Well-Being Week— Back to Center

[Margeaux_H]

Thank you everyone for participating in Well-Being Week!! We had such a great time this week, but if you missed it or want to go back, check out the highlights of the week:

Start with Awareness—On Demand Body Scan >

Let it Go—On Demand Mindful Movement Workout >

Create Space—Two On Demand Workout Options >

To end the week, I invite my fellow AthletaWell Guides to comment below tips on how they return to center after a busy season. We want to make sure we ground ourselves in ways that make us feel the best.

My tip is:

Travel is a major form of wellness for me. There is something humbling about exploring new places and it always makes me feel energized and brought back to life. Whether it's a day trip outside of the city or a full on vacation it always makes me feel full and centered. 

Time spent with friends is super grounding for me. The real and honest conversations about the hard stuff as well as the full belly laughs.

After everything you learned this week, comment below how you return to center? Did you take away any learnings from this week that will help you ground yourself? Share with the community!

Oh, and be on the look out from a post from @ AthletaWellTeam when they announce the winners of the giveaways this afternoon!

[Heather_C]

After the holidays I'm feeling really stressed and overwhelmed. For me, my sanity is often saved for about an hour by going for a run by myself. 😉 

[Chris_F]

After a busy time… Or taking time off due to an event like the holidays…

I center myself by jumping right back into my normal routine. As much as it feels good to take a break from it… It feels good to get back to my regular workouts. Strength training always makes me feel strong both mentally and physically and when I’ve taken a break it feels so good just to pick up weights or do bodyweight exercises and remind myself that I am strong.   

Whenever I’ve taken a break I’d like to get back to that disciplined schedule. Where I know exactly what time I am working out Monday through Friday. It makes me feel more in control 🙂

I guess what I’m trying to say is whenever I take a break from regiment… Whether it’s vacation or holiday that always feels really good… But to re-center myself it feels equally as good to get back into that disciplined schedule.

[Dani_P]

My top 3 tips are:

• Shake off the holiday baggage: the holiday times are FULL -- of food, social engagements, joys, pains, excitement, overwhelm -- they really bring up all of it. Take time post-holidays to release some of the emotional and energetic weight you may be carrying and hit the reset button. Turn on a powerful song and start to physically shake out your body -- starting with your hands, moving down to your legs and feet and then letting your entire body move, dance and shake out the stagnant spaces. When you notice a shift, ground your feet and place your hands on your body. Give yourself a few breaths to arrive back at center.
• Ground at center with your breath: sometimes all it takes to "begin again" and return to center is a few slow deep breaths. Separate your feet nice and wide, place both hands on your low belly, and exhale all of the air from your lungs. Take a deep inhale into your belly for 5 counts, pause at the top for 5 counts, exhale slowly for 5 counts, and pause at the bottom for 5 counts. Repeat this as many times as you need until you notice a shift in your awareness towards feeling grounded & centered.
• Take mindful pauses to check in with yourself throughout the day: with the go-go-go energy of the holidays it can be easy to fly through our days and weeks without taking time to check in with ourselves. But it's those moments of slowing down, acknowledging how we're feeling and being present with ourselves that can shift our entire mindset and mood. Try setting a few alarms on your phone or any handy device throughout your day to get quiet and pause, place your hands on your body, and check in with how you're feeling and what you might need in that moment. Sometimes a simple acknowledgement and moment of presence is all we need to come back to center.

[Sarah_E]

Happy Fri!!! Although today is technically the last day of Well-Being Week, we hope it’s sparked the beginning of a well-being YEAR! 

Here are my two top tips for returning to center and staying grounded 🤍🤍🤍

1. Returning to center means returning to my core self. It means identifying all the places my energy is spread and, even if only for five minutes, sitting quietly so that I can choose where to give my attention. attention and energy are like water—the more places we are torn between, the weaker our energy. 

2.  Often you will hear yoga and meditation teachers talking about the breath as our most powerful tool, but personally, grounding has felt even more potent at times. There’s some thing very comforting about simply feeling into the floor beneath you and the reminder that while we have so many responsibilities and everything seems to be moving so quickly, that there is an anchor point for us to return to our present.

[mcb414]

making time to move keeps me sane!!