The Why.

We all store our stress in our bodies. The day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month stress builds up over time if we don’t release it and let it go. It shows up in tight hips/shoulders/neck, indigestion, bad sleep, headaches, and feeling tired, depleted, and low energy.

It’s up to us to work on releasing that built-up tension and stress each day so that we feel better. It starts with conscious breathing, intentional movement, and an honest writing practice. The mind & body are more connected than we’ll ever know, and it’s amazing what can happen when we start treating ourselves with more love.

• Breathing slowly and deeply is the fastest way to tell your nervous system it’s safe. A few intentional breaths can shift you out of overdrive and into presence.

• Movement lets your body release what it’s been carrying. Tension, stress, and emotion live in the body, and moving helps them move through.

• Writing helps you make sense of what comes up. Once your body has settled, putting words on the page turns feeling into clarity. It will free up space in your mind so you have more capacity.

The goal can be simple: just work on feeling a little bit better each day. It doesn’t have to be some major life overhaul, 25-step wellness routine, or anything utterly time-consuming. You just need a few minutes and a commitment to checking in with yourself.

We’re all busy. We have jobs, kids, families, friends, people to take care of, and sometimes too much to do in a single day as is. The truth is, we can’t show up for everyone and everything in our lives as the best versions of us if we’re not feeling well. We do a service to everyone in our lives by taking care of ourselves.

Start now.