Friday, September 11

Today is Friday, September 11, 2020.  Green is the most common color observed in the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).  See photo.

Inspirational quotes to start the weekend from Mary Davis, “The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” And by Robert Holden, “The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.”

Photo by: Luke Tanis

It is Self-Care September! This month, we offer prompts to energize your self-care routine. We invite you to experiment with any or all the suggested activities to invigorate, your mind, body and spirit.

Self-Care Activity:  Establish a restorative sleep routine.  Each night is a new night, trust your body and mind to self-regulate and allow you to fall asleep.

• • Explore a bedtime body scan.
    • With your eyes closed begin to focus on your breath
    • Take inventory of the sensations in each part of your body
    • Choose where to start, left hand, head, toes, …
    • Continue along your body in a way that makes sense to you, head to toe, feet to top of the head, left to right…
    • If your thoughts drift, simply return to your scan. Thoughts will likely drift—the important thing is to just observe and be one with your body.

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am resilient and learning every day. I am part of the global community. I love myself because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness out to all people. We are all connected. We can be resilient together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

• • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
  • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
  • Practice the Mountain Meditation to connect with your inner strength and stability.
    1. Envision a mountain, see the intricate details of the mountain.
    2. Bring the majesty of the mountain inside of you and be one with the mountain.
    3. Feel the strength and stability of the mountain.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

 Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP