Are you ready to feel more liberated?
It's my mission to help liberate ourselves from suffering!
(And no you don't need to do nude cartwheels at the beach in subzero weather, that’s just my personal preference 🤩)
To be liberated is to "show freedom from social conventions or traditional ideas" or to be "freed from imprisonment".
For years, I created an invisible prison with my mind.
Partly it wasn't my fault – my brain's negativity bias, left unchecked, amplified everyday and extraordinary challenges, plus the culture I was raised in told me I shouldn't want things I wanted and must strive for things I did not.
And partly it was – my wellness practices were seriously lacking and the absence of proper exercise, sleep and nutrition created a pretty icky interior landscape (i.e. SUFFERING).
One day, desperate to feel better, I set the intention to become more LIBERATED.
That intention guided me to take action in achieving a more joyful way of being.
This is what I want for YOU!
Here are 3 ways to set yourself free from suffering. I hope they serve you!
1. Liberation from mental misery
THE PRACTICES: gratitude + discontent
As mentioned above, much of our suffering comes from our mind, our mindset, the way we think. Fortunately, we hold a lot of power here! Through the practice of mindfulness, we can become more aware of what's going on in our mind and CHOOSE to change it.
The practice of gratitude – thinking about what's good, what's working, what's positive – not only changes your mind, it physically changesyour brain! It wires you to become better at taking in the good, feeling the abundance, relishing the joyfulness.
The practice of discontent – thinking about what'snotgood, what'snotworking, what'snotpositive – also changes your mind and brain. It wires you to become better at noticing your dissatisfaction and course-correcting.
TAKE ACTION: write down (in bullet points or longform) 5-21 items of gratitude, and 1-3 items of discontent (the ratio of gratitude to discontent is important!).
2. Liberation from body animosity
THE PRACTICES: celebration + reverence
Feeling hostile toward our own bodies is a major source of suffering for so many humans. If we can shift the experience of our body inward – instead of focusing outward, on how we think our body "should" look – we can tap into a different experience of the miraculous vessel we're given to live our one and only life on planet earth!
The practice of celebration is to acknowledge something special: YOUR BODY! Your body can do so many special things! It can lift and push and pull things! Turn food into nourishment (and the leftovers into poop)! Repair itself from all kinds of damage, wear and tear! Maybe you can even do one of those kick-ass, two-finger whistles!
The practice of reverence is to have deep respect for something: YOUR BODY! Consider, with awe, the pleasure your body is capable of, the things it can create (maybe babies! wow!), the activities it enables you to do (like cook for those you love, have exciting hobbies, excel in your career)!
TAKE ACTION: write down (in bullet points or longform) 3-7 reasons to celebrate and have reverence for your body.
3. Liberation from relentless busyness
THE PRACTICES: rest + opting out
The practice of rest is to note where you're feeling depleted, and inject more relaxation (even just 1 minute) into that space. Can you work in transition periods between work and home, or home and school – can you walk to/from work/school? can you set a timer in your car to take 10 deep breaths before you step into your home? can you savour a cup of tea? can you extend your morning routine to include more self-care? can you disconnect from work, emails and social media to deeply wind down before bedtime?
The practice of opting out is to write both internal and external scripts for saying NO. What short, simple and clear messages can you say to yourself and speak to others to convey a definitive no? External scripts you share with friends, family or colleagues might sound like, "Sorry I can't." or "My plate is currently full." Internal scripts you say to yourself might sound like, "I know that choice won't serve me" or "I'm choosing to rest now" or "I don't need to buy anything to feel worthy and whole."
TAKE ACTION: write down (in bullet points or longform) how you chose to rest and opt out, and how it made you feel to take action
Wishing you liberation, freedom and joy!