Tag: meditation

fitness · holidays · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · self care · stretching

Making Space: Day 19

Christine Hennebury2 Comments

I’m patting myself on the back right now for taking my own advice.

I was looking at my schedule for the week and I realized just how much time I was planning to devote to things I didn’t want to do.

Obviously *some* of those things need to be done anyway (glerg, grocery shoppping) but some of them are things that need to be done at some point (sigh, reorganizing two shelves in the basement to make it easier to find things, for example) but definitely don’t need to be done this week. I was unconsciously pushing myself to get them done as if the holidays were some kind of deadline for household order.*

Even if I were having a crowd over for the holidays, those basement shelves and the other organizing tasks on my list would still not have to be done this week.

Soooo, I dropped those ‘do at some point’ things right off my schedule.

And now I have more space for fun things and interesting things and things that actually need to be done this week.

Weird how that works, hey? Getting rid of unnecessary things on my schedule made space for more enjoyable things. Who knew?

In the space I created by not having to take time to schedule those tasks, I tried this upper body warm up video.

I enjoyed it but I just held the neck stretches instead of alternating them so quickly.

A 5 Minute Warm Up Workout: Upper Body from the Modern Fit Girl YouTube channel. The still image shows the instructor in exercise clothes standing on an exercise mat on tile floor. Her arms are extended behind her and she is leaning forward. The video includes 8 exercises that are all done for 30 seconds each,

And here’s our meditation for today. I looked for a short one that promised mental space but apparently creating mental space requires 10-15 minutes. I’m not ready for a meditation of that length yet so I chose this one instead.


A guided meditation for calming the mind from the ABC Science YouTube channel. The still image is of desert sand, which has been blown into soft ridges, extending into the distance. White text reads ‘Guided Meditation (5 Minutes)

Whether you did these videos, dropped something from your to do list, or created space in another way, I wish you ease and rest today.

Here’s your star for your efforts: ⭐️

*This whole pre-holiday cleaning/organizing business is something I need to consciously work to get out of my system. Sure, it’s swell to do a re-set of my house every so often but it sure as hell doesn’t have to be in December.

fitness · habits · holiday fitness · holidays · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · stretching

Making Space: Day 18

Christine Hennebury

I’m starting with our meditation today.

Earlier, I thought I was feeling fairly relaxed. My day isn’t particularly busy and my writing is going well. I have been able to set my own schedule and things are good overall.

I went to YouTube found the meditation video for this post and pressed play.

As I breathed through it (this one has a visual to breathe with, I love that!) I found myself anxiously looking at the time bar at the bottom wondering why it was taking so long to do a 5-minute practice. I realized that my mind was hopping over to my writing. And I found that my shoulders were braced like I had to ‘push through’ the practice.

Hmmmm, interesting, hey?

I wasn’t hard on myself about it. I tried to just notice and keep coming back to my breath – I did ok with that.

I kept breathing. Time kept crawling.

And then I started to feel my shoulders and neck relax. I hadn’t even noticed that my neck was tight until it released.

And my breathing got even slower and I started to feel even more calm.

So, I guess I especially needed this video today.

If you are in this metaphorical boat with me, I hope the video helps you, too.

A 5 minute breathing exercise video from the Daring Authenticity YouTube channel. The still image is of a circular shape made of overlapping petals in a rainbow of colours. The shape expands and contracts during the video to guide the speed of the viewer’s breath. The image background is a speckled white.

Breathing is a fundamental way to make space for ourselves, especially in our own brains, but it is not the only way.

A little movement helps, too, and this ‘office break’ video was exactly what I needed today. I particularly liked the shoulder move where you are reaching forward and then pressing back.

If you aren’t feeling up to doing this whole video, you could try watching it until you see a movement that feels doable and just do that one. Consider the video a menu instead of a to-do list.

A 5 minute office break workout from the BodyFit by Amy YouTube channel. Still image shows the instructor standing next to a wall sign that says ‘5 Minute Office Break”

I hope you find whatever space you can in your day today, whether it is through these videos or by pushing the clean laundry aside on the couch so you have room to sit with a crossword puzzle and some tea.

Here’s your star for your efforts: ⭐️

And if you have been reading these posts and thinking ‘That star isn’t for me, I haven’t done anything at all!’ Here’s an extra one for you: ⭐️ Our lives are complex and parts of them are really hard, let’s be kind to ourselves and accept those gold stars. Your efforts matter.

Even if the results are not what you hoped, your hard work counts.

Wishing you ease and space today and always.

fitness · habits · health · holidays · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · self care · yoga

Making Space: Day 17

Christine Hennebury2 Comments

When I committed to writing this posts for December, I thought I understood the value of making space for yourself during a busy time. And I would have sworn that I knew the rewards of small exercise and meditation practices.

But obviously there are levels of understanding when it comes to this stuff because I am thrilled with how different I feel from doing (and writing about) these things daily.

I hope that you are getting at least some of the same effect.

It can be really easy to dismiss a short practice in anything, whether it is meditation, Taekwondo, piano, or deep breathing. The truth is that those short practices are not only surprisingly good in themselves but their cumulative effect is delightful.

For a little more delight today, here’s Joelle with some lower back reset yoga in a beautiful setting.

(It’s really cold here today so seeing this summery scene was extra lovely.)

A short yoga practice for the lower back from Yoga with Joelle. In the still image, Joelle is outdoors ona dock with lush greenery and water in the background. She lying on her back on a yoga mat with her knees curled up toward her chest and her arms wrapped around them.

And for some restful breathing today, here’s a short meditation to try:

A 5 minute guided meditation for mindfulness from the Declutter the Mind YouTube channel. Image description:?The still image is of a waterfall surround by rocks and trees. The name of the video ‘Short 5 Min Guided Meditation for Mindfulness’ is in the foreground in white text.

As always, I wish you ease and space in your day.

And here’s a star for your efforts: ⭐️

ADHD · Dancing · habits · holidays · meditation · motivation

Making Space: Day 15

Christine Hennebury

I don’t know about you but I am really getting to the point in December where time starts telescoping. I keep feeling like I have lots of time left before a task needs to be finished and then, somehow, time has contracted and my deadline is looming.

Wait, is that just an ADHD thing? Does time do that for neurotypical people, too? I’ve experienced this all my life but I have had ADHD all that time so perhaps it’s related.

ANYWAY, my point is that even when time feels tight, it’s important to do what you can to add in some space for self-care. I am NOT pressuring you to do anything specific. I don’t want making space to become another guilt-inducing item on a long to-do list.

Perhaps, if everything feels crowded and tight, you can do something very small – like taking a VERY deep breath every time you touch your phone or first touch the steering wheel.

If you have more time and space today, here are your videos!

Our movement video is dance instruction/dance practice with Laura Jones from Stopgap Dance Company (an inclusive class for disabled people)

This is a dance video from Stopgap Dance Company (an inclusive class for disabled people) that includes some choreography instruction and then the practice. Image description: The still image features instructor Laura Jones, a wheelchair user, in an outdoor space with a brick wall to their right, a brick half-wall to their left. Some greenery is visible above the half-wall.

For our meditation today, I chose some restful meditation music rather than a guided meditation. I kind of feel like I am in a spa when I listen to this so that’s not a bad way to spend 5 minutes.

A video of 5 Minute Meditation Music from the Soundings of the Planet YouTube channel. Image description: The still image is of a sunlit field with mountains in the distance. White text in the foreground reads “5 Minute Meditation Music”

Whether you choose these videos or whether you find another route to making space, I wish you ease and restfulness.

Here’s your star for your efforts today – ⭐️

cardio · fitness · habits · holiday fitness · meditation · mindfulness · motivation

Making Space: Day 14

Christine Hennebury2 Comments

I hope Tuesday is treating you well and that you find plenty of space in your day to be kind to yourself.

Here is a star for your efforts: ⭐️

And here are your videos!

As always, there is no pressure to do these videos, you do what is best for you. 💚

This cardio workout was a bit of a challenge for me, coordination-wise, but it was a fun challenge, not a frustrating one.

A 5 minute seated cardio circuit video from the Silver Sneakers YouTube channel. The still image is of the instructor seated on a wooden chair with their arms overhead. They are in a room with green walls and beige carpet, and one side of the still image is blue with white text reading 5-Minute Seated Cardio Circuit with SilverSneakers.

I really liked how this meditation video started with a body scan, I find that a very useful way to ‘tune in’ for a meditation.

A 5 minute guided mediation for Cheryl Brause’s YouTube Channel. Still image is of a large evergreen silhouetted against the sky at sunset. The sky is filled with shades of orange and purple. Text reading ‘Find Your Calm’ is overlaid on the image.

No matter what you are doing today, I wish you ease and space.💚

fitness · habits · health · holiday fitness · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · yoga

Making Space: Day 9

Christine Hennebury4 Comments

I have a busy day today and it doesn’t feel like I will have much time to work with but I’m in the habit of making space for my daily practices. Now and I don’t want to break it!

Here are two short videos, five minute chair yoga and a 1 minute breathing exercise.

I hope, no matter how busy you are today, that you have time for at least 6 minutes to yourself.

It doesn’t matter if you spend those 6 minutes with these videos or doing something else that you enjoy, just do whatever you can to make space for yourself.

Here’s a star for your efforts – ⭐️

And here are our videos:

A 5 minute office yoga break video from the Yoga with Uliana YouTube channel. Still image features Uliana, dressed in a white shirt and dark pants, sitting on an chair in a white room. There is a potted plant on a table in one corner.
A 1 minute breathing exercise video from the Calm Sage YouTube channel. The still image shows a light green circle in the foreground with rippled water in the background.

fitness · habits · holiday fitness · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · self care

Making Space: Day 8

Christine Hennebury2 Comments

While I certainly hope that these ‘Making Space’ posts are useful for you, writing them has been really helpful for me.

Having an external commitment to slowing down and paying attention to my mind and my movements for these few minutes a day – I do every video – has made a big difference for my well-being.

Apparently, I am my own experiment of one and so far the results are very promising. 😉

Whether you have been making space by using my video suggestions or if you have been doing your own thing, I applaud you.

And if you are still trying to carve out some space, I applaud your efforts, too.

⭐️ <- Here’s a gold star for us all, we’re just doing the best we can with the resources we have, and we’re trying to be kind to ourselves in the process. Go Team Us!

Now, onto today’s videos:

I thought it would be fun to try another dance video and I just love this warm-up video featuring Ayo Janeen Jackson. I was terrible at it but I didn’t mind a bit.

A 5 minute dance warm-up video from the Sonima Live YouTube channel. Still image shows a dancer in all black clothing with white sneakers. She is in a lunge position in the centre of a well lit room with light coloured flooring and multiple windows.

I initially picked this video because the sunflower image made me smile but my whim served me well, this is quite a relaxing practice.

A 5 minute guided meditation for gratitude from the Mindful Movement YouTube channel. The still image is a close-up view of one half of a drawing of a sunflower with orange/yellow petals.

Good luck out there, Fit Feminists! I wish you ease and kindness. 💚

fitness · habits · holiday fitness · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · yoga

Making Space: Day 6

Christine Hennebury

If your shoulder mobility is okay, then I would like you to try something:

Please put your hands down by your sides and make fists. Then breathe in as you raise your shoulders up by your ears while squeezing your fists really tight. Now, drop your shoulders quickly, while opening your fists and breathing out by saying ‘pah.’

Repeat a couple of times (there are a lot of pieces to those instructions so it might take a few tries to get the effect)

Okay, now that you have already done something that gave you a little space for yourself today.

Go you!

On to today’s videos:

First up we have a short practice from Yoga with Adriene. It’s called bedtime yoga but you can do it any time, you rebel, you!

Still image is of a sunset with brightly coloured clouds and sky, white text in the centre reads ‘7-Minute Bedtime Yoga’

And here’s a meditation practice for you to try. Making space and LovingKindness seems like a good combo to me. Wishing ourselves and others ‘May you be safe, may you be happy, may you be healthy, may you live with ease.’ is only going to end up somewhere good. 💚

A LovingKindness meditation from the Tricycle YouTube channel with Sharon Salzberg. Still image is of a seated person in a purple shirt, they have short chin length brown hair and glasses and their eyes are closed. There is a brick wall at the back of the room and behind them on their right is a table with a vase of flowers and a medium-sized statuette on it.

Of course, as always, I wish you ease and space in your day, no matter how you find it. Do what works for you.

⭐️ -> for your efforts

fitness · habits · holiday fitness · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · yoga

Making Space: Day 3

Christine Hennebury

How can you make a little space for yourself today?

Maybe do a little drawing? Listen to some music? Have a conversation with a friend?

Or, maybe movement is on your self-care menu?

If so, may I suggest this short yoga video from Yoga with Joelle?

A video from Yoga with Joelle’s YouTube channel, the still image shows Joelle on a yoga mat doing a lunging twist.

If you aren’t up to doing any given pose in the practice, adjust it so it suits your capacity and ability. Another good option is to stay in Savasana (corpse pose) and rest while Joelle keeps you company as she does her practice.

If meditation is more your speed right now, today’s suggestion, guided by Dina Proctor, reminds us of how breathing refreshes our cells. I found it pretty cool to think about.

A video from the Omvana by MindValley YouTube channel. Image is tinged with blue and shows a person floating on their back in water with their eyes closed.

I hope you find some space for yourself today, no matter how you shape it.

And, as always, please be kind to yourself.

⭐️ <- for your efforts

fitness · holiday fitness · meditation · mindfulness · motivation · self care

Making Space: Day 2

Christine Hennebury

Another day, another opportunity to make a little space for yourself in your schedule (and in your head.)

If you didn’t get a chance to try yesterday’s videos, it doesn’t matter a bit. Try a few minutes of the ones from today, or do a little movement on your own.

Just be kind to yourself about it, no matter what!

Here’s your gold star for your self-kindness efforts: ⭐️

I recently found this fun Nia energizer video and I just love it. There are only three people in the class and they are clearly having a great time so I had extra fun with the movement.

A Nia dance video from Bethama 37 showing three people dancing in a large room with a mirror at the front.

If meditation is more your style today, here’s one to try. Bonus: the video shows sheep grazing in a field!

A meditation video from the Calm YouTube channel that was apparently originally produced to be played during Uber rides. The image shows long haired sheep in a green hilly field.