Author: RachelBeckWellness

Getting Time on Your Side

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“I prefer to have a good plan and then see how it plays out in real time, making shifts to flow with the natural movement of a project or day to feel the wind in my sails rather than row against the tide.”

 

GETTING TIME ON YOUR SIDE

Hello Gorgeous,

With the momentum of a fresh New Year fueling our hopes to make positive and intentional shifts that help us grow, I want to offer some tips on how you relate to time.  Our relationship to time is key for our quality of life and our effectiveness. We want ease and efficiency. We want focus with flow. The more we understand how to heal our relationship with time, the more we are able to accomplish…and in a way that feels nurturing not depleting. So, let’s take a look at some key  insights on this topic.

TIME IS RELATIONAL

Reflect on  these common experiences of time:

  • I feel like I never have enough time!
  • Where does all the time go?
  • No matter how much I try, I just can’t keep up.
  • I feel guilty for wasting time.
  • I loose focus, get distracted, and before I know it, I am way off track in my schedule.

When we respect someone and pay attention to them, we improve our relationship with them. It’s true for people, for pets, for houseplants, and for time. Time is a relationship we have to the present. When we pay attention to it and respect it, that relationship is satisfying. 

So, how do we pay attention to time? How do we respect time? It starts by understanding that time is our friend not our enemy. When we enter a relationship with an assumption of goodwill, it helps to draw the best. Time isn’t against us. We don’t need to battle the clock or the passing of time. Time is the friend of a good investment, right? Time increases the value of many things (learning a language, a financial investment, a seedling growing to a plant). This brings us to our second insight….

TIME LOVES A PURPOSE

Just like us humans, time loves a purpose. When we are aimless, time doesn’t get to work it’s magic. When we are aware of carefully choosing our course of action, time partners with us to make it even more valuable. When we prioritize our highest value activities and immerse ourself in the moment with excellence and attention, time is our friend.

TIME IS A CURRENCY

Time is our most valuable resource. It cannot be borrowed or repaid. It only exists in the moment with no guarantee of its availability later. How we spend our time is our greatest leverage point for growth, happiness, healing, and impact. 

KNOW THYSELF

If you want to change something, you need to track it. Taking a time audit (noting how you spend your days for 3 days in 15 minute increments)  may seem tedious. But seeing how we are spending this non renewable resource is key. The average American spends over 3 hours each day watching shows and 4 hours each day on their phone.  2-5 hours are spent planning, making, and repairing purchases! That’s probably not the best use of time in the long run.

MAKE A SCHEDULE THAT RESPECTS YOUR PRIORITIES

What are your priorities? For most people, good health, good relationships, making an impact in work/community, and personal growth (in our Spirt, emotions, mindset) are at the top of the list. If any of these is stagnant or flailing, we experience stress and diminished ability to function. We want to thrive! So, let’s make the priorities a priority as often as possible.

Finding the time for enough sleep, to get fit, to meditate, to read, to finish projects, gets so much easier when we have limits on shows, phone use, and shopping. Personally, I limit these 3 activities (phone time, shows, shopping)  to 1- 2 hrs total most days. That gives me time to invest in what I truly value.

LISTEN TO THE DAY. LISTEN TO YOUR SPIRIT AND INTUITION

Some days are more challenging and require more pivots. I have a magnet on my fridge that reads “Let go or be dragged.” It’s a fine line between holding our boundaries/sticking to our well considered plan and making shifts based on where things feel resistant and where there is a more natural momentum. I prefer to have a good plan and then see how it plays out in real time, making shifts to flow with the natural movement of a project or day to feel the wind in my sails rather than row against the tide. 

I do the minimum on timely tasks so they move forward and deadlines are met. I focus more on what tasks are flowing naturally. Did I plan to clean the house today but find I am drawn to re-organizing instead? Perhaps, I spend 1/2 the time on the cleaning priorities and use the rest of the time to follow my inclination to de-clutter. Each day seems to have its own will that we discover along the way. We can partner with it and enjoy more ease and flow.

When we relate to time in these ways we are likely to experience more harmony, ease, and grace. We are more likely to make important progress and live more intentionally.  I hope you found inspiration that will aid you as you work to make this year your best yet.

Cheering you on,

Rachel

PS If you are looking for support in re-imagining your life, reach out to schedule a discovery call.

Reflections for Your New Year

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“Asking a powerful question with an open heart can transform us forever.”

 

Reflections for Your New Year 

Hello Gorgeous,

As we wrap up the year, I wanted to thank you for welcoming me into your life through joining my mailing list. I look forward to bringing more practical and inspiring offerings for you in the New Year.

I feel deeply grateful to have been featured on 4 podcasts, to support my coaching clients in our calls, and to have spoken at remarkable events. Meeting inspiring people and sharing my passion was such a joy! I look forward to expanding my offerings in the coming year.

As we enter a new season and a new year, here are a few of my favorite questions to ponder:

  1. Where in my life did I surprise myself?
  2. How was I brave? What risks did I take?
  3. Who did I meet that most impacted me?
  4. What did I learn about the deeper truths of Creation and God?
  5. What generational weights do I desire to let go of once and for all?
  6. How can I re-prioritize my life to better nourish my calling?
  7. Where can I simplify to create peace and savor the moment more? What 2 things can I start with — either by releasing or delegating?

Whether you pick one question or several, I hope the moments of deep consideration allow insights about how you wish to move forward in your life and be more present and of greater service to the great I AM.

Cheering you on for all that is to come,
Rachel

PS If you are looking for support in re-imagining your life, reach out to schedule a discovery call.

Courageous Living

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“Our lives can be built, not as a reaction to a problem but, rather, as a living testament to a solution.”

 

Courageous Living

Hello Beautiful,

Welcome to the holiday season! I hope you and yours are well. May this season be one of choice not obligation. One of  inspiration, not exhaustion. As the days grow shorter and we enter Winter, it is the natural rhythm to slow down and replenish.

To the contrary, our consumer culture makes this the busiest time of the year. It’s your choice how to participate in the season. I encourage you to remember this and to choose carefully what you want to give yourself to.

This takes courage and clarity. These two virtues allow you to make choices that align with your heart and spirit rather than be carried by expectation and momentum.

Courage comes from the old French linguistic root for heart: “corage” —heart, innermost feelings. To follow your inner most feelings and your heart is to be bold, brave, and different. If what you aspire to seems too big to be believed or too simple to be honored by others then you are probably listening well to your soul.

When what we aspire to falls outside of the traditional track people take, then it is often genuine and not manipulated by the surrounding influences. Of course, the insistence on being different can be it’s own conformity. Some people instinctively rebel against the expectations of the group.

Their non conformity is predictable. There is a distinct energy of those that are oppositional. But, we aren’t trying to be different as a matter of course. We are different in a non-referential way. We aren’t “this” because of the bad “that”.

If you begin to notice that you have constructed any part of your life as a bulwark against something you dislike….congratulations! That’s the first step to your next level of freedom. What comes next is determining what you are FOR.

What are you living in service to, in support of? How are you an example of freedom in spite of prevailing fears? We are in integrity in our Soul when we are living in alignment with our priorities. It is a waste of energy to build any part of our personality or life in reaction to a real or perceived problem rather than as a living testament to a solution.

For example, you may begin gardening because you fear food shortages, hate agribusiness and its polluting practices. You can also begin gardening because you love the idea of becoming more self sufficient, you want greater connection to the seasons and the soil, and you know that you can create the highest quality sustenance by growing it yourself.

In the first scenario, your fear and resentment fuel the action. In the second scenario, your desire to thrive in health and connection to nature drive the action. Both result in your gardening habit. But only one is deeply restorative to body, soul, and spirit.

Courage to care about getting to the root of our motivations is key because it illuminates the core beliefs that are running our “programs”. The ability to sit in silence, be still, and listen will develop your ability to discern the hidden things.

In stillness, the water and mud settle into two distinct layers and you can see clearly through the water. When everything is stirred up, no visibility is possible in the water. The discipline to be still and breathe deeply while quieting your mind develops true discernment.

And that is what I wish for you….courage, clarity, discernment, and integrity of life. Those are the best gifts to give yourself and others. May you orient your pace of life and subsequent choices in service of these anchors.

Cheering you on,
Rachel

PS If you are looking for support in re-imagining your life, reach out to schedule a discovery call.

Luxurious Weight Loss – Part 2

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“When we try to get all of our pleasure from one source, we overdo it. It’s time to diversify your pleasure portfolio.”

 

Luxurious Weight Loss – Part 2

Hello Beautiful,

In Part 2 of Luxurious Weight Loss I am going to share 3 tips for accelerating the rate at which you come to your healthiest weight. Some of these tips might surprise you. The truth is, its not just what we eat, but how we feel that influences the weight we carry. So let’s explore how we can loose weight and gain freedom…

The weight you are carrying
What is weighing on you? For some it is being an overworked single parent. For others it’s financial stress. Some people are over committed and just can’t ever seem to get ahead. It could be a secret you have been carrying for years. But, there is always an emotional component to the extra weight on our body being mirrored in our physical form.

A key component to lasting weight loss is unburdening our emotional self. We need to bring our weights into the Light and find healing and help. Without that component, we won’t be able to feel truly light and free. It takes courage to face the truth.

What are you carrying? Are you ready to put it down? Who can you enlist to help support you in the process? How would it feel to not carry that alone any more? That is what I want for you. Let’s release the weight you are carrying. It’s been long enough. It’s time to put that down. It’s time to be free.

The pleasure you are denying yourself
Often, food is one of the only “sanctioned” pleasures in someones life. When we try to get all of our pleasure from one source, we overdo it. It’s time to diversify your pleasure portfolio.

Make a list of 20 things your really enjoy that aren’t food or drink. Make an effort to do several a day. Standing barefoot on the grass and watching the sun rise or set is a good one. A long bath with a candle is another. Alone time to read or think is a true luxury. Time to cuddle a loved one is good. Sitting and eating a meal outside (a picnic or on the front porch) is delightful.

You get the idea. Try to bring more pleasure into your life all day long. If we aren’t pleasure starved, we won’t be as vulnerable to “finally, something I enjoy in my day” overeating.

Your life matters. What you enjoy matters. The truth is, bringing more pleasure into our days isn’t usually a big expenditure of time or money. Often, it’s 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there, and the the effect is a much more enjoyable life. Life is a gift-take the time to wrap it nicely!

The pain we feel
So many of us have unfelt feelings that creep up to be present as we eat. We are eating our feelings rather than meeting them. When we meet our feelings, we can be introduced (hello, I am sadness / disappointment / loneliness / grief) and have a little sit down to get to know them.

When we explore what we are feeling (name it) and then take the time to understand the root cause (explore it), we are then able to process our emotions just like we would process a meal—extracting the useful and releasing the waste.

By increasing self awareness in silent reflection, with journaling, or talking with a trusted person, we are better able to process our emotions and let them teach us rather than lead us (subconsciously) to overindulge.

It’s very common for people to overeat as an avoidance of not being present to difficult feelings. Life can throw us off the horse—and down the hill. Overeating will just add to the discomfort you are feeling.

Tenderly soothe your pain with human connection and wise counsel. Don’t try to use food as a comforter. You deserve better.

Indigestion and tight pants are not reducing your pain. That pain requires loving attention, compassion, and support. Feed your heart with true connection. Feed your stomach with quality food appropriately portioned.

Loosing weight and maintaining that leaner physique requires emotional self regulation, diversified pleasure, and feeling supported in life’s journey. Food will nourish the body. The emotions and spirit require other types of nourishment.

Take the time to build all those types of nourishment into your life. You were designed for a purpose. Your health let’s you engage with that purpose at a higher level. It’s worth the effort to build those support systems in so that you can be who you are meant to be.

If you want to learn more about food peace, check out my course Developing a Healthy Relationship with Food. If you want support in your journey, I can support you in wellness coaching. I hope that you get the support you need to live your healthiest, most radiant life.

Cheering your on,
Rachel

Pesto Pasta Supreme

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“This is a classic dish with premium enhancements. It’s quick enough for a week night but special enough for a celebration.”

 

Pesto Pasta Supreme

Hello Gorgeous,
Here is a classic dish prepared with premium updates. Taste Republic gluten-free pasta is truly exceptional. And, the pesto recipe is bright and sweet, with a touch of honey! This compliments the acidity of the tomatoes. I hope you enjoy this recipe and I look forward to hearing how it turns out for you.

Be sure to check out my current discount on Developing a Healthy Relationship with Food which I am significantly discounting for the month. Because eating well, living well, and feeling great can all co-exist in your life as your new norm. Check out the promotion here and use “summer2022” at checkout for 20% off!

Pesto Pasta Supreme
Serves 6 people

3 packages Taste Republic Gluten Free Linguini

1.5 cup fresh Pesto (see recipe below or use your favorite)

2-3 large organic chicken breasts, pan seared in olive oil, fresh lemon, Maldon salt & sliced thinly

6-8 cups fresh or frozen organic broccoli, sautéed in organic chicken broth

1/2 cup preserved tomatoes-chopped

Olives of your choice

Goat cheese crumbles

Lightly toasted pine nuts

Rachel’s Fresh Pesto
Makes 1.5 cups

4 cups fresh basil-rinsed and spun dry
1c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil-Kosterina is a favorite brand
1/2 c. Organic hemp seeds
Juice of 1 lemon
1 large clove peeled garlic
2 tsp local honey
1/2tsp salt

Add all ingredients into blender and mix on medium until smooth. Season to taste.

Enjoy!

 

Buffalo Tacos

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“This is a satisfying meal that is easy to make and colorful.”

 

Buffalo Tacos

Hello Gorgeous,
Here is a quick and delicious meal that we enjoy. It can be prepared in under 30 min. It’s colorful, nutritionally balanced, and a crowd-pleaser. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Let me know how it turns out…

And be sure to check out my current discount on Developing a Healthy Relationship with Food which I am significantly discounting for the month. Because eating well, living well, and feeling great can all co-exist in your life as your new norm. Check out the promotion here and use “summer2022” at checkout for 20% off!

Buffalo Tacos
Serves 4-6 people

1 package Siete brand Taco Shells

1 lb Ground buffalo cooked in olive oil + balsamic +seasoned with Spike seasoning

3 cups Cubed and roasted jewel yams (tossed in olive or coconut oil + Maldon salt
roasted 400 degrees until tender (about 20 min)

A bowl of mixed fresh greens or sprouts

2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn, warmed and seasoned with pasture butter and salt

2 avocados, mashed and seasoned with 1 diced garlic, salt, your favorite pepper or Chile, and a dash of honey

Crumbled/ shredded goat cheese or pasture raised organic sour cream

Black olives

(optional) chopped fresh tomatoes

Enjoy!

ps. Buffalo and Bison are interchangeable in the recipe!

Luxurious Weight Loss – Part 1

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“By prioritizing and savoring our meals, we feel more satisfied and release extra weight.”

 

Luxurious Weight Loss – Part 1

Hello Beautiful,

Usually weight loss is regime of restriction. We feel we must eat less of our favorite foods. We endure a constant feeling of deprivation. Then we are expected to accept that in order to be our healthiest and loveliest, we must become accustomed to living that way forever. It’s no wonder that most diets fail! I want to offer a completely different approach and I think you are going to love it.

Make enjoying your food a bigger priority in your life.

You heard me right. After years of working with people who are seeking to loose weight, I have observed an interesting pattern. Most people put too little priority into the actual enjoyment of their food. They are eating in the car, while watching a show, or standing in the pantry. They are furtively inhaling what they feel a little bad about even having around—almost in the hopes that if they don’t savor it, the calories may not fully register.

Alas, the truth is, that if we sit and savor whatever it is we are eating, we will enjoy it more and feel satisfied sooner. Try it. Commit to eating only while seated and doing nothing but enjoying the food bite by bite. The average person eats 15% less just by doing this. That slight reduction results in loosing about a pound per week…simply by enjoying your food more consciously.

Focus on upgrading and eating your favorite foods.

Make a list of your top 10 favorite foods. Focus on single ingredients like bread, peaches, goat cheese, chocolate, or steak. First, do a little research and find the healthiest, freshest, highest quality versions of each item.

If you love ice cream, try my favorite dairy free/fiber rich/lower sugar option Vanilla Nada Moo. If you love bread, find local organic sourdough, Out of the Bread Box gluten free/vegetable oil free breads, or whole grain rye. If you love chips and guacamole, try Siete brand chips, and make fresh guacamole. If you love steak, buy a portion of pasture raised meat. Enjoy your favorite foods regularly.

Only eat at mealtime.

The average American eats 16 hours per day. First thing in the morning and last thing before sleeping, a little something is had. Decades ago experts touted the benefits of eating every few hours to keep blood sugar regulated and metabolism firing. Over the past decade, mounting evidence shows that on both counts, the snack all day philosophy is 100% wrong.

Grazing all day keeps blood sugar bouncing up and down, conditioning the body to burn glucose rather than be able to toggle between fat stores and glucose seamlessly for even energy burn. It also slows metabolism by reducing mitochondrial function. We do better off eating 2-4 times per day.

You can eat a brunch and early dinner or you can try 3 meals per day. You can also eat 3 meals and a snack. If you are currently eating throughout the day, or on no particular schedule, start by setting times for 3 meals and a snack and only eating then.

At first, it may feel difficult. Make sure you are getting a good balance of fat, fiber, and protein so you stay full and satisfied until your next meal. After months on that regime, you might feel up to dropping the snack. And from time to time you might give your body an extra boost by dropping a breakfast or a dinner and just having 2 meals that day.

By prioritizing and savoring our meals, we feel more satisfied and release extra weight easily. I hope you will invest in your pleasure, your health, and your quality of life by trying these strategies.

For more support in making peace with food and gracefully feasting down to your trim and gorgeous weight, check out my course Developing a Healthy Relationship with Food which I am offering at a 20% discount this month with code “summer 2022”.

Cheering you on,
Rachel

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bars

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“Special trips and hosting friends are both great opportunities to make something delicious to share. “

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bars

Hello Gorgeous,
I hope you are enjoying your summer! Special trips and hosting friends are both great opportunities to make something delicious to share. Here is a recipe I know you will enjoy. Who doesn’t love anything that combines chocolate and peanut butter?! These are a delicious “Butterfinger” candy bar makeover. If you are allergic to peanuts you can substitute sunflower, pecan, cashew, or almond butter.

Let me know how they turn out… or if you managed to keep them around more then 15 minutes after serving them!

And be sure to check out my current discount on Developing a Healthy Relationship with Food which I am significantly discounting for the month. Because eating well, living well, and feeling great can all co-exist in your life as your new norm. Check out the promotion here and use “summer2022” at checkout for 20% off!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bars
Ingredients:
For the filling:
2.5 cups Mesa Sunrise gluten free flaked cereal
1 cup organic unsalted smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4tsp. Salt

For the coating:

1 cups melted dark chocolate
3T. Coconut organic extra virgin, cold pressed oil

Instructions

  1. Blend the cereal in food processor/blender until it is a fine crumb texture
  2. In a small bowl, mix the unrefrigerated peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth
  3. Add the ground cereal to the peanut butter mixture and mix thoroughly
  4. Form into little bars and place onto a sheet lined with parchment paper
  5. Place in the freezer for15-20 minutes
  6. Melt dark chocolate chips and coconut oil over low heat in a small sauce pan or over a double boiler, stirring constantly and removing as soon as everything is melted and smooth
  7. Dip bars in chocolate, using 2 forks to drag them through the melted chocolate. Then place them back on the parchment paper and set them in fridge for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Living Your Purpose

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“One could say that all of our purpose in life is to be transformed and made whole one thought, action, and feeling at a time…in service to the world and in connection with God.“

 

Living Your Purpose

Hello Beautiful,
You are a miracle. No one has ever been just like you and you have an essential contribution to make to the world in your lifetime. Each one of us comes with our own advantages and challenges, our own generational baggage and blessings, and our own inborn sense of what we are drawn to. 

 

The first thing we own is our body and our being. It will always be our primary responsibility to learn, to care for, and to develop and nurture our potential. Self responsibility is key to our maturing and to our autonomy. We cannot delegate our personal development (or blame our stagnancy) on anyone else. We must all learn how to care for our body, our mind, our emotions, and our Spirit. Each aspect of yourself is a key factor in coming to wholeness and living our purpose. I believe we all share several key responsibilities. They are:

 

  • to learn what our body needs (at differing stages of life) to heal and thrive
  • identify our interests and giftings and develop a life that uses them in integrous expression and service 
  • to develop a relationship with the Creator that is personal, loving, and vital
  • to understand, heal, transform, and upgrade our emotional patterning
  • to train our mind to be a servant of our being (rather than a tyrant)

 

As we are in the lifelong evolution of learning these lessons, we will encounter many chapters of life, relationships, and transformative experiences. Everyone and everything we encounter is a mirror that is showing us where we need to grow in self awareness, take initiative, set and maintain boundaries, remaining diligent but flexible, and take responsibility for our contributions to creating dynamics (without absolving others of their roles/responsibilities in the situations).

 

It’s a tall order! But, I love that it’s never boring. I feel like the old adage “if you’re bored, you’re  not paying attention” is very true. In any “boring” moment we have a dozen things we could be absorbed in, from “how is my posture?” To “what is my inner conversation trying to convince me of at the moment, and should I be buying into that story?”etc. Every moment we are given is a chance to learn and to grow towards the Light.

 

Life is endlessly full of lessons and they keep repeating until we learn them! If you find yourself saying, “why is this happening again?!” Then I can tell you (from personal experience… felt with a sigh and compassion), “the lesson will repeat until the student masters it”. One of our key purposes is to get to the point where we can face the same relational dynamic or life situation and respond with skill and clarity to exit it or transform it.

 

Eventually we will be “immune” to the problem because we have built an effect response protocol in our Being. Hypothetically, we would be neutral to encountering it again because we know exactly how to get out of it’s hold. But, it will rarely revisit us, and just to remind us how far we have come and how free we have become. 

 

One could say that all of our purpose in life is to be transformed and made whole one thought, action, and feeling at a time…in service to the world and in connection with our Creator. When we don’t know what to do next, we can ask the question, “what is the next step I can take towards presence, clarity, and strategic action?” We just keep repeating this every moment for a lifetime. The result is a wise, highly skilled, responsible, capable, and fascinating human!

 

Cheering you on,
Rachel

The Cult of Busyness

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 

“I challenge you to be the captain of your own ship rather than to be carried by the current you find yourself in. The quality of your physical health & your spiritual depth, as well as the thriving of your career & key relationships is highly dependent on whether or not you choose to live strategically.“

 

The Cult of Busyness

Hello Beautiful,
So much pain & healing, so much joy & sorrow, and so much hope & despair are co-existing in the world right now. They inevitably co-exist in our minds, emotions, and beings as we navigate the world day by day. The best thing I can offer you to help manage the intensity of it all is that you must, must, must make periodic rest and reflection the priority. It will never seem convenient.

 

You will have to purge some commitments and reset some expectations. But all of this will be paid back in multiples with health, clarity of vision, and renewed perspective. Can you imagine how different your life would feel if every month you acknowledged your place in the Divine Rhythm, syncing your patterns with the Created order? Can you imagine the relief of not feeling a constant demand for peak productivity and anticipating monthly times to rest and replenish? What would it feel like to co-ordinate your productivity and your rest with the greater rhythms of Creation? We have, in our modern world, built a world “above” and separate from the rest of creation.

 

It was based on the idea of mastering the forces of nature, extracting what we find useful, being unshackled from the limitations of subsistence existence. These ideas have a promise of comfort, control, and empowerment but they are false promises. Aspects of our progress like indoor plumbing and heating and life saving medical care surely have improved our lives. But, we have also entered a time where we have a relentless expectation of work, of constant productivity, and of 24/7 social engagement/work communication. This cycle of activity that has been enabled by technology has normalized an expectation for unsustainable living and working patterns.

 

Is there any doubt that the record numbers of mental, physical, and relational burnout prevalent in our society is fueled by this go, go, go, exhausted, overstimulated, and reflection deficient human culture we have unwittingly cultivated? Can you imagine how different you and your loved ones would feel if there was a monthly flow between action, activity, and socialization that was balanced with monthly fasting, a sleep marathon, periods of ceremonial/sacred silence, journaling and reflection? It may sound impossible, a grand and impractical idea, at the moment.

 

I challenge you to be the captain of your own ship rather than to be carried by the current you find yourself in. The quality of your physical health and your spiritual depth, as well as the thriving of your career and key relationships is highly dependent on whether or not you choose to live strategically. If you are in perpetual motion you cannot very well check your compass heading. If you are using your tools constantly you cannot sharpen them or evaluate if you need new ones. If you feel everything is urgent, for years on end, and it is impractical to slow your pace for a few days each month, you have already surrendered the leadership of your life to circumstance and social convention.

 

If you have internalized others possible judgements of your taking 3 days off to rest and realign each month (ideally around the new moon) over the greater good it would do in transforming your decision making and health, then what or who is really driving your actions? To those of the Christian faith, this monthly 3 day reset can be seen as a 10% tithe of your time. What if you made this 3 days each month dedicated to replenishment? You could start small, like eating by sunset and not using electricity when the sun goes down. This would provide an environment to reflective conversation with loved ones or reflection. With no phones, entertainment, or light to work by, you would have a short list of activities to choose from and likely a very early night heading to bed. You could sit outside under the stars and just look up and contemplate. You could lie on the floor and stretch by candlelight.

 

You could marinate in quiet and remember being a human being rather than a human doing. Likely, you will get a fantastic nights rest and wake up feeling the better for it. It’s important to do this ourselves first. If we can influence our spouse or children to do this as well, it becomes even more transformative. The ability to be still, quiet, and content has nearly gone extinct. And with the loss of those three qualities our volition has been stolen. Teaching children, through gradual exposure and extending practice, how to be still, quiet, and content is one of the greatest contributions to their long term character you can provide. Those qualities provide the tools all of us need to be less reactive and more intentional.

 

They are the key to freedom of thought and action rather than being carried by the stream of life’s momentum and culture’s pace. It takes the onus of choice back from external stimulus and returns it to the individual’s Sovereign awareness. At the end of your life, if you begin right now, this one habit of a monthly pause could be the single best habit you celebrate as having increased your quality of life. Whether you just reclaim those 3 evening to silence, or you add a monthly fast, silent solo day, or strategic reviews in your life and business, there are many ways to embody the monthly reset offered to us. I hope you will take the opportunity to add one or more of these rituals into your month. Your life will never be the same.

 

Cheering you on,
Rachel