Category: meditation

A set of crystal singing bowls, with mats and playing mallets. Photo by Sheryl Rosenberg on Instagram. Catherine takes a sound bath, feels spring clean
fitness · meditation · yoga

Catherine takes a sound bath, feels spring clean

catherine w

Last Friday was the end of my last full week of classes for the academic year. I still have one more class, one more faculty meeting, two exams and a pile of grading to do. But the end is in sight, and summer is just around the corner.

In the meantime, spring has busted out all over Eastern Massachusetts. Is it me, or do the flowering trees and bright blossoms look so much more blooming wonderful than usual? Maybe it’s because I/we can use a mood lift from nature. In either case, it’s gorgeous out there.

A field of daffodils near Dartmouth, MA, visited by me earlier this week. Yes, it was this beautiful.
A field of daffodils near Dartmouth, MA, visited by me earlier this week. Yes, it was this beautiful.

Speaking of gorgeous: Friday was also Crystal Singing Bowl Restorative Yoga day at Artemis, my local yoga studio. Yoga teacher and Singing Bowl musician Sheryl brought her bowls and led us through a series of restorative poses, playing them during the poses. Here’s a sound bath excerpt.

I love love love interesting sounds in yoga classes. And there are so many ways that teachers and musicians collaborate to provide a multi-sensory experience. I’ve had yoga classes with cello, acoustic bass, bass guitar, drum, bells, bowls (metal and crystal), and gong(s). Yes, I highly recommend going to a gong yoga session sometime. It feels like a freight train is rumbling close by, close enough to feel the vibrations.

Describing the experience of Friday’s sound bath would be difficult, mainly because I became so mellow and relaxed by the end that I was loathe to get up off my mat and leave the studio. But apparently singing bowls are also good for increasing energy; so says teacher Sheryl. Here’s her instagram post for a midday energy boost.

Just listening to her play is feeling great. Even my laptop is buzzing a little from the vibration of the bowls.

Dear readers, have any of you taken sound baths? How did you feel? I’d love to hear from you.

meditation · mindfulness · motivation

The 10-Minute Train-in-a-Sliver-of-Sun Meditation and Other Moments Seized

Mina

On a recent walk home from picking up groceries, I got stuck on the wrong side of the tracks, waiting for a seemingly interminable freight train to pass. Already, I was frustrated. Grocery shopping and cooking have become a whole fraught story, since a bad blood test in mid-January has forced me onto a super low potassium diet. This means cutting out nearly all my favorite foods (Chocolate! Avocado! So many leafy greens! Sweet potatoes! Broccoli! Beans! Almonds!) So, the groceries were extra heavy with my resentment. I was primed to fight against the reality of the train preventing me from getting back to the place where I was staying (I was away). And a strange thing happened. Instead of feeling frustrated, I seized the moment.

It was a day of thin winter sun, but still, sun. Wow. After so much grey. I turned my face to the light and closed my eyes. Without any conscious thought, the gesture transformed into a meditation. I listened to the sounds around me. I was standing close to the tracks. The thundering of the passing train drowned out the world, except for the occasional near sound, which I couldn’t identify and didn’t open my eyes to understand. I trusted that the source of the sound was not threatening, even though I wasn’t in familiar territory. I let everything wash over me. The sound of heavy metal rolling over metal. The heat of the sun and around the edges of the sun’s reach, the crisp cold of the day. I stood this way, eyes closed, ears tuning, face basking, my arms hanging still by my sides, grocery bags in hand. Legs straight, but not locked. Relative stillness. I knew that cars and pedestrians and bundled up winter cyclists were building up on either side of the train track. I could have felt exposed, with my eyes closed as the world changed around me. Instead, I felt the energy inside me, expanding like a balloon, offering me ballast. I felt the freedom of being somewhere nobody knows me; a lightness of being.

I don’t know how long it took for the train to pass. My best guess is around 10 minutes. I felt refreshed and invigorated after my impromptu meditation. When I got on my next call and the woman asked me how I was, the sparkle in my answer surprised both of us.

Why don’t I always do this sort of thing when ten spare minutes present themselves? Instead of flopping on the couch and looking at my phone. I set an intention to seize more moments. I would not say that I have knocked that intention out of the park exactly. I have been more conscious of noticing the short bites of time between things and enjoying them more.

Out in Canmore, Alberta, where I was for the last weeks to feed my profound love of cross-country skiing (and see Calgary family), I took to heading out on a fat bike for 15-20 minutes in the afternoon, to break up my work day with an afternoon snack of fresh air and snow (in addition to my food snack!). It was my first time trying that sport and I rented the bike without knowing whether I’d like it (would my hands and toes be frozen?). I had so much fun pushing the bike up hills too steep and/or deep to ride and floating back down on the bike; often falling into a soft cushion of snow.

My ski first thing in the morning was a profound pleasure (it’s one of my favourite ways to move) and, as my workout for the day, there were goals (the work in workout). Side note: In one of those there-are-no-coincidences, one of the few sounds I would hear during my forest-quiet morning skis was the early train, whispering to me, seize the moment.

Canmore forest and mountains with mountain bike. Mina in her bike helmet. Canmore sun rising over the mountains at the ski center and just before the sun hits the mountains.

The afternoons were for seized moments. I had no goals on the fat bike. When I saw a gap in my work flow, I’d jump into my winter gear and ride into the forest behind the house.

And, I want to release even more pressure from this idea. Seizing the moment has such an active ring to it, which can be pre-defeating, when I’m not feeling go-get-em-ish. Sometimes seizing the moment simply looks like not wrecking the moment. Here’s some recent examples of me not destroying a moment:

  • I am just about to turn into the Nordic ski center, when I realize that I forgot to put my skis back in the car after I returned the rental fat bike. Instead of cursing myself out for my stupidity (which is so classic and why am I always so stupid), I sighed, made a U-turn and told myself that the podcast I was listening to in the car was excellent and now I had 20 more minutes to listen to it (given the extra drive would be 10 minutes each way). Plus, I wonder if this mishap was the universe’s way of ensuring I kept my ski to 45 minutes (as my body needed, after 13 days straight of skiing/fat biking), because now I had less time and couldn’t fall into my usual pattern of oh-it’s-so-beautiful-and-rare-to-be-out-here-I’ll-just-do-another-hill until my ski extended to 90 minutes.
  • Sitting at a bakery in Canmore, I realize I forgot the last bits of food in the fridge at the house where I’d been staying and had to pass back by again before heading to Calgary. See above for my wreck the moment reaction (stupid, stupid, stupid). Instead, I shook my head and was glad that I had lots of time.
  • On my taxi ride back from the airport, after a 90-minute flight delay and then a further 75 minutes waiting for my skis to come out at the oversized baggage area, and now an hourlong drive home, which meant I was going to be cutting it very tight for my dinner plans with friends; instead of texting about my aggravation to lots of people, I decided to watch the last episode of season 3 of Derry Girls, which I’d downloaded to my iPad and had been reveling in on the plane. Okay—so maybe Netflix doesn’t seem like seizing the moment or not wrecking a moment, but in the moment, the choice felt so enjoyable and peaceful, which is not how I’d normally think of a cab ride home from the airport after many delays.

None of these are quite the train-in-the-sunshine meditation. Still, each of these is a baby step in the direction of seizing more moments (and wrecking fewer). Celebrating the baby steps is at the core of moments seized.

advice · fitness · goals · habits · meditation · motivation

Go Team! 2024: An easy back-up plan

Christine Hennebury

Do you have a ridiculously simple, easily accessible, practically-a-placeholder version of the habit or practice you are trying to work on?

If you don’t have one yet, please consider choosing one.

For the last year and a bit, I’ve been working on adding more meditation to my life.

I started with a two week program that included guided meditations of various lengths. Then I did a mish-mash of various other meditations - guided, walking, drawing, breathing, timed – before trying a month-long program. Then I went back to the mish-mash.

At this point, I have meditated every day for over 14 months but each day hasn’t been an epic example of mindfulness – far from it.

Some days, I have done a 30 minute practice and some days I’ve practiced for 10 minutes but for many, many days, I have just done 1 minute of meditation.

And lots of times that 1 minute meditation was less than serene.

In fact, often my timer would go off after a minute and I would have to acknowledge that I had spent that minute trying to focus on my breath but hadn’t actually achieved that goal.

And yes, I realize that I probably needed more than a minute to be able to settle into my practice on those days but, at the time, I felt like a minute was all the time I could manage.

Even though my 1 minute meditations are very short and quite imperfect, I still count them as part of my practice.*

Those imperfect, slapdash sessions help me keep my momentum.

They help me to make sure that meditation is something I regularly do, not just something I hope to get around to.

Those messy minutes of attempted mindfulness keep meditation on my daily radar.

They are my easy back-up plan.

When I decided ages ago that I really wanted meditation to be part of my daily life, I picked a minimum practice that felt like it would be doable even on the most challenging of days.

And it has been.

Even on the worst day of this last year, the day my Dad passed away, I stood on my patio in the chilly darkness, looked up at the sky, and breathed slowly and carefully for 1 minute.

I could have let that day slide, that obviously would have been ok, but I didn’t need to. And having that little anchor of the everyday was actually really helpful.

Please don’t think that I’m suggesting that you *must* find a way to keep up your new habits even on your very worst days.

That’s not at all what I’m going for here.

What I’m hoping is that if you find an easy back-up plan version of your habit, one that is doable on any day, you will find more ease in the process overall.

I’m hoping that having an easy back-up plan makes your habit-building incredibly ordinary and perhaps almost automatic.

And, just like me with the minute of meditation, maybe the sheer normalcy of the easy back-up plan can help bring you some comfort on challenging days instead of feeling like one more damn thing to do.

Here are some teeny gold stars for your efforts today.

Every little effort counts. Yes, even a single rep, a minute of meditation or movement, or a few lines on the page. It all counts.

A drawing of a vase of gold stars on stems
A drawing of small gold stars on stems in a rounded, striped vase.the edge of the drawing is framed in black marker and there are thin diagonal lines in the top left and bottom right corners. There are small black dots decorating the middle section of the drawing in the space between the two sets of lines.

*Is this true meditation? I don’t know. Am I doing it ‘right’? Don’t know that either. Does this count? Yes, because I said so.

fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · rest · self care · yoga

Making Space 2023: Day 31

Christine Hennebury

We did it!

Here we are at Day 31 and I hope you were able to use my posts as reminders or prompts to make a little more space for you in your days.

It can feel a bit weird to add something else to our lists this time of year but it is worth it. Making space for ourselves helps remind us that we aren’t just here to get things done, we are here to live our lives, to enjoy ourselves, and to be ourselves.

Anything you do that reminds you or who you really are, anything that reminds you of your own power, will help you show up in the world the way want to show up, will help you to be responsive instead of reactive. And all of that will help you feel better over all.

This is the last entry for Making Space 2023 but tomorrow I’m starting our Go Team 2024 entries. Go Team 2024 will be a month of posts encouraging you to be kind to yourself and to recognize your own efforts each day.

Whether you view January as a month to jump into new goals, to continue on your current course, or to just putter along through while you figure things out, I’m going to be posting every day to remind you that your efforts count – no matter what those efforts entail.

Wishing you all ease as 2023 becomes 2024 – a change that has as much meaning or as little meaning as you want to give it.

Even though I (gently) boss you into being kind to yourself, you are, after all, the boss of you and you decide what matters.

Onto our videos!

If you want to ease your way into the new year, here’s 10 Minute Bedtime Yoga video from Yoga with Adriene

Still image shows Adriene lying on her yoga mat with her head on a pillow, she is wearing comfy clothes and her dog Benji is sleeping near her feet.

If you want to welcome 2024 with a bit more oomph, here’s The Fitness Marshall team leading us through a dance to Lady Gaga‘s Bad Romance.

Image description: three people in dance clothes doing claw hand gestures as part of a dance move.

If you want a restful meditation to welcome the new year, this 10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation / Present from the Calm app channel might be just the thing. The video features a crackling fire in a fireplace and that seemed like a good meditation focus to me.

Still image shows flames crackling around a tall cone of logs and sticks in a fireplace.

And if you want powerful energy to greet the new year, perhaps this 5 Minute Meditation to Access Your Superpowers from 5 Minutes by Great Meditations might be a fun way to start.

Whether you choose calm or energetic or something in between and whether or not you choose to do any of these videos, I hope December 31 treats you well and that you have the space you need for your own peace of mind.

About Making Space 2023:


In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. 


In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space,  and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year. 


These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.


Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.


Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day. 


So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.

fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · mindfulness · rest · self care

Making Space 2023: Day 29

Christine Hennebury

Hey Team,

Please remember that you don’t have to spend this week making plans for how to make 2024 your best year ever.

If that kind of planning feels good, have at it. But if it feels like something you *should* do, please do something else instead.

You can spend this week making space for yourself, taking deep breaths, just puttering along in whatever way suits you best.

You can also take January one day at a time once it gets here.

You also have the option of labelling January as Planuary, like I do, and deciding what kinds of plans to make once the calendar rolls over to 2024.

(Maybe that’s not how the movers and shakers do things but I am not interested in being a mover or a shaker, except in the most literal of terms – I like being able to move and sometimes stuff needs shaking up.)

ANYWAY!

Here is your movement suggestion for today. I really enjoy this 5 Minute Foot, Core, and Pelvic Floor workout from Dr Bri’s Vibrant Pelvic Health.

Still image is of the instructor smiling on a sunny tropical beach. There is a small inset photo of her feet and the words ‘Quick Foot and Core’ are superimposed on the right side of the image.

And today’s meditation is Releasing the Resistance from Great Meditations. I don’t know if you are feeling resistant to anything in particular right now but it is such a common feeling that I figured it would be useful no matter what is going on for us at the moment.

Still image is a drawing of a person with flowers in their long brown hair, they look peaceful. On the right side of the image is text reading ‘Releasing the Resistance guided meditation’

About Making Space 2023:
In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. 


In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space,  and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year. 


These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.


Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.


Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day. 


So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.

fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · rest · self care

Making Space 2023: Day 30

Christine Hennebury

Note from Christine: I made a mistake when scheduling this post and it went up early. My apologies for the mixup.

I hope that this last weekend of 2023 finds you with lots of space to do the things you need and want to do.

And if that space isn’t naturally-occurring, I hope you can find a way to make some.

Please remember that you don’t have to do the videos I link to and you don’t have to do the things that other people say you *should* do with your time.

We all have things that need to be done, I get that, but we also have a lot of pressure to do things that other people have prioritized. I hope that you can make a little extra room for your own priorities today and let other people deal with at least some of the things they tried to push off onto you.

The videos below do not have to be priorities for you, I only offer them to make it a bit easier for you to do a little movement and a little meditation without having to put too much extra thought into choosing a video.

I always love a video from Ask Dr. Jo and this Real-Time Morning Stretching Routine is especially enjoyable.

Yes, I know you have probably already started your day but these stretches are just as good in the middle of the day as they are first thing.

Image description: the title of the video is in the upper left on black text, on the right side of the image is a still from the video showing Dr. Jo pretending to wake up. She’s sitting on a blue mat, her feet and calves are covered in a blanket and she is lifting a sleep mask up onto her forehead.

And just like the stretches above, this 7 minute guided morning meditation from Meditate Daily with Andrea Jean is good any time.

Still image is a cartoon drawing of a person sitting crossed legged in meditation. The background is grey and white text at the top reads ‘7 Minute Meditation’ and at the bottom it reads ‘positive morning’

About Making Space 2023:


In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating.


In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space,  and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year. 


These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.


Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.


Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day. 


So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.

fitness · habits · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · rest · self care

Making Space 2023: Day 27

Christine Hennebury

Since we are getting to the end of the year, I’m seeing a lot of social media ‘accomplishment’ posts where everyone who had tangible projects this year is listing the things they got done.

If your year didn’t play out like that, please don’t take those to heart.

I’m happy for people who can quantify their experiences like that – or at least can spin things that way- but I’m also proud of those of us who had less tangible, visible accomplishments.

Lots of us, including me, might have spent the year just putting one foot in front of the other. Or learning to stay a little calmer in times of stress. Or stretching just a little before bed. Or helping a friend through difficulties. Or any of a million different things that can’t be measured or that you can’t or don’t want to talk about online.

Your focus on those things doesn’t make you lesser than those with a tangible list. The work you did – for yourself, for your family, for your community – is incredibly valuable and I am proud of you for doing it.

Please continue doing what you can with the resources you have and resting whenever you need or want to.

And here’s a gold star for your efforts- visible, invisible, tangible, intangible, it all matters and you matter.

A gold star made of yellow Christmas lights
This is a photo my husband took a few years back of a gold star made of lights, with strings of coloured lights surrounding it, on a boat in Port de Grave, Newfoundland and Labrador, where they host a Christmas Boat Lighting every year.

In the spirit of putting one foot in front of the other, I’m suggesting a short walking workout to help you make space for yourself today.

This is a 10 Minute High Intensity Walk with Jordan from Bob and Brad. You don’t have to match her intensity unless you want to but I felt like she was good company!

Still image shows a person in exercise clothes mid-step superimposed over a background of purple, pink, and yellow. The title of the video is in white text on the right side of the image.

For our meditation today, I thought we could try another walking meditation. I like how this one A Walking Meditation That Reduces Anxiety from HealthyPlace Mental Health combines the instructions for walking meditations with a bit of practice.

You can just practice with the video or start with the instructions and then do your own waking meditation. (And, of course, you can always do something else entirely. Do what works for you, please!)

Still image shows the instructor sitting at an office desk facing the camera, behind her on her left is a book shelf with a plant and a book called ‘Stop Anxiety’ on a stand.

About Making Space 2023:
In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. 


In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space,  and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year. 


These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.


Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.


Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day. 


So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.

fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · rest · self care

Making Space 2023: Day 24

Christine Hennebury

Hey Team,

Whether you are celebrating Christmas Eve, celebrating Sunday, or just ambling through an ordinary day, I hope you can find some ease, rest, and space in there somewhere.

And, no matter what, please remember that you are doing the best you can with the resources you have. Try not to be hard on yourself about things left undone.

If you are looking for a way to get out of your head and take a break from your to do list, here are two videos to try:

Our exercise video for today is a 5 minute Energizing ‘Wake Me Up’ video from Senior Fitness with Meredith

Still image shows the instructor in an exercise studio, the video title is superimposed over the middle of the image.

And for our meditation today, here’s a Midday Recharge from Mindful Peace

Still image shows a clear glass cup of coffee on a white table with a laptop computer next to it. The title of the video ‘Midday Recharge: Guided Mindfulness Meditation is in white text at the top of the image.

About Making Space 2023:
In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. 


In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space,  and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year. 


These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.


Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.


Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day. 


So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.

fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · mindfulness · rest · self care

Making Space 2023: Day 23

Christine Hennebury

Hey Team,

If you’re pressed for time and space today, I have just the thing…

Two coffee break-themed videos to help you make a little room for you in your day.

First up is a 5 minute stretch break with Studio Jibby

Still image shows the instructor, a woman with dark brown skin in exercise clothes, standing on a yoga mat. She is facing away from the camera and there are plants on either end of her mat. The title of the video ‘5 Min Stretch Break at home workouts’ are on title cards superimposed on the upper right side of the image.

And then we have The Coffee Meditation from The Mindful Living Show Pep Farley – you can drink tea, of course. I did!

Still image shows the title of the video ‘The Coffee Meditation a 5 Minute Meditation by Vidyamala Burch’ super imposed over a photo of three cups of coffee on the left and a cup of coffee amidst a heart made of coffee beans on the right

I actually hope you have way more than 5 minutes to spend doing your own thing today but even if this day is a whirlwind, perhaps you have time to linger over your coffee/tea or to do a few stretches while it brews.

Wishing you ease and rest, whatever that looks like for you.

About Making Space 2023:
In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. 


In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space,  and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year. 


These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.


Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.


Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day. 


So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.

fitness · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · rest · self care · stretching

Making Space 2023: Day 20

Christine Hennebury

I really need an extra soft day about now and I hope you’ll join me in going extra easy today.

Let’s start by making space for this 5 Minute Gentle Couch Yoga Stretch from Santosha Spirit.

Still image shows the instructor in comfy clothes seated on a couch with one hand on their heart and one hand on their belly.

And let’s follow up with this meditation for encouragement that’s called ‘Slow Down You’re Doin’ Fine’ from Katie McLaughlin

Still image is of a cartoon person with long dark hair sitting crossed-legged on a sand dune with other sand dunes in the background.

Whether you spend today slowing down or speeding up, I hope you find a pace that works for you and that let’s you have the space you need. 💚

About Making Space 2023:
In December 2020, Fit is a Feminist Issue blogger Martha created a tradition – a series of reminder posts to take good care of ourselves during this last month of the year when it is far too easy to get swept up in your to do list, no matter what you are celebrating or not celebrating. 


In 2021, I started doing daily December reminders with a post called Give Yourself Some Space,  and that’s how the ‘Making Space‘ December tradition began. Throughout December 2021 and 2022, I wrote a short post that included two videos – one for exercise and one for meditation – and a bit of encouragement for you to make space for yourself at this busy time of year. 


These posts are not about cramming more things into your month, they reminding you that there IS a *YOU* who is doing all of the things and that you are worth taking good care of.


Perhaps the things I suggest aren’t what you need at the moment. That’s totally ok. Perhaps you can use something else to create some space, something that will help you feel more relaxed or more in charge of your day. Just do whatever you can to give yourself a little more breathing room.


Personally, I am trying to Finish 2023 Soft so I am putting conscious effort into resting whenever I can. My overjangled nervous system needs a chance to unjangle and that process may look different every day. 


So, some of these posts may be long and some may be short but please know that every single one of them is written with the hope that you can find a little ease in your day, whatever that looks like for you.