Using Acupressure Through a School Gun Threat

Let’s face it. School staff shouldn’t need to figure out what to do if something goes haywire, like a gun threat. That craziness shouldn’t be happening at any school, especially a Kindergarten-Grade 6.

But that’s what did happen at Penngrove Elementary School when the staff received a call during recess from a guy who said he was coming to the school with a gun because he was not being allowed to speak to his kid. The call immediately created a two-hour lockdown in which the students were led into rooms with their teachers.

Two hours must have felt like ten when trying to keep a room of kids quiet and calm.

The teachers pulled it off.

The story is that they made it into a game for the younger children to ease tension and avoid scaring them. The games continued when it was time to evacuate by school buses to the local fire station, which became a “field trip”.

That was the “event” day.

But what about the residuals? What about how the parents felt after they were told about the threat and then they had to wait for their children to show up at the fire station?

Understandably, those parents were anxious because they had no way to assist in the situation. What about what some kids were dealing with that night and the following days? What about the staff who managed to keep it together and keep their students engaged and calm during the fiasco but then had to deal with the aftereffects?

Even when it seems like everyone is holding it together, the emotions running under the surface are fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. A child who suddenly gets anxious can easily create a stream of reactions that spreads to others. If an adult who is one of the supervisors get anxious, then the kids will quickly pick up on that feeling.

The key is maintaining a calm and safe environment, which comes from almost everyone there BEING in that peaceful space. It was lucky that the Penngrove staff were exceptional at fulfilling that goal.

Post Event Acupressure Support

Many of the older students also remembered what to do to keep calm even in a stressful situation. They recalled how to do self-help acupressure I’d taught them at a previous school assembly. Their parents and school staff had also participated in related workshops.

About a week after the school fiasco, I had the opportunity to spend time with the kindergarteners and some older students. I was there to connect with anyone feeling residuals from that crazy day.

The purpose was just to be there, listen to their stories, and help them understand that their feelings were natural reactions. And teach them self-help acupressure, which people of all ages can use to handle stress, relieve anxiousness, and let go of being overwhelmed.

Acupressure can help you accomplish that because it helps your body experience energetic balance, expand the breath, create calmness and grounding, feel safe, and rediscover joy and peace by letting go of the pattern of reaction to trauma.

The kindergartners were engaged and interacting as I showed them how to breathe deeper, even when something scary happened. One little guy, who was having a pretty hard day, was even able to calm down when I showed him and his classmates how to do the “jumper cables”.

Doing the jumper cables is the last step in the Daily Clean Your House Flow®, a nine-step self-help acupressure flow I wrote years ago for my clients and students. It’s easy to learn and easy to do.

Here’s a fun, animated video you can download to learn the easy steps. Get the Daily Clean Your House Flow video.

What those 5- and 6-year-olds experienced was a way to find calm and expansion of breath. They didn’t need to know everything else they were accomplishing. They just felt the space of ease.

To do the jumper cables, gently cup each thumb and finger, starting with the thumb on one hand and doing all the fingers. Then go to the next hand. When you do this, you’re connecting with all emotions and helping your body let go of anything jamming up the breath.

When I was with the older students, many KNEW what I was talking about and showed ME what they do for calm and expanded breath! I heard comments like, “It works even when it’s a really bad day, like what happened last week.”

They knew because I’d been with them for that school assembly, and I taught them the Daily Clean Your House Flow, as well as several other acupressure movements they could do to help with clarity and focus, to succeed at whatever they wanted to do better, and to feel healthier.

This was the most popular acupressure pose for calm and breath:

• With one hand, cup the sternum directly below the collarbones.
• With the other hand, hold your fingers on your tummy.

This pose works so well that it can even make a difference when you feel super anxious, like a student who doesn’t feel safe in a drill and has to go under the desk.

This video is an excerpt of a previous assembly I did showing the kids some tips on how to balance their energy and prepare for anxious moments. You’ll even see a 7-year-old share what she does when preparing for working through a drill.

So, imagine offering this information and tool for your students’ toolkits. Take it further and imagine offering these same techniques to your educators, staff, and parents. Imagine your entire school community having a toolkit that allows them a way to get on the other side of stress, anxiousness, overwhelm, fear, worry, anger, and even sadness.

Imagine THAT information making a difference if something terrible happens in your school. We don’t want the bad to happen, but it’s all about being proactive to be able to manage stress in high-anxiety situations.

And, no matter what, your students will be more empowered with a toolkit that enhances focus, clarity, and performance, supports a cooperative learning environment, and helps them achieve their potential.

Please contact me to get more acupressure information for yourself, your family, or your school community.

Upcoming Workshop – December 4

Are you overwhelmed by the demands of the holiday season?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

Give yourself the gift of joy and calm.

In just 90 minutes, using only your fingertips, discover how self-help acupressure can

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Balance your emotions
• Get and keep you healthy
• Improve your sleep
• Create ways to be in gratitude and appreciate yourself

This Ultimate Holiday Survival Bootcamp is for the whole family, people of all ages. It works for both kids and adults and will give you the tools you need to become centered and grounded even during holiday events.

NO CHARGE! This event is Free!

Get all the event details and register today.

Is pain taking over your life?

I understand all too well about life altering pain! I’ve had times when a part of my body hurts so much that it’s all I can think about.

I remember what transpired in my garden when I lifted too many heavy pails of water one afternoon. I should’ve known better. Right? Well, I injured my shoulder and arm by doing too much.

We’ve all done it. And afterwards, we can be so hard on ourselves! “Why wasn’t I smarter than that?”

But when the pain really kicks in and starts to affect how you’re thinking and what you decide to do and not do, it’s time to investigate possibilities of “what can I do about this pain and help my body heal?”

It’s one thing to have pain resulting from a physical injury like what I just described, or pain from a physical ailment. We can usually wrap our minds around those kinds of issues that create pain in the body. And if we don’t push our body to keep on doing, and if we help the body let go of the inflammation, we can often help healing take place.

It will usually take some extra attention, and of course, I’m suggesting you make use of self-help acupressure to help get on the other side of a pattern of pain.

Emotional Anguish

What if you’re living with the pain for so long, and it just becomes what you expect? And then what happens if your mind and emotions play into that way of being?

What if the pain is happening because of emotional trauma, like losing a loved one or exposure to violence? Or what if the pain is a result of feeling lost and isolated and maybe anxious and depressed?

That kind of pain can be just as debilitating because it’s often harder to figure out what is hurting and how to fix it.

Pain can create such deep, intense feelings that the senses get all caught up in “this way of living.” Well, your body would appreciate if you had another way of dealing with it and helping it not go in that direction.

You CAN change the patterns of how you talk to yourself and how you treat anything going on in your body and help it release old physical, mental, or emotional traumas.

Read on…

Self Conversations

Here are some possibilities of conversations you could be having with yourself about emotions and feelings in association with living with pain:

** Concern and worry

“What is happening with my body?  What do I need to do to get rid of this pain?”

This state of unknowing can lead to extreme nervousness and then confusion. And then it becomes almost too easy to go to “what am I doing wrong?” And, when you get caught up in that place, you start questioning yourself about almost everything?

When you’re stuck in that negative mode, it’s important to change your way of thinking to “what are some other possibilities?” That way you’ll increase your chances of getting answers as to how to take care of the pain and many other issues going on in your life. You and your body are now living in the space of believing that you ARE doing everything right to take care of you.

** Major fear that life is going to get really impacted

“What will happen if this pain doesn’t go away? What if this leads to something even worse?”

That sense of “feeling and being out of control” can lead to anxiety. And that’s one pattern we want to help our bodies not experience because it will cause aggravation of pain. Anxiousness is more like a “moment in time.” Being in a state of anxiety can become an issue that can become a project that then needs to be remedied.

The key is to help your body recognize that you and your body together CAN change the trajectory of thought patterns and improve your emotional state of being.

** Frustration and anger

 “This pain is driving me crazy. I’m so frustrated that I can’t do what I want to and need to do.”

Significant irritation at how you have to live day-to-day with pain can create belief patterns that cause you to feel like you’re unable to change something that could make a difference in your activities, relationships, and life – personal or business.

** Sadness and grief

“Life is so empty, and I can’t find a way to be happy.”

When pain takes over your day-to-day existence, you can all too easily begin to “miss how things used to be.” When the energetic body recognizes that you’re missing an integral part of yourself and can’t locate what you’re searching for, the body starts feeling like something has been lost. Then comes a state of sadness and grief for what’s missing.

A life that doesn’t seem happy creates an unhappy body. A body that’s experiencing lots of pain is most likely not in a state of experiencing joy and happiness.

** Trying too much and trying too hard – efforting

“My body doesn’t want to do what I need it to do. Everything seems too hard to do, and there’s just not enough time to do it all.”

When pain takes over the body and causes life to feel overwhelming, even expected and often simple daily activities take too much energy and can deplete your overall vitality. If you had vitality and the ability to be an “energizer bunny,” and now that’s missing, you and your body are experiencing a significant sense of loss and not knowing how to live in the world.

Energy Balance

So why this lengthy description of emotions and feelings when we’re discussing pain?

Pain causes so much “stopping us in our tracks” that emotions need to be addressed as we travel the journey of helping our bodies release the symptoms of pain and what is holding the pain IN the body.

When you dive into all that can be affecting your body, you’ll travel through all the systems and places that are being reactive –

• Respiratory
• Digestive
• Elimination
• Muscular
• Skeletal
• Vascular
• Cognitive
• Emotional

Additionally, you will connect with your

• Adrenal
• Endocrine
• Immune
• Lymphatic
• Nervous systems

so they can easily support your WHOLE body fully.

For instance, you may notice that when you’re experiencing a stretch of pain, it’s harder to get a full inhale and exhale. Your breath MUST open up to help spread the energy and be able to let go of ALL that’s in the way of change and healing.

Breath

Do this energy flow to open your breath AND to release the tendency for inflammation to be present in the body when there is injury, ailment, trauma, distress, and the emotions that are talking back. Doing this energy flow will also help your body rediscover easy and comfortable movement:

Right hand – hold fingers on the left elbow

Left hand – hold fingers on the right elbow

Left hand – move fingers to the base of the right front ribcage

Right hand – move fingers to right chest below collarbone

Inflammation Release

Do this simple energy hold to remind the body that inflammation can let go and not be a pattern.

Left hand – hold fingers on the outside of the left knee

Right hand – hold fingers on the outside of the right knee

Be in Flow

Follow with this simple energy flow to remind your body to be in flow and breath and calm!

Right hand – cup your sternum directly below the collarbone

Left hand – hold your fingers on your tummy below your navel

Use these acupressure flows using light gentle touch to get back into an energy balance for your body, mind, and emotions.

What I just shared with you is just the tip of the iceberg that I will be covering in the upcoming THE GREAT PAIN ESCAPE workshop!

_{>> Get all event details and register<<}

Be Ready to Adapt (a family camping story)

I recently returned from a magnificent 10-day camping vacation with my family, but I’m having trouble BEING home. It was so much fun I want to be back there – camping, experiencing everything again, and seeing what other adventures we can create.

Writing these words and seeing the photos bring me back to the magical spots that entertained us daily. Northern California is truly a beautiful place.

Although I hadn’t been tent-camping for years, I was prepared. We’d planned the locations and logistics for weeks, and with self-help acupressure I prepared my body for what I was going to ask it to do.

I was super lucky I was with my ‘kids’ who set up my tent and got me situated. In many areas out in the boonies, we experienced supreme quiet as we talked around the camp fire and gazed at the stars. We created delicious meals in our campsites, and even treated ourselves to a few delectable dinners out.

We just hung out at camp a few times during the day, but we usually went on excursions, heading to some of the most amazing and phenomenal destinations imaginable.

Day One – Host Tent

GLORIOUS DAY ONE

Our first campsite was over five miles off the main road on a dirt road that was bumpy and rutted and thoroughly worked my Subaru. The destination was off the grid in a glorious spot in the forest where we enjoyed tents set up for us. And the camp hosts made us wood-fired paella for dinner!

What a great way to start our journey!

Deborah with binoculars

Shelter Cove

SHELTER COVE

We left our boonies campsite the next day and headed to Shelter Cove on the Lost Coast. I’d never visited before and was excited to find this to be truly one of the most magical places on earth! Many enthusiasts partake in a 2, 3, or 15-mile hike along the coast.

We chose to just hang out on the beach. That’s where we experienced true magic because the “normal” is fog, cold, and wind. But not for us! Shelter Cove was crystal clear, sunny, and warm.

Klamath River

KLAMATH RIVER

The next campsite was on the Klamath River. We opted to take a short drive to the Salmon River to enjoy a river beach and hang out.

The river was cold, but we were taking plunges into the pools. Yep – even me, who doesn’t like cold! I had to talk myself into it when everyone around me was diving into the water.

But I did it. And now I can say, “I did it, and I’ll do it again.”

We enjoyed it so much we returned to that same beach for a second day. Listening to the water and feeling the moisture in the air was so beautiful, especially when the overall temperature was pretty intense.

Fossil Cliffs

TRINIDAD CLIFFS

Another exceptional excursion was outside of Trinidad, where we investigated a beach cliff known for fossils. And there we sighted two otters playing in the water.

Check out the sunset we enjoyed at the end of the day.

Sunset View

AGATE BEACH

The last campsite was at Sue-meg State Park, formerly named Patrick’s Point State Park. The highlight was beachcombing along Agate Beach.

Agate Beach

We reminisced about the times 30 years ago when we’d hang out at the beach and collect agates that were memorable in quantity and size. This time there were fewer, and they were smaller, but it was still a fun adventure.

It was another magical moment because it was crystal clear, sunny, and warm, unlike the usual fog and cold. We were wearing multiple layers of clothing that got peeled off as the sun heated the air and the sand.   

Village houses

We also walked to Sue-meg Village, a reconstruction of the Yurok village, and we investigated the buildings and garden. We enjoyed hiking up to the top of Ceremonial Rock. That was another walk down memory lane! You can easily imagine the Yurok people creating, living, and loving all parts of their village.

Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park

The second morning at Sue-meg, we drove north to experience one of the most beautiful drives through the redwood forest you could imagine. In fact, I requested that we drive through that stretch for a second time. We were in the Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park, and no one could ask for a more gorgeous way to fully experience the majestic redwoods.

FERN CANYON

The last morning of our ten days of camping was spent driving to Fern Canyon. I’d been told that it was magical. And it was! Situated in the Murrelet State Wilderness area, it’s a destination you don’t want to miss.

Deborah on fern forest trail

Fern wall

Imagine walking on a trail through this narrow canyon with steep cliff walls that are totally covered by ferns. And flowing down the walls, you see and hear gentle waterfalls seeping out of the canyon walls and flowing gently into the creek below. The sound of the water was beautiful and soothing.

BE READY FOR THE UNEXPECTED

Can you see why I didn’t want this 10-day adventure to end?

Every day was filled with magic. Plus, I got to spend it with my adult children. What parent could ask for anything better?

This trip was truly incredible, but it’s not totally where we initially planned to go.

Originally, we were to start in Lassen National Park for some hiking and fly fishing, but it was closed because of major fires. Trinity River was next on our list for more fly fishing, but the heat and smoke forced us to head west toward the ocean.

Agate Beach and the redwoods were in the first plan and were amazing to wrap up our memory-building trip.

And although I didn’t get any fishing in, the opportunity sparked my desire to return to that blissful experience. I will once again stand in a river in my waders and cast my fly rod! And hopefully, to more camping and enjoying quiet, joyful family time.

So, the message that I got was loud and clear — be ready to accept that change is always a part of life, even a vacation, and be prepared to go with the flow, no matter what you’ve planned.

Nicole and Deborah

And experience the FUN that life is ready to give you if you just allow yourself to be available for the possibilities and open to the opportunities!

And remember, be good to your body as you take it to new destinations and experiences. Prepare it for what you want to do, and know how to help it heal from any incidents that happen along the way.

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The Great Pain Escape

Check out my October workshop “The Great Pain Escape” to discover how to reduce and prevent pain in your body and build emotional balance.

Get All Event Info!

Stress in Summer – What a Bummer!

Summer is SUPPOSED to be FUN! Right?! That’s what we all plan for.

From our early childhood, most of us couldn’t wait for school to be over. Then we could do all the fun activities we wanted to do, and not the things we HAD to do, especially studying, tests and exams, and being in bed at a particular time.

My memories as a kid included bicycling daily, going to the lake to fish and swim, hanging out with friends, and reading all the fiction I could get my hands on.

Remember those days? What did you look forward to every summer – where you could almost predict the weather and how your days would unfold?

Now, here we are as adults. We definitely do things differently in the summer. Our activities revolve around being outside and using the longer daylight hours. And of course, most of us are all about enjoying the sun and the warm, balmy weather.

But we seem to now be living with extremes, which can bring on a lot of unexpected mental and physical stress.

MOTHER NATURE 2024

Because of the heat and wind, many are dealing with uncontrolled fires that create havoc, cause loss of homes, and result in losing a sense of well-being. I know that many areas of Canada and the United States are experiencing all that and much more because of fires and drought.

All that smoke affects the quality of air and our breathing. Instead of enjoying being outside, people are forced to stay indoors. Many people are having major respiratory issues show up. Other health issues create the need for medical intervention.

On the other side, many areas are experiencing intense rain. The weather is taxing their infrastructures – properties are flooded, roads are torn apart, and water systems are failing. Because of drainage and flooding issues, people are forced to boil water until the water systems are repaired.

Yep. Mother Nature is demonstrating that we have absolutely no control over our regular summer routines or the special activities and trips we have put into our calendars.

RECOGNIZE THE STRESS

So, why my dissertation about Mother Nature and our hopes and plans for ‘normal’ weather to enjoy our summer?

Did you plan a fun adventure for yourself or your family but it got disrupted because where you were going is no longer feasible, or unforeseen weather events have occurred in or near your home that are thwarting your plans?

You may very well be experiencing the stress of figuring out how to deal with it all, what options you might have, or how to look after yourself and your family.

To support your mental, emotional, and physical stress, it is essential to help your body FEEL at ease and calm, to have your body experience expansive inhale and exhale, full vitality, and the ability to go with the flow no matter what is happening in your world.

What your body wants more than anything is the ability to be prepared for whatever you’re going to ask it to do and be prepared for whatever might come towards it. That could be physical or mental or emotional.

We don’t plan on experiencing stress, but we live in a world where stress exists, and when your routines and plans are impacted or blown up, they CAN be stress-inducing.

HOW TO GET THROUGH IT

So, here is the key. YOU can help your body feel prepared, cared for, healthy, and vital no matter what happens around you.

Spend time each day balancing your energy by doing:

• self-help acupressure
• meditating
• breath exercises
• doing yoga or Qi Gong
• walking
• gardening
• forest bathing
• beach exploring

Do what you can do under your circumstances. When you can, create physical experiences as you discover or rediscover the beautiful places you can visit and enjoy near where you live.

And if you have plans and maybe even a vacation that just got reconfigured because Mother Nature or something crazy took place, just recognize that YOU can help your body avoid the consequences of stress.

Instead, help your body recognize that change does not mean there is a space for anxiousness to be created.

GET YOUR FINGERTIPS READY

Here are some self-help acupressure tips I’ve been using for myself for the last few days.

I’m one of those folks having to accept that we need to change our plans. Our family camping vacation is now being redefined because of fires in Northern California. And, as I’m doing my energy flows, I’m also sending ease and calm and balancing flows to those who have been impacted by the traumatic experiences they’re going through.

You can do the same by using the following simple energy tips. Use your fingertips and hold the suggested acupressure points with a very light, gentle touch as you do them. And remember, there is no wrong because there is no right.

1. The Daily Clean Your House Flow™. Doing the Daily Flow brings me balance and a firm foundation for my physical, mental, and emotional well-being. (If you don’t know the Daily Flow, you can get it here).
2. Jumper Cables. It’s the 9th step of the Daily Clean Your House Flow. My body immediately experiences deeper breathing and brings calmness as my body says, “You don’t need to go to worry, fear, frustration, sadness, or trying too hard or too much. In fact, your body doesn’t want to live in any of those spaces.”
3. Cup your sternum under the collarbone and hold your other hand on your tummy. This simple energy hold brings breath and calm and lubricates all your tissues, including your throat, sinuses, eyes, and ears, as well as your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This simple energy tip will help with shortness of breath and dry throat.
4. Hold the base of your skull and the outside of the wrist to connect with the entire nervous system. It will bring calm, the ability to connect with focus and clarity and let go of any anxiousness. It looks like this:
   Right hand – hold the right base of the skull
   Left hand – hold outside of right wrist on little finger side
5. And use your Thermostat Controller if you need to cool down!
   Hold the outside of your knees. This is how you can regulate your body temperature. It’s also an anti- inflammatory point. So, it’s a great energy point to have in your “remember to do this off and on throughout the day”.

I wish for you a fun-filled and safe summer, whether it’s planned or spontaneous. Stay stress-free and remember to GO WITH THE FLOW!

Say YES to New Adventures!

Sometimes, you just have to say yes, especially when you’ve been telling yourself that you really shouldn’t spend the time, energy, or money. Because sometimes that conversation you’re having with yourself is all about second-guessing and wondering whether it’s really that important – when the universe is giving you all sorts of messages that “now IS the time!”

Thank goodness I listened to my family and said “yes” to go to New York City on June 22^nd to receive the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

I wasn’t going to go! I had already decided just to have the award mailed to me. My kids said, “Really, Mom? Just do it. You have to go!”

So, I got into gear and planned a whirlwind weekend trip to New York. And I am so happy I did!

The awards and gala day was so well planned and so much fun. And I felt huge gratitude and honor to be part of it and to be acknowledged for what I’m doing in the world.

DAY ONE

Saturday June 22 was the finale following an awesome three days of the Trailblazer Summit and Symposium. It was a virtual summit that happened June 18 through the 20 and was produced by Top Talent Agency. I’m forever grateful for this amazing team who helped me to publish a chapter in a book, get on the cover of LA Tribune Magazine, have articles published in other publications, plus numerous speaking opportunities. It was Top Talent who ultimately nominated me for this prestigious award.

The New York experience started with having two awesome roommates, Jessica and Janice, who were fun, a joy to be with, and full of life and adventure.

Both ladies were also Award winners:

Jessica Sheehan, is a director of Top Talent Agency.

Janice Niederhofer, is the founder of Humankind Alliance.

Saturday was a full day of Mastermind groups, presentations, and get-togethers. It was an excellent opportunity to meet other like-minded folks whose goals are to help people step into their power.

What was truly inspiring was meeting the other award winners. It was special to get to know them, hear their stories, and learn what they’re doing to lead change in the world.

I now have new opportunities to have deeper conversations and collaborations with key industry leaders, working together to spread our messages, insights, and programs.

Besides all of that – it was just loads of FUN!

AWARD PRESENTATION

The Awards Gala was such a high. It was in a beautiful old mansion in Hamilton Heights where you could feel the energy of the land, the ancestors, and the healing center it had become.

The whole evening was a phenomenal experience, for which I will be forever grateful. Being in the energy of so many people empowering others to become who they want to be was both exhilarating and humbling.

The formal award from Operation Impact was presented to me by Cheri Sotelo, Credentialing Agent for the White House. I was recognized and sincerely supported by David Fagan and Isabel Donadio, Founders and Owners of Top Talent Agency (Trailblazer co-producers), and by Adora Crystal Evans of Ace Productions (Trailblazer co-producer).

Deborah and Cheri Sotelo,
Credentialing Agent for the White House

My Topic Talent team – David Fagan & Isabel Donadio

My new friends Cheri Perry, President, Total Merchant Concepts, and Adora Crystal Evans from Ace Productions

The mansion felt like a Palace of Possibilities, with magical doors already opening. At that gala evening, one door opened for me to meet the director of the healing center and began what appears to be a powerful connection for future collaborations.

WHILE IN NEW YORK

What do you do on a free day in NYC?  You go for bagels, a Broadway Play, and an Italian dinner, of course.

Bagels for Breakfast at Modern Bread & Bagels

For Sunday breakfast, a group of us went to the Modern Bread & Bagel in Manhattan, my favorite bagel shop. Such great gluten-free and delectable bagels that are beyond measure. I knew about their bagels because I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a group mail shipment to my home in California. So, I had to visit the source.

The iconic Macy’s Department Store was also on our NYC tour. We had to go there because it IS where the Thanksgiving Macy’s Parade happens. (*smile*)

We experienced a Broadway show at the historic Gershwin Theatre, where we saw Wicked! And oh my, what a joy! I was in giggles, in tears, and everything in between. My friend Cyndy Mercedes, who was in New York that weekend, joined me, Janice, and Jessica for the adventure.

And talk about serendipity – Wicked exemplifies what the Trailblazer event and the Award Gala were all about. Did you know that Wicked is about inspiring everyone to use their brains, heart, and courage to express their creative genius and find new ways of defying gravity?

When you buy a Wicked Journal, you’re supporting “The Everyone Deserves the Chance to Fly Grant.” The grant provides resources to organizations around the globe that use creativity to power positive social transformations. Their mission is to support those who want to explore their creativity and unleash their unique voice.

Waiting for our table at UVA – yum!

And, wrapping up our NYC experience, the four of us went to THE best Italian restaurant imaginable. At the Uva Wine Bar and Restaurant on 2^nd Ave, the energy, the host, the servers, the service, and the FOOD were all about making you feel the essence of Italy.  Delizioso!

Wow! It’s hard to quit thinking and talking about ALL the great stuff that happened during this miraculous adventure.

Can you tell that I’m sure glad I said YES?!

And, back to Wicked. Just saying – Wicked and the Trailblazer Award Gala are both about defying gravity, taking a leap, and being willing to fly.

In other words, what I learned is to say “yes” to an adventure or opportunity that just might create the possibility for you to step into your power and allow the universe to help you fly into who you’re searching to be.

NOW IS THE TIME! NOW IS YOUR TIME!

I’d love to hear your thoughts about my adventure and message. Just Contact Me to share.

Hats Off to You Mom!

We all get it. Moms like you have lots on their plates to keep life happening, so Hats off to You, Mom!

First off, it’s everything that NEEDS to get done for the kids – school commitments, after-school activities, and keeping the kids on track with “doing well” at whatever they’re involved in, plus homework and their “I love doing this, and I can’t skip it.”

Sometimes, it seems like way too much getting juggled.

What if you’re caring for a parent or someone else, that’s another timeline that must be included in your day.

And let’s not forget the long list to take care of in your own life:

• work and its requirements
• time with your partner
• connecting with friends
• after-work activities
• exercise program
• quiet time
• sleep
• self-care

You get it – the list is crazy. How on earth do you do it all?

Ask Yourself This

Besides focusing on all the things, take a moment to reflect on yourself.

• Do you ever get to the space of feeling anxious about “too much and not enough time?”
• Do you ever tell yourself that you’re not doing everything good enough?
• Do you give yourself a lecture that it’s time you make some changes and make them now?

All of these are “anxious-making stuff,” and create havoc in your mind, your state of being, and potentially in your physical body.

• Do you notice that you’re holding your breath or clenching your jaw?
• Is your neck taking the brunt and holding up the weight of the world?
• Is your lower back feeling tight and sore, and is it hard to turn, lift, and stretch?

Maybe your body is experiencing one of those glitches or something else.

• Do you sometimes feel on edge, and maybe it’s hard to hold back an angry comment?
• Does your head hurt with the “too much to do” and the mind chatter it all creates?
• Does the mind chatter take over, and you find you’re being super hard on yourself and maybe others?
• Or do you feel like you’re just super tired and don’t know how to make it through the day?

If any of that is happening, that anxiousness is being experienced as a pattern in your body. And if you’re expressing yourself with angry comments or fretful impatience, it’s being noticed by others, including your kids.

If your kids see you being impatient and on edge, that is anxious behavior that they may very well model when they’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

The greatest gift you as a mom can give to your kids is modeling a way of being that is calm, no matter what is going on. When you show up composed, unruffled, and relaxed even when there is craziness in the day, they WILL notice and SEE your behavior as a soothing and peaceful way to be.

My Mother’s Day Gift to You

In the spirit of Mother’s Day, it’s time for YOU to receive a simple, easy way to “just be” and have your body experience breath and calm.

So, here is my gift of “just being.” And everything I share with you will work for everyone else in your life, including your kids, their teachers, your partner, and your best friends. Feel free to share what I’m going to suggest.

Following are some super simple self-help acupressure tips you can do anytime, anywhere.

Your body will start saying, “Do this,” and you’ll find that you and your body have created new habits that will make you feel better, healthier, and happier.

For each of the ‘poses’ below, use your fingertips with a light, gentle touch on the points I suggest, and hold each step for several good breaths.

So here you go!

To expand breath, ease anxiousness, assist with clarity and focus, feel stronger, have more vitality, and just feel good:

1. Give yourself a hug – just hold your fingers on the upper arms above your elbows.
2. Cup the back of your head using your right hand with fingers on the opposite base of the skull. Then cup your forehead using your left hand with fingers on the opposite side.
3. Cup your sternum below the collarbone (thumb on one side and fingers on the other). With the other hand, hold your fingers on your tummy.
4. To create more room for everything, including your neck and shoulders feeling more spacious and able to hold up your head and DO everything more easily…
   With your right hand, cup your left shoulder near your neck
   Place your left hand under your left sit bone or near it
   After a few breathes, switch hands.

5. Cup your fingers, one at a time (first one hand and then the other, starting with the thumb). This routine is called jumper cabling, and it helps to increase breath and balance emotions.

Keep Going!

Are you interested in knowing an energy flow pattern that takes less than 10 minutes? This energy flow can be used throughout the day, and it can create calm and breath as it works with every system in your body to bring balance and vitality.

It’s called the Daily Clean Your House Flow® , and it’s my gift to you and your family!

Hey Mom!  Give yourself a Happy Mother’s Day gift. Bring on the breath and calm and peace. Feel balance and harmony throughout your whole body.

Everyone in your life will appreciate you even more because you’re taking care of yourself. Enjoy your day and every day.

And LOTS of hugs! YOU deserve to be loved! 

3 Energy Tips for Your Spring Renewal

Where I live in northern California, spring is in full gear. The oak trees are showing their beautiful new leaves full of silver and sparkles. The daffodils are almost done blooming, but the iris plants are popping up in all their purple splendor.

It’s so much fun to see what flowers show up next. I allow myself to be surprised even though I really do know what to expect. The plants, flowers, and trees have it all figured out; they always know how they fit into the spring journey.

They are always on track, and they navigate the season with ease.

How about you and your journey?

Are you on track to navigate the goals you’ve made? More significant yet – are you happy with how you’re navigating your life, overall?

Spring is the time of year for renewal. The season puts us in a positive frame of mind for possibilities and growth. It provides the opportunity to rethink and refresh any plans you’ve been trying to move forward, or create new plans to step into.

Bloom into YOUR possibilities

It’s a given – life is a journey. Have you had those times when you felt the need to take a strong look at what direction you were going? Maybe you sensed that you needed to take a different route to get to your destination. These questions could easily relate to business or personal life choices.

Whatever happens in your day-to-day experiences or goes through your head, it’s essential to have the energy and vitality to be on your voyage.

And here’s the key – the navigation will be a lot easier when you have focus and clarity, and you can see your options, make decisions, and determine your action plan.

When you allow yourself to grow and bloom, you will fully discover how many possibilities await you around corners, curves, hills, and mountains. Take a chance and soar!

Three energy tips for improved navigation

No matter what destination you’ve put into your life’s GPS, these tips will help you arrive refreshed.

These acupressure poses are super easy to do. Hold each one with a light, gentle touch for several good breaths. There is no such thing as too much self-help, so do these as often as you think of them throughout the day!

1. Remember to give yourself room for grace. YOU are a super important being on this planet – so give yourself some love. Give yourself a hug!

Cross your arms and hold anywhere on your upper arms. You’re connecting with acupressure points that are all about your respiratory and vascular systems. Giving yourself a hug brings in a deep breath followed by a powerful exhale. And it allows your heart to feel the love and care you’re offering to your whole body.

2. Give yourself a boost of calm and vitality. Those two qualities must coexist for your energetic body to be present for all you want to do and accomplish.

Cup your sternum directly below your collarbone. With the other hand, hold your tummy below your navel.

3. Enhance your awareness of ALL that is happening around you, and you will bring clarity and focus.

With your right hand, cup your forehead and hold your fingers on the left side of your forehead.  Cup the base of the skull with your left hand and hold your fingers on the right base of the skull. And, you can easily switch your hands to give an extra boost.

Even though it may not be in full bloom in your area just yet, embrace the renewal of spring and support your body, mind, and spirit with some easy-to-do self-help acupressure techniques.

NOTICE!

And if you want to create your own internal GPS system to map out your wellness journey, I invite you to check out my popular 10-week course starting April 17^th.

At GPS for Body, Mind, & Spirit 2024, You’ll discover and practice the principles of energy balancing with Jin Shin Jyutsu and self-help acupressure techniques, so you can enhance self-care and improve your energy level for your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Get all the class details and registration information here – COURSE DETAILS

Magic in Your Own Fingertips

Have you ever known someone you just can’t get enough of? Someone that’s wise, and funny, and inspiring. For me, that’s Vilma Ginzberg.

I’ve worked with Vilma for over 13 years. She is a retired psychologist, an exceptional writer, and a poet laureate. I relay that information because even though she’s almost 97 years old, Vilma can still express her thoughts and have conversations consistently full of information and insights.

I am inspired every time I see her, and genuinely hope to be like her as I mature into her age.

She’s generous, too. In the beginning of one of my books, “Easy Self-Help Acupressure for Grown-Ups”, she wrote,

“Using Deborah Myers Daily Clean Your House Flow routine is better than being a couch potato. This routine, done daily like brushing your teeth, is easy and rewarding.”

When I recently saw Vilma, we discussed my work with schools and students of all ages, plus workplace wellness programs. I commented that I love helping others discover how to balance their energy daily so they get from where they are to where they want to be.

As I continued doing the energy flows with her, Vilma said that she felt the energy flowing, and it felt like magic. Then she elaborated,

“You know. We carry this magic in our back pockets all the time. Often, we just sit on it instead of pulling it out and making use of it.”

Vilma had hit the nail on the head!

We both started laughing because, as you may know, one of my favorite comments is that we walk around with our fingers 24/7. We just need to pull them out of our pockets and make use of our fingertips to touch energy balance points and help our bodies find physical, mental, and emotional balance and harmony.

Vilma wanted me to show you our holiday picture. I brought the headbands along because I wanted to see that girl smile!

Yes, Sit on Your Hands!

Vilma and I also talked about how one of the Daily Clean Your House Flow® steps is sitting on your hands. That energy balance point is all about vitality and helps your body discover alignment.

When that point is in balance, we are genuinely pulling the magic out of our back pockets and connecting with all the possibilities that are ready to happen. We just have to give those possibilities a chance to show up.

Then there’s the pose that is sitting on one hand and holding the other hand on the opposite shoulder. That pose helps the body release blocked energy and move the energy throughout the body, allowing the meridians and channels to flow easily and effortlessly.

That is when the organs and body systems can fulfill their tasks, and your body experiences balance, rhythm, strength, health, comfort, stability, and happiness.

Can you see that when you help your body be prepared for whatever you want it to do, it WILL respond by taking you forward?

A Special Gift from Vilma

Here is the poem that Vilma wrote for me after the very first time she came for an in-person acupressure session.

healing hands

for Deborah Myers

© Vilma Ginzberg 09-22-2010

you invite me to your table

padded curved and angled

to accommodate my bone-outlined

flesh-defined body of exhaustion

I spread myself atop it

my yesterdays of try-to’s

planked across its ridges

unfinished have-to’s

making stiffened bridges

of old intent preserved in rock of habit

I hardly feel your first fingers

your touch puff-wing light   butterfly-soft

don’t you need something more jack-hammer-fisted I wonder

slow as morning light washes over doubt

melts layers of thought-armor

polishes the rusted jadedness

softly  subtly  slowly they come

subtle awakenings

stirrings of flesh    and feeling

worlds entire fall apart while other worlds congeal

universes faint away

give birth to new constellations

you move soundlessly around this altar to life

where I am both sacrificial lamb      and sacrament

soon I am as a sauce spilled on shapeless sheets

our mutual though silent rejoicing fills the empty spaces

outside the nearby window finches feed

gratefully on your thistle-seed

and some small uncaged bird in me

chirps again

Let’s pull your MAGIC out of your back pockets so you can achieve whatever you want to have happen in 2024!

Yes, I do in-person session at my home in Santa Rosa, CA, but I also help people to learn how to do self-help acupressure themselves.

Check my online calendar to see what might work best for you. Go to Deborah’s Calendar!

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY

Start your year off with a gift to yourself

Is there something you want to achieve or exceed at this year? In your business, personal, or school life?

Let’s get you on the right path to manifest your dreams at my new Do Anything Better workshop!

At this 3-session class, you’ll discover easy self-help acupressure techniques. This experience will open the door to better performance, balanced emotions, and overall life improvement by learning how to manage your body’s energy.

Event Details & Registration! 

How to Get Magic in Your Holiday Season

Have you noticed? Even before Thanksgiving, we were inundated with ads and signs saying, “The holidays are here!” It feels like it’s been go, go, go time for weeks.

Has your stress level been elevated?

If you as an adult are suddenly feeling pressed for time and maybe even a bit overwhelmed with “all that has to be dealt with,” imagine what kids are experiencing.

They also react to all that talk and hype about Christmas and Santa. You might be seeing excitement, but that too can quickly turn into “going into a tizzy.”

Let’s help all of us – children and adults – discover that we can have magic and joy in the holiday season without the stuff called stress and anxiousness.

Let’s Work Some Magic

In my opinion, magic is what the holidays should be about. I think it’s important to enjoy the preparation for the season, whatever it might look like for you and your family. That is where the magic begins.

Whether you want to be in a space of contemplation or to step into the traditions that bring your family fun and joy as you prepare and experience the season – it should come with calm and the expectation of the magic.

Positivity Wins!

My family contends I’m a “Christmas nut” with lots of decorations, lights, and sparkle. I think I’m stepping into the magic, so move out of the way!

If you have extended family joining you for the holidays, you might find that you have even more on your plate and that your mind starts wondering which family members may create upset during the time together. That type of thinking can create anxiousness.

Well, we know that positive thinking is essential. Being proactive can stop stress from taking over.

Balance emotions and habits, and you will discover how easy it is to be positive, joyful, proactive, and take control of your own well-being. You can even change any negative patterns, like negative self-talk!

You can potentially help each member of your family be at ease and calm and NOT have stress and anxiousness. You’ll discover that you’ll be less reactive to situations and emotions.

Uncover the Magic

Here are some easy ways to empty the stress and uncover the magic and joy. You’ll also boost your immune system, improve sleep, and help your body avoid burn-out.

1. Do the Daily Clean Your House Flow®, a nine-step self-help acupressure flow that’s easy and takes less than ten minutes to complete. As a nine-year-old succinctly told me, “It is the Daily Flow, so of course I do it every day! And I do it more than that!”Get the free animated video to show you all the steps. 👉 https://bit.ly/DMW-video
2. Keep your breath open. Feel the expansiveness of the inhale and the letting go during the exhale. In the video you download, you’ll also get some energy tips that will expand your breath. Plan on doing them off and on throughout the day. There is no such thing as too much self-help.
3. Give yourself lots of love! The first step of the Daily Flow is hugging yourself. It opens up breath, shows your body you are caring for it and connects with heart health.

Practise this flow daily or whenever you think you need a lift. You’ll experience an energy balance in your body that can change your day…for the positive.

Start building the magic for the weeks to come, and enjoy the holidays!

Let me know if you have any questions! Contact Deborah.

How to make CHANGE easier

Balance your energy and be in connection with Change

No matter what’s happening in your world, it’s all about the change that is taking place. And that is what life IS. Every moment of your day is a transition from what was before to what it is becoming.

Today, I want to share some easy acupressure tips to help you better manage change in your life, AND introduce you to my amazing new Labyrinth, which also supports change.

Whether you use the word change, transition, transformation, transfiguration, or shift, the meaning is “an alteration or modification; the substitution of one thing for another.”

I, for one, have not always stepped into change easily. That is one of the primary reasons I appreciate my daily energy balancing using self-help acupressure and Jin Shin Jyutsu. I want to be in a state and position where I can move through my days easily and calmly. And energy balancing IS all about creating the space in which grounding, centering, calming, and ease want to exist.

How are YOU with change?

How do you handle change? That is THE big question!Your body has energy systems, and energy MUST change. If energy becomes and stays stuck, it will become stagnant. And stagnant energy will affect your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states. It’s the stuck energy that can create “health problems.”

By the way, instead of health problems, I prefer using the phrase “health projects” because projects have a beginning and an end and are much more fun to work with. ~Deborah Myers

Move Your Body’s Energy

So, here is the key. Move your body’s energy by placing your fingertips on energy balance points to move the energy from one spot to another. Your body will respond by “letting go” of anything in the way of, so that you are:

• being balanced
• feeling ease and calm
• being healthy and pain-free
• having vitality
• being productive
• having focus and clarity
• balancing emotions
• improving the performance of anything you want to do better

You name what you want to improve, and you can create the space to help it happen. The following energy balancing tips are a great place to start.

ENERGY TIP: To release the tension around “old patterns” and help change them, these will also help let go of clenching jaw or teeth and “holding” your breath.

1. Right hand – cup sternum directly below clavicle (collar bone)
   *Left hand – hold fingertips in a vertical pattern below the naval
2. To eliminate the “need” to effort and to create a new pattern – use this as a trigger point to create the new pattern
   * Hold the outside of both knees using your fingertips
3. To release the “accumulation” of the old pattern and “consequences of holding on to the old pattern”
   * Cross arms holding the outside edge of your shoulder blades

Done daily, self-help acupressure can help bring about transition and transformation by unblocking and balancing your energy, so you can work with change.

A Labyrinth for Change

Even when going through a significant change, like moving from your home of many years, you can help make it easier and calmer. That’s what I’m in the midst of, and though it’s tough at times, I’m mostly staying in a place of hope, faith, and trust that gives me the space to allow and surrender to what the universe has to bring.

Then along comes my friend Lea Goode-Harris to add some magic to my garden with a new labyrinth! Now, one of my favorite places to be, this labyrinth is helping to make a difference.

A labyrinth is a circular curving path that leads to a center. When you walk the path to the center and back, it is known to “provide a path to practice change.”

I’ve always dreamed of having a labyrinth in my garden. Lea is a master labyrinth designer and we mulled over ideas for over six years. The idea of a plan became a “big project” that would’ve taken a lot of time, energy, and funds to make it happen. So, I put the project on the back burner.

A few weeks ago, Lea said, “It’s time for you, your garden, and your property to have that labyrinth. Let’s do it and create a simple and small version of what we had planned so you and your home can step into your next chapters.”

We did just that!

And on one Saturday morning, my garden labyrinth was born! It went faster with manual help from Octavio, my garden and landscape assistant.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that I have loved creating my garden as an oasis. And now, the labyrinth is another way to enjoy the space. And whenever my home changes ownership, the new residents will have another beautiful way to enjoy the garden and embrace their own change.

The Joy of Walking a Labyrinth

If you have ever walked a labyrinth – you know how inspirational it can be. It’s a beautiful way to experience grounding, centering, balancing, and joy. As Lea explains, “They are instrumental in providing a path to practice change.”

“Labyrinths are symbols of hope, wonder, and self-discovery. They are a perfect place to plant seeds for the future.”  ~Lea Goode-Harris

I have walked my labyrinth several times daily over the last several weeks. I did so with deep thought, prayer, and willingness to accept the challenges and changes the universe and the divine are bringing my way.

As a result, I found it easier to deal with the craziness thrown at me with what could have become a major technical fiasco for my business. After a Zoom account melt down, it’s taken a lot of discussions and strategizing with Zoom, and with fantastic customer service, it appears it’s all working out. A change to move forward.

I also know that the magic of this labyrinth is bringing the space to receive the new owners who will fall in love with my home. The day after Lea and I created it, over 13 couples/families showed up at an open house in two hours. The flow of energy is bringing the new family here soon.

To read more about labyrinths and see what my friend, Lea Goode-Harris, has accomplished in her world, check out her website at https://www.creativelabyrinths.com. Be ready to step into the world of labyrinth magic!

How about YOU?

Do you have ways that help you magically move through life? Help your body and overall wellness with self-help acupressure, and incorporate experiences like labyrinth walking, or other tools. Change is inevitable.

Living in your body with reduced stress, increased mindfulness, and feeling better about yourself will help you transition through whatever change is happening in your life. Change IS happening all the time – so make it easier!

Whether it’s change with your physical body, personal life, relationships, or business – change doesn’t have to be tough.  Just be aware that you can ease your way through it.

Get more insights and help to manage change >> Change and Resistance.