My 5 Daily OMMM Rituals
Life, even when on an upswing, can still feel heavy at times. Most people I know are fighting some sort of battle. Some battles are physical, others are mental but both can be equally stress- inducing. Not exactly rainbows and butterflies right? I thought when I made it out of my twenties in one piece, I would surely be twirling into my thirties like Maria von Trapp atop the sunny hills of Austria. Welp, I guess the joke's on me. The reality is, I'm a thirty-something mother of three young daughters who feels challenged every day by their differing schedules, attitudes and culinary tastes. There are times when my anxieties, fears and guilt pummel me to the pavement and I have to set the words "this too shall pass" on repeat in my head. Don't get me wrong, I sincerely LOVE my life and am grateful for every single moment I have on this earth. Of course, enjoying every.single.moment requires a certain degree of balance and inner peace (and of course, a heavy pour of Rose). Since the zen life is not something that comes naturally to me, I've had to become a fierce crusader of the OM, vigorously researching for my cause, and picking multiple Om-y brains along the way. Now that I'm feeling more enlightened than ever, I wish to impart some of this knowledge upon anybody who might be able to benefit from it. So, here we go... Below is a list of MY five daily rituals that help me get my OMMMM on. The winds are changing, can you feel it?
GRATITUDE JOURNAL: Every night (ok, most nights), right before I close my eyes, I reach down into the space between my bed frame and my mattress and pull out my gratitude journal. I list 5 to 10 things that I am grateful for that day. I don't focus on large things... I focus mostly on the little things that bring me feelings of joy and thanks. It's refreshing to go to sleep with positivity swirling around in my head, rather than tomorrow's to-do list. For the purpose of research, I combed over some of my previous journal submissions. The following are my most ridiculous and cringe-worthy "gratitudes" (I'm literally sweating right now)....."getting my appetite back" (umm, really? I'm pretty sure that was never an issue), salami sandwiches, getting my hair washed and straightened (ok, a little shallow maybe but I stand by this one!), The Real Housewives of New Jersey (this made the list- not once, not twice but three times... ROCK BOTTOM)... anyways, you guys get the gist- an attitude of gratitude is a small lifestyle change that will have you reaping big rewards.
MOVEMENT WITH INTENTION: I try and move my body most days, and some times not in the traditional ways one would define exercise. There are times I hike, times I take a barre class, times I just run around with my kids. I make sure whatever exercise I choose, I am setting and serving an intention. On days I feel overwhelmed and pent up, I gravitate toward a high intensity workout which allows me to emotionally LET THAT SHIT GO. Days when I feel out of touch with Mother Nature, I get outside and walk with my kids and dog (ok, not always with the dog...). When I'm feeling a need to be more connected to "my people," I enjoy playing a team sport like tennis or paddle with them. And when my head feels messy and overloaded, I re-center myself with a yin yoga practice. I think the important thing here is to move your body in a way that releases your mind as well... comfy clothes encouraged and no gym equipment needed!
MUSIC: Growing up, music was always playing in our house. My mom would attach herself to a certain song (think Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" on repeat for a better part of a year), and my whole family would sing it loud and let loose... pretty embarrassing, I know. The first time I brought my now husband, Mike, home for Thanksgiving, my family played the Fiddler on the Roof album over and over and over again, and we sang, and danced and laughed (and drank... A LOT). After that complete debacle, I was surprised to see Mike still laying beside me the next morning. The beauty is Mike was totally on board with the whole "shake what your momma gave you" movement SO now music is omnipresent in our house, with our own kids... at bath time, before bed, first thing in the morning... whenever... WE SING IT OUT. WE DANCE IT OUT. WE LET IT ALL OUT................ but seriously if I have to listen to Frozen's "let it go" ONE MORE TIME, I'm going to lose my mother fing shit. Music is proven to reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, lower depression, change moods, increase brain consciousness etc. Remember what happened when Fräulein Maria "brought music back into the home"? Here's a gentle reminder... She scored the mysterious and sexy Captain von Trapp, escaped from the Nazis and made all those kids fall in love with her. Let's all be more like Maria.
MEDITATE: Ok, Admittedly this does NOT IN THE LEAST BIT come naturally to me. Right before I got married, my sister surprised me and treated me to a wellness retreat in Upstate New York. Part of this experience was meditation. When I got into the meditation room and closed my eyes.... I panicked. It was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life. Meditation has come a long way since then or maybe I have? And now, there are sooo many easy apps for all you meditation virgins. I've been on a streak for three months, and I can personally attest for this revered practice. I sit and meditate for about 12 minutes a day and it makes all the difference. The more consistent I am, the easier it becomes. Meditation changes the body by lowering blood pressure, diminishing pain, ramping up digestion and releasing brain happy chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. This practice is not about being perfect... it's about getting off the hamster wheel, breathing and sitting still. I swear by the apps CALM and HEADSPACE, especially if you're a beginner. If I can do it, trust me- you can too!
BATH THERAPY: I know this one sounds so trivial, but I swear by this ritual more than any of my others. I've given birth to three girls, and the only thing I wanted to do after each delivery was take a bath. I swear that submerging myself into a hot bath after a long day instantly calms my nervous system and gives me a moment of mindfulness and decompression. It's a time when I can just let it all go. Nowadays, my baths involve a few smallish onlookers... but even with one of my daughters sitting on the ledge asking me a million questions, I still manage to feel relaxed. I love baths so much, I wrote an extensive blog post on this ancient ritual and my favorite bathing products. Check out my obsessions here.
I'm pretty much a walking billboard for stress. I have young kids, a husband who works a lot, an unpredictable health condition, a sensitive nervous system and I'm a sagittarius with Italian blood. Sooo... these 5 rituals save me every single day and at the very least, give me glimpses of peace, balance and birds singing up above. The hills are alive........
DANCE IT OUT!!!
My daughters, Penny and Catherine shaking a leg with their besties Ellie and Sonia.
