Mastering your Morning Posted on September 10, 2019September 10, 2019 by AspireNB There are countless research studies to support the claim that, if you master your morning, you master your day. The morning process I developed for myself combines 5 key areas. This process can be quick- a total of 5 minutes, or it can take much longer. It all depends on the amount of time you wish to set aside. Deciding how much time you want to devote to this practice is a powerful first step to a morning routine you ENJOY. A morning process will not work if it is not helpful or enjoyable, and you can definitely get as much benefit from 5 minutes as you can from 50 minutes. My biggest tip is to do your morning process BEFORE you pick up your phone or open your computer. This process will still help you to rebound from the “noise” if you forget, but beginning the day with your morning process ensures that you listen to your own voice and inner wisdom first. It gives you the opportunity to decide how you want to show up, providing a powerful foundation for your day. 5 Key Ingredients to a Good Morning 1. BODY: how does your body feel waking up today? How much energy do you have? BONUS: Do you feel strength, or tension, connection or disconnection with your body? How can you acknowledge your body, and your needs, before the day begins? 2. INSPIRATION: State one thing you are grateful for, right now. This directs our brain to find positivity & creativity & creativity in our day, as opposed to negativity & scarcity. BONUS: Read something positive! This could be one line or one chapter from a book, or a daily devotional that is inspiring to you. 3. PRAY: Prayer or meditation can help you to synthesize the inspiration you just took in, and integrate it within your body before the day begins. Again, this can be a short 10 second prayer or a 10 minute meditation: your choice! 4. INTENTION: Set an intention for your day, based on what you NEED today & the state you woke up in (#1), the inspiration you received through your reading & prayer (#2 & 3), and the goals & vision you are working towards in general. Thinking of all these categories, what 1-5 words define your intention for the day? Some examples of popular intentions include: “focus”, “clarify”, “slow down”, “set my boundaries with others”, “don’t work past 6”, “connect with others” or “remember I am powerful”. 5. MOVE! This can as simple as doing 2 pushups, or as intense as a 45 minute sweat session. The important thing is to get a little adrenaline going, signaling that it is now time to begin your day!
Confronting the Elephant Posted on March 5, 2015May 18, 2018 by AspireNB Confronting the Elephant: Attending to your past traumas”The single most important thing that we need today is the courage to look this problem in the face and say, this is real and this is all of us.” -Nadine Burke Harris Suck it up. Stop making excuses. People mean well, but if you have had trauma in your life, these words can be confusing – or harmful to your recovery. And everyone: no matter their socioeconomics, race, sexual orientation or gender, has either experienced a trauma – or knows someone who has. If you have never heard of the ACE study, you are not alone. It does not get much attention, but is important – so much so that pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris designs her healthcare practice, the Center for Youth Wellness, on its principles. ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences and the research conducted by Dr. Vince Felitti at Kaiser and Dr. Bob Anda at the CDC investigates how childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime. You see, it is easy to tell your doctor you have a sore throat, or a broken arm. You have a problem, they have a solution. It is harder to tell your doctor that your mom drinks too much, and is verbally or physically abusive when she does, or that your dad hits your mom. There are only 1o questions on the test, and almost everyone scores at least a 1, but the closer you score to 10, the more likely you are to suffer health consequences … even if you do not turn to drinking, drugging, or risky behaviors as a result of the trauma. Sometimes, we can suffer trauma without psychological or physical backlash. We can understand it and keep a healthy self-concept and move on without help. But sometimes, when we try to “suck it up” – to ignore or push away a traumatic experience, the impact on our mental health and susceptibility to stress-related medical problems actually increases. The elephant gets bigger. The silver lining is that if you take the time to acknowledge your past, you can decrease the effects of it. Answering the questions, and seeking help from a Licensed Professional Counselor or mental health professional can help you to gain an understanding of your past, how it can trigger your stress hormones, understand your needs, and how to use your individual strengths to reduce the trauma’s effect on your decision making and overall health. Confronting this elephant can confront the source- and allow you to heal. Like healing a broken bone, healing the impact of trauma does not happen overnight. It takes time, energy, commitment and strength. However, for many people, the positive changes in relationships, self-esteem, and overall well-being are worth the time and effort. If you are one of the rare people who score a 0 on the test, you can still be involved. You can start a dialogue, and voice the importance of counseling and mental health care so that more people know where to find care- and feel comfortable asking for it. -Gillian Below is the TED talk by Nadine Burke Harris on the subject, and a link to the ACE study. TED video of Nadine Burke Harris: Link to ACE Study: http://www.acestudy.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/ACE_Calculator-English.127143712.pdf *** Gillian Amaro, LPC-S I believe that we, as individuals, can create joy, love, and purpose in our lives through authentic connection. I love empowering women, couples & teens to feel comfortable with who they are & gain insight about how they connect with others. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor & Supervisor and offer individual, family & couples sessions, as well as group therapy. My passion for counseling & healthy communication includes stepping out of the office to facilitate workshops and CEU trainings. *** 392 W. Mill St. New Braunfels, TX 78130 www.aspireNB.com Facebook: @AspireNewBraunfels Gillian’s profile on Psychology Today Aspire NB on Facebook