Happy as can be, in the mud :)

These are the darkest days of the year, leading up to the winter solstice, so going with the natural flow of the earth, it’s even more important to find time to relax and recuperate. This is the time to recoup and nourish and incubate your energy.

I wanted to write to you about some personal thoughts and reflections to fuel some inspiration for you as well. I was traveling over the last week between the trifecta of domestic places I spend the most time: LA, NY/CT area and Florida (where we have a house on a nature preserve!). There’s a lot of swirling energies and amazing projects we’re working on, and sometimes it’s easy to think we should just push, push,push, and that the harder we work, the better results we get. I’m sure know that feeling!

In the culture we live in, there is so much constant stress and an expectation to always be “on”, and it can wear us out.

This is not healthy or conducive for our highest power to shine through.  While some of us work well with time pressures, and we all have different work styles, I think if you are depleted you need to find balance and ways to self-nourish.

And I know for myself, that I need to recharge often to be my most creative, and think, write and come up with creative solutions and ideas. Creativity is what makes us all unique. You don’t have to be a musician or a painter to use your creativity! We ALL use it! Whether it’s finding unique ways to create a report or games you make with napkins at restaurants with your kids, creativity is what we use to express our own unique energy and contribute to the whole. There is only one of you, and only you can express things exactly as you do! 

Even when I have a lot going on, I maintain my “recharging” practices. In fact, I think they become more important!

For me, it’s my self yoga practice: moving my body in a non-linear way, with the asanas that I feel my body and entire being need that day. I’ve been getting up earlier to practice. The other is recharging in nature. In Florida, there are some nature walks where there are all kinds of surfaces to walk on. Katelyn and I went for a long walk Friday, where we trounced around in the mud like little girls, :)

Look at this adorable tortoise we spotted on the path! As we got closer he sure skidaddled! I didn’t think tortoises could move that fast?!

as well as in the grass, the sand, and over rocks. It is so healing to touch nature directly wherever you can! Of course, I know that it is cold for many of us, but if you can still slip outside (well bundled!) to take a brisk walk during the day, or even in the evening under the moonlight, that is a way you can enjoy nature. Or any rejuvenative practice for you!

He looks cute, but don’t be mistaken, this little guy is tough! When we got closer he turned and huffed away, AND hissed like a snake (!)

It’s easy to get caught up in all the tasks and the “doing” right now, especially with holiday shopping and plans on top of everything else. But pushing creates strain and that is not an optimal space for exercising your creative power, which is sooo powerful, and tapping into it will help you succeed more in everything – including love, work, family, creative projects, etc.

Pausing can also mean curling up with a relaxing tea and book instead of heading out (to some crowded place!) or just trying to schedule less. You need to recharge to feel your most creative. And when you do…more creativity will arise!

We took a few hours on Friday to do our walks in nature, and some birdwatching, and then on Saturday went to a different beach and went into the ocean. Healing! The result? Even though we “took some time off” during “normal” working times, we ended up getting infinitely more done in the grand scheme. We had amazing brainstorming sessions and thought through some ideas that we had been trying to figure out! It was an incredible rush of energy. Ideas were coming while we were in nature and afterwards.

In the end, rejuvenating and recharging your energy will pay you back in spades.

So be sure to take some more time for yourself this week, even if it’s a few less activities, more time to relax, more time outside, whatever that means for you. You will feel recharged, balanced and amazing. And your creative power will surge through!

Remember: find ways to recharge and rejuvenate, daily if possible, especially this time of year, and you will be able to be more successful and more effective…and more creative.

What’s your favorite way to recharge right now? Let me know!

And hope you enjoyed coming on this Florida nature walk with me, in pics.

See you very soon.

Love,

Kimberly