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<<}

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!

Remedies for Dryness During a Drought

There is no doubt we are in a drought

Drought. Here in Northern California and other parts of the world are experiencing extreme weather: some too hot, others too wet, lots of confusion and shifts in seasonal patterns.

My garden is my cheerful spot. Reflecting on the water situation in my area made me realize changes to the weather are affecting more than the land we live on. Our bodies, the other critters who inhabit the earth, and plants are responding to these dry conditions. I share my thoughts and solutions to keep you feeling your best and in balance.

I took this video in my garden and runs 6 minutes 41 seconds

Lapping up Sunshine

I am down in my garden, lapping up the sun and the vitamin D. It is a gorgeous day. The mid-afternoon sky is blue. The sun is shining. It’s a little warm, but at least it cooled. We’re lucky where we are. Sonoma County has been giving us the experience of waking up to the fog and starting with cool days.

Everyone is talking about the heat and dryness and the drought. I know we’re not the only ones. The need for rain is prevalent in many places throughout the country and the world.

I’m working on saving water

Just like a lot of other folks, I’m collecting water from my shower and finding other ways to reuse water. In my garden, I’m also determining what changes to make. It’s decision-making time. We are in a drought cycle.

I had to make a hard decision a few days ago. I emptied my fountain. That required that it get thoroughly cleaned to ensure that the pump stays viable when it doesn’t have water.

Oh my. I can’t even believe how much I was used to the sound of the water cascading from one basin to the next. I’m already missing it immensely. And I’m also looking at the plants in the garden and determining what I can keep alive. If a plant is in jeopardy and having a hard time, I need to consider whether it is time to let it go. Water is a finite substance, even when you’re on a well.

Bring fluid to your body

Guess what? Your body needs fluid, too. Are you getting enough good water with electrolytes to feed every cell, so your body recognizes that it has plenty to assimilate? Your body needs to experience a state of sustenance.

So, make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D and enough good fluids that feed every cell of your being. Help your body know that you are consistently nourishing it.

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, drought can have an adverse impact on people:

“Drought can also affect people’s health and safety. Examples of drought impacts on society include anxiety or depression about economic losses, conflicts when there is not  enough water, reduced incomes, fewer recreational activities, higher incidents of heat stroke, and even loss of human life.”

You can find out more about weather and the environment on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website.

And where would I be without doing a little energy work?

Ready to help your body receive extra fluidity? This self-help acupressure movement will help your body accept and move lubrication to every cell.

Cup the sternum below your collarbones and hold your other hand on your tummy directly below your navel. It’s that easy!

When you do this, it helps your body accept and let go simultaneously. How can the body do that? It’s magic! The body is so darn clever! The energy balance points under your collarbones give your body the signal to receive, gather, and disperse fluid, food, breath, and energy. When you put your hand on your tummy, you are connecting with an energy balance area that brings all of that to every cell of your being.

Have you noticed that your body seems to take on the dryness of your environment? You may have dry skin, sinuses, ears, nostrils, mouth, and eyes. Do this simple self-help acupressure movement to relieve the discomfort. Hold each energy balance point with a light touch for several good breaths. By the way, instead of problems, I call them projects. Projects are more fun to work with and have a beginning and an end!

For left side pressure/tension or “project”
Right hand—hold fingers along the right side of your neck
Left hand—fingers “travel” along the left side of the “centerline”

* at top of head close to “centerline”
* then just into hairline
* next, move fingers to the left side of forehead
* and then to the inside of left eyebrow
* place fingers at left cheekbone close to nostril
* and next, rest fingers just below left collarbone, close to your sternum,

For a right side “project,” switch your hands

Take Care of Your Body and Your Home

I hope you find you can do these energy flows easily and effortlessly. That’s what this is all about—helping your body remember how to be in flow and at ease.

You’re taking care of your garden and yard so they can more easily come back after they struggle with dryness. Give your body at least the same amount of attention, and maybe more!

Remember, any body needs to be taken care of. So, be good to your garden, and take care of your property. And take care of this body that you walk around in. It’s your house. It’s there for you. Your body deserves it!

How to Reduce Stress and Have Your Joy

Did you know that stress can steal your joy? Let’s change that picture!!

Joy is such a glorious experience. It’s a feeling that can bring you to a place of gratitude for what you have and allow you to experience a sense of wonder and delight in the possibilities.

I’m all about joy, especially during the holidays. The spirit of the season and the colors, lights, and sparkle make me smile. I love holiday magic!

Stress takes away the magic

Then here comes stress, that thing that lives on the other side of the proverbial coin. And, right now, the stress level is exceptionally high because of the holidays, the pandemic, travel plans affected, civil unrest, decision fatigue, interrupted sleep patterns, loss of vitality, too much computer time, the list goes on and on.

Stress can take away your juice, affect the quality of your life, and cause you to lose your appreciation of life. In that realm, how on earth can we have great expectations and be positive?? So, it’s no wonder that stress can affect your ability to communicate your feelings and thus influence your relationships. If it’s tough to be positive, it will show up in how you are with anyone, whether in person or virtual, on Zoom, or on the phone.

So, maybe that’s why it can be so tricky during the holidays to be with your loved ones, especially if you’re amid a stressful period. Sad to say, most of us are experiencing high levels of stress. Much of that is because we’re in a “not knowing state of being.” Humans want to know and need to know what’s around the corner. Most of us don’t want to admit that we don’t know! And yet we need to express ourselves.

You can choose to live a reactive or a proactive life

Are you in a place of wanting and maybe even needing to express some of your hidden emotions?? You are not alone!! Did you know that when you communicate your feelings, you will more easily let go of any stress you’re carrying? And that you can even help prevent burnout??

The trick is to recognize you’re feeling something and then acknowledge that you reacted to whatever was going on, whether it was a physical, mental, or emotional reaction. THAT is an awareness that allows you to be on a path of changing how you’re feeling. And then the stress can deconstruct and transform and help you strip away what doesn’t matter.

Changing the patterns of stress

1. Look at what is “wrong,” what is stressful, and what you want to change. You’re capable of making it through these times. Look at what you’ve already been through in all parts of your life, what you changed to make it to where you are, and then KNOW that you can do it again.
2. Change up negative self-talk. Once you’ve noticed that you’re doing it, you’ll recognize that you’re uncomfortable with it. THAT is the moment you can address the talk and change it up.
3. When you’re in that better place of positive self-talk, those around you will notice it too. You will see evidence that you can more easily express your feelings and not hold things in. So, speak and be true to yourself! Be positive, and it will be easier to have gratitude live within you. And you’ll smile more often!
4. Recognize that change is just that. And if you’re questioning your ability to change old ways, acknowledge that “you just don’t know how to do the “new thing” yet. You just don’t know yet how to do it differently from how you’ve done it before!! In that moment of realization, you are on the road to change.
5. Get support. We rarely recognize how important it is to bring another voice into the picture. Ask for “a listening ear.” Maybe it’s a friend or a colleague who will be your sounding board as you unload. That process lets go of the mind chatter so you can get on the other side of “the voices inside.”
6. Get some movement happening. Exercise, walk, garden, whatever you do will trigger a positive feeling, feel emotionally stronger, and lower stress.
7. Create a daily practice that is super simple to accomplish. When it becomes a routine that you and your body discover is supportive and healing, you will FEEL stronger, healthier, more vital, and more prepared for whatever comes along.

Discover that rituals help your day begin with optimism and continue with joy

Have hope and faith that the changes you want in your body and life can happen! Embrace the possibility and relax with the process.
Balance emotions and habits, and you will discover how easy it is to be positive, be joyful, be proactive, and take control of your own well-being.

YOU are worth it!

Are you ready for a daily practice that is easy to accomplish??

1. Do the Daily Clean Your House Flow, a nine-step self-help acupressure flow that is super easy to do and takes less than ten minutes to complete. As a nine-year-old so succinctly told me, “It is the Daily Flow, so of course I do it every day! And I do it more than that!”
2. Keep your breath open. Feel the expansiveness of the inhale and the letting go during the exhale. Go to my website, click on the purple button “Learn the Daily Flow,” and you’ll 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 giving yourself a hug. It opens up breath, shows your body you are taking care of it, and it connects with heart health.
4. Throughout the day, manage your feelings so stress doesn’t have room to hang out.
   A super simple energy movement that allows you to express yourself.
   Right hand—cup sternum directly below the collarbone
   Left hand—hold your fingers on your tummy

By the way, I’m taking singing lessons, and I cup my sternum and hold my tummy a lot! It opens up my breath, softens my throat and vocal cords, drops my jaw, opens up my face muscles, and projects my voice. If I may say so myself—it’s astonishing how far I have come with my singing! Mostly when I had lost my singing voice after surgery.

Read more about letting go of negativity and stress:

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-let-go-of-negativity-and-stress-3145006

And see what Psychology Today says about stress and joy:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-zen/201804/springing-more-joy-and-less-stress-30-day-guide

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!

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.

Finding Joy and Ease Amid Our Topsy-Turvy World

Topsy Turvy

It is not unusual to discover new crisis announcements every day during these troubled times. Dire proclamations provoke deep unease and may put you in a state of hyper-vigilance. And repeated disturbing news may create a sense of anxiety that takes your breath away. What happens if you burden yourself with anxiousness and dread? The trick is to acknowledge the sentiments that come up for you and help your body let go of harmful reactions.

I want to give you some of my favorite self-help acupressure tips to do that!

These easy-to-do acupressure movements will:

• expand breath
• let go of anxiety
• reduce stress reactions
• help you sleep even with so much on your mind
• and boost your immune system.

Energetic Balance

Your body prefers to be in energetic balance. You need to help your body experience balance and harmony. You are training your body what it feels like to be in balance. When you do, your physical, mental, and emotional bodies will take better care of you.

Help Your Body

A daily practice of easy self-care acupressure helps your body. A balanced immune system can fend off anxiety and stress despite what is happening in the world.

Hold your fingertips on the following acupressure points with a light and gentle touch for several good breaths:

1. Open up your breath. Give yourself a hug by holding your fingertips anywhere on your elbows or upper arms. You’re holding energy points that connect with lung and diaphragm breath. This will expand your breath. You will experience a full inhale followed by a purging exhale.
2. Bring on better sleep! Hold your fingertips on the base of your skull and you will connect with a “sleep center.” Follow with jumper cables—cup and hold each thumb and finger with a light touch.
3. Boost your immune system and it will better be able to take care of you!

• Right hand—cup right shoulder with fingertips where neck and shoulder come together.
• Left hand—hold fingers at left chest immediately below the collarbone.
• Switch hands.

Prepare your body for difficult times

Make the Daily Clean Your Houseflow your go-to daily practice for balancing your energy. A daily practice makes your system more receptive to nurturing.  Many of my clients start and end every day doing the Daily Clean Your House Flow—a 9-step self-help acupressure flow that provides your body with a firm foundation. The flow supports all the organs and systems of the body. You are preparing your systems for performing at optimum levels—bringing stability, strength and vitality to your entire body.

You can find the Daily Clean Your House Flow on my website, deborahmyerswellness.com. Click on the purple button “Learn the Daily Flow” and you’ll get a PDF of the 9 steps, and more energy tips.

I encourage you to view the animated video of the Daily Clean Your House Flow. I created it for kids, and adults love it as much as any kid. Watch it in its entirety on my website at deborahmyerswellness.com/covid19at no charge. I want anyone who is searching for a way to let go of stress and anxiety to enjoy free access during this distressing, unnerving time. Do your body a favor and check out the video. You’ll see why kids, parents, and teachers love this 6-½ minute video for helping to create a more carefree and happier body.

Spending time every day taking care of YOU assists your body to get to that place of balance and harmony. Your body will know you are taking care of it. A daily practice might include self-help acupressure, meditation, exercise, walking, enjoying Mother Nature, gardening, singing, dancing, resting when you need to, reading, writing. The list of what could be part of your daily practice is up to you. Choose the activities that help your body feel better and more vital, including what brings a smile to your face.

My desire for you is to experience joy and ease!

Easy Stress-Busting Tips for Your Kids and You!

In this free webinar, you will learn how to use self-help acupressure to get ahead of anxiety and stress. You will experience how to find your breath, ways to relieve stress, what to do to get better sleep, and boost your immune system.

Click Here to Register

Twenty-Twenty Vision Workshop

Picture yourself on the winning track:

• Increase productivity and focus
• Gain momentum
• Remove obstacles
• Attract more of what you want in life
• Reduce anxiety and stress
• Enjoy balance and harmony

Deborah Myers, founder and director of Deborah Myers Wellness, will teach you how to help integrate your thoughts, energy, and emotions. Get on the path of success. Plan and complete projects with less stress. Learn how to let your body heal so YOU can improve your energy level and well-being. Learn time-honored self-help techniques (Jin Shin Jyutsu and acupressure) designed to help you reduce stress, relieve pain, promote healing, and improve your sense of wellness, health, and prosperity.

And all of the energy tips and techniques will help your kids as much as they help you!!

Twenty-Twenty Vision Workshop

Wednesday: February 26 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm              

Tuition: $69.00

Includes your choice of one of my books — Easy Self-Help Acupressure for Grown-ups or Easy Self-Help Acupressure for Kids and Parents

Location: coLAB, 427 Mendocino, Santa Rosa, California 95401

Registration: Call 707.546.5692 to reserve your space. Mail registration form with payment to 2816 Hidden Acres Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404.

Or register online at http://bit.ly/DMW2020

Contact Deborah Myers: 707.546.5692 or deborah@deborahmyerswellness.com

2020 Wellness Workshop 2020 Vision

Recovering from the Sonoma Fires

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Here are a few of the tips:

• Hold thumbs with opposite hands
• Hold index fingers with opposite hands
• Fold arms across chest and hold opposite upper arms

• Hold right base of rib cage with right fingers
• Hold right chest below clavicle with left fingers
• Switch and hold opposite sides

• Cup sternum directly below clavicle with right hand
• Place left fingertips in a vertical pattern below the navel