Hawkins Holistic

Naturally Yours

Tag: breathe

April 15, 2015

Five Easy Ways to ‘Be Present’ Now

And you’re currently using one of them…

I’m talking about the senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. Consciously tapping in to one or more of your senses immediately brings you into the present moment. Best of all, it can be done anywhere, however covertly or candidly you choose. How practical!

Why does “being present” matter so much? It puts the ixnay on past or future focused thinking, and allows us to do one thing really well (rather than 10 things at 10% – multi-tasking!).

I’d like to get your wheels turning for a moment. Try to recall the times in your life that you’ve been truly present. Perhaps you are looking at a beautiful landscape, listening to a moving song, or tasting an exquisite entrée. Or maybe it’s cuddles with your beloved pet or smelling the aroma of freshly blossomed spring flowers. For most of us, these moments happen as they happen, without striving to make it so. But it’s moments like these when our stressors and anxieties seem to fade away. So, why not choose to have more of these experiences?

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A special place where I go to “take it all in.”

Now that you’re game to try this out (I hope!), I’ll share the key to making it work: you must make a conscious effort to note to yourself what it is that you are seeing, smelling, tasting, hearing, and/or touching at this very moment. And guess what, you don’t have to like “it” (although it would be nice).

My call of action to you: next time your brain is taking Stress St. or going down Anxiety Ave, or you simply want to really relish an experience, remember that you have the option to immediately ground yourself by taking a deep breath, and choosing to harness the power of your senses. This will help align your body & mind, and bring you into the present moment.

Naturally yours ♥

Sarah Hawkins, R.H.N.

 

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January 1, 2015

To do that which serves you.

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Greetings and happy 2015, readers!

I posted this steam of consciousness on Instagram last week, and I thought it relevant to share here also, if only as a reminder for myself this year.

We all de-stress differently. If I’ve learned anything in 2014, it’s that it’s so important – imperative, actually – to discover, develop and regularly practice healthy means of stress reduction. Otherwise known as coping 🙂

For myself, meditation + prayer + yoga + kirtan music takes me down a notch, quiets my “overactive” mind, regulates an agitated nervous system, and creates an inner experience of peace & love. But sometimes it’s a high energy run I need or a leisurely walk or cycle in nature. Sometimes it’s a glass of delicious red wine, savored & appreciated. Sometimes it’s connecting with a good friend, and sometimes it’s being completely alone. Ultimately, we must know ourselves, our limits, and give our minds & body that which it needs in any moment. And those needs are not stagnant, as they change hour-to-hour, day-to-day and year-to-year.

There’s good reason why mental illness is on the rise: being too busy to care for ourselves – as we truly need it – is all to common in western culture, and with all the technological distractions and subsequent shortened attention spans, there is a disconnection from the pulse of life. Literally. The way our heart beats is greatly effected by living in an anxiety state. Tuning in, being quiet and listening to our mind/body’s needs is more important than ever.

My call of action to you in 2015? Simply do that which serves your peace-of-mind, for the short term AND the long term.

Naturally yours.

Sarah Hawkins, R.H.N.

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