Leveraging the gift of time

Leveraging the gift of time

What we do with the extra hours in the day that we have been given back will be critical.

We humans like to be comfortable and we also like to feel in control.  What is happening right now in the world does not make us feel either.  There is a general feeling of uneasiness and uncertainty as a result of the pandemic and social distancing implementation.  

As we have retreated into our homes, it feels like time has slowed down.  Those who work outside the homes and have been asked to work from home have been given back hours of time they would have spent getting ready for work and commuting to and from the office.  Students at universities are attending their classes virtually, opening up their days.  Families with little children whose schools have been closed are now together 24/7.

Time is, and has always been one, of our most precious gifts.  We’ve used the excuse “I don’t have the time” to postpone our dreams, to become healthy, and even work on relationships.  What we do with the extra hours in the day that we have been given back will be critical.  Will we waste the time by distracting ourselves, or will we see time as a blessing and finally do things we’ve delayed? 

Here are some options to start today:

• Start a regular exercise routine in your home or go for walks outside (while practicing physical distancing).

• Implement a self-care practice of gratitude, meditation and journaling to promote mindfulness and guard our mind against worry, stress and overwhelm. 

• Promote your personal growth and development by listening to podcasts, reading books and even watching documentaries on topics of interest.

• Cook and eat meals together with your family at home.

• Re-connect or stay connected with family and friends outside your home by calling or leveraging FaceTime or Zoom.

• Learn a new language by leveraging online resources and apps. 

• Get the sleep you need by taking power naps and getting the 7-9 hours of sleep that we all need.

• Think strategically and creatively by blocking out distractions and solving critical business or personal challenges that you’ve postponed focusing on. 

• Start or re-engage with a hobby or interest.  Begin writing your best-selling book, paint again, pick up that guitar or sit down at the piano, experiment cooking new meals with items in your pantry and refrigerator, write your business plan, finally do a vision board, etc. 

• Get organized by cleaning out your closet and donating “stuff” that you don’t need, organizing your pantry and discovering how much food you already, getting your finances in order by creating a budget. 

This list is not meant to be exhaustive.  We each have things that have been placed on our hearts.  What will you be doing with the extra time that you’ve been given? 

7 tips to strengthen your immune system

7 tips to strengthen your immune system

Don’t relinquish your power. Instead focus on that which you can control - the greatest of which is your mind.

We are powerful and able to make choices everyday to help strengthen our mind, body and spirit.  I am not someone who avoids what is happening in the world. I stay informed, however, I do not internalize or embrace fear. I wash my hands, protect those around me if I sneeze or cough, and stay home when I am ill.  However, the most important thing I do to stay healthy is to protect my energy by focusing on what I want, and not what I don’t want to happen.  

There is a powerful connection between our thoughts and our immune system.  When we become anxious, we trigger our fight or flight stress response and that releases adrenaline, cortisol and other chemicals and hormones into our system.  During sustained periods of anxiety and stress our immune systems are weakened and more vulnerable to infections and illness.  

The great news is that we can make smart choices for our minds and our bodies everyday that can actually strengthen our immune system.  Here are a few tips and reminders:

• Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables to ensure proper vitamins and nutrients to the body. Crowding our sugar, processed foods, and animal products and increasing plant-based choices will help reduce inflammation in the body, a common contributor to disease.  

• Get adequate rest and sleep, which means 7-9 hours for most adults over the age of 18 to ensure your body has time to detox, rest and recharge.

• Increase your water intake to avoid dehydration, which places additional stress on the body.  Adding lemon to your water further helps to alkalize the body.  

• Exercise and move your body daily to slow down stress hormones, flush out bacteria from the lungs, and increase antibodies and white blood cells that help to detect illness and promote healing. 

• Add immune boosting activities like laughing, singing and spending time with loved ones.  Find your favorite comedy or musical on Netflix and watch it with your family and friends.  You can do all three in one!

• Be mindful of alcohol consumption and don’t smoke. 

• Practice gratitude, meditation, yoga and deep yogic breathing to lower stress hormones, stimulate the lymphatic system to release toxins, and promote more oxygen into our systems.   I have recorded a short meditation that you can add to your daily routine.  

Focus on what you can control and not what you cannot. Incorporate some of these healthy habits today and please leave comments on changes you notice. 

Award Season

I love award show season….

What do the winners have that allowed them to believe and persevere when others quit?

I love awards show season.  I mean, annoyingly, obsess about finding the schedule for all award shows and setting my DVR to ensure I don’t miss a moment.  This is my Super Bowl, and the entire day is mine. I get comfortable, pour a glass of wine, change in comfortable clothes, and settle in for the evening ceremonies.  I watch the pre-show coverage on the E Channel, as well as the coverage on whatever network is airing the show.  I don’t remember when I became obsessed, but I can’t remember not watching the Golden Globes, SAG awards, or the Oscars.

While I enjoy watching to see what people are wearing, what really moves me is watching the winners hear their names being called.  Years of auditions, rejections, hard work, and sacrifices culminate in that moment as the winner walks to the stage – many times in disbelief.  Some shake, some cry, some manically talk quickly.  But almost all of the winners begin to thank an army of people who they say helped them get to that stage, holding their award. They praise their fellow nominees, acknowledge their work, and are vulnerable in those few minutes.

Many thank their parents for believing in them, their partners and children for supporting them, and their teams for never giving up on them.  Those things are undeniably true, but what I want to know is what has allowed them to dream so big and believe so deeply in themselves.  And, when things weren’t easy, and the road was hard, how did they hold onto their dreams?  What do they have that allowed them to believe and persevere when others quit?

One factor for those who pursue their dreams and those who settle for something else is their support system.  Children who have supportive parents, teachers, or other loved ones who don’t discourage or try to re-direct their big, bold dreams have a fighting chance of actually believing their dreams are worthy of being pursued.  Merely believing in big dreams doesn’t guarantee that they will actually come to fruition, however, giving up on our dreams is a sure way of ensuring that they never will.

I believe that it’s possible to re-wire our brain and let go of fear, anxieties and lies that have kept us “stuck”.  Even if we’ve spent more than half of our lives playing it safe, there is still time.  

How to dream again:

• Lean on your support system and tribe to remind you of who you are

• Invest in self-care activities that help you recharge and bring you joy

• Spend time documenting your big, bold, audacious dreams

• Sow seeds in others who are pursing their dreams or passions

• Take action daily that keeps you on your path

I am choosing to believe that this will be my best decade ever. I don’t know what my life will look like in 1 year, 5 years, or in 10 years or beyond.  But, I do know that taking action every day in this new direction has brought new people into my life, and new creative ideas to pursue. So, I may not have an Academy award, or thousands of fans in a stadium shouting my name, but I have more hope and joy and peace than I’ve had in years.  And that is my reward.