticing the sounds of the birds, wind, my breathing; seeing the colors of the rich earth revealed as I removed the green and yellow sour grass; smelling the fresh air; feeling the roots give way as I gently tugged on the stems, the stretch in my low back, the little wooden stool supporting me; even the taste of a crisp California foggy day.

I found my mind wandering around the metaphor of pulling out negative thinking, the tenacity of old habits, the constant diligence to prune out the what is no longer serving. Even noticing that the big weeds were easier to get rid of then the little ones - just like my habits, some of the big ones are easier to change, more so than the little self doubts that creep in and take hold.

And then allowing myself to simply enjoy the garden, not just work at it - just like in meditation, enjoying the wandering of my mind, with no need to do anything but explore my inner landscape, appreciating the beauty and complexity, feeling whole and healthy - weeds and all.

Good Morning Habits

Today's Affirmation: I allow myself order and routine.

We often think of hypnosis being used to break a bad habit, like smoking, biting nails or overeating. However, hypnotherapy is also effective in creating  long term life style changes by cultivating good habits, such flossing teeth, regular exercise, and using turn signals at intersections. Indeed, we are creatures of habit, but it begins with a mindfulness, awareness, and a willingness to change. Creating healthy habits is a way to release anxiety and manage stress. They can be comforting, calming, and empowering by promoting self care which creates self reliance.

For developing morning habits, getting up early is key. I was a late sleeper until my early thirties. Then, after having a kid, I discovered that getting up early was my secret time to myself. Now my daughter is 19 and in college, but I still like getting up an hour before my partner and having time to meditate, journal, stretch, etc. It has definitely become a habit, even if I go to bed late. It is way easier for me to add to morning habits - last December I struggled with adding flossing to my evening routine, and still now am using my phone reminder.

Here are my "good morning" habits:

• Wake up with the dawn to the crowing of cats
• Make green tea
• Check emails, play on computer 20 minutes (I used to spend 90 minutes, one great habit change from the September module)
• Meditate, journal
• Work out - 30 minutes cardio, 15 minutes stretches, 5 minutes strength exercises
• Get washed and dressed - use a moisturizer with sunscreen in it
• Make the bed, tidy the house
• Take my herbs and supplements

There is some variation, day to day, depending on what time my first client arrives - I try to schedule my work day to start at 10:30am, but sometimes I see clients at 8 or 9am. On Wednesdays I have a 7:30am business meeting, so I meditate and work out usually in the early afternoon. On weekends, my partner and I meditate together, and we either walk or hike for an hour or two, so I use that for my exercise, but I still do stretches at some point.

The one glaring habit that is missing? Eating breakfast! I have not eaten breakfast on a regular basis since junior high. I know it is so good for the body. Wednesdays I go out with my colleague after our meeting, but otherwise I tend to brunch - eating a pretty solid meal around 11:30am before my noon client. Time for some self-hypnosis, Kayla!

What good habits would you like to cultivate?

Good Habits

Spiral in to your Self, Spiral out to the Universe

As a part of my Adventures in Detoxing, I decided to create some good habits, As the saying goes, "the slower the change, the more real and long lasting the results." Some of these I implemented daily, some weekly or monthly. Doing self-hypnosis was the best way to really ingrain these habits in my mind and make them feel natural and organic to my being.

1) Purify -

• Wash face and body
• Sunscreen
• Brush and floss teeth
• Brush hair
• Apple Cider Vinegar daily
• Supplements
• Essential oils

2) Nourish -

• Drink pure water
• Green tea
• Whole grains and foods
• Raw foods
• Fruits and juice
• Veggies and legumes
• Omega 3 oils
• Fast regularly

3) Be Active -

• Walk
• Bike
• Hike
• Dance
• Mow or Garden
• Vacuum or clean house
• Stretch, yoga

4) Rest and Relaxation -

• Sleep
• Nap
• Read for pleasure
• Play games, puzzles
• Watch videos
• Listen to music, preferably live
• Art, photography, crafts

5) Meditate -

• Journal, blog
• Tarot reading
• Astrology reading
• Self reiki
• Self hypnosis
• Create art
• Space out, brain storm

6) Work -

• Organize and prioritize, make lists, use calendars
• Follow through or delegate
• Answer the phone, return calls same day
• Pay bills the day they arrive
• Put aside money for taxes, savings, IRA acct
• Return emails same day, set auto reply
• Confirm/reminder emails
• Follow up on first appointments by phone or email
• Make it edutainment - educational and entertaining - tweet it, facebook, etc put the social in the media
• Set office hours for emails, computer stuff, bookkeeping, marketing
• Work fasts - vacations, weekends, evenings

7) Develop Love

• Learn to love yourself first
• Communicate with your partner
• Spend time with your pet
• Reach out to family members
• Hang out with friends
• Go to community events
• Spend time in nature

What good habits do you want to develop? Let me know how I can help. Call or email for an appointment today!