In support of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, Insight Timer is creating From Surviving To Thriving, a 10-day challenge with author and mindfulness teacher, Kate James. This challenge will give you the tools to transform your thinking and your behavior to create a more positive relationship with yourself and live a more meaningful life.
Prioritize your wellbeing
You can’t pour from an empty cup. If you find you’re constantly giving to others and not taking care of yourself, you might start to notice signs of stress and anxiety, overwhelm and negative thinking. This can often make it harder for us to feel connected, have self compassion or deal with difficult thoughts and emotions. When we make time to prioritize our wellbeing, maintaining an awareness mindset becomes more accessible and will infinitely benefit you, as well as those around you.
Here are 5 things you can do to further support your move from surviving to thriving during our May challenge, and beyond!
Meditate
Explore different styles and see what works for you, what you need in the moment. A relaxation meditation might involve a simple breathing exercise or body scan, helping you to feel restored, balanced and replenish your energy levels. A walking meditation can help to anchor you into the present moment. If you can be barefoot on a surface like grass or sand, this experience will be more grounding and perhaps easier to notice the feelings in your feet.
Move
Make time to move your body in any way that makes you feel good. Bend, stretch and get the energy moving around your body. If in doubt, remember that breathing counts as movement. Start by taking long, slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out of your mouth. A simple breathing meditation can totally shift you from your mind into your body. Focus on bringing fresh air into your lungs and notice yourself becoming more grounded.
Sleep
Most healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Late-night screen time, chatting with friends, or catching up on our latest TV-show binge can all mess with our sleep quality. Enforcing a shutdown time for all devices — phones, laptops, and TVs — at least one hour before bedtime is a great place to start. A guided sleep meditation or yoga nidra can also help slow down a whirring mind, and essential oils such as lavender can help you feel relaxed, making it easier to fall into a slumber and wake feeling rested.
Connect
Spend quality time with friends, loved ones, and yourself; time where you are fully present. When we connect with friends, our oxytocin levels increase, which helps with feelings of support and validation and allows us to create safe spaces for sharing and understanding. It is equally important to make time to connect with yourself. This could involve spending the day alone, doing something you love, or simply sitting and connecting with your breath for a few minutes every morning.
Disconnect
Technology can be overstimulating and addictive. Too much exposure can cause sleeping problems, fluctuate your moods, create low energy levels, and affect your concentration. Even just a few hours away from phone calls, emails, Instagram, Facebook, online shopping and Netflix will help you disconnect. Spend time outside in nature, go for a walk, read a book or catch up with a friend. Schedule ‘ technology-free’ time every day and notice how it makes you feel.
For those who wish to delve deeper
Following the Surviving to Thriving 10-day challenge on May 1st, author and mindfulness teacher, Kate James will be hosting a Q&A on May 14th.
Dates to remember
10 Day Challenge: May 9th – 19th, 2022
Live Q&A with Kate: Saturday, May 14th @ 2pm PST
