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.

*********

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!

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

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.

Hope, Faith & Energy

Photo by Inna Lesyk from Pexels

Hope, Faith & Energy

Are you feeling at odds, unhappy, maybe lonely? Are you feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what you should do next to clear the to-do list? Perhaps you’re also taking care of others, and you have their feelings and needs to look after, too.

If you have all of that going on and even more “stuff,” you might experience a sense of hopelessness, feeling that it’s never going to change. And, with all of that, you’re most likely experiencing some fatigue. Dealing with it is just too much!

Look at everything that is going on in this crazy world. COVID-19, social distancing, massive civil unrest, fires or hurricanes or flooding depending on where you live, evacuations, destruction, the election. Okay. The list is already too long, especially since each one of those can create stress and anxiety and the feeling that “it’s just too much.” No wonder we hear the phrase “pandemic fatigue.”

Kids are Feeling Stressed Out

What’s sad is that children are experiencing the same stress, overwhelm, not knowing what’s coming next, frustration, and sadness. They feel exhausted by social distancing, not being with their friends, and feeling hemmed in.

How do we cope and get on the other side of it? It’s super important to help our bodies get to that place. Otherwise, our bodies will think they are in constant trauma.

Trauma Adds Stress

Trauma and the effects of trauma bring us to a place of being on edge, wary, confused, even holding our breath. Energetically, trauma causes the energy pathways to get blocked and stuck. Energy needs to move, and it needs to change. Otherwise, our bodies will manifest “projects” that can cause unhealthiness and chronic fatigue. (Instead of problems, let’s use the word projects. They’re more fun to work with, and they have a beginning and an end).

Tips for Reducing the Effects of Stress

I have some easy-to-do ideas on how to get on the other side of it all.

Number One

We can help our bodies get out of confusion and create calm. You can do easy self-help acupressure to let go of fatigue and develop physical, mental, and emotional balance. It will help you sleep easily, feel healthy, be happy and joyful, have clarity and focus, increase self-esteem, and feel optimistic about tomorrow and beyond.  That’s where hope and faith come into the picture! (There’s a link at the end of the article to get you to easy self-help energy tips).

Number Two

I think we need to take Oprah’s advice that I read in her recent Inspiration Newsletter. We need to embrace hygge, the Danish art of coziness. Danes rank as the happiest people in the world, even today.  How do they get to that place?

Photo by Daria Rem from Pexels

What the Danes Do to Feel Happier

The Danish make sure that several essential elements are part of their daily lives, including relaxed thoughtfulness, meditation, and time spent with others. And, yes, we can spend time with others without actual physical contact. Now more than ever, we need to create time with others that create an atmosphere that is warm, relaxed, friendly, down-to-earth, close, comfortable, snug, and welcoming. It is like a friendly hug—but without the physical contact. In this situation, you can be yourself and relax completely. Therefore, the art of hygge is also the art of expanding your comfort zone to include other people.

So, I guess we have to do it with social distancing and maybe even over Zoom. No matter what, create the time for cozy togetherness! Our bodies, hearts, and souls hunger for it!

Another significant element the Danes bring into their lives is “living lights.” They make use of candles to bring light and create sunny smiles.

Maybe this year, we need to make sure we put up those holiday lights for the color and the sparkling lights that bring those big smiles. As many of you know, I love Christmas. What I also know is that I need those lights as the days get shorter and shorter. And, even though very few people will see my Christmas extravaganza, it just might be the year it all gets displayed.

Read more about Embracing Hygge:

http://www.oprah.com/health_wellness/how-to-embrace-hygge#ixzz6cNxufzLL

Hope and Change

Another piece we need to be aware of—change wants to happen, and it needs to happen. The body you walk around in is in constant flux because it’s energy. A body in energetic balance will quickly experience the change, and it will be a positive shift. The trick is to be creative in appreciating ourselves and find enjoyment within the shift. Maybe the difference is merely relishing an accomplishment.

Consider using this simple worksheet to help you see the changes that you can implement. It uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which uses your mind to notice the good stuff. It focuses on behavioral changes in your daily life, for instance, tracking your emotions according to your activities. So, it’s learning how to notice when your body is giving you a message.

behavioral-activation quiz

If you would like to learn more about behavioral-based therapy, visit the Therapist Aid website.

Your Key to Hope, Faith  & Energy

To help your body thoroughly experience change and get messages, go to my website and click on the purple button, “Learn the Daily Flow.” You will receive self-help acupressure suggestions that will help your body experience balance and harmony. Included is the Daily Clean Your House Flow® and energy tips to expand the breath, let go of frustration, achieve focus, boost motivation, and increase productivity. Now, those are some changes your body will appreciate!  And you are fully experiencing hope, faith, and energy. Enjoy the movement and the difference!

Keep Your Breath Moving!

Breath is the Key

How is YOUR breath?  Are you feeling like you’re getting enough air into your lungs?

I love the fall. It’s one of my favorite times of the year with the changing of the light, the season’s colors, and the harvest of all that Mother Nature and my garden created. It also is the time to evaluate the first part of the year and determine what I need to take care of before the onset of wet weather and the end of the year. You know that thing called “getting all your ducks in a row?”

But 2020 has taken all of us on a crazy ride, and everything seems so disjointed and out of sorts. Like you get something started, and then it gets interrupted. It’s not procrastination; we are experiencing total disruption. It’s hard to experience safety, security, and accomplishments amid being enmeshed in all of the craziness.

The upheavals and stress of 2020

All of us are coping with so much. Depending on where you reside, you might live with the threat of wildfires, intense heat, or life-threatening storms. There is the pandemic and all the fallout, the underlying concern about whether one’s health is in jeopardy, and the violence that seems to run rampant. And, if you’ve experienced any loss, whether it’s the loss of a loved one or personal or property loss, your life is filled with figuring out how to handle all of it. No wonder so many people are experiencing depression.

Everything I’ve listed can too easily create anxiety, and anxiety can develop into “shortness of breath.” Many say that they can’t get their lungs to move the air. And, if you’re living where there is a lot of smoke in the air and intense heat, your physical body is in massive reaction. If you have preexisting respiratory issues, your body is even more sensitive, challenged, and stressed.

The all-important inhale

Stress can take our breath away, cause us to wait with bated breath, and cause us to wait for the next shoe to drop. And, when that’s the case, “held breath” brings about other “projects” that can affect physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

We all know how important breath is. We need expansive inhales to bring in the oxygen that gives us life and vitality. And we need the purging power of our exhale to make room for the new inhale. We can help our bodies always have space for the breath, no matter what gets in our way, what disruptions occur, what calamities take place. We can help our bodies prepare for whatever might come at them and for whatever we ask them to do for us. And it’s not telling them, “I expect you to be stuck and not be able to do this.” It’s telling them, “I love you being in the flow, and this is how we’re going to do it together.” Doing your self-help acupressure is about you being a partner with your body.

Let’s help your breath move! Bring on health and vitality!

Please share this information with others in your life, including kids. Self-help acupressure works for all ages.

1. Do the Daily Clean Your House Flow^®! You’ve heard me say that lots. But it’s a foundation that can create stability and ease and calm. So, do it at least once a day. You can see the step-by-step on my website at deborahmyerswellness.com. Click on the purple button to get a copy. And see the animated video of the Daily Flow in its entirety.
2. Do the Jumper Cables (last step of the Daily Flow) whenever you think of it, or when your body tells you to do it! It will balance all emotions and feelings.
3. Hold upper arms by folding arms across the chest
4. Hold thumbs
5. For respiratory distress – anxiety, holding your breath, lung tightness

• Right fingers—hold the right base of the ribcage
• Left fingers—hold the right chest below the collarbone
• Switch hands and hold opposite sides

6. Right hand—cup your sternum directly below the collarbone
   Left hand – hold fingertips in a vertical pattern below the naval

Whenever you do your energy balancing, visualize ease, calm, and strength for all parts of your body: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And picture the same flow for others in your life as well as for the rest of the world. See that same calm experienced and enjoyed by our environment, including our forests. They are just as hungry for peace, strength, and health.

I wish each of you calm and peace and lots of easy breath.