Sage Smudging for Beginners

Spring cleaning usually entails the bigger jobs, like windows and walls and deep cleaning the refrigerator and of course de-cluttering is important too BUT do you every take one extra step to clear the old, stale and perhaps negative energy of your room?

Physical cleaning can definitely help give the energy of your space a boost but when you smudge and your positive intentions you will raise the energy even more.

Notice if you feel tense, fearful, a little lethargic, unmotivated, down or unbalanced then your space may be holding negative energy.

say goodbye to LOW LEVEL EMOTIONS

Arguments, Fear, Anger and Worry carry low level emotions and it's a good idea to let them flow out, transform them to higher vibes like excitement, hope, inspiration, love and joy to name a few.

In this video you will learn how to smudge and clear old or negative energy from your space by first clearing yourself. It's a simple and timeless technique that even beginners can try. And be sure to check in with how you feel in your home before and after you do it.

You can use incense, dried sage, palo santo wood, cedar rope or smudge spray. Always use caution and be sure to fully extinguish any burning embers when you are finished.

HERE’S HOW TO DO IT

Get still, breathe deeply and slowly and set a clear, positive intention before you start and move around the room using a figure eight motion (the infinity symbol) if you like. Experiment with what feels right for you and you will open up to your intuition and check to see how your space feels after using this cleaning tool.

I hope you have fun using this beautiful practise inspired from many traditional cultures around the world.

Please visit my website for more calm-down tools and downloadable freebies: SmoothRockMeditation.com

Visit Glenda for mind/body support and recipes at: GlendaBritton.com

How to Make Stillness and Deep Breathing a Habit

Have you ever said, or heard someone say, "Deep breathing doesn't work"?

This got me thinking about habits like say, brushing your teeth. If you only do it occasionally you could say that it doesn’t really work either.
 
Why is it so hard to develop a new habit?
 
There’s a lot of information about how to change a BAD habit but what about building a new one from scratch?
 
Let’s face it, we already know what’s good for us.
 
Try this:

Think about a new habit that you’ve been trying to add to your repertoire.
Got it?
Now see if the journey below sounds familiar.
 
We know how to do the thing.
We can even figure out when.
We sort of know why.
 
But still we don’t do it, at least not regularly.
 
Here come the excuses…
No time.
Too tired.
Forget.
Too hard.
Not urgent enough.
 
Then…
We feel guilty.
We feel defeated.
We’re okay without it.
We forget about it all together.
 
Until…
We realized we need it.
Something’s got to change.
 
AND WE START AGAIN!
 
YAY! WE START AGAIN!
 
This is so important that you need to say it out loud, tweet it, Instagram it or throw it up on Facebook, but share the message loud and proud:

“It’s okay to start again!”

Life’s a journey, you’re on your path, enjoy each day as it comes, try and try again…I know, you’ve heard it all before.
 
My all-time favourite way to fire up a new habit is to anchor it to something I’m already doing.
Let’s say you want to remember to practise your deep breathing. Maybe anchor it to when you get into bed, or just before you brush your teeth, or when you park car, or just before the first sip of your morning coffee?
 
Stress is going to wear you out!

Deep, diaphragmatic breathing triggers the parasympathetic nervous system which boosts the immune system, digestion, your pre-frontal cortex, where you have access to deep thinking, new ideas and more compassion. Click here for my infographic on the benefits.

Now back to the quote at the top of the page, “Deep breathing doesn’t work for me.”

 If we only try to breathe deeply during a crisis of anxiety or extreme stress, there’s a chance deep breathing won’t help. The calm deep breath we’re talking about here, is best used as a preventative tool.

We want to build up our emotional resilience and actually change our brain so that the challenges of our life don’t overwhelm us and set us up for stress, illness, worry and suffering.

The more you use this calming tool, the more you and your body will benefit!

Helping you smooth out your day!

Michele

How NOT to Make a Decision

"Be wary of any decisions in the 'zag' of life. They are almost sure to be wrong. They will be too coloured by our anger or depression or doubt or discouragement."  Rev. Dr. Walter Welch, The Zig Zag of Life, 1980.

---

How many times have you had to make a decision and you feel stuck? AFRAID to make the wrong decision? WHAT IF this happens or that happens? You pound away at it. You make lists, weight your pros and cons, walk a way, survey your friends, sleep on it, and you still can't move on it! We've all been there!

When Rev. Dr. Welch speaks of the ZAG in life, he's referring to your circumstance and the feelings and emotions in that present moment. Trying to make a decision when you feel less than your best self is really tough. The decision may be rushed, or lead by outside pressures. I like to feel good about my decisions and try to avoid "Ya, but..." self-talk, which is almost always fear based.

So, after you check in with your present feelings, you can do 2 things:

1. Find something to APPRECIATE and let that feeling flow through you. It could be a memory or shifting what you're doing.

2. This may be a little harder to swallow but here it goes, ACCEPT that both decisions are offered to you for your growth. You can't NOT grow. With acceptance you'll find a shift in your stress about the decision and, as you'll begin to relax, clarity can seep in.

Either way, give yourself a little space from your decision.

Finally, and you could do this first if you're ready, you can slow your breath and meditate. I didn't mention if first because sometimes when you head is overflowing and super busy with thoughts the idea of being still and calm is met with a huge amount of resistance. Resistance will just bring you more of the same and add to your stress, so by shifting your mood first you can then find a way to allow stillness.

Be sure to grab my printable meditation cheat sheet HERE.

You know the drill it's time to get still! Ha, ha, ha!

Nice rhyme but you've just got to go there. Like it or not, a calm mind is a clear mind and it's easier to hear that inner voice giving you answers.

Helping you smooth out your day.-Michele

Laugh your head off.

Don't you just love to LAUGH until your belly aches or tears roll down your face?
When was the LAST TIME you laughed like that?
It relaxes us and massages the stomach area where worry and anxiety and reside.
The experts say that laughter is very powerful and healing, but can we ACCESS it on a regular basis?
How can we FIND IT when life has thrown us heartache, overwhelm and stress?

I think that sometimes we just have to GO AND LOOK for laughter.

Check this out: The 2nd verse of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,  by Eric Idle, 1979, for the film, Monty Python's Life of Brian.
 

If life seems jolly rotten

There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing
And...
Always look on the bright side of life
(Whistle)
(Come on!)
Always look on the right side of life
(Whistle)

Learn more about the benefits of laughter for your health by clicking here to read this informative article.

Did you guess the scene in the picture? Yup, it's Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. It still brings tears to my eyes. Happy tears!