It’s getting W-E-I-R-D in here. 

How are you doing now that we’re at the mask stage of the Rona Ride?

I’m used to them in the medical world, but it still feels strange to wear them in public.

This whole experience is pretty disorienting.  Isn’t it?

As we add covering up with the mask to social distancing, keep in mind you can still connect with others using your eyes and body language. 

Some of my stroke patients that I learned the most and felt closest too didn’t speak a word the entire time I worked with them because of their aphasia.  We used body language and eye contact to connect and understand each other.

When you’re wearing a mask in public, you can still crack jokes and use eye contact to connect with people especially those with essential service jobs.  The stress and fatigue are on the rise in the front lines.

Smile with your eyes.  They’re still the window to your soul.  Send them some love.

I know there’s confusion and mixed messages out there on masks, even when some communities require them. 

Part of the journey of this pandemic is we have to adapt as we learn more information.  Current research shows masks help decrease risk for all by at least 50% (3 ply surgical masks are better than home made).

Wearing a mask is another tool to protect ourselves and the most vulnerable in our community from the virus. 

Mask Care 101:  Make sure you cover both your mouth and nose with it.  And once it’s on don’t touch it with your hands.  If you do touch it, wash your hands.  Take it off by the ear loops and throw it away.

Yes the Rona Ride is getting repetitive but it’s simple:  Wash (your hands), Watch (your distance), and Wear (your mask).

Before you mask up, do the dog breath (in your house or car).  It’s another exercise to add to your breath work toolbox that’ll help boost your immune system.

DOG BREATH:

• Stick your tongue out all the way and breathe rapidly through your mouth the entire time (like a dog panting). 
• Practice for 3-5 minutes. 
• To finish the exercise, inhale and hold your breath for 15 seconds as you press your tongue hard against your upper palate.  Repeat closing breath 2 more times.

Peace & Love,
Mollie

P.S. Helpful Resources:
Download this daily planner to help you add 1-3 minute rest & relaxation breaks into your day.
Additional Rest Resources
Self-care basics during COVID-19
Surgical Masks: Austin Emergency Supply Foundation provides free masks to small business and those in need.  You can buy masks for just yourself or for you + help others get them too.

I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a REST stop on the Rona Ride. 

It’s starting to feel like a country song come to life…

Dad’s on lock down (at his assisted living). 

Youngest brother’s on the front lines (ER doc in Virginia that loves infectious disease).

I’m on a see saw balancing between two new worlds (the wellness “rest” world from my yoga nidra training and the upside down medical world on the verge of burn out). 

Ironically, my yoga nidra training started when the pandemic hit our area.

I'll be honest my Rona Ride stalled out at the end of April when my body screamed "time out" due to poor sleep from stress and the crazy pace of all the almost daily changes happening in the medical world. 

I was exhausted mentally and physically. 

So what did I do? 

I busted open my rest-care tool box which helped me bounce back energy wise.

There has never been a better time to listen to your body and give it what it needs.

Right now besides your basic hygiene, social distancing and using the latest CDC safety precautions, I recommend using as much rest, laughter, and nature as medicine as possible. 

I saw a post where someone mentioned they were making turns onto aisles at the grocery store like they were in a haunted house.  I couldn’t help from LOL thinking of that even though it’s also sad.  Hopefully we won’t feel like that forever.

Find the humor whenever you can right now.  It's OK to laugh while you're anxious or sad.  It's a #1 coping strategy in the healthcare world. Don’t feel guilty. 
 
Focus on what you can control in your immediate environment.  Your self-care comes first then everyone else.  The wellness rules are the same as before, but we need to ramp up the calming strategies. 
 
Remember to take advantage of the health benefits of movement and meditation each day.  You don't have to go hard core.  A little bit helps a lot.
 
Did you know doing something synchronized like singing with another person is right up there health wise?  Our bodies intuitively know this.  Think of all the TikTok videos or the clapping each day in NYC and Italy for health care workers. 

Go ahead and bust out the karaoke or your favorite dance moves a few minutes a day.  Sing and shake your body to keep the energy and emotions flowing.

I know you’ve got cabin fever. Go for a drive.  Go outside and soak up some sun.  Get near water or trees.  Move your body.  But then I still want you to REST, REST, REST. 

This is a marathon not a sprint.  Our bodies heal and get stronger at rest.

Here are some free rest and relaxation tools to help calm your body & brain:

Download this free 5 minute rest meditation for better sleep.  Use it to take a quick break, prep for a nap or to relax your body before sleep.

Free Meditation Apps:  Calm, Head Space

Tapping (EFT) is a combination of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology that sends calming signals to the brain.  Here are some free resources:

The Tapping Solution free coronavirus stress and anxiety meditations: go here

The Tapping Solution has 6 months free membership for health care workers and first responders: learn more here

Tapping with Brad Yates on YouTube: Coronavirus

Rest is medicine!
Mollie

P.S. Working from home for the first time?  Don’t forget to take mini movement breaks for better focus & less stiff muscles. Download the Mini Moves Planner to help your body feel more energy, ease, and flow each day.

Need some immune boosting tips?  Here’s the Healthy Traveler Packing List from an oldie but goldie blog post on nutrition and exercise resources to add to your self-care practices.  They're good year-round not just for travel.

Find COVID-19 self-care basics & resources here.

One of the things I love about Pilates, Yoga, and Qi Gong is the emphasis on the breath work. 

They all teach you how the breath is where it all starts.  It controls everything.  How you heal.  How you feel.  How you move. 

And there are so many breathing exercises out there that can give you different results. 

You can change the way you breathe so that it calms your nervous system, to turn on your nervous system before or during activity, to boost your energy, to loosen muscle tension, and/or to decrease anxiety and overwhelm. 

It’s fascinating how something so simple can make such a difference in your body and mind. 

Try this.

Put your hand over your heart and close your eyes.  Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Repeat a few more deep breaths. 

Did that release some tension in your neck?  Do you feel a less overwhelmed?  How about more grounded or centered?

You can use this breathing exercise anytime you feel like life is spiraling out of control.  It reminds you that you DO have control. 

One breath can change everything.  Your mood.  Your energy level. 

And as they say you've gotta feel it to heal it.  Breath work will help you do that.

Having a variety of breathing exercises in your self-care tool box will help you manage stress, fatigue, and pain to perform and feel your best each day. 

Here is another breathing exercise for you to try that will help you release STRONG emotions. 

Some of us were taught that it's not OK to express strong or negative emotions (i.e. anger, sadness) and they get trapped in our body. This technique will help you release them. 

Not to get too woo woo on you, but it'll also help you center yourself by combining both your masculine and feminine energy so you’re in a more peaceful place. 

If you’re worn out, burned out or in need of a time out, here’s my favorite tool to help you get re-energized. 

I've used it daily for the past 2 years.  It's been my #1 self-care practice as I continue to ride the emotional roller coaster of providing elder care for my dad.

I learned about it on a podcast that led me to a book that started me on a 40 day challenge with a simple rest tool called Yoga Nidra.

I was completely worn out from helping my dad through his 3rd cancer surgery in a year when the podcast caught my attention.

I'd heard the name many times from my Yoga Therapist colleagues, but didn’t really "hear" it until my body needed it the most.

My body was like “Yes, THAT is what you need to do when you get home.”  Deep rest was exactly what my body was craving and I was the perfect candidate to test out the power of it.

I'll never forget my first yoga nidra nap and the way it refreshed and energized my worn-out body (and soul). 

It’s the most relaxed I’ve gotten on my own without going to acupuncture or massage.  I would even say it’s a deeper relaxation experience that energizes you versus having that post bodywork fog where you can barely drive home.

What is Yoga Nidra?

It’s basically meditation while you rest. 

You lie down, listen to a guided meditation, and rest. It’s called “yogic sleep” and involves intense relaxation.

Doesn’t it sound fascinating and fun?

It’s my favorite rest tool for managing fatigue and stress. 

If you’re a caregiver for little ones, old ones, even furry ones... it'll help you re-charge each day.

If you're in a healing profession... it's your burnout prevention tool.

If you’ve got a job that requires you to perform (athlete, speaker)… it’s your pre-game “find your flow” mindset tool.

A 15 minute yoga nidra nap will help you calm your nervous system so your body can repair and heal itself.

It has been such a powerful healing & recovery tool in my life.  I know it can be in yours as well.

Getting Started With Yoga Nidra

BOOK AND CHALLENGE:

• "Daring to Rest- 40 Day Program for Women" by Karen Brody (she was sharing about her book on the podcast I heard 2 years ago). The book will guide you through a 40 day program to heal 3 types of fatigue: physical, emotional, and life-purpose exhaustion (like I've done the past few years) or you can join her live program.  The next live round starts on January 28, 2020: Women Dream.

FREE APPS/RESOURCES:

• Yoga Nidra –free App (Madhav is the narrator) has a very easy to use app with a 10 minutes yoga nidra. 
• Insight Timer is a free app with thousands of meditations- search for yoga nidra. Recommend searching for these teachers: Jennifer Piercy and Madhav.
• An Americanized version of Yoga Nidra is called iRest developed by Dr. Richard Miller. His iRest program is a popular treatment of PTSD, military, anxiety, etc.  He has a lot of books, recordings, and trainings available on his site.

Rest Well!
Mollie

P.S. Check out your brain on Yoga Nidra. The research on brain scans during Yoga Nidra is remarkable.  Your brain is asleep and awake at the same time. After you wake up, you're primed and ready to act: Brain scans

Did you know you have a superpower?  Yep, it's true.  We all have it no matter our age or ability.  It’s neuroplasticity!  Your brains ability to rewire and grow when challenged. 

It’s the reason I can confidently say it’s never too late and anything is possible.  You can grow, learn new skills, be active & agile at any age.
 
But, there's a catch.   It only happens when you challenge yourself outside your comfort zone and do lots (and lots) of repetition to cement in that new healthy habit or skill.  

As a physical therapist working in brain injury rehab these past 20+ years, this was my job.  Provide tons and tons of opportunities that challenged the patient who had injured their brain to use their weak side so they could walk and function better. 

It's called a "forced use approach" to regaining muscle function (motor control).  You're trying to turn on the weak muscles and create new pathways in the brain to help the body move better.

My patients all learned the easy way to move on their own using their strong side.  Sometimes on day 1 of their injury.  It wasn’t efficient and it limited their ability to reach their full potential functionally, but it was easy for them to pick up on their own. 

That’s what your brain will do if you don’t challenge it.  It’ll find the easiest way for you to function but most likely will keep you small and limited.  And if you don't use it, you LOSE it.  This is true whether it's a goal to improve your physical, mental, or emotional health.

Typically, every new habit or goal you want to achieve is outside your comfort zone.   It's not something you are used to doing.  You've got to learn some new skills to accomplish it.  Turn on some new brain cells (neurons) and make new pathways.

And as soon as you decide you’ve got a new goal, whether it’s from fitness to finances, you brain is going to resist with fear and sabotaging behaviors.  We all experience this.  We always will no matter how healthy, successful or happy we are. 

The research shows not even a life-threatening diagnosis of say cancer or heart disease will encourage most people to change their diet or behaviors like smoking.  I can’t tell you how many patient’s I saw pushing their IV pole outside of MD Anderson Cancer Center for a cigarette during a chemo break when I worked in the Houston Medical Center. 

​Your brain is just trying to protect you.  Keep you safe (in your comfort zone.) 

That’s why I love a good brain hack.  It might be from the support of a coach or therapist, a shift in mindset, or adding a new mantra to your bag of tricks.  The more tools you have to deal with resistance and limiting beliefs, the better. 

It takes practice and repetition, but the good news is that IT IS POSSIBLE to rewire your brain to accomplish any skill, goal or healthy habit you desire.  

I've got 3 brain hacks to help you snap out of it when you start sabotaging.   #3 is brand new so be sure to test it out.

I had the most fascinating thing happen last month.  I got a 12-minute treatment for dry eyes that my optometrist recommended and without changing my glasses prescription I was able to see SOOOOO much better.

Like immediately.
 
Driving home, I felt like a kid at Disney World looking around in awe at all the details.  Everything was so sharp and clear.  Kind of like you feel after getting a new pair of glasses or contacts.  Or it feels watching a 3-D movie.
 
And walking the dogs in the dark that night was dramatically better.  The difference before and after treatment really blew me away!
 
Being in the brain injury rehab world, I had heard some info on dry eyes but now I really get it.
 
Besides going to the eye doctor each year and eating your carrots, people don’t talk much about what you can do for your eye health.
 
It’s more important than ever because we all have so much screen time.
 
Anytime you’re focusing on a screen (any screen), you’re blinking less among other things.
 
We’ve got some tiny oil glands in our eyelids that help keep the eye lubricated and love it when we blink.  Apparently, they also love heat and massage.
 
The treatment I got a week ago was a heat and massage for my eyelids called LipiFlow.  It helps unblock those tiny oil glands that get backed up for various reasons.
 
I didn’t realize all the things I could do to help them function better.   Honestly, I didn’t really know they existed until this past month.
 
Here’s what I’ve learned you can do to counter screen time and help support the function of these tiny oil glands:

• Take breaks from focusing on a screen every 20 minutes. Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Includes TV, computer, phone and even books. If you work in an office, try to look out the window if you can. Taking eye breaks from screen time allows your eye to relax and hopefully encourages you to blink.
• Be more mindful of blinking. Maybe take some blink breaks. LOL
• Use lubricating drops 3-4 times a day.
• In the shower, close your eyes and let warm water massage your upper and lower eye lids for a few minutes. My doctor recommended this over warm compresses. Again, your tiny oil glands like heat AND massage.
• Make sure your diet is high in Omega 3’s. If you’ve got dry eyes or symptoms, my doctor recommends you supplement regardless with cold pressed flaxseed (The brand he recommends and went on and on about is Barlean’s.  He’s really into this topic and has trialed everything. Says this brand gets best results.)  Add it to yogurt to help with taste and your body’s ability to absorb it.

Not sure if you’ve got dry eyes?  Here are some symptoms to look out for:
Burning, dryness, irritation, light sensitivity, vision fluctuations, contact lens intolerance, eye fatigue.
 
MINI MOVEMENT BREAKS

Just like our eyes need breaks when we spend too much time focusing, the body needs to MOVE to feel good and work well.
 
We preach & teach about mini movement breaks throughout the day because the research shows it all adds up to support your brain and body health whether it’s 3 breaths, 3 reps, or 3 minutes of movement.
 
Mini Moves, as we call them, done throughout the day can help your body feel more energy, ease and flow each day.  
 
Your brain likes to move especially after long periods of sitting or focusing on a task.
 
When your brain slows down, or brain fog sets in, it’s time to MOVE.
 
Ignore these signals and you’ll likely get more easily frustrated, be less focused, and less productive.
 
Want to feel, move, and perform better?
 
We’ve got 16 mini moves for you to experiment with and see which ones work best for your body (including another eye massage exercise you can do).  They take anywhere from 3 reps to 3 minutes to do.
 
Download the MINI MOVES Daily Planner & Cheat Sheet to help your body feel more energy, ease and flow each day.

Enjoy & don’t forget to blink!
Mollie
 
P.S. Download this free daily planner to help you pick out a few self-care & mini moves each morning.  Your body will love them!

Whenever you set a new fitness goal, its completely normal to get off track while it’s becoming a habit.  You’ll most likely go too hard, too fast and burn yourself out.  It’s human nature.   

The research tells us this will happen to ALL of us.  80% of New Year’s Resolutions are abandoned in the first two weeks of January!

What’s more important is how fast you bounce back.  How resilient you are.  Not that you got off track.

You can build your resilience muscle.  It just takes practice picking yourself up.  In order to do that you have to become mindful of when you get off track.  The faster you realize it, the faster you can start up again.

You’ve also got to learn to let go of the guilt of eating that cookie or not going to the gym.  Before you go beating yourself up, focus on the fact you caught yourself or noticed that sneaky habit of procrastination and commit to starting over.

It’s OK if you over complicate it, overwhelm yourself, or get distracted by the new shiny object.  We want it all NOW.  New things excite us.  They turn on our brain’s happy hormones.  How many books have you started that you haven’t finished?

Whether it’s the holidays, a vacation, or a busy schedule that throws you off track, having the mindset of expecting to get distracted will make it much easier to get focused again on your goal.

Besides working on your mindset around goals, you can try these tips to help you stay and get back on track with them.  Take 5-10 minute to reflect on the following when setting a new goal:

1. Reflect: What are your fitness achievements over the past month (or past year)? 
2. Decide: What’s one specific improvement you want to make in your fitness over the next month?
3. Break it down: What’s the first action step you need to do to toward this goal?  Write it down.
4. Let go: What do you need to let go of?  How can you create some space for your new goal? Eliminate something and replace with your new goal/habit. Example: start using Stevia in your coffee instead of sugar.
5. Anchor it: How can you tie your goal to something you already do?  Example:  work on mindfulness while walking your dog or while you drink your coffee.
6. Visualize: How will it feel to accomplish this one action step?  Take a deep breath and feel that “good” emotion for at least 17 seconds to help you attract it.
7. Act: Focus on doing that first action step. 
8. Celebrate:  Once you complete the first action step, celebrate before moving to the next action step.
   

 
Download your Mindful Athlete Goal Setting Worksheet to help you avoid burning yourself out with your new fitness goal. 

PRO TIPS:

• Your action step should be a baby step.  If it’s overwhelming, you haven’t broken it down enough.  You can write up to 3 action steps but focus on one at a time.  You probably can’t see more than 5 action steps at a time.  Don’t force it.  As you get new information, you may need to modify/tweak your plan. 
• Add some accountability- a workout partner, coach, or join a workout class/group to increase your chance of success.

Keep in mind that fitness goals are really the steps that make up a larger lifestyle journey.  It's about deep breaths and baby steps.  It’s about progress not perfection.  You're training for a marathon not a sprint.  Building your resilience muscle will help you stay on course.

You’ve got this!
Mollie & Ender

P.S. Avoid burnout & overwhelm with the Mindful Athlete Goal Setting Worksheet - it's free!  Download here.

Want to knock out some of those projects piling up on your to do list?  You’ve got to try this time management tool/brain hack. 

Your feel-good neurotransmitters, Serotonin and Dopamine, will be flowing to help you push past procrastination and avoid the burnout of trying to do too much at once. 

I used it to go through our garage (in 100 degree summer heat) and 2 closets quickly without ending up exhausted or overwhelmed.

It’s called the Pomodoro Technique™.  It’ll help you better estimate the time and energy it takes to do a task.

You can use it to:

• Declutter and sort through piles of papers, books, magazines, pictures, closets, etc.
• Write an email, report, or your first book
• Brainstorm ideas
• Research
• Get in a quick workout
• Do your bookkeeping, taxes
• Finish the work project you keep pushing back
• Complete any task, honestly…

Focusing your attention on ONE thing, breaking it down, and building in breaks allows you to keep going without getting over fatigued and to finish the task quickly. 
 
The next time you look at your to do list with dread or feel the weight of an unfinished project, train yourself to say, “I’ve got this.  I’m gonna do just one Pomodoro Round.” 

You won’t believe how much you get done and how great you’ll feel.  Want to dive deeper, go to www.pomodorotechnique.com to learn more.

Let me know what you got done using this technique in the comments.

Mollie

P.S. Not sure what to do after a run or on your recovery day?  Download and test out this 3 minute Active Recovery Yoga Routine for Runners.

The mind-body connection is powerful.  Studies show our movements and thoughts impact our health significantly. 
 
Did you know you can shift your mood or boost your immune system with something as simple as sitting up straight in a chair? 
 
A study found that those who had good posture during a mock job interview reported less stress, more confidence and better moods versus those that slumped.  Better posture equals better blood flow and less stress on the heart. 
 
Most of us exercise regularly because of the known health benefits and for stress relief.  When we can’t get to the gym, any guilt we feel over missing a workout can put extra stress on us.
 
It’s time to stop those self-sabotaging thoughts.  There are many activities you do daily that give you the same health benefits of exercise that you may not be aware of. 

Here are 4 ways to experience less stress and the benefits of a workout without breaking a sweat.

POWER POSE
 
Research shows standing in a Power Pose for 2 minutes boosts your confidence and mood.

A Power Pose is when you have your arms and chest open such as in Wonder Woman pose (hands on hips and feet apart) or arms open in a Victory position like you just won a race.
 
Start doing power poses before you try something new, before your next big meeting, or just as a pick me up when you are feeling low energy.

You’ll feel more confident, focused, and energized similar to what you experience after a strength training workout.

POWER OF BELIEF 

Do you believe you exercise enough?  Studies show that if you believe you are exercising enough, your body will show the health benefits and vice versa. 

A 4 week study found that when participants were told their work of cleaning hotel rooms was good exercise and met the requirement of an active lifestyle, they all showed a decrease in weight, blood pressure, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index compared to the control group. 

It’s the placebo effect in action as nothing else had changed except their belief that their work was a form of exercise.

If you believe you aren't exercising enough compared to others, then it creates mental stress which can impact your health and body mass index.  The key is to think positively daily that you are and have done enough in terms of exercise and taking care of your body. 

It helps to re-frame how you see exercise and realize your daily activities and work tasks do count as part of your daily exercise requirements.  All movement counts.  Shoot, I guess that means dusting counts as a workout.
 
POWER OF LAUGHTER

Laughing boosts your mood and your immune system but it also gives you some of the same health benefits of exercise.  It increases blood flow to your tissue as well as increases your heart rate. 

Everyone knows how a good belly laugh is a great abdominal workout. It can also help with pain.

Norman Cousins shared in his book, Anatomy of an Illness, that 10 minutes of watching a comedy gave him 2 hours of pain free sleep.   

If you can’t get to the gym, watch a comedy or hang out with that friend who makes you laugh.  You can also try a Laughter Yoga class.  Yes, it exists.
 
POWER OF A SMILE 

Smile more even if you have to fake it because the act of smiling improves your mood by producing endorphins like exercise. 

You’re going for a smile that makes your eyes crinkle to get the most benefits.  Smiling in the mirror is an even more powerful exercise.
 
Which one of these techniques are you going to try the next time you don’t have time for a traditional workout? 

Shifting how you think about exercise can play a huge role in your overall health and how long you live. 

You’re worth it! 
Mollie

P.S.  Grab your FREE Download of the Head to Toe Posture Checklist to help you strike your best Power Pose!