Dear Self, I have missed you.
It can happen so easily. One moment you’re washing dishes or folding a load of laundry and you remember, “I really haven’t had time to myself in awhile.”
I’m pretty sure that we have all been there. In fact, it happened to me this week.
Friday morning, I woke up to use the bathroom and decided I was not getting back in bed. I was getting up and making time for self-connection. No planning. No force. I just went with it. It felt good to be spontaneous and I ended up enjoying 2 hours alone!
Do you prefer spontaneity to planning? Maybe a little impromptu me-time is just what you need to get some time to yourself? Click here to watch a little recap of my morning alone.
My 3 Step Self-Connection Ritual
1. Hydrate
My drink of choice is lemon water. I use purified water and 2 slices of lemon with the seeds removed. I also pour it into a glass mason jar or other clear cup, because… aesthetic. 😉 Sipping the water allows me to take time to pause and set my intentions or check in with how I am feeling. When we are always on the go, taking a sip can seem meaningless. It’s just a drink, right? The benefit lies in giving ourselves the opportunity to pause and feel.
2. Stretch
You don’t have to follow a video or join a class to get a good stretch. In fact, I find that having no agenda is really powerful for self-connection. I just roll out the mat and give myself space to move. There is a lot of trust involved in just letting yourself go in whatever direction you need in the moment. For example, last week I felt a lot of energy stuck in my hips. I did hip circles, I rocked on my hands & knees, stretched my legs, even gave myself a big hug. Maybe you need a hug too? Try it! You deserve the love!
3. Breathe
Yes, we live and breathe all day. Yet just like with stretching, breathwork can move stuck energy from the body. Fill your lungs with air as big as you can and exhale out as big as you can. I do this in conjunction with stretching. It helps to loosen my joints. At the end of stretching, I will sit in silence and breathe at whatever pace I need. Sometimes, I am so moved I cry. It is amazing what can happen when we finally take time to check-in with ourselves.
My Self-Connection Picks on Amazon
No Experience Needed.
Notice how I didn’t use the words yoga or meditation to label the elements of my practice. The reason is simple: I do not want to deter anyone from experiencing self-connection. All that is needed from you is a desire to connect, tune in & be free. If you need assistance with relaxation, I suggest listening to Binaural Beats, like this one on Spotify.
*For more information on the health benefits of listening to binaural beats, visit this post from healthline.com.
There’s a Spotify playlist for that.
I am obsessed with my Spotify. If I lost my account, I’d be so sad and I’d have quite a lot of searching to do for my favorite music. I feel like I find little pieces of myself in songs. The words can take me back to a time pre-kids or help remind me of who I am. I used to burn CD’s and now I have Spotify. Did you burn CD’s? #memorylane Am I right?
Have you ever been driving or watching television and all of sudden you hear a song and remember how much you loved it? Or maybe you hear a new song on someone’s Instagram story and you can’t wait to listen to more than just the snippet?
Do yourself a favor and head to Spotify to create your account. You can add me as friend too! Check out my Femme Flow Playlist below to get a feel for some of my favorite music.
The Power of Choosing Yourself.
I shared this reel on Instagram about worthiness and it really hit home for so many of us. In the caption, I added 5 self-worth affirmations that I personally use. In fact, I say these out loud during my self connection ritual. I hope you try them too.
5 Self-Worth Affirmations:
- I am in love with who I am & who I am becoming.
- I am enough.
- My past does not define me.
- There is nothing for me to prove to anyone.
- I get to live life on my own terms.
Which one is your favorite? Do you have any personal affirmations?
I want to leave you with a quote that I found saved in my phone and loved.
“Today is the tomorrow, you worried about yesterday.” – Dale Carnegie.
I hope you remember to check-in with yourself this week.
