Honor yourself…….

WRITTEN BY JUDY BROWN

All of life is cyclical. The moon and sun go round and round. Waves roll in and out. Your birthday comes and returns. The day repeats itself. You sleep and you wake

You get happy and you get sad Your breath goes in and out

We Inhale, we exhale

Sometimes it is effortless Other times it tires us It is good to honor our cycles, our emotions, our energy levels, and our ups, and downs

February is a month of love This is a time for words of appreciation and loves to friends and family It is also an opportunity for self-love and honoring ourselves

February has returned from its cycle through the calendar. What a perfect month to give a little extra to ourselves. When we fill our own cups we have more to give to others.

Here are a 10 ways to honor ourselves this month: keep expectations reasonable…..for everything for chores, work, family time, workout time, and all commitments let go of certain routines that tire you You can always reintroduce them when you are more able take a mental health day or two Take a break without guilt Your body and mind will appreciate it Most often this rejuvenates us Even an hour can do the trick

Listen to your body Your body has wisdom If you are experiencing stress, it often translates into bodily tightness or pain Is it signaling you to stop and breathe?

Give yourself permission to find a new rhythm to your day. Patterns get old We often get stuck Change it up and feel good about being proactive

Re-examine what makes you feel alive What brings a smile to your face or energizes you? Add more of it to your life this month. In so doing, you might crowd out old habits and routines that no longer serve your well-being. Turn up the music and dance. Dance with yourself. It is amazing how uplifting a little bit of happy dancing can be!

Try really hard to reduce technology and social media time. The benefits are immeasurable. Replace it with time in nature.

Set up a cozy spot in your house that is all your own. Add your favorite photos and put a soft blanket on your chair. Light a candle and lose yourself in a good book.

Call a friend and have tea. Dream together and make plans for fun times in the new year.

Sometimes honoring ourselves can be as easy as inhaling and exhaling

Honoring all that cycles throughout our day brings balance. Balance creates a little peace.

Inhale, exhale

Give yourself a little love this February!

Judy Brown has a BA in Biology from Connecticut College and is a Certified Holistic Health Coach trained by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She coaches women in their midlife years who want to reclaim their health and discover a more balanced and vibrant lifestyle Judy provides individual and group coaching, workshops, smoothie demos, and guided meditations for groups She has a blog and several published works She has two grown children Judy loves to read, write, walk in the woods, sail, have afternoon tea, and explore the world with her husband Also in her spare time, Judy makes and sells cards and photo art from her photography www.judyswellnesscafe.com https://www.facebook.com/judyswellnesscafe/