Self-Care Practices

After nearly a year of living through the coronavirus pandemic, many of us have dealt with bouts of loneliness . The feeling stems from all sorts of places: you might be lonely because you’re spending time in actual isolation , or you might be lonely because you’re feeling disconnected from yourself and your pre-pandemic life. Whatever the cause, feeling lonely can be deeply unsettling, with negative consequences for our mental health. And while we can’t always control the circumstances that...

Scarlett, JT, and Jesse

This is a blog I posted a few years ago which I hope might be helpful to others, I have learned so much on my journey of healing childhood wounds and am so happy to see resources like this group available to help others. 15/11/2017 “If the only thing people learned was not to be afraid of their experience, that alone would change the world“ – Sydney Banks. While there are many words to describe resilience such as spirit, strength, toughness, buoyancy, no one truly understands just how many...

Feeling Overwhelmed? Remember 'R.A.I.N' The RAIN of Self-Compassion The acronym RAIN is an easy-to-remember tool for practicing mindfulness and compassion, using the following four steps: R ecognize what is going on; A llow the experience to be there, just as it is; I nvestigate with interest and care; N ourish with self-compassion. You can take your time and explore RAIN as a stand-alone meditation or move through the steps whenever challenging feelings arise. The Truth of Who You Are The...

Thich Nhat Hanh offers advice on using mindfulness to take care of your anger, and ultimately transform it into love and understanding. When you are angry, close your eyes and ears and return to yourself in order to quell the flames. Smile, even if it takes effort. Smiling relaxes hundreds of tiny muscles, making your face more attractive. Sit wherever you are, and look deeply. If your concentration is not yet strong, you can go outside and practice walking meditation. Most essential is to...

One of the challenges of 2021 will be to continue making self-care a priority once the pandemic has passed. If you’re someone who has always said you don’t have time for self-care, or that self-care seems selfish and self-indulgent, you’re not alone. “One of the things that you come across all the time is the idea that ‘I can’t invest in things that are good for me, because it’s taking away from my ability to be a good parent or do what I need to do at work,’” said Kelly McGonigal, a health...

When many of us began working remotely at the start of the pandemic , there seemed to be some advantages to working from home : no lengthy and costly commutes, more family time, greater flexibility, and more time to exercise. Since then, though, we’ve discovered there are downsides. The truth is, working from home can lead to overwhelm , exhaustion, and even burnout . That’s partly the result of blurred lines between our work and personal lives. “‘Working From Home Fatigue’ isn’t all in your...

Michelle Maldonado guides us through a four-step practice to recognize, acknowledge, investigate, and sit with our natural awareness. Compassion is so powerful; sometimes it’s soft and cuddly, and other times, it is fierce. Paul Gilbert, the Compassionate Mind Foundation founder, says that compassion is one of the most important declarations of strength and courage known to humanity. We’re all at this moment where we get to choose how we show up next. With that, let’s turn our attention to...

This month many of us are heading into a holiday season whether it be Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or another notable day. It is traditionally a time when we get together with family and friends, open our hearts, and put our absolute best foot forward in hospitality and grace. The pandemic has changed the physicality of our lives but not the meaning and intention that lies beneath this very special season. The origin of the word season comes from the Latin word ‘satio’, meaning ‘sowing’ and...

Hi Everyone, I just joined this incredible ACEs network. Pleasure to connect with you. I'm the Director of Outreach & Engagement at IsraAID, a humanitarian aid NGO. We respond to humanitarian crises worldwide, incl. refugee crises, natural disasters, and health epidemics like COVID19, and previously ebola. One of our key areas of expertise when we respond to crises is MHPSS. Since the onset of COVID19, we have designed a virtual stress-management/self-care session for professionals, and...

A global pandemic. Social unrest. A contentious election year. Is it possible to be grateful in this environment? YES! Actually, the stressors actually make it even more imperative! Our ultimate goal as humans, for our children and ourselves, is to flourish. Gratitude is the number one way to shift our focus from negative to positive and facilitate growth in our lives. It sounds simple, and it is, but it’s not always easy. How can we be grateful when it seems like everything is falling apart...

What is Embodied Spirituality? Embodied spirituality refers to a lived experience of spirituality that is grounded in the body. When we embrace embodied spirituality, we come out of our minds and back into our bodies : into that which is visceral, instinctual, and deeply felt through the senses. We see that the body isn’t just a temple of the Divine, but a living expression of Spirit. As such, the body becomes a source of tremendous wisdom and insight: a doorway to the present moment. Not...