Do you wake up feeling well-rested and pain-free on most days?

Did you know that’s even possible?

It is.

You CAN be active & agile at any age. 

You’re not destined to a life of being exhausted, stiff & sore and eventually falling and breaking your hip. 

Stiff joints, sore muscles, and fatigue are all signs of over-training (or over-doing) and not giving your body enough rest or recovery time between your workouts and activity.

Slowing down with REST gives the body time to work its MAGIC… to heal itself and get stronger.

The catch...

You only have so much energy (i.e. brain power) in a day.

You can’t sleep your way out of exhaustion and chronic pain.

It’s about knowing what types of rest to target and how to pace yourself.

The first step is learning how to calm your nervous system so you can go from Stressed to your Relaxed Body.

We’ll show you how in the Relaxed Body Toolkit.

You’ll learn:

• How to Tune into your Secret Weapon as your Guide
• The Best Time of Day to do an Energy Checkup
• Rest Moves to Overcome 4 Types of Fatigue

PLUS it includes a Bonus MINI Moves Daily Energy Planner!

It’s never too late to break the habit of going too hard, too fast- THE recipe for inflammation, injury, & burnout...

If you're willing to sprinkle some Rest & Relaxation Moves into your day.

Let’s calm your body with daily Rest Moves so you can feel more energy, ease, & flow.

Download the Relaxed Body Toolkit to help you get started.

HOW TO DO THE HAPPY BABY STRETCH:

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor or a mat.
2. With your head flat on the mat, bend your knees toward your chest at a 90-degree angle. Face the soles of your feet up toward the ceiling.
3. Reaching forward, grab and hold the inside or outside of your feet. Spread your knees apart, shifting them toward your armpits.
4. Flex your heels into your hand and gently rock from side-to-side. Remain in this position for several breaths, inhaling and exhaling deeply.
5. When complete, bring your knees to your chest, roll to your side, and slowly sit up.

 
Make Sure You Avoid:

• Straining your neck
• Lifting your shoulders off the ground
• Doing this stretch if pregnant

 
How To Modify:

• If grabbing your toes is too much of a stretch, hold onto your ankles or knees or you can use a strap to hold onto your feet.
• If it is too much strain on your neck or shoulders, you don't have to rock and/or you can add a small towel roll to support your neck.
• If you have a neck or shoulder issue, you can  do a Sink Squat instead. Hold onto the kitchen sink and squat down as low as you can go and shift your hips side to side.  Work your way to the floor position overtime when you feel ready.

 
How To Intensify:

• Stop rocking and stretch one leg out to the side (on diagonal) as straight as you can to stretch the back of your leg (hands stay holding onto your feet). Take a few breaths. Switch sides. 
• Come back to the starting position with both legs bent then straighten the opposite knee and stretch out the back of that leg. Take a few breaths.
• If you are up for it, alternate stretching your legs back and forth. Your legs will be coming in and out of a "V" position. Don't force your knees straight. This is a huge fascial stretch.
• When ready, come back to the starting position and hug your knees to your chest before you roll to your side to sit up.

 
PRO TIP:  Add the Happy Baby Stretch to these 3 Moves to Prep for Better Core Workouts.
 
Staying flexible in your hips will help you have a stronger core which helps improve your posture and performance.

The Happy Baby Stretch is a great one to do daily at the end of a workout or your day.  Go ahead and add it to your Rest Toolbox.

To Happy Hips!
Mollie

​P.S.EXCITING NEWS- our next round of SHINE™ & opportunity to be a part of Rest Crew #2 is coming up soon- get on the waitlist here.

Even though I've worked in health care for over 30 years and know the importance of self-care, I didn't truly become proactive with my own rest "care" until I was introduced to Yoga Nidra in 2018.
 
At the time, I was struggling with the physical, emotional, and mental demands of being the primary caregiver for my father who had a stroke in 2015 that left him with memory and vision issues. He went from living on his own and Commander of the VFW in his retirement to living in an assisted living facility and needing help with everything.

I was managing his medical care and life. 

After his stroke, he had multiple health conditions and cancer diagnoses that had to be addressed. Just when we got one area under control another would pop up.  Before his last cancer surgery, we weren't sure if he could get strong enough for surgery or have to go into hospice.

For years I'd help patients and families through the similar situations, but when I got on the other side and became the caregiver for the "patient" I experienced a different level of exhaustion and stress.

I needed to ramp up my rest care toolbox for sure as my normal coping strategies and mind body practices weren't enough to ride out the waves of his medical crises while juggling a career at the same time. 

I was at the peak of my caregiver fatigue after helping my dad through 3 cancer surgeries in a year when I was introduced to yoga nidra.

That ended up being a turning point in my own self-care journey.

It's when I truly started to prioritize rest. 

It was simple so I could stick with it.

I just had to close my eyes and listen to a meditation for 15 minutes.

I would get the rest medicine I needed that day.  

Nothing helped me feel as refreshed, re-energized, and back in balance than those nidra naps.
 
It quickly became a non-negotiable and daily practice for me. 

Even though my caregiver journey with dad has ended since he passed away last year, I'm passionate about sharing the powerful rest tools I've found over the years with the helpers & healers of the world.  They're some of the most high risk groups for exhaustion and burnout.

In a culture that values busyness and views rest as lazy, it takes courage and support to prioritize having a Rested Body & Lifestyle.

I recorded a podcast with Genevieve Richardson, a Speech Pathologist and owner of Life Speech Pathologies, to share a little bit of my rest story and burnout prevention strategies for caregivers. Genevieve works with and has the Listen For Life Aphasia Podcast for stroke survivors that have aphasia and their families.  

We discussed Rest and Relaxation Practices to help manage the stress and fatigue associated with caregiving as well as how to set yourself up for success by shifting your mindset around rest, prepping for rest, and building a rest support team. 

Anyone, not just caregivers, can benefit from the rest tips we shared on this podcast episode (episode 37). 

The good news is it doesn't take hours and hours of resting or meditating all day to feel more energy, ease, & flow each day.

It's all about resets and reps when it comes to calming your nervous system & turning on your bodies healing powers.

Listen to the podcast to find which rest move you want to add to your rest toolbox today.

Please share with any of the nurturers, caregivers, or stroke survivors in your life. 

To A Rested Body!
Mollie

P.S. Want to experience yoga nidra with me? The wait list for our NEW Rest Camp: SHINE™ is open.

1. Morning Sun- I’ve intentionally worked on making sure I get sunlight first thing in the morning even if it’s just a few minutes to help my circadian rhythm. It’s led to my new obsession – hanging out with our hummingbird friends not just in the morning but when they come by at sunset too. Their movements are fascinating to watch & bring me so much joy as I try to get a good photo which gives me a bonus boost of happy hormones. 

2. Screens- I'm avoiding screens an hour before bed or Blue Light glasses if I can’t turn off the damn show or find myself scrolling mindlessly- it happens despite my best efforts.

3.  Melatonin PR- Traded in CBD chews for Melatonin 3mg Prolonged Release (Douglas Laboratories) a few hours before bed. My functional medicine doctor added this a few months ago and it’s been a game changer for getting deeper sleep.

4.  Magnesium Glycinate- Traded in Natural Calm (Magnesium Citrate) for Magnesium Glycinate (Pure Encapsulations) before bed- another addition from my FM doctor.

5. Cut Down on Caffeine- I’ve cut way down on caffeine as I’m more sensitive to it now and I’ve connected the dots to how much it can mess with my sleep. Bonus from this change is having less afternoon energy slumps!

6. Breathwork- I've added a few Breathing Exercises in Bed to relax my body & calm my nervous system. Part of my sleep prep is still a few massage & stretches with my Rollga foam roller but that’s before I head to bed. I do the breathing exercise once I’m comfortable in bed.  

OVER TO YOU

Hopefully you’ve got some new sleep moves to help you get more of the restorative, deep sleep your brain & body needs each night or to help you get back on track with your healthy sleep habits (especially if you’re traveling a lot this summer).

Let me know if you've got a go to tip for better sleep especially if you're dealing with hormone issues as well or have found the perfect pillow!
 
To Deep Healing Rest,
Mollie
 
P.S. Ready to go from Stressed to your Relaxed Body? Download the Relaxed Body Toolkit & Daily Energy Planner here.

It's time to prep for Summer and start planning as many outdoor water activities as you can.

It's a necessity if you're going to be in the 100+ degree Texas heat but also to take advantage of the power of water to heal, calm and refresh us.

​If you can't get near a body of water, here are 3 exercises to help you experience the power of water no matter where you are.

They'll help release toxins, recharge your energy, and even get your creativity flowing.

1. Water Meditation: lie down in a comfortable position and visualize a waterfall pouring over you. Inhale In the good healing powers of the water.  Imagine absorbing all the “energy” or “power” of the waterfall. 

Exhale and release anything you want to let go of (i.e. toxic thoughts, pain, etc). Continue for 3 minutes or longer if it feels good to you. You’re letting the water refresh you and wash away anything you no longer need deep into the ground below you.

Pro Tip: if you have a hard time visualizing, try this version in the shower. Close your eyes, get present with a few deep breath and feel the water as it flows over you from head to toe. Imagine all the toxins, negative feelings, or events from your day washing down the drain.  

2. Soak in the Tub: take an Epsom salt bath with lavender to release toxins and relax your body and mind.

3. The Fountain: this is a great Qi Gong moving meditation to help you get in the flow and “just be water.” It can be done in sitting or standing. Kids love it. It’s a fun one to do when you need a quick break to clear your mind, calm your body, or recharge. Just 7 reps can make a difference and help you find your flow.  Watch this short video below to learn how simple it is to do.

Find time to get outside & refresh near water as much as possible this summer. Use these exercises to fill in the gaps when you can't get outside.

​Which one feels best in your body? Make sure to schedule regular "water" breaks into your day.

Go Find Your Flow!
​Mollie

P.S. Ready to go from Stressed to your Relaxed Body? Download the Relaxed Body Toolkit & BONUS Daily Energy Planner here.

I’ve known what I wanted to share with you this month, but it’s been delayed because you know life… 

I’ve had to focus on family and taking care of my energy to celebrate my dad’s life as he passed away peacefully with my brother’s and I by his side at the end of July. 
 
The more I look at pictures and have memories pop up, it’s becoming clear that dad was a big influence on my love of nature & water which ties into what I wanted to share with you.
 
I grew up on South Florida beaches and lakes just like dad. My dad was a Bass fisherman his whole life. He later became a hunter after we lived in Louisiana, and he spent time with our Cajun relatives.
 
Thinking of when I was younger, it feels like the longest periods of time I spent with dad was fishing on his Bass boat. He even taught us to water ski behind it. So embarrassing! 
 
Dad also loved to sit outside in the morning with his coffee and just watch nature. OK, so he was also known to get his BB gun out to scare away squirrels and raccoons from the pecans or bird feeders. 
 
But this Vietnam Army vet, who called yoga therapy “yogurt” while at one of his inpatient rehab stays, had his own way of meditating by calming and grounding himself through nature or on the water. He just didn’t know that’s what he was doing.
 
Here are 3 ways you can easily tap into the healing power of water and nature yourself:

1. CALM YOUR BRAIN: visualize or sit in nature or near water and do some Cooling Breathwork.   

2. CALM YOUR BODY: try this Qi Gong "Fountain" exercise. It’s a moving meditation to help you get in the flow and “just be water.” It can be done in sitting or standing. Kids love it. It’s a fun one to do when you need a quick break to clear your mind, calm your body, or recharge. Just 7 reps can make a difference and help you find your flow.  Watch this short video to learn how simple it is to do.

3. CHALLENGE YOUR BODY & BRAIN: go Stand Up Paddle Boarding to get the benefits of the calming meditative powers of nature AND the core challenge to your balance & coordination from stabilizing on the water.   

Hopefully this will inspire you to spend more time in nature or near the water. If you’re not able to get outside, you can do the first two inside. And if you’ve never SUP, well what are you waiting for? It’s so much fun and a great thing to try over Labor Day weekend.
 
Go try some "yogurt" :)
Mollie
 
P.S. Summer Savings Alert.  It’s time to Roll.  Our favorite foam roller is on sale until 9/30/22. It’s like having a PT, Chiro, Massage Therapist in one and the closest we can get to sending our hands home with you.  You can find it here*.  
 
Then let us show you our favorite massage & stretch moves with the Rollga in one of our online camps.

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